New Beer Sunday (week 588)

Good Afternoon, NBSers! After Crate Day yesterday, I have made it here with a new beer. This is yet another beer that fits into the category of being from a brewery we visited a few weeks, but that was not bought at said brewery. I think my beer guys went down the week before on the same trip .

Today's beer is from Ardent Craft Ales, and is one of their "Black Paper Series" - their term for limited/special bottle release, I gather. We did actually buy two others from this series at the brewery, but those will be for a later NBS, most likely. This is their Szechuan Peppercorn Saison.



The beer pours a straw-like yellow, but settles into a slightly dirty blond. In this weather, it appears a little murky thanks to the sweat I cannot keep from the glass even for a single shot. A quick try, and my fingers look a little fuzzy on the other side of the glass. Even though I can't make out my fingerprints, there is definitive shape to my digits.

Nose is about what I expected from a local Saison. It leans towards the fruity side with the esters resembling a light banana and cider mix with a light dose of strawberry. No real sign of the peppercorn in the nose today for me.



The taste is refreshingly less fruity - but I still get some fruit - more pear and strawberry. There is a light earthy spiciness to the beer in the opening, and is seems to act to crispen up the beer's introduction to my palate. Carbonation is light and tickling, and it eventually gives way to a different type of tingling sensation on my tongue. I think the peppers have introduced themselves to me for sure. That said, the pepper is far from providing "heat" - it is a very subtle sensation.

The tingle of the pepper doesn't build either. Nor is it the only note in the later taste. There is an herbaceous to green grass like note that joins the pear flavors as they go skipping to the back of my throat. I wish the beer cleaned itself up a little better after they left - there is a light coating bitterness that isn't horrible, but I could do without.

Anyhow, a decent offering in the Saison style. I like beers in the style that are a little drier with a cleaner finish, and could use a tad less fruitiness. Saisons being a take it or leave it style for me, I won't go after this one again, but if I saw it on a menu as an option, I'd surely consider it.

 

Good day to all. Happy to get mowing out of the way, so now I can relax with a few NB's, starting with my last trade beer from @clake ,and based on smell, this Singlecut Full Stack



As the picture suggests, one heck of a good looker. Hazy, dirty orange with a thick latte foam like off white head.

Plenty of nose fun. First wave was almost strictly grapefruit, while warming up brought out earthiness and a bit of sweetness.

Taste takes up the sweetness part first, which gives way to an almost vinous tartness. The main bitterness supplier is that tasty grapefruit thing as well. Sweetness lasts throughout up until the finish.

Very nice medium bodied beer. Aftertaste is nearly nonexistent as well. Very nice beer indeed!

 

Well, started the day with hops, so . . .

Samuel Adams Rebel IPA



Appearance: Light clear yellow with fluffy white cap.

Aroma: Earthy, spicy hops with slight vegetal hint. No malt apparent, at least not to me.

Taste: Hops, hops and more hops. Earthy hops, spicy hops, hops on hops. Slightly bitter dry finish with lingering touch of bitter hops.

Texture: Solid middle to full texture, rather pleasant.

Overall: Heavy handed hops cancel out the malt. The brewer says this beer is made with malt but it could've included corn for all I could tell. Limited range like a piano that can only play in one octave. Competently made beer for the hop fan. I would've rated it higher had it been better balanced.

 

Summer temps in effect here on Long Island this past week.

Shown here, 73 F at 5:45 am on Friday...

Hazy, mid-to-low 80's, mild today... no pic to prove it

Pics to prove it!

New Baltic Porter Sunday!

Barrel-aged style!


Big coffee flavors up-front, subdued bourbon elements; smooth and light-feeling with modest carbonation.

One of my favorite porters of all time.


Bevy of DIPAs on the market lately, too - grabbed three new ones the past coupla days...

AleSmith's Double IPA is solid if unexceptional - lots of hop bitterness, leaning more toward pine than citrus, subdued sweetness, modest carbonation, lean but solid body... Hopsoulution, I really enjoyed - lots of hard pine edge with resinous sweetness... shellacked body, subdued carbonation, numbing bitter pine hoppage coats the tongue. Finally, Puff is to Resin what the Enjoy By Unfiltered is the Enjoy By. Lighter, fluffier, and fruitier. With Puff, the fruits are appreciably darker-fleshed, reminiscent of papaya or mango maybe, and the lingering pine resin dankness is stronger.

All real good stuff.

Also learned what "callipygian" means*, because, Avery's Callipygian...

Dynamite brew from Avery - bourbon barrel stout with coffee, cacao, and vanilla - $14.99? Way too pricey, but really great. Creamy coffee, vanilla vapor, and the sting of alcohol amid the smooth chocolates. Slim-to-medium bodied for the style, with a slick smoothness and a slow drying finish with just a touch of sweet caramel and char.

*Callipygian...

"having well-shaped buttocks"

Enjoy, people...

 

Abita big easy
Very average beer. Pours clear and golden with small head. The aroma is grassy and citrusy and a little piney. The flavor is hop water and lemon. I'm not huge on session IPAs but this isn't a bad one. I don't think it's anything special, but won't turn it down.

 

Good afternoon NBS on this weekend a time to pause, remember the reason for the Holiday.
Thanks @cavedave for the kick off, stay hydrated!!
My families are full of rich service to the country. Father Seabee Vietnam (3 times) plus 27 years, Father in law Army WWII (Pacific 5 years) plus burial guard rail detail 3 yrs, Brother in law Navy 6 years, Brothers both Marine 6 years each. We lay wreaths, march and continue to be reflective of these efforts. Enjoy time with family and friends this weekend.
Thanks for the indulgence.
Today I have the distinct pleasure to enjoy Works of Love by the team of Anchorage Brewing and Hill Farmstead. This offering is elegant, starts a bit tart, the hop dosage and foudre aging impart a delightful vinous quality, a mineral element runs through every sip. Carbonation is spot on if not a bit exciting.
Cheers all

Works Of Love : Anchorage 2016 (Mandaerina Bavaria)

Hill Farmstead Brewery
Saison / Farmhouse Ale

4.09/5 rDev -2.2% | Avg: 4.18
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a large stem goblet, 55 deg.
A - The quick snap of the cap yielded an immediate response, carbonation rising in a panic. Then calm, perfect.
The color, bright honeysuckle, lemon zest on a white plate, Carbonation is determined, the cap is arctic. The lacing is boastful in its presence.
S - Blood orange, lime, chalk, in a slurry. Then from center of the bale, straw mustiness, the vibrant carbonation pushes this well above the glass rim. You can find notes of fresh lemongrass 3' away as the glass sits in waiting. Chardonnay aged with a light touch.
T - Tangy, with sweet undertones of light grain treated well, tropical elements from the wonderful Madarina Bavaria hop, a bit of white wine, green grape skin and calcium, flavors run amok and then circle back. With a bit of warmth the wine character rises and dominates. Warm oak notes help to define.
M - Incredibly soft on the palate, tart start rolls the tongue edges, then a slow unfolding allows for the slightly sweet calling card to be placed. Ash, chalk, and lemon reduction coat the palate. This is rich, with a quiet presence.
O - The finest of displays, 2 friends/peers show what can be done. The offering is challenging, delicate, memorable.
Worth every effort to enjoy.
Cheers all

 

Happy Memorial Day weekend. Pretty nice summer temperatures here on the island. Hot, hazy, humid, and sunny as all hell. Not doing much, or going anywhere especially with all the traffic out here. Of course, have your fun, and enjoy your 3 day weekend, but just try and take a moment to remember all those who have and continue to protect this country with everything they have to give.

My first new beer, of hopefully many, is Oasis Pale ale, from Prost Brewing in Denver CO. I got this out of one of those beer clubs of the month boxes. An xmas gift from my sister-in-law to be. I'm not one to say no to free beer but the process is rather annoying with needing a signature for delivery, and the selections are usually pretty average to meager stuff. Anyway, no apparent abv or bottle date listed.

A golden/amber pour with major carbonation going on. A vigorous fluffy white head with hazy clarity. The nose is malty, with a winey sour mash smell going on. Lots of malt upfront on the initial sip with a bready and sour mash finish. The hops are rather muted. Decent flavors of bread, cracker, and slight caramel sweetness. The mouth feel is light with a sort of crisp and refreshing feel going on. The flavors just don't really work for me. It's just way to malt/bread forward.

Overall, I'm not very impressed by this at all. It has an 85 ba score but I just don't see it. Maybe it's an old bottle? I'm going to go with a 3, at best, on it but I'm probably just throwing the other two bottles out. Hopefully my later beers will improve,

 

After sweltering through the hot and humid weather of yesterday, which required me to install my air conditioners, today is a different story. 62 degrees and cloudy. My contribution to New Beer Sunday is a new beer from Belgian Mare Brewing of East Alstead, N.H. The Narrenschiff was released about a week ago so it is pretty darn new. It is described as a dark wheat and dark honey beer.

Unfortunately all that darkness seems to taken a wrong turn. It was lovely looking but the aroma felt more burnt than anything else. Yup, I got some honey and a very thin wheat note but the butter and burning seemed to be front and center. Medium honey-texture body. The taste had a buttery or maybe yeasty thing going on with the honey and wheat in the background (considering it should have been in the foreground). But it did have a mildly bitter end which surprised me. Frankly, this tasted like a home brew that wasn't quite ready for prime time when it was bottled.

 

Hi everyone. I'm in Georgia this weekend and have been sampling lots of local beers. My contribution to NBS today is Jekyll Brewing's Hop Dang Diggity, a 6.7% ABV IPA brewed in Alpharetta, GA. While not extraordinary, it is enjoyable, particularly on a hot, humid day. Here's my review:

3.93/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from can into pint glass. It pours a a hazy golden-amber color with a fluffy milk-white head and extensive lacing. It features a fragrant aroma of floral hops, pine, grapefruit, and tangerine. The tastes include a nice malt base with pine, grapefruit, and just a hint of sweeter fruit. It finishes with a nice hoppy bitterness. This ale is medium-bodied, with nice carbonation and with an ABV of 6.7% you can down a couple of them. Overall, it's a solid American IPA. While it isn't at the level of the more famous examples of the style, it is well-crafted and enjoyable.

I hope you're all enjoying your holiday weekend and remembering those to whom we owe so much!

 

One of my favorites, at least on tap at Stoudt's. In bottles, not so much.

 

Sounds like a great way to decompress after a long day. I freaking love Baltic Porters. Just as well that I'm currently single, as the thought of a BBA one would make me have to look at murder photos or old people screwing for a few minutes before I'd be able to stand up without ridicule.

 

Weihenstephaner 1516
4.29/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L - 4 dark orange body with lingering white head
S - 3.75 yeast with slight lemon zest
T - 4.5 lemon zest, orange citrus, yeast
F - 4.5 super smooth beer with a slight kick of carbonation, easy drinking
O - 4.5 great beer that I can drink a lot of really fast. Ideal for summer in my opinion that has a ton of flavor. The flavor and light feel is perfect for a summer beer. Weihenstephaner hits another homerun!

 

This is my first offering from Kane, and I've been wanting to try this for a while.



Thankfully a friend is on assignment in NJ and stopped by the brewery on Thursday. What a perfect day to enjoy a cold brew on the grass!

Very impressed with this one. Beautiful pale gold color, with a nice fluffy white head. Tropical fruits on the nose, but a very crisp bite of pine on the palate with a hovering malt background to balance the fuitiness. I'm getting orange, very reminiscent of those Haagen Dasz yogurt bars. pineapple and tropical fruits as well.

Thrilled I got to try this beer! If I didn't have a wedding this evening, I would knock back another 3 of these guys.

 

Now that sounds pretty damn good!

 

Lovely imagery...
<ahem!>, Of course, I'm referring to the beer pictures...

 

Back at it NBS with my second new beer today. This one is Future Perfect, a Berliner weisse ale, from Grimm. It's brewed with blackberries, blueberries. It's also conditioned on oak and dry hopped with hull melon and it comes in at 4%. Going to be a bit out of my comfort zone but here goes.

A purple/pinkish color on the pour with lots of carbonation and a thin white head. The nose is aggressively fruity with a sort of wine tone to it. The drinking starts off light, crisp, and highly carbonated. Very fruity and slightly sour on the finish. Big time fruit tones with the berry flavors but I also get grape, and cherry. The oak is there and adds a rather dry feel on the finish. The mouth feel is light with a definite airy and refreshing feel.

Overall, not as bad as I thought it would be but it's still just not my style. It reminds me of sour wine that is mixed with fruit punch. 0-2 so far but I will be back later with some heavier stuff that is hopefully more to my liking.

 

Yo dude saw this pic last week on WBAYDN

 

I've only had the opportunity to try FT once and didn't really care for it. Guess I should give it another shot from reading your review. I think they are just starting distro here. That dish looks absolutely luscious