New Beer Sunday (week 615)

Lizard of Koz
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

L - 5 poured out of a 750ml bottle into a founders 16oz snulip glass. Thick rich lingering khaki head and a black body

S - 4.75 wow the vanilla and chocolate. Smells like stong cookie dough. At the end a thin dip of boozie aroma

T - 3 super sweet. The vanilla is over powering. There is a hint of chocolate and booz but I never got any bourbon or blueberries

F - 4 really light on the palate. No carbonation, super smooth beer. Expected to be a little thicker at 10.5%

O - 4.25 this is a really good beer. The vanilla and sweetness I wasn't prepared for. I would suggest to pair this beer with some salty or dry foods to counter act the sweetness and it will be a lot more enjoyable.
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Good morning NBS! Taking a break from yard work to join in the thread. My lesson of the day (both mental note to self and as a reminder to others) - check your bottle dates! I found this in a forgotten box in the basement. I'm not exactly sure when I bought it but I think only a few months ago since it also had a bottle of Enjoy After 4/20/17 right next to it. Lo and behold this is over three years old! I remember buying it thinking I had seen it previously but not trying it and incorrectly assuming it was a seasonal not a one-off.



In any case the store I bought it from stores things well and my basement is fairly cool so I can only assume this tastes as it should with this much age on it; certainly the style can take it. It has nice head retention and both the aromas and flavors match - chocolate, red wine, cream/vanilla and chocolate malt. Fairly full-bodied, some had mentioned tannins from the wine but I didn't taste any. It seems to match others' notes from when it was fresher, but just tastes tired overall. Not bad by any means but I'm sure I would have appreciated it more when fresh.

Kudos to Victory for etching the bottled-on date into the neck so it can't be removed by retailers, and making it clear to read "Bottled On: Aug 07 2013" but shame on me for not taking a closer look before adding it to the cart... I don't know whether the retailer intentionally had it for sale or not because I've picked up another older bottle or two from them before without looking, but all have been styles that age well, I've never seen anything old there that absolutely has to be consumed fresh.
Cheers!

 

Good Morning BA's thanks to @utopiajane for getting us going and @rgordon very sorry to hear about your losses it makes me think of a very close friend I have back in NC. We have literately seen each other almost everyday since we in Kindergarten until I moved to SC 4 years ago, I need to take more time from work to go back and visit life is too short.

This morning I got started with a Mikkeller Beer Geek Dessert. I did not see the ABV on the bottle but I sure found out it was high when I started checking the aroma, 11% ABV. This was a pretty tasty offering but I will warn if you do not like boozy flavors and rich chocolate flavor you might want to steer clear. I did like them as you can see below. Hope everyone has a great Sunday!!

Appearance 4 - Pours thick used motor oil color and consistency thin mocha colored head very spotty lacing around the glass but it leaves a syrupy film as well around the glass.

Aroma 4.25 - Very sweet dark chocolate, vanilla, cocoa, pretty boozy. Molasses, roasted butter coffee.

Taste 4 - Almost like a alcohol chocolate brownie in a glass, fudge, vanilla, lots of booze, very chocolaty, roasted malts.

Feel 3.75 - Heavy feel, really coats the mouth, little heat from the booze really thick.

Overall 4.08 - The name is very true this is a big boozy chocolate dessert it would probably be too sweet but the alcohol and roasted malt offset it pretty good.

 

For me, the Mocha Marlin, while good, was actually not as good a beer as its base. I thought it looked wonderful and smelled really good, but the mix of the feel with the coffee notes didn't work as well for me.

(I seem to comment on your offerings more than others, but I think that's due to having similar new offerings; I promise I'm not stalking anyone )

I, too, will have a Nashville brew, one sent to me by @Buck89. This is apparently from Yazoo Brewing's Embrace the Funk series, and as you can probably guess, it's a sour beer, in this case a Flanders Red, called Duex Rouges:


The nose of a sour wafted to my nose as I was setting up the pictures below. As I poured the beer into the glass, I thought it might be a little cloudy, but the color is such a nice deep amber that any cloudiness gets lost. As you can see in the right frame below, the beer is still likely fairly opaque. The head actually lasted fairly well for a sour.

The nose is a sour fruitiness with a bit of a wooden note. Necatrine, sour apple, grape juice, a like-like citrus note, and a lighter musty wood note all mix together into a nice melange of a nose.



My first sip really drew in the sides of my mouth and shrunk my tongue with the sour notes. This was more environmental than an aspect of the beer, as it isn't as sour as that reaction indicates; actually this might be a tad sour for a Flanders, but not by much.

The opening tingle seems to be a mix of carbonation and sour - more lemon like in flavor (versus the lime nose). If I let the beer sit on my tongue, there is a constant barrage of my taste buds, though the wine barrel aging can be noticed. There is a nice base note to the beer I can't quite describe... it's almost a little nutty (but not in an obvious way). The extra tart notes (more sour apple than any other to me) just engage my taste buds and grab their attention, making it hard to pick out the more subtle notes.

A very nice beer to open this Sunday - a sour offering with a little bit of icing with the barrel-aging.

 

The good thing is, even if my influence ends up being wrong, it's not a big purchase (I think it's generally a 6-8 bomber at most around here).

 

Enjoying reading the reviews but likely will not be able to join in. We had our annual stout tasting last night, and north of 40 bottles of prime stouts were opened. I dragged through work today, still hungover now, and am getting into bed for a while;

So sorry to hear about your friends, @rgordon , you and I are about the same age and there isn't a day goes by someone our age or younger doesn't pre-decease us. Enjoy your friends as best you can while you can. Hope you can find some peace and comfort.

 

Good afternoon NBS and thanks to Maria for the kick off today, In keeping with the no Cinnamon in beer I have a a nice Holiday offering from Casita Cerveceria, brewed with cranberry, hibiscus, sage, and orange peel. A delightfully tart, refreshing beer. The flavors blend well, with no real outlying element. A true delight. In keeping with the season, the label has wonderful prose from the brewers spouse. Thankful in meaning and beautiful.
Cheers all

Damos Gracias

Casita Cerveceria
American Wild Ale / 6.00% ABV

3.93/5 rDev n/a | Avg: 4.14
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a recently released bottle into the little Fantome glass that could.
A - The color of worn bronze, opaque with gently wandering carbonation. Cap is loose knit and quick to leave.
S - Scent of tart berries, Hibiscus streams upward, hints of light brown sugar, savory element from the sage. The most interesting mix I have had recently. Delightful woven together.
T - Hibiscus sets the tone, matched well with cranberry, a bit of lite grains and again a hint of sweets, then a wonderful earthy herbal phase.
M - Light on the palate, Starting tart the shift is quick, toward a delicately applied sweet side, Palate is on full sensory alert.
O - A well conceived and crafted offering from Ryan, I am so glad to have purchased a few (375ml) bottles.
The craft on display in this offering is impressive.

 

In the "When did Rarity start to equal greatness in beer" thread I made the following statement. "Looking at the top beers list today, I have to reach # 15 to fine one I really want to try. Westy 12, guess I'm to old for this board!"
2 days later I get this beer mail from an unknown BA. Message me your name/address and "I'll send you one next week. Just passing along some beer karma!" It was delivered by FedEx (along with 2 other beers) late on Friday.
So you can guess what this weeks NBS beer is? Westvleteren 12. Served in a white wine glass a red wine temp. It pours dark brown with a creamy off white head. The aroma is awesome a blend of dark fruit and roasted malt. The taste is very complex but balanced. Raisins, prunes, figs and other dry fruit are there as are bready malt flavors. The mouthfeel may seem a bit light for a Quad but imo it's perfect for this beer. The finish is not sweet but off dry. Westvleteren 12 lives up to it's hype. It would be my go to Quad if I could go to it.
By the way the other 2 beers that were given are Cigar City Oktoberfest and Pacificmost a Mango & Guava Gose from Wicked Weed.

 

Happy NBS! You know what is going on in my part of the world? Let me show you.



I'm in a good mood considering the disastrous football game I had to suffer though last night.
I picked up a Coconut VOS since I have a love of coconut. It pours a deep, dark coffee color with an impressive 2 finger mocha colored head. A nice collar with a good amount of lacing clinging to my glass. The aroma is coconut, roasted coffee and bakers chocolate. The flavor was amazing at first, but then went south. At first it is all coffee with some delicious coconut creamer and chocolate. Something happens at the end and is distracting with an odd artificial aftertaste. The flavor is so good at first, but I just can't get over the finish. A smooth body and very nice carbonation. I really enjoy this beer as I love coconut. I would have score it higher if it wasn't for the odd aftertaste. I would buy it again though.

 

Good afternoon BA, a rather warm day for December in Maine, then again this whole fall has been warm. Been hard at work on the addition, got the ceiling insulated and tore down the closet at the end of the hallway to build the door into the room.



New brew for today comes courtesy of @rmank Foothills Jade IPA. I believe this is the first beer I've had with Pacific Jade hops, so let's get into it and see how they are.



The pour is a primarily clear golden color, light amber maybe, foamy one finger head that sticks around for a while with moderate lacing.

Aroma is unique, peaches, berries, oranges, slightly sweet smelling. Reminds me somewhat of beers hopped with Idaho 7.

Taste Is big on grapefruit and oranges, a little pine, probably the influence of the Chinook. The sweetness builds and some of the peach and orange flavors develop but quickly lose out to the bold grapefruit bitterness. Malts are in the background and bready.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth, with rather low carbonation, not flat, but noticeably low. Drying finish, alcohol is a little hot for 7.4% ABV.

Overall it's a great IPA, reminiscent of Grey Sail Captains Daughter, but that Chinook and Pacific Jade influence sets it apart. The Pacific Jade reminds me of Idaho 7 hops, and Topaz to an extent. It's right on that border between the big bitter west coast style and fruitier East coast styled IPA's. If the alcohol weren't quite as hot (not that it's real hot, but that it's there) and those midpallete flavors shined a bit more I'd call this excellent.

Cheers!
Marc

 

It is not quite winter here in the marine-influenced part of NY State so I am saving my seasonal beers for the latter half of the month. My brother was picked this for me after a VT trip. Lost Nation's Lost Galaxy IPA is pale, hazy, delicately flavored IPA. The pour produced a light fluffy head. The nose is a bit floral and the hop taste is lemon and spruce. The finish is very dry. I hope to enjoy this again!

 

G' afternoon and Happy New Sour Beer Sunday everyone!

Today's entry comes from @beertunes and I have been putting off having for long enough!

The North Fork: Electric Berryland
Deming Style Raspberry Sour Ale 2015
Lovely label!

This picture does it no justice! Such a great red hue, it's ridiculous!


Poured from a big 1 pint 9.3 fl.oz. cork and cage bottle into a Teku.

Appearance: Lovely raspberry juice color with a fizzy pink head Not a clear beer at all! Very dark red almost wine-like in appearance.

Aroma: Plenty of tart raspberry followed with some brett funk. Also, getting some wet hay and vinegar tartness, but the funky raspberry aromas definitely dominate this one!

Taste: Lovely. Just plain balanced and lovely. Now I don't claim to be a sour tasting expert, but I love how the funk, sour/tart and raspberry sweetness is just so balanced. Not a whole lot of vinegar sourness on this one either, just the right amount of that vinegar "burn" in the back of the throat.

Mouthfeel: Subtle and light feel. The carbonation comes back vigorously after a light swirl of the glass. A light lingering sourness and raspberry tartness which is quite appealing.

Overall: I love this beer! From the moderate Brett funk to the raspberry tartness and just the right amount of delicate carbonation. This is really great! Would love to have this more readily available that's for sure!

You have any more of these bottles laying around you don't want Terry you know what Citrus Tower home to send them too!


I would also like to offer my condolences to @rgordon , it's a rough time of year for everyone that loses and has lost loved ones. Tuesday was one year since my Mom died, and I still miss her every day. I haven't been posting music in my NBS posts lately, but this one is fitting:


Cheers!

 

First up for me, Orpheus The Rites, thanks @richj1970!

3.96/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you Richj1970 for this
12 oz can poured into a tulip

A- A slightly hazy golden straw color with a two finger white head.

S- Pine, dank, mild citrus, wet grass, floral.

T- An interesting IPA, dank/piney, hints of citrus, floral, nice malt backbone, some wet grass and hint of peppercorns. Almost taste like a Belgian IPA.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A solid IPA and one of the more enjoyable IPAs with that wet grass flavor.

 

Loving a stay at home day, with good beers in the glass, laundry in the dryer, and football on the TV.

My NBS beer I believe was bottled in September. I got this beer in Charleston SC in October. Westbrook brewed and bottled. "Cellared" and poured at 55 degrees. Evil Twin's "Imperial Biscotti Break Raspberry Umami":



An oak barrel aged imperial stout with raspberries added, and an ABV of 11.5%



Pours a deep brown (30++) verging on black; tan/reddish brown head; good clarity under fairly quick cap reducing to a swirly oily slick with a fairly heavy ring; clingy lace slides down the glass leaving some spotting thereafter, all the way to last drink. 4.25



Big raspberry nose with oak in the background and a whiff of roasted malt. 4.5

Flavors of raspberry, cocoa, toasted brown bread, and strawberry jam; oak, vanilla, almond right behind; semi sweet berries finish. 4.5

Medium full fruit juice feel; moderate minus carbonation; no astringency; dry grainy tongue coating; drinks more like a Porter than an IS. 4.5

Overall, as I continue to sip, I keep thinking that if New Glarus made a fruit/BA/IS, it would be this beer. Super easy drinking, the right volume of fruit showcased with well balanced barrel flavors complimenting rather than competing with the raspberry; no hint of ABV or umami (on the few occasions I think I've tasted umami, there was a distinct grilled meat, roasted asparagus or sautéed mushrooms flavor which I'm not getting here); for those out there who like fruit flavored imperial stouts, I recommend. Cheers!

 

Happy Sudsday, BAs!

I am hanging out and relaxing with some football and weirdly-early hockey after running some errands earlier and before making some food and decorating later on this evening. Luckily I have a tasty beer and you guys' great reviews to keep me company.

It is a really weird “winter” so far here in Montreal. At least today it is a little colder and is not raining today, but super mild and warm nonetheless. Hopefully it snows soon. On that note, as far as seasonal beers go, my beer today might be an appropriate choice since it is too cold for fall and too warm for winter.

I am really excited to be able to finally try Backwoods Bastard from Founders! This is a beer that I've wanted to try for a long time and I feel really lucky to randomly get to thanks to a really nice, generous BA. Thanks a ton, Jacob!


My damn camera makes the head look jaundiced.....

Wow! This is a really, really good beer. It is in the right place for everything in my opinion. It pours lovely with a ruby tinted glass and a big fluffy head. The aroma is dried dark fruits, oak and toffee. Really enticing. The flavor doesn't disappoint as there are plenty of these flavors with lots of candied nuts and slightly tannic oak flavors. The barrel is there in a great way. There is oak first and then the bourbon comes into play. Drinkable, not too boozy (how is it possibly to be that strong and this smooth?!?!?!). Mmmmmm.



Founders is a brewery that I just flat out adore. Part of this love comes from how solidly made their beers are and the other part comes from how little I have ever had access to their beers. Between these two things, their beers are always an exotic treat to me. Seriously, any of you that ever comes to MTL on vacation, bring me some Founders shelf beers and I'll make it worth your while!!! It seems like nothing to most, but the grass is always greener.

Here's to @rgordon and his buddies. I'm so sorry to hear about your friends. That was a beautiful little tribute to them. So it goes...

Cheers everybody! Hope you all have a good week.



Here is my actual review.

 

I received a bottle of that this week in a trade with a beer nerd buddy. Can't wait to try it, but I have some hoppier stuff I need to work through first.

 

So I think this definitely qualifies for NBS as it is so different than the other Enjoy Bys (not to mention the controversial "prototype" on the label"). There has been a lot of bashing of this beer --(https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/unfiltered-enjoy-by-va-prototype.467699/). I think its undeserved. Most people posting there believe the've been had because its a fairly clear beer that says unfiltered. Unfiltered does not a nessesarily a clear, hazy or floaty beer make! It all depends on what the yeast cleans up not what the filter cleans.

Anyways..... The beer is good, but a departure from other Enjoy Bys which is why I think so many people are negative. Stone can do whatever they want with this series, some you may like and some you may not. The name does not imply you will get a similar beer all the time, just a beer that is best when consumed fresh.

Pours gold semi-transparent, (not completely, but close). Good lacing. Citrus nose, particularly lemon rind is present when fresh poured. Sadly this is overcome in time by the alcohol notes. Mouth feel is spot on for what I like in an IPA- thick mouth coating start followed by a palate cleanse of tiny bubbles scrubbing your mouth- cool!
I am too lazy to do the minor research, but at 9.4% this might be the highest ABV EJB yet. Sadly that's its slight knock for me, the alcohol notes are just too prominent. I may pour the 2nd half in a tulip to see if I can keep that lemon a little longer.
FYI -Bottle dated 11/18, and no duh, VA produced.
Up next, the another hot BA topic this week-- Lagunitas Westified Stout

 

I liked how much more fruity this one was than my last few iterations. That dank/mj/oniony quality was becoming too prominent lately, even to the point of overshadowing the tangerine, so I appreciated the balance of flavors here.

 

Hi everyone. We've been hanging Christmas decorations outside all afternoon. I thought I'd never get the chance to join you. My NBS review today is Tyranena Brewing's Chief Black Hawk Porter. I've been reading posts about beers from this brewery for year's now but this is my first experience. It's a well-made and tasty American Porter. Not the best I've had but certainly worth trying. Here's my review:

3.96/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 12/18/2015. Poured from bottle into tulip glass. It pours almost opaque black with dark walnut hues when held to the light, and two fingers of foamy khaki-colored head and lacing. The initial head quickly dissipated but the lacing had good retention. It smells of roasted malt, burnt coffee, graham cracker, and toffee. The taste is pleasant with burnt coffee grounds, nuts, baker's chocolate, vanilla, lactose, and some wood smoke. As the glass warmed, the sweetness was more evident. There is a touch of bitterness throughout but particularly at the finish. It features a nice mouth feel - fairly creamy for a porter, with mild carbonation. With a moderate ABV of 5.6% it is easy to drink. This is a well-crafted and tasty Porter - it's not at the same level as Founders, VAS or Edmund Fitzgerald but it's worth a try. The bottle I had was approximately a year old. It would be interesting to try Chief Black Hawk fresher and on draught.

Enjoy your new beers! As always, your reviews are insightful.