New Beer Weekend #281

I've seen this beer in posts here, but I'm a little late to the party. Happy to try it.

4.55/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Purchased cold 9-days ago, kept cold until served. Poured to a pretentious tulip-like glass from a 500ml bottle dated 11:06:25.
The body is an almost clear straw color, SRM 3. The pure white head is rather small (0.5in/13mm) for an aggressive pour. However this head initially covers the glass on tilt to over 80% coverage. Even ⅔ through, lacing is pretty strong, but more spider-like.
The aroma of this beer is heavy on the citrus with some floral background.
The flavor is a big hit with me. Citrus front followed by a brief pine wack and a complex finish of those first flavors but with the floral effect capping it off. Gradually my mouth dried out significantly with a lingering orange rind sensation. Alcohol is undetectable in taste.
Mouthfeel is medium to light as is the carbonation.
A great beer overall.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. I'm joining @russpowell, and I'm sure others, in reviewing the Chocolate Praline variant of 2025 BCBS. I will state for the record that I am not the biggest fan of most BCBS variants. They are always very good but I don't think they merit the hype of the price point.

Poured at 57°. It is nearly ink black. The medium-mocha-colored head dissipated quickly leaving a ring and some floating foam. Its smell is decidedly bourbon-forward with notes of freshly-brewed coffee, cocoa, toffee, brown sugar, dark fruit, tobacco smoke, and nuts. The taste offers cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, toffee, and lots of burnt nuts. Others have noted the sweetness so I'm glad I waited over a week to try it because I don't find it overly sweet. But the bourbon influence is still quite strong. It is good to let the Stout breathe in the glass because the initial spiciness and hot bourbon mellows nicely. I am also tasting notes of anise and date. The mouth feel is not as viscous as I expected for such a big Stout but I can certainly feel the 14.6% ABV.

Overall, this is a very good Stout but I am glad I only purchased one bottle.

Have a great week, everyone. Cheers, NBW!

 

It's never too late for an Oktoberfest so figured I'd try this one from Dark Horse:

Oktoberfest | Dark Horse Brewing Company | BeerAdvocate





Wasn't too bad at all, nice and sweeter tasting. Should have probably one more new beer today.

 

Resolution Hibiscus Haskap Kettle Sour from London Brewing

From a 473ml can dated 25/07/28. Poured into a tulip. A two finger fine white head on a very slightly hazy pale orange. Good head retention. Lots of of patchy lacing.

Fresh fruit and some yeast in the nose. the taste follows the nose. Fruit up front. Raspberries. Generally fruit forward with a moderately tart finish.

A medium/light body with good carbonation. Overall a decent mild fruited Kettle Sour.

3.92/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

 

Looks like this will be my last new brew of the day unless I change my mind.

Dancing Skies | Humble Forager Brewery | BeerAdvocate





As with my last new brew, it wasn't bad at all. Just think I'll end up finishing my drinking today with not new beers. Cheers and happy NBW everyone!

 

That's a cool glass. Is that from a brewery?

 

American Solera Galaxdad DDH IPA w/Galaxy Hops, 7.2% ABV; 3.56 overall


I believe this is the same beer, 7.2% ABV vice 7.5. I believe I miss read the canning date, I will give it some leniency, looks to be 9 months old

Pours a hazed gold with a thumb of ivory colored head. Great lacing & above average head retention

S: Tropical fruit & a little citrus, some catty notes

T: Pomelo, dryness, a little white grape up front. Some pine, apricot, white grape, green melon & pomelo as this beer warms up. Finishes with a little pineapple, pomelo, dryness & white grape

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, Okay balance

Drinks alright this will do as place holder review until I can find fresher

 

Yes, it's from Equilibrium. It was sold with a Stout called "Vanilla Gorilla," which (for reasons unknown to me) was the name of a cat. I like this glass and use it a lot.

 

Aslin Astro Zombie
4.28/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2532906 on bottom rim of can. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.

A: Hazy gold with 1-finger white foamy head with so-so retention but copious lacing.

S: Aroma is fruity with pineapple, passion fruit, and red grapefruit and a dank, weedy, herbal undertone.

T: This beer drinks like a lighter version of Heady Topper with similar stone fruit (mango), pineapple, red grapefruit, guava, and the same herbal, dank, grassy hoppiness. Bitterness is medium.

M: Light body with dry finish.

O: Astro Zombie is an excellent beer that I will continue to keep my eye out for for fresh cans that bring a delicious combo of fruity and dank hoppiness.

 

Good evening and happy NBS!
I spent most of the day helping a friend in need get moved. It was challenging because there was no preparation at all. Not even pizza was offered.
So Garth and I stopped by at Horrocks and picked up some food and beverage.
We still had a long way to go so I kept it light-
Proper Pint from Arvon Brewing.

The pour is a chestnut brown with a very impressive beige head that left copious amounts of lacing.
The taste has more depth than I expected for a 4% beer, toasty malt and some floral touches combined to make a very tasty and sessionable beer.
The feel is smoothly crisp, if that makes sense. Very easy quaffing.
OA, another excellent beer from Arvon, and one that you can drink a lot of if you desire.

I will be back. Cheers!

 

Not sure how, why, or when Dark Horse came back to life (were they completely gone?), but no matter. When I see Plead the Fifth on a shelf I will attack

 

Long day today. Choir at church service, a concert with the show chorus in the afternoon ( in a big church with incredible acoustics), and somehow the missus and I got roped into playing hand bells with the orchestra at a concert for a different group. Time to relax with a beer and it's Sunday, so...



Firestone Walker Sucuba 2018 vintage, so its version 7 according to the label. A 12.5% English Barleywine. Bought from Nikki's (Providrnce) during their "cellar sale" markdown - spoiler alert...I'm really glad I bought the four they had left.

There's lots of reviews...I'm not gonna be adding anything new. It may be 7 years old but it is absolutely world class stuff and nails the style to the T. It's malty, fruity, slightly sweet, rich textured, warming as hell with a nice bitterness on the finish.

I'll fluff something into a review and it'll be an easy A-plus. But for now I'm putting the feet up, grabbing my blanket, putting a dog on said blanket, and sipping on this excellent libation.

 

Sounds like a dream Sunday night @LeRose, enjoy.

 

Sounds good. My brother just left, heading home to Las Cruces, but dropped a 2022 bottle in my hands. I guess I should pop it next weekend.

 

Yeah, I've NEVER had a clunker, from Abacus to Sucaba.

 

Hello again, back with my gaming beer. I was going to have a Founder’s Barleywine (it *is* Sunday) but saw this at Horrocks and quickly grabbed a two pack.
It’s the second beer I’ve added to the database today, neither of which I expected to need to.
Barrel-Aged Even More Jesus

The pour is black like used motor oil and was capped with a brown head that stood tall for a minute and then dissipated. A few islands of lacing were all that remained.
The taste is all imperial stout at first, not nearly as sweet as most BBA stouts, but then they don’t mention what barrels they used. Rich coffees are very dark chocolate.
Some oak shows up and then the bourbon, so I’m guessing it’s bourbon barrels used.
The feel is properly viscous, it’s smooth and full feeling.
OA, Happy they released this to Western Michigan. Good beer. Looking forward to sharing the other with my SAN group.

That will do it for me tonight, have a great evening and we’ll do it again next weekend.

Cheers!

 

Well, I finally hit this bottle that I saved for me. I hit Ryan @snaotheus with one and that boy got to it promptly. Pretty good stuff.

Black Hole
BBA Impy Stout
Deep, dark, motor oil in hue. Has an oily sheen once the head dissipates. The cocoa colored foam rises a firm 2 fingers+ and slowly retreats to a solid ring after 4-5 minutes. leaves some layered lacing.
Nose starts off with unsweetened baker's cocoa, some earthy barrel and char, hints of a fruit along the live of port barrel, and finally some boozy sweetness.
Flavor follows the nose pretty faithfully. The key here is that nothing comes off as too sweet. Yes, there is cocoa and Bourbon. Yes, there is a hint of cherry/port barrel but nuanced. Some vanilla chimes in as well as a hint of barrel char.
Mouthfeel is thick, no ABV warmth, and finishes a bit slick.
3.81/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

Brewdog 95 session IPA 4%



Twelve ounce can. Light yellow hazy body with a good fluffy white head. Light lacing.

Taste and aroma are hoppy with a nice peach flavor. Very light hop bite is brief. Minimal malt.
Mouthfeel is thin with good carbonation. Light lacing. Not much going on here, but much forgiven since it’s a session.

Surprised to find this one easily drinkable.

 

Well I'm back for another. This one was a little early I think. She was a tad "hot."
Infinite Wishes - Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (2025)

All in all, this is a pretty imperial stout.
The nose has a nice hint of the cocoa, dates, and caramel one would hope for but they are carried on some warm, boozy vapors.
Flavor is showing what the nose hinted at. The booze is strong here. The other flavors try to chime in, but are definitely restrained by the Bourbon notes.
Mouthfeel is fine for style.

3.66/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5