New Beer Sunday (week 564)

I dig that Igloo! I like the retro appearance on it. I wish I had a good Jai waiting for me today though...

 

Well, here we are in Octember! It's going to be maybe 71 degrees today. When it does get cold we'll be shocked. Dogs and people are everywhere, my neighbor's honey bees are all over our Camellias. I see people walking that probably haven't in years. But it is good for them to get out. I like crappy days.
Today's beer is 09 Harvey and Son A. Le Coq Imperial Double Stout. This one's been around, stored well, but ready to drink.It's not as inky black as I remember, having some brown edges, like older Rioja, Sherry and some older Port.
It pours nicely, brooding away and still alive. A touch of burnt maderized nose and interesting to watch. The first sip is noticeably sour, not unpleasantly, but sour for sure. This beer is 6 years old, softer and lighter than I thought it might be. It was in a cool dark place, well knitted together, pleasant, smooth, and a bit strange. With aeration some of the sourness dissipates, but it does persist.
Not a blockbuster, but excellent with the foraged Oyster Mushroom pizza. It's worth a try.
We just found a Black Widow in our sun room. Cripes!



The Oysters on the cutting board came from the deep woods behind my son's house. There's the pie that we quickly destroyed. Next is my grandson Owen stomping through the Duke Forest, harvesting a good load of Oysters.
Here's a tune that I completely forgot about.

 

Agreed, the database is very confusing with most of the Terrapin entries, some have Terrapin in the beer name, so do not. This one especially was tough to figure out; and I also put in a request to have it merged with others; seems those requests take longer than others.
Anyway, it's a tasty beer and if you don't remember having it before, than I think it's ok to review it here as a new entry!

 

Hello all,

A slightly abbreviated greeting and wind-up this morning, as I have to head off to work. Happy announcement- I am now employed, full-time, at a liquor store in the next town over. Cause for celebration. And as always, I've an enthralling beer review for those of you who care to read it. Click here for the post on my blog. I'll see you all later, when I get home, likely with a bottle in hand. Enjoy the day- it's 65 up here in NWNJ. It's beginning to look a lot like April.

Prost!

 

A little before work beverage... almost opened by Xocoveza for the Holidays instead but I think I'm going to wait a couple weeks before having that.

Beer #823: Plow Horse by Brewery Vivant


$4.99 pint can. Poured into a mini-mug. The style sounded interesting to me and it didn't have horrendous reviews, so I figured it was worth a shot.

Appearance: Pitch black with a fizzy head that bubbles away after a few seconds. No lacing. Doesn't sound (carbonation) like an imperial stout, so that's a bummer.

Smell: Roasted malt, chocolate, dark fruits, maybe a little coffee. Old newspaper vibe from this beer too, which I get in stouts occasionally, but I'm thinking the yeast is causing it in this one. Doesn't smell particularly funky, like I'd expect from Vivant.

Taste/feel: Hits the tongue with a medium body and a pretty high, prickly carbonation ... doesn't strike me as a 9% imperial stout. Drinks rather light. Flavors are much of what the smell is, except with a fairly intense sweetness on the front with a really small metallic flavor that lingers to the end of the sip. Aftertaste is probably the best part, as it features bitter and sweet roasted malt flavors with a little char and also the Belgian yeast. Not particularly exciting, to be honest.

It almost seems like Brewery Vivant is scared to put too much Belgian flair into some of their beers now for whatever reason. The Belgian character in this one is so faint that had I drank this blindly, I probably wouldn't have guessed it. I mean there's a slight wet newspaper sort of strange flavor, but that makes this beer come off a little more old tasting than it does Belgian. Also, the mouthfeel on this one is a definite bummer. Still, this is a pretty decent beer. I appreciate the attempt and it has a mild but unique flavor to it, but I'm not too sure I'm intrigued enough to spend $5 for a can of it again.

3.66/5 (-7.6% rDev)

 

The Court (As if I speak for everyone?) absolutely forgives you. One of the trickiest things about reviewing is making sure the beer you're drinking is "the right one." I just experienced this last night with Samichlaus! It's packaged as Samichlaus Classic AND Samichlaus Schwarzes! it's the same exact beer (I researched, trust me), and there are two different entries on the BA database. Thus, I understand what you mean. Cheers!

 

new to me, I have had the hop skip ipa from Brickstone, now the apa here



pours clear orange and the head Is good, not large
great smell of sweet malt and orange and pine notes, I like that.
has that great piney taste and fruity orange to boot. great style for me
good bitterness level on the tongue,chewy mouthfeel.
this brewery kind of came out of nowhere for me, I look forward to more from them.

 

Yeah, the majority of the ratings for this beer are under "Imperial Oatmeal Stout," I believe. I highly suggest you age this if you have multiples. I drank a 3 year old version and it was phenomenal. Developed a ridiculous chocolate syrup-like flavor.

I have never truly enjoyed a Breckenridge beer. What do you suggest I try from them? You're review above sounds delicious, but I've never seen this beer in NM.

 

Congratulations pal o' mine! Fantastic and I am sure that you will excel! It does look like spring to me too.

 

Happy NBS everyone. I'm going to take a moment to tell you how to let good beer find you! I was scanning the local trade forums and someone had Caffe Americano for trade looking for Black Note. I offered the only Black Note I had with some other options. We were both very happy and this was a beer that was not on my radar! It's fun to look over the trade forums and help others out in your area; never know what you'll come across.

Caffe Americano has an aroma of a deep roast with espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla and caramel. One of the most inviting beer aromas. Flavor is deep decadent chocolate with a good amount of espresso, and coffee. The vanilla, caramel and coca give it a pleasant sweeter balance.So complex and so well blended together. It's all there and I can't imagine a better tasting coffee beer.Smooth, rich, velvety and decadent. CC nailed this beer and it is the best non BA coffee stout that I have enjoyed.

This is the highest rating I have given a beer in some time at 4.83!

 

It depends what you've tried, or what you like. I'm really bad at suggestions. Setting my biased love aside, I do think their Oatmeal Stout is solid, and my perfect death would be to drown in a pool of their Christmas Ale. I also drink the shit out of their SummerBright summer seasonal. Despite my review, ironically, their vanilla porter is probably my least favorite. They do seasonals really well. Everyone has their favorite brewery and beers, so from that standpoint anything I suggest is subjective.

 

That's a great gift!

 

This one is listed in the database weird. I think this is the main listing for WnB...

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2372/21950/

Cheers!

 

NBS beer 1 from me to day is one that most will have already had. However it's my first time with this baby.



Bottled 09/15/15

Founders Breakfast Stout

Founders Brewing Company
American Double / Imperial Stout / 8.30% ABV

4.12/5 rDev -7.8% | Avg: 4.47
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

L- Pours a viscous black forming a half centimeter mocha head. Lacing is spotty but lasting.
S- Smell is more chocolate than coffee.
T- Taste unlike the nose is more balanced between bitter chocolate and coffee.
F- Thick, smooth and coats the tongue. Carbonation is light which adds to the thick mouthfeel.
O- This beer is a very good coffee stout. It's just not my thing being too coffee forward for my liking. One thing I can't deny is that this is very well crafted. If you like coffee, you'll like this beer.

 

Good day!
Super up and down last night at work. For the first ten or eleven hours the damnedest dilemma I encountered was when I was staring at the pizza we decided to order, telling myself how I didn't even want any more, so I should just leave the rest for someone else. Then there was that insipid voice that kept going, "yeah, but I bet you couldn't fit that whole slice in your mouth at once. No way you could do that. You probably shouldn't even try.




...right?"
I sure showed him.

But then my stomach hurt for a while. As the night was wrapping up though, my NPO kid woke up and decided that THIS morning of all mornings he was starving. to. death. And they sent us two kids we knew were just going to go right back to the ICU, but they didn't want to admit them direct because... reasons? (and sure enough, a couple of RRTs later...) And then my little autistic buddy had his port infiltrate while I was running his antibiotics and starts screaming bloody murder.
You know how they say timing is the key to humor? FUNNY STUFF I'M SURE.

Well, THAT rambling aside, I get to come home to this booger (and her kitty), and my brother is in town for a couple of days, after finally making it through the flooding in Oregon/SW Washington.


I finally made my way out to West Seattle, with cause, and -- as the night was still young when I began my trek back to the north side -- opted to FINALLY make my way to The Beer Junction. I realize I've only been once, but I was IMMENSELY impressed. Selection was great, sure. Presentation was nice. Right across the street from where we'd gotten pizza, so it was convenient. But the gentleman with whom I was interacting behind the counter really pushed it over the top. Among the other pleasantries, what really stood out to me was when he actually talked me out of one of the beers I had grabbed out of curiosity. Didn't try to talk me into something else, just didn't think I would enjoy it from our conversation and so suggested I leave it behind. Not to say the folks at the other bottle shops around here haven't offered valuable insight or directed me away from stuff I may not like as much or been pushy or anything, but just everything about the exchange just struck the right chord. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this example is not necessarily an unique experience, but seems to be the best specific(ish) example of what stuck with me from a great experience. Point is, I was glad I finally dropped in, and I am glad I have an excuse to be in that area again in the near future.
So one of the bottles I DID pick up was from a newer brewery, located in this wonderful state's capitol (HOW new you aren't asking? ROUGHLY ONE YEAR! This is funny for reasons that will soon become obvious. Timing).



--
Three Magnets is located in Olympia, and while they may not be making massive tidal like waves, what I HAVE heard regarding them and their liquids have been consistently plauditory. I grabbed their 1st Anniversary Ale (THAT'S the joke!!). Short version: I like it a lot. As I've admitted before, in this forum, I enjoy BA brews. This one is a blend of port and bourbon barrel aged offerings. As such it's an interesting melange of many notes you'd expect, blended in such a way as to bring a unique subtlety to the whole experience.
On first breaking the wax seal (wax instantly adds +3 to the beer's charisma. It is known) I could have sworn the dominant note was hazelnut and figs, with a leather sophistication. Some cocoa sweetness perhaps layered in. Looks like a slightly dusty/muddied up almost-black/dark dark brown that you see in a lot of old ales and the like.
Carbonation is a little higher than I expected, but it's dangerously drinkable for 11%+. Flavour picks up the dark fruits from the nose and explores them a little more fully, layered with oak and elements of quick vanilla softening, melted dark chocolate, and some tobacco. Less nutty than the nose, but it comes back at the finish, helping funnel the experience back to the vines and leaves alluded to earlier (tobacco, port, fain faint dark chocolate, maybe a hint of coffee beans. Overall I really like this one (I like dark beers. I like old ales. I like strong ales. I like BA [beers]. I like cigars. I like lamp. Wait... I got sidetracked). Glad I finally got to explore some of 3M's offerings, and look forward to the next example to which I am exposed.



Cheers all!!

 

I must have that glass!!!

 

Greetings, NBSers! Just back from the Dark Horse 4 Elf party and BBAPt5th release. Had lots of it on tap at yesterday's party, but trying it for the first time from the bottle now. The aroma is overwhelmingly boozy. It seems a wee bit thinnner than in past years. The flavor is very bourbon forward, more so than in years past, but it has a nice solid wall of stout flavor to balance out the booze. Was quite an interesting release for me. Details NOT to follow!

 

Happy New Beer Sunday everyone!
Carolina game off to a ..well expected start today..watching the game cooking and a new beer is the perfect Sunday for me not many other 22 year olds can say that lol!

Stopped in Charleston at the beer exchange and picked up a few beers from a brewery I'm excited about.
Green bench brewing out of St Petersburg Florida.

First beer from them today is- petit provision a wild ale aged in wine barrels



______________________________

4.36/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

L: cracked open with a nice big hiss then started gushing out good thing I had my glass ready!
Poured a super light clear golden with a finger of head that fizzed away leaving a rim around the glass tons of bubbles still dancing around...

S: WOW! Oaky dry white wine character great fruity funk tiny bit of acidity amazing smelling stuff!

T: Like the smell I get hit with oak, wine, champagne maybe some orange peel or peach? A bit watery a "light" tho I suspect from the 3.7% abv

F: Very light like I said almost watery but perfect carbonated mouth feel.

O: Great wild ale amazing smells..just wish it had more mouth feel to back it up...

_________________________________


Be back later with another from green bench!

 

Good afternoon to all the NBS regulars and Hello and welcome to all the first time posters. Another unseasonably warm Dec. day here in Central NH. I've been busy stalking my target in the 12 Days of Xmas BIF and finally cut loose my boxes yesterday. A nice assortment if I do say so myself 12 different beers for the 12 days each to drank on the day that I get to choose. Lets just say I hope my target has a few days of as highest ABV bottle checked in a 15% and the low was a 7.5%.
We made a trip to MA. yesterday for my significant others family xmas party and a good time was had by all and the best part was it broke up a little early so I was able to make a couple of beer stops on the way home. So todays new beer is from one of those stops. It is Awake from Nightshift a porter aged with counter culture coffee.

This beer pours a rich dark black color with a thin dark tan head. Even being brewed with coffee the nose holds many surprises. There is a rich toffee aroma with hints of a dark chocolate and of course the rich mellow coffee aroma.
The taste is not overly strong of coffee but well blended between the cacao and the toffee flavors with perhaps a little bitterness in the back of the mouth. The mouthfeel is smooth not overly carbonated as some porters tend to be.
With being a 6.7% ABV this is a beer you could sit and sip a couple of on a cold winters afternoon(if we ever get any winter this year) with out having to worry to much. I think the nicest thing about this wonderful beer is that they are now offering it in these wonderful 16oz cans.
Cheers to all in this wonderful season and if time permits I'll try and make it back with another new beer later on this afternoon.

 

I can say, with certainty, I'd never had it from the bottle, so there is that .

Definitely can see the issue with that one. Not sure I would've caught that even, and I will often times check the Archived list when looking for something nowadays, especially if I know it isn't new from a local brewery.

I might have to do just that, as I should be able to grab a second 4-pack fairly easily. Thanks for the tip!

Yeah - that's the one I had the review on. Funny I am pretty sure in this case, it is much more widely known as simply "Wake 'n' Bake", so in this case, I'd think that should be the official name, as it's the more likely search.

Funny enough, we headed out to Adroit Theory, since it was such a nice day. Top down!!


Grabbed a BBA Bloody Roots spicy brien ale, but that's not new. Looking at the list to see if there is something new, and...

Find one with duplicate entries, one with "The" in front of it. The "the" is not on the brewery's listing. Deciding which to report as "duplicate", I find neither has been rated . Seriously? As the beer and don't even fill in 5 numbers to help your fellow BAs out? Oh, well, the is a bit too strong - maybe just a disappointing head-shaking emoticon belongs. Guess I may be the first to review one of them.