New Beer Weekend #261

Blacklist Peter pipers pickled pepper beer. This straight up tastes like a pepperoncini/banana pepper beer. Strong lingering pepper spice and heat, some pine bitterness. This is an extreme beer but very enjoyable as such. 3.75/5


Cheers

 

Clyde iron works team skidder stout. Aromas and flavors of big chocolate, cocoa, roasted nuts, toast, biscuit, wood, peppercorn, pine, herbal, floral, grass, dark fruit, yeast earthiness. Lt med pine herbal woody char bitter finish. Medium carb and body. Balanced creamy grainy oats, sticky hop, and chalky roast mouthfeel. Lingering resin dryness with minimal hop astringency. Very standard English oatmeal stout. Minimal warming 5.8%. 3.75/5


Cheers

 

Today's two new beers are: My 4.2% Birdie Juice IPA from Cambridge, Ontario's Farm League Brewing. This was delightful, very grapefruity; one couldn't tell it's a Session IPA. Pictured with my lady Pamela's cat, Gracie...



...and then, poured, with the banned book of the week from my lady Pamela's collection, Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Lolita, from the back...



Cheers, from McGregor, Ontario, and the Responsible Beer Drinking Club! =)

 

For my second new one today, it's a 5.4% collaboration between Kingston, Ontario's Fine Balance Brewing Co. and Beer Diversity, the Ren's ESB (Extra Special Birthday: Extra Special Bitter). With my lady Pamela's cat, Gracie...



...and with the banned book of the week (since it's Sunday): Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita...



An extra special birthday, indeed! Cheers, from McGregor, Ontario! =)

 

Autre Chose - NEIPA de Tropiques-sur-le-Lac from Unibroue

From a 473ml can dated 05/25. A two finger off white head on a cloudy apricot. The head diminishes to a layer. Sheets of bubbly lacing.

Fruity hops in the nose. Taste is fruity up front, but malts come through in the middle. A mild hop finish.

Very smooth with a creamy texture. Medium body and carbonation. Overall a solid NEIPA. Fruit flavours dominate with a solid creamy texture.

3.78/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

 

Good Sunday morning NBS/nbw and thanks to our host this week @Whyteboar.
Our Team 1 is with us from Taiwan for the next 4 weeks, picked them up Friday, enjoying the time spent, Loving that Granddaughter.
Today we go to Circus Smirkus Big Tent Show, convienently in Greenfield Ma.
Before then a Fudgey, stout from Magnify.
Cheers all

Fudgement Day: Temple of Hazelnut

American Imperial Stout | 11% ABV
Magnify Brewing Company in Fairfield, New Jersey

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.88/5 rDev -8.1% | Average: 4.22
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from an undated 12 oz can into the test glass.
A - Charred wood color, minimal cap, a thin ring surround a few islands of collected carbonation.
S - Hazelnut, a bit of alcohol, some earthy roast malts. and powdered milk chocolate are all up front.
T - Fudge for sure, with a layer of that powdered milk chocolate. hazelnut toward the end of the sip
M - Fully coating of the palate, with an obvious bend toward the sweet side. Pleasantly enough a rather dry finish.
O - A chocolate stout that hides the alcohol well. Hazelnuts play a supporting role. I have to say
going in I had my doubts, but I am enjoying this offering

 

At 11:14 AM EDT yesterday, my wife opened the kitchen refrigerator and remarked to me - with a smirk on her lovely face - “We seem to be out of Sancerre!” Not being my first rodeo, I knew instantly what was required of me: A trip to the local LCBO to rectify the absence.

I rarely shop at the LCBO, and even more rarely shop there for beer. In my experience, the best local breweries either aren’t stocked there at all, only supply their standard brands, and much to most of the beer that is there tends to be on the older side. For wine, the selection is great, if pricier than the same wine would be elsewhere in the world. So, my occasional visit tends to be a quick in/out for a couple bottles of wine.

Yesterday, with a couple bottles of her favourite Sauvignon Blanc in hand, I decided to peruse the beer section, just in case something jumped out at me. I also figured it might be an opportunity to find that DAB Ur-Bock that @scott451 alerted me to last weekend.

Sadly, the DAB was not on hand, but I did see a bunch of stuff that I’d never had before, or hadn’t had in forever. The dates for most of it were decent, so I bought a mixed 8 pack.



Having returned home to a pleased wife (she also likes Abbott Ale), I was informed that we were taking the kids and one of my daughter’s friends to Canada’s Wonderland, a massive amusement park north of the city. The new beers would have to wait patiently in the fridge for our return. By the time the kids were in bed, our supper ready (I balked at amusement park food), it was 10:45 PM.

I grabbed a new can at random from the fridge to pair with the chicken pot pies I made before heading out for the wine. This was that beer:



This is Lost Craft Coastal Wave IPA.

I’ve never had anything from this brewery before. From what I gather, they brewed their beer on contract until fairly recently and now have what appears to be a nice looking taproom in the west end of Toronto.

Poured a murky cornflower gold with a fairly significant head that dissipates quickly.

The aroma is broadly of stone fruit with some hints of apple juice in the background.

Taste follows closely. Stone fruit, slightly sweet. Little to no bitterness,

The body is on the lighter side. Lots of carbonation.

Overall this is what I’d call a middling, uninspiring IPA. Nothing wrong with it per se, but nothing that makes me want to come back for more. It was fine with my late dinner, but I’m hopeful some of these other purchases might be better.

Cheers!

 

Hey what's going on?! It's been a pretty solid weekend and busy.

Luckily there is beer around.

I have some new goodies this weekend.

Tree House - Outlier Kölsch



Poured from the can into a stange glass.

Clear bodied and light brass color, with almost lager linear like looking pinhead carbonation. Real foamy and surprisingly bubbled thick and retention head, making a bright white top and faint touches of light lacing.

Very interesting nose. Fruity but almost in a floral and bubblegum sweetness like mix, touching with dense malts and a bit of cracker. Not coming off dry, but even juicy making for one really interesting aroma. Somewhat to style, but also pretty unique and not traditional but very inviting.

Exotic sensations seem to disappear and go for basics. Light bodied but flirting with wetness. Light touches of almost peach sweetness and some barley, with a very dry mineral and nearly parching finish. Some more dry grains, and flirts with bitter flour notes as well.

Kind of strange in that it comes off disappointing expecting something unique and different, but then goes for basics that it doesn't quite exactly nail down. Still decently drinkable and perfectly fine, but doesn't quite scratch my Kolsch itch or desire.

look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5 | BA Score: 3.75

Athletic Brewing Co. - Ripe Pursuit, lemon radler

(limited to 2 pics per posting)

Poured from the can into a nonic(k) pint glass.
Slightly hazed body with a pale straw color but with nice amounts of visible carbonation. Creamy to soupy white colored top that is very bright, and reaches just about two fingers of heights.

Aroma is a nice faint lemon, slightly candy like, minimal sensing zesty like oil. Minimal touching sweetness of sugar it seems on the nose, with nearly no malt or hop presence. Perfectly fine for a radler like style.

Palate is pretty solid. Sweetness is surprisingly dialed down and more noticeably replaced with an excellent tart lemon flavor that really awakens the palate. Bit of malt sweetness kicking in which makes for a good balance, particularly has a hinting sweet pastry light finish. More tartness brings out real refreshing lemon and rind bitterness nicely.

Very solid radler, and has even more depth of mouthfeel than I was anticipating. I'd have this anytime.

Solid 4's across the board.

Also it was a fun filled week, and enjoying my great state as always!



Cheers!

 

Well, I am getting a project done at the county fair booth that I wanted done last weekend. Doing it now while having this

Cherry Bomb Blonde - Front Street Brewing - Davenport, IA - 5.4%

The flavor starts out ok, but there's a lingering bitterness that is just not pleasant or fitting in my opinion.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/61732/24972/
3.39/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From a 16oz can. I am guessing it was canned on the 295th day of 2024 - 2954.

The beer has a decent amount of carbonation in it. The color is a mostly clear golden color. There was a 2 finger slightly off white head. The head retention was ok. There's minimal lacing on the glass.
The aroma is dominated by cherries. Both sweet and tart cherry notes hit my nose. Faint hints of grain also show up.
The flavor is also dominated by the cherries. I get a tart cherry flavor up front. The back has hints of sweet cherries. There is a bitterness that finishes off the beer, that gets less pleasing as it lingers in my throat.
The beer does have a decent feeling before the lingering bitterness kicks in.
I have to say that this beer had a good start, but a poor finish.

Be back for more when I get done with this and back home.

 

Coronaeus, I picked up each of those beers recently at LCBO save for the Silversmith, which isn't available in my neck of the woods (though I love Silversmith!). I've enjoyed the two from Lost Craft I've had so far, and quite enthusiastically to boot, so I'm quite looking forward to having it later this month! Cheers! =)

 

Eins Zwanzig, a Rauchbier from Godspeed Brewery

A 355ml can dated Jan 14, 2025. Poured into a pint glass. A solid one finger off white head on a very slightly hazy amber brown. The head diminishes to a layer. Lots of patchy lacing.

Smoke in the nose. The fist sip is an interesting smoke blend. Some caramel. Malt forward with a very mild hop character. Slight cherry. Fruity notes. A long smokey finish. The smoke dissipates somewhat towards the end of the glass.

The mouthfeel is fairly smooth. Medium body and lightly carbonated. Overall a fine Rauchbier. The subdued smoke allows some of the malt flavour to be expressed. Definitely a sipper.

4.13/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

 

It’s the best when an errand you’re asked to do lines up with a reason to explore a beer store…”sure I’ll go there.”

 

I look forward to reading your remarks on this one. The can suggests it’s a west coast/east coast hybrid IPA with grapefruit juiciness and piney bitterness. I got neither. It wasn’t bad though.

Next time I’m I. The weather end I’ll check out their taproom. The pictures online are quite nice.

Cheers!

Indeed!

 

It works the other way too... "how is the wine situation... do you need any?"

 

RAR Out Of Order King Fluffy Floss Fruited sour, 5% ABV. Pours opaque red with a one-finger pink head that left lacing and puree residue. Aroma is strawberry, cotton candy, and lactose. Flavor is strawberry and lactose, quite sweet, faintly tart. Smooth mouthfeel, overall excellent.

4.27/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Home now from the work on the fair booth, and I think I need a reward for my hard work. This seemed like a good idea.

Let Your Yea Be Yea - Lost Saint Brewing - Blue Earth, MN - Barleywine - 8.4%

I believe it is @Dimidiata who is a big fan of Barleywine Sunday. I am liking thi beer a lot. Great flavor profile. There is one strike against it and that is there is almost no aroma to the beer. I am glad I bought it yesterday, and will enjoy it this afternoon.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/67058/754713/
3.73/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From a 750ml crawler purchased at the brewery. No date on the crawler.

This beer looks like very strong tea in my glass, because it has that color to it. Very murky looking in the glass. There was a 1 finger tan head to the beer that had good retention, and there's a bit of sticky lacing on the glass.
There's really no aroma to this beer, and that is a huge let down to me. All I am getting is the faintest hint of malt.
Taste - The taste is better than the nose, and there's a lot here. I am getting caramel and toffee up front. I am getting hints of plum and raisin in the middle. There's a strange, but pleasing finish to me for the style: dark chocolate. That was not expected, but a pleasing surprise. There's a nice and pleasing bitterness on the finish that seems smooth to me, if that makes sense.
The body is quite good, even though it is "only" 8.4%. The feeling from the bitterness does linger in my throat.
The lack of aroma is the only knock I can give this beer. This is quite delicious, and a good take on the style.

I'll be sipping on this for a bit, but I think there's one more in me today. Cheers!

 

I picked up a pretty good Kolsch last Saturday. Had one 1-week ago, but did not review.

4.27/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Purchased last week at the brewery from their cooler and kept cold until served. Poured to Stange-like glass from a 16oz can dated 06/03/25.
The body is a pleasant gold with an aggressive white head. Nucleation is mesmerizing and continues throughout the session.
The aroma is of spice and hay.
The taste is spice in the front, a slightly sweet middle with a dry finish.
The mouthfeel is light and slightly oily. Carbonation is right where it should be.
A good example of the style.

 

Today with lunch I had this one from Refined Fool Brewing of Sarnia, Ontario.



This is Make Milk Bags Great Again, ‘Canadian Red Ale.’ What makes this a ‘Canadian Red Ale’ you ask? Well, the can seems to suggest nothing other than the attempt at humour in the beer name and label.



Pours a deep brown/red with a moderate frothy head that dissipates slowly.

Malted grain hits the nose first. There is a slight grassy note present as well. I also perceive a note of ash in there too.

The malt also headlines the taste. Sweet rye bread, light grassy/herbal notes. The ash on the nose is not present on the tongue.

Medium body. Perhaps a lighter than I’d expect in a red ale though I don’t drink them often.

Like most of the beers I’ve had from Refined Fool, this is an adequate beer. I’d have it again.

Parenthetically, growing up in Québec, I had no idea that bagged milk was a thing confined primarily to Laurentian Canada. I dont remember ever having milk at home in any other packaging format. I realize now that it is uncommon to non-existent elsewhere. We don’t drink enough milk in my household to warrant the 4-litre bag of bags, but it’s still the default packaging for milk in my mind.

Cheers.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Swiggers and commentators. One (of many) things I admire about Autodidact Beer is that the owners/brewers have the courage of their conviction. When they come up with a unique recipe they don't hesitate to can it. Trumpeting Ecstasy was canned on Friday. It is unlike any DIPA Auto has made. It is hopped with Anchovy, Styrian Dragon, Mosaic, and Simcoe. It is a "hot," "spicy," ale but quite unlike one with peppers. It might still be a bit green. If I drank more than one can I would probably pop a couple of Tums. But that's not to say this isn't a unique and fun beer to drink!

It pours a hazy, grassy, dirty yellow with a very foamy, milk-white cap and modest lacing. It smells of lemon, red berry, and melon. The taste is refreshingly tart and bitter with lots of lemon peel, grapefruit rind, watermelon, berry jam, pine sap, and herbal spice. It finishes with a strong dose of black pepper and bitterness from the Simcoe and leaves a strong, bitter, aftertaste. The overall flavor is quite unique. This is my first encounter with Styrian Dragon hops and I have minimal experience with Anchovy. This ale is not oated or wheated and the mouth feel reflects it - a lot less creamy than the typical Autodidact DIPA. It doesn't drink like 8% ABV.

3.89/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'll let the rest of the pack sit till next weekend and see whether the spiciness mellows. If it does, then I may revisit my rating. Cheers!