New Beer Sunday (Week 677)

16 ounce, best by April 2018. I’m not going to decipher the canning code. Poured into tulip. Aggressive pour leads to a 2 finger head. Dull, hazy orange body. Excellent lacing.
Big juicy, clementine orange, pineapple, grainy malts, tangerine nose.
Bitter start, grapefruit, finishes soft tropical fruit, mango. Cracker malts too.
Clean finish, more bitter than expected but I like that. Not really a soft mouthfeel typical of the style. Drinkability is huge. This is a solid summer option considering it’s solid price for a 4 pack of pounders 3.99

I’m impressed. IMO, it’s a great beer if you don’t have a lot of experience with NEIPAs, at a price you can’t beat.

 

#2, this magnificent collaboration between two of my favorite breweries (note: I have approximately 150 favorite breweries).





4.5/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I love Even More Jesus and Bomb!, so this is obviously in my sweet spot (pun intended). Pour is jet black, with a thick and frothy dark tan head. The nose has heaping helpings of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and the slightest bit of chilies.

Fortunately, the chilies come forward in the taste as this warms, to complement the ginormous chocolate and coffee flavors that allow the vanilla to make a brief guest appearance on the encore.

 

Been traveling the last few weeks so finally get to participate again.

First is a great beer I received from @colby600

Tree House Doubleganger



4.81/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured out of can into tulip glass.

Pours a thicker, light orange color with about a finger's worth of white foamy head.

A very nice tropical fruit smell. Mango hits hard, but it's a very nice mix.

Very juicy, I'm getting mango on the taste as well. It's a very nice beer, very easy to drink.

It has a little bit lighter than usual feel, not much is left after each drink.

Overall a very delicious beer. Does not taste like an 8% beer.

 

New Beer Sunday: A New Rye Barrel Aged Rye Beer

Evenin’ NBSers, with a special recommendation for those who wonder “Why Rye?”

As predicted, we’ve had lots of rain for lots of the day, but it has pretty much ended for a while and we weren’t washed away by it all.

This evening’s new beer is the Boulevard Rye on Rye. The base beer is a Rye beer that was then aged in Templeton Rye Barrels. (Templeton is a very nice Rye Whiskey but the company selling it has had a bit of a spotty record as the brand owners have been found to have been more than a little bit deceptive about where the whiskey was being distilled, etc.)

As usually my review, subject to revision until the beer is finished, can be found here:

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


The aromas/flavors from the Rye Whiskey barrels are strong in this one. The Whiskey seems to be up front with some bready character from the grains in the beer playing a supporting role. While there’s not a lot of spiciness showing there’s definitely something such as anise in here. In addition there’s some barrel showing in the vanilla and oak notes in the background. The finish has a touch of dryness that also includes a light background of Rye Whisky and vanilla in the back of the palate.

Having had my fill of both TV and Winter Olympics today, this evening’s new American Musical is Mame. The Original cast included Charles Braswell.

Mame

Cheers, all!

 

Greetings from the Great Northwest.

Today we have a little hold over from fall. Fog Bank Fall Ale from Diamond Knot brewing.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1590/138264/

A nice combination of the amber and pale ale style.

Partly sunny today but cool. Temps in the upper 30's. I know that's warm for some parts of the upper mid-west and the east, but we'll take it. I see Spring on the horizon.

Brew kettle fired up this afternoon. I have a home improvement project on the board, but the cabinets have not come in. So I get a brew day courtesy of Home Depot. Hopefully the stuff comes in this week or we start cutting into my Spring activities.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

 

My last NBS entry for this week (it seems to have been a bit of a "clean out the fridge" kind of day) at 4:44 pm and still 42 degrees, is the first bottled offering from one of our smaller local breweries. They are awesome folks (full disclosure, I pitched in with some volunteer grunt labor during their build out), but they've had some issues with the quality of some of their brews. But, they are getting better, and, their space is awesome. They basically turned their garage into the taproom, craned in some shipping containers to be the brewery, and have about six different nooks to imbibe in around their lot. It's one of my favorite spots. a solid Winter Warmer: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45955/327352/

 

I see.....it was added 2/10/18, I believe that's today.

 

Thanks Craig for the intro and topic of transportation of beers from point A to B. I have to say I’ve been lucky so far using the “wine” bottle sealers, and more often just getting some bubble wrap and winging it ( pun intended) with beers/wine/ Liquor and bringing the wrapped bottles home in the hard shell checked bag(s)...Tip: I take some gallon size zip bags with me (I’ve never used them all) when we fly, for the random bottle(s) of whatever we bring home (bubble wrapped and taped) just in case :-)

Nothing from the suitcase tonight; the beers from Europe have all been distributed, and I’ve previously drank all the Russian River beers I brought home last week... so nothing new for NBS...

Instead I’ll have to content myself with a beer new to me that I’m excited to try - Pirate Noir, an Imperial Stout Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels:





Pours an inky black with a quick tan cap of mixed big bubbles and fizzy bubbles that pop and go; thin ring; medium legs sheet the glass upon swirl; spotty plus lace remains. 4.5



Aroma of rum, toast, lite roast,sweet malt, alcohol, and oak. 4.5

Tastes of chocolate, booze rum bite, barrel bite, oak, vanilla, rummy booze finish! 4.5

Smooth silky velvety feel; medium plus/full body; slick, chaulky tongue coating; some warmth but more an afterthought. 4.25

Overall, smells like rum, tastes like rum, and drinks like a big beer aged in rum... Yet, on the whole, this is a very mellow, smooth and kinda tame Prairie offering. The alcohol is muted and the sidewalk smack down between malt sweetness and barrel flavors is
very well balanced - it’s lite, it’s rum centric, and it is extremely drinkable! 4.5

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

Another day done with work, and another day closer to my North Carolina vacation in late March. And, yes, I will be traveling home with beer in my suitcase. I've been taking suitcase beer home for the last 3 years, or so. I'm so looking forward to new beers, and a great time with a great friend.

So, on to the beer.


Little Dipster from Oliphant Brewing in Somerset, Wisconsin.

It is billed as a rum barrel aged smoked Vienna style lager. 5.5% ABV

So, how is it?

AMAZING!

So many flavors competing in this beer, but their competition is an effort that takes them all to the winner circle. To me the best part of the flavor profile is the smoke that kicks in on the backside. It is somewhat mellow, but it fits perfectly to this beer. Damn amazing, just too bad I only have this one.

Review

4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer is described as a rum barrel aged smoked Vienna Style Lager.

This beer pours a sort of amber color. Clear. Almost no head, just a few bubbles on the side of the glass.
The nose is mostly the barrel, but a touch of smoke. Some sweet notes to the nose.
Taste WOW! It really has a big mix of flavors. It starts off mellow and smooth. I get the barrel. I get a slight fruity sweetness. On the backside the smoke kicks in. It is really a great smoke flavor.
Feel - decent bodied. Some carbonation. Smooth feeling.
This is an amazing beer. I am a big fan of smoked beers, and this doesn't disappoint. Even if you don't like smoked beers, this would even be good for you, because it fits in so well with this beer.


I'm likely to have another new beer, so I'll be back later.

 

Hello all! Earlier in the week I was surprised by a wonderful box from @thebeers full of SEPA goodies. I've enjoyed what I've had so far, but managed to hold off on the one beer that really grabbed my attention right off the bat:

Very few beery things will beat a quality black lager in my book, so it's with great anticipation that I now tear into this Tired Hands Trendler Schwartzbier.

This style is all about walking the tightrope of balance and more-ish complexity while doing it with character and flair. About a quarter of the way through I'd say that they succeeded in that respect. The milky mouthfeel, dryness and bitterness are all spot on; flavors of dark cocoa and toasted pumpernickel are at the right proportions, present but not too brazenly showy The fermentation is clean as a whistle, allowing the malt and hops to shine. And speaking of hops, however, there is a spicy/floral noble hop aroma and flavor that is coming on pretty strong here. It's not impacting drinkability so far, so I'd say that it stays in fair territory overall; while at the same time it's lending the beer an air of delicacy. Thanks a whole lot, Arthur! I'm really enjoying this and can't wait to pop the second can. A very tasty A (4.4).

 

Nope, not yet. Pretty odd given how many chances I’ve had to try it. I’m just not big into low abv or cream ales. Will agree with you that their price points are on the expensive end. Riverhead is my home town although I reside in Southampton now.

 

More new beer:

This was excellent! Very unique. Aromas and flavors of big juicy and lightly tart/tangy raspberries, fruit skin/seeds, lemon, lime, green apple, red grape, cocoa, vanilla, coriander, sea salt, herbal, and grass; with some wheat/cracker pale malts and mild lacto funk. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang, and light spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation, light-medium body, and moderately crisp finishing. Balanced grainy malts and lactic acid; light sticky spice, chalky cocoa, and salinity in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing tart/tangy fruit dryness, no puckering. Very flavorful/refreshing 4.9%. Was not sure what to expect, but it tastes like a chocolate raspberry tart dessert or something. Extremely well balanced between the jammy raspberries, Lacto, cocoa, salt, and spice; with a solid pale/wheat malt backbone. Never overly lactic or salty. Really big fan. 4


Glad Rogue finally dates things, but only the cans. Awesome DIPA. Aromas and flavors of big tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, berry, citrus peel/rind, pepper, and pine hops; with moderate toasted bread, light caramel malt; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body and fairly crisp finishing. Balanced bready/grainy malts and sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Light resins/rinds, increasing bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Dangerously drinkable, never aggressive, minimal warming 8.7%. The Citra/Mosaic/Comet hop profile is all wonderfully showcased. Great balance of juicy, dank, and vibrant hop complexity; nice bready malt backbone, with no residual sweetness. Very well attenuated for the ABV. An easy winner. 4.1


Awesome spiced RIS. Aromas and flavors of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, molasses, graham cracker, cake batter, and toasted dark bread; with lighter notes of nuttiness, coffee, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, herbal/grassy hops, and yeast earthiness. Light roast/char and herbal/grassy/spicy hop bitterness on the finish. Light carbonation and fairly full body; very creamy/bready/silky malt mouthfeel; light sticky spice, and chalky char/roast. Lightly increasing hop/char bitter dryness, never acrid/astringent. Minimal warming 10.5%. Really spot on for the RIS style. Very rich/complex malts with awesome balance of spices; nice earthy hop presence, and mild complementing English yeast fruitiness in the background. It all works so well together. 4.1


Cheers, have a good night NBS.

 

Good to know. I’ve heard of that one, but never had it. I’m guessing that their distro here is very sporadic to say the least (or at least where I lurk).

 

Happy New Evil/Evo/Evil Beer Sunday (Week 677) - Welcome to the Third Leg!

I have no qualms about the backlog here at Chez Woody. It is due to too much travel & drinking away from home while still bringing beer home with me. The upside is that I CAN CANduct brewery horizontals at will & New Beer Sunday provides me with a weekly opportunity to do just that.

Next up: Evil Twin Brewing! We may be here a while ...

What a start CANming out of the gate!:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/168595/?ba=woodychandler#review


Wow! You CANnot acCANse me of being a one trick IPA pony. I am a neo-beer hippie in that I will try anything (except Tide Pods) once. CAN I please just have a beer?

In for a penny, in for a pound, so I CANtinued with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/290875/?ba=woodychandler#review

OMFG! What an eye-opener! I almost threw in the towel after that one, but doing so would deprive my followers of CANtinued madness.

I pressed on, acCANdingly, with:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/297578/?ba=woodychandler#review


and at last, I broke on through to the other side. We talk of palate fatigue, but in my case, it was just a desire for something other than tart/sour:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/72143/?ba=woodychandler#review

I had intended on having just the one more, but when I peered into the reefer, I noticed that I was without peer, based on my peerage. The next step were the much-CANticiapted AIPAs, beginning at 7% ABV and rising. I folded my heavy-handed hand at that point.

For next week: Shall I pick up where I left off? I still have a goodly CANlection of Evil Twin CANs. Or should I open up a new & different CAN of worms? I will happily listen to the vox populi. Lemme know!

 

Beer number two from @colby600 Nice beer for watching some curling.

Tilted Barn Raffi



4/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark black with about three fingers of light brown, chocolate-like head.

I get a lot of coffee on the nose, with just a touch of chocolate.

There's a chocolate taste at first and the finish is coffee. The coffee taste hangs around as well.

It's thinner and easy to drink. Not as thick as some of the oatmeal stouts I've had, but that's not a bad thing.

Overall a nice oatmeal stout. Lower ABV as well.

 

That's the vanilla bean version, but I really didn't notice any.

 

Where you left off!! Go go forward young man!!

 

I've heard (well, and seen online) that they bottle this in a magnum - which is absolutely ludicrous. I wasn't aware that it was/is available in cans. I'll have to do a bit of digging and see if I can't find one locally. I've been interested in trying it for some time, and your review peaks my interest!

 

I've heard good things about this new Otter Creek canned offering, so here goes!



Moderate pour yields a 1/2 inch white head over a bright light golden body with fleeting lacing. Nose of slight tropical fruit. Taste of tropical fruit, citrus, and a bit of spicy bitterness on the finish. Good feel and overall, an interesting lager and pleasant experience from Middlebury, VT. Cheers!