New Beer Weekend #299

Good evening, everybody. Great to see the regulars, returnees, and infrequent visitors.

The sprout and I spent the morning burning brush. This was an annual rite of passage event when I was a kid. He did a 9 year old kid's worth of work. The missus brought us sushi for lunch - kinda weird for us pretend lumberjacks but totally cool. I don't usually burn - I tend to pile and let it rot but there was just too much this year with the blizzard and all.

So a refreshing beer seemed to be in order and I think I hit the jackpot:



This is Spring Kolsch Style Ale from Maine Beer Company. It's 5% and it was bottled on March 20, 2026. Bought cold and kept cold. I appreciate the "proper "labeling as a kolsch style ale. I donated our empties at the Veteran's collection spot and if course shopped a bit. This one had one of my magic words - kolsch!

Pours a pale golden color, very slightly hazy, and if I hadn't been paying attention that massive white head would have been all over the countertop. The foam lasts several minutes before falling to a hefty, rocky cap with nice cling to the glass.

It smells like brush burning... Nah...it smells of sweet, biscuity malts with citrus and floral notes with a little white wine. Straightforward and saying "drink me".

It's very good. Equally straightforward in flavor. Nicely sweet maltiness - kinda biscuit and cracker hybrid. There's a pleasant level of lemon and I get a tad bit of orange. There's a floral note that seems almost like rosewater. I do get the white wine grape taste that I enjoy with this style. There's a mild spice in the aftertaste - I'm leaning toward it being coriander but it's hard to say for sure. Perfect level of bitterness. Way late there's just a bit of black pepper.

Feel is light and refreshing. Bit of a tingle. It's not overly dry.

This is a tasty brew. Very well-made and pretty spot on for the style. I'd drink a bunch of these - no doubt. I've not had a bad beer from Maine Brewing. The hard part is finding them fresh so I totally lucked out in that regard. Good stuff - right around a 4.2, I'd say.

 

I like your plaque. I was just talking yesterday to this little old lady from Augsburg that my mom takes care of about Germany. She came over as a souvenir with a WWII soldier. Telling me about the 4 story house her family lived in with brewery and guest house. She made sure I knew it was "the oldest city in Germany." And that she never liked doing the heil! ....Never far from a decent beer in that land

 

Spring and new beginnings…thank you again for the welcoming start up @superspak, love the kitten news over the past few weeks.

Spring break comes to an end, a special one, this year it coincided with our youngest’s birthday. Good times were had by all, our third annual “yes day” with the kids which we always do over spring break was great. Good weather, sunny and cool, but ending sunny and warm. Bittersweet and stressful, we’re also moving out of our house tomorrow back in with in laws for the third time, this time hopefully only for two months. The foundation of our master suite addition is complete so it is time to move out for demo/etc. to begin Monday. We’ve lived in the same small rancher since we’ve been married and slowly renovated, but this is the big one, a family of four, we will finally have 2 bathrooms, hallelujah.

Anyway for this weekend I’m doing another new Von Trapp beer just like last weekend. Hefeweizen was an early craft style for me that I explored and it’s always held a special place for me. They’re much rarer today than they used to be so when Von Trapp finally distributed this one as their summer ale I was super excited.

Very much looking forward to this beer, let us dive in…

Von Trapp - Summer Ale (Hefeweizen 5%)



Pours orange brown brass, appropriately cloudy; white head, not much to mention though a very attractive uniform creamy cap persists.

The nose is quite vibrant; it’s all your typical hefe esters but they’re very bright; clove forward, underripe banana, something a little sweet.

Taste is very balanced; mainly clove filled banana bread, hint of something tart; little nilla wafer thing going on.

Body is light, ever so slightly effervescent, creamy and smooth though; drinks very clean, highly refreshing, minimal to no bitterness.

This is a beautifully balanced perfect warm weather hefeweizen I really enjoyed drinking it, I look forward to getting to know this beer better as I finish the six pack.

——————

That’s definitely it new beer wise for me; tomorrow is gonna be a lot for our family in terms of what has to get done.

I look forward to settling in as much as I can at in laws this week before a much needed weekend returns. I’ll have to find a new beer photo spot there. I’ll miss my normal photo shoot spot.

Look forward to all the beers tomorrow, be well and see you all next week with another new one I hope.

 

Fort George - Pilsner

12oz can served in a snulip. Can is dated 12/08/25.

Pours mostly clear pale yellow, big head and lots of carbonation. Head slowly settles into an uneven clumpy landscape, carbonation continues. Smell is light grass, more bread and bread yeast and grain. A little earthiness, and maybe a hint of honeysuckle.

Taste is much more on the bitter side than I expected from the smell. Much more earthiness, grass comes in more clearly, almost a woody astringence. Honeysuckle is there but just as understated as it was in the nose.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp. Nice beer.

 

Many great memories

 

Drinking this beautiful NEW beer on a beautiful Saturday here in the Gunks ...
This brewery is doing some amazing things! Going to Germany, visiting small towns, learning about forgotten styles and brewing methods, drinking, researching....
A beautiful golden amber with copper highlights. Faint nose of bread, biscuits , and nuts. Some flowery/earthy hop whispers, as well.
Taste is just exquisite. Subtle, refined, expertly crafted.
Moderate carbonation.
Ausgezeichnet!

 

What a color, I’ve always thought those deep amber beer, with that hint of red are the prettiest of all; especially when crystal clear. Sounds like it tastes pretty good too.

 

Darn it Larry, I had a bottle in my hand today as I replenished my Sunsine Pils stock but I passed. Maybe I got my beer for next weekend unless something else shows up before then.

 

Piney River Bock Bawk Beer ( Bock ), 6.0% ABV; 3.68 overall

Pours an effervescent scarlet/hazel with a thumb+ of tan head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Cakey, herbal hops, toasty. Nose fades once warm

T: Follows the nose, some dryness & woody hops up front. Toasty dryness, a little caramel, woody & tea like hops as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, toasty with herbal & woody hops

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation

Nice take on the style, more body & flavor required to really please me. Drinks fairly easy. I would this over Shiner by a mile

 

Jupiter Kolsch, 12oz skinny can served in a snulip. Can is dated 02/20/26. @Resistance88 gave it to me.
Pours clear dark yellow. Small head, lots of carbonation. Smell is bread yeast, bread dough, some grass.

Taste is richer than I expected. Grain and lager yeast, sweet -- reminds me a little of a malt liquor, which is funny at 5%.

Mouthfeel is also bigger than I expected -- a little on the chewy side. Overall...not bad, enjoying it, but not what I'd be hoping for when I was hoping for a kolsch.

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4453/
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4453/670312/
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Although it'd be a big cheat on my calories, I sure wish I had another one right now. The peppery taste is still lingering. It's just a nice, clean easy drinking beer. Nothing complicated, just well made. They also make (or made) an IPA called Spring - not sure what's up with that.

 

The Germans love some names enough it could be both. If only Stahlstrum was here to set us straight.

 

Right? My first taste, I quote literally said out loud "Oh for fuck's sake...." and my wife was worried.
Such good stuff. At least for a yeller beer.

 

Untied brewery morning breeze pilsner
... partially hazy light gold appearance with a lasting fluffy white head
... light carbonation with a just below average body.
...aroma is grain, cereal, sweet floral and earthy.
...taste is almost dry followed by a very mild sweetness. Some grain and cereal with earthy bitter hops that take over and linger
.... overall an interesting well done beer