New Beer Sunday (Week 689)

Great beers but the BBQ delicious looks awesome also. Let us know how it is! I am almost as big a BBQ sauce snob as I am a beer snob...

 

Dipping into the recent lager acquisitions I made.



Founder's Solid Gold.

Pours a clear yellow with half a finger of white fizzy bubbles that appear and disappear just as quickly. Aroma is modest, with yeast, lemon grass, and doughy biscuit and bread malts. Flavor profile is just as much a straight shooter as the aroma would imply. It hits notes of yeast, lemongrass, and biscuit and bread malts. Yeast and lemongrass is strong at the start, before letting the malts swoop into the middle, with a final yeast and lemongrass finish that lingers on the tongue long after swallowing. Mouth feel is fizzy and semi-crisp. It's so fizzy that it kills the crispness just a touch. Overall, a straight forward, yeasty lager. Yeast notes may be too much for some.

Score: 3.5 | 4 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.75 | BA Score: 3.77 | rDev: +2.2%

Personal notes: I think this is a fair lager, but the lemongrass and yeast is maybe a touch high for me. In a simple adjunct lager, I'd prefer just malts and corn. This almost comes off as a cross of some luponic distortion bred with a PBR. Not bad, and certainly better than some other AALs out there, just not my thing. I'd take PBR over this when it comes to consuming adjunct lagers by the dozen when out camping, floating, cleaning the car, or tailgating.

 

Happy NBS! I had to fly to Chicago this morning which is never a bad thing. After getting situated, I was able to land at Revolution Brewing. The Chicago Smoke caught my eye and I am really enjoying this one! @TongoRad would like this one. Cheers!



On tap at the source. A clear amber-brown color with a thick off-white head. Huge smokey aroma. Like smelling a grilled Bratwurst. The taste followed. Floral hops and a fleeting bready malt presence that was quickly overcome by a sweet smoked malt flavor. Balanced enough to allow the other flavors to present. Clean finish. Well done.

 

Another Sunday and another excellent stout from @superspak ‘s BIF box.

Odd Side Ales - Sinister Vertigo

Very nice imperial stout. Highly recommended.



Poured from 12 oz bottle with no visible bottle date.

A: Very dark black with smallish one finger light tan head. Decent retention and light lacing.

S: Roasted barley, rich coffee, dark chocolate, and vanilla.

T: Baking chocolate, dark roast coffee, marshmallow, and vanilla. Hints of tobacco and oak.

M: Full bodied with light carbonation. Soft creamy texture. Alcohol well hidden.

O: Excellent imperial stout.

 

NBS #2. I'll refrain from the story telling this time.

Silver Moon
Salty Bog- Cranberry Gose





As one would expect, this thing pours pink. Orange tinted pink, but pink. Luckily, I'm in the mood for thirst quenching and easy drinking more than anything else, and this looks like it was intended for just that. A pink influenced white and foamy head sits above, but only for a minute before giving in to it's Seltzer like inspired, clean, bubbly, and clear qualities. No head, absolutely no lace, and no worries.

Guess what. This smells exactly as you'd imagine. Tart cranberries, water impregnated with salt, and just a light hint of crushed wheat and a squeeze of lime.

Fittingly, it tastes as such, as well. I hate to be repetitive, but cranberries, salt water, and wheat. I will say that the cranberry does in fact take a slight back seat, which is nice, but not much more going on here.

The body is crisp, dry, and lively with carbonation. Clearly salty and tart, but with a mild fruity balance. Most importantly, it's refreshing and rediculously easy to drink.

I'm a fan of the Gose style, particularly an original, though fruited suits me just fine. I'd easily kill 12 of these in one day if I was out working in the yard, however today, I'm laying on a couch in my backyard staring at some trees and the sky with a slight breeze blowing on a 70° day. Ah what the hell... I'll have a few more.

After my official review, I gave Salty Bog a rating of 3.78, with an rDev of 0%.

Cheers everyone, and I will see you all soon.

 

I noticed that too. No points off (for sure). I like Ub Iwerks, and while Skeleton Dance is a favorite, his autocannibalistic Skeleton Frolic is a better example of what you are describing at about 1:20 in.

 

Now up Brlching Beaver Sour Series Batch 4 thanks to @y2kawakami, a plum sour.
4.13/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thank you y2kawakami for this
375 ml poured into a tulip

A- A hazy golden copper with a purple tint and a three finger white head.

S- Tart, plums, there is a nice mild sweetness to the plums, some oak, mild funk.

T- Tart, plums, plum skin, slightly sweet, oak, touch of funk.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A solid plum sour, slightly sweet, easy to drink

Cheers!

 

Hitting this now, also from @beerloserLI :

Haven't posted a review yet, but I can report that, while a little thin, it's also a little dangerous. The bba maple syrup just hints at itself without dominating things (and making me wish I had some bba maple syrup for breakfast purposes), but nevertheless hides the 12% abv extremely well. Was originally going to hit this after breakfast, but dropped the bottle and didn't want a massive gusher, so deferred until now. I might have to procure another bottle of this to go with a future breakfast.
Thanks, Brian!

 

First up, Lock It In, an IPA collaboration between Upstate Brewing, & Water Street Brewing (the one in Binghamton, NY, not the one in Milwaukee. https://www.waterstreetbrewingco.com/)
Essentially tastes & smells like alcoholic, fresh-squeezed grapefruit+pineapple juice. It's paler yellow than the photo would indicate. (no golden tint) Forgot to note the abv, but 6.7% rings a bell. Something in that neighborhood.
On the bitter side of the NEIPA spectrum (in a pleasant way), and not "pillowy", more to the "normal" side of the spectrum. I like it.

4.23/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29376/343520/#navigation

 

Greetings all and thanks to Cjgiant for kicking us off on this rather grey day (here in Boston at least). We did a bunch of spring cleaning today and I am continually amazed at just how damn quickly ANYTHING you list for free on Craigslist will disappear from the curb in front of your house. I sometimes feel guilty that I'm just enabling hoarders somewhere.

This week I've got a beer I've been excited to try since they announced it a few weeks back. It's a new offering in Jack's Abby's kellerbier series called Franconian Kraft. It is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and clocks in at 4.8% ABV with 35 IBUs and an OG of 12 Plato (not that I really understand what that one means, but hey it's on the can!). Three or four years ago I didn't even know what a kellerbier was but it's become one of my favorite styles/descriptors since then.



This pours an attractive cloudy amber/copper color with a decent head that dissipates somewhat quickly to a ring that leaves little lacing. Lots of dough, some bread, and maybe something a little like rye are in abundance. Taste follows the nose though the bread overtakes the dough a bit now. There's a nice hint of bitterness on the back end that fades quickly leaving a bit more of that rye-ish flavor on the palate. Mouthfeel is somewhat thick and chewy with probably a lower than average amount of carbonation. A delicious beer that I will look forward to having again. Cheers all!

 

More regional craft brewery lager action this afternoon.



Firestone Walker's Lager.

Pours a frosty, foggy pale yellow with a finger of white foam that rises up fairly easily and retains fairly well. Aroma is sweet corn, herbal hops and light bodied biscuit malts. Lovely blend of light flavors. Flavor profile is herbal and floral hops, biscuit, bread, and pilsner malts, layered over a light layer of yeast. Nice presence to the flavor profile despite being a light beer. It drinks light and very refreshing with a crisp feel. Overall, great little lager. Good dose of flavor in the aroma with the flavor profile carrying even more.

Score: 3.75 | 4 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | BA Score: 4.16 | rDev: +3%

Personal notes: Rather enjoy this one. Good dose of flavor in a sub 5% abv beer.

 

Mine came from the pack and if I come across another I'll certainly buy it.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. After the first taste of summer it's overcast and cool here in North Jersey, which has influenced today's choice of new beer. More than any other brewery, Founders fueled my early love of good craft beer. Sadly, many of my favorites like Imperial Stout, Curmudgeon, Dark Penance, and Double Trouble have either been retired or on hiatus. I haven't shown much love for Founders lately so I was anxious to review Dank Wood. The idea of a BA Red IPA is appealing and it's really quite good. The tastes are surprising subtle for a "big" beer and the barrel doesn't overwhelm the base IPA. While I don't think Dank Wood is in the same league as Backwoods Bastard, it's very good. Here's my full review:

4.19/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled 4/14/2018. Poured from 750 ML bottle into Founders pint glass. It pours a hazy, brownish-rust color with a large, fluffy, light khaki-colored head and a nice thin coating of lacing. When first poured, the primary smells were sweet malt, pine needles, and just a whiff of bourbon. However, as the glass warmed the bourbon aroma became stronger. The bourbon is apparent in the taste from the first sip. The base IPA opens rather sweet and malty with lots of dank resinous pine and oak. Thankfully, the bourbon doesn't overwhelm and you can tell its a Red IPA - and a good one. As the glass warms the overall flavor becomes sweeter. There is minimal hoppy bitterness at the finish. This ale has a pleasing, fairly creamy mouth feel with moderate carbonation, and I expected the 12.2% ABV to be more in my face. In fact, this ale is surprisingly subtle. That said, it's still a sipper. Overall, it's nicely done. Given the choice I'd prefer Backwoods Bastard but I'll certainly drink Dank Wood again. Hopefully, it becomes part of the regular Founders rotation.

I hope everyone's enjoying their new beer(s) today. The reviews are excellent, as always!

 

Welcome to NBS! I was fortunate to drink some Tropicalia the last time I was in Georgia and it's superb. I'm looking forward to reading your review.

 

Trying this very nice M-43. Happy NBS and cheers.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41783/257755/?ba=cindyjeffsmith#review

 

New NEIPA Sunday (Week 689)
Back with another Industrial Arts offering, an IPA this time, called Bloomerang

Med. strength aroma that is pink grapefruit, pineapple, sort of general melon notes, neutral sweet, hints of generic tropical and floral, and also some doughy sweet that form a wonderful bouquet.

Full flavored, featuring that wonderful bitter pink grapefruit, with all the other flavors in the nose here as well as supporting cast. Sip ends with just enough pith bitter to balance it perfectly. Complex and tasty.

Soft on palate, low carb., med. viscosity, full bodied, with an excellent clean linger.

Delicious beer that has perfect bitter to keep this NEIPA from being too sweet or uninteresting. Highly recommended.

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

 

Ooh- sounds great! I can almost taste it- now see what you can do about getting them to send some eastward .

 

Blue Island Bourbon Barrel Aged Underground Communique 9.2% Russian Imperial Stout

Bourbon aroma just jumps out of the glass but the booze heat is minimal, probably appropriate for 9.2%, but I was expecting much more heat with the aroma it gives off.
I don't have a proper branded Blue Island vessel so, since they are south of me, I chose a vessel from a newer brewery that is also south of me. New Orleans is about 900 miles south of Blue Island, but the elixir looks good in the Brieux Carre snifter. I was just at Brieux Carre a couple of weeks back and found it to be a tiny oasis.

My review, still being edited can be found here:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/39604/256317/?ba=GrumpyGas#review

Slainte!