New Beer Weekend #306

I agree that the foreign export stout is underrated. The style has a log history and as @Whyteboar points out, the easily available ones are pretty good quality. I initially wrote them off as probably crappy imports I learned differently after trying some.

Trying all the styles is a worthwhile exercise.



Pepa, Czech Pale Lager from Godspeed Brewery

From a 355ml can packaged on 06/Nov/2025. Poured into a glass mug. A one finger fine off white head on a hazy dark amber. The head settles down to a solid layer. Sheets of fine lacing.

Fresh bread and woody hops in the nose. The taste follows the nose. Lots of complexity. Mild wood. Some sweetness that diminishes with an almost imperceptibly bitter finish.

A light body and light carbonation. Overall an outstanding Czech Pale Lager. True to the style and well worth a try if you like Czech lagers.

4.32/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

 

Good evening NBW
Part of the latest Boulevard mixed six

Dark Crator Doppelbock

12oz bottle enjoy before 08FEB2029 poured into a pokal glass at fridge temp 12.5% ABV per label. The beer pours mostly bright medium brown with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. Complete web of lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring oak, vanilla and toasted malt. The taste is semisweet toasted malt with more oak, bourbon, vanilla. Mild bitterness. The feel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good strong bock.

Cheers all!

 

Alright, I finally picked up one of those mixed 12 packs from Sierra Nevada...with the Torpedo variations. Specifically, I really wanted to try the Rye Torpedo. There is also the Dual and Atomic Torpedo, which I haven't had either..so yeah I have three beers to review for NBW

First up is my much anticipated Rye Torpedo IPA, 6.2% ABV



Pours a orange/reddish color. A dense white head forms with excellent retention. Lacing for days, and this is what I call a looker.
An almost slow to develop hop aroma. With spiciness, bread, pine and citrus pith. Fairly by the books, but enjoyable.
Taste wise, like the nose, this takes a minute to open up. There is a spiciness, baked bread character. Citrus and pine bitterness lingering. By the books, but that is also what I like about it.
A medium body with crisp carbonation. This is wonderfully clean and beautifully dry. Which leads to an enjoyable IPA to drink.

Exactly what you would expect from a Rye IPA. Nothing more, nothing less. Which is comforting in a way. Maybe if the pine and citrus popped just a tad more, this would be exceptional. As is, just really good anyway.

Overall score is 3.93, solid B+ for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/791262/?ba=champ103#lists

Oh, and for me, I'm spinning all my Miles Davis "2nd Great Quintet" records this evening, for the 100 years of Miles celebration...so ignore my old records or not This is their first studio album, ESP.

 

My second Torpedo for the evening...

Dual Torpedo, DIPA, 8.2% ABV



Pours a clear yellow/orange color. A dense white head forms with retention and lacing for days.
A more muted aroma than expected. Citrus pith and pine are all there, but I want it to pop a little more.
Taste wise, the citrus pith and pine are more apparent. Along with some other fruity flavors. Some grains, malty sweetness, and light bitterness.
A medium to full body. Crisp carbonation that is clean and semi dry. Not hard to drink at all.

Its well made, but wish this popped more. Especially for the style, I could use a bit more bitterness in the finish. Though, enjoyable as always from Sierra Nevada.

Overall score is 3.8, right on my personal cut off for a B/B+
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/791261/?ba=champ103#lists

With the second of the "2nd Great Quintet" albums, Miles Smiles

 

And the last of the Torpedo's that I haven't had from this mix pack...

Atomic Torpedo, 9.2% ABV, DIPA.



Pours a brilliantly clear orange color. The requisite dense white head forms with excellent retention and lace left behind.
Citrus, fruity melon and berry aromas. Which is simple and enjoyable for what it is.
Taste wise, like the nose, that citrus, fruity melon, and berry flavors. That fruit salad mix that I always get with these kinds of IPA's. That fruitiness becomes sweet, and I would likes some more bitterness lingering.
A medium to full body. Much less carbonation than expected, certainly "soft" and wishing it was more crisp. Though not bad at all to drink.

I think they succeeded in what they wanted to make. And for what it is, this is well made. I just prefer more carbonation, bitterness, and less sweet fruity flavors. That doesn't mean I'm not enjoying it, just not my preferred interpretation of the style. I can see why this is a hit with others though.

Overall score is 3.6. in the B range for me
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/553273/?ba=champ103#lists

And the 3rd of the "2nd Great Quintet" with Nefertiti. All of these albums are masterpieces IMO ha. And you can explore the music on these albums over at the WBAYDN thread if you want...

The Torpedo's had a bit of diminishing returns for me, but they are all quality. I'll have no issues finishing of the rest of the mix pack.

 

Hey, thats what I drank a lot when I worked in Trinidad many many years ago now ha. That brings me back, and if memory serves, I thought it was very good. And if I couldn't get Guinness Foreign Extra Stout where I was working, this was a very solid substitute, and with even more punch.

 

@Whyteboar I wish there were more well Made Alt Biers out there. To me, Diebel's Alt was the standard, I drank a ton of this in Germany, made for a nice break from all the Lagers available. Most of the American Alt Biers I've tried have left me wanting.

Olde Mecklenburg's Copper is a rare exception'

Double edit: Hop Sticke from KB Bier also choice

 

Funny you mention altbier, I plan to purchase a pack of Long Trail Ale this weekend.

 

New Beer Weekend…the only place on BA where I get to vicariously drink the SN Torpedo Pack in back to back to back posts, thank you @champ103

 

Had my first one out of the box today, truly enjoyed it...



4.03/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Truly enjoyed this offering from SA...

Kinda felt like it was an 'almost dessert' beer. Smell sweetly delicious of blueberries, and had that nice tinged coloration to look at in the glass. I found it to be more carbonated that I prefer, and though it wasn't as sweet on the tongue as it smelled, it was still refreshing. Definitely glad I have a few on hand with the FL heat starting to settle in...

 

Narro gauge Brewing Cloud City Hazy IPA w/Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy & El Dorado Hops, also Oats, 7.4% ABV; 4.24 overall


Canned4/17/2026

Pours a very hazed straw/gold with 3+ fingers of whippy pearl colored head. Great head retention & nice lacing

S: Citrus, melons, tropical fruit comes on once warmed up

T: Pomelo, dryness, a little lime & white grape up front, some guava & passion fruit too. Some tangerine, guava, a little pink grapefruit as this beer warms up. Finishes with white grape, pomelo & passion fruit

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, a little gritty, nice balance

Drinks easy, solid Hazy, not quite great

 

Sklepník stainless from Godspeed Brewery

There are two versions of this beer. One is made in pitch lined wooden vessels and one is made in stainless tanks. This is the stainless version.

A 355ml can dated May 08, 2025, poured into a pilsner glass. A big three finger off white head on a slightly hazy gold. Excellent head retention. Lots of lacing.

Fresh grain, some grass in the nose. Some noble hop aroma. Taste is of bready malts. Sweet at first. A subdued but long dry hop finish.

A medium/light body with good carbonation. Overall a solid take on a classic style.

4.07/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Callsign Brewery ( Veteran Owned ) Bomber Brown Ale, 5.9% ABV; 3.68 overall

Pours an effervescent copper/caramel color with 2+ fingers of persistent tan head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Toasty, faint coffee notes

T: Toasty, nutty, some woody hops up front, a little brown sugar too. Woody hops, toastyness, dryness & coffee present as this beer warms up, some toffee notes too.

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, body thins a bit once warmer, skews to the hoppy side of this style. Nothing wrong with that

Solid American Brown, just needed a little more across the board. decent drinkability

 

1st of likely several new beers this weekend!


4.01/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A beautiful bright vibrant pour with a thick white fluffy head; though it doesn't linger, the lacing sticks...
Not much aroma, some light biscuit malt and sweet orange marmalade.
Taste highlights the Citra: sweet orange marmalade, mango and pineapple, with some subtle saltiness that provides nice base/balance. While it presents as a WCIPA, it's surprisingly refined in bitterness; def expected, i.e., hoped for, more hop bite.
Mouthfeel is nice, as a DIPA has a little more body and a syrupy sweetness on the finish. Lip-smacking Citra hop goodness in a glass!

 

Blundered into at a Kansas City Total Wine ( I believe they bought out Lukas ) Stored at store temp. Tox Brewing Co. Poltergeist DDH Triple IPA, 10.0% ABV; 4.09 overall


Pours a very hazy gold with 2+ fingers of pearl colored head. Stays murked up, some floaties, stellar head retention & lacing

S: Cantaloupe, cakeyness, faint citrus, a bit of grassyness once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, some pink grapefruit, dryness, a little pineapple up front. Pomelo, pineapple cake & a bit of booze soaking through the dessert, a bit dry too once warmed up. Finishes with some boozy pineapple cake & a little vanilla

MF: Medium to chewy body, creamy carbonation. Good balance, a bit gritty, some acidity late, some booze warmth late

All things considered the ABV is felt, but not over the top. Drinks great, would love to try one that was stored cold & confirmed fresh

 

Narrow Gauge. Thanks spellcheck