New Beer Weekend #255

Drekker's Slang Du Jour - Mixed Berry Cobbler

4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a deep purple with half a finger of creamy head. Grainy lacing. Nose is predominately blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, faint blueberry and granola. Taste follows the nose entirely on the berry combination, and adds some plum that isn't found in the nose. It's a balance of sweet and tart overall. Mouthfeel is medium-to-full body, moderate carbonation, very creamy likely due to lactose. Finish ends with tart berries, granola and marginal cinnamon spice.

 

Good afternoon NBW
I've always passed by this beer due to green bottles, but found a four pack of cans on sale.


Peroni Nastro Azzurro

16oz can stamped JAN1226 poured into a shaker pint glass at fridge temp 5.0% ABV per label. Brewed with Italian maize, founded in Italy, Brewed in the USA also noted on the label. The beer pours very bright, light golden yellow with off white head. The head recedes to a single layer of bubbles and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is mild with sweet pale malt and a suggestion of grassy hops. The taste is semisweet pale malt alongside corn with grassy hop notes following. Medium bitterness. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. There's a mineral note that's mild, yet persistent that I could live without. Overall, excellent AAL, but a rather basic Euro Pale Lager as it's listed here on BA with a numerical score to that standard.

Pretty ironic that they plainly state this is an AMERICAN ADJUNCT lager right on the label. 0.1% less ABV that the Italian version as well. I'll have no problem drinking the pack. Cheers all!

 

Hey, Jack that great you got to meet Todd. I saw on his Instagram posts he was headed up there this weekend. I have not had the Day Fripper or the Hoppy Pils. Those others are all solid. I wished he had taken his Helles, which I think is his best beer, but I guess the timing didn't work out. Hope you enjoy those!

 

Sounds like a great time, Jack. I don't mention Creature Comforts much because they are over two hours from my house and few of their lager offerings (besides their Classic City Lager) reach distribution. They are more well known for their IPAs. I'm really glad to hear the collab with Schilling turned out great, I hope that works its way on the shelves. They did one last year with Firestone Walker - Pibo Pils that turned out great. Gotta love the lager focused festivals. They give you half a fighting chance to try a lot of beers! Cheers!

 

Believe you me: I tried a lot of beers yesterday!!

Cheers!

P.S. And also lots of beer & brewing discussion with the various brewers/owners in attendance.

 

Good Sunday afternoon New Beer Sunday (NBW), and thanks to this weeks host @WunderLlama.
Well by the local farmers conversation, this is 11th consecutive weekend with rain on Saturday. The strawberries are muted and their is growing concern of fungal rot.
So far they taste and look great! Lets get some sun and not be in the 90s

Todays offering is from our dearest friend in Greensboro. A Pub Style blonde ale designed and executed by Shaun Hill and Dan Suarez. Thats a team for the ages.
Crisp, bright and flavorful, What else can you ask for?

Cheers all

15th Anniversary Blonde Ale - Shaun Hill & Dan Suarez

American Blonde Ale | 4.4% ABV
Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, Vermont

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.24/5 rDev +0.5% | Average: 4.22
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a growler filled yesterday at the brewery.
A - Slightly hazed forsythia yellow, excellent thick white cap. Lacing is ring after ring after ring.
S - Lemon verbana out of the gate. light grist with a bit of wheat maybe. some biscuity notes and the remainder is floral.
Not tropical but citrusy
T - Pithy, with a balanced grain foundation. English Lemon Shortbread is the style I go back to.
M - Light as a (beer) feather, semi tart start, then a quick move through slightly sweet and a beautiful dry curtain call.
O - A lovely and delicious, blonde ale. There is a lot to unpack in this offering. The fact it is so drinkable, leaves little time for that task. An absolute gem.

 

Couple more of these while we float around lake tapps

 

It's been a while since I have been on this thread, not sure why as it is right up my alley with all the thoughtful reviews. Onto my review of Flying Dog Barrel-Aged Gonzo.

4.23/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Received a couple of bottles from former BA @BMBCLT on 12-9-23. Shared the first with my old tasting group. VINTAGE23A consumed for review on 6-8-25. Thanks A.!

Beer poured dark brown with a very nice tan head.

Nose initially was classic Willet barrel which for me gives vanilla and bourbon. Also getting some cocoa and roast.

Taste is a medium to heavy roasted malt that yields dark cocoa. Barrel imparts a touch of vanilla. Finishes heavily hopped like an RIS and with the barrel and roastiness comes across as very bitter without being acrid.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and smooth.

Overall, have to say this drinks like an RIS. Dig it, would purchase if i see it lingering on the shelf.

Cheers!
Tom

 

Happy Sunday, NBWers,

Another hot day in an apartment awaiting air conditioning repairs. It's currently 88° in my southern corner of Spokanistan. I went to breakfast at a new Mexican cafecito, did some grocery shopping, and put together a Salsa Meatloaf that is now in the big slow cooker, to be ready by around 7:30.

No new beers yet today, but I had a longtime want last night at Community Pint:

Blind Pig, from Russian River!
Full review below, but I can report here that it was an old school WCIPA that didn't disappoint.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/22790/?ba=woemad#lists
I might go grab another new beer at the source this afternoon or perhaps review something that's in my fridge this evening.
Cheers!

 

I have vague memories of a canoeing expedition there nearly 50yrs ago. I was still a long ways from being able to drink a beer, and that's okay, given the lack of choices back then.

 

Central Waters Twenty Six (26th Anniversary) BBA Stout, 14.1% ABV. Pours moderately thick and black, with a ring of light-brown bubbles that left no head. Aroma is sweet bourbon, roast malt, chocolate, and moleasses. Taste is nowhere as good as the nose; bourbon and slight chocolate, slight burn. OK mouthfeel, overall very good.

3.89/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

New Beer Sunday indeed!

Brauerei Tucher Brau's Dunkles Hefe Weizen • dunkelweizen • 5.2% ABV
(July 30, 2024 born-on date; Oct. 30, 2025 best-by date printed on bottom of can)

Another canned German import for me, and it's a good one. It has plenty of banana notes both in the aroma and flavor, banana bread or even a fruitcake with lots of banana added. The flavor opens up fairly sweet, but that sweetness subsides quickly, and the beer settles into an easy-drinking balance of dark wheat beer flavors with some unsweet banana thrown in. I'd like a little more sweetness, but it's hard to complain considering the beer is 11 months old and still very tasty.

It's also incredibly moreish. I'm reaching for another sip about as fast as I can. It's not what I would call tart or overly dry, but there's something about it that has me wanting more of it. I only bought this one can, which is a shame. I'd love to have a 4-pack of this stuff to rummage through over a few different sessions.

Official review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/129/370/?ba=Premo88#review
4.07 (+6.3% rDev)

Thus ends my latest run on German-Czech-Austrian imports, most of them in the wheat beer family. I like to say I'm not much of a wheat beer fan, but it's been fun to spend time in the hefe world. I'll spend more time there in the future.

Cheers!

 

Greenhouse Aleworks Yarrow Hazy IPA with Nelson Newzilla & Idaho 7 Hops, 6.0% ABV; 3.52 overall

Pours a very hazed gold with 2+ fingers of pearl colored head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Green melons, white grapes & peaches, fairly restrained

T: Green melon, some dryness, tangerine & pineapple up front. Pomelo, lime, dryness & grassy notes once this beer is warmer. Finishes dry, grassy with grapes & faint green melon flavors

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, okay balance

Juicy, but needs more sweetness, easy enough to drink, but not one I'd pull the trigger on again

 

Pigeon Hill OCP (Oatmeal Creme Pie) Nitro Brown Ale, 6% ABV. Pours medium-brown with a cap of beige head that left some lacing. Aroma is sweet cream and oatmeal. Taste follows, slightly sweet, creamy. Smooth mouthfeel, overall very good.

3.99/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this at a taproom near the dock on Mackinac Island. I had hoped to try more craft beer, but the selection was very limited for someone into strong dark beer. They did have Dragon's Milk, but that's not a personal favorite. Would it be too much to ask for them to have some Founders or Bell's stouts? If you're headed to Mackinac, bring some beer in your luggage.

 

It is a hot and muggy day in the Rose City, with temps hitting the high-90s and too damn much humidity. It is also match day, as the Portland Timbers host St. Louis City SC at Providence Park.

Right now I'm at the Timbers Army clubhouse across the street from the stadium, and to my delight there is a New Beer in front of me.

New Beer Match Day? I like the sound of that!



Steeplejack Oregon Gold Lager
Enjoyed at Legends, the Timbers Army clubhouse, in a house-branded plastic cup. The beer is clear yellow-gold with surprisingly tenacious white foam that leaves rings on the cup after each sip. The nose is full of cereal grains with a mild sweetness and an afterthought of floral hop character. The flavor is clean, crackery grain that's a pinch sweeter than the nose suggested. There's a smidge of earthy hops on the breath, along with a kiss of lemon. The body is light, the carbonation is lively. Overall, this is a plenty refreshing beer for a hot and humid match day. RCTID.

 

Staas Brewing
ESB 5.4%



Poured from tap, the body is a slightly hazy light brown. Small off white head. Light lacing.

Aroma is lightly nutty with floral notes. Taste follows nose with a very drinkable light hop bitterness playing second fiddle to a nice malty backbone. A light sweetness at finish that quickly dries up.

Mouthfeel is good with strong carbonation.

Delightful ESB.

 

My final for the weekend and only my 30th top 250 beer.

Bourbon County Vanilla Rye

500mL bottle 2024 edition purchased yesterday at room temp and poured into a Duvel glass at fridge temp 14% ABV. The beer pours pitch black with no light penetration and medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring and island. No lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength and complex, offering sweet fudge brownie, vanilla, oak and light rye whiskey. The taste is all that and more with decadent fudge, vanilla, rye whiskey and charred oak barrel. The feel is medium plus bodied with just less that average carbonation and a semi dry finish. The 14% ABV is masterfully hidden and only gives itself away as it warms the belly in short order. Overall, excellent stout.

Cheers all!

 

Brasserie La Debauche (France) ‘Hit The Road’’ 12% Imperial Stout with lime, ginger, lemongrass, chili peppers, tumeric & coconut.,.

33 cl bottle, poured lightly chilt into a Teku glass.
Fair brown foam exits quick on deep black brew.
Nose is exotic spices, cold remedy, busy Thai kitchen.
Taste. Gah damn! Blam bam biggy of curry, with all the notes presenting. Tumeric and coconut. Twist of lime compliments lemongrass. Lingering swirls of flavor with a chili pepper nip pinch. And the Cognac barreling hollows out everything until the 12% abv hits. This is a tour of Asian cuisine in a glass!
Mouth is full and meaty without being thick. Medium carbonation.
Overall, La Debauche continues to impress with experimentation and class.

4.6/5 in the BA DB

 

Good to know!

 

That one sounds different