New Beer Weekend #276

Happy Stouterday everyone!
As yesterday was the last Friday of the month, we had SAN!
And what a glorious night it was. Between beers sent to me by @Resistance88 and given to me by @Blogjackets and still more from a new(ish) participant who has an annual membership with The Bruery we had great beer.
This one was my personal favorite and it was against some very strong competition.

The pour is dark, nearly black, I’ve seen over used and burnt motor oil lighter colored. The head almost covers the surface but quickly retreated to the side and left no lacing, but a definite film.
The taste never stops. In no particular order I got toasted pumpernickel, coffee, figs, chocolate, worn leather and some caramel. All of this coated in rye whiskey that shines at the swallow.
The feel is a nice viscosity, it tries to make me respect it and savor each sip but I had to keep drinking it. So good.
OA, I wish I could drink this once a month, but might have to be happy with the once.
I took a photo of all the contenders, I’ll post that soon.
Cheers all!

 

Good morning BAs and Happy All Saints Day! This morning I’m having Firestone Walker’s “Double DBA - Batch 10,000” (2023) a BBA Imperial ESB:



Poured at 56°. Deep amber with very good clarity; quick beige cap; poor cap retention; thin ring; heavy legs. Sweet bourbon; molasses; very little booze in the retro nasal. Flavor follows tongue; caramel; toffee. Smooth yet barrel drying; minimal warmth from 12.3% ABV; medium plus body; mild burn on tip of tongue from alcohol. Overall, an outstanding old ale/ESB; great balance of base and barrel; just when you think it might be sweet, the oak dryness smooths out the flavor; a really nice beer.

4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5
Score: 4.5 rDev +4.7%


Pity I only bought one of this beer…it has held up well and is drinking fine. Cheers y’all!

 

I said that I would post a picture of our SAN lineup so here it is:

I did say that the As Far As the Rye Can See was against some stiff competition.
Think Garth’s favorite was the Mother Floater and Sarah (to the right) liked the BA One and Dunn (which for me was a very close second)
It was a good night.
Cheers!

 

Mythos Radler from Olympic Brewery S.A.

Poured a bottle into a pint glass. A fine white head on a hazy dark yellow. The head diminishes to a ring. No lacing, as expected with juice added beer.

Citrus in the nose. Sweet. The lemon overcomes any malt flavours. No hop presence.

A medium light body. Good carbonation. Overall a clean and refreshing Radler. Would go well on a hot day, which is no doubt the intention of the brewers. The low ABV and clean taste makes it very sessionable.

3.54/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

Happy NBW everyone! Starting my new brews today with The Bruery's Flying High, and at 21.3% ABV there probably won't be too many more new brews after this one:

Flying High | The Bruery | BeerAdvocate





I was a fan of this one, but there's definitely a lot of barrel character here and quite boozy. I do plan on having at least one more new beer in a little while, cheers!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

I will jump right into my beer at AEGIR Brewing in Elk River, MN.


Mo' Fucks Given - NEIPA- 5.8%

This beer has a bitterness that just doesn't seem to work. Just over the top to be honest.
Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/52245/767678/
3.36/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
On tap at the brewery.

The beer is slightly murky looking in the glass and a golden color. There's a white head that is sticking looking with lacing on the glass.
The nose is mild. There's a bit of dank tropical hop notes to it.
The beer is a good dank hit up front, but isn't over the top. There's some tropical notes in the flavor. The finish is quite bitter, and it's a harsh bitter flavor.
The body is dominated by the bitterness feeling. This feeling really doesn't seem right. Slightly clingy and sticky feeling.
It would be a better beer if it weren't so bitter in a not pleasant way.

Be back for another at the next stop. Not sure where it will be yet.

 

That looks delicious, but the imperial stout lineup I have ready for you and Garth next Saturday is on another level.

 

IMHO, Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout is the best smelling beer ever. It's like sticking your nose in a cocoa powder container and taking a big whiff. The Schlafly is an excellent choice too!

 

At Elm Creek Brewing in Champlain, MN, and this is on tap.

Blind Spot - Schwarzbier- 4.5%

I love a good Schwarzbier, and this is hitting the spot here. Malty, nutty, roasted. Very good.

Review
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/59375/767758/
3.94/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewery.

Pitch black looking beer im the glass. There's a slightly off white head to the beer.
The aroma is roasted smelling. I am getting a nutty aroma. There's a malty hint. I get a touch of licorice.
The beer has a roasted flavor to it. There's a nutty character to it. Roasted malts are quite pleasant to my taste buds.
The body seems pretty good for the lower ABV. Very smooth feeling.
Very delicious beer overall and well made to the style.

Be back later at the next stop. Cheers.

 

Always like a good schwarzbier, cheers!

 

Next up for me today was another tasty Bruery imperial stout:

Three's Cocompany - Bourbon Barrel-Aged | The Bruery | BeerAdvocate





I thought this one was pretty good. I liked it more than the base version, although it seemed like the barrel didn't have a lot of kick here it certainly improved the base beer in my opinion. This is the last of my new brews today. I plan on drinking and reviewing one more beer today but it's one that I've had as part of a flight at the brewery before so I can't count it as a new beer. Cheers again!

 

Hammerheart Brewing Stjordal Norwegian-style farmhouse ale. Brewed with alderwood smoked malt, run through juniper boughs in a kuurna, and fermented with a Norwegian yeast strain. Courtesy of @Mdog. The color is amber honey, with white foam that quickly disappeared. The smell is honey, berries, brown bread, smoke, and popcorn. The taste is smoke, berries, burnt toast, malt, lemon, cinnamon, clove, and butter. This has a smorgasbord of flavors. They blend well. The mouthfeel is crisp, medium-bodied, bready, and full, with medium carbonation. Overall, this is a unique, flavorful, beverage that is perfect for fall weather. I have wonderful thoughts of my grandparents, who taught me to love our Norwegian culture, and provided many culinary delights that I only experienced with them. Thank you, @Mdog.

 

Yeah, I can understand that. Brews like that I know I've put off to the side for a while too!

 

Central Waters Pecan Kringle Stout

This new to me stout, courtesy of @GreenBayBA honorably poured in the Don Mario Stout glass.

This stout befits contemplative study of flavor, texture, temperature, and head space. To start there was a load of , I thought, sugar but it was frogs eggs sac of yeast, which is just like Micah to throw a load there, I yielded to the ground-rule double, which sent me to second base. From there I share my stout thoughts:


Reviewed by TCgenny from New York

4.28/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured dark brown, almost black, and not see-through. The head was pretty thick and smooth. Smelled super sweet, kind of like dessert — maple syrup, roasted nuts, and a bit of burnt grain. Tastes a lot like it smells, but with some bourbon flavor mixed in. I got caramel, butterscotch, a little cinnamon, and some bitterness from the roasted grain. It’s heavy and sticky, with a warm, boozy finish.

I just might be right off the turnip truck, but this is a rich, decadent big ole pecan muffin with a sugar whoop that my wife likes. Her CAN didn’t just appear , overall a 4, but like my wife, dang, she smells good like sticky sweet dapple of 8pm Thanksgiving pie (you know what I mean?)!

 

New Province Love Dolcita Double Hazy IPA, 8.0% ABV; 4.06 overall

Pours an effervescent & super hazy straw color with 2 fingers of ivory colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Green melons, faint white grape & citrus, fades a bit once warm

T: Follows the nose, peaches & cantaloupe as well up front. Melons, peaches, white grape & tangerine as this beer warms up, some pineapple as well, plus some dryness. Finishes a little dry with green melon, white grape & pineapple

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, good balance. Some acidity late

Drinks very easy, nice take on the hazy side of this style

 

Nice juxtaposition of flavors from Celebration. They are very different, but so similar. Anyway, this one...NORTHERN HEMISHPERE HARVEST. Pour, looks, scents are all on par with Celly. The drinking experience is quite different however. Citrus is limited while pine is off the charts. A glass of pine needles is what we have here with spearmint notes, caramalt, and a back base of citrus hops. I get a lot of mint. Weird but interesting. Bitterness is as expected, prevalent. I've never had an IPA that tasted similar really. The mint notes just rule. As I motor through the sixpack, I may find other flavors. Be that as it may, this is classic WC IPA goodness with surprises in store. Very nice

 

I would like you to be my exclusive beer reviewer going forward.

 

Revolution V.S.O.J. 2024 BBA English Barleywine, 14.4% ABV. Pours moderately thick and black with a 2+ finger light-brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is toffee, alcohol, bourbon, and dark fruit. Flavor follows, moderately sweet, faintly bitter, some light bourbon burn. Nicely complex, with a number of aromas and tastes I can't quite identify. Pleasant slightly-dry mouthfeel, overall world-class.

4.87/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Numerically tied for my 2nd favorite beer, but essentially a three-way tie for favorite. I might have to do a side-by-side between them, and the next-favorite one. Problem is two are in bombers, and all four are 14+ ABV. Might have to rethink that.