New Beer Weekend #248

Covert Artisan Æther BBA Imperial Stout, 13% ABV. This is a cuvée of two different BBA stouts, plus add-junks. Pours thick and pitch-black, with a ring of light-brown bubbles that left no lacing. Ahhhroma is sweet bourbon, coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla. Taste is roast malt, bourbon, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon, moderately sweet, slightly bitter, some bourbon burn. Thick and smooth mouthfeel, overall world-class.

4.67/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

This was an unexpected find yesterday, a real gem from my favorite local brewery. Can't wait for their new taproom to open, at the other end of the industrial park building where we get take one of our cars for service. I'll have to schedule service when the taproom is open...

 

Let's compare notes. This evening would be perfect for you to open up your copy.

 

I like what I'm hearing!Gonna get into a couple other brews, but will report back with that one later

 

2023 Utopias! Not my first time trying Utopias, but remember when BA let you review a beer multiple times, once for each format? Consider this my "growler" format NBW entry. I think the last time I tried it was before I got involved in the forums, so this would be my first NBW post of it, I think...

Sample in a little brown medicine bottle sent by @Bishop in a creatively generous scattershot in Stout/Barleywine BIF #2.

Pours a murky brown, still. Smell is high alcohol and tons of raisins and dates. Something makes me think of rye spice and balsa wood. Taste is hot, maintains many of the same notes but add in some sour cherry and something that comes across as juice (like, condensed grape juice?), again very sherry-like. Absolutely drinks like a liquor. Really interesting, really tasty.

 

Good afternoon NBW
I can never resist the Torpedo mix packs, even though I typically prefer regular old Torpedo...

SN Phantom Torpedo

12oz bottle PKGD 01/29/25 poured into a tulip pint glass at fridge temp 6% ABV per label. The beer pours mostly bright with what appears to be some chill haze and clingy off white head. The head recedes to quarter inch cap and coats the glass with a web of lacing. The aroma is mild with tropical fruit salad and piney notes. The taste is bittersweet tropical fruit leaning toward dank and earthy flavors and finishing up with medium to strong bitterness. The feel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good.

Cheers all!

 

Indeed LSD (Lavender Sunflower Honey and Dates) Ale

Appearance: Gold, lots of particles, good head.

Smell: Sweetness that may be dates, kind of pruney?

Taste: Sweet up front, then a more honeyed sweetness mixed with a little grape soda note. Full bodied, finishes with continuing honey sweetness.

Overall: This beer has been around for quite a while but I never tried it until I realized it could be a herb & spiced beer style tick! So I picked up a single and was pleasantly surprised. Kind of a dessert beer, in a similar vein to Indeed's Mexican Honey beer. I don't really get much lavender but the honey is strong. Worth a try.

 

I am ready for my next round. This just came into work a few days ago.

Fruit of the Double Loop - Inbound BrewCo - Minneapolis, MN - Imperial IPA - 9.0%

This beer is very fresh and the hops just pop in my throat. They go in many tasty directions. The only knock on this beer is the aroma is so lacking. Either way, I am glad I bought this beer.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45230/742094/#navigation
3.91/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a 16oz can. Canned on 04/11/2025

This beer pours slightly murky into the glass. The color is a dark golden color. The head is thick - 3 finger - and white in color. Head retention is quite good. There's a good deal of sticky looking lacing on the glass.
The aroma does seem a bit faint for the ABV, and freshness. I am getting hop notes in the beer that seem tropical in nature.
Taste - Well, the flavor is a lot stronger than the nose. The flavor has a dank, earthy hit right off the bat. The flavor does make a turn toward mango in the middle. The finish is full on melon with a slight bitterness.
The beer does have a nice feeling to it. It does have a nice depth and fullness to it.
While the aroma is lacking, the flavor is not. It is a very tasty beer overall.

I'll see if there's one more in me today. If not, see you all here tomorrow.

 

Happy to be contributing this week after missing out last weekend. Spring break has begun for me, the season has definitely turned, playoff hockey begins!!!!! Today we almost finished painting our shed, a multi-day process I wanted to finish today but forearm is dead and I wanted to keep going but I just couldn’t; just a solid weekend, and week ahead I hope. Onto beer…

The recent “hazy hefeweizen” thread prompted this purchase. I went searching for my local “go-to” which is Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat but all the stores cans were past the best by date. Luckily I found a cold, under $2, single of a German one I have never had, excited to try this one.

I have always associated hefeweizen, and witbier, for that matter with the changing of seasons from cold to warm; they just pair so well for me. And so here we go….

Hacker Pschorr - Weissbier (Hefeweizen 5.5%)



Pours nice cloudy burnished orange; great head; lightly off white, frothy and creamy looking, great retention; once settled a nice thick creamy cap sustains.

Nose is quite vibrant; strong banana and clove but something bright in there too that has a zest like quality akin to citrus.

Taste wise it’s a very nice balance of the same banana and clove; there is a soft bread that leans into nilla wafer land; very nice stuff, slight spicy touch on the finish.

Mouthfeel is soft and smooth, creamy carbonation; light-medium body; no bitterness worth noting; highly refreshing character on the finish; it has a brightness to it.

I guess it is what I have come to expect from a German Hefeweizen; perfect balance, so smooth, and highly drinkable and refreshing.

---------------------------

Really looking forward to watching the Jets game tonight, the white out and noise is always so amazing. I will enjoy all the hockey I can and hope that the Leafs can get a step up in the series tomorrow, as long as they don't succumb to pressure I really think this team is capable of making a very deep run this year. We shall see...

Given the holiday weekend I may sneak in another new one tomorrow, guess we'll see. If I don't I got a few more new ones to hold me over in the coming weeks. Cheers everyone

 

Cloudburst - Peaked in High School double west coast red ale

16oz can served in a curvy Monhegan pint glass. Can is dated 03/25/25. Bought it yesterday at Chuck's Hop Shop.

Pours dark amber with a reddish brown tint to it, clear where the glass is narrow and nearly opaque where it's wide. Pours with a big, coarse head, settles slowly and leaves behind an uneven centimeter-thick layer, lots of active carbonation. Smell is gorgeous toffee and pine, nuts and raisins, grapefruit rind. Floral sweetness.

Taste is not as intense as i was hoping, and just a bit on the sweet side of the profile I was hoping for, but nothing to complain about. Caramel sweetness offset by pine and grapefruit rind bitterness, toasty biscuit, long slow bitterness in the finish, flowers almost come across with a tropical fruit vibe.

Mouthfeel is light and smooth, a little prickly. Very nice beer.

 

Hoppin’ Frog Bite of the Beast
16.66% American barleywine



Poured from a 250 ml can, the body is an opaque brown. A finger of light brown head quickly dissipated. No lacing.

Aroma is caramel, Thai chili pepper, and booze.

Taste follows nose but the Thai peppers step forward. There is noticeable heat, but it is well done and not over the top. The substantial malty sweetness keeps the peppers from making this a one trick pony though it may render the beer too sweet for some palates. There is no hop presence. No bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium (though a tad sticky) and enough carbonation.

I love hot peppers so this one is up my alley. Steer clear if you don't enjoy pepper heat. Ultimately (and like the brewery) I consider this barleywine to be English style, not American as listed in BA.

 

Dragons Milk Crimson Keep


4.25/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured into a hello kitty stange

Dark iced tea crimson brown colored liquid, taupe foam cap , good layered lacings

Aroma is bourbon , caramel

Taste is sweet caramel , bourbon

Smooth. Boozy with no heat

Good beer

 

Forest and Main (Ambler, Pa.) has 3 cask pulls going as of two days ago.

 

Icarus two out rally pilsner with watermelon
...pale cloudy gold appearance
...close to medium carbonation with about the same for the body.
...aroma is something close to watermelon candy with cereal and grain following.
...taste has some sweetness but not much with a very mild bitterness that comes off like watermelon rind. A bit of cereal and grain show up as well.
...overall its pretty decent but perhaps not too memorable

 

Enjoyed your open @Beersnake ! I've had a similar problem over the years, including a season ticket package each year from Revolution I need to work through (just under 10 cases of beer, about 7 1/2 of which are cellar appropriate beers). Have been really disciplined only buying single new to me cans for each weekend, and I'll have 3 of those left after enjoying 3 this weekend with the extension into Monday.

Have three Illinois beers planned this weekend, and with save my Forest & Main for the next weekend or two. Starting with Triptych, which doesn't get up here often. I enjoy what I've had, and hope to keep the line moving with this selection.

Triptych Exceptionally Humble

4.13/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25



4/19/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased at Beer on the Wall at Park Ridge at store temperature for $5.12 with tax on March 22, 2025. Refrigerated upon returning home until opening this evening. 16 oz, canned 3/5/25, best by 6/5/25, 8.0% ABV. A Double American India Pale Ale Featuring Amarillo, Simcoe, & Mosaic Hops. Pilsner Malt. Oat. & Wheat. Once upon a time, we too were extraordinarily humble but now we are exceptionally humble. Brewed & canned by Triptych Brewing Company LLC, Savoy, Illinois.

Appearance: Poured about half the can into a teku glass, yielding a light yellow golden pineapple hazy base and a bubbly and creamy generous bright white head, yielding soapy lacing and a creamy rich cover over the whole base. Looks very good. 4.25

Aroma: Citrus, tangerine mild in strength. Good. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with the aroma though much stronger, with citrus the clear leader. tangerine, melon and coconut create an enjoyable tropical blend. Amarillo hops jumping here. Fresh, crisp and delicious. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Slightly prickly carbonation, mild bitterness provides balance, but in a losing battle, to the sweet fruit flavors. Drinks a little below the ABV, body light medium and pillowy. Easy drinking, citrus tangerine from start to finish. 4.25

Overall: This is an solid offering and presentation of Amarillo hops. Bursting with flavor, light and easy, sweeter than expected but within reason. A solid wheat bodied hoppy flavor Imperial IPA I'd enjoy picking up in the future. Another Triptych winner! 4.25

Likely going with my final BA new to me offering in the refrigerator for New Beer Sunday.

Cheers!

 

Radiant - DDH So Into You

16oz can served in a big snifter. "Canned fresh the week of March 17 2025." Bought it at Windsor Homebrew in California a couple weeks ago.

Pours murky whitish-yellow with a smallish head, moderate to low carbonation. Smell is bright and juicy, surprising booziness for the relatively normal abv. Almost a marshmallow vanilla creaminess.

Taste is a bit more muted than the aroma, more toward citrus pith and lemon rind. A little echo of grapefruit rind and pine, some biscuit.

Mouthfeel is nice -- medium, almost fluffy, but dry-ish and not clingy. Overall, pretty solid.

 

Mortalis typhoon sour ale.
....really thick papaya puree appearance with an orange one inch lasting head.
...very light carbonation with a creamy body
...aroma is pineapple fruit and juice out front,than guava,peach and coconut. There is a slightly bready, pastry like aroma as well.
...taste is guava and coconut juice with a little bit of mixed fruit with a little bit of doughy bread.
....its a sour ale but definitely heavy on the fruit juice. Excellent dessert beer
...

 

Sounds like my kind of place. I love English style beers and cask beers , a place with that combination has to be fantastic. I am planning to visit Red Shed Ale House in cherry Valley , NY this summer. The specialize in cellar stored cask beers in the traditional bitters , extra special bitters and milds. I have to more research to see if they do open vat fermentation.
Cheers,
BeerJoe

 

I have been there a number of times. I do enjoy their cask beers. And also their beers served via a Lukr faucet.

Cheers to Forest & Main!

P.S. Just a few hours ago my wife and I visited Local 44 after watching the Phillies game. They had a Smoked Pub Ale on their handpump. I was not in the mood for a smoked beer at the time so I went for a Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen instead (@jonphisher) which I greatly enjoyed; a nice warm weather beer.