New Beer Weekend #275

Thanks @jonphisher for the start.

Starting the weekend with a local, Bad Weather Eventide Czech Dark Lager

Appearance: Dark brown, big head.

Smell: Mild roasty aroma.

Taste: Mild sweetness, then mild toast, a little minerality, slight caramel note. Light bodied, very easy to drink. Finishes with light toast and light floral hops.

Overall: Picked up a single, I do like Bad Weather's beers and I like Czech dark lagers, so should be good. It meets my expectations, not mind-blowing, just an easy drinking dark lager.

 

Great kickoff @jonphisher - we don’t seem to get a lot of fresh hop beers in Michigan, so I won’t be sharing many of them.
However, stouts are year round so that’s what I chose tonight.
One that was sent to me by our resident Imperial Stout fanatic, @Resistance88 (and yes, I know I didn’t need to mention his handle because most of you immediately thought of him)

The pour is used oil black with a dark brown head that appears only to disappear in moments. Not unusual for BA stouts.
The taste, at cellar temperature, begins almost sweet - the impression of chocolate is very strong. And I don’t mean the first part of the sip, it was the first quarter of the beer itself. Then the coffee comes out and the roast shines.
The feel is lightly viscous and very appropriate for this beer.
OA, not a huge fan of additives and adjuncts, but if they must be there then the flavors normally in stouts are okay.
It is a very interesting beer, and he sent two, one for me, one for my SAN group. Trying to decide if it will survive that long.

 

Cheers to @jonphisher for starting us off. I too will open with a beer sent from @snaotheus

Fremont Head Full of Fresh Hops, Fresh Hop Hazy IPA, 6.8% ABV; 4.19 overall with FRESH Krush hops, and Mosaic Cryo FRESH, Mosaic, and Idaho 7 Cryo dry hop.

Pours a very hazed gold with a thumb+ of tight eggshell colored head. Average-ish head retention & great lacing

S: Citrus & melons, some guava too, fades a little once warm

T: Oranges, pomelo, some green melon & dryness up front. Passion fruit & pineapple mix in with dryness & pomelo as this beer warms up, more green melon as well. Finishes dry with pineapple, passion fruit, guava & oranges

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, good balance

Pretty drinkable, bringing the juice to be sure

 

It’s Harvest Time!

A week ago, I bottled my annual batch of Wet Hopped American Pale Ale (APA) using hops freshly picked from my hop plant in my backyard. In another week that beer will be fully conditioned (e.g., carbonated) and ready for drinking.

But in the meantime, I have a Sierra Nevada wet hopped beer to drink: Northern Hemisphere Harvest IPA. There seems to be a regular (annual?) ‘debate’ on what constitutes a fresh hopped beer vs. a wet hopped beer. For the interested student there is a thorough discussion on this topic on the Sierra Nevada website:

https://sierranevada.com/blog/our-beer/your-harvest-guide-wet-hops-and-fresh-hops

I have been aware of this beer from Sierra Nevada but this is the first time I have seen it for sale, I bought it at my local Retail Beer Distributor.

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Sierra Nevada website:

“The original wet hop IPA.

STATS

A can of Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere IPA with twinkly lights above

alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.7

bitterness units (IBU): 67

Malts: Caramelized, Pilsner, Two-row Pale

Hops: Wet Centennial

Yeast: Ale”

One distinguishing difference between this beer and Celebration IPA, besides the wet vs. fresh hop thing, is that Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale is hopped with only one variety of hop (Centennial) while Celebration is hopped with two varieties (Centennial and Cascade).

Let’s see what Sierra Nevada’s Harvest tastes like!

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance:

Copper colored with a BIG fluffy khaki colored head.

Aroma:

Whoa! The first thing that ‘hits’ is an enticing floral (rose-like) aroma but in the background there are also hints of citrus and pine. Also, some caramel sweetness impression from the malt.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with a combination of floral (rose-like) front and center but also some citrus, pine and caramel maltiness. There is a notable bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a medium carbonation level. There is a dry finish.

Overall:

In one word: excellent! This beer is hop forward but it is pleasantly balanced with the flavors from the malts. The floral (rose-like) aspect is particularly appealing for my palate.

Cheers!

P.S. I typically do not comment on packaging/graphics but I am a BIG fan of the graphics on both the sixpack box and the can. The box has a cool old-school cartography aspect to it and the can emphasizes the hop field with a field worker picking the hop.

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

Got time for a story?

Last night the local news reported that Union Station Brewery has brewed a Vienna Lager with a label depicting Vinnie Pazienza, a legendary Rhode Island boxing champion.
It appears that there was a "miss understanding" that lead to a legal dispute that was settled out of court. The result for Union Station Brewery of Providence R.I. was that they had to place a white label over the original label, which depicts Vinnie Paz.
The original name was Vienna Paz. I couldn't peel away the top label.

Tonight, on the evening news, it was announced that Union Station Brewery is being sold to the Heritage Restaurant Group, this could be good or really bad, we will see.
I went there today; they would not sell me the beer in question to-go so I sampled a pint for lunch, The beer tender stated that they had less than a 4x16 to sell.

Making its BA debut is Vienna Lager aka Vienna Paz by Union Station Brewery of scenic Providence, RI. Cheers.



3.59/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A shaker pint pour at the brewery with a fat finger of light beige, soapy/fizzy foam over an amber-brown body, dark for the style. Hazy, not from hops or chill.

Moderate smell of bready and caramel malts with toasted bread and grain. Low floral hop aroma, faint alcohol.

Bold taste, semi-sweet (almost sweet) with low hop flavor and medium-low bitterness at first. Malty for the style yet a bit yeasty. Toasted and fresh baked bread and dough with a general graininess are equal with the sweet caramel malty taste plus a hint of roasted malt. As it becomes less sweet (not dry) at the slow finish, hop flavor builds to average with above average bitterness lingering with slowly diminishing yeast and malt.

Medium bodied with lasting carbonation, very smooth. Sweeter that usual, not quite balanced. Overall this is a decent American made Vienna Lager, a bit too sweet and dark, leans towards caramel malt.

 

This will never see Arkansas in retail, confident in that

 

Greenhouse Aleworks ( Rogers, AR ) ZZ Plant Triple Hazy IPA, 10.0% ABV; with Strata, Belma, Euphorics & Barbe Rogue Hops; 4.07 overall

Pours a very effervescent & hazed gold with one finger of cream-colored head. Zero head retention & lacing, not a pretty beer

S: Pineapple, passion fruit, nectarines, fades a bit once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, dryness, green melon up front. Pineapple, pomelo, passion fruit, dryness, a little grassyness once this beer is warm, some kiwi fruit too. Pineapple orange juice in the finish, ample dryness

MF: Medium body, smooth carbonation, a little gritty, decent balance. A little acidity, but works for the style

Pretty juicy, a little too dry for greatness, close though. Drinks easy for the ABV

 

Sorry to hear that.

I will be in Hot Springs sometime during the week of November 1st. Maybe November 6/7. Want me to bring a can (or two)?

Cheers!

 

Nah, enough beer falls from the sky as it is around here, just like kvetching. many thanks for the offer

 

Boulevard Strawberry Sour Ale aged in Wine Casks, 8.0% ABV; 4.09 overall

Pours an effervescent orange/pink with rapidly disappearing beige head. Traces of head retention, no lacing

S: Some tartness, a little sourpatch berry

T: Follows the nose, dryness, vanilla, a touch of raw oak up front. More tart/sweet strawberry , vanilla, dryness with a touch of white wine barrel once this beer warms up. Finishes with tart strawberry, some vanilla & white grape, plus a little dryness

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, slight acidity. Carbonation picks up a little once warmed up, stickyness on the teeth

To me this seems more kettle sour than wild ale. I will say it vastly exceeded my expectations

 

Greetings, New Beer aficionados, wherever you are! Let's raise a glass to @jonphisher for starting this thread. And while he rightfully praises the generosity of @snaotheus, Jon has certainly sent out a beer or two in his time.

Right now I'm in Albuquerque again. This afternoon I managed to get out for a New Beer from Bosque Brewing:



Bosque Dunk's Not Dead Munich Dunkel

Pint enjoyed at Bosque West. It has a nice red-brown color with dark amber highlights. A head of light tan foam displays subpar retention and leaves no lacing. The nose is malty (not too sweet!) and nutty, with a little caramel and earthy hop character. Flavor is largely the same: toasty malt, roasted mixed nuts, a subtle dark fruit note, a hint of dark chocolate, and a pinch of brown sugar in a semi-sweet body. Earthy/spicy hops usher in a satisfying dry and roasty finish with a touch of caramel. Medium-bodied with a smooth texture and amiable carbonation. Overall it's a simple kind of dunkel that could use a bit more malt depth, but is still a fine beer for a cloudy fall afternoon.

 

Hell yea! Two for 2!!!
Glad you guys enjoyed them!
@sulldaddy I love TwoCoast and now know that i can send you some again!

@Whyteboar just say the word brother and you know I'll fly over some more

 

Brasserie Spontanerie (France) ‘RIS’ Double Mash Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed in northern France, carried to the Toulouse ‘Octobiére Festival’ fresh last weekend. I met the brewmaster, and had the opportunity to get a pull on tap. He gladly told me of his process to produce this extraordinary brew. Sent me away with a splendid long-stemmed logo glass and an invite to visit his taproom.

I dosed this bottle, barely chilled, into a taster’s snifter, It foamed up and receded rather quick.
Opaque and near jet black in color.

Nose is expressive, rich and complex, with the malt character bearing notes of dark chocolate, French roast coffee, and a touch of smoke. The hops are present too, but are not aggressive. Late vapors bring earth, grass, and dark fruits. There’s a waft of that 12% alcohol.,.

Taste is balanced and bold, the malt and hops play nice together, leading with unsweetened chocolate and coffee, followed by almost burnt grain. It’s long on flavor development; dark fruit emerges, some dark caramel skips through before the generous hop bite and great bitterness leave a dry, mildly sweet finish accented with alcohol warmth. The roast lingers long on the palate.

Mouthfeel is full and lush, but not heavy or syrupy. Moderate carbonation.

Overall, a supurb, nearly extreme, interpretation of classic RIS that is emboldened by the double-mash process and daft hopping.
Lots of care and pride went into this beer.

 

I had their Wilde Leeuw BBA RIS , also a double mash , on tap at La Capsule in Lille and fuckin loved it.
Hope to come across more of their stuff if i ever go back. Definitely one of the highlight beers of my trip.

 

Thank you for your Fresh Hop kick off @jonphisher ! Sounds like a great brewery to add to your beer journey. Have an expiring train pass today, so may return if ambitious, but this locks in a Saturday beer with Halloween can art presaging next Friday.

Hop Butcher For The World String Thing

3.94/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4



10/25/25 - (Home) (Chicago, Illinois) Can Notes: Purchased a single 16 oz can at Beer on the Wall at store temperature on 9/25/25 for $4.55 including tax. Canned 9/23/25 @ 11:54:37; Can Stamp: C’mon, upcycle that string. 6.5% ABV, Galaxy & Simcoe-Hopped India Pale Ale. Tasting Notes: Ripe Tropical, Fresh Citrus, Pleasant Dank. Artwork by FRET12. Brewed and canned by Hop Butcher For The World in Chicago, Illinois and Bedford Park, Illinois.

Appearance: Poured a little over half the can into a teku glass, yielding a murky yellow pineapple juice looking base, creamy bright white head leaving generous razor thin lazing on the glass, and a creamy bubbly cover over the base. 4.0

Aroma: Pineapple, citrus, mango flavors, backed by a nice steady dankness. Near fullstrength and popping fresh. 4.25

Taste: Dankness front and center, light citrus and tangerine follow at mild strength. Everything sort of mellows out during the second pour. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Drinks light and easy, sustained light prickly carbonation. Bitterness eases on the gas after heavy first take, allowing the sweet flavors to flow within proper measure. Dryness sustained throughout, dank tangerine finish. 3.75

Overall: This USA good selection, perhaps a week or two earlier would have been a different experience. I’m digging what’s in the can, consistent with the Hop Butcher For The World taste profiles and deliver. Good, consistent effort. 4.0

Cheers Everyone!

 

Glad you got to get a hit of it! They do some killer brews.,.here’s a shot of my taste on tap with the Wilde Leeuw mark.,. Cheers brother!

 

OktoberFresh from Mascot Brewery

From a 473ml can dated Aug 19 2025. Poured into a mug. A one finger bubbly tan head on a clear, very dark copper. the head diminishes to a layer that sticks around to the end. Lots of fine lacing.

Spicy smells, some esters. Taste is mildly spicy. Toast. Some bread. Finishes dry. A moderately bitter hop finish.

Medium body and carbonation. A solid Marzen. True to the style and worth a try.

3.83/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, taps a keg at the Kitchener Oktoberfest, the largest outside Germany, last weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JzbfpAvl59w

 

Central Waters Brewing Milwaukee Four. An imperial stout brewed with cherry wood smoked malt and aged in bourbon barrels for 30 months. I am nervous about this beer. Central Waters Brewing has changed their barrel-aged stouts in unfortunate ways for the last two years. I was also not very impressed with the previous Milwaukee anniversary ales. Their regular anniversary ales through Twenty Five were all incredible. The look is murky and thick black, with a crimson tint, and no foam. The smell is quite good. Milk chocolate, cherry, vanilla, caramel, and light bourbon. So far so good. The taste... Cherry cough syrup, but there is milk chocolate, and a light chalky taste. I don’t immediately hate it like Twenty Six or new Black Gold. It tastes like chocolate ice cream with cherries and Tums sprinkles. It is better than I expected. I will cap this bottle for tonight. It might taste great after a lot of beer and food today. The mouthfeel is silky, smooth, oily, rich, and full, with low-medium carbonation. I am emotional about Central Waters Brewing. It is my favorite brewery. I will be loyal until the end. This would be considered a great barrel-aged stout for many breweries. My expectations are high. I believe this is a good beer to experience. It is not in the same category as old-school Central Waters Brewing anniversary ales or old-school Black Gold, but it works well for having a unique cherry flavor, without being a pastry stout.