New Beer Weekend #285

I’ve passed on that one for years because of its low ABV. Silly reason I guess but 6.5% seems at the low end of what I like in stouts. I do like MBC Lunch, so temptation is there.

 

I did not enjoy the one quite as much as you but I sure liked reading your review.

 

Happy NBS!
Tonight I bring another style that I never would have tried if the more knowledgeable people who sent me beer during BIFs. Namely, a Pilsner. I avoided these because the AALs were mostly called Pilsners. But this is no AAL.

The pour is very light amber color, transparent and capped with a near white head that left great lacing.
The taste is crisp biscuit malts, some European hop notes and a gentle sweetness that is countered by the hops. Some pepper seems to be present as well.
The feel is light and crisp, almost begging to be slammed. Which I almost did.
OA, a very good example of this style, at least in my limited experience with the style.
Hoping everyone is having a great day, I plan on being back soon with another nightcap.
Cheers!

 

Popped over to Barrel & Stave in my hometown of Fullerton and enjoyed this one.
Tropica

Pours a beautiful straw to muted gold in color. Almost looks like a pulpy apple cider fluffy white head rise as a firm 2+ inches in height, sticks around for a good spell before settling into a white film with a solid soapy ring.
Nose pumps, a solid Milan of tropical fruit, leading off with pineapple and mango, followed by orange lines and a mild biscuity malt note.
Flavor follows the nose really well. The citrus notes come off between pithy and zesty. The tropical is gentle with a pineapple taking the lead.
Mouth feel is just shy of a medium heft with a good carbonation level and a really nice fluffy feel.
3.84/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

 

I agree. BA on a Marzen is overkill.

 

People used to offer their firstborn for Duck Duck Goose back in the day. Glad you got to try it.

 

Boxing Day Celebration at Middle Ages Brewery in Syracuse. Yearly tradition. Brewed once a year, Boxing Day Bitter, a traditional English bitter. Available on cask for a short time. This year the cask version seemed better than ever. Lower carbonation, warmer (cask sits right on the bar, bar keep has to remove cork to pour) , very traditional.

 

Back in Houston...is that three breweries in three different states in a matter of a few days? Triptych, in Savoy Illinois, Lost Forty in Little Rock, AR, and now Equal Parts in Houston

Well this is actually a Brash Beer, as Equal Parts has taken over operations and basically makes everything Brash at their taproom. So...

Brash I am a Black Wizard, Black IPA 8% ABV. A Rye Black IPA with Citra and Amarillo hops.


A: Pours a dark black, near opaque color. With just a touch of ruby highlights around the edges. A beige head forms with good retention and plenty of lace.
Aroma is big pine and citrus, resiny, and then the malts come into play. Lightly roasted, caramel, even a bit of a buttery character.
Taste wise, all the pine resin and citrus is up front. Darker malts take over with coffee, chocolate, roast. Sugar and sweetness. There is a noticeable buttery flavor, not sure if that is the dreaded diacetyl, but it is there. This could actually use a bit more bitterness in the finish, and it all kind of clashes just enough to be noticeable.
A full body with moderate carbonation. There is a sticky, resiny quality here, and finishes very smooth. Certainly not perfect, with a few "flaws" for me, if you want to call it that, but still enjoyable to drink.

As Black IPA's go, I do tend to find the flavors clash a bit. No different here, but even with some of that clashing going on, its surprisingly still enjoyable to drink. I don't get any rye though. Some spicy character might have helped. Anyway, the first Brash beer I have had in a long time, made by Equal Parts though. Its perfectly fine, but would rather have some Equal Parts to be honest.

Overall score is 3.69, B
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29426/471784/?ba=champ103#lists

 

I passed on this one for years because of the cost (MBC bottles can get pricy by the time they get to this coast). I'm glad I tried it, especially on nitro.

(Full disclosure: I also tried it because I hadn't ticked a beer from Maine yet.)

 

I guess I'm on a themed weekend here...another spelling test... purchased from the recent curated cellar sell off at one of our favorite stores. Marked down from $18.99 to $8.99.



Harviestoun Brewery Ola Dubh ale aged in Scotch - Highland Park 30 year old single malt whisky casks that originally held sherry This is the Special Reserve 30 version, bottle # 03192, July 2020.

If you poured it thin enough it'd be cola brown but in the glass it's totally black. My pour resulted in no foam at all - not even an attempt. OK...

Things pick up with the aroma. Some chocolate/cocoa, I get a fair amount of dark cherry plus figs and raisins. There's a little vanilla, noticeable smokey peat, dark bready malt. Earthy, a little leather, something sweeter like toffee or overcooked caramel.

What a great flavor this is! It's got a little of a lot of things and it's all so smoothly integrated. Chocolate, roasted malts, sweeter cocoa, smokey peat, oak, toffee/caramel. A good amount of dark fruit with cherry, figs, raisins. There's the leathery thing going on and I'm getting a light licorice at the end. It's a Scotchy smoky peaty dark fruit flavor bomb. The flavors aren't at sledgehammer intensity - highly flavorful and sort of subtle. I get a fair amount of whisky sweetness and a tiny bit of vanilla. Eventually there is just a bit of char and the peat smokiness comes out more as the beer warms - I used to drink a lot of Scotch and I'd sure like a drop of what was in these barrels!

It's minimally carbonated. The flavors don't build - they deliver and go away fairly quickly and quite cleanly. The feel seems a little thin, but it makes this an extremely drinkable beer. Just a bit drying. Ultra-smooth.

Yeah...love the flavors here - the feel makes me want to gulp it down but the taste buds say hold on, buddy, let us enjoy the flavors. It's an English stout according to the hive...I get that...but I also get an old ale vibe. It's unique in my opinion and pretty delicious. Somewhere 4.3 - 4.5 or so.

 

Sounds awesome!

 

I was surprised by this one. I wasn't expecting it to be good, considering the price, but I liked it.

 

Another local-ish beer courtesy of Barrel & Stave.
Free Solo by Woodhouse Blending and Brewing

Pours an orange blossom honey color. Slight fluffy whitehead develops, but quickly retreats. Low retention, no lacing.
Smell has a nice strong, dry bitterness: pine, resin, orange rind, some onion, and a hint grass.
Flavor follows the nose with some solid pine, resin, and the green notes going towards onion and a hint of almost weed. Malt comes off as a hint of bread dough meets buckwheat, and rye.
Has the right heaviness but lacks carbonation. Finish a solidly dry in its bitterness.
3.81/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

They're already pricey from the start on this coast...

 

This afternoon I had a beer I hadn't tried since 2007. The ABV is a few points higher, so I'm calling it a New Beer.

Big Sky Ivan the Terrible

(Sorry, no photo.)

Enjoyed on draft at Central Station Taps in Beaverton, OR. 8-ounce pour served in a snifter.

Note: This version weighs in at 13.9%.

Deep dark brown-black with smoky quartz highlights. The thin head of beige foam leaves shapes like a Salvador Dali petting zoo. The nose starts as dark chocolate-covered raisins with a little oak and caramel before whiskey starts street-corner preaching through a bullhorn. The flavor is roasted malt tempered with a little caramel and a morsel of sweetness to bring out both flavors. Whiskey steps up its sermon, but vanilla makes a good point from across the street. Earthy bitterness and dried fruits raise their voices a notch before roasted malt, oak, and whiskey fight to have the last word. (Spoiler alert: the winner is the guy with the bullhorn.) Medium-heavy body with reasonable carbonation and a hot, somewhat numbing finish. I haven't had this beer since 2007. It's a beast. I'm a fan.

 

Said I would be back with a nightcap and as promised, I’m back. With one I intended to drink with friends on NYE but we didn’t get to it.

Turns out it was definitely one I should have shared as the sweetness is strong.
But I’m a Transient veteran, so here we go!

The pour is deep brown, appearing ink black with a brown head that leaves but one ring of lacing with a few small islands. For a BA stout, not bad at all.
The taste is, in a word, sweet. Maple syrup and vanilla in a mocha coffee. With all the sweetness that brings to mind. The coffee and chocolate are about the extent of the stout presence.
The feel is thicccc. A little beyond viscous.
It fits the deep sweetness.
OA, If you enjoy pastry stouts, this is your jam.
I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it as I did, and very much. But it’s not what I’m looking for these days.
Cheers all! All for me this week.

 

Just listened to more of Salt: A World History. It's definitely going to be a 4.5/5. A lot of info about sardines, herring, and surstromming fermentation and much more. Got about 4 hours left on the book. Everything salt has ever done in history.

Pipeworks Phantom Unicorn, BIF from @FBarber . Canned 6/14/2021. Dense pitch black pour. Solid head retention, light spotty lacing. Aromas of huge boozy bourbon barrel, dark chocolate, fudge, coffee, wood, vanilla, creamy lactose, light smoke/charcoal, leather, tobacco, yeast earthiness. Taste follows with big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fudge, vanilla, creamy lactose, bourbon, toasted oak, dark bread; light molasses, smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, and yeast earthiness. Light-medium herbal/charred bitterness and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and full body; very creamy/silky/velvety malts, light sticky hop, chalky roast, and oak tannins. Lingering bitter/tannic dryness after the finish. No cloying/acrid/astringent flavors. Lingering booze of 14.3% and whiskey barrel after the finish. Very intense malt character and big bourbon barrel presence make this a slow sipper, but all around impressive. 4.1/5


Cheers

 

Social Project Brewing Upside Down Double Hazy IPA w/El Dorado, Incognito & CIP 076 hops, 8.2%;4.3 overall

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

S: Peaches nectarines, citrus, mango once warmed up

T: Nectarines, pomelo, a little green melon, a little kiwi fruit up front. Peach & pineapple/orange juice as this warms up along with some dryness & more green melon. Finishes with some pink grapefruit, pineapple, a little dryness & peaches

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, very good balance

Drinks very easy, good take on the style, but not upper echelon

 

I'd bet cash money it's not a stout

 

Sounds so interesting. A real sipper.