New Beer Weekend #271

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. It's a beautiful early autumn Sunday in North Jersey. My first NBS review today is Coffee Abraxis from Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis. I was able to purchase a couple Abraxis variants locally, for which I am grateful since it is an excellent series of Imperial Stouts. I hope that someday we see bottles of the Barrel-Aged version in our area.

This is the 2024 release. Poured at 66°. It is nearly ink black and it sports a big, fluffy, light mocha-colored head and thick lacing. There is less coffee on the nose than expected. The primary smells are dark chocolate, burnt nuts, earthy char, and a whiff of tobacco smoke. But its taste leads with strong, acidic coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. I'm also tasting vanilla bean, cinnamon, and a nice hint of chili pepper. The latter is delicate and not distracting - perhaps due to the bottle being over a year old. It is more spicy than bitter and there is a solid, earthy base. The flavors blend very nicely. This Stout has a creamy, viscous feel with low carbonation, and the 11.5% ABV is hardly noticeable.

4.34/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cheers!

 

New Not-Your-Typical Helles Weekend at my place today:

St. Bernardus Kombine • helles lager • 6% ABV • July 2026 best-by date

I saw this beer stacked up in 4-packs at the grocery store about a month ago and a did a double-take: St. Bernardus brewed a what?!? My fridge was full of beer at the time, so I passed, but I knew at some point I had to try it out of pure curiousity.

I love it. It's a massive malt bomb of the light-malt variety, loads and loads of bready notes as sweet as donuts in the aroma and as fruity as a peach kolache in the flavor. The hops are spicy (black pepper) and offer a lot of balance on the back end. In a way it's almost like a British pale ale or British golden ale with a little less hop presence ... a true malt show.

Official review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/259/730413/?ba=Premo88#review
4.39 (+7.6% rDev)

Review-to-style sticklers might have trouble with this one, because it's got some arguably un-helles-like aspects, particularly the haziness and the 6% ABV. Others might also balk at the price, for it's not cheap. I'm really glad I forked out the cask for a 4-pack, and I might grab another. I'm not sure I can get a better pale lager or pale ale as malty as this for a cheaper price without flying to London and ordering a proper pint at a pub.

Cheers!

 

In the past 2 weeks, our in-town brewery, Autodidact Beer, has released 2 DIPAs based upon southern hemisphere hops. Last week, it was Andromeda, a collaboration with Two Tides Brewing of Savannah, hopped with Nelson Hop Kief, Pacific Sunrise, Krush Cryo, and Riwaka. This one is Imposing Will, has a stripped down bill of Nelson and Riwaka. I only had Andromeda on draught. They are both outstanding but I think I like Imposing Will better because it is more "bare bones" and has a little more malt presence.

It pours an opaque, dark tangerine color with a half finger cap of creamy, milk-white foam and solid film of lacing. It smells of lemon, lime, grapefruit, and tropical fruit, along with white wine and fresh cut flowers. The simple hop bill of Riwaka and Nelson delivers big flavor. The Riwaka is the star, contributing a burst of tart citrus and tropical fruits. The Nelson Sauvin adds its signature white wine grape but it blends completely with the other tastes. There is a solid, malty base with some zippy spice notes. This ale is moderate in body and carbonation, and the 8.1% ABV gives it a nice punch without heaviness.

4.34/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I hope everyone is enjoying the new beer in his/her glass. As always, I am enjoying your reviews. Have a great week, everyone. Cheers, NBW!

 

Greenhouse Aleworks Bamboo Palm West Coast IPA, 6.0% ABV; with Citra, Mosaic & Simcoe Hops; 3.96 overall

Pours an effervescent honey color with 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Better than average head retention & lacing

S: Oranges, cakeyness. Cattyness never shows in the nose, weird, minor deduction for that

T: Follows the nose, plenty of cattyness & a little pine up front. Mineral dryness, grapefruit & woody/piney/catty bitterness as this beer warms up. Finishes with grapefruit & pine, some catty notes on the edges

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, good balance

If you like them catty/dank, this WCIPA is for you. I was hoping for a little more citrus balance, but very easy to drink

 

I was at Equal Parts Brewing this afternoon...and found this interesting offering on tap...

Foeder Beer, 4.2% ABV. Aged in a DeGarde oak Foeder for over five years. I added this as a Wild Ale and think it fits.



Pours with a bit of haze. A slightly darker orange color. With a minimal white head that forms and recedes in an instant.
A simple aroma of acidic and tart fruits. Mainly pink grapefruit, with a touch of oaky woody character mingling in.
Taste wise, again, its simple but spot on and bright. A light tartness that becomes more acidic as this warms. The oak and wood character is much more apparent with a good does a vanilla from the wood as well. Sweetened grapefruit balances out the acidity. Very nice.
A light body and moderate carbonation. For this style, I would prefer a more crisp bite. Plenty of tannins here as well. Which all leads to an enjoyable Wild Ale to drink.

I like this a lot, if there was more noticeable effervescent carbonation, this would be top tier for me. As is, just really good anyway. Glad they experimented with something like this.

Overall score is 4.06, easy A-
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/44383/764021/?ba=champ103#lists

 

While in the midst of Oktoberfest, as someone previously pointed out, it's also fresh hop season. Pickings, which are usually pretty limited around here are slim to none this year. Managed to ferret out this New Trail/Bale Breaker collab, unambiguously named Fresh Hop IPA.
When popping the top the crisp hop aroma, while not knocking me out did present quite assertively.
This was truly a case of the taste following the nose; hoppy (duh) and an old-time bitterness that I don't seem to find that much anymore.
I don't go for too many New Trail offerings. Aside from a few standouts over the years they seem to crank out a new brew every couple of weeks, and all in the same IPA spectrum. Maybe the collab with the west coast Bale Breaker was the magic, but this one really kicks. 6.7%, just about right.
Well worth seeking out if still around.
P.S. Canned date of 9/17, so maybe the freshest beer I've ever had outside of a brewpub. Will attack the remainder of the 4-pack with dispatch.

 

Pack Leader
5.9% honey kolsch by Four Paws Brewing Company



Poured from a pint can, the body is a clear gold with white fluffy head. Good lacing.

A light honey aroma is quite nice.

Taste features the malt bill with a bit of honey. Flavor also has a medium hop bite on that slowly fades and serves as a nice balance to the malt backbone. A bit of spice is revealed as the crisp finish nicely cleans things up.

Mouthfeel is solid with strong carbonation.

A very enjoyable kolsch on a warm early fall day.

 

I’d planned to open this one last weekend, but ‘as is its wont,’ life got in the way. I was reminded to search for this bottle in my cellar when @Beersnake shared his recently acquired beer from Brasserie Albion last weekend.

This is Brasserie Albion’s La Couvre Feu, a slightly smoky brown ale (5.9%, 750ml). I’ve had this in the cellar for a few years, so there’s a chance it isn’t at its optimal drinking moment. The perils of overbuying and unintended cellaring…



Pours a slightly reddish medium brown with a very substantial and pillowy head that dissipates slowly. Rather opaque.

The aromas are muted. Slight wood burning fire smokiness. Brown bread. A hint of dry wood, wet leather.

The taste is mild, reminiscent of an English dark mild, but with more punch. The smoky quality is just a whisper, but is present. Malty with a muted brown sugar sweetness.

The body is moderate with limited carbonation that makes one wonder what this might be like in cask.

Another winner from a brewery I love that tends to fly under the radar here. I have a feeling this might have been a little punchier when fresh. That said, it is enjoyable in middle age as it is. I’d gladly have this again, as I would any of the interesting beers made by Albion.

Cheers!

 

New N/A beer for me:

Deschutes Black Butte N/A • porter • 7/20/25 born-on date

BAs have been posting N/A beers on WBAYDN more and more often and saying good things about so many of them that I figured why not? I should start sprinkling in a few to see what's what.

This N/A version of a craft beer classic is pretty good. It's a bit earthy and woody in the flavor, but that's to be expected — with almost no alcohol in it, there's little chance for much sweetness unless they cheat and add sugar, and I'd expect Deschutes not to do that. The surprising thing for me is that it's never *too* earthy or woody and that it has a bit of a cold brew coffee vibe with a nice cocoa powder finish that feels like it's trying to be sweet. It's not, which is too bad, but still, I'm fairly pleased with this beer.

Official review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/63/588072/?ba=Premo88#review
3.38 (-12.4% rDev)

My numbers belie the fact that I am enjoying this beer. My numbers also indicate (to me at least) that I likely won't be buying this beer again. I'll work through this 6-pack and see, but I think I'd rather move onto another N/A beer rather than revisit this one.

FWIW, my rating for the "real thing" is:
3.9 (-6.5% rDev)

I'd love to find a sixer of the "real thing" to do a side-by-side comparison. I fear the N/A version would fall flat on its face in a head-to-head with its more alcoholic brother, but I dunno ... maybe not?

Cheers!

 

This is the second new beer of the afternoon! We'll get back to the first one when I get home and can take a photo...

But in the meantime, here is a tasty New Beer:



Fort George A Dance To Please The Gods (barrel--aged imperial stout and barleywine blend)

Enjoyed in a snifter at Tall Trees Taphouse in Hillsboro, OR.

Look:
The darkest brown that is not black, with a thin head of creamy tan foam that shrinks to a rough surface and enduring collar. Spotty lacing, gorgeous legs.

Smell:
This smells like a Fort George barrel-aged blend from the get-go. It starts off sweet, with plenty of bourbon, amd gets sweeter as it warms. The barleywine component seems to be stronger up front, offering a profile of dates, caramel, prunes, and a little plum and red grape around the edges. The imperial stout component is dialed back, but contributes dark chocolate and some char.

Taste:
Unlike the nose, the imperial stout component dominates over the barleywine. It starts like Fort George Matryoshka with an extra serving of bourbon. Sweet dark chocolate (high cacao percentage) and a tableau of black cherries, plums, and dates. The barleywine offers more rich fruit around the edges, plenty of figs with some strawberry and raisin. A ripple of caramel. A drying cloud of dark roasted malt. A nimbus of bourbon and alcohol. Finishes with the aforementioned array of dark fruit, dark chocolate, caramel, and a purely gratifying amount of bourbon.

Feel:
Medium-heavy, more like barleywine than imperial stout. Velvety texture with a prominent and cozy alcohol warmth. Subdued carbonation which still provides a good and necessary edge.

Overall:
If I take a sip and close my eyes, it's like I'm sitting in the Lovell Taproom at Fort George Brewery in Astoria, OR. That's where you find the big barrel-aged beers and one-offs on tap. While Fort George's barrel-aged beers tend towards overly sweet these days, there are some delicious exceptions to that rule, and this is one of them. The barleywine and imperial stout components share the table agreeably, and there's plenty of bourbon for both. I'm glad I had the chance to try this. If bottles were available here, I fear I would happily pay a premium to take one home.

 

Hey, kids. Enjoyed reading the posts as always and ready to participate! To answer about fresh hop beers - I really haven't noticed any that I can recall in our regular haunts, but I'm not exactly looking for them, either.

Well, it isn't Cellaruary but I've got a worthy one from a recent sale haul.



Firestone Walker Agrestic No. 004. It's a. American Wild Red Ale that was bottled on 7/25/17. It started life as DBA, then 80% was aged in French oak, 20% in American oak with a concoction of microflora for 12 - 15 months. It was marked down from $14 to $5. I haven't seen any Firestone Walker around here in years , but I remember seeing this quite a while ago along with Parabola, Double Jack and a few others. I grabbed this, Stickee Monkee, and Velvet Merkin. The store was still hauling stuff out of the cold basement - I'll have to go back and see if anything else appeared.

It pours a somewhat murky orange red with a scant tan head that vanishes without a trace.

The smell is woody and fruity with just a bit of funk and a surprising touch of sweetness. Red berries - raspberry and a little cherry. There's a floral note floating on top. There's a bit of bread in the background. As it warms, I get some apple, grape must, and tea.

The taste opens fairly tart, but the oak really softens that substantially. The oak is very smooth. I reckon the age might have something to do with that as well. Very mild Brett funk. Raspberry and cherry plus grape must. The grape gives it a slightly wine-like character. There's just a bit of caramel sweetness, a mere touch of lemon, and a grassy/herbal/floral taste. Bready malt rides in the background. Just as things calm down some there is a taste of Earl Grey tea...where bergamot came from is beyond me. There's a little bitter tea-like hit right after the swallow.

The feel is medium. The acidity is sharp but brief and nicely balanced by the other microbial mayhem going on here. Dry on the finish with just a little phenolic slickness.

Ok...so it's 8 years old and it's delicious. Although it starts out sour that all mellows out with all the other flavors going on. Microbiological pkayground in oak barrels - this is good stuff. Plus 8 years in the bottle with Brett possibly doing Bretty things. Maybe they have a few left! Easily in the 4.2-ish range.

 

Was hoping we’d see this one after you teased it last weekend

 

4 Hands/ 2nd Shift Collab, Voltron Hazy IPA, 7.0% ABV; 3.86 overall. With Nelson Sauvin, Wai Iti & Necrtaron Hops

Pours gold with one finer of cream-colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Melons, white grapes & peaches once warmer

T: Pomelo, green melon & a little dryness up front. Some peach notes, a little tangerine & more dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes with pink grapefruit, a little dryness & green melon, & passion fruit

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation, decent balance

Pretty drinkable, but had higher hopes for this one, wish it matched the nose

 

Good evening, BAs. Tonight‘s new beer I bought at the brewery in Tallinn, Estonia in December 2023 and muled home in my suitcase. Pohjala’s Kamin cellar series imperial Porter. Barrel aged in cognac, Sherry, and Islay whiskey barrels:



Unknown bottling date. Poured at 59° into a snifter. Fast, fizzy, tight dark brown head with rocks that dissipates quickly leaving no cap retention save a brief small island of microdots; thin ring at best; no lace; thin legs on swirl; black body with ruby edges. Nose is whiskey with Sherry in the retronasal. Taste is whiskey and sweet Sherry with a cognac bite; dry, roast caramel malt; pepper spice on backend; boozy whiskey linger. Silky smooth feel; medium light body; light carbonation; a little thin for ABV with minimal warmth from 11%, yet a light bite on tip of tongue from alcohol. Overall, very well balanced layers of flavors; the barrel notes meld seamlessly with underlying ashy malt base; world class.

4.25/4.5/4.75/4.25/ 4.5
Score: 4.56 rDev +4.3%

I brought two bottles home and gave one to my drinking buddy who loves Pohala and imperial porters. Too bad I did not bring more home for me. Cheers and have a great night y’all!

 

Finally made it back!
The second beer I drank with Garth wasn’t new to me so it won’t be shown. However, I did drink one I told myself I’d never drink, just because I hate the practice of using a brand to market what is obviously not what that brand is.
Case in point-

This is a beer that I never expected to review. It is under the KBS name but it is in no way, shape or form a Kentucky bourbon barrel aged Breakfast Stout. Not a stout at all, so what the heck?
Right. Marketing and overseas ownership.
New Holland did it with their Dragons Milk, so Founder’s had to copy them?
Okay, rant over.
The beer poured like iced tea; crystal clear brown tinted amber with a tooth white head that left good lacing.
Last I looked, lattes were light brown and very opaque.
The taste does feature the elements of a latte; the coffee and the lactose as well as chocolate and vanilla. Almost but not quite too sweet, no hops present to rein it in.
The feel is light bodied, about what you expect from a beer with milk sugar.
OA, the beer itself is not bad at all. I just despise the marketing.
Cheers all!

 

Amen, why this color? It most likely affected my rating. Just not right