New Beer Weekend #265

Good evening NBW
I will try any Oktoberfest that I stumble across, even if I expect it will be a disappointment...
Surprised I had to add this one to the BA database

Brewdog Oktoberfest
12oz CANNED 06-25-25 poured into a mug at fridge temp 5.5 % ABV. The beer pours bright light copper in color with light khaki head. The head recedes to a thin cap and leaves a little lacing. The aroma is mild with toasted malt and a hint of earthy hops. The taste is semisweet (American) caramel malt with a earthy, heavily toasted overtone. Mild to moderate bitterness. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Cleanly lagered. Overall, fair American attempt on a Märzen, but not something I'd drink again.

In response to the opening question, I'm dramatically down on reviews over the last year or two. From 250-300 a year, to pacing for 75 this year. A mix of less traditional styled beers available and choosing the sure thing if in doubt.

 

Happy Saturday evening everyone, finally got to sit down and enjoy a nice little barrel aged stout that might have been purchased when it was already old or I saved it for many years.
As it’s been one I’ve wanted to try since I had heard about it, I’m guessing the former.

Rating a 2018 edition, so take my review with that in mind.
The pour is stout black with a 3/4” beige head made up of very dense, very small bubbles.
The taste is a melange of chocolate, coffee, warm leather, wood (I wish I could say “oak” but it’s just to faint) bourbon is the container of all of these.
The feel is a little thinner than expected but I don’t know if it’s because it’s 7 years old or it’s just like that.
OA, very good, fresh may be even better.
Back tomorrow,
Cheers!

 

We are back at the home fortress. Not a terrible drive. Picked up a few from Barreled Souls but was a bit disappointed- they had a lot on tap but many of the ones I wanted to try or outright buy were bottle pours only and you could not buy a bottle to go.

The most interesting incident from vacation was lunch at Marshall Wharf. Missus and I are sitting and had just placed our order. There's this very elderly lady wandering around - she'd ordered a grilled cheese and glass of wine. She asked several people if she could sit with since she was alone and was quite rudely treated. She finally got to us and we said sure. She starts talking and come to find out she is Gene Rayburn's daughter (for you kids in the audience, a TV game show host from The Match Game and actor). She shows us pictures, talked about living on Cape Cod, her cats, working with the antivivisection groups. All 100% legit - she goes there every day for lunch. She just wanted somebody to talk to and several people there treated her terribly rudely. Sure...it could have been a crazy cat lady trying to scam a meal but she had already ordered and paid for hers plus it would be an incredibly complex ruse with actual photos - not phone pictures. We did treat her to a second glass of wine...

So an easy beer for the wind-down day:



Barreled Souls Speakeasy Mango Habanero - I dig the higher octane version with double habanero so let's see how this compares.

Pours a murky goldfish color and that huge head in the picture lasted about 30 seconds. Falls to next to nothing, no residual traces.

The smell is fruity forward with mango and a hint of lime plus a fresh fruity pepper note. More of a vegetal than spicy pepper.

The taste follows with mango and a bit of lime. The pepper is what's interesting. It is waaaayyy dialed back from its big brother. There's a very mild heat that takes some time to emerge, but there's more of the fruity and vegetal flavors of the pepper. It's quite nice.

Feels is a medium body. The pepper heat does linger but doesn't really build that much.

Overall I prefer the racing fuel version but this is a good beer as well. It presents quite differently in the taste department. 3.8 territory.

 

Back from swimming in the river. This beer is new to me, but I am not sure about it.

Hellgate Honey - Kettlehouse Brewing- Missoula, MT - Hefeweizen- 4.8%

The flavor isn't bad, but it is far off the style. I have to rate it poorly because of that fact.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1916/5590/
2.97/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
From a 16oz can. Canned on 06/25/2025

This beer is golden in color and slightly murky. The head is enormous, 5 finger and frothy white in color. Amazing lacing on the glass.
The aroma is pretty bland to me. I am really not getting much off the nose. No wheat beer aroma or honey aroma.
There's no wheat beer flavors here. There's no banana and cloves. There's a lot of cereal grain and honey flavors.
The body is smooth and decent feeling.
This is a tasty beer, but not even close to style.

I do have 2 more new beers to me in my trunk. If it weren't such a pain in the rear , I would drive to Great Falls for more new beers. Cheers all.

 

This is a German one I still haven’t tried, you made it sound very appealing, at least partly, mostly?

Maybe I’ll grab one if I get the chance at a single, thank you for the report @Premo88

 

Jackie os temple of nirvana bourbon barrel stout blend
...solid black,motor oil appearance with a thin chocolate head that quickly dissipates
...light carbonation with a thick, creamy body that coats the tongue
...aroma is a strong hit of mellow wood, bourbon, molasses with a chocolate coffee mix. It has an almost perfume earthy floral component that adds nicely to the overall impact.
...taste has some sweetness which the bourbon burn balances out. Theres some mocha and molasses behind the bourbon which bumps up the taste.
...overall there's nothing bad to say about this one

 

Well, another Kettlehouse beer.

Fish On! Kettlehouse Brewing - Missoula, MT - APA - 4.8%

This is damn good. I am enjoying it a lot.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1916/501047/
3.81/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From a 16oz can. Canned on 06/26/2025

This beer is slightly murky and golden in color. The head is a thick 3 finger white head that has great lacing and good retention.
I am getting some citrus hops in the aroma. I am getting hints of malts also in the aroma.
Pine hints are in the flavor. Some citrus notes. Malty notes come into play here. Slight bitterness on the back.
Great body. Smooth. Decent fullness.
I am saying "this is good" aloud. This is very tasty and a great beer to drink.

I may have my final new beer in my trunk. It looks like I will head to Great Falls tomorrow, and new beer will happen.

 

Czig meister jersey roots apple al
... an amber/apple juice appearance with a thick,lasting white head.
...around medium carbonation with a close to average body
...in the aroma theres grain and some cereal with a strong amount of apple peel.
...taste again has mixed grain but is then dominated with sour apple and bitter peel.
...overall its a bit tough to get down

 

A single would be a good idea. I found it very hoppy and bitter but in a relatively flavorful way ... and despite being earthy with the hops, it avoided the dreaded "metallic copper penny" note I get in a lot of Oktoberfests.

I'll try to post a note or two on WBAYDN when I drink the rest of the 4-pack in case it gets better/worse.

Happy hunting!

Cheers!

 

Bad Weather Hopcromancer IPA 7% ABV
Delish. Simple and resinous and local.
3.94/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz can stamped date smudged into a Becher glass.
L: Pours clear medium light gold color with a big 1.5" rocky off white head, medium steady carbo, requires multiple pours, head gets a cap, medium complex lacing.
S: Pine, citrus zest, fruit bread, caramel malts.
T: Sweet resinous hops, caramelized malts, citrus zest, light melon, a hint of grapefruit, hard candy, it has a piney and zesty finish and aftertaste.
F: Brisk then smooth medium to medium-light bodied feel with a medium-long moderately dry finish.
O: A great tasting and well balanced IPA with malts just beneath pine resin hop notes. It is a bit fruity, a little bitter, and drinks quite easily. It is very good in its style.

 

What a story! Thanks for sharing.

Btw, is it your experience that crazy cat ladies are always scamming free meals?

 

Congrats on the new beers! It appears I've clocked in 219 new beers to me thus far this yr. Not too shabby. Blaze on!

 

Schell's Notorious P.I.L.S.


Appearance: Clear gold, big head.

Smell: Fruit punch, hint of grass.

taste: Mild sweetness, then mild fruits-apple, pears. Light breadiness, mostly fruits. Medium bodied, finishes with lingering fruit flavor.

Overall: Picked up a 12 pack as it has been hot and I wanted an easy drinker. This was easy drinking but I was hoping for a little more like a pilsner than a fruity lager. I just prefer the grassy hop profile in my lagers versus the new school/southern hemisphere hop flavors. Still, it is a pretty good beer.

 

Thats a great story!
Cheers

 

Good morning NBS/nbw and thanks to our host this week @Beersnake'
To your question, I find myself in a static position, pretty much try the same number of new beers each year. 2 per week over the years.
I will echo apoint made ealier, seems to be fewer style options.
Todays offering is from Von Trapp Brewing, We were in Stowe a few weeks ago and they were pouring this lovely lager, so I grabbed a sixer to go.

Cheers all

Natür Helles: 75th Anniversary

Helles | 4.9% ABV
von Trapp Brewing in Stowe, Vermont

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.16/5 rDev +0.5% | Average: 4.14
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz can dated BB 12/22/2025, into the test glass
A - Light straw color, nice clarity, a thin white cap is quick to recede. A steady stream of meandering spheres chase the surface.
S - Grassy hops, some lovely grainy cracker threads, a hint of lemongrass from the hops.
T - All the aromatics, with a slightly sweet element.
M - Pillowy soft, on the palate, with a brightness and balance thats a delight. Finish and linger are snappy, which I very much like.