New Beer Weekend #258

Let’s go Down Under!

I suspect that most folks when they read “Down Under” they would associate that with Australia but today’s new beer has a ‘connection’ to New Zealand. It is not specifically a beer brewed in New Zealand but the branding of this beer which was collaboratively brewed by Von Trapp & Zero Gravity: New Zealand Style Pilsner.

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Von Trapp website:

“New Zealand Style Pilsner

This collaboration with Zero Gravity Craft Brewery of Burlington, Vermont is the next offering in our Collab Series, a dry-hopped pale lager brewed with continental malt and New Zealand hops. Light straw in color with bright notes of tropical fruit, citrus peel, and stone fruit, this pils-inpired lager features Motueka, Nelson, and Wakatu hop varietals.

In Market: June 1 – August 31

ABV: 5.4 % | IBU: .

UNIT: 4-Pack 16 OZ. CAN

1/6 & 1/2 KEGS”

I am personally not a fan of breweries ‘creating’ new Pilsner substyles based upon geographical nomenclature (e.g., Italian Pilsner, West Coast Pilsner, etc.) but I sorta understand their perceived need to generate excitement and create ‘shiny new things’ to thrill their customer base.

This is my first time trying a beer that is labeled as “New Zealand Pilsner” and as you can read above it is labeled this way since the beer was brewed using a variety of hops grown in New Zealand.

I have had beers in the past that featured Nelson Sauvin hops (e.g., IPAs, Pale Ales) and generally speaking I have not been a fan of those beers since that hop presents itself with a weird/unpleasant flavor for my palate. Nelson Sauvin hops are described as having a flavor of gooseberry. I have never tasted a gooseberry and assuming this is an accurate flavor description for this hop variety I will never eat gooseberries.

In contrast I am a BIG fan of Motueka hops and I have a homebrewed IPA which features these hops in the primary right now (in the dry hopping phase). Motueka hops yield a number of flavors but the aspect of lime zest is front & center for my palate and very appealing.

I am inexperienced as regards Wakatu hops.

How will these three hop varieties play together in a Pilsner. Let’s find out!

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance

Golden yellow with a white head.

Aroma:

On the initial sniff(s) the aroma is an interesting combination of citrus, herbal and floral hops aromas with some bready malt aroma in the background. As the beer opens up there is a notable dank/earthiness aspect that borders on diesel-like.

Taste:

Flavor follows the nose with the dank/earthy feature being quite noticeable as the beer opens up. There is a notable bitterness

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall

This is a well brewed beer. Having stated that, the expression of dank/earthy/diesel-like aroma/flavor was not appealing for my personal palate. I am pretty confident that these offending (for my palate) flavors are from the use of Nelson Sauvin hops.

I would encourage other BAs who like the flavor profile of Nelson Sauvin hops to buy this beer.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet

 

Thanks @Beersnake for kicking us off. I'm not having one tonight, but plan to tomorrow.

Regarding your question "is there a time of year (or season) that you are more likely to try new beers?", nope. Probably 95% of the beers I buy are new-to-me, to review. I do have a cellar, but only resort to that if I run out out of new beers. Thanks again for the LIF box you sent, those were incredible new-to-me beers.

 

Brouwerij De Moersleutel (Netherlands) ‘Rum Baba’ Imperial Pastry Stout - 10% abv

25 cl pour at V&B Toulouse, France.
Came to me deep dark with a finger of dense brown cap. Too cold to quaff, I let it sit a spell.

Nose is rich of almost burnt sugar, spice, vanilla, molasses.

Taste tags too, with the Jamaican rum barrel expressing itself above stone fruits, rich decadent unsweet cacao, a sublime dose of vanilla bean. Rum cake, I get it, on the delightful sickeningly sweet finish that I adore in these bombs.

Heavy duty mouthfeel, low gurgles of carbonation.

Overall, double pastry stout, you say? Yes, please, hit me again.,. hit me, hit me.,.

“After extensive rum tasting, we found that Jamaican rum works best, with its fruity ester notes that complement the cassonade sugar and Belgian yeast. Rum, being distilled dark sugar, is perfectly complemented by the addition of some sugar at the end of the brew, giving it a rich, sweet depth. Enriched with Mroost 900 chocolate malt, this stout is thick, dark, and indulgent.” - Moersleutel Beer Engineers

I can’t say it better.,. my cardiologist is on speed dial.

4.35/5 in the BA DB.

 

Thanks @Beersnake for the NBW kickoff. As for the question of the week, there isn't a specific time of year I try new beers, it's all year long. I do search out new beers on vacation, and my beers this weekend are from my recent trip to Iowa.

First up is PIVO Decorah Nordic Gruit:

Appearance: Clear gold, ok head but fades out quickly.

Smell: Sweet malt, cherry note?

Taste: Balanced arrival, light vegetal flavor and the walnuts show up. Not sweet and not bitter. Medium bodied. Finishes with the walnut aftertaste.

Overall: I believe this is my first Gruit beer, no hops here! Not as weird tasting as it could have been, I did not pick up on the juniper or spices on the label, just the walnuts. Interesting to try.

 

That looks like a beer right in my wheelhouse!

 

@Beersnake thanks for starting us off. My answer is any time of year I am down with trying new beers. I do think the Fall to Winter Holiday stretch usually yields more opportunities. On to a new beer


American Solera Whoops Creamsicle DIPA w/Orange, Vanilla & Lactose, 8.0% ABV; 4.23 overall

Pours a very hazy gold with one finger of fast-falling cream-colored head, pulp & floaties as well. Minimal head retention & lacing

S: Tons of orange, some vanilla, fades a touch once warm

T: Follows the nose, tastes like a creamsicle up front, a little citrus bitterness on the edges. Orange dominates as this beer warms up, some dryness & citric tartness, vanilla on the edge of the tongue. Finishes sweet & tart with orange & complementary vanilla sweetness

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, great balance

I am a sucker for this style of IPA when well executed & this is, very drinkable

 

Doubling up here

Prairie Caramel Puf't BBA Imp Stout with Caramel, Vanilla, & Toasted Marshmallow Flavor; 13.9% ABV; 4.15 overall

Pours an effervescent & chill-hazed mahogany with a sliver of rapidly disappearing mocha colored head. Some head retention, sticky lacing that would look sexier if there weren't some flecks of debris

S: Plenty of bourbon, caramel, marshmallow & chocolate notes

T: Follows the nose, some booze & barrel bite, dryness & molasses up front. Barrel, dryness, vanilla & caramel & figs as this beer warms up. Finishes semi-dry with barrel, dark chocolate a little booze, treacle & caramel

MF: Medium/chewy body, warming with subtle carbonation

Very barrel forward, my preference a hefty sipper to be sure, just little too much sweetness to really please me

 

A ommegang juicy blooms lqger
....cloudy pale gold with a thick fluffy white head
....medium bodied with medium carbonation which dissipates quickly
...aroma is is one one hand a yeasty bread, grain lager and on another a floral earthy mild ipa.
....taste has a very mild sweetness, grain, yeasty bread with an earthy almost dry finish that builds in the aftertaste and lingers.
...overall very good but it seemed like a marriage of two styles.

 

Thanks for posting otherwise I was gonna be back to back to back

 

This beauty is from @2beerdogs

Pizza Port Swami's IPA ( Carlsbad ) IPA, 6.8% ABV; 4.25 overall

Pours an effervescent & bright gold with 2+ fingers of whippy pearl colored head. Very good head retention & better lacing

S: Somewhat bready, grassy, green melon notes, drops off a bit as this beer warms up

T: Bready, sone crackery notes, lime & pomelo up front. Dry with green melon, pomelo, Pink Grapefruit, white grapes & a little pine once warmed up. Finishes with lime, melon rinds, a wee bit of dryness & grassy notes

MF: Medium body, delicate carbonation, very good balance

Great drinkability, awesome no-nonsense IPA that delivers

 

Greetings, New Beer people! Hat tip to @Beersnake for getting this thread off the ground.

My first New Beer of the weekend is the first beer I've ever had from New Jersey's Tonewood Brewing, and comes to me from the generous @jonphisher in an act of true Beer Advocacy.



Tonewood Burton Golden Bitter

Look:
The beer is a slightly hazy pale orange-gold. A spirited pour raises a finger of white foam that starts out rather sudsy but settles into a nice dense mass. The head reduces to a long-lasting collar which leaves plenty of ornate lacing.

Smell:
The nose is quite dry and full of crisp, biscuity malt with a drop of honey and a gentle, pear-like fruitiness. As the beer warms it yields lively floral undertones with a hint of lemon. A pinch of sulfur appears at the very beginning and dissipates quickly.

Taste:
Starts with dry, biscuity malt with a slightly nutty character. It is enhanced with notes of pear and black tea. There's also a delicate honey note which has the flavor of honey but almost none of the sweetness, if that makes any sense. And speaking of sweetness, there's just enough of it to tie the beer together. The drying finish starts with floral bitterness and a zing of lemon peel. At the very end, a delicious and perfectly English malt flavor comes through to have the last word.

Feel:
The light-medium body is rounded and slightly chewy, with low carbonation which suits the style beautifully.

Overall:
Tonewood Burton Golden Bitter is a fine example of a classic English bitter. It offers excellent malt flavor, appealing hop character, firm bitterness, and superb drinkability. Satisfying and moreish. I imagine this beer would be just gorgeous on cask.

This is great stuff. Thanks Jon!

 

Thanks for the kickoff @Beersnake . My quantity does not change in terms of seasonal, as I line up 2-4 beers for all weekends, but I do like to drink seasonally, so lighter styles in warmer weather and heavy hitters in the Winter. I’m also not a fan of a good number of the New Zealand hops @JackHorzempa , but picked up a single from Hop Butcher For TheWorld out here in Vegas when I was picking up two to gift my brother who really liked the beer.

Speaking of gifts, this first selection of the weekend was picked up for me by my brother from a great brewery I stocked up on first chance to hit Khoury’s in town.

Russian River RnD IPA #68

4.44/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



6/27/25 - (Bottle - Brother DA’s Home) (Las Vegas, Nevada) Bottle Notes: Gift from brother David. 17.25 oz bottled 5/7/25 at 9:40 AM. R-nD Series IPA#68 hopped with HQG #3 and HQG #4. 6.5% ABV. Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa & Windsor, California.

Appearance: Crystal clear golden blond base, bright white head laves generous soapy lacing and complete creamy cover over the base. Light carbonation after initial burst. Well done. 4.5

Aroma: Wonderful very dank cat pee leads, backed by pine and citrus. Medium plus strength, higher enjoyment. 4.25

Taste: Gulping this one down quick, with pine reaching equal terms with the dankness, citrus left in the dust. Grassy with melon emerges as I work further. Excellent. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Lightly dry and bitter, very dank and piney, like a lighter version of PtE. Drinks light and easy, much easier than the 6.5% ABV. Negligible gentle carbonation. Dank pine from Go! to Finish. 4.5

Overall: Loving this beer. Unfamiliar with these hops, but love how Russian River showcases this offering, as I have done every single IPA I have had the chance to try. Sad this is likely a one off, will try to pick up a few more before it’s too late. If layout loce dank pine, this is the beer for you. 4.5

 

Happy to share and yup on cask it is a beauty as well, I think the lower carb gets it close but nothing replaces drinking one on cask.

 

Beer #2 from PIVO in Calmar, Iowa, Janesville Schwartzbier

Description from their website, not sure why they added the "t" in Schwarzbier.

Appearance: Black, good head.

Smell: Nice roasted malt aroma.

Taste: Mild sweetness, nice roasted malt flavor throughout. Light bodied. Finishes with the roasted malt and maybe a hint of smoke.

Overall: A very nice schwarzbier here, packs a lot of flavor into only a 4.3% abv beer. The finish is long lasting, the roast goes on and on. Tasty stuff!

 

New beers are welcome any time of year for me. Beer type might vary, leaning stouts and porters in winter.



Copperstar Galactica is a 5.5% summer ale by Beards Brewery.

Poured from a twelve ounce can, the body is an opaque rusty orange with fluffy white head. Light lacing.

Aroma is fruit punch. Lightly sweet. Taste follows nose. A malty backbone helps cut into the sweetness and finish brings a light bitterness that slowly trails off.

Mouthfeel is medium and carbonation solid.

An easy drinking summer ale.

 

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass canned on 6/15/25. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.75

Aroma is mandarin, passionfruit, peach, a little herbal weed, and apricot really unique and nice. 4.5

Taste follows mandarin, passionfruit, peach, some dank herbal weed, and apricot well balanced, juicy, but dank interesting. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, not sticky or dry, and at 7.4% it has big flavor, but still very approachable. 4.5

Overall I am really enjoying. This is the second of the series and I have enjoyed both. I highly recommend if you see it. 4.5 Cheers all.

 

Brasserie Les Intenables (France) ‘Savage Storm DDH DNEIPA

44 cl can poured into a pint glass. Canned in May 2025, less than 30 days to the lip. 8% abv.

Skinny white foam on hazy yellow orange brew.

Nose is fruit cocktail, grass, pine, malt.

Taste is mixed fruit forward, interesting hop notes from concentrated Hyperboost hop oil, moshed with Warrior, Citra Cryo and Krush hops. It’s surprisingly sweet, medium on the bitterness, and full of classic NEIPA flavors.

Mouth is medium leaning full from the addition of oat flakes, medium leaning low carbonation.

Overall, a typical American style NEIPA that is hoppy, tasty, bitter - but a bit sweet. The hops overload keeps the palate guessing.

4.01/5 in the BA DB.