New Beer Sunday (Week 704)

Cloudy and cool on the island long...

Checking out Dogfish Head's coconut IPA, Lupu-Luau...

Medium gold beer with just a hint of haze under a few fingers of bright white head... Aromas of coconut and mild citrus on the nose supported by more of the same on the sip... Has a mildly sweet, vaguely earthy undercurrent and brighter tropical citrus highpoints... Bitterness is also very mild... Smooth and very drinkable... The coconut elements make me think of suntan lotion at the beach... Good but nothing crazy...

Two more new brews on tap, and this luau's already just about over... Twelve ounce cans go quick! Back in a bit...

 

Guiness irish wheat
...pours an odd dirty yellow, brownish color
..body was about medium with plenty of carbonation
..aro.a was weak, some wheat flour,malt, and maybe some light citrus
...taste was similar to aroma. Wheat played into the flavor a lot but otherwise there wasn't much going on
...Overall I wouldn't try it again, there wasn't any other flavor other than just a bit of whole wheat flour. I don't think it was a bad bottle, just a weak beer

 

@lordofthewiens - thanks for the great start as usual. My wife and I were chatting at some pint this week and I was worried you would be suffering from massive withdrawal symptoms leaving this region behind. Happy to hear there is hope!

@WesMantooth - an incredible story about your son, and congrats on the anniversary. That is the kind of positive news story that shows hope for the future - kudos to you both for raising a fine young man.

We were on vacation last week as as we usually do, found plenty of new experiences. While the rental was not really to our liking, we made the best of things. Over the week, the weather improved and the fish got bigger. Caught two largemouth up in the 6 to 8 pound range on the last day and plenty of the little guys in the 2 pound category. I really enjoy fishing from a kayak, even though getting in and out is a challenge. If you fish and have not tried a kayak, it is a real blast. That biggest bass pulled that kayak around like crazy!

So new beer experiences. Some good, some not so much. Our first stop was Springdale Barrel Room. We have been to Jacks Abby plenty of times for lunch, but Springdale opens at 4 on weekdays. We stopped onnour way up on Saturday. Great space and truly amazing assortment of beers to try, plus you can order pizza and appetizers from Jacks Abby and it magically appears at your seat. Big win.

Hermit Thrush in Brattleboro, VT. Hmmm... Styles remind me of Allagash, and the quality of the beer is top notch. So are the prices, though. You will rarely hear me say I don't want to spend money on beer, but with unknown things still on the vacation agenda, I passed on a couple of very tasty wild sours.

We spent some time store prowling on Main St in Keene. Easy walking town, at leastc that part. In an artian shop we found a beer cooler and picked up a saison from Belgian Mare Brewery that was quite decent and we'll worth the nine bucks. Throwback Brewery also had a few beers there and I picked up Spicy Bohemian, a pilsner dry hopped with jalapeño peppers. It was....interesting, featuring the fruitiness of the pepper while minimizing the heat. Good, glad I tried it.

Branch and Blade brewery in Keene I think is an up and comin brewery. Everything we tried was well-made and flavorful, clean tastes. Small, well-appointed tasting room and a very nicely built brewery.

Not so good? Whetstone in Brattleboro - food was marginally acceptable, beer list was disappointing. Great location on the river. And on the way home, Gardner Ale House - decent food, very confused and obviously minimally trained server, a screwed up flight of five that didn't really matter. The Moon Hill Brewing beers were all poor except for a Kolsch style brew that was pretty good and accurate to style. Beers all lacked flavor, regardless if the were what we ordered or not.

There were some other new bees over the week, but I have rattled on long enough. I will ge back wit a propen new brew n a bit. Most likely it will be Springdale Lavenade, which I actually got to add to the data base last Saturday. Their Ghost Species was a very nice treat during the week, and the small taster of Lavenade was excellent.

 

Cluster Fuggle by Full Circle Brewing from Fresno, CA. So glad to see more breweries opening in the Central Valley, because honestly compared to most of the country we still don’t have much. The can is undated, but I’m pretty positive it’s a recent brew (>2 weeks).



Look: This is what it looked like after a medium-aggressive pour. Very thin white head, that disappears immediately. The beer is unfiltered, though not murky. No lacing left one the glass. (4)

Smell: I have a pretty bad sense of smell, so idk. Smells like a typical non-ipa ale. Balanced hop and malt aromas. Nothing to write home about. (3.5)

Taste: Follows the nose, with a bunch of extras. Great balance of hops and malts upfront, some vanilla in the middle, and a sort-of pilsnery bitterness in the end. I like it very much. The bitterness lingers on in you mouth for a while. (4.25)

Feel: Typical for ales. Medium body, good carbonation, zero hints of alcohol. (4)

Overall: Pleasant surprise, mostly. Untappd has it as a cream ale, so I expected a lot more vanilla here. In fact, that is why I bought this can in the first place. It’s not a cream ale, or at least a really watered down one. But treat it as a blonde ale, and it goes extremely pleasantly. (4)

Final Rating: 3.98 (rDev +20.2%) — personally I think this is severely underrated at 3.3 BA rating, but I guess, to each their own.

 

New beer #5. Thanks @larryi86 !

Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry Secret Machine - Dewey Beach
Lactose Sour - 6.3% abv
Score: 4.29 (-4.9% rDev)



Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41410/359641/

Synopsis:
Tons of berry flavor packed into a sessionable body. I’ve had quite a few Secret Machines this year, but this is my favorite one. It would be a challenge to get sick of this.

 

I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that I need to avoid any beer that has more than 4 words in the name. It feels like when you get past that point the brewery is trying to hard to reinvent the wheel and you end up with convoluted mess.

 

That has been my experience too. Lots of words in the beer name = lots of ingredients = lack of vision = muddled final product.

 

Kayaks and lunch at Jacks Abby.... when are you going again?

 

Like I said...

Earth, from Barrier Brewing, an American brown ale (6.5% abv) with an 8/6/18 canning date... Dark brown pour borders on black in the glass under a tall head of dark tan foam... Malty aromas predominate, with hints of nuts (lol - no, not that kind) and coffee... The flavors follow suit - not a sweet brown ale, but not totally dry or bitter either - I'd say the bitterness is moderate, the sweetness mild... Earth is an appropriate name as there is a strong earthy, herbal, woodsy character to the beer... Bitter chicory, mild coffee, a hint of anise, and dark brown malts define the beer, with chicory taking the fore now that I've identified the flavor... Medium-light feel, smooth; bitterness asserts more on the finish, leaving a bit of a shellac behind...

I'm not a big brown ale guy, but I'm pretty much diggin' this here beer...

Be checking in later with my last new brew of the day - here's to new beer in your glass...

Cheers...

 

Good afternoon, NBS! Hope everyone is doing well this Sunday. I'm quite excited for today's offering.



Two of my favorite breweries collaborating on one of my favorite styles! Bottled 7/27, 6% abv.

Pours deep golden amber, clear as day, with a finger of off-white foam that lasts as a cap and leaves moderate lacing.

Smells like an Oktoberfest, sweet toasted malt and light hop spiciness.

Tastes like toasted bread, cracker, biscuit. Light sweetness, light hoppiness. Crisp, clean, beautifully lagered, the carbonation is just right.

Goes down really easily. The Germans have a word for this sort of drinkability, if I remember right. I imagine I could put away a boot of this with ease.

My favorite of these collaboration Oktoberfests so far! This will be a regular for me until it's gone from shelves.

 

There it is, nicely put. It's an adding of sugary crap and fruit to a beer game that goes past the ___. IPA.

A simple bitter Torpedo or Hop Devil please. Just a simple bittetish IPA where the hops shine a bit.

 

Finally pouring the beer I've been enjoying in the mountains into a glass. Now it's time to write down some tangible thoughts other than "dis good".



Revision Brewing Company's Revision IPA.

Pours a clear yellow-orange with a finger of white foam. Aroma is orange, tangerine, papaya, and light bready, biscuity malts behind. Lovely tropical fruit up front without being overly sweet or sugary. A hint of syrupy resin hop grounds the tropical hops even further. Flavor profile is mango, tangerine, papaya, resin, and pine hops with a hint of biscuit malts. The hops from the aroma swell up on the tongue, giving the flavor profile a much denser hop presence. Mouth feel is soft and soothing, with a light velvety background. It has a medium-thick consistency. Overall, a very easily drinkable, flavorful IPA that doesn't give the idea that it'll rot teeth away after a can. Good balance that keeps the bitter hop qualities at minimum.

Score: 4 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.5 | BA Score: 4.29 | rDev: +3.4%

Personal notes: Couldn't see the look of the beer itself while in the mountains, but it made for one of my most favorite camp beers I've had. Very well balanced for what I'd consider to be a "Midwest" IPA.

 

I have zero building skills, but... All those angles have to be a real challenge. Looks great.

 

“Oktoberfest hints and Oktoberfest flavors”. My favorite review of the day

 

Good afternoon and happy New Black-Lime Sunday. No hikes this weekend thanks to other forms of fun filled days. Last night, much to my inspired budding young soccer players delight, we hit up another pro women's Thorns match with an awesome view. Good game against Chicago ended in a tie, but the real excitement was having a rogue ball hit the railing right in front of our seats, knocking beer and snacks everywhere. Good times!





(And yes ,those are the eventual casualties in the second picture. May they rest in peace.)

Now for those aforementioned 'Black Limes’. To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I've ever had this beer, but years ago I was (and still am) an Upright fan boy so there is the possibility. Their beers, especially their Saisons, are phenomenal. Fantasia, a wild ale with peaches is perhaps one of the most memorable beers I've ever had in the best of ways. I'm not expecting that kind of experience here, but I think this will be a treat nonetheless.

Upright Brewing
Saison Vert-





Very rarely does a beer look perfect to its style, in my opinion. Nearly lagered clear looking, the bright brass body of Saison Vert glows, and as swarms of bubbles race from the bottom upwards, light shimmers through. The foam above has irredescence itself, like a soapy gleam that never seems to settle. Even after ten minutes, a quarter of an inch stubbornly persists. And as each sip is drawn, layer after layer stays plastered to the glass. Perfection.

The aromas aren't too shabby either. That funky tart smell often associated with “wet horse blanket” is spot on. Freshly turned and damp soil, the new scratches off some old wood, grass… Then the limes. A symbiotic pairing. Each element benefits tremendously in what seems so obvious. The tart citrus with a white pepper finish makes this beer hard to put down.

So much flavor from such a “small” beer. A soapy lead into a sweet and savory main course. Like lime zested and peppered white mushrooms, all raw and all balanced. Each sip fades with a lengthy crushed wheat and traces of residual lime juice.

I've never experienced a Saison with this soft of a feel. If any we're to have a pillow touch, this is it. The high carbonation somehow doesn't leave a sharp bite, as it’s more like slowly released capsules of foam. The slightly tart initial feel is balanced wonderfully with the light body, and as a touch of sweetness takes over, the dry finish is superb.

Upright once again delivers something special in a small package. Saison Vert is a must have for any Saison lover out there. And at $6 a bottle, it's a steal. I look forward to having this more regularly now that I know how great it is, and will be paying them more frequent visits, that's for sure.

After my official review, I gave Saison Vert a rating of 4.61 with an rDev of +18.5%, and I'll stand by that claim.

Cheers everyone, and I'll see you all soon.

 

That’s too bad because that one takes a nose dive after 4 weeks, give or take.

 

I don’t think you were out of line with anything you said

 

Good evening NBS, hope everyone is enjoying the end of the weekend once again. Thanks to @lordofthewiens for getting us started off this week. Another busy work week with more deadlines to meet this week. Three consecutive weekends of big beer hauls, I will never run out of reviews at this point. 7200 will be on Tuesday. Got my car oil changed and Engine/Cabin filters replaced today. Put that one off for far too long.

New beer:

Excellent hoppy kolsch! Fantastic head retention and thick foamy lacing on the glass. Aromas of and flavors of big grapefruit, lemon, orange, cherry, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, blackberry, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, mint, and pine hops; with moderate cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light honeyed malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation, medium body, and moderately crisp finishing. Balanced bready/grainy malts, and sticky/resinous/rindy hops in the mouthfeel. Moderately increasing resin/carbonated dryness; mild hop astringency, but not overwhelming. Very smooth and pretty refreshing, minimal warming 5%. Should have just called it an IPA, but I enjoyed the experimental aspect. The hop profile from Ariana/Calypso is one of the most unique things I have ever tasted. Great balance of juicy, dank, earthy hop complexity; nice bready pils/munich malt backbone, minimal residual sweetness from lingering dryness. Delicious! 4.03


From @spelingchampeon. Awesome IPA! Great head retention and foamy lacing on the glass. Aromas and flavors of big grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, melon, berry, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, and pine hops; with moderate cracker, white bread, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey malts; and herbal, floral, grassy hop earthiness. Moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body, and moderatepy crisp finishing. Balanced bready/grainy malt and sticky/resinous/rindy hops in the mouthfeel. Moderate increasing resin dryness, no hop astringency. Very smooth and pretty refreshing for an IPA. Minimal warming 6.5%. Already knew I'd love it from the hop bill; classic Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Ahtanum, Chinook, and Amarillo profile. Very juicy, vibrant, dank, and earthy balanced hop complexity; solid pale malt backbone, no residual sweetness. Would buy again if it makes it around here. We have gotten some CBC stuff in the past, in limited quantities. 4.1


Cheers, be back in a bit.

 

Good afternoon, NBS crew. Yesterday we were debating on what brewery to stop by, and we were thinking of hitting something new. We decided to make plans to hit a few new breweries in and about the Manassas area. This part of Northern Virginia was not too long ago one of the last little population centers outside of the beltway west of the city. Urban sprawl hasn't brought it physically any closer, but it somehow seems closer as people we know have moved farther and farther from the city. Despite this, we hadn't made our way to the little town in a while, so it made sense.

Well, we stopped by the first place, 2 Silos Brewing, and never left. I must admit that I had heard some good things about the brewery in general, but I just assumed it was another local place brewing decent beer. Turns out it was a whole concept location with a brewery, a bunch of food options, and a stage for live music. The place was nice and busy and we had a good time checking out the bands.

Oh, the beers were mostly pretty solid as well I'd say most were in the 3.7-3.8 range with a couple jumping higher and only one or two that fell flat for me.

Anyhow, having gotten "stuck" at one new place means there are a couple other places near Manassas we can check out at a later date. So switching gear from new places to to new beers, this offering is from Foreign Objects, and is called The Hanging Garden:


As the beer fell from the can's opening, it looked like there was a little clarity, but it was lost once the glass held its full contents. The head is nice and white, with the array of bubbles tightly structured. The initial lacing is almost as tightly structured.

The nose isn't really doing much for me. There's a mix of a dead pine needle carpet in the woods out back and the outside of a peeled grapefruit. Not quite the typical pine and pith, as there's also some dulling aspect - perhaps the malt or oats that were used.

The taste brings it back, though. The opening notes of malt with mango and passion fruit were nice, if typical for a juicy IPA. But then the notes that were hinted at really came on - pith joined pine, with a little woody aspect involved. An oat-like nuttiness brings a dulling feel to the opening fizzy carbonation. But the bitterness continues to grow, and to my enjoyment it became more and more resinous.

The feel was a little odd for me - prickly, raw oat, but moderately smooth in the end. Overall, the bitterness was vaguely reminiscent of a west coast IPA, though it took a little while to amp up against its counterpart - which was more tropical fruity than bread malty.