New Beer Weekend #252

Nice West Coast start! @Beersnake
I'm popping in with a freshy from @russpowell
Cosmic Heart


A yellowish sandy head rises nearly 2 fingers in height and slowly settles down to a milky 1/2 inch cap. Chestnut to auburn in hue. Soapy lacing clings firmly to the glass.
Nose is rich and deep. Brown bread dough, caramel, fruit cake, and hints of brown sugar and herbal spice.
Flavor begins with a slightly earthy delivery of figs, brown bread, tea leaf, herbal spice, wood, and hints of dark fruit that are hard to nail down.
Mouthfeel has an active carbonation. Maybe a tad much but the heft is nice and the finish has a sticky sweetness that doesn't go too sweet due to a gentle tea like dryness.
4.01/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

 

Na Zdravi – that’s how they say Cheers in the Czech Republic

I purchased the Von Trapp Pilsner Pack (12-pack) that has three beers each of their Bohemian Pilsner, Czech Pale Lager, West Coast Pils, and Bavarian Pils. Two weeks ago, I discussed the West Coast Pils.



For this week’s post I will discuss the Bohemian Pilsner (which I have had before) with the new brand: Czech Pale Lager.

In the Let’s Give Lager Love on April 8th I discussed (prior to me purchasing this pack):

“The BJCP style guidelines have two ‘versions’ of Bohemian (Czech) Pilsners: Czech Pale Lager and Czech Premium Pale Lager. In the Czech Republic they choose to distinguish via the Original Gravity of the beer as measured by degrees Plato. For example, a Czech Pale Lager would be labeled as 10% and the Czech Premium Pale Lager would be labeled as 12%.

Below is from the Von Trapp website:

“Bohemian Style Lager

5.4% - Our award winning lager featuring Saaz hops and Pilsner malt. Spicy and zesty with notes of honey and hay.

Czech Pale Lager

4.5% - Unfiltered and double decocted, this traditional lager is made with 100%

Czech ingredients including floor-malted barley and Budvar yeast.”

https://www.vontrappbrewing.com/files/7012/pilsner_pack_sell_sheet_v4.pdf

It would appear that a distinguishing feature of their Bohemian Style Lager (5.4% ABV) and their Czech Pale Lager (4.5% ABV) is the difference in alcohol level. Sort of like in the Czech Republic 10° vs. 12°.

Von Trapp also provides ‘extra’ details about the brewing of the Czech Pale Lager (e.g., double decocted, Budvar yeast) which is absent from their description of the Bohemian Style Lager. It would be somewhat expected to notice the difference in alcohol between these two products. Would someone notice the difference (presuming there is one) in the mashing regime? And the difference (presuming there is one) in the yeast strain chosen?”

In the past I have homebrewed with Weyermann floor malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt a couple of times when homebrewing my annual batch of Bohemian Pilsner. I stopped using that malt since it provided a flavor aspect that I would describe as “earthy” which was not particularly appealing for my palate. I wonder if I will pick this up in the Czech Pale Lager. To quote the wise owl: let’s find out!

Served in my Polish Pilsner Glasses:

Appearance:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: Straw/golden colored with a white head.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: Straw/golden color with a white head.

Aroma:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: A maltiness that gives an impression of being rich I n nature. There is a subtle hop aroma of spicy/herbal in the background.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: The smell of cracker-like malt first hit my nose but then the hop aromas of spicy/herbal/floral are noticeable.


Taste:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: The malt flavor follows the nose with an impression of richness but on mid-palate there is an earthiness (not a favorite for me). Subtle hop flavors of herbal/spicy. A medium bitterness.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: The flavors follow the nose with a combination of cracker/bready malt flavors and substantial hop flavors of herbal/spicy/floral. In comparison to the Czech Pale Lager the hop flavors come off as being brighter in nature. A medium bitterness.


Mouthfeel

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: Light – medium body with a dry finish.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: Medium body with a dry finish.

Overall

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: I enjoyed drinking this beer, it is very good. I appreciated the richness of the malt character but not so much the earthiness on mid-palate. The hop aroma/flavor was subtle.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: I enjoyed drinking this beer too. The highlight for me with this beer is its brighter hop aroma/flavor. This beer is more balanced between malt & hop flavors for my palate.

I am very thankful that I have two hands to enjoy both of these beers!

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @JacksAbbyBrewing @speakorspasm @ATL6245

 

There are some good questions there.

When I make a decision to purchase a new (to me) beer there are a number of considerations:

I often select beers from breweries that I trust. I have had other brands from them that I thought were high quality brews so I give them the 'benefit of the doubt' and give a new brand from them a try.

I will also purchase new (to me) beers that are discussed on BA where the person posting speaks highly of the beer. This is often skewed to BAs who I think have a palate/preferences are similar to mine. This 'strategy' is sometimes a hit or miss thing.

I also watch some video reviews on YouTube and depending on the person/channel I will buy a new (to me) beer.

There is likely other comments I could make here but...

Cheers!

 

Cheers for getting us started. I go off instinct mostly. Now a lot of times here in the hinterlands we get beers later than most, so I do usually have good intel on beers that are more widely available. That can factor in for sure. Without sounding like a skinflint, I tend to way get more diligent about pricey offerings

 

Stonecloud Brewing ( OKC ) Full English ESB ( brewed with Earl Grey Tea & East Kent Golding Hops ), 5.2% ABV; 3.98 overall

Pours an effervescent chill-hazed amber with a thumb+ of beige head. Clears up nicely, average-ish head retention & lacing

S: Dark fruits, leafy hops

T: Follows the nose, toasty, a touch of brown sugar & woody hops up front. Fruittyness, leafy & woody hops, plus a bit of toastyness, as this beer warms up. Finishes dry with fruity notes, a little brown sugar & leafy hops

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, good balance

Fairly true the style, super easy to drink. I'd buy this again

 

Thanks for getting us going, @Beersnake!

To answer your question (and an insightful one, btw), because there are relatively few new offerings at any given time here in MT, I'll typically grab what I can to try. Adversely when we lived in OR, I would be more apt to do a little research before grabbing new beers due to the sheer volume available.

Will be back with some thoughts on my first new beer of weekend shortly- Cheers

 

Absolute stunner of a beer from @bbtkd via a LIF from NBW Imperial Stout/Barleywine BIF#2

Kross Strain Brewing Co. Barleywine Volume#10 Barleywine Willliquors ( Blend of beers aged in Whisky Barrels for 24 months ), 13% ABV; 4.66

Pours an effervescent chestnut/mahogany with a sliver of fast-falling tan head. Stays effervescent throughout the pour, some head retention & lacing & plenty viscous

S: Rich dark fruit, plenty of Bourbon, Toffee late

T: Follows the nose, toffee, leafy & woody hops, treacle & port notes up front, some booze bite. Brown sugar, toffee, molasses, dark cherry, figs, plenty of Whisky & tobacco like hops with a little dryness as this beer warms up, maple syrups as well. Finishes with dryness, subdued Bourbon notes, leafy hops, dark cherry, toffee & maple syrup

MF: Chewy, low volume carbonation & much warmth, sticky on the teeth & lips. Carbonation builds once warm

This a delicious mauler of a Barleywine, deserves to slow sipped, but so tasty I'd forget that about every third sip. Close to perfection in a glass

 

This was the beer that got me liking barleywines. Glad you like it as much as I do.

 

They threaded a very small needle there, masterpiece IMHO

 

Probably 90% of the beers I drink are new-to-me singles, to review. I have a cellar, but only drink from it if I can't find anything new that I think I'll like. I try real hard not to buy anything that could suck. There are a dozen or so breweries that I'll drink anything of theirs if it's one of my favorite styles. I do check reviews for stouts and barleywines to decide if I should buy several, or just one.

 

thanks for kicking us off this week @Beersnake - and two monster beers back even, I am in awe!
I’m in Colorado again for my brothers wedding tomorrow and went to a bottle shop close to where my mom lives, they had some of my favorite beers which I bought - at least some of them. But that doesn’t help with a new beer. I did, at the recommendation of the store manager, pick up a beer new to me and a brewery new to me: Bierstadt Lagerhaus and the beer is Slow Pour Pils.

The pour is perhaps the closest to transparent water that I’ve ever seen; it has the lightest golden straw color with a bright white head that didn’t give up.
The taste features mild cracker-esq malts and the Noble hops are unmistakable, light bitterness and a floral flavor that makes this a very tasty beer.
The feel is light and crisp; something that could be quaffed by the liter and come back for more.
OA, I will share one with a person who will be my sister in law tomorrow, but drinking the rest. Need to try one next to a Czech style to really notice the difference.
Cheers all! Going to a nearby brewery that is only about 3 years old and is relatively close to here. But not, apparently, in the BA database. Father & Sons Tap house & Brewery.

 

Have a good NBW. Thanks for the start off @Beersnake . Slept in a bit today after finishing my temp assignment yesterday. My wife is the best. We came to Rio grande cantina on friendly for lunch. Grande Nachos:


I listened to the Val Kilmer memoir and Jon Krakauer pat Tillman biography over the last few days. The Jon Krakauer Pat Tillman biography was amazing. He had much of the same views on life as me, raised by a great family. The Val Kilmer memoir was a unique read. It had a lot of poetry intermingled with his experiences in the film industry. A very respectable actor. I loved his story about family life and being batman.

Also read Beowulf after I got home from lunch. Classic literature, I read it in 10th grade.

Another BIF review from @Ozzylizard . Hoppin Frog Evolutions of B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Caramel Macchiato. Amazing head retention and spotty lacing. Aromas of huge caramel, toffee, fudge, vanilla, cream, chocolate, coffee, sugar, cookies, light char. Lovely dessert heavy aromas. Taste follows with dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, vanilla, cream, dark bread, toast, pepper, pine, herbal, wood; light licorice, tobacco, molasses, smoke, char, yeast earthiness. Light-medium pine, woody, charred bitter finish. Medium carbonation and full body; balanced creamy/silky malt, sticky hop, and chalky char/roasted mouthfeel. Slight slick/syrupyness after the finish. Lingering hop/roasted dryness, with no cloying/acrid flavors. Nose is a lot more of the dessert expectation, taste was more of the base russian imperial stout with quite a rich sweetness with the added flavorings. 4.09/5


Cheers

 

This brings a question for everyone. When you try a new beer (or buy a new beer to try), do you do extensive homework on the beer before purchasing? In other words, do you set your palate up for success are are you a leaf blowing in the wind and just grab something new because it's new? Alternatively, perhaps you are not someone who tries new beers very often?

A little more elaboration will do more research on styles I am off of or just don't like as a rule. Usually want to make sure with some styles if they are a least true to the style

 

First new beer is..

Evil Twin - Oude Evil



Notes:
O this one was.. er, not good; I enjoy a well-made craft malt liquor (Steeplejack's comes to mind), but this example was a mess of cloying corn/cereal malts; with that being said, the nose was inoffensive and the mouthfeel was solid

Cheers, NBWers!

 

Back in the day I loved them. They seem to not be so revered over the last decade or so