New Beer Sunday (Week 662)

Goood Morning @lordofthewiens and thanks for a great opener, and goood morning to all you other fans of fine fermented favorites.

Thinking of having a beer for breakfast today, and it is a beer about which I am a bit conflicted. Could be the first time I will be trying a beer from a favorite brewery that I fully expect to dislike. Oh, no, it's not the style, haha I love every style I've tried, it's the hop. HBC 366/Equinox/Ekuanot, which has been causing a stir for one or another reason since it was first brought to market. First named Equinox, but Tony Magee put an end to that with a lawsuit. Now it is re-named Ekuanot, and even that is controversial as many folks, including some brewers, pronounce it "You-kahnot", and I have even seen it misspelled to reflect that mispronunciation.

But.... I have never had a beer with Equinox/Ekuanot that I like. It has an off putting vegetal note and unpleasant bitterness with a spoiled kind of oily taste to my palate. Only have tried three beers with the hop, but it was enough of a turn off to make me pass by any beer with it. Until now. Conversation yesterday with a good number of fellow geeks shows I am not alone in this thought.

But Equilibrium Brewery is run by genius brewers and if anyone can make a beer with Equinox/Ekuanot taste good it is these folks. Will be back inna bit to see if they did, or didn't

 

Cheers you all and a Happy New Beer Sunday to you. This week I intended to make some soups in honor of fall which has decided not to come yet. I have to admit to feeling a bit sad as I wind up my oktoberfest tastings. What a terrific style of beer! Today I have a beer from a brewer you might know for their IPA. This is a Vienna or Mexican style lager and I thought it fitting for this last Sunday in October to return to the to the roots of the style.



Pours softly and golden with a haze so faint you might miss it. Soapy white head. Nose is a touch sweet and gentle. At first glance I wondered if it was dark enough. I think it's very light.

Nose is a golden light hint of sweetness on refined crackery malt. Hops had mint but were brought down soft and earthy with their grassy spice. So clean and light I am tempted to say thin until the malt show s a bit of crisp bread and bite from bubble. The bitterness is firm but reserved. Light mineral quality to the middle that I think is refined too. It lets you taste the delicate minty stem of these hops in a glimpse of it's sweet herbal.

I found this beer to have a unique mouthfeel Something I have seen a lot in IPA's a west coast feel to the beer if you will. It's kind of bubbly. It's just different enough so that you notice it. I'd say it is original and it is just a bit too light for the style. Cheers NBS!

 

Thanks for starting yet another NBS @lordofthewiens ! Nice intro. I'm a bookworm myself.

OK, so *technically* I started drinking this late Saturday night but I continued drinking it well into Sunday. And given how tasty it was I thought it was worth talking about it here this morning. It's only my second ever beer from the state of Nevada (my only other one was a gluten-free one). This beer is described on the can as a "Northeast-style hazy IPA", which is basically an indirect attempt to name a NEIPA. And it definitely matches the style profile of a NEIPA. Seriously ugly label though, but in this charming, so-ugly-it's-actually-cool kinda way.

Revision Brewing (in collaboration with Shoe Tree Brewing) - Disco Ninja



It pours hazy yellow with a huge head that leaves some massive lacing behind. The aroma is fairly strong and it's full of tropical fruit and dank notes. The taste is very well balanced with fruity sweetness followed by some intense and long-lasting bitterness. Mango, papaya and stone fruit notes. More dank notes as a late aftertaste. Very chewable and with mild carbonation. Should have grabbed more of it.

 

New Beer Sunday: A Midwestern take on a West Coast IPA

Mornin’ NBSers with and an alert to fans who favor IPAs with the flavor profiles found on the West Coast. Also a big thanks to @lordofthewiens for his interesting start this morning. I can't really describe a pattern to my reading these days. It is currently all over the map (so to speak) since it includes a really interesting book "How to Lie with Maps." There's also a bit of history in general and lots of Patrick O'Brien who writes a lot of historical fiction that includes a series of sea novels set in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars,

The weather here today is expected to be rainy and breezy all day with a high in the mid to upper 60s. (A perfect day to do some indoor chores and watch an Eagles game this afternoon.)

While waiting for breakfast to finish cooking, this morning’s new beer is the Nebraska Brewing Company’s India Pale Ale. It is clearly inspired, as the brewer says, by the version of IPAs closely associated with the West Coast. As usual my review, subject to revision until the beer is finished, can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/user/beers/?ba=drtth

Well the flavors and aromas of this beer fit well with what I’d expect from a West Coast IPA. There’s the citrus and pine resin up front being made a bit more complex by some hints of tropical fruit. The hop bitterness is softened a bit by the malt backbone but is no way hidden. A well done example of a West Coast version of the IPA and worth a try if you find it. That all said, I do have a personal preference for just a bit more malt sweetness in the long, dry bitter ending that would disappear just before the ending closes rather than having nothing but bitterness for a good bit before the.

No music on the player this morning since it’s about time to get started ticking some items off the “honey-do” list, but I’m expecting to be back later on with something Bourbon Barrel aged to discuss.

Cheers, all!

 

I'll be interested to see what you report since I don't much care for the Equinox and it's vegetal character either.

My only experience with the Equinox was the Duvel Triple Hop with Equinox a few years back. I thought the Duvel beer was well made that year but did find the vegetal a bit off-putting as well. In fact I happily shared (gave away) the last two bottles from the 4-pack.

 

Good morning, NBS enthusiasts. And thank you, @lordofthewiens for a thoughtful introduction. It's going to be a dark, rainy Sunday in New Jersey and I'm looking forward to reading this afternoon. I'm a history buff and I mostly read nonfiction. I'm about to finish a fascinating book on the Great Compromise of 1850 that postponed the Civil War by a decade. Anyone who thinks politics is blood sport today should read about what it was like in Congress in the 1850's. There were literal physical attacks in both the Senate an House.

Well, this is by far the earliest I've ever posted on NBS. @FFFjunkie's BIF #6 box included this coffee milk stout from 18th Street Brewing in Hammond, Indiana. It feels like a nitro pour and the rich flavors of espresso, milk chocolate, and coconut blend really well. It's a first class milk stout. Thanks, Dan!

Here's my full review:

4.21/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Courtesy of @FFFjunkie. Canned 9/8/2017 and poured into Brakspear pint glass. It pours a deep, rich walnut - nearly black - with a full finger of foamy, medium-tan head and lacing. The head slowly dissipated and left a thin coating of lacing inside the glass. It's a lovely pour. The nose is fairly subdued and features roasted malt, chocolate, nuts, lactose, and a whiff of freshly-brewed coffee. There's a lot more coffee in the taste and it includes burnt, as well as freshly-brewed espresso , along with rich milk chocolate, caramel, lactose, nuts, and brown bread notes. I noticed something that reminded me of dark fruit but as the glass warmed I identified it as coconut. This stout has a creamy, silky mouth feel that reminded me of nitro and the 8% ABV gives it substance but doesn't overwhelm. This is one of those beers that seems to improve with every sip. Particularly as the glass warms, the myriad tastes stand out but combine for a really tasty and enjoyable Milk Stout.

Since I'm posting so early, I think I'll be back this afternoon with a review of something new from a local brewery. Until then, enjoy you new beers!

 

Kettlehead the new brewery 20 minutes from my house, brewed with coffee and coconut. Poured near room temperature and got a solid 2 finger light brown head that leaves some thin wisps of lace behind. 4.25

Smell is roasty coffee, toasted coconut, cocoa, and some hazelnut. 4

Taste is dry coffee grounds, toasted coconut, cocoa nibs, hazelnut, and toffee. 4

Mouthfeel is maybe medium, mild carbonation, a tad dry as you would expect, and drinks as you would expect at 6.5% ABV. 3.75

Overall this is very nice, for me it is like they combined Oskar Blues Death By Coconut and Hot Box Coffee, maybe a tad thinner than I prefer. Very nice beer from a young up and coming Brewery. 4

 

A: An amber dark color, medium light with some head but no lacing.
A: Burnt caramel and roast with a slight tangyness.
T: Light bodied caramel and malt.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with faint caramel and slight carbonation.
Overall: A decent beer from an established brewery.

 

Good morning New BSers! Well, I'm in sunny New Braunfels, TX, where it is currently 33 degrees. The waterfall in the pool is running - it starts automatically at 34 degrees to keep the pumps from freezing. Bender, the pool cleaning robot, is going to need an ice-breaking attachment if it gets any colder! After today, the temperatures are supposed to start going back up.

@lordofthewiens - excellent intro! I'm using my retirement to catch up on my reading, mostly things I should have read decades ago. I'm currently reading Richard Henry Dana Jr's "Two Years Before the Mast", to be followed by "Moby Dick" (Finally!).



$ 10.99 (Plus tax)/six pack of 12 oz cans at Shell superstore in North Little Rock, AR.
Best by 09/FEB/2018. In cooler at store, in reefer at house, served at reefer temperature in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Aroma – Citrus and flora. Rapidly fades.
Head – Average (Maximum three cm, aggressive pour), off white, dense, good retention, slowly diminishing to a three mm ring and a rocky partial layer. Retraction leaves a lacy complete ring of tiny bubbles.
Lacing – Excellent. Wide rings of tiny bubbles, covering the inside of the snifter.
Body – Orange, cloudy.
Flavor – Begins with citrus (My sister-in-law says lemon) and slightly bitter. I think I’m tasting some of the malt backbone as well. No alcohol, no diacetyl.
Palate – Medium, watery, soft carbonation.

Impression: A very good IPA, well balanced, excellent price point. This is an IPA that I’ll pick up whenever I can find it.

Appearance 4.5, Aroma 4, Flavor 4.25, Palate 4.25, Overall 4.25. Rating 4.21, rDev +12.6.

 

I'm also an avid reader. Although I've gone from 30-50 books per year to about 12-15 since I've had kids. I did convert to the Nook years ago, and I'll never go back. The only downside is cost. The library is free. It sounds like I'm going to need to find some Richard Powers books. Aside from being an awesome name, I'm guessing I'll like the books. I'll be back later tonight with a new beer and a rundown on what I've been reading lately.

 

Glad to see you picking up some Arkansas beer. That's pretty much the big player in our state. If you drive back through and have time, stop at Rebel Kettle Brewing. It's probably the best beer in the state, IMO. Also it's a block from Lost Forty and two blocks from Rocktown Distillery, so you can make a day of it.

 

Awesome glass, brings back some meories.

Love that glass, brings back some memories. I certainly drank my share of Brakspears while living there ( a lot in Maidenhead)

 

A: A very dark black color, medium bodied with no head nor lacing.
A: Slight smoky chocolate, malty with some whisky hints.
T: Medium bodied, with a distinctive smoky taste, hints of chocolate, malts and whisky.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a complex character, smooth well crafted.
Overall: A very nice beer with complex flavor and a very well balanced taste. Very nicely done. It does have a nice gentle kick to it as one drinks it.

 

Nice start @lordofthewiens for today's NBS. Should be back with a new brew later on today.

Cheers!

 

Rainy and breezy, feels like about in the 60's - kinda like Halloween weekend, no?

Legit scare when the beer poured red...

Pure Project's #ISO - a triple IPA with dragonfruit...

I've had beer with dragonfruit, papaya, guava, and other dark-fleshed fruit, but other than sours, this is (IIRC) the first IPA (a triple IPA) that poured red...

Dragonfruit's kinda white-fleshed with red skin, so I'm guessing they either used the skin, or they made a point of producing a bright red beer just for the sake of doing so. Got an 8/10/17 canning date, so I expect it to be a little off-point from it's original flavor profile, but as a canned triple IPA coming in at 10.3% abv, it should hold up pretty well, right?

Well, although it features Citra and Mosaic hops (two favorites), it has a very mild flavor and aroma presentation. Gives off some floral notes, a little fruity without being suggestive of any particular fruit, and the flavors have a mild tingle of citrus, with some kiwi-like flavors... Thankfully not overly sweet - I'm gonna use the word "mild" here again - and the bitterness is subdued (listed at 50 IBUs, for whatever that's worth)... Medium-light weight, smooth, a little tingle on the tongue, and a faint shellac left behind. Not bad per se but neither exceptional nor compelling despite what I assume were the best efforts to make it so.

I've got a bunch of new beers coming my way today, currently watching the Minnesota Vikings play in a very un-viking-like manner against the first-pick-bound Browns... Wouldn't give much of shit except - and I'm gonna give it away early here, BA - I picked the Vikes as my lock for the week... dammit...

Hope your first new beer of the day is a winner, cheers...

 

A: An inviting dark black color, medium bodied with a slight head and decent amounts of lacing.
A: Lots of chocolate and cherries hints.
T: Medium bodied, with a both chocolate, cherry and roasted malt flavors present.
Mouthfeel: A medium bodied with a nice chocolate and cherry taste.
Overall: A good beer with nicely balanced taste.

 

Sunrise has me outside in near freezing temperature engaged in stage three out of five in house training the new puppy. Simple enough, I've done it before, just take the little one out with the big one and by watching him she learns the real reason why God made grass. But no, not this one, instead of getting down to business her preciousness runs the length of the leash, reverses course to run in the other direction, then back and forth while big dog watches with an expression as if to say, "get with it kid, it's cold out here". I let him in to remove distraction and just as she pauses by the tree a big pine cone comes thumping down which is obviously the first time such a thing has happened in the History of the World so she has to investigate. Gingerly approaching and speaking softly (can't yell, she's not doing anything wrong) my bare feet on wet slippery grass (did I mention the temperature is in the 30s) I'm thinking if I loose my footing and hit my head on the concrete walk I hope I scream loud enough to wake the neighbors so my body can be retrieved before hypothermia sets in. Finally, mission accomplished.

Back in and settled I look around and the others are asleep in their spots with the pup curled between my feet using my right foot as a pillow which means I can't move for awhile because it would wake the baby. It's at this point I realize that if I'm alive to complain I shouldn't be complaining.

Fortunately, there is beer at hand . . .





Darker shade of orange-gold color with white cap.

Aroma of bready malt and golden raisins with a distinctive hit of sharp hops.

Flavor is interesting and a bit puzzling. At first there's the rich, deep flavor of rich malt leaning toward caramel then just as the ripe fruit emerges we hit a hop wall of decided bitterness. At 10% ABV there's a lot in there and it's as if someone decided to toss in an extra bushel or so of hops just to make sure with the result being an off balance in favor of the hops. I can only guess which hop variety but at this level of use perhaps that doesn't matter. A complex brew that mostly works but the hop bitterness is like someone put too much cayenne pepper in the gumbo. The flavors compete rather than complement.

Full texture with balancing carbonation.

Not your typical Trippel. It is a complex brew that's well made but I wonder if it wouldn't be more palatable if both the ABV and IBU were cut back some.


Anyway, it warmed me up.