New Beer Sunday (Week 775)

NBS BIF #4. Everybody's The Cryo. Excellent IPA. Lasting head retention/thick foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, blueberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation/body, and fairly crisp finishing. Balanced creamy/bready/grainy malts, sticky hops, and some resins/rinds in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. No hop astringency. Minimal warming 6.9%. Nicely soft andf not overly aggressive. Great Mosaic showcase. Very vibrant, juicy, dank, and earthy hops; with a great clean bready malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness with lingering crisp resin dryness. Very impressive. Loved the hop profile as expected. No complaints.


Cheers

 

BCBS Coffee Barleywine courtesy of @FlintB. Thank you Brian for yet another great beer.

4.32/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a medium-dark brown with red hues, a quarter inch tan head that dissipated almost immediately and left no lacing. Smells of coffee, bourbon, caramel, dark chocolate and a mild earthy quality. Tastes of coffee, bourbon, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, toffee, raisins, figs, oak, rye and roasted malts. Awesome complexity. Medium to full bodied, minimal carbonation, full mouth feel.

 

3 Floyds Zombie Dust
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 60




Good, solid aroma of citrus and pine. Hints of something sweeter - pineapple, perhaps?

1/2 inch thick, creamy white head with decent retention, leaving thick lacing and a pitted surface as it drops. Color is clear deep amber with ample rising bubbles.

Initial feel is thick (for an APA) and smooth, which remains pretty much throughout until it is overcome by a bitter middle and finish.

Initial taste repeats the citrus from the aroma, with a substantial malt sweetness behind. The middle becomes more piney and bitter, but the bitterness is always controlled by the balancing sweet malts. Aftertaste is piney and moderately bitter. The finish is tending toward dry, but enough sweetness remains that it never actually gets there.

Overall, this is an excellent APA. Hoppy, but well-balanced and delicious.

L: 4.0 | S: 4.0 | T: 4.5 | F: 4.75 | O: 4.5 | BA rating: 4.38

 

One new beer today... last NBS of the decade, wow! Let's hope it's a good one.



Frequency Vibration is a "double raspberry double gose" by Burlington Beer Co. from Vermont. I really enjoy these guys' beers when visiting the brewery, but honestly a lot of their packaged stuff lets me down. Which is kind of unfortunate, of course... all of their IPAs taste rather the same to me when canned, and their bigger additive-laden stouts are generally messy unless you get them at the source. This being a fruited imperial sour ale, I'm hoping it'll buck the trend!

Pours a pale-ish red-pink color with a soft, fluffy head that builds up quite nicely... maybe gets to like two fingers at its highest point immediately upon cracking and pouring it into my glass. Retains a little better than most fruited goses/kettle sours, as well, with some bubbles even staying rather clustered on the surface itself. I was expecting this to be of a little deeper hue, but I will accept what I got for sure

The nose is creamy raspberry smoothie right away, with slight notes of blueberry, lemon tanginess, grassy elements, and light spice. I'm not sure how "faithful" to being a proper gose this is given it's, y'know, 8% and has fruit added, but I could swear there's a touch of minerality going on here too. Kinda has that oceanic aspect to it, I guess. Kind of hefty wheat presence too. Now, it'll be interesting to me to see whether this becomes just super fruity and tart on the tongue, or whether there's better balance here than I initially thought it would have!

Alright, my first sip has a bit of tang and sourness/lactic acidity right upfront, but it peters out quickly to a much more wheat malt-focused mid-palate. Soft and creamy with only a light flash of carbonation. I could use a touch more fruit, but this actually does taste its strength to some extent, and I appreciate that. Salt is pretty noticeable on the tongue and in the aftertaste, so I'm gonna assume this actually does somewhat follow "proper" gose procedure. I think there might even be a little coriander in this recipe. I'm into it, actually. I think with a little more fruit presence and just a liiiiittle more acidity, this could be really great stuff. I think it's definitely a fun idea, and is indicative of a recipe going in the right direction. Now, I also bet this is even better on draft at the brewery. Huh... I wonder...

Anyway, I guess it's time for me to say my goodbyes to NBS of the 2010 decade and welcome in the 2020s! May you all have a safe, enjoyable New Year. If setting goals is your thing, try to make achievable and realistic ones, and commit to them one step at a time. I know, personally, that I have a few of my own. Here goes:

I would like to continue working on new music as well as continue acquiring new gear and inspiration for my studio setup. I would like to take said setup live to do improvised electronic music sets some time in the upcoming year (kind of like DJing, but I'd be producing all of the music live with my gear; this is going to take some balls, I must admit). I am planning to intensify my gym workouts (I started doing HIIT cardio a few weeks ago, and it's getting slightly-less-horrible each time, so that's progress). I am also planning to double the size of my raised-bed garden. I had a successful first season this year that made me confident that I can double up from one 4'x10' bed to a version measuring 8 feet across, which will also change my garden planning for the better (since I now have a better idea of where shade tends to fall).

This isn't very concrete, but I'm thinking of teaching myself the foundations of IT in order to get certifications to perhaps switch up my career at some point, since I'm somewhat stuck where I am. I applied for an IT job in my facility and was rejected because I technically don't have the SQL experience (I have some, but it's mostly web-focused and not relevant to my location's needs). Though I enjoy what I do and who I work with/for, there's no real growth opportunities any longer, which is a bummer. I do well for myself, for sure, and I'm quite scared of change, so... maybe I won't end up doing this. Who knows? Once again, hope everyone has a great beginning to 2020! Prost!

 

Happy holidays NBS. @cjgiant How long did it take you to write that intro poem? Probably whipped it right out and it would take me forever. Thank you.
Today I have Impermanence from Treehouse. I normally don't like sweet stouts, but this ended up being my 2nd highest rated beer of 2019 (King Sue beat it out by 0.01!).


4.67/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 16oz can dated 12/19/19 to a diagonally cut tumbler.
This is an extremely dark, black beer. You only get a hint of brown in the pour stream. A minimal suggestion of a head rings the glass even with an aggressive pour, and this despite what appears to be moderate carbonation. I think that has to do with the viscosity (see mouth feel below).
Maple and caramel hit the nose, but not super strong.
The taste is another matter. Complex and powerful flavors to analyze. It's sweet. All ingredients listed on the label present themselves one after another as if designed to take turns. 1-Chocolate, 2-Maple, 3- Caramel, 4- Coffee. The maple almost gives a barrel-aged impression, despite this not being aged. I could almost say there is an illusion of smoke.
Mouth feel is right up there with the taste- Like thinned maple syrup. If I could make this thicker by boiling it down I would put it on pancakes. Maybe that would be a waste of a fantastic beer, but it sounds kind of interesting right now.
As I pause in writing this my lips are sticking together.
I like bitter and dry stouts better than sweet ones, but for this one I will make an exception. Fantastic.

 

More on my Christmas trip to Ohio, which included some hiking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Forest and a visit to the Fat Head's production brewery with an excellent Altbier. Here are a couple photos from the hike and brewery, including the behind-the-scenes tour ($10), which included a beer and a commemorative pint glass.




















Fat Head's - Alt Beer 4.6% My overall rating = 4.27



Had this on 2019-12-21 at the brewery on-tap and again today near Pittsburgh, PA from a crowler acquired at the brewery.

A - Clear mahogany with a 1.5-finger tan head and decent lace

S - Fresh-baked brown bread with apple butter, touch of caramel, leafy/earthy spice

T - Lightly toasted brown bread with apple butter, orange zest, mild toffee, earthy spice. Finishes like unfiltered hard apple cider with just the right amount of balancing, piney bitterness (perhaps a bit more than common for the style - 44 IBU) Delicious!

M - Light-medium body and medium carbonation. Dry finish.

O - This is an astounding beer. Had this as the first beer on my first visit to the production brewery and was an instant fan. So much flavor and thirst quenching enjoyment at the low 4.6% ABV. Had it again from a crowler after a long hike and a gym workout and had the same reaction. So satisfying. This would be a year-round staple in my fridge if it were available. Wish this style was much more prevalent in Pennsylvania.

 

That'd be too bad. I really like their beers and have been able to get them in PA.

 

Happy New Beers From @jkblr Sunday (Week 755), Part Deux!

What CAN you do when one of your traders asks you to bump their beers to the head of the line for review in the face of a massive backlog? CANply, of course! It really was not that big of an ask, actually, since these next ones are from one of my CANurrent fave breweries:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32480/173445/?ba=woodychandler#review
,
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32480/191996/?ba=woodychandler#review

(& if my earlier clue as to my pending age was too obsCANure, the above is a better hint). Next up was:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32480/170590/?ba=woodychandler#review

Phew! I think that it is time for a break. I'll be back shortly!

 

Good afternoon and happy New Baerlic Sunday, BAs. Once again, not a whole lot going on this weekend. Enjoying watching the spoils of Christmas fill the hearts of the kiddos, and equally enjoying removing all the holiday decor from the abode myself, all the while prepping and fixing all the minor details of the house to get ready for show quality in order to sell. Fuck, I need a beer...

Baerlic
Wood Worker, Perpetual Astonishment- Bourbon Barrel Aged Blond Barleywine





Hardly much, if any lighter than what the mind defines as a Barleywine. A beautiful polished copper color, clean and bright. The thinnest fingernail of white crests the perimeter of the glass and stays as such. (3.75)

The aroma is quite simple and simply wonderful. Well basked in Bourbon, with the perfect compliments of golden raisins and wood. As it warms, so does the suggestion of a breakfast sticky bun, cinnamon, glaze and all. (4.25)

I wouldn't normally use this word as a taste descriptor, but I feel compelled to express how smooth this is. Raisins and fig soaked in Bourbon, with a touch of vanilla and spice. The wood struggles to come through, but the subtlety is just right. (4.0)

Ah. Now I get the "blonde". It's quite light, hence that smoothness. Watery, especially considering the style. Sweet, oak stripped dry, lightly boozy. It's too damn easy to drink. (3.75)

Another Woodmaker success. Baerlic continues to impress across the board, and this one here is a fun take on what I'd like to think as really a tribute to two styles. But of course, I wish it was just a bit more. (4.0)

After my official review, I gave Perpetual Astonishment a rating of 4.02.

And just for a fun bonus session, had my very first cordial of Gammel Dansk today after brunch. A Nordic take on Underberg or other after meal refresher. Smelled and tasted like a lighter Jagermeister with a pop of citrus and ginger. Intense on the alcohol, but still a fun and refreshing taster. Sköl!

 

Epic's Big Bad Baptist. I probably should have drank this before the BCBS Coffee Barleywine as it really falls short in comparison.
4.05/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours black with a quarter inch beige head that dissipated quickly and left islands of lacing. Smells of whiskey, coffee, dark chocolate and roasted malts. Tastes of whiskey, coffee, cocoa, dark chocolate, roasted malts, oak, vanilla, toffee and a hint of cherry. Light bodied for a stout with a slightly watery mouth feel, low carbonation, dry finish.

 

Gorgeous pics!

 

2SP Imperial Shade Black DIPA

Happy Sunday, BAs. Hope you’re all enjoying the holidays.

Today’s new beer comes to me courtesy of the generous @larryi86. It’s a great change of pace from all the NEIPAs and imperial stouts I seem to drink these days.

Imperial Shade pours cola brown with two fingers of tan head. The head has great retention and leaves solid lacing. The only minus to the appearance is that it has tons of floaters.

There’s a dark mix of caramel, coffee, weed, pine tar and ash in the nose.

It’s even darker tasting. Sticky pine tar and char are the most dominant flavors. There’s also some chocolate, pine needles, strong grapefruit and some light stone fruit (cherry, plum).

It’s full bodied with a milky feel and modest carbonation.

Intense, dark flavors in this one. The grapefruit, pine and char go very well together. Much appreciated, Larry.

Here’s wishing you all a great end to the year.

 

Back with another. We had a "Yankee Gift Swap" on Christmas where people draw numbers and pick mystery gifts. I donated clam flavored candy canes to the cause (gives you an idea of the mindset in our family). When it was my turn I picked the gift shaped like a 16oz can. And thus I have a 5 month old Golden City NEIPA from Down The Road Beer Co.
The BA data base currently scores this beer at 88, but the youngest review is from April. This can is dated July 25th.
It pours a non-hazy, but non-see through gold with a nice head, but that fades quickly.
Smells... not great... maybe a little sour compost. Taste is a little better, but this beer is past its prime if there was one. A bitter finish that I do not think was as intended. I am not going to enter a formal review in the database. I may drain pour before finishing. Its not super bad, but my fridge is full of amazing beers right now. No need to waste a Sunday on this thing. Someday I may get to try a fresh one.

 

NBS BIF#5. Odin Thor's Shadow. Excellent. Lasting head retention/thick foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, toffee, molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, grass, peppercorn, pine, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, woody, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body. Very creamy/bready/grainy malts; some sticky/resinous hops, and chalky roast in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness; no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Minimal warming alcohol for 8%. Smooth, nicely soft and not overly bitter/charred/aggressive. Great well rounded rich malt complexity; with balancing earthy hops, and restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering hop/char bitter dryness. Spot on for an RIS style, no complaints. 4.03


Cheers

 

Good afternoon NBS
Whenever a random import pale lager makes it's way to southern Indiana, I have to try it


11.2oz bottle BBD MAR2020 (about 9 months old) poured into a pilsner glass at fridge temp 5% ABV. The beer pours bright light straw yellow with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. The aroma is faint pils malt and floral hops. The taste is semisweet pils malt with a mild, but steady, bitterness throughout. There are hints of grass and flowers as well. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, very good. A nice refreshing lager, even at its advanced age. No diacetyl or other flaws.

I'm no traveler, so have to wait for some things to come to me. I never regret a single from some far away place. Cheers all!