New Beer Sunday (Week 736)

Very spot on review. I got a lot of tangerine from this batch. Also, I now need some jerky.

 

New Beer Sunday: American Imperial Stout

Evenin’ NBSers, with a suggestion for those who enjoy sippable high ABV BBAS.

This evening’s new beer is the Central Waters Brewer’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cassian Sunset.

My review, still in progress, can be found here:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/652/185548/?ba=drtth#review


The aromas/flavors are rich and full of some dark chocolate, some vanilla, some coffee and a bit of cinnamon. The sweetness is there but does not cloy and the light bitterness seems more from the dark roasted malt than the hops. An enjoyable, sippable imperial stout that I’m glad to have tried and would enjoy having again. For me it’s a one a night beer that would be great for sipping on a cold night with a good book.

In fact, now that the Basketball is finished for the day I have a new book calling out for my attention.

Cheers, all!

 

Happy New American Imperial Stout Sunday!

Really nice sunny, mid 50s day on the Western Slope. Went for the usual Sunday hike. Having a really tasty brew, don't see a whole lot of GD around here. Maybe watch some Star Trek Discovery season 2 later on.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/158/381673/?ba=Wasatch#review

Cheers!

 

Excellent fruited milk stout. Fantastic lasting rocky head retention/thick foamy lacing. Clear ruby red/purple/brown color. Aromas and flavors of big juicy, lightly tart/tangy black raspberries, fruit skin/seeds, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of vanilla, cream, molasses, smoke, charcoal, herbal, wood, floral, grass, pepper, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal, floral, woody, grassy, spicy, roast, char bitterness; and fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body; very creamy, silky, bready malts; some sticky hops, chalky roast, and light fruit tang/acids in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering hop/char bitter dryness; no cloying, acrid, astringency. Very smooth/soft, no warmth of 7%. Awesome balance of rich malts, authentic raspberries, and cocoa flavors; with balancing earthy hops against sweetness. Solid lactose presence, was expecting a bit more for the ABV. Spot on stuff for the style. Not overwhelming on fruit, perfectly blended. 4.03


Cheers

 

Been holding on to this one for quite some time, Cascade Elderberry 2015. Smells like balsamic and funk. Brownish red with not much visible head and no lacing. Intense vinegary sourness leading into deep berry fruit and loads of red wine oakiness on the finish. Really pleasant but a sipper for sure, been working on this bottle all afternoon.

 

#2, I saw a reference to NBS BIF #Nein, this is from NBS BIF #007, courtesy of our NBS friend @Ozzylizard. Yes, I’m a saver. Sue me.





4.43/5 rDev +22%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The look is a dubbel masquerading as a quad - a murky mahogany brown color, underneath a tan head. Lovely. The nose is filled with toffee aromas, and there’s also a substantial vanilla component, and oaky barrel notes, too.

The taste features the toffee and vanilla flavors up front, but the headliner is the stone fruit flavors, with plums, raisins and (praise the beer godz) black cherries.

Wow. How does the brewery cram so much flavor into a 7.5% ABV beer? I’m flummoxed. This is a delight to drink.

 

Grimm is supporting this epic Pop! faceoff. Starring Blueberry Pop! and Blackberry Orange Pop!



Blueberry Pop!
Canned 12/26/18
L: Hazy dark purple/red in appearance depending on the lighting. A standard pour yielded 2 fingers of a foamy pink cap that dissipated quickly. Mild amounts of lacing on the glass. The hue alone makes it appealing.
S: Milk sugar is evident along with a prominent berry tartness. It doesn't smell like blueberry per-say, rather some sort of berry. Not picking up on much (if any) vanilla.
T: Pretty much just as expected given the smell. Natural, tart and bright berry flavor with an underlying lactose foundation. Vanilla adds a touch of complexity right at the finish, providing a pleasant after taste.
F: Medium in body and light in weight. Carbonation is very low but doesn't feel flat, enabling a creamy and soft texture.
O: An enjoyable offering, per usual. I am a huge fan of the Pop! series, and this is no exception. I will say, it ranks on the lower end of the spectrum from others I've tried in the series, but it is still great nonetheless.
3.9/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Blackberry Orange Pop!
Canned 2/25/19. Consumed from a 16oz tulip glass.
L: Cloudy, hazy, opaque and muddy purplish red in color. A straight-centered pour yielded about a finger and a half of a bubbly reddish-colored cap that decided to skip on the party. No residual lacing, but damn dat color.
S: Tart blackberry and acidic orange are both present and in equal abundance. Vanilla also present, but in reserved amounts. Not as sweet smelling as others in the series.
T: Orange is the dominant adjunct, shortly followed by blackberry. The orange is rather zesty while the blackberry is tart, providing a unique flavor profile. 'Nilla wants in on the party, and quickly forms a ménage à trois with orange and blackberry. The lactose is also there but not overpowering, being most noticeable on the finish. It is rather tart, which seems to elevate the orange presence in an obscure way.
F: Per usual, this is a good feeling beer. Medium bodied with a smooth and creamy texture. Grimm executes the feel well.
O: An enjoyable and unique offering. I think it is a worthy component of the Pop! series. It might not be my favorite, but I think it is one of the more unique experiences the Pop! series has to offer.
3.69/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cheers NBS

 

Something big to end my night, Transient Rum Jumbie Buckley, I believe I need to give credit to @FlintB.

4.38/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Thank you FlintB for this
22 oz bottle poured into a teku

A- Black with a small mocha head

S- Dark chocolate, molasses, some rum, vanilla, maple syrup, meaty, touch of cloves and ginger.

T- Dark chocolate, roasted malts, meaty/soy sauce, maple syrup, molasses, some rum, some vanillaX touches of ginger and cloves.

M- Smooth, full body.

O- A huge and complex with a lot going on. It has a very nice balance that keeps me wanting more.

Cheers NBS!

 

You have to get this jerky. It really is great stuff.

 

Well, even though I said I was done earlier, I couldn’t end on that note. It left a bad taste in my mouth (pun)

On to another of the same series, which I wanted to open sooner rather than later because of my experience earlier.

Beer: Quadruple Barrel Aged Big Bad Baptist
Brewery: Epic Brewing (SLC, Utah & Denver, Colorado)
ABV: 11.8%


Pouring from a 22 oz. bottle into a tulip glass, this beer pours a dark, coffee like brown and forms a brilliant, full finger, thick, creamy, decadent caramel colored crown. I don’t know how Epic makes their beer look this good, every single time. 5

The nose brings a definite almond presence. It’s mixing a slight salty element with notes of roastiness, char, burnt brown sugar, freshly toasted thick caramel, toffee, molasses, coffee ice cream with chocolate chunks. I hope this carries on to the taste. 4.75

The taste comes in with a lot more chocolate than the nose; that same chocolate chunk reminiscence. It still has that huge, coffee ice cream presence to it that I absolutely love. I’m also picking up a nice amount of caramel; the kind like being in a candy store where it coats the air after being freshly made. The almonds are alive and kicking; slightly salty and toasted. Brown sugar also makes another appearance and there is a doughy/bready sweetness that resembles a darker, sweet, dessert bread like coffee cake. The coconut and rum show up; but just as accents to the other layers, which I’m alright with. Other background notes of toffee and molasses. It’s quite delightful to me. 4.75

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and well carbonated. I feel like this is where the rum shows up the most, with a little bit of that “tropical” warmth. It’s still smooth for the almost 12% ABV. Silky and creamy while finishing with a slight touch of dry oak; like putting your tongue right to a barrel. 4.25

Overall, this is exactly what I needed after the disappointing experience with the Triple Barrel earlier. It brings me back to what I love of this series. And I fully expect to be high on the rating here, but I’m a sucker for that coffee ice cream/coffee cake presence, which I’ve not ever experienced in over 1,300 beers! 4.5

Well, I feel better now, ending my day on a better note than it started.

And my Triple Barrel from earlier was Release #3, if anyone was curious. I would love to hear if anyone else had a similar experience.

Cheers NBS!

 

Germany brewed version. Excellent Berliner. Awesome fluffy head retention/soapy lacing for a sour. Aromas and flavors of big sour/tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, apricot, mango, honeydew melon, passion fruit, berries, red/green apple, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, hay, straw, and grass; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bready malts; light peppercorn, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate lactic tang/tartness and light peppery spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation, light-medium body, and moderately crisp/clean finishing. Balanced creamy/grainy wheat and lactic acid in the mouthfeel. Moderate increasing acidic dryness, zero pucker. Very flavorful/refreshing for 4.7%, not overly lactic. Awesomely well rounded Lacto and hop complexity; with a great pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness, would get more. 4.05


Cheers

 

I need to try all GoT beers before the new (last) season starts.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/42/336278/



750 ml. bottle.
Moderate pour yields a 1/2 inch white head over a slightly hazy golden body with some lacing. Nose of citrus as well as a bit of candied lemon and candied lime. Taste of lemon and tart citrus, but definitely not too tart. Good feel and overall, this would be nice paired with any seafood dish. Cheers to Ommegang for another Game of Thrones job well done!

I just capped this to enjoy later with my striped bass feast while watching the Walking Dead. Cheers!!

 

After a couple IPA’s I’m craving a fruited sour beer. Fortunately, I have Urban Artifact Squeezebox on hand. A “Strawberry Midwest Fruit Tart” with 3,000lbs of strawberries and 60g of vanilla beans per 30BBL batch.

Courtesy of a kind fellow who goes by @AyatollahGold

Thank you, Dayton.

An outside shot (about an hour ago) as I start the beer.



This review is a comparative one of sorts, as a few weeks back I had The Gadget, another fruited sour from this brewery also courtesy of @AyatollahGold

The color of the beer in this photo looks darker than it is. This beer looks exactly like an opaque, pale, grapefruit juice color. I know people like to describe beer as looking like juice, and this one looks exactly like a glass of Tropicana Ruby Red grapefruit juice. A Guinness-like, white foam that leaves dense streaks of lacing on the glass. Opaque and no visible carbonation. I find the beer very attractive as it falls just short of being murky pond water for me, while capturing juicy, bright fruit color.

The aroma is fresh strawberry. Not overly sweet, perhaps slightly green. The leafy greens of the fruit as well. But it beautifully captures the essence of the natural fruit on the nose. Grapefruit juice as well. That’s the citrus acidity coming through. No hint of the 8.6% ABV. After sitting out for about 20 minutes the aroma takes on an awesome sweet, floral, funkiness that reminds me of rosewater. More of a creamy and sweeter strawberry shake character.

Let me review the flavor backwards. The finish, just like the other fruited sour from Urban Artifact (The Gadget) has a dry, crackery malt profile. Wheat forward. I don’t know if there’s wheat in this beer. This characteristic defines the other beer. Here it’s less pronounced, but still present, pleasant, and adds some complexity to the drinking experience. Soft acidity. No puckering. Vanilla bean? It’s hard to say. Perhaps the impact flies under the radar while still shaping the overall flavor profile. Berry wise, this could be acidity from strawberry, raspberry or tart blueberry. It’s subtle for sure. This is not an in your face sour/acidic beer, but it delivers on soft berry tartness.

Very low carbonation and creamy, soft mouthfeel. Enticing.

Overall, I really enjoyed drinking this beer. Especially as it warmed and opened up. It’s an easily drinkable beer, especially for the dangerous 8.6% ABV. It captures the essence of the fruit and then takes a small step beyond. Very good.

An indoor shot focusing on the color as I finish it up now.



Really enjoyable stuff, Dayton. Thank you much for these beers. Your time will come.

 

Hey I mentioned this one in the BIF thread the other day! I too enjoyed it. I had the southern grist collab that you reviewed earlier yesterday and I really enjoyed it. It was a very unique color. I had similar feelings to you as well, however your review was more wordy than mine. That’s not a bad thing however, cuz I’m a man of few words.

 

I grew up in the same town where I currently live. We never saw deer growing up. Now they’re every where. And they’re accustomed to people. You can’t scare them away. They eat my landscaping. My dog, who is 7, goes apeshit. The deer jump over the fence and come into my yard for the bird food and he goes ballistic. He’s always down for a good chase.

I’d rather stay married LOL

 

I've had two sorghum beers , (names?) one from Great Lakes. A lemony note on the finish seems to be part of the package.

@ 2:08

 

Just glad you’re enjoying. Great, professional review as always.

Cheers!

 

Go Angus!

 

Loss of 1000 karma points for quoting Romey. The douche.

 

This is Damguday 7 from New Heights brewing in Nashville. Got a little sheeshed yesterday and am finally recovered and ready for a new beer.



The color on this is either a very very deep yellow or a very very light orange. Huge creamy, pillowy, creamy head is piled high on this joker. The nose on this thing is BIIIIIG, can smell it a mile away. Big orange juice, Pine, lemon, and grapefruit. Taste is somewhat subdued from the nose, but all the flavors are there. Lemon plays a bigger part in the taste than I would like. Mouthfeel is light and soft with maybe a bit too much carb as it tickles my tongue. Overall these guys are making a name for themselves but it’s gonna be hard for them to beat some other Nashville breweries for me. I’m in the 3.75 range on this one