New Beer Sunday (week 569)

Sup, NBSers!



Mully's Winter Warmer is a unique example of the style from a very local brewery. For one, it's brewed with raspberries and vanilla. Here's my review:

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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a winter warmer, but it pours extremely dark - almost like a porter. It's very dark reddish brown, and has a khaki-colored head. While retention isn't great, there are streaks of thin lacing sticking to the glass.

Wow, I really smell the raspberries here. As prevalent as they are, they never seem artificial. There are also hints of chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar. At times, it comes off ever-so-slightly hoppy (as many winter warmers tend to). Just going by the nose, I really like what Mully's did with this one.

The flavor holds up to the nose well. Raspberries hit hard and fast initially, with some vanilla appearing in the midtaste. It finishes with very light hoppiness, alongside brown sugar, toffee, and molasses. All of the flavors balance together nicely, and the fruit notes aren't nastily chemical. Yep, this is a good one.

It's amazing how clean and seemingly light this is for a 7% winter warmer. It is a little thin in general, but not ridiculously dinky, either. Carbonation seems a little high, too, but you know what? I'd even call this refreshing. A refreshing winter warmer? How 'bout them apples!

This is like white chocolate-covered raspberries. It manages to bring something new to the table, without coming across like a porter or stout. Based on this, and their solid Tongue Crusher, could this brewery be turning things around? Definitely Mully's best work as far as I'm concerned.

3.75/5: A welcome, innovative twist to a (normally) stodgy style

 

Greetings all! We just dropped off #1 son for his second semester at school, but made it back early enough to get in on some football. And snacks. And all of a sudden it looks like the Seahawks are gonna make this interesting...

Right now I'm drinking this Keller bier from Hoffstetten-

Original Hochzeitsbier Von 1810

Since it's my first time with this one, I figured I'd give it a decanted pour. It's got some really nice clarity for an unfiltered beer, and a beautiful saturated amber color that brings the traditional bock style to mind. The aroma, too. I am guessing that the base style is something along those lines, and the 'kellerbier' aspect is simply how it is processed.

Toasty melanoidins dominate the rich aroma, along with dried figs, nuts and a touch of citrus peel. The palate starts just as rich, but finishes dry. Unfortunately the finish is marred by an astringent twang, and what started with such promise just isn't coming through for me. The beauty of these malty styles is in how seamless they are; but anything out of place seems to shatter the whole illusion. I suppose this could the the result of improper handling at some point as well.

As I get deeper into the glass my palate is adjusting to the astringency, so I will be finishing it, but don't feel it is appropriate to give a rating at this time.

Can't win 'em all, folks. Speaking of which, let's get back to that game. Cheers!

 

First time posting, I am desparately trying to refine my palate to help identify the flavors and nuances of the beers I enjoy. I normally simply look at a beer as something I like or don't, now I am trying to identify why.

First up, Azacca by Founders
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ABV: 7.0% IBU: 70 SRM: 7 (observed)

Pours a light butterscotch color with a 1" head the disipates to a thin layer that lingers with lacing. Tropical fruit and grapefruit aroma with a hint of dank and jam. Flavors of grapefruit pith that evolves to mango and other hints of pine. Astringent with a lngering bitterness.

 

Fair - I imagine how 'wet' the barrels are makes a huge difference - freshly dumped barrels must still have a few gallons of booze soaked into the wood - leave them for a few weeks and I imagine most of the alcohol evaporates off - It would be an instructive day in the barrel room while I 'tested' these theories

 

Hey NBS! I'm poking my head in again. Today I'm doing new to me, but new in general as well - had to create the BA entry for this new Alewerks Small Batch. Alewerks is the closest brewery to me so I try not to do the whole "homer" thing. That said, about a year ago they started doing small batch releases - R&D like a lot of places do to get customer feedback. Some are true standouts - their #6 smoked brown ale was fantastic as was their berliner weise at #7 - #8 was the DIPA that became Secret Admirer that small batch release was the best thing I had from them in 2015. Right now they have #10, an IPA up - according to them it's very similar to their Drake Tail IPA but with a ton of wheat. My review below. Thanks, and cheers!

Edit: One other note, price is a factor for me in rating (as I know it is for a lot of your folks) and these small batch releases are $12 per growler or $6 for a 32oz "grunt" and on Sundays they just give you the vessel to take. So that does admittedly factor into my score, my humble opinion and all that, but it seems like a damn good deal in a craft beer world where good deals are increasingly uncommon!




4.14/5rDev n/a
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured on tap at brewery in 5oz tasting glass, then took a grunt home - poured into Spiegalau IPA glass.

Pours a very hazy bright yellow amber, looks more like a wit than a typical IPA. Nice foamy head forms and has really great retention. Some impressive lacing too - much more so than I'd typically expect from an IPA but if it's indicative of the freshness of the hops then no surprise I suppose. Still, very cool. [check this out]




Nose is big on citrus - fresh orange juice is most obvious. Not much else really comes through here - this is more of a one trick pony on the nose but it's still a damn nice nose. Clean, crisp, juicy.

Flavor is nice, citrus forward IPA with a nice drying bitter. Hop profile is big on fresh juicy citrus. This is incredibly crushable - juicy, nice sweetness but balanced well with the bittering hop profile. Really nice and incredibly well rounded.

Feel is a huge standout here. The notes say it was brewed with a lot of wheat and it has a really lush mouthfeel that's truly a-characteristic of an IPA but works incredibly well. Rich, full, not a single edge to speak of. Perfect carbonation and balance on the finish - drying bitter and fresh orange juice. Clean and perfectly lifted off the palate with a nice lingering bitter, bright orange note. Really, really nice IPA.

 

Rulers of Rauchbier, emperors of ESB, potentates of pilsners and kings of Kölsch, I give to you another intriguing, intellectual, ingenious NBS from your often imitated but never duplicated John of Stanhope.

Wow, it's now snowing up here in (say it with me) Nuh-wen-juh (NWNJ). I don't think it will stick, much to my elation. Speaking of elation, one hell of a beer for NBS this week. Ever come upon a neglected, dust-encrusted cork and cage from Belgium? I did. By no means a "whale," I feel very beer-fortunate for stumbling upon this one where I work.

Review here.

Because this was such an epic experience for me, I feel obligated to provide a great tune to go with it. Experience this beer at full effectiveness (purely subjective) with Pull Me Under by Dream Theater playing in the background.

 

Good afternoon NBSers! I hope everyone is doing well on this otherwise gloomy, cold January day. @Bonkinishwa and I are hanging out over here, about to tear into an engine, again. Seems like wrenching on junk cars has become a weekend ritual for us, haha. Right now, we're procrastinating with this offering from Athens. Cheers!

Da Beer

Terrapin Beer Company - So Fresh & So Green, Green



Da Re...view

1 pint, 3.2 oz. can split between two New Belgium snifters. Pours a lively, orange/tangerene and settles a copper color in the glass. Great clarity, and a good amount of carbonation. About 1 finger of off-white, bubbly foam on top each beer. Overly sweet, malty aroma with big notes of grapefruit, mango, and tangerene. Sweet notes of ripe fruit up front on the taste with a strong, bready malt backbone. I get a little hop bitterness middleways that intensifies slightly as it warms on the palate. Decently creamy mouthfeel, albeit a tad watery and abrasive on the finish. Not too bad, though. Not much to comment on on the aftertaste - a little bit of hops and a little bit of bready malt.

Overall, this one was decent. Initially I got a strong chemical/metalic taste but I guess I got used to it quickly; it was gone after a couple sips. This beer is balanced pretty well, although quite a bit sweeter than I prefer my IPAs. I need to mention that the finish smoothed out immensely as it warmed up. Numbers adjusted accordingly. Not terrible, but I wouldn't buy again. Definitely not worth the $7.00/can price tag.

Da Scores

look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.00 | overall: 3.75
Weighted score: 3.81/5 (+4.4% rDev)

 

Greetings from the Left Coast of the States NBS Friends.
A big thank you to @utopiajane for the lovely beginning. I thought I read you were backing away from your voluntary duties of getting this ship out of port. I'm glad to see you back at the helm.

We finally have some winter here in SoCal. This basically entails cooler days, goodly amount of clouds, and no precipitation.
But cooler days are a blessing that I revel in.

On the good news front, a norovirus outbreak in my school failed to survive the lack of hosts assembling on a daily basis(thank you winter break) to allow jumping from person to person over and over and over and over... It was a rough month prior to our blessed vacation. And here is to good beer:

Black Cherry Landfall by 32 North Brewing out of San Diego, CA.
4.18/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Iron Press in Anaheim, CA.
Pours a slightly murky lavendar leaning toward brown. Not very enticing visually but the smell is.
The nose is quite intriguing. What first hits is a beautiful floral, not perfumey, rose petals scent that is quickly followed by cherry. The taste goes forward with all cherry. Then some very subtle citrusy sour. On a hot day, I would crush this for hours. Might be a little subtle for some lovers of more sour forward Berliners, but I love this. Mouthfeel is spot on for style. Finish is a good mix of cherry with slightly more citrus coming through on the end. Overall, excellent.

 

Welcome @MortarPestle . Nicely done, and look forward to seeing you back.

 

Hello everyone, I've been meaning to try this Wee Heavy for awhile and today's the day. As a student of Scottish history, how could I not love an ale named Jacobite? It's a nice, refreshing ale but a little thin in body and missing the bite i anticipated.

4.1/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass. It pours a lovely dark ruby-red with a thin, milk-colored head and lacing. It smells of roasted malt, coriander, caramel, and dark fruit. The taste features earthy peat, raisin, coriander, molasses, and caramel. There is very little hop presence, only a very slight bitterness at the finish. I agree with other reviewers that this ale is surprisingly thin; it's like drinking a cola. It is very easy to drink, refreshing, and the 8% ABV is well-hidden. Overall, I while I enjoyed this wee heavy, it was missing some of the body and the bite I anticipated. It strikes me as a great pub ale rather than one to drink with a meal.

 

We can estimate the amount of booze left in a freshly emptied barrel is at least a gallon and may be more.

During a distillery tour (their 10th Anniversary so there is, or was, a Barrel out there somewhere with my signature on it), the guide mentioned they didn't sell used barrels to local frat boys anymore after they discovered that the frat crowd would pour a gallon of water into the fresh "wet" barrel, roll it around the yard a good bit and then drain out roughly a gallon of fairly high proof Bourbon.

 

Thank you for a great start to the day and what a great choice! It's my favorite Weizenbock. Delicious!

 

I feel the same way. Easily the best German beer I've ever tasted... with the exception of this brewery's eisbock.

 

Ahh frat boys... Trust them to figure that out instead of just go to the store with someone over 21 and buy some bourbon!

 

I tried this earlier this week and I agree that, while obscure, it's interesting and reasonably good. I think I rated it 3.19.

 

New Imperial Saison Sunday

Pretty nice day here in GJ, 30s, sunny, still plenty of snow around, but now starting to get some really muddy patches. Having a very nice brew today, surprised me as well, the best I've had from them, so far.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18120/55765/?ba=Wasatch



Cheers!

 

Good afternoon BAers. This Sunday I am trying Wicked Weed's Black Angel - a black sour ale aged on tart cherries, plums and then aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels. ABV is 6.6% so it really isn't a factor at all.

Appearance is an almost black, opaque pour with a crimson tinge in the light. A sizable light mocha head brings forth big bubbles that reduced down to a tightly-packed rim of smaller, concentrated ones. Retention is low as well as a minimal lace.



The smell is pretty damn amazing. Really get the sour fruit bouquet from the tart cherries and plums. Secondary notes are of oaky wood, leather, and subtle notes of bourbon (not overpowering, just enough to let you know it's there.)

The taste reminds me of cherry pie. The bourbon fades off quite a bit an is almost forgotten in the taste. Wood remains though.

Feel is light medium but coats the tongue and lingers a bit. Finish is bitingly dry.

This was a nice treat to bring home from my trip to Asheville, NC earlier this year. Another solid brew from WW. Happy Sunday yall.

 

Cross posting with WBAYDN:



Not sure how I feel about it - I didn't have to really have to do much to get this (a simple IP trade) and the sweetness and the weird soy thing were expected, but not quite that expected...

I actually really don't like how this tastes but it that is like not liking monty python... sure, they are a bit out dated and old fashioned now, but that isn't the point - they were trail blazers, and deserve respect...

...but with all due respect, I am not digging this beer... That said;

L - pours thick and viscous with an inch of dense mocha foam receding to a thin ring
S - Soy sauce and alcohol heat
T - Cloyingly sweet with an umami / mushroom / soy savory backbone. Not a lot of char or bitterness to offset the sweetness which overpowers everything
F - Thick, rich and creamy with fine carb and a fantastic soft finish

Overall an experience, and an interesting beer, but more something to try just because rather than a great beer... Unless you are into soy sauce syrup - in which case go for it! Rating 3.22

 

First tasty new beer for this glorious Sunday is this one from Fatheads



Fat Head's Bumble Berry

Stark white frothy head, maybe about a finger tall. Crystal clear with just a bit of yeast floating about near the bottom.

Smells super berry time straight away, like Boo Berry cereal with just a hint of cracker type malt.

Taste is immediately tart like the way fresh berries would be. Behind tart berry time is just a touch of metallic something.

Dry finish has virtually nothing for the tongue to hang in to. Surprising, given how dominant the fruitiness is.

Not horrible, probably one of the better fruit beers I've had but unless you just really love fruit beers, this one can probably get left on the shelf.

 

What's up NBS players. A pretty lazy Sunday here and doing nothing but watching football once again. Very glad to have Monday of for mlk day. It's getting pretty cold here on the island with another grey and overcast day and we got our first real snow/flurry shower about an hour ago.

My new beer today is Chocolate Indulgence, from Ommegang brewing, 7%. It's a Belgian style stout brewed with real chocolate. My soon to be brother in law got me a gift box from these guys for xmas. About all he and his wife know about craft beer is that I'm into it. I'm not a huge Belgian guy but it was still a very nice gift and a good opportunity to try some beers that I don't normally purchase.

A pure black pour with a mocha fluffy head. Malty/milk chocolate and stringent Belgian yeast on the nose. The drinking starts with a big time smooth chocolate blast. Malty and fine, with a slightly bitter hop finish. Dark sugary fruit notes come on the more I drink with raisins, and figs. That Belgian yeast comes on a bit but it really hides well behind the chocolate. Mouth feel is medium with an light and airy feel to it all while staying rich.

Overall, consider my mind blown. A Belgian beer that I'm actually enjoying and would consider buying again. I'm in the low 4's.