New Beer Weekend #267

Back with another new Treehouse beer from our trip this week. This is part of a series where they make the same beer with Nelson Sauvin hops from different farms in different NZ regions. This version is from Garston Hops.
Once again, I thought the beer was fine, but I got and rDev of -7.5%. Do I sense some Treehouse grade inflation in the database?

4.06/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased 3-days ago cold and kept cold until served. Poured to a pretentious tulip-like glass from a 16oz can stamped PKGD 08/05/25. $20.00 per 4-pack.
The body is an opaque bright orange, SRM 4. With a simple pour I got a ¾”/18mm head white head of micro-bubbles. This faded to a single layer within 3-4 minutes. Lacing is pretty with ¼”/6mm rings of foam.
The aroma is quite Nelson, grapes, citrus and spice, but mostly grapes.
The taste is similar but also brings stone fruit. Very nice.
The mouthfeel is medium plus. Carbonation is also medium plus.
A good beer. Wish I could try it heads up with the other varieties in this theme. After all wasn't that the plan?

 

Goldfinger - Zlotonator doppelbock

16oz can served in a snulip. Canned on 2/3/25. Bought it a couple weeks ago around Chicago at a Binny's.

Pours dark syrupy amber with a small head. Not much carbonation, looks thick. Smell is cooked dates and light toffee, molasses, raisins and raisin bread.

Taste is drier than I expected from the aroma. Crackery, but retains all the dates and raisins and toffee. Something bright and refreshing about it, which is not something I ever would have expected to say about a doppelbock.

Mouthfeel is medium, borderline thick and heavy. Overall, probably not going to satisfy die-hard doppelbock enthusiasts, but might be a good entry level doppelbock.

 

Good evening NBW
I stopped by the infamous Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati while traveling yesterday, so I am well loaded with new beer for once. Grabbed a couple more country ticks and a couple cheap singles as well. This one set me back $1.50...

Tivoli Outlaw Light


16oz can stamped B:04172026 poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp 4.2% ABV. The beer pours bright light amber with abundant off white head. The head recedes to a rocky cap and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is mild with just a hint of pale malt. The taste is bittersweet grassy hops over a light pils malt base. Medium final bitterness. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Cleanly lagered. Overall, excellent light lager. The beer presents like a lighter German pilsner to my taste, and in the most positive way.

So I'm way off on positive rDev on this one. Reading old reviews seems like they are describing a different beer. I don't know what else I could ask for on a cheap light lager. I'll be back with some other jewels throughout the rest of the weekend. Cheers all!

 

Round two and country #48

Banks Caribbean Lager

11.2oz bottle stamped 04 OCT 2025 poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp 4.7% ABV. The beer pours bright light golden amber with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin cap and leaves a little lacing. The aroma is mild with strikingly sweet malt and old breakfast cereal. The taste is more old, oxidized breakfast cereal (the healthy kind with all the grains) and a hint of tart. A slight bitterness on the very finish. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. The only flaw I can find is the slightly tart note, but it's not bad. Overall, drinkable AAL, but a different take on the style. Tastes like someone mashed in a bunch of old Frosted Flakes and make some beer...

Cheers all!

 

Continung with the pFriem theme (that rhymes, btw), I'm sitting at the downstairs bar at their Milwaukie outpost, very much enjoying a pint of Fresh Hop Pale Ale and a new library book.



pFriem Fresh Hop Pale
The beer is a warm golden-yellow which is usually very clear, but the fresh hop version is luminous with hop haze. The finger-tall cap of foam lasts halfway down the glass and provides gobs of dense lacing. The nose is citrus-forward with mouth-watering touches of melon and ripe mango. The taste...ahhhh, crisp and dry with grapefruit and a mix of stone fruits mingling with crackery malt. There's a ZING of juicy watermelon in the finish, the treasured calling card of fresh Centennial hops. There's also a serious TWANG of lupulin powder bitterness. Just delightful.

 

And just finished the last 2 of Urban Artifact's August Small Batch Society releases:

Small Batch Society - Coconut Cranberry Cookie | Urban Artifact | BeerAdvocate



Small Batch Society - Sunny's Citrus Cooler | Urban Artifact | BeerAdvocate



I think their Coconut Cranberry Cookie was my favorite of this group of brews. All were good, seems like there's usually 1 from each release that I'm somewhat disappointed with but I can't say that for any of these brews this time around. Not sure if I'll have any more new to me brews this weekend, so cheers again everyone!

 

Happy NBS!

Having a pretty tasty Red IPA from Weldwerks (CO).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38773/760721/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Not sure if we'll see it but I saw Peculiar IPA, show up in a post or on untapp'd or something like that, an English IPA from England, yes plese...

@HoppingMadMonk

 

Lacing always seems to be superb in many fresh hop beers, that thing looks like lacing on steroids.

 

If I remember correctly you’re going out there soon right? You and @Coronaeus gonna meet up?

 

Happy NBS one and all!
It’s Sunday so it’s the day for Barleywine.
This is one that @Ozzylizard left me during his last visit to the area. It’s from Adroit Theory, which has some really good Russian Imperial Stouts, several of which Bob has sent me earlier.
This is Cold Woods.


The pour is breakfast coffee brown with a beige head that just covers the surface and leaves no lacing.
The taste starts sweet, like maple syrup type sweet, and flavor actually. Once it warms up to room temperature, a little bitterness presents itself. It’s a curious take on the style.
The feel is a little viscous, about what I expect for a barleywine.
OA, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the stouts I have been able to enjoy.
Cheers all!

 

If you're gonna do that, I owe that dude a lot of beer, let me know if I can load up a suitcase for you

 

Yea me too, let me throw some beers in there too.

 

Have a good NBS mid Labor Day weekend. I started Intensity from Dean Koontz this morning. We are thinking about going to the Greensboro science center tomorrow before our membership runs out at the end of the week. I still need to finishing checking in untappd from the GB meetup and updating my reviews on BA. Same goes with book reviews. I have been away from the forums for a while. Been on the brink of eviction on job seeking ventures again, but we are doing ok now.

The cats were busy playing in boxes again today.


State of Brewing Holiday Ale from aldi. Got on sale for 6 bucks a pack. Great winter warmer. Lasting head retention and dense soapy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread/crust, toasted nuts, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, clove, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal/grassy bitterness and cinnamon spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; creamy/bready malts, light sticky spices/hops in mouthfeel. Lingering hop/spice dryness with no cloying/astringent flavors. Very smooth and drinkable with a light silky note as well. This is way better than their pumpkin ale. Very robust English style malt/yeast backbone with balanced spices. Nothing overwhelming. 4.08


Cheers