New Beer Weekend #243

Kros Strain Imperial Stout, mystery beer from @bbtkd in Stout/Barleywine BIF #2! Blind review below...

It's black. Dark, brownish head. moderate retention. Thick, dense ring, small, fluffy floating islands. It looks very much like a barrel aged imperial stout.

Smell is definitely in support of this. Boozy, bourbon and char and vanilla, coffee and chocolate, maybe some toffee and licorice.

Taste is also support the BBA Imp Stout theory. Maybe a bit light on the char / roasty bitterness. Maybe a bit high on the sweetness. Maybe there's something added to it like vanilla or a tiny bit of maple. Booze is still screaming, chocolate is too, maybe I'll add in cocoa as an addition.

Mouthfeel is biiig, thick, chewy, sticky, dense. Good match for all the flavors and booziness.

Overall, it's maybe a touch on the hot side for my preferences, but it's a good, well-made beer -- gonnna guess about 13% abv, bourbon barrel aged stout, with maybe vanilla and/or cocoa added.

---
Right on the 13% BBA Stout, no vanilla or cocoa added as far I know. Feelin' purdy smart!

 

Had this bad boy earlier..

Fremont - 1765 (2024 vintage)





Notes:
P black w/ a tiny tan cap; quick recession to ring
N huge nose of roasted peanuts (funny enough), booze, barrel, dark fruit; unique and intriguing
T delicious blend of sharp jammy notes, barrel, blackberry, coffee, nuttiness, booze; jammy notes last through the finish; excellent stuff; vinous-like (despite no wine barrel aging) and moderately tart, but balanced- begs for another sip; light vanilla smoothes things out
Mf med bodied, med high carb; smooth on the back end
O really well-executed string ale blend; another awesome offering from Fremont! I suspect @sulldaddy is gonna dig this one as well

Cheers!

 

Love your pics! Thanks for starting us off.

 

Hello BA's.
I am happy to add a new beer into the DB. Also, 2 hops are in the mix that I was not familiar with: Vista and Anchovy. Seriously, Anchovy hops.
Various Methods by The Lost Abbey

Can stamped: Born on 01/21/25
Gorgeous gold to copper in hue. A firm 2 inches of off-white fluff jumps up, hangs for a good spell, and finally settles down to a silky cap. Solid retention with clumpy gossamer lacing.
Nose displays an intriguing mix of citrus, peach, and notes that are both herbal and fruit sour candy, in a good way.
The flavor is more of a mixed salad, can earthy mixed salad, of papaya, orange rind, green grass, and the flavor of a the flesh of a really ripe peach-especially around the stone. Again a bit of sour candy, but with a meeting of orange lifesavers.
Mouthfeel is nice. Good heft, decent carbonation, and a smooth, dry, bitter finish.
3.83/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

No Kidding! Is this going to be 2 weeks in a row with Central Water being represented well?

 

It is a rainy morning here in central Minnesota. I guess since I can't sleep, might as well have a new beer.

Smoked Rosten - Human Robot Brewing - Philadelphia, PA - Helles - 5%

I am a smoked beer fan, and this is a tasty one. It has a light kiss of smoke that plays well with the grain flavors. I got this beer from a former member here, and I'm honored to have had the chance to try it.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58686/676947/
4.17/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can. No date on the can.

This is a fairly clear looking beer and it is golden in color. There's a ton of carbonation bubbles rising in the glass to produce a thick 3 finger white head. The head is frothy and the bubbles are small. Head retention is great and I really like the lacing on the glass.
The aroma has a nice hint of grain and a touch of sweetness to it. I also get a faint hint of smoke and it is a nice counterpoint to the grain.
Taste - There's a lot of grain in this beer. The grain is mostly cereal in nature with a touch of biscuit. There's a bit of sweetness in the grain part of the beer. There's a faint hint of smoke that comes in on the backside. The smoke is quite faint and has a liquid smoke like flavor - not that is a bad thing.
The beer has a nice bubbly body. Very crisp feeling. Smooth in nature.
This is a pleasant beer. Very tasty and a well made beer.

I'll be back later with another new beer. Cheers!

 

Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier (Lentbeer)
5.9% Rauchbier




Poured from can, the body is a dark amber with a wee tan head. Lacing was

Aroma is lightly smoky. Taste follows nose as the smoke is prominent but not overbearing. The malt bill is weighty and lightly caramel sweet which wonderfully pairs with the smoke. A light hop note at finish.

Mouthfeel is soft and carbonation medium.

A very enjoyable and approachable Rauchbier. I’ll buy more if still available. Cheers.

 

Hello, weekend beer triers, I have a new beer from an old brewer, a beer that is sort of like a reunion tour album. Dogfish Head paired with a representative or a few of the Grateful Dead years ago to release American Beauty, a beer that included granola and honey in some fashion, as I recall.

This beer, simply called Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale involves the use of Kernza grains - a sustainable grain that DFH has used before (and granola again, but not honey, seemingly)


The beer pours a lovely head, foamy but loose - which is visible as it falls. Splotches of yellowing newspaper colored foam clings to the side. The body is fairly hazy - sitting to the cloudy side of that in between of nearly opaque and not-really-hazy.

The nose is somewhat tropical, but in a citrus-leaning sort of way. There’s a bit of sweetness, but it’s about as strong as a grainy note, with a hint of grass attempting to assure me this won’t lack a bitter component. The makeup is pretty harmonious.

A balanced beer hits my palate on the first sip. The grain (granola-influenced? I can’t tell) provides the backbone. A considerably more citrus than tropical flavor hits the high note above this bass. This duets with an earthy spice before fading in a wide pan, allowing a mellow, yet metallic bitterness to solo with continued, but lighter flares from the spice.

The beer gets a bit juicier as it warms up, like the band is coming together with a little practice -each jam being a little different. In the end, this reminds me of other late attempts by DFH at newer beers (especially hazies). It’s not their vibe and it’s definitely not as good as their old shit… but it’s ok.

From my little walk today - doubting any of that brown-trying-to-be-green stuff is Kernza.

 

Well, I am back for my next beer, as the rain changes to snow. I have to thank @falloutsnow for it.

Schwartzbier - Riggs Beer Company - Urbana, IL - 5.5%

I am liking this roasted beer this morning as the temperature plummets like a rock. It warms me up. It has a toast/nutty flavor to it and the only downside is it is going down fast today. I am honored this beer got sent to me. Thank you!

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46277/261766/#navigation
4.11/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can. Canned on December 3, 2024.

This is a dark brown pouring beer. I do get some faint amber hues when I hold it to the light. The tan colored head is 2 finger in size and fluffy looking. The head retention is quite good and there's some lacing on the glass.
The aroma is a nice roasted toasted malt aroma. It smells like bread coming out of a toaster.
Taste - very roasted flavor. I get a roasted nut flavor off this beer. I do get a ton of toasted bread flavor in here. I do get hints of dark chocolate malts here. Very roasty.
The body is quite good. The feeling of the roasted malts does linger in my throat.
This is a very tasty beer, and it does go down quite fast.


I will be back in a bit for another beer. Cheers!

 

Beautiful write up and really beautiful picture, I’m looking forward to our next trip to Delaware to see what old, or DFH of old R & D beers are on tap.

Let us not forget the two fan favorite votes coming back nationally in the fall!!

 

Finally enough snow melted so that I can open the door to by back deck. I need my back-lit north light! No more shots on a piece of plywood on a garbage can.

Wizard Of Gose - Pineapple & Mango from Bandit Brewery

Poured a 355ml can into a pilsner glass. A huge gusher of a bubbly white head on a cloudy light apricot. The head disappears almost immediately.

Fruit in the nose. Pineapple and to a lesser extent mango, as billed. A very sour burst up front. The fruit comes through in the middle. A mildly sour finish. No hop presence.

A light body with strong carbonation that soon disappears. overall a fine effervescent sour. There is not much traditional Gose character, but worth a try for fruity sour lovers.

look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

Snow is coming down pretty good now, and the temp has probably dropped 10 degrees in the last hour. Time for another beer thanks to @falloutsnow .

Vienna Lager - Triptych Brewing - Savoy, IL - 4.8%

Damn, I am really enjoying this beer. The only downside to it is the aroma is lacking. The flavor makes up for the aroma in droves. Nice caramel, nuts, and grain notes. So happy to be trying this beer.
Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30967/376300/
4.09/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can. Born on 12/13/2024. Best by 06/13/2025.

This beer pours very clear looking. I am really liking the amber color to this beer. It just looks right, if that makes sense. The head is 1 1/2 finger in size and off white in color. The head retention is good. The lacing is quite sticky looking on the glass as the head dissipates.
The aroma is quite faint. I get some mellow malts here, and I've let the beer warm up a bit. I just get a light and slightly roasted cereal aroma.
Taste - The taste is a lot more than the nose let on. I get some roasted cereal in the flavor mixed in with a roasted nut flavor. There's a nice caramel element to this beer that comes into play more toward the backside. I also am getting a slight bitterness on the back that ties everything together.
I am liking the body. It has a nice feeling to it. Fairly full feeling and there's a hint of it feeling sticky.
I am really digging this beer this morning. Quite tasty, and I would recommend it.

Well, I will be back for more later. Cheers!

 

Back to back here, and another one from @falloutsnow .

O Christmas Meme, O Christmas Meme - Triptych Brewing - Savoy, IL - Imperial IPA - 7.43%

Well, I will start off by saying I'm a big gin fan. I love the earthy and pine flavors in it. This beer to me has so many of those elements in it. The flavor from the spruce tips are off the charts. I'm drinking a Christmas tree in a good way. I am a huge fan. The aroma was the only let down, because I only got tropical hops off it. Delicious, and so honored to have gotten this beer.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30967/315645/
4.08/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can. No date on the can.

This beer is a murky, juicy looking beer. Nice orange color to it. The head is slightly off white and 2 finger in size, and very fluffy looking. The head retention is quite good, and I am liking the lacing on the glass.
The aroma is not what I was expecting. It is totally juicy and tropical in nature. I am not getting the spruce one bit, and it is a bit of a let down.
Taste - Ok, where was this flavor in the aroma? The spruce is just full on and punches you in the face right off the bat. It is so full on powerful and pleasing. It tastes like I'm drinking a Christmas tree. There's just a slight hint of tropical tasting hops, which adds another element to this beer that is pleasing. There's a bit of dankness that seems to hit on the backside, but it is not over the top and somewhat mellow.
I am liking the sticky full body. Very juicy. The spruce just lingers in my throat, and I am burping hops.
Damn! This is impressive. I was not sure what to expect when I poured it or smelled it, but the taste blew me away. Delicious!

I will have another, but I'm going to savor this and wait a bit. Cheers!

 

Our second day of clouds, high winds, and blowing dust. A good time to stay indoors, drink beer, and watch college basketball.
I'm drinking Nada Nada Pink Lemonada, a sour from Roughtail Brewing in Oklahoma City.
The beer is a pink/orange color without much head and no lace.
Fruity aroma, some lemon.
Taste of strawberry and lemon.
Tart mouthfeel.
A good beer for a warm summer afternoon.

 

Cross post from the Irish Beers are Smiling, online tasting.

Lone Pint Brewing's Clover Chaser Irish Dry Stout, 4.3% ABV.



Pours a dark black, nearly opaque but with some reddish highlights round the edges. A dense tan head rises with good retention and rings of lace left behind.
A simple aroma of roasted malts and baked bread. Simple but spot on and enjoyable.
Taste wise, again, a roasted malt flavor, with coffee bitter chocolate and baked bread. The coffee becomes almost espresso like, with a lingering roasted bitterness.
A medium body, with crisp carbonation. This finishes dry and becomes ultra smooth after it breaths a little. Really easy to drink. All day with this one.

A spot on example of the style. This is very similar to Saint Arnold's Irish Hello, and both have a wonderful, less is more approach. Which makes this very moreish. Glad to have another quality example of the style local to me.

Overall score is 4.07 which is an A- for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30380/731895/?ba=champ103#lists

 

@Victory_Sabre1973 is drinking all the local breweries from my home town today, both Riggs and Triptych ha. Love it. Rigg's Schwartzbier is excellent, I haven't had the Vienna Lager, but their other lagers of late have really impressed me.

 

There's great beer everywhere, you just have to look for it. @falloutsnow sent these to me. I'm happy with all of them so far, and will be having another shortly.

 

I decided to go into my beer cellar for this one. I didn't realize how old it was till I looked closer.

Funky Gold Mosaic - Prairie Artisan Ales - McAlester, OK - Wild Ale - 6.5%

This is the 2016 release of this beer.
I bought this a year ago at work to clear a space on the single shelf. We haven't gotten Prairie here locally in quite a while. I was worried that it might be a wild mess, but it is, in fact, a wild success. I am so digging the tart, funky, wild notes to this beer. Damn good.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30356/122766/

4.35/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 16.9oz bottle. If I'm reading the date right, it is bottled on the 174th day of 2016.

There's a bit of hiss and smoke upon opening the bottle. The beer was trying to escape the bottle before I started pouring it into the glass. There's a murky golden color to the beer. A stupid amount of carbonation in this beer as it sits in the glass. There's a slightly yellow 3 finger head to this beer. Very frothy looking and long lasting. Great lacing on the glass.
I haven't been close up to this beer yet, but I am just getting a ton of crazy earthy aromas hitting my nose. Up close it is holy cow! So floral. So earthy. So wild, grassy, and funky. I am getting sour, tart apple notes here.
The flavor is for sure a wild ale. The funky flavors are strong here. I am getting so much green apple in the flavor. There's so much grassy/earthy flavors here. Tons of barnyard funk. This beer is sour and tart at the same time, but there's a hint of sweetness that also shows up.
The body is bubbly feeling, which I expected. The feeling is full bodied. The wild flavors do linger in my throat and do not go away.
I was worried about this beer, because of the age. I shouldn't have been. I wish there were still more of these at work, because I'd buy them up. Wow.

I will be sipping on this for a bit here. I am sure there's at least one more in me today. Cheers!

 

Going to do a few hazies today after finishing a 5 hour drive back to Minnesota, starting with:

Barrel Theory Second Serve

Appearance: Cloudy orange, big head.

Smell: Green melon, pith, not too strong.

Taste: Mild sweetness, then lots of melon flavor. Not super sweet, melon with an underlying mild to moderate bitterness. Very interesting flavor.

Overall: A single from a mixed 4 pack, this might be my first Riwaka hopped beer. Big time melon flavor with surprising balance—not too sweet, not too acidic/bitter. Very good beer.