New Beer Sunday (Week 773)

Good morning Craig! Thanks for starting today's tread! Holiday shopping is nearly done - as usual. Back when I gainfully employed, I used to go shopping with my boss on Xmas eve while he tried to find a present for his wife. As usual, the only stores open were Walmart and jewelry stores. One year, even the jewelry stores were nearly empty, although they did have some nice bowling trophies available. Too bad Barb wasn't a bowler.

Today's New Beer Sunday entry comes from @2beerdogs for the most recent NBS BIF - Bottle Logic's Picture If You Will. I'm just glad I don't live close to Amaheim because I'd be in a drunk/broke cycle between Bottle Logic and The Bruery.

Received from @2beerdogs in NBS BIF 10 – Thanks Derek! Reviewed 12/15/19.
No date other than “Release 2019”. Stored at home at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. It should have been stored, according to the bottle, at or below 40 degrees.
Appearance – 3.5.
First pour – Light amber, slight haze.
Body – Dark brown, opaque. When held to direct light, translucent at the top.
Head – Large (Maximum 5.5 cm, aggressive center pour), light tan, high density, average retention, diminishing to a three mm crown and a thin cap.
Lacing – None – as expected at 12.88% ABV.
Aroma – 4 - Typical pumpkin pie spices are present, but nutmeg blended with bourbon is predominant.
Flavor – 4.5 – The flavor doesn’t actually begin at the beginning – to my taste it’s first noticeable on the post-swallow aftertaste. Then it’s blended spices, with ginger and cinnamon being muted and nutmeg and clove being distinct. Allowing a mouthful to warm closer to body temperature, it’s prickly carbonation and spicy bourbon. No alcohol (12.88 % ABV as stated on label) flavor or aroma, although a distinct transitory gastric warming occurs. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide, no malt, no hops.
Palate – 4 - Full, creamy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.5. Appearance is unremarkable – basically looks like any other pumpkin beer, or at least any pumpkin stout. The aroma is an above-average blend of bold pumpkin pie spices and anxiously awaited bourbon. Flavor is balanced-spice-dominated with the anticipated bourbon slinking about the background, like the xenomorph grabbing Dallas in the ventilation shaft.
Palate is pleasing.
Rating 4.27, rDev -1.6%.

Damn good pumpkin pie spiced beer

 

Happy CANclusion of New Oliver Beer Sunday & New DELMARVA (+ DC) Beer Sunday (Week 773)!
I am not terribly happy today since the suburban school district that I had CANmitted to until T, 14 Jan 2020 called & left a V/M saying that my services are no longer required. 8={} I would normally be fine with this except that I turned down a number of other billets, acquiesced to all of their asks, squared away a chaotic classroom & got little to nothing in return. 8={} My CANmitment was not equal to theirs, I suppose. CAN I live without them? Sure, but it really aggravates me.

What does NOT aggravate me, nor does it grind my gears, is Oliver B.C. in BALMD. I have been striving to run through my backlog of their inventory for a couple of weeks now & today is the day that we see the finale (for now). Following that, I have beers from Delaware, Virginia & DC that I would also like to CANsume, especially IVO the idea that I may not be working tomorrow. 8={}

First:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46063/327199/?ba=woodychandler#review

I'll be back later to CANclude my business with Oliver B.C. & then I'll be delving into DELMARVA (+ DC). See you soon with more ... stuff!

 

Spoken like a true Delmarvian!

 

Hi guys!

@cjgiant was right, don’t try to “Craig” a post. The side effects are too much!!!

Well yesterday was my grandmas birthday. & even though she’s not mocha crazy, I love that woman. So today I have this one from the generous @winehead247

Beer: Mocha Crazy Grandma
Brewery: Variant (Roswell, Georgia)
ABV: 9%

Pouring from a crowler into a Creature Comforts Willi Becher glass, this beer enters the vessel with streams of dark brown with highlights. It forms in the glass much darker, leaving almost no highlights to be seen. A creamy, two finger width, peanut butter fudge colored crown rests on top and leaves a heavy, sticky lacing behind as it slowly recedes.

The nose bursts with layers of chocolate tangling with a balanced, caramelly coffee.

The taste moves the coffee up with a little more prominence, but still remains balanced. Coffee with low astringency; almost no acidity to it, low bitterness but it’s more due to the chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate and slightly burnt milk chocolate with other accents of sweetness; vanilla, cream, caramel.

It has a roastiness to it that is right where it needs to be. Not too much, not too little, letting other aspects shine while still delivering. I would say this is medium-low medium on body, but by no means feels like it’s too thin. Low-moderate carbonation.

Overall, I enjoyed what this brings and how it brings it. Everything is well balanced, adding to but not taking from the other aspects. I’m gonna be watching you, Variant.

Cheers NBS & thank you for the chance to try this Blake!

 

Just checking in to see who’s drinking at 9:30 in the morning, but I have a new beer in a style I’ve never had. By self imposed rules no beer can be popped until 12:00.

 

I have the same self-imposed rule (which I occasionally violate!).

Back later (after noon, CST). Or maybe noon-ish! We'll see.

 

Yes, but it will be 9:30 AM somewhere! Maybe The Sunda Strait?

 

Drinking too early really makes me really sleepy, and taking an afternoon nap isn’t happening during football season. I look at the pics with BC in a coffee cup and I’m thinking a 14% abv beer for breakfast, ugh I’d be done for the day.

 

Happy NBS! I have no problem taking one for the team and cracking a can before noon to help the thread gain steam early.



"Perhaps it would be more useful if I were to transfigure Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocket watch? That way one of you might be on time... Or perhaps a map?" -Minerva McGonagall

Best by 12/4/19 (brewed three months earlier) but I just got it yesterday from a friend who had recently visited his in-laws near the brewery.

Very opaque/hazy. Generous head. Bold, crisp aromas of tropical fruit and citrus with hints of earth and pine. The flavors back the intensity down a notch but match. The palate is softer than I expected but medium-bodied and balanced overall. A well-made NEIPA that I would love to try again closer to its birthday.

Cheers!

 

Coffee and Pavlova is the best beer name that I've heard about anywhere. It just about hurts the brain thinking about. It's like Firesign Theater as a freshman.

 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, we have not purchased our Christmas tree yet but it’s on the ‘to do’ list so close enough for beginning of the Christmas season so how about some beers that feature Spruce?

Yards Brewing Company has an interesting collaboration beer with Connor Barwin who used to play for the Philadelphia Eagles (GO E-A-G-L-E-S) but is now retired from the NFL. Below is how this beer is detailed on the Yards website:

“For the second year in a row, we’ve joined forces with Connor Barwin's Make the World Better Foundation (MTWB) to launch a new, limited-edition beer from Yards’ First Draft series—Make the World Better IPA. Make the World Better IPA is brewed with Simcoe® hops and local spruce tips, resulting in an appealing, soft citrus flavor.

A portion of all Make the World Better IPA sales will benefit MTWB and its playground revitalization projects in Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Yards shares MTWB’s commitment to supporting the good people and organizations in the Greater Philadelphia area who strive to make their backyard a better place to live and work. We believe it’s all about working hard, having fun, and giving back.”

Now who doesn’t want to make the world a better place especially during the Christmas season?

But wait, there is more! Every year I homebrew a Spruce Beer using freshly picked tips from my next door neighbor’s Blue Spruce tree. And it just so happens that I also use Simcoe hops when brewing this beer for the flavor additions. The freshly picked Blue Spruce tips are added for the aroma addition (i.e., end of boil addition).

I wrote an article about brewing with Spruce; for those of you who are members of the AHA (American Homebrewers Association) you can read it:

J. Horzempa, “Spruced Up Homebrew,”, Zymurgy, Vol.4, No. 3 (May/June 2018)

How do you think these two beers compare?

Served in small-ish tulip glasses – I will be sharing with my wife.

Appearance

Yards MTWB IPA: Golden color with a white head.

Jack’s Spruce Ale: Golden colored with a white head.

Aroma

Yards MTWB IPA: Pine/spruce along with notes of herbal, some earthiness and some spicy aromas.

Jack’s Spruce Ale: The predominant aroma is a unique/intriguing aroma which I can best describe as herbal. It does not ‘say’ “pine” to me.

Taste:

Yards MTWB IPA: The flavor follows the nose with pine/spruce being front & center but accompanied with aspects of herbal, earthiness and spicy.. A firm bitterness.

Jack’s Spruce Ale: The flavor follows the nose with that unique combination of herbal/resinous. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel

Yards MTWB IPA: A medium mouthfeel and a sweet-ish finish.

Jack’s Spruce Ale: A medium mouthfeel and an off-dry finish.

Overall

Yards MTWB IPA: This beer is very good and much more ‘Christmasy’ given its noticeable pine/spruce flavor.

Jack’s Spruce Ale: This beer is very good and a pleasant drinking experience. There is nothing there that proclaims Spruce but the unique herbal qualities indicates that ‘something’ other than hops were used to brew this beer.

I wonder which type of Spruce tree that Yards used to harvest their spruce tips for this beer?

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @ @RobH @Snowcrash000 @officerbill

P.S. My wife described Yards MTWB with verbiage of: Piney with incense (frankincense & myrrh) flavors. More complex than Jack’s Spruce Ale but I prefer Jack’s Spruce Ale. Sometimes less is more?

 

This may not be in your "lexicon", but CANostoga wagon has potential!

 

Happy NBS to all. I definitely splurge on beer over the holidays; both by purchasing and consuming higher $ value and higher ABV brews. This year, it'll be a trip to the Cleveland area to score specialty brews from Fat Head's, Brew Kettle and others that aren't available in PA to gift to family and friends, and to fill up my larder. Beer gift ideas from Cleveland would be much appreciated. I'll be going there next weekend. As far as holiday time beer splurges; today is no exception with this festive beer gifted to me last Christmas. Just having 1 glass now and the rest after lunch.

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Spumoni Jones Dog



Had this near Pittsburgh, PA from a 22oz bottled in 2018. My overall rating = 4.06

A - Opaque dark brown with a 3/4-finger light brown head that drops quickly leaving mild lace.

S - White chocolate-covered cherries with a nut topping.

T - Charred grain, semi-sweet chocolate, dried cherries, vanilla yogurt, earthy spice. In the finish, the roasted bitterness mingles nicely with the cherry-chocolate-yogurt flavor for good balance.

M - Medium-heavy body and light-medium carbonation. Dryer than you'd suspect from the aroma and flavor. Leaves you wanting another sip.

O - Surprisingly easy to drink for an 8.5% milkshake stout. Very nice on this cold, blustery day.

 

Thanks @cjgiant for the great start to this weeks NBS. Will be back later on with a new beer.

Cheers!

 

By dint of no more than CANpenstance, I live near the CANestoga River. The CANestoga Wagon was a Lancaster County CANstruct as settlers pressed westward. The rolled shape of the CANopy put some wag in mind of a cigar, hence the pseudonym (?) "stogie". I would happily promote a "CANestoga Wagon Pale Ale" if one were to exist! CANhaps a CANtract brew through The Lion? CAN someone help us make this happen?!?

 

Poured into a 16 oz Nordic pint glass canned on 11/27/19. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow orange with a finger plus sticky white head that coats the sides of the glass with thin streaks of lace. 4.75

Smell mango, melon, vanilla, apricot, and some grapefruit. 4.25

Taste follows mango, melon, vanilla, papaya, upfront with apricot and grapefruit in the slightly bold finish, but balanced finish. 4.25

Mouthfeel is bigger than average, creamy and soft, sticky as it coats your entire palate with fresh hops, and easy drinking but seems closer to 8% in body and flavor instead of the 6.8% it is actually is. 4.75

Overall these guys are really doing great things and I keep finding it fresh and on the shelves of my favorite beer stores. 4.25

 

A-Pours a solid black color with a nice light tan head and lacing
A-Aroma has cocoa and coconut hints
T-the taste follows the nose with cocoa and coconut flavors
T-A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
O-A good stout