New Beer Sunday (Week 682)

Moving on here NBS players to my second and final new beer of the day.

This is Chilly Water, bba Baltik porter, from Trinity Brewing in Colorado. The brew checks in at 8.5% abv with no apparent bottle date.

A black pour with moderate carbonation and a fast tan head. The nose is really non-existent but I do get a thin sense from it which makes me nervous right away. The nose is correct as the drinking hits on the thinner side. Chalky and dry chocolate malt upfront with a smooth flow and finish. The barrel is rather weak and I’m having trouble picking up its notes at all. Perhaps some dry oak at best? It has a sort of pronounced cola/soy sauce flavor that I just can’t get past. Perhaps a tad infected as well?

Overall, this is just awful. To the point that I can’t even finish it.

 

Starting with Lygonia a NEIPA from Fore River Brewing South Portland Maine. Masterpiece by these guys. Well done! Oh and how bout them Syracuse Orangemen! Yeeeeeaaaaah!

 

Creature Comforts Atheno Paradiso Berliner Weisse with Cranberry ( yuck ), Cherry & Raspberry. 3.9 overall. Apparently I got the last sixer in the store, wish I liked it more...

Pours an effervescent pink with 3 fingers iof pink-ish head, Hazes up a bit. Okay head retention & lacing
S: Cherry & tartness
T: Follows the nose, much dryness, some acidity. Acidity picks up as this warms, tart cherry & lemon as well, some raspberry too. Finishes dry, tart, with some acidity & cherry
MF: Light/medium body with slight carbonation & a little enamel stripping acidity
Pretty refreshing, flavors don't quite pull together for greatness, not a suprise, not much on cranberries

 

New Beer Sunday: A New IPA

Evenin’ NBSers with a heads up for fans for the West Coast interpretation of the IPA, and another thanks to @lordofthewiens for his start today.

Well the weather here today was much as forecast and a real pleasure to enjoy. Got in my obligatory trip to the gym and then spent a lot of time on errands and neatening up the yard.

This evening’s new beer can be thought of a classic version of a West Coast IPA since it has been around for so long. Inversion from Deschutes was first entered in the BA database in ’06.

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

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/63/29209/?ba=drtth#review


The aroma/flavor profile include some grapefruit zest, some pine, a hint of pineapple, and some caramel from the malt. There’s a reasonable degree of complexity in how the flavors come and go but the single most persistent thing is the bitterness from the hops. While the bitterness doesn’t rasp over the tongue as is the case with some West Coast versions of an IPA it does eventually become almost unpleasantly intense as it fades into the dry bitter ending more slowly than does the sweetness and the rest of the flavors. While I’m fine with having tried Inversion, it is not a beer I’ll be seeking out to add to my regular rotation.


Having watched Villanova win yesterday and being more or less basketballed out until next weekend, it’s time for another new Original Cast recording of an American Musical. This evening’s musical is No, No, Nanette which included Jack Gilford and Susan Watson in the original cast.

I Want To Be Happy

Cheers, all!

 

#2, I am so blue I could moo as I work my way through the Ninja box @Buck89 sent my way. Nearly to the end of the box, I’ve had my eye on this beer for a LOOONG time - really glad to finally have the chance to try it.



4.24/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The pour is black with a dark tan head that dissipates pretty quickly. The cocoa nibs dominate the nose, and there’s also a significant sweet component im assuming is the marshmallow and graham crackers.

The chocolate notes also dominate the taste, and there’s notes of marshmallow and graham cracker, which I’m assuming is suggestive mental manipulation, because I read the label which mentions these ingredients.

All I know is this beer is like a s’more in a really nice imperial stout. #Sold

 

New Pilsner Sunday (Week 682)
Greetings fellow NBSers from on the ridge in Mid Hud Val, NY. Beauty day here, ground is sneaking through the melting snow, and suddenly, despite the cool temps and continued frigid nights, spring seems close.

Almost got myself back into camera mode, but for various reasons mostly involving my klutzy nature that caused me to buy and then return a camera that was overly protected, under usable to take good pics. A camera is on its way now, via shipping option. Today's beer came in a Ninja box from the overly generous @TongoRad , and it is from a brewery near to me (as the crow flies), Catskill Brewery. This is a (Czech? German?) Pilsner called Ball Lightning. I wonder if I am the only person posting here today who has actually experienced ball lightning? Anyway, stock pic of their raccoon logo.

Pours a beautiful white gold with a finger of pure white foam that kicks back to skim and ring. It is crystal clarity that turns the pilsner glass to a jewel.

Med. strength aroma, crisp, grainy bread and light lemony sweet, with another layer of malt driven smell that resembles a heavy grained farm bread. As it warms I catch hints of new mown hay as glass nears nose, in a good way. Nice.

Mmm, medium/full flavor, different than expected. the complex and deep bready notes in aroma now are more of a light crisp grained flavor with a touch of sweet that blends well with a spicy hoppiness not present in bouquet. Lemony notes do not overpower and end the sip with just a hint of pithy bitter and light spice to finish it dry.

Light on palate, a touch watery, perfect carb. for style, very refreshing light viscosity, and an excellent finish.

As with the CB pale ale I tried, this is a delicious and different take on style. High recommendation, for a beer I could drink without stop until evolution re-creates trilobites as the planet's main life form, if not longer

Hope you also have a Great American Beer in your glass. Cheers!

 

Probably my final NBS-eligible entry today comes courtesy @JBowenGeorgia , a beer I reached out for, as I have a few Harry Potter fiends as friends: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41325/253864/

The clouds cleared off for a bit, and the temp hit 53 on the bank clock across the street, but here at 4:46pm the clouds are back and we're down to 49 degrees. Cheers all!

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

Wow, what a day. The usual work, but I'm so pumped up, and energized today. Might have to do with my vacation to North Carolina on Thursday. So looking forward to it. So looking forward to trying a metric shit ton of new beers, and, of course having some Yuengling on tap. Having the beer on tap, that started me down this rabbit hole, is exciting.

I'm feeling downright funky, in a good way.

Now on to the beer.


Funky Buddha Hop Stimulator.

New beer, and a new brewery. I've never had one of their beers before today. A customer at work went to Florida for his honeymoon, and offered to get me some beer, and this is it.

And how is it?

I am a fan of the overall style of IPA. This is a good, and tasty DIPA. Nice pine hops, and the hops linger for a long time. It is a high ABV beer, but it really doesn't feel it. Quite tasty, and a new beer that get me in the mood for a beercation.

Review

4.07/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

This beer pours a cloudy amber color. The head is 1 finger, white, frothy. The retention is moderate, and there's a bit of lacing on the glass.
The nose is very aggressive with hops. Pine aroma from the hops.
Taste - Very aggressive hops. Pine is the flavor. Don't get any citrus in the hops. Don't really get any malt Hops is the flavor.
Feel is thick, and the hops are quite sticky. They linger for a long time in my throat, and I feel them all the way down.
Damn good DIPA. Top notch, and a pleasure to try.

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I might have another beer tonight. We'll see how I'm doing after this one, and dinner.

 

Their wild/sours initially got my attention, but that Pilsner sealed the deal! As you guys probably know by now, I'm all-in on this brewery at this point. So glad you enjoyed those brews, and it was my pleasure to send them your way!

 

Greetings all!

We had the good fortune this weekend to head up into Northern Vermont to stay with some friends and experience one of the better one-two brewery punches around: a swing by the Alchemist for some tastings and some cans followed by a three minute drive to Von Trapp for some full pours and dinner. In addition to some old favorites at the Alchemist, we picked up an apparently long out of production 5% IPA called Holy Cow that I'd never had before. Those were gone before the sun came up on Saturday (and were expectedly delicious), but I exerted better self control on a brewery only release from Von Trapp: Natur Helles, which is an unfiltered Helles clocking in at 4.9% ABV.

This was brewed as part of a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Von Trapp cross country skiing center, which was apparently the first in the nation. I had assumed this was just an unfiltered version of their standard Helles, but the can says it is a style "brewed colder and longer" in addition to being unfiltered.






It presents a mildly cloudy light straw color with only a moderate head even after a vigorous pour. This settles quickly to a ring that leaves little lacing. The glass smells like a bakery - tons of fresh baked bready goodness as well as some doughy and yeasty notes alongside. There's also a bit of lemon and grass but this is really a bread show. Taste follows the nose though it leans a bit more to the grassy side of things and the bready notes aren't quite as strong. It finishes dry and feels crisp in the mouth but there is a bit of that "chewiness" that one might expect from a visibly unfiltered beer.

Delicious and super drinkable beer. If it wasn't a one off I would definitely buy it again. For now, luckily I bought three 4 packs

Also worth noting that this is now the third time we have been to Von Trapp and every single time we have had exceptionally and notably friendly and pleasant service from every last person we interacted with. They must either really emphasize that to their employees or else the beautiful location just naturally attracts it. Either way, I can't praise their service enough.

Cheers!

 

New from Frost Beer Works, delivered Friday.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/39297/333561/



Gentle to moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a slightly hazy light golden body with some lacing. Nose of peppery saison yeast and the floral and herb characteristics from the Caledonia Spirits Tom Cat Gin barrel. Taste brings out more of the gin's botanicals and even more of its booze. I've sampled hard cider aged in these barrels before but this is more to my liking due to the carbonation which is lacking in hard cider. Nice feel and overall, a very unique offering from Hinesburg, VT.

4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Since the BIF share date is coming up, I've got to get back in the swing of things.
Tonight I'm starting with a Cherry Stout form Central Waters, courtesy of @Pottse


Pours a very dark, almost black shade of brown. Half finger of head dissipates quickly. Aromas of cherry and chocolate are up front, bourbon comes in after moderately. Taste is cherry, natural and tart, not artificial. Cola flavor eventually yields to notes of bourbon. Carbonation is moderate, medium mouthfeel with lingering notes of bourbon, some sour cherry. I've been turned off by artificial cherry flavors in beer before, though this one delivers with organic flavors which are balanced nicely.

3.98
L-4 S-3.75 T-4 F-3.75 O-4

 

Opened Vat 110...and am equally impressed. This is more subtle than 108, but that is a relative term. This still has a great acidic punch, but the oak/wood character seems to be more apparent. Hard to tell if that is because I already had a supper sinus clearing Geuze. Which is probably my cue to save the other two for a later day. I'll see if I can hold off until next Sunday

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47/298516/?ba=champ103#review

 

Outstanding Berliner! Aromas and flavors of big tart/sour raspberries, fruit skin/seeds, lemon, lime, peach, pear, melon, green apple, red/white wine, oak, hay, straw, and grass; moderate wheat/crackery malts; light pepper, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang, and light yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation, light-medium body, and fairly crisp finishing. Balanced bready/grainy wheat, lactic acid, fruit tang, and light oak tannins in the mouthfeel. Light-moderately increasing acidic/tangy fruit dryness; slightly puckering, not overwhelming. Refreshingly drinkable, not overly lactic, 4.3%. Another spot on style example as expected! Super jammy berries with balanced fruity Lacto, pale/wheat malts; and nice oak foeder presence. Glad they are doing the smaller bottles now. 4.15


Ran across a few of these Italian beers this weekend. Delicious imperial English style coffee porter. Fantastic lasting head retention and thick soapy lacing on the glass. Flavors of big nutty medium roasted coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of molasses, dark fruit, smoke, char, and herbal/woody/peppery hops. Touch of yeasty earthiness. Similar/muted aromas. Light-moderate roast/char and herbal/woody/spicy hop bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; nice creamy/bready/grainy malt mouthfeel; light sticky hops and chalky roast. Lightly increasing bitter/roast dryness, never acrid/astringent. Very smooth drinking, minimal warming 9%. Spot on Porter to style, not overly roasty. Nicely rich malts and fruity/nutty coffee complexity; balancing earthy hops and mild fruity yeast notes. Very well made. I have a Pils and Golden ale to try as well. 3.91


Outstanding NEIPA as expected! Mikkeller SD. Amazing lasting head retention and thick soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas and flavors of big tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, apricot, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, melon, citrus peel/zest, green pepper, and pine hops; with moderate honey, wheat, biscuit dough malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Very mild pine, zesty, herbal, grassy, spicy bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; very creamy/bready malts and light sticky hops in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter dryness, no hop astringency. Insanely drinkable for 7%. Another killer NEIPA as expected. Super soft mouthfeel; juicy/dank hops and balanced bready malts. Not overly sweet/heavy feeling. Glad I got a 4 pack as usual. Need to get more of the Citra/Amarillo Windy hill. They have been nailing the NEIPA game all year. 4.18


Cheers, have a good night NBS!

 

@Roguer I'm glad you went M43 first and Tweed second as the reverse ruins M43 for me. And I'm glad you liked the Griffin Claw beer. It's even better on draft .

 

Ahoy mates...it was time that I posted on NBS, especially when said beer was purchased only a few hours ago. Although not new to many in BA land, this is new to me since I have shunned past batches due to being well past their freshness (for "shelf" beers of the IPA/DIPA style), I use 90 days as my rule-of-thumb):

Being that a shipment dropped recently and it was not only less than one month fresh, it was on sale! Since I could not pass up this moment, I took the opportunity to purchase a 4-Pack>

Poured into a 16oz Magnify branded "snulip" glass.

A - Pours a semi-hazy golden color with a modest, soapy white head. (4.25)

S - Aroma is as exactly as described on Untappd: Pineapple, Mango and Melon. (4.75)

T - The tropical and less astringent fruits are much more prominent than the bitter citrus rind that you find in beers like Hopslam. Since this doesn't suffer the same defects (yeast / hop bite) than other "hazy IPAs" suffer from, this is a great example of the the NEIPA style and on-par with beers produced by The Alchemist, Foley Brothers, Burlington Beer Co. and Frost (all from VT). (5.0)

M - Rich and creamy. The body, carbonation and lack of alcohol make this for one really crushable DIPA. (4.75)

O - This is exactly what I look for in a DIPA...present bitterness, yet restrained with the tropical and sweet citrus notes playing the major role. The alcohol is completely hidden and drinks well below its advertised ABV...nicely done. (4.75)


Freshness:


Cheers to everyone and their families!

 

Salutations, BAs. The golf course below the hiking trails I use are as close as I get to the game. I did take a few lessons as a kid and was told I have a natural swing, but for now if I'm walking around the outdoors, I'm going to have the dogs with me, so it's club-free amblings for me.

Right, beer!



Sour Cherry by Petrus, via Trader Joe's. I've been enjoying these 750s brewed for the grocery chain by Petrus. If I'm decoding the numerology correctly, this was brewed at the end of November. 7.3%, a 4 out of 5 on Petrus' sour scale.

Pours a lovely brilliant ruby color with orange gold highlights. Two fingers of light pink foam actually stick around a bit and leave thick bands of lacing behind. Good-lookin' stuff.

Smell is sour and tart. Not expecially bringing cherry to mind.

Tastes sour, tart and sweet in equal measure. Cherry is there, but not intensely. Lacks complexity or depth, but retains an easy-drinking quality that a lot of sours lack.

Adequate carbonation allows it to glide over the pallate smoothly. Not sharp or tingling, moderate oak dryness, some lingering tannic sharpness.

Right in line with Petrus's sour offerings, in my experience. Tasty, but unchallenging. Rather easy-going, so far as sours go. Above-average, but not great.

 

Creature Comforts Tropicala IPA canned 3 days ago ( talk about dumb luck ). Bloody good. 4.29 overall

Canned 03/15/18!
Pours a honey color with a thumb of eggshell colored head. Above average head retention & super lacing
S: Mango & orange peel
T: Follows the nose, dryness, breadyness, plenty of grapefruit up front. More mango, grapefruit pith & a little orange as this warms, tons of juicyness. Finishes with orange, grapefruit & a little bit of breadyness
MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, pretty nice balance
Very nice offering was thrilled to get to try it so fresh!