New Beer Weekend #289 (for @cavedave!)

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company - J.A.W.N.
5.2% ABV American Pale Ale
It's a nice, well-balanced American Pale Ale with a nice caramel maltiness to go along with the citrusy, orange zest-forward hoppiness and bitterness. This reminded me a lot of Half Acre's Daisy Cutter Pale Ale, which I think is a strong compliment.

Cross-posted in WBAYDN #4853 and What Mid-Atlantic beer are you drinking now? (2026)

 

I never got to meet Dave in person, but, man, does that story sound like him. And how much does that writing sound like him! His ability with words ... I too often forget how he set a tone in NBS for those of us who fancy ourselves wordsmiths that it was OK to wax lyrical about a beer (or mushroom hunting, or playing the drums, or music in general, or whatever you like — so long as you also reviewed a new beer ).

Thanks for sharing!

 

Bière De Lenoir - Blend no. 2 (2022) - Jester King

Wow! This is tart, AND sweeeet. Not sure where @cavedave stood with Wild Ale, so this is more a nod towards his cellar.

Gem clear, ruby red, no head.
Herbs & oak, tart cherry, rosemary.
Acidic sweetness, carries the nose forward.
Light body, prevalent alcohol, fizz for the long haul.
Highly enjoyable, match acidity with strong Brie.

Ok, that poem stinks. The beer could easily match steps with an intense Flanders Red.

 

Social Project Brewing Joker and the Thief XPA, w/Mosaic, Citra, & Nectaron Hops; 5.9% ABV; 4.13 overall

Pours a slightly hazed gold with 2 fingers of pearl colored head. Great head retention & better lacing

S: Tons of citrus, pineapple, mango & peaches

T: Tangerine, lime, white grapes & a little dryness, plus green melon up front. Powdery dryness, oranges, white grape & lemongrass notes as this beer warms up, a little peach & green melon too. Finishes with pomelo, pineapple, dryness & passion fruit

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation & some acidity, pretty good balance. Carbonation smoothed out a bit more once warm

Drinks fairly easy, wish it skewed a little sweeter. If it was a good as the nose this an A beer, B, B+ instead

 

i happened to see my guy, @cavedave took his light to a new & i would bet, much better "Cave". since Todd does the Cellaruary thing, i likely would've drunk one of these this month but dug one out today seeing as you were the one that swapped with me to get my hands on a few of 2012 release. 09/20/12 15%.

Thanks, again! i'll see you when i see you.

 

Posted this earlier:

 

Returning for one more new-to-me ale today, a farmhouse ale from SARA, aged on boysenberries and a few months in red-wine barrels - cheers!

4.14/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

January 2023 release (unsure of bottling date) - poured from a 750mL bottle into a port glass.

Clear ruby body with fizzy misty rose cap, receding to a faint collar; vague lacine; poor retention.

Gentle barnyard aroma with crushed berries and a hint of oak in the nose.

Bright, bracing and tart with a punctuation of fruit before the flavor profile unfurls into an ever-more-complex yet subtle wave of funk. Sophisticated and well balanced. Dry finish with a lasting signature of boysenberry with hints of Beajolais.

Medium-light bodied, crisp, with mild tannins and some residual sourness. A little flat perhaps.

Impressive flavor and superbly crafted, though almost too restrained.

 

Onto the last new beer for this week, provided by The Nooch @Nugganooch. Excellent to to try this gem from Cali



Death & Taxes

European Dark Lager | 5.3% ABV
Moonlight Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California

Reviewed by beerdedking from Pennsylvania

4.11/5 rDev -1.9% | Average: 4.19
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
What a great dark lager that brings a depth of flavor you'd expect from a 7-8% beer. Obsidian appearance with khaki foam and really nice tapestries of lace present as this goes down the glass. A few sniffs give light molasses, pumpernickel bread, with hints of char and burnt coffee. Drinking provides high doses of roasted grains, pumpernickel, char, mushroom, and earthy hops. This beer grabs hold of the palate tightly for a dark lager. I love the lack of sweetness, just malty goodness and a dry, bitter hop bite. Carbonation is a bit lively, but not overly so. This is a very good black lager that deserves a snort of premium whiskey on its side to create a beautiful synergy

 

Caramel KBS
12% stout by Founders



Poured from a twelve ounce bottle, the body was a dark brown with a substantial head. Good lacing. Nice looking beer.

Aroma was a delightful mix of coffee and light caramel. Leaning sweet but the coffee is up front.

Taste follows nose as the coffee edges out the malt for domination. The caramel/malt is noticeable but not too sweet. A nice malty char is present and works well with the barrel. When I first sipped the stout, it was cold and the barrel was very apparent on finish: a wee barrel burn on the tongue. Not much but welcome. Later after warming. the barrel is only lightly felt. Contrast with the OG KBS which was a smack in the face with a trout beer. Deft hand masked that barrel, but query whether that's a good thing.

Mouthfeel is good and carbonation medium.

Overall a good sipping stout that vaguely reminds me of the original. Removing the beer from the context of its given name, an enjoyable stout on a cold winter's day.

 

And my new beer today, for Cave Dave:
(Posting pictures always tricky here. I suppose if I posted more frequently, it'd be easier. I tried....)

Tree House Brewing Ryelark
Rye IPA
Well, I chose this beer to honor my friend. While he hosted this forum for years, I'd never posted. A friend happened by yesterday and gifted me this can. And while it certainly is a new beer for me, the connection goes beyond...
First, from the TH description on X:

We put together a big batch for you to enjoy, and we hope it can serve as a vehicle for reflecting on those you hold dearest.

And from the can:
"...we realize that there are some things time has no power over."

And, lastly, and quite unexpectedly, and chilling, and awesome, and apropos, the bottom of the can is stamped:
YOUR MEMORY ENDURES
WINTER 2026

Ill def be saving this can.

As for my review, I'll keep it simple, and appropriate, with a haiku:

Ryelark somewhat bland
Unlike the person you were
Extraordinary

 

Great recollection!

 

Brief but great Poem!

 

To CaveDave:

To honor you and your poetic ability,
I hope that you'll like this little ditty.

I've toasted you not once, but once plus three,
For once is not enough for your huge personality.

Backwards I am, and backwards you'll be,
Your current BA name is not right to me.

I can turn it backwards, as said, to become DaveCave,
But that's not it either, you need a name that causes everyone to rave.

Oh, I think I have it, and it's for everyone to save,
And it's part of my final message to you.

May you rest in peace, MISTER CaveDave.

 

Black Howler Beer Co. Weddington Woods Winter Warmer with Molasses & Juniper Tips, 7.2% ABV; 3.66 overall

Pour an effervescent & somewhat chill hazed hazel/auburn with 2 fingers of tan head. Average-ish head retention & lacing

S: Cakey, brown sugar, woody hops once warm, fades a bit

T: Follows the nose, some cola notes, faint allspice & cinnamon, plus pine up front. Brown sugar, cakey notes, molasses piney & woody hops once this beer is warmer, slight smokiness as well. Finishes cakey with brown sugar & woody hops, a bit dry

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation, body thins a touch as this beer warms up

Solid offering was hoping for more. Called it an English Strong Ale based on flavor, I stand by that call, although the little piney/juniper could easily push it into the American Strong Ale category. Mouthfeel & nose hold this back a bit

 

Love this.

 

Good evening NBW
I'm not an every single weekend new beer guy anymore, but I wanted to raise one to @cavedave.

Bourbon Barrel Toasted Stout

12oz bottle stamped 11-24-2025 poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 10% ABV. The beer pours very dark brown with medium brown colored head and no light penetration. The head recedes to a thin cap and leaves a thick web of lacing. The aroma is mild with chocolate, toasted oak and a hint of bourbon. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with more dark chocolate, toasted oak and faint bourbon. Medium bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good. One of the better products I've had from this company.

There were only 3 other reviews for this one, but they were equally positive. Decent value in a BBA stout at least.

 

Ok, so now that I figured out the photo upload once again (yay!), thought I'd also share a quick nugget regarding one of Cave Dave's other passions: music.
While we never played bands like the Grateful Dead out in the Doom Saloon (as apparent in the name), he took to some of the metal like he took to a Russian Imperial Stout. He especially liked my favorite band High on Fire, and even came to one of their shows at The Chance in Poughkeepsie. Another band was Yob. One album we always put on late nights in the DS is Our Raw Heart. The song "Beauty in Falling Leaves" would find Cave Dave, glass in hand, eyes closed, swaying in cosmic unison....
He'd often proclaim that if composers like Stravinsky were alive, this is the music they'd be making.
Cheers

 

Purchased at Beer Bazaar, Grayslake, I think, but they were in Hainesville.

4.32/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Jet black pour, no light passes thru, a couple of

brown bubbles pass for a head. Lotsa malt in the aroma along with some chocolate and maybe some toffee. Oh yeah bourbon. Boozy taste, some chocolate and candy. Thankfully it's not as sweet as I expected based on the aroma. Thick'n chewy, coats the palate. Flat. Damn good beer!


Side note, I know @cavedave only from his postings, we somethings in common.