New Beer Weekend #273

Certainly a dreary day here, but nowhere near a huge storm so far. Cold rain and miserable, but I suspect people nearer the coast or down the Cape have it worse. Supposed to get kind of a reload later tonight. Grandson talked me into takong him into the swim spa - other than icy raindrops on the head it was actually nice and very comfy after getting out.

Tonight's volunteer is a totally random buy. I've had it for a while but I reckon the store had it a lot longer.


Timber Ales collab with Fidens - I Assure You We Make Stouts, a 12% American Imperial Stout. Says it is treated with Swiss Chocolate Almond Coffee and toasted coconut...

Pours thick and inky looking- it's about as dark as it gets. The head is composed of super-fine bubbles that are like coffee with cream color, maybe towards mocha. It doesn't last and leaves no trace, but the liquid has legs.

It smells of sweet, rich chocolate and loads of premium coffee with a bit of nuttiness. Maybe a faint whiff of toasted coconut and a bit of vanilla.

the smell and first sip - it's making me think of a Swiss Chocolate Almond ice cream sundae (New England natives - set the way back machine for Friendlies around 1975...) but made with added coffee ice cream.

The flavor opens with big chocolate and maybe even bigger coffee. Its rich, fudgie, coffee in a glass. The coconut is a supporting cast member - it's there, but secondary. Slight nuttiness comes through. Bit of vanilla and a peppery almost licorice flavor in the aftertaste along with the chocolate and coffee that jever hides. There's a measure of actual stout - some dark cherry, a wee bit of charry malt, and a little leather/tobacco. It's sweet but not insanely sweet.

This is thiiiiiick...it's heavy, nearly syrupy. Decadent and stupid smooth. Alcohol does give some warming.

I like it and love the flavors. It's pretty straightforward - delivers what it says it will. In my opinion, the thickness of texture mutes the flavors but I'm not sure if that's a bad thing, maybe keeping things on check. It's a dessert-style sipper, it's very good (4.2 or so), but I wouldn't buy it again.

 

Wild Ride Journey To A New Strata-Sphere FH IPA

Gold medal winner in last month's Best of Craft Beer Awards Early Harvest fresh hop competition. I figured I ought to investigate.

Look:
This deep gold beer with pale yellow highlights glows with hop haze. The rocky head of off-white foam settles into a heavy ring that diligently marks its way down the glass with gobs of thick lacing.

Smell:
The nose is on the sweet side, but displays plenty of fresh Strata character: berries, mixed citrus juice, a pinch of cannabis.

Taste:
The fresh Strata carries over to the flavor and adds bitterness that makes the back of.my tongue go TWANG. (This is a very good thing.) Strawberry flavor leads, followed by white grapefruit juice and toasty malt that's sweeter than I prefer. Not much of the cannabis flavor from fresh Strata surfaces in the taste. Finishes sweet with a welcome wallop of bitterness.

Feel:
Medium-bodied with carbonation that seems kinda soft, considering the amount of foam it generates. Slight burn in the finish. Not sure if it's alcohol or hop burn.

Overall:
Strata-Sphere lands comfortably in the mid-tier of this year's bounty of fresh hop beers. Not great, but I'm not sorry I tried it. Given it's age (canned 09/10), I'll bet it was quite pungent with fresh hop goodness a couple weeks ago.

 

And in Canada as well...

 

So, that Barley Wine I mentioned. Technically it’s a barley wine. And a 10 year anniversary offering at that.
However, there are barley wines and there are Barley Wines, this is the former.

The pour is the color of strong iced tea with ruby highlights.
The taste is, well that of a barley wine if it was a 5 or 6 percent instead of 11.5 percent. The flavors are curiously mild. The toffee taste, a tiny chocolate and Cheesecake Factory dark rolls. Just, for lack of a more accurate term, weak.
The feel is a little lighter than expected for the style.
OA, congrats on 10 years Trail Point. You have brewed some amazing beers, this isn’t one of them.
Oh well, one out of three?
That was my nightcap, out until tomorrow, unless, of course, it’s not 3 days of NBW.
Cheers!

 

I just realized that I have not posted an imperial stout here this weekend. Not sure if I have a new to me to post, but if we get to a third day, I’ll find *something*

 

Barely chiming in here...Late Night NBW.
Love me some Highland Park
DDH Yes
On tap at Highland park, Chinatown.
Pretty, muted yellow to gold. Abundant fluff of white, solid retention, and layered lacing.
Nose pumps green, grassy citrus notes. A smooth layer of biscuity malts chimes in underneath.
Flavor follows the nose. Less dynamic but still quite nice. Zesty orange rind meets grapefruit, some green (not quite dank) notes, and hints of berry.
Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium with a slightly fluffy feel. Smooth, creamy feel that finishes lightly bitter.
3.81/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

Coop Ale Works Warriors For Freedom American Ale. Proceeds go to a charity trying to prevent Veteran Suicides. 4.7% ABV; 3.33 overall

Pours a light & effervescent gold with a pinky of cream colored head. Minimal head retention & lacing

S: Ceral notes, grassy, some floral hop notes once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, fairly sweet up front. Sweet, grainy & a little grassyness once warm, some dryness. Finishes sweet with grassy notes

MF: Light/medium body, a little grittiness, low carbonation.

This will go down better in hot weather, but just not my style. For a good cause, but that really doesn't really do much for my here & now. I'd rather have an F5 &throw a few bucks in the hat

 

Skydance Brewing Oberdare Batch# 001 Hazy West Coast IPA with Nectaron, Citra & Strata Hops, 6.8% ABV; 3.96 overall

Pours a very hazed gold with a thumb+ of ivory colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Faint tropical fruit & citrus. Nose really opens up once warm, nectarines, guava & oranges

T: Tangerine, green melon, white grapes & some dryness up front. Nectarines, pomelo & dryness as this beer warms up, some passion fruit as well. Finishes a little dry with nectarines & lime

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, good balance

Some deductions for style points, not how I like my West Coast IPAs; but pretty drinkable

 

I like to end the weekend with an imperial stout. Preferably a barrel-aged imperial stout. And while a barrel-aged coffee imperial stout might not be the best way to ensure good sleep ahead of the work day tomorrow, I'm willing to take that chance.



Three Floyds Crushing Mass Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout

Look:
Black brown with red umber highlights at the thinnest edges. Pours as heavy as house paint, with a short but luscious dark tan head that leaves more foam than you'd expect from a barrel-aged beer north of 15%.

Smell:
An elemental aggregate of earth and fire. The nose is heavy with good quality coffee (earthy and robust) and baking chocolate. There's also a drizzle of caramel, a bit of oak and vanilla, and a surly undertow of bourbon.

Taste:
The flavor is dark roasted coffee, full and earthy, slightly fruity with a wisp of smoke. Loads of bitter chocolate, roasted malt, and toasted marshmallow. Plenty of bourbon. Excellent. Notes of plums, prunes, and a sprinkle of licorice all find paths to the surface. The coffee does a lot to balance out the intense sweetness, faltering only at the very end. Dark chocolate comes to the fore in the finish, surfing a flaming wave of bourbon.

Feel:
Body is hefty, but not obese. Texture is smooth and creamy. Carbonation does its job without fanfare. Every sip comes with an ominous burn.

Overall:
Crushing Mass is a caricature of barrel-aged coffee stouts. A very intense experience which could stand to be dialed back a notch or two. This beer would not suffer if it were "only" 13%. Still, the elements may be exaggerated, but they are very high quality. The coffee hogs the spotlight all over this beer, but it's really good coffee, and it provides a good foil for the sweetness. Similarly, the bourbon contributes to the punishing alcohol heat, but provides excellent flavor.

Not gonna lie: I didn't finish this beer tonight, but I expect the last few ounces will make a terrific dessert tomorrow.

 

While I did really like 26 and didn’t have the experience you had, I thought Black Gold has been superior to just about every BA beer I ever had, wo would be disappointing if this three year change cycle is a big departure from previous releases. Will try on draft before considering bottle purchases.

Thank you. I don’t get to Evanston much due to distance and transportation options, but their Skokie location is accessible. Really liked their Irish stout Bud’s Corvis as well so just need to make it happen.

Sounds like great outing with multiple beer reviews indicating Bell’s is still brewing good to great new (or really old returning) offerings. Hope you ban make it to All Stouts Day

Love all those except milkshake. Rauchbier is awesome!

Also, Crushing Mass is intense like many of their beers which is why I love 3 Floyds. Really hoping they reopen the taproom at some point.

Love both the reminiscing and home brew offering. Sounds like a great release.

Todd opened the WBAYDN thread, locked yesterday’s thread, and kept this one open, so I’m taking this information as a sign New Beer Weekend is extended through midnight PDT today, and will return shortly.

 

This has been released in the past, but I’ve avoided as I’m not a big vanilla barrel aged beer fan unless it’s subtle / faded. I’ve taken different approach to 2025-2026 releases in trying to clear all within a year of release, and knocking out the older ones secondary to stop creating new 1+ year old cellar beers.

Revolution Vanilla Deth (September 12, 2025)

3.5/5 rDev -19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25



10/13/25 - (Home) (Chicago, Illinois) Can Notes: Obtained a four pack via my Revolution Season Ticket. 12 oz canned 9/12/25 @8:09:51 AM. 13.5% ABV imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla. A Tapestry of vanilla and oak. Revolution Beer LLC, 3340 N. Kenzie, Chicago, Illinois.

Appearance: Pitch black base, creamy dark tan head lingers over the whole base before.leaving a creamy ring around the rim, spotty coverage of slow rising tiny carbonation bubbles above the base and no lacing. 4.5

Aroma: Sat this for ten minutes, vanilla front and center backed by cinnamon not included in the listed ingredients. Both remained unchallenged after another ten minutes, the barrel hopefully comes out taste wise. Very strong vanilla, though I am sensitive. 3.75

Taste: Twenty minutes of warming yields a broader range of different flavors. Chocolate Fudge first take, vanilla follows, getting a sweet Jim Beamesque whiskey and powdered cinnamon we poured on toast as kids. I’m wincing after my first few sips at the sweetness level of this one with my sweet averse preferences, but this settles in at the 30 minute mark with a sweet but better bourbon, the vanilla dialed back to more proper treatment. 3.5

Mouthfeel: Bursts with sweetness, though vanilla barrel aged beer fans on average will likely find this more balanced than these notes. Drinks sweet more than strong, still wincing at times but I guess more like a frog acclimated to boiling water as I hit the half way mark. Vanilla sweet bourbon prancing about like they are in a Columbus Day parade. 2.75

Overall: This is a variant not in my wheelhouse, which is why I held off on prior releases, but it’s in the season ticket, so here I am. Vanilla fans should like this, I’ve had heavier handed vanilla treatment, but this is not one I’d go out of my way based on my personal preferences. Still is consistent with what was advertised and style expectations. Just not a flavor profile for me, which this overall score represents. 3.25

About as expected. Should be good to solidify you like vanilla stouts, otherwise skip a I have until purchased without discretion in my Season Ticket Package.

Enjoy your day, whether your working ir off, and look forward to reading those who can squeeze in some final beers on Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day, Canadian Thanksgiving/ or as advertised on the Chicago Public School signs an unattributed “No School Day”.

 

November 2 is All Stouts Day at Bell’s in Comstock, Michigan.
Currently specifying 15 stouts, many of which are barrel aged and are not distributed. Garth and I have it blocked off in our Calendar and hope to see many of you there.
And as NBW looks like it has been approved to be a three day event, I will be back later with another new one. Or two.
Cheers!

 

Drekker/RaR collab Dribble & Nibbs The Acrobats Watermelon Limonada Fruited Sour, 6.5% ABV. Pours light brownish orange with a one-finger off-white head that left lacing and puree residue. Aroma is strong lemon. Taste is lemonade and watermelon, moderately sweet, equally tart. Decent mouthfeel, overall very good.

3.91/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

4.1/5 rDev 0%

look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 10-1-25 into a tulip glass at 49 degrees.

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

Smell- Herbaceous, mango, orange, pineapple, pine resin, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Herbaceous, orange, pineapple, pine, slight mango, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, average carbonation, highly prickly, high bitterness, moderate astringency, mildly mouth warming, mildly creamy, moderately dry finish.

Overall- Appearance was a wonderful murky straw color with above average head retention and lacing. The bouquet was a nice herbaceous mix of mango, orange, pineapple, and pine resin. The strength of aromatics could have been higher, they were on the weak side of medium. The flavor was dominated by the herbaceous character. The other flavors were hard to pick out. The feel had a great amount of fresh hop character, but the finish was much too dry. Overall this was an enjoyable beer that delivered a bunch of raw fresh hop characteristics, it just needed a little more balance to take it to the next level.

 

Duvel 666 belgian blonde
..a sort of burnt orange appearance with a slowly dissipating head
...medium carbonation with an odd body in that it is hard to describe. Felt thin at first but then had that heaviness I experience with wheat beers but overall pleasant
...aroma is banana, spice,pear fruit and skin with black pepper. Perhaps some doughy bread as well
..taste was almost identical to aroma.
...overall when I first read about this beer the reviews didn't seem so positive bit I personally think its excellent

 

The first one today is in honor of I. P. A. Day (Indigenous People of America)

My dinner beer-
The pour is an unfiltered honey color that has a short manilla color head that left delicate rings of lacing.
The taste threw me for a bit; might have been the “orange cream” flavor that they mentioned, but it wasn’t there long. Definitely got some vanilla, which is different in an IPA, at least in my stout oriented experience. The citrus failed to show up, I got more west coast pine. How that works I may never know.
The feel is actually very similar to its namesake, Dragon’s Milk - lightly viscous. For the stout that isn’t a feature, but it kinda works here.
OA, interesting IPA.
Back with my nightcap soon, cheers!

 

Hoppebrau Weissebier, 5.5% ABV; 3.27 overall

Dating format of best before 16 30 10 ( which doesn't match European format or this beer is old as shit ) , something

Pours an effervescent & clouded gold with 2+ fingers of pearl colored head. Below average head retention & lacing

S: Pears, bread, faint yeasty, white pepper notes

T: Pears, grassyness, light dry bready notes up front. Some green banana notes once warmed up, along grassiness white pepper yeastyness & white grapes. Finishes fruitty, a little dry with woody/herbal hops

MF: Medium body, soft carbonation, slight grainyness

This one is a bit off & the dating format just has me confused. Either old as hell( figured it would've gushed ) or just not on style. It did have a long journey. Certainly expected more yeast character. Not horrible, but not what I was looking for in a Hefe. Way too much pear

 

Bolero snort apple cider sour
...a ruby/orange appearance
.. medium light carbonation with about a medium body
...aroma is butter and apples,apple juice and cider but not much else
...taste is definitely sweet,apple cider, apple cider donut.
...overall I cant say much about the beer quality of this but as far as a novelty beer it really delivers on the flavor advertised