New Beer Sunday (week 621)

Good afternoon NBS! First up grabbing a beer at Bellefonte, they had a new sour on Friday but it didn't make it until Sunday, but I'm getting enjoying their Down State Dunkel Weiss, tasty stuff!
4.06/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

20 oz mug on draft

A- Hard to see with the mug, but pouring it looked a murky brown

S- Heavy banana and cloves, wheat, some earthy spice. Very banana bread like.

T- More spice and earthiness than the nose, wheat, still a nice amount cloves and bananas, touch of dark fruit esters

M- Smooth, light to medium body.

O- A tasty dunkle and easy to drink. Really like what Bellefonte is doing with malt forward German and Belgian beers.

Cheers!

 

You had more faith in me than I did. Thanks Maria!

 

Oh, and I figure I'd give you guys a quick heads up before I replace that last beer with another that I will be doing another Throwback Thursday theme over on WBAYDN Thursday, February 2nd. Those of you that frequent that thread might know this already, but I know some do not. Please feel free to join in on that Thursday, though .

And yes, that was specifically chosen to attract those people not drinking in January (there are more than a handful like @cavedave) a chance to participate. I'll be plugging it on that thread the next couple of weeks, but I'll likely throw up one of @LeperJim's graphics the Sunday before to remind everyone and explain it for those who forgot. Hope you join in. Cheers!

 

A second post of a new beer...

Toppling Goliath's "XHops Gold", a pale ale weighing in at 5.3% with 60 IBUs:



Slightly opaque, deep gold (6) pour with huge, fluffy white loose foam; good clarity under long lasting cap with extremely heavy lacing. 4.5



The room erupts with the aroma of citrus/fresh hops like you roll between your fingers, as the bottle is opened; bitter grapefruit rind notes waft from the SAPP. 4.75

Flavors of grapefruit, lemongrass, passionfruit, mango upfront; semi sweet biscuit undertones belie lemongrass bitterness middle; clean citrusy finish. 4.75

Medium lite body, moderate plus carbonation; drying feel on my tongue as texture goes from rind to grain feel. 4.5

Overall, fresh, bright citrus & tropical fruit with lite bitter hop linger; a delight to drink - as tasty a pale as I've had...clean and crisp. A "wow" pale...4.75

Would score a little higher overall, but the guidelines do not (currently) favor opaque or hazy as a look in pales...just saying...

Thank you @Number1Framer ! Have a great Sunday, y'all!

 

Awesome mug.

 

Thanks, they finally have enough that they are selling them again!

 

New beer number two in yo face...

Blowin' up the Spot - an IIPA collaboration between Other Half Brewing, in nearby Brooklyn, and Monkish Brewing, over in Torrance, CA...

Wow. This is awesome. Big fruity aromas, full of tropical, orchard, and citrus impressions... The flavors are similarly plush, with suggestions of everything from orange to grapefruit to pineapple to peach, all with graceful floral accents and a juicy sweetness. The feel is big and full - I'll use the word plush again - with a soft carbonation and a rounded mouthfeel. Bitterness is mild, balanced with the sweetness. Despite the 10.2 abv, this would be very easy to just keep drinking, one-after-another. 12/1/16 canning.

Cheers, NBS - here's to new beer in your glass...

 

Good afternoon to all the NBS followers from atop my hill here in central NH. Thanks to Maria for the great sendoff as usual. The temperatures have been on a yo-yo ride here with almost 60 on Thursday and well only in the 20's yesterday. But the sun is out and it is a beautiful day to be outside playing with Diesel. We just need some snow and things would be even better.
Today I get to bring to you another IMO great DIPA brewed close to home in Manchester NH. Certainly a different take on the style than the one I reviewed last week. But none the less a great beer. Today I bring to you Tragically Hopped DIPA from Great North Aleworks.

Now for the review.
Poured from a can dated 1/10/17 picked up on 1/13/17 at the brewery.
This beer pours a crystal clear golden orange color into my tulip glass. A thin white head on top that disappears quickly, leaving just a hint of lacing around the edge.
The nose hits you as soon as you open the can. Huge piney slap in the face at first but then there is the tropical fruits following the first blast. Perhaps some grapefruit and mango with a hint of perhaps stone fruit.
The taste starts out piney but as it hits the back of your mouth the tropical fruits come through. The more I drank this beer the more the fruits seem to come through.
The mouthfeel is smooth and the carbonation is just right.
This is not one of the juice bomb New England DIPA's this to me leans more towards the west coast style of DIPA. This beer is extremely well done with a great blending of flavors from the bitterness to the hoppy overtones.
This is another really great DIPA to come out of NH in the last couple of weeks.
4.33/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
And perhaps a thought for today.
A mind is like a parachute it only works when it is open!
Cheers

 

FWIW those are my thoughts as well. I enjoy the aroma of this beer but the flavor is indeed lacking.

Cheers!

 

Against the Grain w/ Magic Rock - Shades of Grey

For those who don't know, Magic Rock is amongst the new breed of UK breweries.

The can says this is a "black and white" IPA. If you read the very fine print, they call it red. This is the darkest beer I've ever had that's classified here as an American IPA. If I was putting it in the system, I'd go with American Amber / Red Ale based on protocol but this one is red... please don't call it amber. Truth is, it's red when it's held up to the light, otherwise this is one dark beer (but not black). The can really doesn't make it clear what you're getting.

The beer is dominated by the hops. It's primarily bitter grapefruit. The malts don't shine here. It's a nice beer, but I'd prefer a Bell's Roundhouse to this... and Bell's clearly labels their's an "India red ale." Folks might hate those shenanigans but at least it doesn't lead the consumer astray. As I said, the beer I'm drinking is a "black and white" IPA called Shades of Grey. How many color games can we play here?

 

Moving onto another Evil Twin offering. This time something a little darker and heavier.



Evil Twin's Soft DK.

Pours black with a finger of caramel colored head. Head formation is more fizzy then bubbly, which results in moderate retention. Lacing is totally absent. Aroma is roasted malts, caramel, and toffee. While the note list is short, keeping the beer from being very complex, each note is executed well giving Soft DK a solid aroma. Flavor profile is more of the same - in a good way. Roasted malts, caramel, and toffee all seep out of a dark, simplistic flavor profile. A little hint of cocoa at the back adds a subtle layer to the otherwise straight forward stout flavor. Mouth feel is filling, with some graininess to it. Otherwise, it's smooth, with a medium-thick feel. Overall, a quintessential imperial stout. Nothing is too grandiose or overdone, nor are there any adjuncts, making this beer a classic, flavorful experience.

Score: 4 | 4.25 | 4 | 4 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.11 | rDev: +2.5%

 

New Beer Sunday: A new Brown Ale

Afternoon, NBSers, with special greetings to you buyers of bottled brown ale.

Weather here is sunny, a bit on the chilly side but otherwise nice. We're sliding down, temperature-wise from a High in the 50s earlier this week. This weather in January is almost (but not quite) enough to make me feel guilty that some folks are getting hit so hard with the heavy weather.

With a late lunch today (while my wife was attending to some things here in the township)--I put together some home made Chili with lots of extra veggies and had a new beer. (A Chili purist would cringe at what I put in that bowl of Chili today, but I needed to work some additional vegies into my mid-day meal and the net result tasted just fine. ) Along with the Chili I had a new seasonal brown ale, the Nut Roll Ale from Pennsylvania Brewing over in "da burgh." After a few years of disruption when the founder of the brewery died, this brewery seems to be getting it's act back together under the new ownership.

As usual, my review, pretty much finished, appears here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/125/75566/?ba=drtth#review

While there were a few things to ding about this beer, I generally liked it and thought it was reasonably well made. The sweetness in the beer is well controlled, the spices are noticeable but not overdone. This one is fairly temperature sensitive in that the prominence of different flavors seems to change as the beer warms. I also think I’d prefer just a bit more dry bitterness in the end, since the sweetness does come close to being a too bit much. I think I'll be looking to find another to drink so I can check myself on my review.

Just as with the Anderson Valley Winter Solstice I described a couple of weeks ago, part of what I liked about this beer is that it is a seasonal beer brewed for when you are having more than one. However, rather than sipping by the fire, this one might work quite well at a holiday party where you are serving multiple holiday treats and where you want a lightly sweet beer to be available for those who like holiday spices but who think they don’t like beer. The flavors of malt sweetness, the cinnamon and the vanilla don’t discourage me from wanting another bottle. While the hops don’t show strongly there is a bit of medium roast bitter dryness at the very end.

Well time to head out and do a bit of grocery shopping (On Sundays I'm often the designated shopper. ) before the football really gets underway. Have got another new beer in the fridge just waiting to be opened sometime this evening.

Cheers, all!

 

We had a light coating of snow yesterday, but it's all nice and sunny and about 40 Degrees today.
So a perfect day to crack open Sam's Spring Seasonal
Hopscape
Happy New American Pale Wheat Ale Sunday

3.73/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle into PP glass
BB 5/17
L- cloudy pale gold, fluffy rocky white head, great retention
S- fresh burst of piney hops, along with some sweet malty aroma
T- surprising citrussy juicy burst reminscent of grapefruit, that leads into a yeasty follow and finish, with ever so slight kiss of hops along for the ride
F- nice creamy feel. medium bodied, light carbonation
Overall a solid wheat beer, refreshing, flavorful, not much else to ask for, except I wish the hops in the aroma would have continued on to the taste as well

Cheers to the New Week!!

 

@utopiajane - I could've seen "too sweet" as an alternate reason for Saranac's beer's lower scores. I probably would've had a positive rDev had I rated that beer. Unfortunately, though it came in the same packaging, that was not the beer I tried today .

Ok, gonna give another porter a try for this round. This one is using "strange" ingredients as well - Sweet Potatoes, Purple Mais (corn, I believe), and Aji Panca peppers:


I've been more disappointed than impressed by beers with chilies in them, as I'd always like a little bite from this, and usually get nothing. I realize chilies only role are not to supply heat, but I always expect and would prefer some. This is half Evil Twin, so maybe I'll get some (not as familiar with Two Roads reputation, though I enjoyed the Geyser Gose these guys combined to do this past summer). They brewed the test batch in Peru using the aforementioned local local ingredients. The can says I should expect earthy spice notes with a hint of chili. Let's see if I get some bite, and a solid porter with it as I sip Pachamama Porter:

The earth is dark and rich looking, though it comes from the sky as a medium dark brown liquid . Nice billowing cloud of tan head grows above the earth beer below it. The clouds fade leaving wisps of cirrus across the sky, though thicker clouds can still be seen at the horizon.


There is a smell of chocolate and roasted malts in the air. There is a light sweetness of nectar-bearing flowers and perhaps a little bit of winter spice.

Putting my hands in the ground, I do get what the gods of the can indicate - a nice impression of an earthy porter. The opening note lightly roasted grain that was wetted by the storm that has receded over the horizon. The makeup of the earth lightens as it sifts through my hands, easily flowing between my fingers. As this happens, a lightly coffee-like porter reaches my senses. There are a few specks of small particles in the ground that prick my fingertips if I focus on them, rolling the last bit of earth around before letting it fall from them. After digging in the ground for a while, I do dig up a little bit of pepper - but it's a very small one. As the ground warms, I become more aware of the distinct nature of the sensations I was getting before.


Ok - so attempt at a metaphor aside: this is a decent beer, though the porter notes are watered down a tad, there is that earthiness that the can describes that replaces some of the feel. I don't specifically get any sweet potato, but there's a flavor and feel that does make me think earthen foods and tubers. The beer isn't sweet, but it never really gets too bitter either. I am again disappointed in not getting more of a bite from the pepper. The pepper flavor grows on my palate as a lingering note, and the individual flavors do seem to shine just a little more, each in their own way.

 

Think you got about the same impression as I did on that beer. Funny, though, I actually described it similar to how @drtth did his beer today: a nice beer to have at a party/gathering where you want something enjoyable that won't distract you from the event itself.

 

I am debating whether or not to add this beer to the BA database. It is a Test Batch from Oddball Brewing of Pembroke, New Hampshire and it was released just a day or two ago. So it is brand new. It is their Pre-Prohibition Lager, which is 5.3% ABV and 22 IBUs. It is brewed in the 19th Century lager tradition using rice and Hallertau hops. Intriguing aroma of caramel malts and a kind of cinnamon bite. Sweet caramel and low to no bitterness. Smooth, creamy body in the medium range. The reason I hesitate to add it to the database is because they plan to brew at least one more batch and if it comes out the way they want it to - it will be released to New Hampshire craft beer enthusiasts under a different name. I would rather add it at that time.

I had the unenviable task today of getting rid of the carcass of a dead gray squirrel that I found in my yard. We have had a lot of snow melting in the last week and it could have been under the snow bank for a while. I shoveled it into a grocery bag and drove it down to wooded area along the river near where I live. But while I was at the river I saw a majestic bald eagle fly over head. I was not quick enough to get a photo.

 

Hey, how's it going NBSers? We got about an inch of snow yesterday here in NJ, some of which is still around but it's melting at a pretty fast pace. I had a couple of days off from work this week which allowed me to do some homebrewing. It was my first attempt at a kölsch and it will also be my first attempt at lagering a beer. I intend to give it a full four weeks in the fridge after it's done fermenting in the basement. Fingers crossed!

My new beer for today is from a German brewery I am not familiar with at all. In fact, there was only one review for this beer on BA. The bottle says this beer won a gold award at the 2014 World Beer Cup in the South German-style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier category. Ok then, let's give it a go.

Friedenfelser Hefe-Weissbier



16.9 oz bottle, best before 08.30.2017.

Nice pour with very lively carbonation that creates a large, frothy white head atop a deep gold/light amber colored beer. Very cloudy after adding the yeast. Good head retention with sparse lacing left on the glass.

Spot-on banana, clove and bubble gum aroma. Some grainy wheat is noticeable as well. No hops at all. The flavor is good but seems a little too subdued. The fruit and spice is there, it's just very mild and doesn't really "pop" at all.

Medium-light bodied, smooth and creamy. A true-to-style weissbier with zero off-flavors. Just a notch below my favorites like Andechs and Weihenstephaner, but worthy of a try for sure.

look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Score: 3.77/5