New Beer Weekend #295

Next up today was this new to me brew from Great Lakes:

Blackout Stout - Barrel Aged Mocha | Great Lakes Brewing Co. | BeerAdvocate





It's weird to say I liked a beer a lot but was also disappointed in it too. Lots of chocolate in this one, but not much barrel character. It would be great if the barrel was kicked up a notch or 10. Debating on whether or not to have one more new beer today. Cheers again!

 

This is completely slamtastic. If you like Fat Head's from Ohio then you'll dig this drop a lot. Steel Toe Size 11 TIPA
4.35/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Hazy Head Hunter
6.5% hazy IPA by Fat Head’s



Poured from tap, the body is a hazy apricot with a good fluffy head. Very good lacing.

Aroma is citrus, mangoes, orange, peach, berries. No bitterness and not overly sweet. Very soft mouthfeel, light and super easy to drink. A bit danky on finish from simcoe I will guess.

A Head Hunter in name only. I get that marketing lure, but I know Head Hunter and this is no Head Hunter. Is it a good beer? Yes but I'll reach for the standard.

 

Drekker VIP Milk Stout with Dubai chocolate, pistachio, lactose. Very simple and not overdone.
3.89/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

 

Ya know, that is exactly what I should have said. No doubt about that chocolate, but where was the barrel?

 

This wasn’t a new beer to me, but I hadn’t had it since before I joined BA - so over 12 years ago

Trappistes Rochefort 10
Brasserie de Rochefort

Very nice beer


4.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Drinking out of a stemless Teku.
Pours a clear dark mahogany with a thin tan head.
Smells of dark caramel, traces of molasses.
Nice mouth feel.
Malt forward. Nice taste of sweet molasses.

 

Making it's BA debut, Fuzzy Sweater by Little Willow Brewing Company of scenic Florence Mass. A typical and well done example of the style. Cheers




4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A moderate through-the-head pour for a fat finger of eggshell white soapy foam with long retention and small blotches of lacing. A creamy cap shrinks to a island and ring. Semi-opaque gold-straw body, flat yellow in front of bright light.

Bold smell of citrus; grapefruit, orange and lemon followed by cracker and toasted bread. Alcohol is very faint along with a hint of fermented grapes (not wine).

Big taste, nuetral at first with high bitterness, the middle drys quickly. Hop flavor is above average and juicy with added grass and herbs plus light pine and resin. Malt taste is average, more bready than cracker with added yeasty dough. The finish is semi-dry and bitter, citrus tastes linger on a while.

Medium-light bodied with above average carbonation, alcohol is warming, not quite hidden. Nails style guidelines, just what i expect from a Massachusetts made DNEIPA.

 

I have another couple cans left so maybe the barrel is there, but I'm not optimistic about that. Just seems to be more mocha forward than anything else.

 

With my last new beer today I had another imperial stout from Allagash:

Gatherwell | Allagash Brewing Company | BeerAdvocate





I liked this one too, but as with the last brew I had I wish the barrel aging was stronger. But with this one at least the barrel was noticeable. Might have a new brew or 2 tomorrow so if I do I'll make sure and post them here!

 

World class. I try to keep a few in the cellar, pull one out for a special occasion. Which is having one.

 

I’m very happy to be posting in here tonight…we were at lacrosse from 8:30 until 1:00, coached two games. A miscommunication added about 1.5 hours to what would’ve been an otherwise more peaceful and less chaotic morning. We won one and lost one and he scored his first goal ever in his second game played, it was really neat to be a part of. The good news of the long time commitment is that it brought me by the beer store that I knew had this beer. I didn’t get the @vurt hat trick but I did add a picture, a first review, and updated the incorrect abv; so I guess half a hat trick??

Mudhen is a brewery down the shore in Wildwood that flies under the radar in NJ, but I’m pretty sure they get slammed with crowds all summer long. The taproom looks awesome, as does their food. Their beers are always clean and well made, if I’m ever in Wildwood again I will be stopping there.

This new one caught my eye because I’d never seen it before, or even knew it existed. After some recon I found this one is described as an “Irish Ale malt backbone highlighted by Cascade and Chinook hops with a hint of blood orange.” Umm, yes please…a beer with very high potential, especially considering how clean drinking their beers tend to be.

Let’s do it….

Mudhen - Pale Ale (APA 5.5%)



Pours orange burnished gold; clear with some opaqueness; condensed sudsy head, off-white; good clumpy cap retention, lacing, but minimal.

Nose is pleasantly malty with zesty citrus and pine; if a nose can be sticky than this one is; has a nice little floral component too, malt has kilned like quality.

Unique and pleasant taste to this beer; many phases of flavor where one leads beautifully to the next…malt first; kilned and a touch biscuity; then comes a hefty dose of sappy pine; a distinct hit blood orange, then grapefruit peel and floral character; circles back to pine needle and maybe some grassiness too; lots going on and none for the worse.

Body is light-medium; smooth carbonation; the malt dries out incredibly well and fast; enhanced by sticky hop coat and lingering biting bitterness.

This beer is awesome; it’s an amalgamation of an English like beer in malt character that carries all the beauty of an old school APA; the touch of blood orange is perfectly done; pairs so well with the malt and pine; this is like the craft beers of old, may be a second six pack purchase; we’ll see how I feel as I drink down this pack.

Last week I was burned with a six pack purchase this week I could not be happier, seriously good stuff. I may even have a second can later.

—————

I can almost 100% say this will be my only new beer this weekend but…you never do know do ya? Looking forward to reading tonight’s beers while watching the Leafs and again with morning coffee. Be well everyone and cheers.

 

Coming to you live from Horrock’s in Grand Rapids; MI. Ten Penny Whistle is belting out Irish music and I have a very non Irish style, and all things considered, non traditional in just about any category.
But it was from Transient and on tap so I needed to try it. Had to add it to the database, apparently it’s new. Ish.
(please forgive the bad photo, I ratchet suck at one handed picture taking.)

The pour, as is expected, an opaque (hazy) yellow amber that sports a short manilla colored head. It was in a plastic cup so can’t really comment on the lacing.
The taste is dryer than I expected, these are not the normal NEIPA hops. If there is citrus, it’s the pith of a grapefruit. Other fruits that I have no words for fill out the rest. It’s oddly uncomplicated.
The feel is not what I expected, it’s clean with just a little body. Easy drinking.
OA, another fine beer from Transient. If you like the style, please give it a try and leave a better review than mine.
Maybe I will have another before the concert is over at 8:00.
Cheers!

 

Cheers to @MutuelsMark for this Superbowl Squares 2026 BIF Bounty

Treehouse Patient Little Fire Smoked Helles, 5.2% ABV; 4.15 overall

Pours a light & effervescent gold with one finger of cream-colored head. Below average head retention & better lacing

S: Some smokiness, a bit meaty

T: A little pear, grass& honey mix in nicely with the delicate smoke flavor. Some bready notes, a little lemon, green apple & pear, plus dryness with sweet smokiness, just a little bubblegum that I always seem to get with beechwood smoked beers. finishes slightly dry with honey, pear & restrained smokiness

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, pretty nice balance

Easy to drink, one of the more delicate smoked beers I've tried

 

Good evening, gang. Finally got out for lunch with my Dad. Some things never change - skinny as a rail, but the man can freakin' eat!

Something a little different tonight:



Boquete is a 5.6% Belgian saison brewed as a dark saison with "house-roasted" Geisha cold brew coffee.

It pours a dirty chestnut brown color with a ginormous chunky, light tan head. Said head falls to a very ample ring and a nice cap. Pretty good lacing. Clears as it warms and takes on some deep red hues.

Very much coffee forward on the nose - very good coffee. There's a back up band, though. A little cocoa, floral smells, fruity smells, toasted bread, sweetness like caramel or maybe honey. It's all top notes - detectable but hard to define for certain.

The taste brings the game up a tick or three. Coffee - bright and slightly acidic. A very slight earthy funk and sharp, acidic tingle so the farmhouse ale is showing through. Thrres a bit of honey sweetness - just a little. I get a dark toast taste, floral notes, and fruitiness that's still unclear. What is clear is a little bit of lime. The floral comes back strong on the swallow. And an odd thing in the aftertaste - almost as if I'd bitten my lip and have a very slight taste of blood. Kind of that slightly salty, iron-like thing - also odd is that it doesn't seem terribly out of place although it's strange.

Pushing medium on the body, it's pretty drying and the carbonation is nice and tingly. Inhaling after the swallow really makes the aromatics bloom - floral, and I think tropical fruit like mango along with apple and a little tobacco.

Interesting and tasty even with the weird aftertaste thing. It's out of the box and the flavors are different and some are quite subtle, but somehow it forms a cohesive whole. Thinking low 4's here.

 

Two things, always love reading your detailed write ups, and, man do I hope I'm still eating like your dad is at his age with my kid/s.

 

Cheers to your Dad!

 

Many thanks to @timmy2b for this Superbowl Squares 2026 BIF haulage

Mortalis Brewing Hemera/ Pineapple DIPA ( Hazy ), 8.0% ABV; 4.3 overall

Hemera was the Primordial Goddess of Daytime to the Ancient Greeks, didn't know that...

Pours a very hazed gold with 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Great head retention & lacing

S: A little dankness, a lot of pineapple, fades a little once warmed up, otherwise epic

T: Follows the nose, trace amount of green melon & dryness as well. a kiss of vanilla up front. More pineapple, a little pine & weed, plus orange juice once this beer is warmer. Finishes with plenty of pineapple/orange juice, a little dryness & white grape

MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, pretty acidic, detracts just a little

Drinks fairly easy for the ABV, kind of a hint who's in charge though