New Beer Sunday (Week 706)

Poured into my 13 oz Tired Hands Teku glass, best before 1/25/19 probably a few months old, says retired well I guess they brought it back, 8.5% ABV. Pours a hazy orange yellow with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves spotty dots of lace behind as it slowly settles into a thick layer of white bubbles, excellent retention. 4.25

Smell is tangerine, pineapple, mellon, papaya, and grapefruit rind. 4

Taste follows pineapple, mellon, tangerine, papaya, and a healthy dose of bitter grapefruit lingers on the palate awhile. 4

Mouthfeel is bigger than medium, soft gentle carbonation, not dry but rather sticky from all the dry hopping Citra, centennial, Simcoe, and experimental 431 hop variety. 4.25

Overall I am liking this one for quality and price $12.99 a 4 pack and a really nice beer. 4

 

Haha. Makes sense

 

About how close do people tend to stick to the beer volume limit? 72oz doesn't seem like much, but at the same time I imagine one box is a better option for crossing the border. Sorry for throwing so many questions your way but it would be nice to stop being wishy washy and participate.

 

Hear hear!! For real... I've been in most of these little go arounds, and holy shit is it a blast. Don't be intimidated. If you have even an inkling of interest it is well worth it. The whole thrust of the thing is being able to share some of what you are glad to have around your neck of the woods and being able to sample something that someone else feels the same way about, that you would otherwise never have had a chance to try. It truly exemplifies the best of this website by way of advocacy, enthusiasm, generosity, mischief, and just plain good times.


Anyway.

On to the beers of the present, and not the beers-as-presents.

I am really grateful at the recent focus my region has seemingly put on some of the more classic styles that seem to have been somewhat dismissed for so long as they lack the bombast of the larger flavour bombs to be found in imperial everything and hopped up this or adjunctified that or boozy AF the other thing... (not that they're not also necessarily making those other things, just that there seems to be a renewed appreciation for well crafted more subtle styles of late... or maybe it's just that I'm more aware of it now than I was as I've begun exploring and getting to know these styles better myself over the last couple of months. And not to say that other regions are not also pumping out quality lagers and pils' and etc and so on, just that, well, for obvious reasons, what's coming out of my neghbourhood is more at the forefront of my awareness...)

As I said, I've been exploring some of the lighter more subtle styles recently, and today that adventure continues with a helles lager from Mirage called Slug-Proof.



Those who have seen my posts here before know that I'm a sucker for nostalgic reminiscience. Beers that remind me of aspects of growing up, or of specific memories from my past generally go over well for me, and I picked this one up largely for this reason. I have fond memories of baiting my moms garden with little saucers made from the cut-off bottoms of plastic soda bottles or tin tuna cans, filled with an inch or so of whatever beer my dad had around (at that time probably either SNPA, Full Sail, Red Hook, something along those lines) and left at strategic locations complete with little wooden ramps (my own contribution/innovation) as a trap for the slugs so they wouldn't eat all the flowers and vegetables. As a little kid I got a kick out of this, and it was one of several early introductions to beer in general that helped to shape a generally positive attitude (also the fact that my dad would let me taste test small sips of whatever he was drinking even from a small age. Not enough that it would have any sort of effect, but just enough to satisfy my epicurean curiosity. I got an interest in food and flavours and stuff at a young age).

So. Enough of the scene setting. On to the beer itself.



The pour is a light pale yellow. Thin appearing. Starts off with a good finger or two of gregarious white foam that wastes no time in settling back in from whence it came, returning to nothing more than a fine smattering of tiny bubbles before long. No lacing to speak of.

Nose was initially not overly inviting, but once I pushed past that initial underwhelming impression I was left with sweet bready malts backed by earthy/spicy hops.

Thankfully the flavour distinguished itself a bit more, and did so in a markedly more pleasant manner. A blush of almost floral/nectar sweetness (but not that pronounced) gives the lead over to straw and grassy/spicy hops. There's a mild bitterness in there, but really it's a gentle sweetness that is the the heart of this thing and carries through tying everything all together. Shifting as the tantalizingly wavering image over hot sand (eh?) it manifests in that initial blush of fresh blossoms, through the rich fresh grass of early summer, and into an almost light honeycomb finish that rests atop the dull earthy bitterness of the hops to linger through the finish.
Thin bodied with lightly spritzy carbonation, it disappears with alarming alacrity.

I dug it. I don't know helles' very well to be able to compare it to the style or to other examples, but I enjoyed this one and I suppose that's ultimately the goal ennit?


Hope y'all are enjoying your Sunday, and the beer with which you share it.

Cheers!!

 

New beer #3. Thanks @thebeers ! Apparently I like this more than most. Mine is currently the highest rating on the site.

Check My Flava - Battery Steele
Sour IPA - 6% abv
Score: 3.86 (+5.8% rDev)



Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/48949/363508/?ba=CanConPhilly#review

Synopsis:
Rather mild in flavor, but this is a very well constructed sour ipa without many flaws. It doesn’t pop, but what is there is pleasing and easy to imbibe.

 

Happy New Barrel aged series Sunday!


Full disclosure, I live in Michigan, and I am admittedly big fan of Founders. But, they lost a good portion if my beer money when they discontinued their Imperial Stout and their Curmudgeon Old Ale. I have also not been a big fan of the BA series offerings (not a fan of hoopy BA beers or rum BA). So, naturally it felt like they were trying to make it up to me with this release. I had just started my beer exploration a few months after this hit shelves for the first time, so I never had the pleasure. For this release, I did something I have never done before: I bought an entire case without trying the beer first! It was rather limited in my area, and I jokingly asked my local store if they'd part with a case. And they said yes, so here we are.

The color is a touch darker than I remember Curmudgeon being, but it still has that signature amber glow to it. Beautiful aesthetics.

The aroma is rich and full, but not too complex. I get a lot of carmelized sweetness with hints of leather and oak.

The palate starts off very sweet and decadent. It has a good amount of that confectionary sweetness I get in maple beers (but not CBS, Hipster Brunch, or Michigan Maple Jesus level) followed by some caramelized malty sweetness. The flavors slowly transition to finish with the good oaky dryness that I loved Curmudgeon for.

The body is spot on IMO. Some have called this "thin" and I don't agree. Now, it is not as viscous as I like my stouts of aimilar abv, but I think it lies right where a big BA old ale should be. It is dense with full but soft carbonation, and a good swish in the mouth brings out some creaminess, but it doesn't allow the heavy sweetness to feel too syrupy or linger long enough to be cloying.

I am really enjoying this one. Great brunch beer (except the 12.7%), after dinner sipper, or nightcap. It definitely brings the sweetness. But the combo of malt, molasses, and maple sweetnesses keep it interesting, and the oaky barrel character keep it from being too dessert-like (but still a great digestif). Yes, I am glad I bought a case. Interested to see how this one ages.

Cheers, NBS!

 

PICK ME! PICK ME!

Questions are good! As is enthusiasm! Especially if it leads to participation! (Though if it turns out not to work out, that's totally understandable, though unfortunate).
In my experience with these things the final volume can fluctuate a fair amount. Last round things got a little bit out of hand, but there's certainly nothing wrong with sticking close to the instructions as laid out (especially especially given the consideration you list of involving international customs).
I hope you join (because I think you'd enjoy it, and because it's a region otherwise unrepresented), but it's totally understandable if it doesn't end up working out.

 

Picked up a trio of new beers for today, starting with...

Modern Times Critical Band IPA (6.7% abv)...

Medium-gold color hazed to near-opacity under a foamy white cap... Presents a nice tropical, citric, and floral aroma, with maybe just a hint of distant pine, followed by taste impressions of juicy grapefruit with a kiss of pineapple and pale melon, and undercurrents of mild orange, mango and papaya - perhaps a brief flash of something akin to berry... Smooth and soft, courtesy, no doubt, of the oats and wheat; very mild bitterness, but also not too sweet - I'd say that's pretty mild, too - for an overall drinking experience I'd describe as light, clean, and refreshing, while still offering a full mouth-feel with plenty of pleasing flavors and aromas... A really nice beer... Features Denali, Ekuanot, Citra, Simcoe, and Centennial hops, and Two Row, Golden Naked Oats, White Wheat, and Maris Otter Malts...And wow - this was a 6/4/18 canning - musta been even better fresher!

Off to a good start! Here's to new beer in your glass, cheers...

 

As I recall, that shipment was OK. I think he also had an address in WA near the border he used for shipping, but that was a few dead neurons ago. BIF 5, @TeemuWPG, if my spreadsheets are accurate.

 

Sweetwater tropical lover
...gold orange color
..medium light body and about the same for carbonation
...Aroma is definitely mango and guava forward. That's followed by a slight cereal grain smell
...taste is heavily tropical fruit but it is not very sweet and leans towards being dry. Has a grain/ cereal finish that lingers.
... overall it was a nice take on the style. I liked the addition of fruit but it was more dry than sweetpichost

 

A-Pours a golden color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has spicy and slight malty hints
T-The taste follows the nose with spicy and slight malty flavors
M-A medium bodied well balanced beer
O-A nice golden ale

 

We'd be glad to have you onboard. The volumes shipped vary, and some stick close to the minimum and some are into destroying porches with repeated massive strikes - I don't think anybody is too concerned if you go over the minimum amount, as long as you REVIEW AND POST most of what you receive in the NBS thread.

 

Quick new beer courtesy of @LloydDobler
I was hoping to have a chance to visit a local shop while enjoying a long weekend at the beach but haven't had the chance yet, luckily I brought a couple new ones with me.

Pours a hazed golden yellow with a finger of white head.
Smells of fresh ripe blueberries and lemonade.
Taste follows, I'm getting more ripe blueberry than lemonade.
Light to medium body.
Overall a good summer beer. Light and refreshing.

 

That's no worry at all! I adore this thread and the people in it and I love reviewing. That's the whole point and why of any BIF it is always the one that hurts the most that I can't participate. I'm doing some research at the moment and will decide tomorrow.

 

I've been cooking since early today for what was to be a relatively quiet day. Finished now and ready for something with a bit of punch . . .



Deep gold color with white cap.

Aroma of citrus, pine and tropical fruit hops.

Taste has a hop burst up front that tracks the scent. What's surprising is the level of caramel malt riding along underneath. These flavor paths run parallel to the finish which ends on an uplifting hop note.

Full texture with balancing carbonation.

This is a remarkably complex brew with true character. Very drinkable for a beer of such depth of flavor and strength.

 

First up today an interesting DIPA from Tired Hands thanks to @thebeers and @CanConPhilly. I’m not really getting soapy, but between the floral and sweet parts of this I think that’s where @CanConPhilly is getting soapy from.

4.06/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thank you thebeers for this
16 oz can, dated 8/17/18, poured into a teku

A- A hazy/murky copper with a two finger white head

S- Citrus, melons, a little earthy, somewhat floral, a little sweet.

T- Citrus, some melons, floral/lavender, some sweet malts, honey, a touch of earthy hops.

M- Smooth, medium body, a little creamy.

O- Another DIPA that’s just too sweet,

I like a lot of beers from Tired Hands and this is decent, but I find it frustrating that they keep releasing new DIPAs that are just decent, $20-25/4-pack and not better than most of the sub 7% ABV IPAs they brew at $18/4-pack, cheers!

 

After my unplanned stop at Mikerphone in Chicago yesterday, I could more than adequately fill a box+ for my target. If I had a target.

Yes, I'm bringing "Hints & Hauls" to the NBS thread. Yes, I feel naughty.

 

Summer Balls from Gaedingur in Iceland.



A friend thoughtfully brought it back to share, and as rare as that treat is I hope I have a chance to sample it again!

 

I hope I’m your target this time. Unlike last time, where I thought I was and then got horribly confused