New Beer Weekend #246

Honestly the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my penmanship

 

Thanks for kicking off the weekend Micah @GreenBayBA . Sounds like you had a typical great beer gathering @Whyteboar . I remember my first Perennial Sump, it's a great selection.

Have been intimidated by my planned two weekend selections, primarily due to the fact they are high ABV stovepipes, bigger than the 16.9 oz BCBS bottles, which I have a stopper for if I want to split in two. I guess I can tape the can, but just going to set out to drink the whole thing, set the alarm for noon so I can watch the White Sox, and hope for the best. The first of two which is my pour for today is one year and a day old.

Revolution Supermassive Café Mocha Deth (2024)

4.41/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



4/5/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased at Revolution Brewery for $15.59 on July 15, 2024 refrigerated where it remained until opening this morning. 19.2 oz, canned 4/4/24 @ 11:5023, 14.7% ABV. Twenty Ten Collection Variant, Supermassive Cafe Mocha Deth. Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels steeped with coffee and cacao. Revolution Beer LLC, 3340 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, IL.

Appearance: Poured close to half of the can into a Deep Woods Season Ticket glass that looks a cocktail glass, yielding a pretty still pour with a briefly held bubbly darker tan head leaving only a ring above the dark near black brown chestnut base and a thin cover over only a few percent above the wide base. Perhaps my trusty snifter would have been the better glass choice. 4.0

Aroma: Let this sit for 15 minutes to warm to proper temperature, but it matches the initial pour aroma of strong mocha coffee, vanilla and hazelnut creamer, and milk chocolate. Bourbon slowly emerges, but the coffee and sweet flavors are dominant. As advertised, hoping the taste is a bit more balanced., but smells good this early morning. 4.25

Taste: Supermassive coffee continues. Been a hot minute since I last had the regular version of Supermassive, and this matches to memory as being very coffee potent. This tastes very fresh, coffee bold, dark roast, no fading or off notes after a year in the can. The sweeter compliments are more in the background than noted in the aroma, a nice compliment to the base beer. Slowly but surely the bourbon arrives, though also in a complementary role, more felt than tasted, but getting a nice smooth bourbon flavor and oak treatment. This is an intense experience. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Creamy rich decadent full body, very strong and getting stronger as I work through the intimidating can. Sweet overall, but the strong coffee and bourbon help mitigate the chocolate sweetness. Very strong full flavor, coffee start to finish, bourbon and chocolate in a battle for silver. 4.5

Overall: Still trying to finish the can, much better to share among 2-3 people due to the very strong felt ABV. Overall, I'm enjoying, though I like the OG Supermassive without the chocolate base on personal preference. Glad I picked this up and finally had the courage to attempt all 19.2 oz. Another Deep Woods success story. 4.5

Plan to be back tomorrow with a flavored English Barleywine, also from Revolution.

Cheers!

 

Surly This Beer is Niiice


Appearance: Gold, good head.

Smell: Light floral note, light barley.

Taste: Light breadiness, and some light floral hops. Light bodied. Finishes with an aftertaste of light breadiness.

Overall: Surly calls this beer that tastes like beer. Yes, it does taste like beer. I suppose it is one to drink if you want a lighter beer and not one of the BMC crowd. Not bad, just not too exciting.

 

Social Project Brewing - Even Flow.
A hazy 8.2% IPA




Pint can pour yields a hazy apricot-yellow body with a fluffy white head. Good lacing.

Aroma is tropical notes of pineapple.

Taste follows nose and adds a very light sweetness and a light tartness with a lime note. No sign of ABV. Depth of flavor is moderate. Virtually no bitterness.

Mouthfeel is very soft and mild carbonation.

An enjoyable beer that is a New England style in all but ABV. Thanks to @russpowell for the beer.

 

Stretching the rules a bit with one I had on Thursday, but I had the week off so it was a kind of New Beer Week and this one is worth sharing. I hope you'll allow it.

Looking forward to catching up on the thread and joining in with another old favorite (but first time since joining BA) this afternoon.

Ommegang Gnommegang
9.5% Belgian Pale Strong Ale



Pours bright gold with a huge white head that leaves a merrangue island poking above the rest as it all slowly settles.

Big aromas here. Clove, coriander, slight black pepper, green apple, pear, some white grape. As it warms, there's also a bit of honey, cracker, and fresh white bread coming through.

Not surprisingly, big flavors as well. The light fruits hit first this time with banana in the mix as well. Then come the spices, which combine with the fruits into a kind-of spiced apple bread note (just without the cinnamon). My description doesnt do it justice at all, really is a case of whole being better than the sum of the parts. Finishes dry with a mix of candy sweetness, earthy bitterness, and medicinal alcohol.

Medium and very fine carb make for a lively yet smooth feel that dances on the palate. Combined with the medium body and dry finish, this goes down way too easily (and quickly) for the abv.

Overall, this is simply a pleasure to drink. The amazing range of aromas and flavors reminds us that we need more yeast-forward beer in the American craft landscape.

 

Our son was down to visit and brought some sours for his mother, She graciously shared some with me. First is Blueberry Crumble fr0m DESTIHL.
A dark pink color. Small pink head that recedes quickly. No lace.
Aroma of blueberry, vanilla, a little lemon, and spice.
Taste of tart blueberry, vanilla, lemon, and cinnamon.
Tart, crisp mouthfeel.
Nicely done.

 

It was very tasty but not at all what was expected. Only a hint of coffee, viscous with lactose, and the ubiquitous dark fruit as far as the eye could see. We kept sipping at it (at least it was a pint and not a 12 ounce) trying to figure it out. Definitely want to try another at some point, just to see if it duplicates.
All that said, your beer looks better!

 

Once a month gathering of friends to drink stouts? It’s always fun, and often amazing. Garth keeps all the notes and our scores in an Excel spreadsheet. Think we have over 300 on it now.
Cheers!

 

I must appreciate anyone confident enough in their spelling skills to write “lackadaisical” without spell check.
Cheers!

 

Kicking off NBW with this one from last night..

Great Burn - Jasmine Green Tea IPA



Notes:
P clear dark orange/copper w/ a 1f white head
N very soft nose of jasmine; blood orange and subtle caramel malt come into the mix as I drank through it
T light bready caramel malt carries citrus; finishes w/ herbal jasmine notes and a light-med earthy bitterness; pleasant profile- simple and nicely balanced; more caramel malt sweetness as it warms; pine comes out as well
Mf med to med-full bodied w/ med to med-high carb; on the dry side
O I'm digging this one- a nicely done IPA; exceeded expectations; probably my favorite from Great Burn to date!

Cheers, BAs

 

Adroit Theory Demons Surround Me (Ghost: Demons) RIS, 16.66% ABV. Pours thick and black with no head. Aroma is roast malt and vague sweetness. Taste is roast malt and slight coffee, moderately sweet, faintly bitter, pleasant bourbon burn. Excellent thick and smooth mouthfeel, but little carbonation. Overall outstanding. The alcohol isn't as evident as you'd expect at 16.66% ABV, so this one could sneak up and whack you in the head if you guzzle it, not that I would. Could drink these all day, but it would be a short day.

4.46/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Incredible beer shared with me by @Ozzylizard in a LIF box associated with the Stout/Barleywine BIF.

 

Credit to the Quality Inn Placentia Anaheim Fullerton since that is the address this came from, you sneaky bastards:


ISM Brewing's Western Standard Time WCIPA

4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can dated 3/17/25

Pours a very transparent, high clarity, straw yellow with a handful of particulate. Head is airy and leaves subtle lacing. Nose is an immediate burst of hops with mosaic and simcoe being standouts, grass, and some lemon zest. Taste is bitter pine, hints of green onion and grapefruit. Mouthfeel is perky carbonation with a very dry, bitter finish.

 

Founders Mortal Bloom Hazy IPA

Curious with no preconceptions as to what a Founders hazy NEIPA is like

Looks correct, with good carbonation and nothing floating in it. Good citrus aroma. Citrus and piney flavors are there, but muted. I wouldn't call the mouthfeel "soft". I thought the bitterness level is more like a West Coast IPA. My can was dated December 2024, so the hops may have faded slightly. Ok but with Burial, Heist, Resident Culture available here, not my first choice for an NEIPA.

 

Two Rivers Unfiltered Ale from Royal City Brewing Co.

Another one from my local brewery. Named for our neighbourhood, which is a strip of land between two rivers.

Poured 355ml can into a pint glass. A two finger bubbly white head on a cloudy pale gold. the head diminished to a thin layer. Bubbly lacing patches.

Spicy grain in the nose. The taste is sweet up front with a malt backbone. a very mild hop finish.

A light body with moderate carbonation. Overall a clean and refreshing American Pale Ale. It's unusual to find and unfiltered one. Well worth a try.

look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4