New Beer Weekend #288

Damn, I was waiting for this post to contain said functional broken glass

 

My nightcap is one I bought for my NYE bonfire, but Garth wanted peanut instead of coconut so here we go.

The pour is stout black, with a medium brown head that is almost two centimeters tall. For a barrel aged stout it has reasonable lacing.
The taste is less about a Mounds bar ((chocolate and coconut) and more about a whiskey barrel aged imperial stout. There is coconut, but it is second fiddle to the coffee and chocolate and toasted dark bread. A fair amount of rye whiskey and a touch of oak. No sign of hops or roasted malts.
The feel is lightly viscous, very appropriate for what is likely a pastry stout.
OA, good to try once out of curiosity if nothing else.
Cheers all - talk to you tomorrow!

 

I swear I've seen that recently happen to someone else's glass & it may have been from the brewery... Was it you & my memory just sucks?

 

Good Saturday evening, New Beer Weekenders. Back in 2015, I first drank and reviewed Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil. I enjoyed it a lot but basically forgot about it and haven't had it for quite awhile. Recently, the head of the Beer Department at one of our local stores pointed out the "Engineer's Reserve" version and I was anxious to try it. Tonight, as we wait for the big winter storm, seems like a good time. It is packaged in 8.5 oz. cans.

It is nearly black with a half finger for creamy, light khaki head and film of lacing. The smell features roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, toffee, and roasted nuts. Its taste follows. In particular, I like the soft toffee, which plays against the slightly bitter coffee, char, and burnt nuts. There is a good balance of sweet and bitter. This Stout has a viscous, creamy mouth feel with lite carbonation, and the 9% ABV gives it good substance. Overall, Engineer's Reserve is a terrific, bigger version of the classic Old Engine Oil. I'm glad to finally have the chance to enjoy it.

4.19/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I have a couple of new beers to review tomorrow - once we've dealt with expected snow. Cheers!

 

Echigo Flying IPA, 5.5% ABV; 3.65 overall

Pours an effervescent gold/bronze with a thumb of cream-colored head. Above average head retention & stellar lacing

S: Pears, some grassy & floral notes. Woody hop notes once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, a little dry, some woody hops & faint toffee notes up front. Grassy & woody bitterness, slight pear & treacle sweetness as this beer warms up. Finishes with a little bready sweetness, pears & leafy hops

MF Medium body, slight carbonation, skews a tad bitter

Solid take on the style, might be a little old, drinkable enough

 

New to me is Jalowetz by Schilling Beer Company of scenic Littleton New Hampshire. A Czech Pale Lager. Cheers and Go Patriots!



3.95/5 rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A sturdy through-the-head pour released a fat finger of white soapy short-lived foam, spotty lacing, no cap, just a thin ring remains. Hazy yellow straw body.

Biscuit, wheat toast, and floral hops greets the nose; grain, grass and faint lemon follow.

Neutral taste at first with average hop flavor plus lemony citrus and above average bitterness from added spice. Cracker replaces biscuit, during the malty middle. With rising bitterness and now semi-dry, the finish is fast but not crisp. Spicy floral hops linger on.

Light bodied with below average carbonation, alcohol is very well hidden making this one so crushable. Matches style guidelines except for the haze, well differentiated from a Pilsner.

 

So it's not like me and Mrs. vurt are at Breakside Beaverton again, but...um...me and Mrs. vurt are at Breakside Beaverton again.



Breakside Coldest Beer In Town

This is billed as a Wies'n lager. In January? Why not. I'm here for it.

The beer is deep gold with gorgeous clarity and a tight head of white foam that leaves sheets of lacing. The nose is toasty malt and floral noble hop spice. The flavor is largely the same, full of toasty, bready malt with a hint of caramel. Not too sweet! Excellent spicy floral hops above a layer of lightly roasted nuts and sunflower seeds. The body is medium with assertive carbonation that doesn't hog the spotlight.

Overall, this is a satisfying beer with enough toasty malt to keep the evening chill at bay. Would drink again, happily.

 

A local offering, New Province Brewing Co. Creme Brule'e Stout w/Vanilla & Milk Sugar, 6.3% ABV; 3.43 overall

Pours an effervescent brown/chestnut with one finger of tan head.

S: Vanilla notes, coffee once warmer, this so needed more nose. Zero head retention & lacing

T: Vanilla cream, caramel, a little dryness, faint coffee notes. more dry notes, Creme Brule & coffee on this beer is warmed up. Finishes dry, a little sweet with trace amounts of coffee

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation. Body thins a touch once warmer

Decent, but not quite there, a 9% ABV version would be more my thing. Body & nose were lacking

 

Other half astor place winter stout
...dark mohagany, almost solid black with a lasting tan head
...medium light carbonation with a body that is a bit creamy yet a little thin
. Aroma is roasted malt, black coffee and cocoa with vanilla bean
...taste is roasted malt,dark cocoa powder,ground coffee beans with vanilla
...overall a very good stout that is labeled as being vanilla heavy but it came off in the right amount.

 

Tripping animals helles dream
...almost clear honey amber appearance with a thin white head
....around a medium body with below average carbonation
...aroma is yeast, grain, toasted grain and cereal as well as Barley malt, earthy honey.
...taste has some mild sweetness, dry toasted grain and cereal along with some honey
... very well done enjoyable helles

 

American Solera Small Business Blend 2025. BBA Imperial Stout, 13.0% ABV; 4.33 overall

Pours like 10,000 mile motor oil with a sliver on mocha colored head. Viscous as Hell, minimal head retention & lacing

S: Dark fruit, molasses & barrel, some rawer alcohol notes once warm

T: Dark chocolate, salted & regular plums, some Bourbon Burn up front. Molasses, dark cherry pipe tobacco, plums chocolate, vanilla & Bourbon as this beer warms up, some cola notes too. Finishes with dark chocolate, plums, black cherry & Bourbon

MF: Chewy as all get out, subtle carbonation, very warming

This one will age great, I am sure I'd like this better with some age on it, barrel forward right now

 

We should have a Broken Glass (2026) thread

 

I hope I never have to post in said thread.

 

The thread would be powned by Teku fanbois/fangirlz. Breakage seems inevitable for a teku.