New Beer Weekend #255

When is it a Radler vs. a Shandy vs. a Diesel vs…..?

The ‘answers’ to the above question (and more) likely exists with the posts of a thread I started last month entitled: When is it a beer vs. a Radler?

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/when-is-it-a-beer-vs-a-radler.680667/

I do not have a new beer today to discuss in this week’s NBW but I do have a new, to me, Radler.

Last fall my wife and I took a road trip to Texas to visit family and friends. During that trip along with my sister we went to Fredericksburg, TX which is a cool and quaint little town where you can stroll down the main drag and visit the many ‘interesting’ small shops, restaurants and bars. After the stroll we decided to go to a nearby brewery for a beer and some lunch: Aldstadt Brewing. This brewery has a German motif and as you drive up you see:



As takeaways from that lunch I bought a six-pack of their German Pilsner and my wife requested a six-pack of their Radler. The German Pilsner got consumed pretty quickly but there is still a couple of cans of the Radler in the fridge. Hopefully with continual cold storage (I even kept the beers cold in a cooler for the return trip home) this beverage will still be in OK shape.

Below is how Alstadt describes things on their website:

“Radler

Style Shandy / Radler

This Radler is a Texas Hill Country take on the classic German beverage. We've taken our gold-medal winning lager and blended it with world-famous Fredericksburg peaches and real fruit juice. The result is a light, crisp and refreshing drink perfect for the hot Texas summers.

SRM: 2

Aroma: Peachy

ABV: 3.2

Mouthfeel Lightly sticky/tangy/acidic

IBU:14

Finish: Refreshing”

Now, I should state that Radlers are more my wife’s thing but since I am out of new beer this weekend, I am willing to ‘take one for the team’.

Served in my Heavy Seas tulip glass:

Appearance:

Straw yellow colored with a BIG white head.

Aroma:

Mostly a subtle peach aroma.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with mostly a subtle peach flavor but there is a bit of breadiness in the background accompanied with a hint of sweet aspect from the peach flavor. There is a low hop bitterness

Mouthfeel:

Light - medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall:

This beverage is very good. It was perfect for today’s 3-H weather: hazy, hot and humid.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @jonphisher

P.S. Tomorrow I will once again be attending the annual Logjammin’ Lager Beer Festival in Philly. This year is the 5th anniversary of this event. I am looking forward to drinking tasty lagers from across the nation, including lagers from Bierstadt, Good Word,…and Philly area breweries as well.

 

Happy NBW all! Opened this earlier, still sipping on it. The Walnutter, an imperial porter from the Bruery. Just uploaded a photo for the beer profile too. Review below. Cheers!

3.98/5 rDev -5.7%

look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle (2022 edition) into a tulip. Pours a deep dark chocolate blackish brown with a thin head that disappears quickly, leaving behind a thin collar.

Aroma is rich and dense, earthy. Literally there’s this loamy, soil-like quality to the nose that I can’t quite pin down, smells slightly like this liquid fertilizer (Dr. Earth Pot of Gold) I use on our houseplants—that stuff does not smell good, but it works. Also the usual bitter roasted dark malt, chocolate, coffee etc. But I’ll be honest, the smell is making me a little nervous about how this will taste. Here goes.

OK, this isn’t bad. It’s a bit sweet but it doesn’t taste like fertilizer, thank God. Rich chocolate, vanilla, condensed milk maybe—definitely more sweet than bitter. But pretty good. Actually pretty complex as it warms. Nutty.

Mouthfeel is on the heavy side, slick, coats the palate with a lingering finish.

Overall, OK, this is an imperial porter, or a stout, who am I to say. It’s OK. Not my favorite but also not bad.

 

Thanks for the fine start @WunderLlama! I used to see more from CW, but the last few years they've been scarce in these parts, that being said, I've got Single Barrel from Central Waters, a sessionable 11.1%.

4.06/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark brown pour, 2 finger khaki head. There is some chocolate and vanilla on the nose and taste buds. Getting some caramel, wood, just a hint of bourbon. Very thin feel, leaves a bit to be desired. If I see a 4X, I just might buy one.

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

I posted this beer in the Cellar thread and WBAYDN, but might as well do it here also, since it is new to me.


Hazelnut Brown Nectar - Rogue Ales - Newport, OR - English Brown Ale - 5.6%

Very impressed with this. I would say it has aged very well.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/1339/#navigation
3.86/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a 22oz bottle. Not sure of how old it it, but guessing around 10 years.

There was a good hiss and wafting smoke upon opening the bottle. This beer has a nice dark brown color to it. I am surprised by the carbonation in the beer, there's a good stream of carbonation bubbles in the glass when I hold it to the light. The head is over 3 fingers in size, and actually went over the rim of the glass, but thankfully didn't spill over the sides. The head retention is quite good and there's some lace looking lacing on the glass.
There's a tone of hazelnut in this beer. Holy cow. I am also getting a faint hint of caramel from the malts that goes well with the hazelnuts. Not really getting any wet cardboard or any other bad aromas that can come with age.
The hazelnut is very strong ans shows up right away in the flavor. There's a bit of caramel malt that hits my taste buds. There's a bit of that aged wet cardboard flavor that does come through on the finish, but it does not distract from the rest of the flavor.
Decent body. Very smooth. The hazelnut does coat my throat.
I have never had it fresh, but I would say this beer has held up very well. Quite delicious


All for today. I do have to work tomorrow, but after work I'm headed out to a new brewery that opened up last week - Koronis Brewing in Paynesville, MN. Cheers all!

 

Sucked in early to rate a beer with the early tgread open.

Avery White Rascal

3.49/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25



6/6/25 - (Draft - Dunning Pour House) (Chicago, IL) Draft Notes: Price not listed, 16 oz draft pour into shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Poured to the rim, so no head. Unfiltered golden blonde pour minimal carbonation. 3.5

Banana clove, mild in strength, light coriander. Nice. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, banana, clove and coriander in that order. OK. 3.5

Mouthfeel: Light and easy ABV wise, lightly fizzy carbonation. Sweet, syrupy taste and body, medium plus. Banana clove and coriander start to finish. 3.25

Overall: Perhaps I’d have a different experience via packaged. Liked the flavors, but too sweet and syrupy, almost like pop. 3.25

 

Thanks @WunderLlama for kicking us off.


Drekker's Bit By The Party Animal DIPA

I'm not sure how I beat @bbtkd to a Drekker review before he did but here we are:

4.29/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a pale banana yellow with one finger of foamy head. Nose is citrus (grapefruit, orange, mango, melon), piney, and grassy. Taste follows the nose with a very nice balance of citrus and piney notes. Mouthfeel is a medium-to-full (creamy, juicy body) with moderate carbonation. Finish leaves a creamy sweetness, most akin to grapefruit and melon, but the piney hop bitterness persists and cuts through that sweetness to round things out.

Lighting above makes it look more orange than the yellow it was. And before anyone calls me out on my fingers, that was the initial pour before things settled out. So there, hooligans.

 

Thanks for opening the NBW bar, @WunderLlama!

Kicking things off with some of this, courtesy of my wife's boss:

BrewDog - Hellcat





Notes:
P gold/orange w/ a slight haze, 2f white head, decent retention
N med to med bold aromatic floral, citrus, honey notes, crackery malt, really nice
T hearty sweet cracker forward, finishes w/ light to moderate floral and citrus combo, tasty blend; honey and elderflower in there as well
Mf smooth med body with a med carb level, pairs well with profile
O surprised by this one- a really enjoyable cold IPA; would have again!

Cheers

 

Weldwerk's Mango Lassi

3.96/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a vibrant orange with a quickly dissipating head. Nose smells of brett (perhaps lacto), mango, and minimal vanilla .... Taste is tart, something that seems to be missed in many modern sour ales. The brett/lacto provides the funkiness, mostly barnyard, and anchors the mango. Vanilla and sea salt, while there in moderation, mostly show up in the finish. Label suggests yogurt syrup (not sure what that is) and cardamon, but personally, neither are identifiable to me but likely as a result of the funk. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, somewhat creamy due to lactose, with prickly carbonation that elevates the tart/sourness. Refreshing.

 

Have a good Friday, NBW. Been a bit of a dull week, but I found another recruiter to hopefully get me some more chances to find engineering. I finished Led Zeppelin by Bob Spitz and The Great Bridge by David McCullough. The Zep book was outstanding and a great look at sex, drugs, and rock and roll in the 70's. Cool to see that Jimmy basically was the mastermind of the band, and he almost called them The Yardbirds because he thought he owned the name. Some bad addiction for a while, Page was put on to stage unresponsive at times, that would be kind of a bummer to see live. John Bonham's death was basically because he missed home and was getting hammered every day on tour. They also liked tax exile! 4.25/5 The second was a really deep dive on the Brooklyn bridge and the family of Washington/John Roebling. Not as much actual Engineering overview as I hoped, there was a lot of politics and money corruption explained though. Also Cassion disease. 4/5

It's a heavy storm out there now, we went to Jersey Mike's for lunch. Also discovered CookOut was bulldozed, but they are making a new Dine-In location

Another BIF can from @Ozzylizard . Hoppin Frog Angel Food Cake beer. BB 8/17/25. Great head retention and spotty lacing. Aromas of big cake batter, vanilla, bread dough, cracker, pear/apple fruits, herbal/grassy hops, and light pepper. Taste follows with cake batter, vanilla, bread dough, cracker, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, pear/apple fruit, and yeast earthiness. Light-medium pine, herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; balanced creamy/bready malts, and sticky hop mouthfeel. Light resins and increasing dryness with no cloying/astringent flavors. Light warmth of 9% lingering after the finish. Pretty smooth. Slight hop oxidation note, especially in aromas. They did a good job for a dessert inspired white stout, but it is a bit too yeasty in flavors. 3.75/5


Cheers

 

Well here’s a new situation for me (and a new beer, at least for me)

Painkiller - a Belgian Tripel from North Central Brewing Company - which is out of business.
Just how long have I had this in my cellar???
But I digress, we’re here for discussing new beers, and for this thread, even old beers can be new. If you’ve never had them before.
Such as Painkiller - I recall purchasing it, and didn’t think it was that many years ago, but time is fungible, no?
The pour is reddish honey color with a tall near white head that dissipated fairly quickly.
The taste is sweeter than a normal tripel, a quick look at the can shows it’s brewed with Belgian rock candy and honey. That explains the sweetness. Beyond that it’s relatively normal; a touch of banana, a hint of clove, and a melange of pitted fruit that works really well together.
The feel is lightly viscous, maybe a bit too viscous but it’s very quaffable.
OA, well, don’t have to review this one, I’d have to add it to the database for a closed brewery and that’s just not happening.
It was very good though, rather disappointed it’s no longer available.
Ah well, the only constant is change, I’ve learned to roll with it.
Cheers!

 

Always have to pick up a 4/6 pack to up the irons!

 

Yokohama - Kamakuro black session IPA

350ml can served in a stemless rastal. 25.07.25 and 24.11.28 are printed on the bottom, I assume those are best by and canned on dates respectively. Bought it a week ago at some little shop somewhere in Kanagawa.

Pours black, creamy light tan head, active carbonation. Smell is coffee and pine, some lemon zest and a bit of burnt nuts.

Taste is way more on the roasty bitter side, though pine resin comes through eventually on top of some almost juicy sweetness late in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is very light, maybe thin. Overall, actually a pretty interesting and decent beer.

 

Cheers @WunderLlama for getting us going. I guess this makes you an honorary Sooner!

Greenhouse Aleworks Philodendron Triple IPA, 10.0% ABV; 4.11 overall

Pours a very hazy gold a pinky of beige head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Loads of citrus, melons & mango, nectarines once warm, stellar nose

T: Lime & Tangerine, dryness, green melon & cantaloupe up front. Nectarine, some pineapple, dryness & green melon as this beer warms up, some pomelo as well. Finishes with a little lime, pineapple & pink grapefruit, passionfruit & lemongrass

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation, good balance

Great drinkability, if this beer matched the nose this would be world-class. No way I would guess this ABV

 

Humble Forager - Oak

12oz can served in a snulip. Don't see a date on it. @bbtkd sent it to me in Stout/Barleywine BIF #2.

Pours black, almost no head. Looks thick and oily from a distance. Smell is bourbon and toffee, coffee and roast bitterness, molasses. Boozy.

Taste is similar, on the sweet and boozy side, maybe more caramel than toffee, but also some burnt molasses. Chocolate, wood, some kind of syrup.

Mouthfeel is medium, smooth, still. Overall, very nice.

 

That one sounds solid! Cheers, man

 

Interesting. Looks like their designer repurposed some of the elements from my label for The Bruery's Chronology:24 in 2017. Here's a screen shot from my original Illustrator file:


Definitely looks like the colored knots I came up with. Might as well. They own the artwork, and it was 7 years ago.

(Note: For this series I sent them art with placeholders for the ABV, the description, and the Chronology word mark. Their art department would lay in final copy and other details.)

 

I like the little touch of Spirograph design in the middle. Takes me way back.