New Beer Weekend #296

So, since both of the Orval Day threads are locked, I figured I'd post my experience here:

Drank 3 different vintages yesterday: 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The 23 and 24 versions were VERY similar. Probably because they were bottled less than 6 months apart. Sunburst burnt orange with SIGNIFICANT eggshell head which took a while to calm down. Not a problem, as I wasn't in a hurry. Pomme Frites helped. Nose of hops and hay. Hoppy and bright on the palate with a bitter, funky aftertaste. Everything that I would expect in a young Brett beer.

The 22 was unexpectedly a MUCH different animal. Much darker in appearance. Deep burnt orange with a much less pronounced carbonated influence. Head was the same color as the 23 and 24, but dissipated much more quickly. Taste . . . well, that was where the big difference was. Very little hop influence and HUGE funk. Wasn't expecting this from a beer less than 5 years old, but there it was.

Overall, Orval Day was a very interesting and fun day.

 

Calypso from Perth Brewery

From a 473ml can packaged on 28/07/25. Poured into a pint glass. A big two finger fluffy white head on a foggy amber. Good head retention. A solid layer sticks around. Sheets of foamy lacing.

Pine and citrus in the nose. A pretty well melded soft hop flavour. A moderately bitter hop finish.

A medium/light body with good carbonation. Overall a serviceable but unremarkable American IPA.

3.58/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

 

Grabbed a couple new beers yesterday during my unsuccessful venture for Orval. I was a little surprised to see a 4pk of this new collab beer from Von Trapp and Jack's Abby sitting in the store fridge and quickly grabbed it. Drank two pints and reviewed it yesterday, this is Von Trapp & Jack's Abby - Austrian Style Export Lager.



This is the first time I've heard of an Austrian export lager specifically, though I haven't exactly done much digging around different Austrian beer styles or other Export Lagers other than German Dortmunders which I have enjoyed in the past. I also enjoy Vienna lagers and most lagers or beer in general really, so figured I would like this whatever it could possibly taste like given the style parameters.

It's a bit hard to pick out many subtleties but I would say from my experience this possibly leans more Dortmunder in style than a typical Vienna Lager which it was originally listed as on here. I pick up some flavors of apricot or orange marmalade with slight green tobacco and peppercorn medley spice notes, some light toasty bread crust and honey biscuit type malt flavors with a pretty full body and crisp yet smooth carbonation. Really great lager imo!

My review:

Some notes from the breweries:
https://jacksabby.com/blog/2026/03/von-trapp-jacks-abby-collab/

Cheers!

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Very late to the party this weekend. I am also going to be a 1 and done with new beers as well. Might as well get it started.

KBS Caramel- Founders Brewing- Grand Rapids, MI - American Imperial Stout- 12%

Wow, this is downright delicious. The last beer with the KBS name on it was just weird. This beer goes back to the roots, and hits the mark well.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/757907/
4.54/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
From a 12oz bottle, bottled on 12/29/2025

There is a pretty good hiss and smoke upon opening the bottle. This beer is pitch black in color. With somewhat of an aggressive pour, there's a 4 finger tan colored head to the beer. The head retention is amazing with some nice looking lacing on the glass.
Upon pouring the beer into the glass I was hit with a coffee aroma. Up close i am still getting a strong coffee aroma. Upon more examination with my nose, I am getting a huge caramel hit. This is way more than the malts add to this style of beer.
I get a good hit of caramel right off the bat. The flavor of the caramel does fade a bit, but never goes away fully. The caramel is added to by a nice roasted coffee flavor. This, along with the chocolate malts, provide a subtle, but nice bitterness to the flavor profile.
The body of this beer is right where it should be for a beer that has the KBS name attached to it. Very full and smooth feeling. There's just a faint burn to the beer that reminds you to slow down and enjoy it.
This beer is a great addition to the KBS lineup. It deserves to have it attached to it.

See you all next weekend. Cheers!

 

Good question. As someone who appreciates a variety of flavors and having been through the gamut of beer styles, I feel like I could enjoy just about any good quality beer in any given moment. Over the years I have tried to taste and rate or review every style on here, and only a few styles have escaped me still to this point, a Kvass, Lichtenhainer, Braggot and English Pale Mild ale. Cold IPA and Czech Amber lager are also doable if I try.

Nowadays it's not really styles that I go for, it's more good quality brands or breweries, and if I know they are good then I can mostly rely on just about anything they make, and if there is something new or a different style I haven't had in a while I am always open to trying. I enjoy every style, the old classic euro beers, British, Belgian, German, Czech, etc. Whether it's a lager, light, dark, funky, wild, sweet, bitter or whatever I will find a time to enjoy it. So I am open to any styles of beer, I just don't feel like taking a risk on a lot of new breweries I haven't heard of, because there are so many great breweries out there that are tried and true and I know I can rely on those brands.

Not to knock off newer smaller breweries, I will always try a new beer, but when it comes down to making a purchase in the store, I am more than likely going with a new beer or even an old reliable from a tried and true brewery, unless maybe something new I haven't heard of has great reviews and ratings on here or untappd, then I might take a shot at a $15-20 4pk from a brewery I haven't tried before if the beer is fresh anyway.

I hope to find this in my area since I always enjoy a dark/black IPA and don't see enough around. Tröegs always makes good beer too. Cheers!

 

Next time I buy some, I intend to bury them for a few years

 

Capital plan!

 

Last post here this weekend.

I have been having computer problems the last 2 weeks, and it is a bit of a pain to keep up using my phone. Guess I am old school. I will likely get a new one this week, and try to get the data transferred over.

I have been honored to have had the chance to start this thread several times over the last few years. I would be more than happy for it to go back to rotating designated starters.

About styles: I do like to try new styles of beer, and I gladly will seek them out to explore. I doubt I will get them all, but am happy to be close to having tried them all.

 

Given you’re closer to them have you seen the new light lager or summer ale out and about yet? Waiting and looking very forward to both of them.

 

Haven't seen a light lager or summer ale from Von Trapp yet. I'll look into them, always enjoy their beers!

 

Good Sunday morning NBS/nbw and thanks @Beersnake for hosting this week
As a practice I dont seek out any particular style, I just keep an open mind to beer in general.
Todays offering is from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing
A beautiful Dry Stout.

Conway’s Irish Stout

Irish Dry Stout | 4.8% ABV
Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland, Ohio

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.13/5 rDev +0.7% | Average: 4.1
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz can, dated BB 06/06/2026 into the test glass.
A - Towering mocha cap never leaves, excellent lacing. Dark brown colored background hides the view.
S - A bit of char, excellent roasted malts, hint of espresso.
T - Start up is nice roasted malts, earthy hop thread, some cocoa, and touch of char again
M - Lite on the palate, excellent texture, dry finish with a nice espresso linger
O - A true delight, flavorful, excellent texture, and a beauty to view

 

I will attempt to tick any remaining open style once (if at this point) I cut and paste my backlog of close to 1800 ratings not in Beer Advocate. I like to document what is going on in the Chicago beer scene, so focus my purchases for our breweries with some nearby suburban breweries mixed in.

The rest of my new to me purchases are based on solid recommendations by trusted reviewers in this thread (plus style tasting and WBAYDN threads), and I usually have a solid to great experience enjoying what our group has previously enjoyed.

My favorite style are pale ales and India Pale Ales, but I am most attracted to the old school hops, so not as into many of the new ones released the past few years.

Glad you joined us this weekend, but disappointed you had this experience. I’ve had this experience too many times, and sadly have stopped buying new beers of two my favorite styles (Pale Ale and IPA) as noted above unless the hops are listed and I can research any unfamiliar types. A cryo beer from a typically solid brewery was my last straw, since I bought a four pack.

I’m pretty much in your camp, but I’m fortunate beyond trying a draft offering which I really only do in nicer weather (50 F - 79 F the sweet spot), I’m fortunate to have a nearby shop which sells singles.

Love participating with an Orval each year, and enjoyed reading your comparison of these three vintages.

Will jump in with my New Beer Sunday selection now that I’ve caught up with everything here.

 

You have a triple IPA called Dominatrix.

I have a triple IPA called Safe Word.



I think I see a pattern...

 

Greetings and salutations, and welcome to the 1100th edition of New Beer Sunday!

Pulling my last Deep Woods Season Ticket selection, though may try a draft or single of their BA Peach beer due out next month. This one once again features Amburana barrels, and I may retire from future Season Ticket purchases if these return in the quantities we experienced the past two years.

Revolution Brewing Dethurana

4.46/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5



This was a pleasant surprise. The Amburana barrels played a complementary role vs. the overpowering role I've experienced with a few other DW selections. Maple Syrup and Coconut sound sweet, but come off well and the bourbon barrels very smooth and enjoyable. Sweeter than I typically seek and or enjoy these days, but the overall experience is greater than the sum of the individual components. Another outstanding offering, and an example of why I keep coming back even for descriptions that give me pause and concern.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and look forward to next weekend!

 

Snap rating on this Uncommon Opinion Steam Beer from Ozark. 5.1% ABV

A little more bitter than expected. Says it is their last keg. Was expecting more fruityness

3.75 overall

 

Right now I'm standing in line in front of Providence Park, waiting to get in to this afternoon's Portland Timbers match against LA Galaxy. I stopped in at the Timbers Army clubhouse first, where I took the opportunity to enjoy a New Beer (as you do).



Oakshire Visit Japan

The beer is pale straw yellow with flawless clarity. The bright white head shrinks to a patchy ring quickly but still leaves respectable lacing on the plastic cup. The nose shows off a mild but pleasant maltiness with hints of toasted rice and a vague floral character. Flavor follows, offering crackery malt and floral hop spice with a subtle mineral edge. Agreeably dry. Slight tang of alcohol. Toasted rice comes through in the aftertaste. Feather-light body with ample carbonation. A clean, tasty, and rather satisfying example of a Japanese rice lager.

 

Enjoy the game, we were just at the Philadelphia Union complex this morning for a soccer tournament. Bunch of beautiful fields right by the stadium on the Delaware River with a bridge almost overhead, a really cool spot. I just kept thinking man, Phish should play there

 

While I was unable to get Orval at my local store yesterday, I was able to find a refrigerated bottle of this Stille Nacht from De Dolle Brouwers, a Belgian pale strong ale.



Pours hazy amber orange with a huge creamy frothy off-white foam head. Smells like dark honey, light caramel, toffee, charred brown sugar, molasses, toasted bready malt, dark dried fruits, some raisin, fig, dates, plum, apricot, apple, pear, lemony orange citrus, exotic sweet spices, peppery clove, mild barnyardy farmhouse funk, wet hay, straw, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Tastes really complex and interesting, like bruised apples, pear, overripe banana, apricot, red plum, berry, cherry, raisin, fig, dates, dried fruit, dark amber honey, light caramel, toffee, charred brown sugar, molasses, toasted bready cereal grain malt, hints of roast, lemony orange citrus, lime peel, almost minty cardamom, coriander, slight medicinal clove, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, white pepper, wet hay, straw, with floral earthy herbal grassy pine. Feels medium-lighter bodied, smooth and slick with creamy moderate carbonation. Overall a really nice Belgian pale strong ale.

Belgian beers tend to fascinate me like this one did the first few tastes as I was trying to decipher the flavor in utter amazement at the sheer complexity and uniqueness of strong Belgian ales like this. This one is a winter time Christmas style beer, and the flavor in itself feels like a gift to me. Great balance of flavors, sweet, strong, spice, subtle fruit notes from the yeast, real nice stuff imo. Cheers everyone, and happy New Beer Weekend!

 

Greetings - in response to the question, there are 18 styles that I haven't reviewed/rated - of those, I am leisurely seeking out good examples of half of them (mostly niche/regional Czech and German lagers) and given my tastes, actively avoiding the other half (e.g. milkshake IPAs, smoothie sours, etc.). Neither group is in great abundance on the shelves/tap-lists around me.

Today's new-to-me beer is a variant of something widely available - cheers!

3.7/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Packaged January 13, enjoyed on March 22, 2026 - poured from a 12oz can into a Duralex tumbler.

Hazy jasmine body with a fleeting ghost white cap, receding to a lasting collar and surface slick. Fine sandy lacing, average retention.

Lovely aroma suggests crushed orange with hints of white grape. Vaguely catty and floral as the ale warms.

Honey, marmalade, tangerine soda - sweet with a moderate but transient bitterness. Medium-dry, slightly herbal/grassy finish.

Medium-light bodied, soft yet fizzy. ABV is restrained.

A decent if unremarkable example of the style.

 

Tox Brewing continues their theme of naming all beers after poisons. This is Wolfsbane, a 6.5% Oatmeal Stout,
There are 4 other "Wolfsbane" beers in the BA database. I was unsure what it is, so I Googled, here is an explanation-
Also known as “monkshood,” the flowering plant has been used as a poison as far back as the 2nd century BCE and figured prominently in a Sherlock Holmes classic based on a true story.

Purchased cold at the brewery 8-days ago and kept cold until served. Warmed to around 45F to pour in a diagonally cut tumbler from a 16oz can dated 12/16/25.
The body is black, only showing some deep brown in the pour stream. A small ¼”/6mm dark-tan head fades quickly to a tiny ring. Lacing is minimal.
Smells of caramel, roast coffee and brown leaves emanate.
The taste is nicely bitter in the front and finish, however some sweetness appears in the middle. Notes of cacao dominate, but the caramel sneaks in to sugar-up the mid taste.
The mouthfeel is medium to light for an oatmeal stout. Carbonation could be stronger.
Although this beer isn’t phenomenal I still like it as too many stouts are too sweet for me.