New Beer Sunday (week 576)

New Coffee Stout Sunday



Terrapin Single Origin Coffee Stout - Hawaii/Kona

It's been a good weekend for beer. Went out for dinner Friday and tried a couple outstanding HF offerings that were new to me, followed by a nice BA coffee stout for desert. Then tried Pliny the Younger for the first time yesterday, which lived up to the hype, as well as a new one from Tired Hands. Then I finally found the Terrapin coffee sampler 4-pack I've been looking for since first seeing the thread about it on this site.

Decided to go with them in the order I pull them out of the holder, and first up is Kona, which happens to be my favorite type of coffee.

It pours a lovely black coffee color with a half-finger of brown tinted head. Creamed coffee aroma reminiscent of WnB, with fruity peaberry-esque notes, some brownie-batter chocolate and a little more roasted malts as it warms.

Much thiner bodied than I was expecting, with more carbonation than I'd like for the style. On the one hand, it does allow subtleties in the coffee to show more prominently. On the other, this beer would be phenomenal with a bit more heft to it. Honestly, I'm so used to imperial stouts these days, a regular stout is leaving me wanting more -- at least at first.

As I sip it more, I'm coming to appreciate it more for what it is. The fruity notes in the coffee really are outstanding, and play off well against the chocolate and roasted malt flavors. The cream in the nose is really starting to take a backseat, too.

I'm digging it, and looking forward to trying the others. I heard a couple are even better, and can't wait to put that to the test.

 

Happy New Stone Beer Sunday!

Stone Americano Stout

Bottled 2/1/16

I am a huge fan of Americanos, and a huge fan of stout, so naturally I was excited for this release. The aroma is bursting with brightness, like coffee ground seconds ago with a bit of a citrus zest note presumably from the hops (this is a Stone beer, after all). The flavor is much of those same bright notes from the aroma. There is enough roasted malt sweetness to remind you it is in fact a stout, but it still takes a back seat to the coffee beans here and there is definitely no "sugar" in this Americano. It does a good job of capturing the strong espresso flavors, that can sometimes come across as acidic and citric, in a good Americano. While I usually prefer my stouts with a rather dense texture, this one remains medium in body, although it works well by keeping the Americano vibe with a little crispness to the finish that compliments the hops that dry it out in the end. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I am glad to see it as a seasonal release AND in 6-packs.

4.2/5

Cheers, NBS!

 

Southern Tier DIPA 2XSMASH, a single malt and single hop ale ("SMASH") featuring Mosaic hops and "Special Pale Malt." Maybe I started drinking it too cold, because it took a while for my tongue to really wrap around it, or maybe the malt was so clearly expressed that it interacted with the hops in a way I'd not encountered before? It took me a bit to warm up to the beer. I was at first underwhelmed...

I'm not a big Southern Tier fan necessarily - I consider 'em like a 3.75-kinda brewery, but I am of the rarer sort that does not like the imperial stout line (Choklat, etc.) that garners them much praise (too "densely" sweet ? for me). But Pumpking is actually a favorite and longstandingly (<--?) so - but I hear lots of people not liking Pumking, soI get it. I've actually lost some enthusiasm for it past coupla years...

Anyway

Turns out this is a nice beer. I had high expectations because, DIPA - and - Mosaic... I enjoy Citra most reliably in beer, but Mosaic has been right there, too, so I had a certain anticipation with the beer.

Aromas were sweetly fruity, some citrus but generally tropical. A solid medium-body malt backbone was right there with the hops on the tongue. Grain and biscuit, honeyed and herbal, carried an amalgam of grapefruit pith and dark orange across the tongue. Bitterness cloaked the tongue well-enough and left a lingering finish. Little bit of piney tack left behind. Overall, a nice beer, even if not my favorite featuring the Mosaic hop.

Having another one tho'

Cheers

 

There are many methods to post pictures on BA, but I use free Dropbox. I have the Dropbox app on my Android phone, should also be available on Iphone - and installed on my laptop. I take a picture on my phone, and in my phone app I can choose to share or send, and one of the choices is Dropbox. When selected, Dropbox has you choose the directory, I select public and hit OK. Then I go on my laptop (can take a minute for the picture to show up but usually instant), optionally edit the picture (using Photoscape, Gimp, or Photoshop) to be lower resolution (1200x1600) and rotate/frame/edit as needed, then in file explorer (or the Dropbox app) right click and use the copy public link option. Then when you post on BA, insert a picture by choosing the image icon (mountains) and paste the link. Sounds complicated but really not. I can have it posted within a couple of minutes after taking the picture.

 

Greetings, BA! I don't often get to post here, but I am today!

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I'm breaking some rules, as I've had both the Blueberry Pancake Milkshake Stout and We Be Jammin' on their own, but I'm about to add the two together today to see how it will work out. I feel like the We Be Jammin' could especially benefit, seeing as how it's pretty lacking in terms of berry flavor.

Not bad at all. Mixing the two mostly creates a nutty berry pancake flavor. The aroma is still like the BPMS, but the taste has a lot of peanuts on the front end. The finish is a lot like the BPMS, but with a little extra tartness from the raspberry in the WBJ. I'd say it was a good call on my part to add the two.

Cheers!

 

Good morning NBSers! And what an early, groggy one it was. Whoof. The wife and I spent a much needed evening/night with some good friends last night, and before we knew it, the kids were asleep and it was 0200. It was good, though. I haven't laughed that much in ages. Anyhow, about this beer, I had full intentions of drinking this guy Thursday when I bought it, but somehow didn't have the time to sit down and enjoy a bomber to myself until this morning. No complaints, though, as getting to post this one on NBS was worth the wait. Cheers!

Da Beer

Three Floyds Wigsplitter
Oatmeal/Coffee Stout, 7.7% ABV







Da Re...view

Bomber dated 2-18-16 poured into a Madtree snifter. Dark brown on the pour, and settles as an opaque, pitch black in the glass. About a finger of khaki-colored foam on top. Good retention, and lots of big bubbles in there. Nice aroma of expresso, baker's chocolate, bitter oats, and lactose. I also pick up some hints of vanilla and caramel in there as well. On the taste, strong notes of expresso, roasty chocolate, and lactose with backing flavors such as vanilla, oats, hops, and spice. Not overly complex, but very tasty indeed. Finishes dry and leaves bittersweet (moreso bitter) chocolate/coffee/hops on the aftertaste. In terms of the feel, this one diappointed me initially, as it was rather thin. After sipping on it for about 10 minutes now, it's either grown on me or gotten more dense as it warmed up.

Overall, a very, very good beer. There's not much to say in terms of what I did not like. Maybe it was a bit too hoppy for my taste, for the style, but what can you do with a Three Floyds beer that ISN'T over-hopped? So no complaints there.

Just gotta throw this in, my glass is almost empty and this sumbitch still has a pretty fair lacing on top, especially 'round the edges. It gets a 5 on looks for its resiliency! Viva la carbonation!

Da Scores

look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Weighted Score: 4.09/5 (-5.5% rDev)

 

Got this as an extra in a trade. I loved it. It was delicious.

 

Good morning all.

Already smoked some chicken to put into my white chicken chili for an all day smolder in the crock pot. Now we'll just have to suffer through the good smell all day.



First up is 8 Maids-a-Milking from The Bruery.

Meant to get to this on the actual 8th day of Christmas (New Year's Day) but tournament plans derailed that opportunity. So we'll drink it now.



Deep, dark body with a massive beige head that I really couldn't tame while pouring, but it dwindled to a thin layer soon enough with very little lacing at all.

Nose starts out with overwhelming Belgian yeast character but the longer I inhale, the more that the taste fades into more crackery, maybe biscuity until it finally settles in with, of all things, that corny Coors or Miller Light smell. That's not great I guess.

Taste is fairly vinous first and foremost. Press forward and we get a touch of fruit, like plums perhaps, before that corny thing creeps in.

Despite having a pretty silky feel, this thing is wildly dry on finish, leaving behind a touch of heat in the throat.

Not one I'd recommend as it's a bit messy and nowhere near worth what I paid for it. I could very well be done with Bruery products.

 

Try this, get a Sweet Baby Jesus , and a Strawberry Abita ..........thank me later.

 

Jack, I had my first Tired Hands experience last week in NYC and I was highly impressed. Hop Hands was great and I was actually surprised by the ratings it has on here as I thought for sure they would be higher. The other beer I had was Punge and that one was superb. Wow. I highly recommend that if you haven't had it.

 

Good stuff on here so far, NBSers.

I was running around all last Sunday in NYC and didn't get to post my beers or the places I visited. Wish I could have shared that. Also, it would have been fun to run into @richj1970 while we were both in Queens during New Beer Sunday. Beer would have been on me.

Anyhow, from NYC I returned to New Mexico, spent a day with the flu, then jumped in a car with friends and drove up to Aspen for the weekend to visit Casey Brewing in Glenwood Springs yesterday. Pretty beered out. Buuuut, I think I can crack one beer today for NBS. Will have to assess the fridge situation. Will be back later no matter what for the good reads.

Thanks to the ambassadors @cavedave and @utopiajane for always getting the ball rolling with this great thread.

 

Hello to NBS!

My new beer for the day is Meyer Lemon Lager from Anchor Brewing out in San Fran. This beer comes in a bright and colorful 12 oz can - big shift in art style from the old-timely designs you usually see from Anchor.

This beer pours a clear gold into my trusty beer glass, with a three-finger white head. The nose is fresh and lemony, but nothing overpowering. The taste is clean, zesty and crisp. Lemon predominates but again, not overdone; tastes real and not artificial. Finishes bitter, almost like a light pils.

This is a tasty and refreshing lager, great with lunch or on a hot afternoon, with a modest 4.5 A.B.V. Well done, Anchor!

Cheers!

 

Greetings Fellow NBSers! Just a quick morning note for those involved in NBS BIF#3, Lehigh has the pairings done, and we'll be getting them out as soon as we can. Prepare to represent your beer area all across the land!!!

 

Good morning BAs. Been so busy with trekking all over the South for work lately, I haven't even had time to taste any beers lately. I even had the new batch of Ghost in the Machine dropped off yesterday and it is still unopened....LIFE, I guess?

This morning I will be reviewing another 3 Floyd's metal collaborations. Hopped in Half - an American Pale Lager brewed with their buds from the band Obituary. Let me preface this review, although not biased at all, by saying I've been an Obituary fan since ~1990-ish. They have always been on my bucket list of bands to see live AND I will finally be ticking that off the list next week when they play with Cannibal Corpse (another 3 Floyd's collab recently) !

Now to the beer:
I poured this 22oz bomober into a my nonic pint glass. The bottle was dated 2/9/16
L: 4.25; This one pours a orange-tinted straw color. Very clear with little to no haze. Big, billowing frothy 2 fingers + sized head. Lingers for a while then settles into a small ring around the top of the liquid. Pretty good amount of lace down the glass as well.



S: 4; The smell on this one is bread, some spice, doughy yeast and a hint of citrus with a slight bit more pronounced "modern" hop aroma for this style. Also picking up some notes of banana. Close to your typical pils but I think with a bit more untraditional hops for this one.

T: 4; Some malty sweetness up front while the bready, cracker-like cereal flavors, along with the notes of citrusy lemon, grassiness and spice come through.

M: 4.25; Feel is lighter side of medium with but with a good creamy feel as well. Picking up more citrus notes now. Very crisp and clean feel; like it should be. Super easy to finish.

O: 4; This would seem to be a break from the norm for 3F since this is more on the tame side at only 5.7% abv but this one is done very nicely. I must say, I could easily see myself going through a couple of bombers per sitting. An excellent representation of style with a signature 3F twist to it. Well Done!

My rating comes out with a 4.04. And now some Chopped in Half. by the band Obituary

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Hey what's going on?!

I finally got my planters all set and I just need some warm weather and sun. Seems totally overcast and a bit cold this weekend, but we should be warming up this week nicely.. really looking forward to it too, gotta get the bike out and start riding (and probably working off that gut of mine! ahem!).

Isn't it odd that while I've planted lots of heirlooms, herbs, and peppers, the seed company just gave me a package of cabbage as a freebie (nice gesture!), and that's the only thing right now that I know for a fact is ACTUALLY growing... something I didn't even order how messed up is that? But it's early, patience has never been my strength and I need this as a good learning experience!

Speaking of growing stuff.. I am doing it.. I am gonna pull the trigger and try to grow some hops this year. Cascade is going to be the variety I think, as we will go for the basics. This should be one interesting experiment as well! I will certainly let you know how well (or not) that goes.

That being said I have MUCH new beer today... oh man so excited too, I got so much variety and little finds that it's all very exciting! Multiple styles, different countries, some local stuff! it's like the UN in my beer fridge such a happy party in there!!

So what's up first...?? well let's see so much to choose from... but..

VIVE LA FRANCE!!!


Brasserie Sancerroise - La Sancerroise au Gruyt by imbibehour, on Flickr

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Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. OOOPS you didn't check bottle dates but hey it's a Gruit… let's see here… Best if consumed by May 2010, oh boy but hey it's in the cold case. Sure why not!

Deep mahogany body, with a bit of rusted tan color to it. Good decant does well, but some floaties manage to still show up not unexpected. A nice real creamy tan head, almost chocolate like shows up in color, but descends easily to a simple thin puck, but good collar as well. This is a good looking for an old brew.

Lots of sugar and sweet herbs on the nose, but a dominant fussel alcohol manages to show up almost in a sweet malt liquor vein kind of way. Hints of thyme and sticky tree syrup with large sweetness. Brown sugar, garden herbs, and some noticeable sweet boozy qualities. Kind of interesting angle, as it hints to a sort of strong ale quality but with large herbal sweetness and sugars.

Quite an odd duck for this brew even in a gruit realm. First sip has a real decent backbone that is thick, but the flavors almost come out with a very unusual almost thick prune juice flavor. Sweet mid palate with a mix of sort of prune to caramel malt and brown ale quality. Real interesting an unexpected aftertaste, more booze, but also some green mint, herbal sage and soft tea tannic dryness as well. Noticeably warm but not horrible, but the herbality really accents some of the pruney sweetness much more nicely and starts to dominate with lots of different character.

Gruits are always fun once in awhile, and this one at first was a bit off putting but actually get more enjoyable as I drink it. Lots to explore here. I am having fun with this, and this has held up remarkably well too.

look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75 | BA Final Generated Score: 3.69

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Nice review! That's exactly what I thought about that beer. Especially the warm/cold thing. Beer was much more expressive as it warmed....

 

Next up we have Einbecher Doppelbock



For starters, we have one of the most picturesque heads I've ever seen. Thick, luxurious off white head that creeps down to a thin layer supported by committed lacing. Body is crystal clear deep ruby orange, if that's a color.

Nose carries massive caramel and a touch of biscuit.

Taste follows suit to a tee. Fat, sweet caramel that's backed up by the same thick, doughy biscuit.

Finished a bit slick, fairly dry but throughout it's scarily drinkable with its deceivingly thin body.

Always curious why German beer doesn't get more run here. Phenomenal as expected.

 

Is this a free app? I've only posted pics from my laptop as I find photobucket very arduous... I have an iPhone 6 and would love to find an easier way to post on BA. Might have to try this!

 

New Session IPA Sunday...

...and a good one it is! Greetings from a chilly and overcast day here at the Jersey Shore. I'm starting "light" and early before heading out for a beer garden lunch (which should include more new beer) and then some blues music in Asbury Park. After spending yesterday in Red Bank with my wife, a dose of the blues is in order. First, the beer: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/273/213448/?ba=NiceTaps



How about that very cool bar coaster?!?

All the best!

 

Most of the discussion on BA concerning Tired Hands is their hoppy beers which I suppose should not be surprising. Tired Hands also make non-hoppy beers as well. I am a fan of the various Saison beers they make as a point of example. The beer of Saison Hands is always available at the two Tired Hands brewpubs. One beer that I thought was masterful was a Berliner Weisse that was brewed using lychee. The owner/brewer of Tired Hands is Jean Broillet and he is a talented brewer that exercises a deft hand in his brewing processes.

Cheers!