New Beer Sunday (week 524)

kemoarps · Mar 9, 2015

cookiequiz said: ↑

Failed to post NB#2S earlier this afternoon:

Ran across a few of these and—although they're getting a bit up there in age—figured it was worth picking a couple up to find out what 'Tasmanian' does to 'IPA'.

In a word—good! Some nice interesting funkiness—my wife thought durian?, but I'm not sure; maybe papaya??—from the galaxy, and bursting with aromas of the tropics, whatever that means. Funny how associations work. For both of us, the first thought was 'tropical!'

It reminds me of SN's Boomerang, although everything's just a bit turned-up, and the tropical element is much more coherent.

And—

—yes, you really do want to try that beer! Here's hoping some finds its way to your neck.
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This.
Perennial makes some amazing brews. I had easy (enough) access to BCBS. Bell's. Founders. A whole host of other fantastic local/regionals. These were all beers that I had at my fingertips when I lived in Saint Louis, but what I really find myself missing and jonesing for is this. TIPA and its transglobal sibling AIPA (personal preference for the down under, but they are both outstanding in their own rights). Every once in a while I'll feel the need for one of those two specifically. Good stuff, especially fresh (duh!).

2beerdogs · Mar 9, 2015

kemoarps said: ↑

Seeing the same beer show up on the same week is one of my favourite phenomena here in NBS. Getting to see the exact same product filtered through multiple different peoples' experiences is fascinating to me: revealing much about the beer, and a little about each reviewer as well! Neat stuff. Anyway.

This is going to become delicious pulled pork in several hours.

At this stage it's almost as pasty as me! Bad puns come for no additional cost (void where prohibited, some restrictions apply).

It's been such a mild and, frankly, beautiful winter up here that a: I forget how rough most of the rest of the country has had it, and 2: I worry about the summer/the reservoirs/etc. I took my Porter up to the roof when I woke up, as I do so I can let her off her leash and let out some energy; toss her ball, chase her around the planters, etc. My neighbour and his girlfriend showed up soon after to enjoy the the sunset (god DAMN it is a beautiful view up there. The mountain was REALLY popping tonight). They decided they should get a puppy as well, since Porter is so damn adorable. We sat around the fire pit and shot the shit for a couple of hours while Porter ran around, and the roof slowly filled with other randoms. The first time I'd seen so many people up there independent of one another. Good times.
Shamelessly swaggerjacking our very own @Greywulfken

My beginning-of-the-evening brew is, as promised, another random collab anniversary brew. Fremont teamed up with Bartell's to produce a DIPA celebrating the latter's 125th anniversary. Available not even at the brewery, but only at Bartell's (which still seems so random to me), Spring Elixir pours a crisp clear gold with a massive white head. The nose is the weakest link of the whole, bringing forward a conofusing mix of tropical fruits, yellow citrus, grainy malts, and spicy pepper. There's nothing wrong with any of these things, and the smell is still enjoyable, but the rest of the brew is really fantastic and this seemed a little less put together to me than the rest. Flavour jumps whole heartedly into the tropical fruit basket to start with sweet juicy pineapple, mango, papaya and even guava dominating the first impression. Citrus comes in later and there's an interesting swell about 2/3 through that isn't quite flavour, isn't quite body, and feels more like a bump than a feature. Roll with it. As much as the lead was sweet and innocent, the finish commits whole heartedly to the pithy grapefruit bitter hinted at previously. Another successful collabo for 8 March!

I believe there was some mention previously of real world superheroes (vanity/post-ception!). I love my job. It's literally exactly what I've wanted to do ever since I had a something I wanted to do. For this reason, every time anyone asks me about it, or I end up talking about it for whatever reason, I feel guilty, like I'm bragging or something (the fact that speaking positively about something associated with myself makes me feel bad is a whole another psychological issue to unpack at another time...). That being said, I love where I work. Fairly frequently we get 'special visitors' who come try and perk up these kids going through an unfathomably tough time. I walk past the sign shown in this picture almost every day (night. Whatever [also, I'm a little ashamed to admit that it took me a while to realize that that was StarLord on the red side. The first couple of times I walked by I thought it was Magneto getting hit by Miley's wrecking ball or something. My bad Austin!). These two are far from the only ones who come stroll our hallways, and there is undoubtedly a cynical PR-level angle involved as well, but I can personally attest to the benefit that such visits instill in the patients. That's why I used the teaser of real-life super heroes. That sign has been up there for quite some time (side note to give some love to the child life office who makes a similar sign for each and every BMT patient we have, customized based on whatever that kids specific interests/loves are: those guys are amazing) - ever since just before he received his transplant, actually (I already feel like I'm tiptoeing close to HIPAA, so specific time periods necessitously remain a mystery) - and so when I heard that the Chris' Pratt and Evans decided to visit SCH (even though Pratt lost the bet... still pretty raw...), I had my fingers crossed that they would make sure to swing by this direction. I'm rambling. The point is: even if there is personal/PR gain to be had by those making the visits, the effect they have is still tangibly real (literally: you want to talk about pain scores/opioid usage before/after having met their heroes?). Somewhere in there %10.5 snuck up on me and I lost the gist of what I was trying to get at. The point, I suppose, is that even this old(~) cynic appreciates some of the actions of the succesful, and in particular when its something that lines so neatly up with my own little world. Kudos to Pratt and Evans (especially since he came in costume!), and next time, you should come during night shift!

Last but not least to @rgordon: I'm glad you enjoyed them! I had a hell of an enjoyable time putting the box together, so I'm glad that some of that transferred. And I'm glad you were able to enjoy some of them cross-generationally. My Opa doesn't drink, but the first time I shared a full beer with my dad (growing up, he'd occasionally give me a small sip of his [ostensibly] either Full Sail IPA or SNPA) was a can of heineken I believe on a little sailboat with my dad, his dad, and my little brother, after sailing in a regatta that my Opa flew out from Greensboro specifically to take us kids out on the water. Good times!

Since it's too late to worry about going overlong, here's an encore!

Soon...
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You're doing God's work @kemoarps . No doubt. I just lost my mom to that bitch C, and I've known many others. The people who work with them, willingly- nay enthusiastically, are truly a blessing. It takes a level of humanity, empathy, and inspiration to do that work, and with kids nonetheless. Thanks for sharing.

Shroud0fdoom · Mar 9, 2015

GetMeAnIPA said: ↑

That review is on point. As you know I am a huge MT fan. Love this beer because I just don't see good interpretations of this style that are available around the same price point and not bombers or 750s. Great pool and beach beer too! Wish I drink one of your beers on Sunday so I could have reviewed them but they were too good I like I dusted them in a week.
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I just need a summertime hook up of Fortunate Island and Lomaland. That Fortunate Islands is the Tits! Citric, Tropical and refreshing. After that City of the Dead, I now know these guys know what they're doing! Cheers!

Shroud0fdoom · Mar 9, 2015

JMS1512 said: ↑

A hearty hello to you, rye rogues and Munich mercenaries, it’s time once again for your weekly, awaited harangue from NWNJ’s Cicerone-in-studying, John. It’s a heatwave up here, reaching sultry temperatures of 40 degrees F˚. The icicles drip and the beer pours. I’ve recently been on a rye kick, or a rye barrel kick, so past endeavors included Garden State Rhapsody (NJ exclusive awesomeness) Rhye IPA by Smutty Nose, and last night, Black is the New Wit. Click for quick review. Today? A 2013 bottle of Ithaca’s Anniversary Fifteen. Labeled as a dark rye ale, it called to me.

Poured with energy into my pilsner glass, courtesy of my brother in Seattle, WA. He gave me three of them as a gift, each etched on the outside with the logo of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command logo. Fun fact- he’s now a civilian. I raise this glass in his honor and honorable discharge.

Sight: Dark amber/brown with an SRM of maybe 24-26(?) body with tan head, fluffy and craggy. It looks like the inside of a volcano initially, but settles down. Small bubbles rise to the surface in a Sunday-driver like leisure. Lacing deposits thick rings around my glass.

Smell: Spicy phenols from either the yeast or the rye. Most of the aroma is subtle. This is a 2013 bottle, so maybe that explains it.

Taste: More tang and spice, with a good malt structure. Sweetness shows up too, and a small bitterness to the finish. Perhaps, since it’s an older bottle, it’s more balanced than Ithaca intended when fresh. One might also detect a little soy-sauce as stated by another reviewer.

Feel: Medium minus, with gentle carbonation. Good finish with the spice and tang.

Overall: I wish I had been able to try one of these fresh. It feels like a balanced German brown. Enjoyable, but I felt a little ambivalent. I mean, it’s good… but I can’ wait until next NBS when I open either:

A) River Horse’s Rye Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Milk Stout

B) Firestone Walker’s Sucaba

or

C) Firestone Walker’s 18

Hey, let’s make it an unofficial poll. What do you want to see me review?

And now for something German that I also feel ambivalent about:

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I'd Recommend option C, FW knows how to blend!

New Beer Sunday (week 524)

kemoarps Grand Pooh-Bah (3,256) Apr 30, 2008 Washington
Pooh-Bah Trader

2beerdogs Grand Pooh-Bah (5,682) Jan 31, 2005 California
BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

Shroud0fdoom Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Maryland

Shroud0fdoom Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Maryland

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New Beer Sunday (week 524)

kemoarps Grand Pooh-Bah (3,256) Apr 30, 2008 Washington Pooh-Bah Trader

2beerdogs Grand Pooh-Bah (5,682) Jan 31, 2005 California BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

Shroud0fdoom Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Maryland

Shroud0fdoom Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Maryland

kemoarps Grand Pooh-Bah (3,256) Apr 30, 2008 Washington
Pooh-Bah Trader

2beerdogs Grand Pooh-Bah (5,682) Jan 31, 2005 California
BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader