New Beer Weekend #254

Thanks for starting us off @Beersnake
To your question, I like to focus on the beer and don't usually have food in the mix...at least at the start. If reviewing more than one, I prefer simple crackers or bread, along with water, as palate cleansers.

Having said this, if food is involved tend to have specific preferences that are somewhat consistent with @russpowell . If it's Thai, Vietnamese, tacos, or sushi IPA's are perfect.

If it's BBQ, which is rare, I will usually consider reviewing before the food arrives. Interesting to note that while visiting Urban Roots in Sacramento, it is difficult to be completely focused on the beer, especially the nose, due to the strong omnipresent smoke aroma throughout the building. For lovers of BBQ and smoking, it is truly tantalizing. But it does dominate the air, and thus all things taste and smell. Gotta admit, it was a nice "problem" to have that day.

 

Lagerbier Hell from Rorschach Brewing Co.

Poured a 473ml can into a pint glass. A scant one finger fine white head on a very slightly hazy pale gold. The head diminishes to a persistent layer.

Tastes slightly sweet with a bready malt backbone. Light fruits. Herbal. A very lightly hopped finish.

A very smooth and soft mouthfeel. A medium/light body and light carbonation. Overall a very smooth and well balanced Helles. Well worth a try.

 

Good questions!
We have a stout appreciation night every month and I’ve noticed over time that even other beers will greatly affect the taste of another.
So I take Guinness (standard) as a sort of palate cleanser.
There are normally crackers and cheeses present, along with chocolates and other sweets for nibbling on but I generally hold off until we have had the first taste of the stouts we are drinking that night.
Then I will see how the different snacks affect the flavors.
I did have several new to me beers last night at the aforementioned event but my notes are still being processed and I took no photos except the interesting head on a beer I am rather certain was infected.

Rather like a high school science experiment, isn’t it?
Not really caring how it was going to proceed I poured it down the drain.
And it was a new one for me, nuts!
Cheers all, I will be back today with a new one.

 

Will try to catch up with the thread and opening question later today, just juggling a bunch of things. Would typically save this one I've been wanting to enjoy for a while until Sunday, but my 16 oz barrel aged collaboration fits logistically better for Sunday. My weekend theme is California collaborations.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company & Odell Brewing Company Wandering Don

4.22/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



5/31/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased May 6, 2025 at Beer on the Wall at store temperature for $2.83 including tax, refrigerated at home until opening this morning. 12 oz canned April 9, 2025 @ 7:07 PM. 7.0 ABV IPA collaboration with Odell Brewing Company. Firestone Walker Beer Company Beer Fest limited release. Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California.

Appearance: Crystal clear golden blonde pour, medium sustained carbonation for several minutes, bright generous bubbly white head lingers for a few minutes before leaving a creamy cover over the base. Looks really good. 4.5

Aroma: Citrus, grapefruit, pine, tangerine and mango the nice fruit basket aroma, Mild plus in strength and enjoyment. 3.75

Taste: More focused and for my preferences enjoyable with a strong bitter pine lead, citrus, grapefruit and tangerine back casually. Classic WCIPA vibes. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Dry, bitter/ Drinks seemingly lighter than the 7%, but catches up second half. Dry bitter pine heavy start to finish. Yea me! 4.5

Overall: That's the way, aha, aha, I like it, aha aha. Really came through as anticipated. Old School collaboration between two of west coast brewing titans. Many times these don't match up to the breweries' best attempts, but this one is not in that mode. Union Jack vibes. Grateful I picked this up, hope to run into more out West in a few weeks. 4.5

 

"Petri dish party" as a description of the head retention?

 

A productive Saturday. Walked the dogs, cleaned up the pool area, and paid some bills. Going to the movies this afternoon. My new beer is French Toast Brunch from Prairie, a "barrel aged imperial stout with maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla."
The beer is black, the surface has an oily look to it. No head, no lace.
Aroma of chocolate, maple syrup, a little vanilla.
More cinnamon in the taste, in a good way. it doesn't take over. Chocolate, vanilla, faint bourbon,
Thick mouthfeel. Sweet but not cloying.

 

I like it! If I were to rate it I think I’d use that. But I need to give them a heads up and try a different batch, seems unfair to rate an obviously bad one.
But if it repeats, I will broadcast the brewery and beer to warn people.

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

I will start off by answering the question our opener asked: I almost always just focus on the new beer, and avoid eating food with it till after I'm done reviewing it.

Now on to my new beer from Blackstack Brewing:

Extra Mustard - Blackstack Brewing - St. Paul, MN - Imperial IPA - 8.4%

This beer is quite tasty. It has a very smooth feeling and goes down way too easy for an 8.4% beer. It is almost refreshing. Very delicious overall.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/48592/747609/
4.22/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 16oz can with no date on it.

This beer has a nice pale golden color. It looks like pineapple juice with the color. The beer is hazy and murky looking with a thick 2 finger white head. The head retention is quite good, and there's a bit of lacing on the glass.
The aroma is quite luscious with the hops. It has a nice tropical aroma to it. Mango and pineapple notes. There's a very faint dank and earthy tone to the hops profile as well.
Taste - The hops punch you right away and don't let up at all. Very tropical tasting beer. Lots of mango and pineapple. Faint hint of the dank and earthy notes on the back.
Very juicy feeling. Soft. The beer really goes down very smooth and way too easy. It doesn't drink like 8.4 at all.
Blackstack keeps making good beers and Hop Butcher also does. This is a good collaboration beer between the two great breweries.

I am sure there will be at least one more today. Cheers all patrons of the NBW virtual bar.

 

Continuing my trip through the Oskar Blues mix pack,

Dale's Light Lager


Appearance: Super clear yellow, ok head but poor retention.

Smell: Light breadiness.

Taste: Balanced start, a little breadiness and some mild earthy bitterness. Light bodied. The earthiness sticks around in the finish.

Overall: Another from the mixed 15 pack, this light lager is a little unusual as it seems to have a English pale ale hop profile. Interesting to try.

 

The Chuckanut was better across the board. A better helles, with more malt and smoke flavor and aroma, gorgeously balanced. Just a wonderful beer. I will have to nab a couple more cans so I can write the review that beer deserves.

Edit: I would love to do a side-by-side of Chuckanut Helles and Rauch Helles, but they aren't usually canned at the same time.

 

Only one new beer for me today, The Bruery's Heavenly Blis was pretty tasty!

Heavenly Blis | The Bruery | BeerAdvocate





I plan on having another couple new brews tomorrow too. Cheers and happy NBW everyone!

 

I am probably missing something that happened beforehand, but this is I recall how the "tasting thread" concept starting:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/mass-online-tasting-orval-trappist-ale.336823/

By the Delirium Noel thread a couple months later, it had already become more like NBS with everyone doing independent reviews...
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...line-tasting-friday-december-18.362070/page-6

 

Thanks for kicking off NBW, @Beersnake!

To answer your question: My preference is no food before a new beer, however if need a little something on my stomach before I dive in, I'll usually go with a few crackers, mozzarella cheese, or a small half of a turkey sandwich (just the bread and the meat to keep it as neutral as possible).

I realized that I totally forgot to answer the question from last week, so here's that one as well .. To echo the sentiments of many of our fellow BAs, I prefer to review a new beer solo in a quiet spot; definitely makes it easier to focus on the attributes

Had a new one from @jzeilinger last night - Will get those notes posted up shortly

Cheers, NBWers!

 

Buffalo Creek Obligatory, a WCIPA.
3.92/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Crystal clear copper color, off white head, some nice lacing. Citrus and pine aroma, flavors follow, medium bodied, nicely carbonated. Purchased on tap at Buffalo Creek, Long Grove.

 

I rarely post to NBW, even beers new to me like this one from Sand City. But it’s a winner, so here goes.

Not the most opaque NEIPA I’ve had, not even from Sand City. But it’s only been in the can for two months, so settling shouldn’t have occurred. A two finger head dissipated quite quickly to a skim of bubbles. Aroma leans toward the tropical fruit side of the equation, but is mild overall. On the tongue there is an underlying resiny bitterness that probably skirts the guidelines for NEIPA, but I like it. It balances the kiwi/pineapple/mango aspects beautifully. Overall, definitely deserving of its 93 rating. 4.25

 

Those BLiS barrels are sure making the rounds. I knew they had expanded but California? Wow.
Oh, in case you’re curious, they named it BLiS as an acronym for Because Life is Simple.
At least that’s what I remember.
Cheers!

 

Back again for one more beer today.

Liquid Fidelity - Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative - Minneapolis, MN - American Lager - 4.7%

This is a very tasty and easy drinking beer.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/49207/655345/
3.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a 16oz can. There's a date on it, but it's smudged, and I can't read it.

This is a clear looking beer in the glass and has a nice golden color to it. There's a 1 finger white head that has decent retention, but no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is quite light. There's just a faint hint of grain in it. Not much else going on here.
Taste - The flavor starts off mellow, but the malts do kick in on the back. There's a lot of cereal and grain in the flavor. Notes of a honey like sweetness also crop up on the backside.
Clean and crisp bodied. Decent depth and feeling to the beer.
A tasty and easy drinking beer. Great for a hot day.


Be back tomorrow for more new beers.

 

Easy to drink that's for sure.
Firestone/Odell Wandering Don WCIPA 7%
4.05/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz can canned April 09, 2025 into a Becker.
L: SRM 4 pours a radiant golden yellow with a soapy thin white head that recedes to edge foam, low carbo, spotty soapy lacing.
S: A very vague fruit note, distant grains, very light overall.
T: Lemon & semi-intense zest, background caramelized malts, lemon zest lingers quite long. Fruity then some malt character emerges but quickly gives way to a big long wave of moderately sweet fruitiness and zest. The taste is circular.
F: Brisk medium-light bodied smooth mouthfeel with a fast-moving center and a medium-long fairly dry finish with a taste linger that drys.
O: Overall very fitting for the style. Rather zesty, clean and fast with a lot of citrus in a bitter finish. Malts emerge briefly about 3/4 of the way through otherwise it is hop forward. Superb flavor and easy to drink at 7%. It is very good to excellent in its style.

 

I too have some of these badboys; will probably do mine tomorrow