New Beer Weekend #287

Hello all. I’ve been MIA for a few weeks. Some good busy, some bad busy. Busy, busy, busy. Glad to be back reading your excellent reviews and sharing a beer with you.

My wife surprised everyone here at home a couple hours back with a huge platter of cheeses, crackers, fruit and nuts. She rarely has a Saturday off, and walked into the dining room, demanded we all sit at the table, and enjoy the platter and some conversation. I love it. I figured I needed to open something worthy of the occasion. I’d put this bottle in the fridge several months back, but never got around to opening it. I figured, with a nice plate of cheeses in front of me, a relaxed wife and a couple of cheese hungry 9 year olds bouncing on their chairs, now was the time.

This is a 2019 bottle of Cantillon Saint-Gilloise. I know there has been talk that the hops in this vary from year to year. On this label it says the dry hopping was done with Hallertau.



Pours a light orange gold with an abundance of bubbling foamy head. This dissipates in good time and the beer appears still after several minutes in the glass.

Funk on the nose. Some light spiciness as well with expected floral notes. There is a fruity quality to the aroma that I can’t place.

The funk is mild on the tongue. The spicy and floral notes come out in more detail, but the fruit on the nose isn’t there on the tongue. The tartness is very mild. Really enjoyable.

The body is light with a nice effervescence.

I haven't had this beer with this age on it before and I’ve never had a 2019 (so I’m calling it ‘new’). The age has done the beer no disservice at all. This is excellent and I’m kind of glad my wife doesn’t like it so I get the whole thing! I’ve got a tonne of lambic in the cellar that I ‘save’ for the right occasion. I need to just start drinking it more. I always love it.

Cheers all!

 

Bentonville Brewing West Coast Wrecker IPA, 7.9% ABV; 4.2 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with a thumb of eggshell colored head. Above average head retention & nice lacing

S: Tropical fruit notes, melons & citrus, peaches late

T: Bready, tangerine, grapefruit, some dryness & green melon up front. More tangerine & grapefruit, a little pine & a little green melon once this beer is warmer. Finishes with lime, grapefruit, a little green melon & white grape, plus piney dryness

MF: Medim body, restrained/creamy carbonation, lovely balance

Great drinkability, true to the iteration. A little more hop forwardness would've elevated this, but I will pick up another sixer of this I am sure

 

I see they named a beer after me

 

I'm not quite that old yet so I'm pretty sure they didn't name it after me.

 

Cheers to you and Mrs @Coronaeus that sounds like an awesome evening that rarely happens in our chapters of life. Glad to see you back this weekend.

 

We went to see Clue at the Providence Performing Arts Center with my SIL and two friend this afternoon. It was a definite homage to the movie - very good, quickly paced, and a skilled ensemble cast. To me the unsung star of the play was the set - recreating the various rooms of the mansion on limited stage space took imagination and engineering. Stagecraft fascinates me. Some of the newer shows use some pretty high tech trickery but this was straight up analog style and flawlessly executed. Buckling down for football, hoops, and hockey while it might or might not snow a couple times.

Tonight's brew found buried in the cooler at a local shop:



A collaboration brew from Mast Landing in ME and Tactical Brewing in Florida. Magic Sunset Cake sour ale with pineapple, orange, vanilla, and coconut. Canned in July but I'm 90% sure it's been in the chiller knowing the store and definitely since I grabbed it.

Pours a murky goldish/orangish brown color with some tiny chunky bits from the bottom of the can. Scant white head, no retention. Kinda looks like slightly past its prime pineapple juice.

Smells of what it says it is. Pineapple and I range up front followed by vanilla and coconut.

The taste differs. Holy freakin' coconut, Batman. Lots of coconut that essentially covers up everything else. There's pineapple and orange but they are struggling a bit to be heard. The vanilla is a faint afterthought. Slightly sweet and thankfully there's enough tartness to kinda put some sort of edge on the taste and tone it down a bit.

It's light bodied but the flavor is heavy. It's got a weird coating sensation after the swallow.

Based on the less than stunning visual, it's better than I expected it to be. That's not saying much, however. Too much coconut (in my opinion) creates kind of a muddled flavor overall. It doesnt have signs of oxidation or aging. As it is, thinking 3.5-ish. Not something I'd drink again. Ya win some, ya lose some.

 

Still catching up on the thread and enjoying your weekend theme @jonphisher !

My plan was for two new to me Baltic Porters for the weekend tasting, but one of the two I thought was new to me isn't, so going with the selection below tonight and my first Ukrainian beer for my new to me Baltic Porter to close out the weekend. I also have two additional Baltic Porters, so a lot of beers to squeeze in over the next 32 hours, plus a lot to catch up on but I have the evening free tonight so will enjoy your posts while sipping on my beers. Love how they labeled Centennial, Cascade and Chinook as "Modern Hops". Per their timeframe, they are indeed.

Dovetail Winter Hopfenlager

4.26/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25



1/17/26 (Home) (Chicago, Illinois) - Can Notes: 16 oz canned 11/13/25 purchased 12/10/25 at store temperature for $3.98 including tax. Refrigerated until opening tonight. 5.1% ABV Winter Hopfenlager. Traditional methods, modern hops. Balanced, bold, surprising. Centennial, Cascade, Chinook. Brewed and canned by Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W. Belle Plaine, Chicago, Illinois.

Appearance: Poured about 80% of the can into a half liter Willi Becher Glass, yielding a generous creamy tan white head over an unfiltered brown bronze biscuit base. Clumpy soapy lacing remains after head subsides. 3.75

Aroma: Caramel, bread pudding, pine hops. Smells wonderful, medium plus strength. 4.5

Taste: More lager here, with the biscuit and caramel front and center, backed by a dry pine. Enjoying as expected. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Drinks strong for a Dovetail beer, perhaps 6-7% vs. the listed 5.1. Dry, plenty of hops to balance the sweet flavor. Nice caramel bread malt and pine from start to finish. 4.0

Overall: This is the most hoppy beer I can recall from Dovetail. Still a lager, but hopped up, at least as much as Dovetail would care to do so. This would be a good beer to share with an IPA person, or for anyone looking for a great tasting lager with a nice hop presence. 4.25

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Well, it's that time once again, and I'm excited to enjoy this beer here in the frozen north.

Less Beer - Pantown Brewing - St. Cloud, MN - Belgian Saison - 2.9%

Wow, the flavor that was packed into this small package is off the charts. So much flavor in this beer. Delicious. I will be getting more of this for sure.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54849/778743/
4.44/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a 750ml crawler. Canned on January 14, 2026

This beer has a lemony look to it with it's light golden color. There's some murkiness to the beer. There's a 2 finger white head that looks quite fluffy. The head retention is great, and the lacing looks quite good.
The nose has a yeast dominated note to it. I get some lemongrass tones with some funk notes, and a bit of bread.
The flavor is amazing. It is a low alcohol beer, but there's so much going on. I get a bit of bread up front. This flavor goes toward wild lemongrass next that is quite pleasing. There's a bit of funk that hits on the back that is a nice pleasing finish to the beer.
This sure as hell feels a lot stronger than 2.9%. The body has a nice fullness to it, and a great depth.
Wow. They really nailed it with this one. Just a massive amount of flavor packed in such a small package. I will be getting more of this for sure.

Be back in a bit for another beer.

 

New-to-me is Barn Cat by Bunker Brewing of scenic Portland Maine. This "Nitro Can" English Dark Mild is mild and balanced but misses style guidelines in a few ways; it's on the sweet side, heavy on the final bitterness and hazy. ABV (4.8) is a bit high. 4.8. Canned on 12/03/25.



Brewers notes;
"A Dark Mild on nitro at 4.8% with some roasty notes for the colder winter day vibez".

3.91/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A sturdy through-the-head pour made two fingers of creamy beige long lasting froth. A thin cap and ring lasts throughout but no lacing. Hazy body, mahogany with red-orange highlights, orange-copper in bright light.

Very mild smell, faint dark bread, toast and roasted malt leed with caramel and candy implying sweetness. Faint floral hops and dried fruits are even.

Mild taste per style, semi-sweet with very low hop bitterness and flavor at first. A blend of toasted/roasted bready malt and balancing caramel neutralize the middle. Dried fruits are faint, no candy taste like the smell. The finish is just short of semi-dry, hop flavor and bitterness jump to above average. Spicy bitter hops linger on.

Medium-light bodied with lasting carbonation, smooth and well balanced, alcohol is very well hidden.

The haze, sweetness, higher ABV and bitter after taste are against style guidelines. Overall it's mild and well balanced and it warms well, although more sweetness creeps in.

 

Mrs. vurt and I are relaxing with beers on the patio, enjoying the unexpected sunlight and clear (albeit chilly) weather. My beer is a New Beer:



Wayfinder Spectral Labyrinth
Czech-style Pilsner

The body is a brilliant gold with outstanding clarity. The clean, fluffy white head doesn't last long but generates abundant lacing. The nose offers crisp malt and a bouquet of floral hops, along with a few molecules of sulfur. The flavor starts with soft, toasty malt that's a notch too sweet for me. Then it dries out through the middle without losing any of that terrific toastiness. Floral and spicy hops power through in the end, with a hint of tarragon and a shred of lemon pith. The malt finishes crackery and crisp. Light body, sparkling carbonation, top-notch drinkability. Overall, Spectral Labyrinth is an enjoyable and well-made Czech-style pilsner.

 

Breakside - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, BA stout with coffee

22oz bottle served in a stemless rastal. 2025 vintage. Bought it at Beer Junction a few weeks ago.

Pours silky black, a deep brown head arises and disappears leaving behind a thick, bubbly ring. Smell is delicious -- toffee and coffee and molasses, maple syrup and caramelized sugar, vanilla.

Taste is similar, stronger on the roasty bitterness, almost a burnt sugar. Sweetness and bitterness are both quite intense. Coffee flavor also is super intense. A little bit of a cola flavor.

Mouthfeel is thick, silky, smooth, surprisingly a hint of prickliness. Very good beer.

 

I made it back to City Acre Brewing earlier today with my golf league mates after last week's inaugural visit:


Proletariat Porter • 7.8% ABV • 38 IBUs • 35 SRM

Last week I tried their 6% Oatmeal Stout and enjoyed it, though I must admit it needed just a hint more sweetness to push it into 4.0 range for my tastes. Today, I tried their slightly stronger porter and found almost exactly what I was looking for — a huge hit of roasted-malt flavor with enough sweetness in the flavor to make it all the more tasty. It's not a sweet beer, but it's also not what I'd call an earthy or bitter beer. Well balanced all around.

Official review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43737/778749/?ba=Premo88#review
4.12 (0.0% rDev — mine is the first review)

My expectations were a bit higher for this beer after last week's first excursion to City Acre, and they delivered. It didn't hurt that the cheeseburger I paired with it was A+ stuff. Next time I make it over there, I'm going to give one of their blonde or amber ales a shot. I don't think they do lagers, so instead of a helles or pilsner, I'll have to settle for an ale, but either way, I want to try something in the lighter-colored categories.

Cheers!

 

Riff city widowmaker lager
...clear light gold appearance with a thick fluffy lasting head
...medium bodied with about the same for the carbonation
...aroma is biscuit, grain, toasted cereal and earthy hops
....taste is actually dry,toasted grain and cereal,biscuit and bitter earthy hops
...overall nicely done, a bit dry for a lager but very enjoyable

 

Equilibrium Magic Bars Imperial Stout with Peanuts, Pecans, Cacao Nibs, Maple Syrup & Coconut, 11.0% ABV; 3.95 overall

Pours an effervescent mahogany with fast falling mocha colored head. Plenty viscous, some head retention & lacing

S: Dark fruits & leafy hops, red wine notes

T: Dark chocolate, maple candy, pecan notes, plums, toasted coconut & leafy hops up front. More dark chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut, woody hops & dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry with plenty of dak chocolate, coconut & maple candy sweetness, peanuts & just a bit of booze warmth

MF: Oily/chewy with low carbonation, warming, sticky, slight uptick in carbonation once warmed up

I'd argue this is a Pastry Stout, but damn tasty & drinkable. Nose is really the only real detractor, appeal to my sweet tooth for sure

 

Next round is this one.

Snake Chaser - Lakefront Brewing - Milwaukee, WI - Irish Dry Stout - 5%

This beer is tasty, but it won't wow you. I am enjoying it tonight.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/741/15884/
3.51/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a 12oz can. Best by June 11, 2026.

This has a nice pitch black looking pour. There's a 2 finger tan colored head to the beer that is somewhat frothy looking. The head retention is decent, and there's a bit of lacing on the glass.
The aroma is pretty light. There's a bit of dark chocolate in the aroma. Hints of coffee also show up in the nose.
The flavor has a nice hint of chocolate in the flavor with some coffee notes. This malty beer has notes of toffee also.
Body has a decent depth to it. The beer is smooth feeling.
This beer is good, but there's nothing that will knock your socks off.

I'll see if there's one more in me tonight. If not, see you all tomorrow.

 

Rum tiki sour
...a pulpy mess of an appearance with a frothy lasting head
...just below average carbonation with the body being a bit thick and syrupy
...aroma is rum, boozy, mango pineapple and spice
...taste is sweet, pineapple juice,some ginger with rum in the background.
.... ill say its very good but not sure I would call it a beer. Can't say I would repeat the experience

 

A new beer from troubles end brewing! “Moon Shadow “ a big stout! Pours a viscous black with a thin dark tan head. Chocolate figgy pudding aroma. Sweet chocolate, plum, cherry and molasses. Medium mouthfeel with subtle carbonation. Overall, a very British full bodied stout!

 

New to me is Modern IPA by Jack's Abby.
I'm not sure what this is.
Cheers!



3.99/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A moderate through-the-head pour released three fingers of creamy white foam with large bubbles against the side of the mug, a high ring persists yet no lacing. Pale straw color, moderate haze, lemonade yellow in bright light

Hops greet the nose in order; lemon, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, lime, grass, herbs, flowers, pine and resin. Light on pale malt, cracker and wheat toast leed the mild malt smell.

Neutral taste with above average hop flavor and bitterness at first. As in the smell, hops leed the taste. Lemon/orange are still first with floral/herbal and pine advancing. Malt taste is mild, equally bready a crackery. The finish is quick and semi-dry with multiple hop flavors and high bitterness lingering on.

Medium-light bodied, well carbonated throughout. Alcohol is well hidden. Easy drinking considering the big hop flavors

Brewers notes;
Modern IPA
India Pale Ale with Citra, Galaxy, & Mosaic Hops

"Our Modern series reimagines classic beer styles, inspired by our founder Jack’s journey through breweries around the world. Modern IPA blends a contemporary style with centuries old lagering techniques, delivering an intense hop experience with balanced bitterness and a smooth finish, thanks to its lager roots".

Is this a Cold IPA, an APL or an AIPA?
I think AIPA. Springdale is back!

 

Final new beer of today.

Hill Style - Wooden Hill Brewing - Edina, MN - American Lager - 5.1%

Well, I should have checked the date when I bought this last Saturday. If I would have seen it was 11 months old, I might not have bought it. The flavors seemed muted to me, and I strongly suspect due to age. I may have to try to get there to try it fresh sometime to see the difference, if any.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/52062/755933/
3.37/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From a 16oz can. Canned on 02/04/2025

The beer pours a clear and bubbly looking golden color. There's a 1 1/2 finger white head to the beer. Decent head retention and a small bit of lacing on the glass.
The aroma has a bit of grain in it. There's a slight skunk aroma, which seems fitting with the style. Not sure if it is intended, or due to age.
The beer is malty for sure. I am getting some biscuit. There's a good deal of a grain flavor here. Some sweetness in the flavor. There's a bitterness on the finish. Overall the flavors do seem somewhat muted, and I'm guessing due to age.
Light, crisp and clean body. Slightly bubbly feeling.
I wish I would have known it was an older beer. I have a feeling it would have been better fresh.

See you all tomorrow for new beers. Cheers!