New Beer Weekend #269

Good evening NBW
Another oktoberfest beer purchased in Ohio

Hopewell Oktoberfest

16oz can stamped 072525 poured into a mug at fridge temp 5% ABV per can. The beer pours bright copper tinted amber with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. Slight lacing. The aroma is mild with layered toasted malt. The taste is semisweet nutty toasted malt with an medium plus earthy / herbal hop flavor and bitterness. The feel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Cleanly lagered. Overall, good Märzen.

Probably it for me this weekend. Cheers all!

 

Lazy day today. Didn't even go grocery shopping after church. Settled in for football and pretty much did the couch potato thing.

Tonight's volunteer:



A Polotmave Pivo from OEC - Heliostar, 4.9% Czech amber lager.

Pours a pretty honey color with an off white head that hangs in for a few minutes before leaving a half cap and a ring of bubblettes. Was nice looking while the head lasted.

On the nose I'm getting some caramel, but a lot of honey, biscuits and ever so slightly toasty baked bread. There's the faintest whiff of herbal and mildly spicy hops.

The flavor reminds me of toast or biscuits with honey. Very light toasty notes, I get more honey than caramel, and a bit of sweetness. The hops are very light - herbal and with a very mild spiciness. I get a little black tea flavor as well. Nicely balanced bitterness.

Fairly light bodied, finishes pretty crisp and dry. This beer has @JackHorzempa favorite term all over it - suffig. Super easy drinking and smooth. I think this is dead on for the style. Easy A- minus here - 4.2 or so. Well made and tasty.

 

Did you watch the Eagles beat the Chiefs!

Super Bowl II.

Cheers!

P.S. I am watching the postgame show while drinking a homebrewed 1896 Michelob beer. Celebrate good times c’mon!!

 

Yup. Good game - false start on the O-line aside. Kelce must be distracted with wedding plans. Other than the Patriots and Packers, games are pretty much for entertainment purposes. I'm looking forward to watching the Vikings - thought JJ McCarthy was the guy the Pats should have drafted even though he wore Michigan blue. Red Sox are up six so I can switch when the Foosball starts.

Seriously - if you see the Heliostar, I think you'd enjoy it.

 

Long day here, one of those that feels like two days in one cause we just did so much; yea I'm zonked on a Sunday night. Trying to do my best to wind down and be at peace like I try to on Sunday nights, perhaps a hoppy beer from @vurt will help the cause, second to last one he sent. A new to me brewery and beer from Oregon.

Living Haus - NISU (APA)



Pours brass with shades of orange, white head, moderately sudsy; thin opaque cap, no lacing.

Nose is very vibrant and bright; just all sorts of orange colored citrus jumps up the nose...like all parts, its zesty, fleshy and then some skin and rind, lurking below is what I always like to call overripe fruit salad vibes, and a tingly pine bite, long description here but this nose has got it all; any malt maybe adds some moderate grain and sweet character.

Taste becomes more centered, mostly around the same notes but it hones in on a fruity orange, tangerine vibe, fruit character isn't as prominent as the nose hinted, maybe a hint of hawaiian punch, finishes with some sticky caramelized citrus; something I seem to get whenever that malt mixes right with the hops.

Body is medium, oily hops; lightly tongue tickling with a spritzy bitterness on the finish, this beer is cleanly fermented and has great drinkability; firmly drinks like a bigger pale ale, steers clear of IPA land for me.

This is a hoppy beer win for me; drinkable firmly in clean territory, modern nature is minimal and doesn't hide any of the citrus bite. Thanks for sharing this one @vurt, it 100% reminds me of that Tonewood Gardent Statement beer I sent you, this one has a better malt depth IMO.

Interesting @vurt I read your review and though we use different words it seems like we did pick up on many of the same aspects of this beer, mine almost a month later so it has 100% held up well.

-------------------

Alright everyone I'm gonna doze off, enjoy a long rewarding weekend, and an Eagles win See you all next weekend, be here or be square. Have a great week!!!

 

4.29/5 rDev 0%

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 7-28-25 into an IPA glass at 55 degrees.

Look- Straw, very hazy, white frothy head, average lacing, above average head retention.

Smell- Grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, between medium and high strength of scent.

Taste- Tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between medium and full body, soft, slightly below average carbonation, mildly bitter, slightly creamy, no astringency, mildly dry finish.

Overall- Straw and very hazy with above average head retention. Nose was a simple, but well balanced and appealing mix of citrus aromatics. Flavor had slightly more depth with notes of pineapple alongside the citrus. The feel was close to full body with low bitterness and no astringency. Overall this was an all around solid beer that provided a nice drinking experience.

 

Great pic!

 

Glad that one is aging well. Helps me with an idea I have for a cellar box...

 

Retired life is looking good on you. Grocery shopping on Monday sounds like a new option.

 

Full disclaimer got this from my High School Buddy who is in Product Development for these guys, I think I have not factored that into my review, despite the fact this was a freebie...

Cabarrus Brewing Co. The Throne Imperial Stout with Toasted Coconut & Marshmallows ( Aged for 12 Months in Carribean Rum Barrels ), 10.0%; 4.13 overall

Pours an effervescent ebony with fairly fast falling mocha colored head. Second & third pours are super thick & plenty of viscosity with minimal head retention & no lacing

S: Rum, cola, figs, faint vanilla notes

T: Follows the nose, toasty coconut & a little marshmallow, barrel dryness & a little woody hop up front. Rum dominated as this beer warms up, also toasty coconut, hints of vanilla, raisins & figs. Finishes with Rum Barrel dryness/sweetness, some marshmallow & toasty coconut & figgy notes

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, warming

In my wheelhouse, love me some Dark Rum & this is plenty drinkable for the style & ABV

 

Thanks. I'm getting there! I'll find something I want to do eventually but it's good to feel that I dont have to right away.

We have a grocery store about a mile and a half from the castle - got to get the missus to stop shopping for two weeks of groceries at a time and get into the what do ya wanna have tonight mode. That'd make more room for beer in the fridge!

 

That one sounds pretty interesting

 

Discovered rum barrel beers recently - rum treatment does some very nice things to stouts and barleywines. Barreled Souls Black Bombs Over Barley - one sip and it was "here...take my money".

 

I think the key is don't skimp on the aging. The ones I found meh were less or non-specific on aging length. Coconut usually works with this, some other ingredients are riskier IMHO

 

Agreed and I think that is true of most of the barrel treatments - got to allow time for things to cook.

 

Started sleeping upstairs last night in my own bed. I can manage the steps now. Still settling back in into sleeping next to a person & a dog. That pup was well behaved last night, I think he's scared or annoyed at my cane, although needing it less & less.

Back & hips are still pissed from not great mechanics. 4 more PT sessions left

Sucky photo. Greenhouse Ale Works Pelia IPA. Their Tap room just opened back after being wrecked by a F4 Tornado 16 months ago

 

Here's a big New Beer for a Sunday night:



Ex Novo The Bourbon Trinity (blended imperial stout aged in Old Forester, Four Roses, and Blanton's bourbon barrels)

500 mL wax-topped bottle purchased at Jubilation Wine and Spirits, Albuquerque, NM. Enjoyed in a plastic hotel room cup. (One of these days I'll remember to bring a proper beer glass when I travel.)

Look:
Opaque black, except at the thinnest edge when held to the light, which reluctantly shows dark burnt orange highlights. A heavy-handed pour raises a compact head of foam the color of good espresso crema. It looks plenty sturdy, but doesn't last long, and doesn't leave any lacing.

Smell:
Chocolate and marshmallow hit fast and hard. Underneath is a supporting cast of caramel, blackberries, roast malt, toasted coconut, and cappuccino. Bourbon lurks in the wings.

Taste:
Marshmallow hogs the spotlight. Dark chocolate shares top billing. The starting ensemble includes cherries, burnt caramel, Chick-O-Sticks, and a fleeting lavender note (interesting!). Very sweet at first, but char and bourbon rise to provide balance and a different form of sweetness, respectively. There's also a slight saltiness and a hint of umami. The marshmallow takes on a toasted character at the start of the long, bourbon-forward finish. There are also notes of graham crackers, toasted nuts, maple candy, flowery vanilla, and brightly acidic/fruity coffee. Bitterness is more of a foreshadowing in the soundtrack than a major plot point.

Feel:
Ponderously full-bodied. Voluptuous, not obese. Exquisite velvety texture with restrained carbonation and a cozy alcohol warmth.

Overall:
The Bourbon Trinity leads with big marshmallow and chocolate flavors. Yes, it follows up with plenty of interesting and tempting nuances, but the beer is...well, it isn't exactly two-dimensional, but it's much closer to two than three. Maybe it needs "time for things to cook," as @LeRose observed earlier in this thread. Still, it's plenty tasty, and is very much the kind of imperial stout I like to end a weekend with.