New Beer Weekend #242

Social Project/Norton's Brewing Co ( Wichita, KS ) collaboration Terrible 2's Double Hazy IPA w/Peacherine, Nectaron & Nelson Hops, 8.5% ABV; 4.29 overall

Pours a very hazy gold with 3 fingers of rocky ivory colored head. Above average head retention & insane lacing

S: Cattyness, pine, tropical fruit, mostly guava

T: Some catty notes, dryness, green melon, passion fruit & pomelo up front, grassy notes as well. Passion fruit, guava, dryness & pomelo & a little pineapple once this beer is warmed up, pine coming on strong. Finishes with guava, passion fruit, pink grapefruit, fading pine & some cattyness, just a little dryness

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, nice balance

Drinks so easy, juicy & a little dank, ABV is stealth

 

Good to see you back! And sorry to hear about your Mother in Law; that really takes a toll.

 

Good evening denizens of NBW, and welcome to the thread takeover by the second Imperial Stout and Barleywines BIF
- this is the official share day!
This is from my copious notes I wrote on paper during the game as typing on my phone was right out.
I was looking forward to this one as soon as I pulled it out of the box. I’ve had a few other mystery beers from @DIM and so far they have all been barleywines. So odds are good this one will be too.
Let us see-

Hey! This is dark enough to be a stout! There is hope I can discern at least one of the flavors.
Let us see, from the pour the head is an impressive inch and took its sweet time dissipating. I finally had to drink a little foam just to get started.
Yowsa, first impressions are that this is a pastry stout. The caramel and vanilla are strong. Chocolate is also very present but is so frequently part and parcel of a good stout that I can’t tell if cacao beans are added or not. There is virtually no IBU, but a distinct roast edge keeps this reasonable.
The feel is like a milk stout, the lactose provides a certain type of viscosity and the flavor seems to reflect that as well.
As it warmed up (we were playing board games with the kids today so it took me a little while to get through it) I got what was either cinnamon or salt; the flavor seems to alternate.
The feel is that of an imperial milk stout, and I don’t get any bourbon, so I’m thinking imperial milk stout with caramel, vanilla and chocolate and either cinnamon or salt.
Delicious!

 

And the reveal:

I got the additives pretty much, but miss called the milk stout (it was really like one!)
And it is bourbon barrel aged - for like 16 months! How do you miss that??
Ah well, I got closer than normal, so I’m not too disappointed.
Fun (and very tasty!) mystery beer @DIM!

 

I still have a can or two lurking. The barrel was subtle to me

 

Okay a real bruiser of an offering from @Stoutofmymind via the NBW Imperial Stout/Barleywine BIF#2

Sonder Brewing Family Tradition Script Honduran Barrel Aged Coffee Stout, no ABV listed the rest of the series rests at 14.0% & I have no doubt this is there as well. 4.48 overall Stellar!

Pours an effervescent mahogany/ebony with one finger of fast falling mocha colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Tons of coffee, Bourbon creeping around the edges. Vanilla & Dark Choclate surface late. Stellar nose. Booze more pronounced once near room temperature

T: Follows the nose, some dark chocolate, the Bourbon asserts itself early. Dryness, no doubt from the barrel, but also from the heft surfaces, slightly astringent & rich coffee notes meld with some vanilla & dark chocolate once this beer warms up, woody hops as well. Finishes with some creamy sweet mocha notes & plenty of Bourbon

MF: Fairly thick, firm carbonation, super warming. Carbonation smooths out a bit once warm

Barrel/coffee bruiser that delivers on flavor, drinkability is pretty good considering the heft. I usually am not about coffee forward Imp Stouts, but this totally dialed into my wheelhouse

 

Marshall Brewing’s Black Dolphin BA imperial stout. For whatever reason, I can’t shake saying / thinking Marshal Zhukov with this. Maybe the logo colors and barbed wire. IDK.

In any event, I’d say this lives squarely in RIS territory. Char on the nose. Beefy savory malts, slight roastiness. Drinks much bigger than the 8.5% might suggest. Thanks again to @russpowell !

 

I totally think Soviet Navy in the glory days, Gulag prison tattoos, etc. That one was aged in Stranahan's Barrels in 21

 

Well, I am starting my beer day way later than planned. Oh, well, it is time for another from @falloutsnow

American Lager - Riggs Beer Company - Urbana, IL - AAL - 5%

This beer is a refreshing way to start the beer day. Tasty and easy to drink. I am honored to get the chance to try it.
Review:

3.87/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From a 16oz can. Canned on February 10, 2025

This beer is fairly clear pouring and golden in color. Lots of slow rising carbonation bubbles in the glass. The head is soft looking and 2 finger. The head retention is quite good and there's just some damn sticky looking lacing in the glass.
The aroma is full on cereal grain. There's also floral hints to the aroma. Slight honey like sweetness hits my nose.
Taste - The flavor starts off with grain, though it does seem lighter than the nose suggested. There's a honey like sweetness in the middle that was more intense than the nose suggested. The finish is a nice hop bitterness that balances out the sweetness.
The body is actually full feeling for the style. The bitterness does linger in my throat. The beer is bubbly feeling.
This is quite tasty and pleasing to drink.

I will be back shortly for another beer.

 

Got into this BIF mystery barleywine from @Beersnake tonight..



Blind tasting notes:
P deep mahogany/blk; tiny tan cap that recedes almost instantly to a ring
N massive nose of sweet inviting dark sugars, toffee, candied notes, berry (blueberry?), and booze, notable, tobacco and vanilla as warms, lots going on and I dig it
T hearty toasted malt body, dark sugars, tobacco, dark fruit, and either scotch or brandy notes, light to med warming fin; juicy berry and some bright citrusy notes on the back end, absolutely delicious
Mf med-full bodied with soft med to med carb, super smooth- glides over the tongue, yet finishes sticky
O excellent stuff; definitely an English barleywine in nature; looking forward to the reveal..

-------

The Reveal:

Bottle Logic - Flash Point 2024



Despite [myself] being off on pinpointing some of the flavors, was an awesome barleywine for sure! Thanks again, Tim

 

Well, this will be the closer for today. I wasn't planning on going high octane, but I just grabbed a beer and went with it. @cheeseheadinMinneapolis gave this to me, and well...

Quatre - Arbeiter Brewing - Minneapolis, MN - Quad - 10.4%

Well, the can said it was aged in Benriach peated Scotch barrels. You had me with peated Scotch barrels. I love how the Scotch barrels just add a nice kiss to the Quad. Damn, I am shocked. I really hate going to the cities, and Minneapolis, but I may have to leave Rocks and Cows land, and get to this brewery to see what else they have to offer.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/59099/736663/
4.56/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
From a 16oz can. I am guessing it canned on the 292 day of 2024 based on the code on the bottom of the can.

This beer is dark pouring. It has a cola appearance while pouring. In the glass it is brown colored, though I am getting amber hues when I hold it to the light. The head is 1 finger and tan colored. The head dissipated fairly fast, and there's no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is just full of dark fruit notes. So much plum and raisin. I am also getting a faint smoke aroma that comes from spending time in Scotch barrels.
Taste - This is very complex and I'll try not to mess it up. Up front I get a hint of the dark fruit that I get from a Quad. The flavor does take a turn to caramel and toffee. These flavors do linger throughout, but wax and wane. When the caramel and toffee wanes, I get a hint of something I really love - a smoky peat Scotch. It's not like drinking Laphroaig Scotch, which I love, but it is a hint of the tasty goodness of it.
The body is so damn full feeling - smooth. There's a faint booze hint to the feeling that tells you to slow down, and enjoy.
Wow! I am just enjoying the hell out of this beer.

Well, I will probably wake up Sunday morning ready for another beer. Cheers all!

 

Glad you enjoyed it, @sulldaddy! Cheers

 

Thanks to @Luscious_Malfoy for hitting me with this, as a Mystery Beer...

CWH Parfait by Side Project
Starting off with a glorious mocha colored head capping a motor oil colored gem.
The nose is lush and round with notes of cocoa, vanilla, and notes of coffee.
Flavor has a wash of vanilla, coffee, boozy warmth, and hints of coconut and what comes off as bright, fruity coffee meets espresso with cream. All of this on a base of dark, bitter chocolate malts.
Mouthfeel is hefty but not chewy. Warm.
4.18/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Wow you pretty much nailed that one, nice work!