New Beer Weekend #249

Are you color blind?

The above question relates to the brand name of today’s new beer: Lolev Daltonico Black IPA. And the word “daltonico” means:

"Daltonico" is an Italian and Spanish word that translates to "color-blind" in English.”

I suppose this is the brewery’s reference that this beer is an IPA foremost? Don’t let the color (well, black is really an absence of color) of this beer ‘blind’ you to that fact?

Lolev is a relatively new brewery (opened in 2022) located in Pittsburgh and this is the first time I noticed these beers at my local Wegmans supermarket.

On the back of the can’s label is a QR code which you can scan to obtain:

“Black IPA

6.8%

Slightly roast body, with notes of subtle pine, citrus and chocolate undertones.

Hops: Cascade CGX, Erubus, Idaho 7, Nelson Sauvin”

But listed in the can’s label as regards hops: “Nelson Sauvin, Idaho 7, Citra”.

Is my palate perceptive enough to figure out which list of hops was actually used to brew the beer in the can? To quote the wise owl: “Let’s find out”.

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance:

Black in color with a substantial khaki colored head.

Aroma:

The aroma is dominated with citrus aromas but there is some pine in the background. Not much in terms of malt aromas.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with mostly citrus flavors but some pine as well. Just a hint of maltiness. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

This beer has a medium body with a dry finish. As the beer warms/opens up there is noticeable hop burn

Overall:

I think overall this beer is quite good. I liked the first half of this beer with citrus and some pine flavors but the second half was a bit less enjoyable since I am not a fan of hop burn.

As to which varieties of hops were used to brew this beer, my guess is that it is the hops listed on the can.

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

The Bruery's 2 Turtle Doves Belgian Dark Ale..........Lots of flavors, sweet, lots of pit fruit notes.

 

Cheers to @bbtkd for getting us started. You may see a beer or 3 you sent me this weekend!

 

Hmm, I'll start off this NBW with my visit to a local Neapolitan pizza spot...Coastline.

They do happy hour, and beers are $3. I gave these two a try when I was there...

Mastri Birrai Umbri's Cotta 37 Red. Listed here as an Herb and Spice Beer, 5.5% ABV



Pours an amber reddish color. A small white head forms that sticks around as a cap, but nothing more.
Aroma is cereal grains, lightly toasted malts, and fruity esters in the nose.
Taste wise, again, cereal grains, very light toasted malts, caramel malts, candied sugars, and fruit esters. Its all up front, nothing really lingers, and just OK.
A light body that is well carbonated and clean. Not a lot here that keeps me interested to come back, but certainly not bad.

I'm not exactly sure what makes this an herbal/spice beer. The website indicates some kind of red ale with chickpeas, or using a "high fermentation method" with "refined raw materials such as grass peas." Regardless, nothing outside of some very simple and light grains, sugars, and esters is noticeable. Middle of the road, which isn't entirely bad, just not much going on.

Overall score is bordering on B-/B
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25819/78218/?ba=champ103#lists

 

3.99/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Courtesy of @muchloveforhops3

Pours a murky brown, almost iced-tea-like appearance. Head is minimal, comes late, shows up for a brief moment before turning to a white ring of bubbles. The look at the ring stage coupled with the color is definitely iced-tea. Nose is caramel, toffee, faint banana, granola, almond. Taste is more muted than the nose... granola, some almond, hints of caramel, some earthy bitterness almost inline with an American barleywine. Can says English-style, I'd likely say this is either some hybrid or leans American over English given the hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated. Finish is very familiar SN Bigfoot mixed with some toffee sweetness you would likely find with a traditional English BW. Confusing.

 

Next from Mastri Birrai Umbri...Cotta 21, Blonde Ale at 5% ABV



Pours a clear pale golden/yellow color. Almost no head forms, and its just the golden liquid left.
A really neutral cereal grain aroma. I'm struggling to come up with anything else.
Taste wise, there is a fair bit more here. Again that cereal grain character, but doughy, yeast and a pleasant fruity ester character.
A light body with effervescent and crisp carbonation. Not something I'm going to seek out a lot, but perfectly OK to drink.

There is almost the slightest amount of "Belgian" like character here. With just enough yeast and ester flavors. Though it is very light. It went fine with the Neapolitan pizza I had at a local place when it was on happy hour. Though I can't say I'll be looking for this in any other context.

Overall score is 3.3, B-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25819/70260/?ba=champ103#lists

Though that Neapolitan pizza was excellent, one of the best around.



I have more beers to review later on this weekend....

 

I appreciate all the thought you put in that porch assault

 

Fulton Hop Kingdom American IPA

Appearance: Gold, slightly hazy, big head.

Smell: Vague citrus, a little stinky socks.

Taste: Mildly sweet, then a balanced light breadiness and moderate citrus flavor. Medium-light bodied. Finishes with mild citrus bitterness.

Overall: From the mixed hop kingdom pack, the American IPA is pretty nondescript. Balanced, not too malty, not too hoppy, not too heavy. On the pale ale/IPA border.

 

Urban South Throwback Vibes West Coast Style IPA, 6.3% ABV; 3.29 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with 3 fingers of pearl colored head. Good head retention, better lacing

S: Bready/doughy, some citrus

T: Dryness, breadyness/doughyness, a little grassyness as well up front. Dry, hints of white grape & pear, grassy as this beer warms up. Finishes dry with hints of white grape & plenty of grassyness

MF: Light/medium body, fairly lively carbonation, so-so balance

They are calling this a West Coast Style IPA, big miss. Okay drinkability at best. 25 point deductions for straying off style almost across the board

 

This one exceeded my expectations

New Province Brewing ( Rogers, AR ) 9th Anniversary Triple Hazy IPA, 11.0% ABV;4.4 overall

Pours a hazed gold with 2 fingers+ of ivory colored head. Above average head retention & better lacing

S: Tropical fruit, melons, passion fruit & guava also stand out, a touch of onion as well, pineapple takes over once warm

T: Follows the nose, pineapple, some booze bite & dryness, a little apricot as well up front. Pineapple, peach notes, apricots, dryness & cakeyness once this beer warms up. Finishes with a boozy pineapple kiss, cakeyness & a little acidity & a little peach

MF: Cakey, slight carbonation, very good balance

This is a substantial DIPA, drinks a little slow, but really brings the flavor. Sort of makes me think of a fruity/boozy pound cake

 

I was never the biggest fan of the Urban South location in Houston. They had 10 IPA's, 10 fruit smoothies, and I could never tell which IPA was just a West Coast (only one or two) or a NEIPA (all the rest). They had the worst habit of calling all IPA's just that, and without any ABV. I would just ask, what is the clearest, lowest ABV IPA you have...still didn't really think they were any good. The location near me in Houston closed, which I'm not missing, but I have been told the NOLA location is better...

 

I believe I had some of their beers in NOLA, didn't leave an impression, was wondering where the Parish was...

 

Thanks for kicking things off, @bbtkd!

First new beer of the weekend was courtesy of @jzeilinger

Tree House - Texture





Notes:
O an aromatic, hoppy pilsner chocked full of sharp citrusy notes, herbal, and fresh hop cone notes; a subtle underlaying candied note as well; definitely assertive for the style (and maybe just a touch too sharp for my palate), but a well-crafted pilsner nonetheless

Cheers!

 

Mahola to @muchloveforhops3 for this one!

Crux Fermentation Project Coconut Strut Porter, 6.0% ABV; 3.83 overall

Pours an effervescent mahogany with a thumb+ of tight mocha colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Iron, cocoa, toasted coconut, some vanilla cola

T: Follows the nose. toasty, dry, a hint of vanilla & molasses up front. More toasted coconut & dryness, a little woody & leafy hop, and a touch of toffee as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, toasty with plenty of coconut, plus some woody hops

MF: Medium body, fairly assertive carbonation

Not bad, carbonation seems too much, pretty drinkable, but had more potential