New Beer Weekend #305

My nightmare, godspeed Ian and I hope you pass through OK. Best of luck to you and looking forward to those NA beer reviews.

One more thing...

 

We have a member of the NBW family to blame for it... I'm good out monsters for the next year now I think.

 

Driving permit...Thus it begins.

 

Take care, Ian! Kidney stones can be brutal.

 

YIKES. Sorry to hear it, man. May your recovery be swift and complete.

 

Well, I'll chip in with this one. Pretty tasty for a, to me, unexciting style.
Krispi Kiwi
On tap at Cask & Hammer.
Typical looking rise lager. Abundant white head. Good retention, moderate lacing.
Nose has a nice pop of tropical notes. Kiwi, lemongrass, and a mild grain note.
Flavor is as described, a hoppy rice lager. Not over the top. A smooth, lightly bitter, presentation of kiwi, citrus rind, and crackery grain.
Mouthfeel is crisp, light, with active carbonation.
Solid.
3.93/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Pizza Port Brewing Summer Sunlight IPA. Inspired by @augustgarage. Provided by @Nugganooch. To answer @Beersnake's question, I have shared beers in-person with seven people who posted on the first two pages of this thread, and in every case, at least twice. I have zero family or friends outside of BeerAdvocate who are passionate about craft beer. My answer to this question, is that I enjoy sharing beers in-person with every BeerAdvocate. I have never met one I did not enjoy every minute with. I have visits with many BeerAdvocates scheduled on my calendar, and I look forward to every one of them. I do need to travel to California for one massive beer share. I think @Resistance88 and I will make the national news, one way or another, when we drink endless imperial stouts together. And my invitation remains, make your plans to travel to Lambeau Field for a game. I have many beers waiting for us to split, and for us to share our thoughts about in this thread. Onto to this beer. The look is beautiful California IPA clear, sunflower yellow, with a gorgeous white cloud cover. The smell is buttered popcorn, grapefruit, pine needles, and resin. The taste is grapefruit, lime, and pine needles, but the flavor is a bit mild. The mouthfeel is crisp, clean, and soft, with medium carbonation. Overall, this is a nice, refreshing session WCIPA that is not as incredible as other WCIPAs from this brewery, but it sends most WCIPAs made in Wisconsin home on a stretcher. Thank you, @Nugganooch!

 

Nishi, a German Pilsner from Godspeed Brewery

From a 355ml can packaged on Feb 19 2026. Poured into a Pilsner glass. a three finger white head on a clear gold. Good head retention. A solid layer sticks around. Lots of bubbly lacing.

Clean grain smells. The taste follows the nose. with some floral hops. A hoppy finish.

A medium/light body with good carbonation. Overall a clean, hoppy pilsner.

3.77/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

 

Happy NBW everyone, just a couple new ones for me today. Started off with this good one from The Bruery:

Toasted Delight | The Bruery | BeerAdvocate





Taste pretty much was just like the label described so I have no complaints there. Should have my other new beer posted here in a little bit, cheers!

 

Hallelujah, we made it through another week and have a three day weekend!!! It is a washout here but I’ll take it over that early heat wave we had to start the week. Addition still in no movement phase, inspections and minor stuff; apparently we’ll be “rolling” this coming week, insulation, drywall, etc, I’ll believer it when I see it Normally I’d rant longer but I love your question this week @Beersnake, essay incoming…

My dad and brother both enjoy beers but my brother in law is my beer nerd best friend; he worked at several different breweries in their QA labs so we love needing out over flavors. I love that if I think a beer is off he can verify “oh yea, thats…” My other favorite person to share beer with is @skivtjerry, whom our families mutually adopted one another about 9 years ago now, can’t wait to be sipping one with you in August Jerry, if you see this tag and have a new beer join the fun this weekend!!

I wish my mom’s dad, my grampy, had lived past my childhood, my uncle says the Jones line is why I love beer so much, he used to let me try Odoul’s sips when I was younger at family gatherings. He used to send “surprise boxes” full of goodies as kids and one time there was a six pack of Ballantine inside, that was for dad though haha, would’ve loved to sit and drink one with him by the Farmington River where he used to live in Farmington, CT.

Now my favorite current people to share beer with, all of you!

Today’s beer comes from one of you, our friend @2beerdogs, who sent me a message asking if he could share a bottle with me. That box arrived this week with a few others to fill it out, one for next weekend. This is a beer I’ve never tried but know is highly sought after so it will be interesting to try and see what all the hype is about. Here we go…

Russian River - Pliny the Younger (TIPA 10.25% )



Pours bright, golden hued; chill haze like with sustaining white head with above average retention.

Vibrant nose; fruit punch like paired with classic notes, bright zesty citrus oils; orange and tangerine come to mind; a dash of pine and a little vegetal dankness, more so as it warms.

Taste is all that, just amped up a huge amount, just in your face flavor; big hit of classic malt character then a huge amount of orange colored citrus present, some overripe tropical fruit, earthy dank character, and masked pine on the finish.

Body is big, but it drinks very smooth for its weight; one could drink this beer quickly and then realize their mistake, there is some throat heat but its not evident at first and is easily forgotten; smoothly carbonated with a sticky bitterness; if 10% is drinkable, this beer is it.

Wow, I’m good on a high abv for the next year now but I thank you for the opportunity to try this beer @2beerdogs, very kind of you. I think that may be it for me new beer wise this weekend but as I always say, time will tell.

Either way, you’re not getting rid of me, talk and reading about your beers is one of my favorite parts of the week…

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Some great lacrosse and hockey this weekend, go habs go!!

 

Blue Lobster Celtic New Year Port BA Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, 10% ABV. Batch 2013. Pours dark reddish brown, with half-finger beige head that left great lacing. Aroma is port wine. Taste is grapes, Some spice and caramel, slightly sweet, slightly bitter. The port overpowers. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, and carbonation is understandably light. Overall very good.

3.83/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This ticks New Hampshire on my way to all-states.

 

Get well soon Ian, and we'll be awaiting your percocet review!

 

Next up with my last new beer of the day is a sour stout from The Bruery:

Tart of Darkness: Cherry Nocturne | The Bruery | BeerAdvocate





I liked this one overall. Think the black cherry flavor stood out to me, but wish the tartness and barrel had more of a kick. With the holiday weekend I plan on having some more new beers tomorrow to post, cheers everyone!

 

Cheers all. Rather a long while since I've taken the time to post here. But since I'm on desktop it's a quick spin.

This is Interweave by Counterweight and Fox Farm. Two heavyweights in CT, particularly in terms of lager. I'd argue this is something like Counterweight in taste and Fox Farm in feel. That's a gross understatement, but that would be my one liner.

If ever in state I would argue these two guys, alongside Nebco are must-trys. From a taproom perspective I suppose Fox Farm would win, particularly on a nice day. Though, being able to find a nice spot at Counterweight, perhaps to read or do a puzzle or just to listen to the music is a nice way to kill a couple hours (and pints).

Just to share the love, I will always suggest folks visit Relic, or NewPark or say Caius Farm or Kent Falls for wonderful beer and a good taproom experience. Ultimately, we have great breweries in-state, and the majority are worth visiting. So cheers to Counterweight, Fox Farm and everyone else.



4.64/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
True to style. Aroma is spicy and sharp, clean, vegetal. Taste is bitter upfront, clean and easy albeit challenging. There's a distinct Workhorse-y yeast presence and a very spicy hop note that prods and presses throughout. Great pint.

 

Back again to share my impressions of this lovely tripel...cheers!

4.13/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Best before end November 2026 (likely packaged in October 2024), enjoyed on May 23rd, 2026. Poured from a caged-and-corked 750mL bottle into a Unibroue tulip.

Murky Hunyadi yellow body beneath a (initially) voluminous raft of floral-white soft peaks. Rich creamy lacing; superior retention.

Ester-laden aromatics with brioche, orange-flower honey, and hints of white pepper. Subdued and mature.

Mild grassy/spicy bitterness on the palate (yeast phenols and noble hops) with hints of winter fruit (e.g. unripe pear) and a whisper of almost-funk (oak? ripe cheese?). Linear yet complex, with a fairly dry, slightly earthy (but still fruity) finish.

Medium-full bodied, soft with good carbonation; appropriate warming from the ABV.

A slow, lumbering, sleepy, slightly austere but superbly balanced example of the style, imbued with old world charm.

 

Back home after the field trip to Maine - it was mostly pleasant. The missus slipped and cracked her knee in the shower, so it was kind of like the "except for the shooting, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln".

My wife and I share beers all the time, so she's my partner in crime 100%. Most of the people we know haven't gotten out of the volume drinking category including relatives - couple of exceptions and we will gift them "horizon broadening" beers from time to time just 'cuz. No pretensions - just here...try it you might like it. We've done tastings a couple times with friends - mostly successful but for the one whiney guy who didn't like anything. My son used to be beer manager at a high end package store but he only occasionally has a beer. Told him he's welcome to any of the ample inventory in the house but he rarely partakes.

@superspak - get well, Ian. Kidney stones suck.

We stopped at Throwback Brewery on the way home for lunch. Got there just as it was getting mobbed. Great food, pleasant and fun service, and some nice beers. We haven't been in a few years - they have really done a lot with the farm and it looks really popular since there wasn't a parking space left shortly after we got there.



From left to right...

Tom Yum Boom - sour ale with ginger, coconut, Thai chili, kaffir lime, lemon grass. No clue what the base is but kinda gose-like. Extremely light, maybe a wee bit heavy on the earthy ginger/lemon grass, but tasty overall. Just enough coconut and lime to notice. Great companion for Asian foods but I could oddly see it with BBQ just as easily.

Holy Chamoly Party Pants - fruited sour with apricot, plum, lime, tamarind, hibiscus, and chili d'Arbol. Tons of flavor plus the floral sweet of the hibiscus, fruity, hint of lime and the chili says a pretty good hello after the swallow. Went nicely with the food. Some followed us home - I'll review it in the future.

Yas Queen - an attempt at a kolsch style brew. It was leaning heavy towards being a pilsner in my opinion but it had that white grape thing I find in a good kolsch. It was OK.

Abbey After Dark - a dubbel aged in rum and red wine barrels. After drinking the big bold barrel stuff up north this was very different. The barrel treatment was subtle- clearly there but highly restrained. Not quite sure they hit the dubbel style on the head but it was a good drinking beer. Nice maltiness with some sweetness from the rum and tang from the red wine.

Nice to see this place apparently flourishing. Woman owned, sustainable, local sourcing and farm to table as much as possible. We remember driving by the very rundown property many years ago wondering what they were thinking - vision is pretty clear now.

 

Cats and Dogs
Ill Will Brewing
8% fruited smoothie sour



Pour oozed out of a squishy pint can, the body appears to be orange juice. Neither head nor lacing.

Aroma is a mix of pineapple, orange and vanilla. Like a liquified St. Joseph Aspirin for those familiar with that children's aspirin and not meant as a slag.

Taste follows nose as this beer is a smoothie in taste and a good tasting one. Pineapple in charge with orange and vanilla in lesser amounts. No hops. No malts. A bit of lactose. At swallow there is a mild sour funk that fades fast. No sign of the ABV.

Mouthfeel is good, pretty heavy and smooth. No carbonation.

Another odd duck from Ill Will. Not a beer in my book, but an interesting and tasty beverage.

 

Here we have Fremont Non-Alcoholic IPA, my first NA beer. It will do in a pinch. Cheers!
_______________
3.94/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz can (code 27117 / 12:08:113581:107—no idea what this indicates) into a tulip. Pours a slightly hazy golden straw color with a big frothy white head.

Aroma is big citrusy hops—juicy and bright. Pineapple, grapefruit, mandarin orange. Smells wonderful.

Taste leads off with pale biscuity malt, along with citrusy hops. There’s a seltzer-ish, crushed-aspirin quality to the flavor that I can’t nail down, also kind of lemony, but I assume this is the malt flavor with the alcohol sweetness removed. Not bad but just kinda different.

Mouthfeel is also just a little thin, but it’s kind of refreshing. Medium-light body.

Overall, this was probably a good first NA beer to try. Hops are pretty much exactly the same as any other IPA—no need to tweak that. The malt/body is where the differences are, but I’m not sure I’d have known this was an NA beer if I hadn’t bought it. I might have just thought it was a very sessionable “normal” beer.