New Beer Sunday (Week 778)

Founders - KBS - Espresso

My third, and least favorite barrel aged stout for the thread. The appearance is exceptional, but the flavor is coffee beans and coffee beans. For me, this beer is like over-salted food. I don't recall the regular KBS being this imbalanced, but if I had them side by side, I might have a totally different reaction. If that recollection of KBS is accurate, then this beer strikes me as a case of a brewer intentionally throwing a recipe out of whack in order to create a feeling of otherness. In a collector's market, a misprint can be more valuable than the intended product, and this might be seen as a case of intentionally forcing a misprint.

 

I’m gonna need to see more pics of these puppers.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass not sure when it was bottled. Pours midnight black on a cloudy day evening in the dead of winter, with a 2 finger mocha head that hangs out a bit, clinging to the sides of the glass like a fat kid the last pudding cup in the house, leaving big thick streaks of lace. 5

Smell is one dimensional in the best way roasted expresso, vanilla beans, and cocoa nibs. 5

Taste follows expresso, vanilla, and deep dark chocolate. Sorry exactly what you would hope for and if loving this is wrong I don’t want to be right. 5

Mouthfeel is BIG, not dry, gentle carbonation, creamy, and at 9.7% insanely approachable.5

Overall this is just incredible, yes I am a easy grader but this is a perfect 5. I have given this score less than 10 times with my over 2000 reviews, and I would not change a thing! 5 Treehouse Brewery Fire!

 

I took a well needed power nap after being up all night, so I can do a few more reviews.

Seven Stills Insane In The Yeast Strain. Excellent NEDIPA. Lasting rocky head retention/thick foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big tangerine, orange juice, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, plum, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, blueberry, gooseberry, red apple, citrus peel/rind, black tea, wood, peppercorn, pine hops; with moderate wheat, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit malts; and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; very creamy/bready/grainy malts and some sticky/resinous/rindy hops in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. No hop astringency. Nicely smooth/soft, mild increasing warming 8.5%. Minimal lingering hop burn. Awesome Bruce, Idaho 7, Mosaic profile. Very juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops with fruity Vermont yeast; and a nice sized wheat/oat/malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. No complaints. 4.03


Cheers

I am going to take an Enslaved marathon.

 

Big ups to @LongTaco15 for sending me this beauty; Half Acre 2019 Benthic BBA Imperial Stout, 14% ABV, 4.37 overall

Pours black as night with a sliver of caramel colored head. Some lacing & head retention, viscous as hell

S: Bourbon, chocolate, faint toasty coconut & a little figgyness

T: Follows the nose, some vanilla & coffee notes as well front. Coconut, chocolate & a little coffee comes to the fore as this warms, plus vanilla, & just a kiss of Bourbon. Finishes chocolatey with coconut,a little booze & barrel dryness

MF: Chewy, low carbonation

Upper echelon example of a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imp Stout, the ABV is so stealth

 

Founders Frangelic Mountain Brown

I’m transitioning to a different Founders beer now, but this one feels like it’s in the same ballpark as the previous beer (only worse). I realize that many people drinking this get huge hits of hazelnut coffee and like it for that. In my case, I’m getting Baby Ruth candy bars and it’s so in-your-face that I can’t shake it. This is chocolate and peanuts. I’m not claiming that Founders uses artificial ingredients in this beer, but for me, my impression is so overwhelmingly in that spirit that I can’t think of anything else while drinking it. This beer manages to be repulsive without actually tasting bad. I realize that this post and my last were unapologetically dismissive of these Founders beers. Apologies to those who love them. Last night I had a Founders porter and was reminded how nice that beer is. It was wonderful. Today's beers don't erase that feeling, but they really temper any enthusiasm for the brand.

 

They will be making regular appearances! Right now I'm at less risk from a beer spill with Wilbur than with Lily, but we'll be working on that.

 

Drekker Brain Squeeze - Cherry/Lime. This was amazing. Lasting rocky head retention/foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big sour/tart/tangy cherry, lemon, lime, fruit skin/pits, citrus peel/zest, peach, plum, pear, apricot, melon, green apple, red grape/wine, sea salt, hay, straw, and grass; with moderate vanilla, cream, wheat, white bread dought malts; light peppercorn, lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and light spiciness on the finish. Medium-plus carbonation, light-medium body, and fairly crisp finishing. Balanced creamy/grainy wheat, lactic acid, fruit tang/tannins, and salinity in the mouthfeel. Light-moderate increasing acidic/tangy dryness; no pucker/astringency. Very smooth, pretty refreshing, not overly lactic/salty, no warmth of 5.2%. Amazing balance of big juicy/jammy/vibrant fruits, lacto complexity, and sea salt; with a nice sized pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. Mild residual sweetness with crisp acidic/tangy dryness. Loved it a lot! 4.33


Cheers

 

those are some content looking hounds

 

Collective Arts Origin of Darkness - CR/AK. This was amazing. Lasting rocky head retention/foamy lacing. Aromas and flavors of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, cream, pistachio, fudge, brownie batter, bourbon, toasted oak, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of coconut, coffee, molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/oaky earthiness. Light herbal, woody, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness; and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and fairly full body; very creamy/silky/velvety/bready malts; some sticky hops, chalky roast, and light slickness/tannins in the mouthfeel. Lightly increasing lingering bitter/tannic dryness; no cloying/acrid/astringency. Super smooth/soft/silky finish, minimal warming 8.4% or lingering barrel booze after the finish. Amazing balance of super rich malts, chocolate, and cannoli flavors; with solid barrel presence/integration, earthy hops, and restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. Spot on pastry stout all around. 4.33


Cheers have a good night NBS

 

Keeping it going with one more from Wicked Weed thanks to @Steban.

4.3/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thank you Steban for this
12.7 oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- Black with a two finger mocha head.

S- Coffee, chocolate, caramel, bourbon, touch of oak.

T- Coffee, bourbon, chocolate, some caramel, oak.

M- Smooth, medium to full body.

O- A really nice barrel aged coffee stout, easy to drink and nicely balanced.

Cheers NBS!

 

The look like that about 5% of the time we've had them (two days for Wilbur). The rest they've looked like this:

 

Howdy , NBSers.
A cruise w/ 4k+ people seems like avoid-at-all-costs situation, @lordofthewiens , but in a good cause, doc. Tough situation, but what can you do? As long as he enjoyed it, worthwhile.
Sorry to hear about your sis-in-law, @tasterschoice62

Two new ones today :
Just now, new-to-me, & new period. Canned 1/14, & I had to add it to the database.

Milkshake NEIPAs are not generally my thing. Too sweet, & un-beer-like for me, usually. However... this has no lactose , & Beer Tree has been 3-for-4 with me, in this dept.

Pineapple Creamsicle IS too sweet for my liking, but Double Pineapple Creamsicle is more bitter, to my liking, & Double Pineapple Coconut Creamsicle, brewed for Extreme Beer Fest '19 was fantastic. There was another good one whose name I've forgotten.
So.......1) Will it be too sweet? & 2) @ 10%abv & only 5 days old, will it be too green/hot?
Short version : A1 No, it seems just the right balance between sweet & bitter A2 A little, but still enjoyed it. If form holds true, it should be past that in about 3 weeks.

L: As expected pineapple smoothy-looking, but some pink & gray tint. Just can't get down with gray food/drink , so -.75 for that, but +.25 for a really nice head. Surprising for 10% abv.
S: Again, as expected - pineapple & cream, with a little grapefruit & tangerine.
T :Like the aroma, with nice balancing bitterness, plus bit of cyannic peach pit flavor.
F : Moderately creamy, with very,very fine carbonation, & some astringency on the back of the throat & tip of the tongue. (<green/hot)
O : A little young, but stil very enjoyable. Should get better . Got three more with which to test that theory.
4.4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/51814/460621/?ba=mikeinportc#review

Before that, something from a new-to-here brewery, K2 Bros Brewery, from Rochester.There were 7? beers from them. Glad I picked this one to try them out.This one is my favorite beer of the young year, so far. Looking forward to trying more of their stuff.



^My head, when I first tasted it.
(A gust of wind , & I just had a sweatshirt on )
L: Looks like a typical cream ale : translucent gold, w/ full, long-lasting head.
S: Initially, just bready malt, & with a little vague fruity aroma. As the head was dropping, some pepper comes in. A bit sweet, similar to jalapeno jelly. If you like peppers, you'll probably want to savor that aroma for awhile. (I do, & I did )
T : Think fresh bread + jalapeno jelly+ a 1/2bite of dried apple+ a dab of brie. Heat is relatively mild - about hot cherry pepper level.
F : At first a little watery for 7.5%, but more oily/smooth as it warmed. Moderate carbonation bite shows up at finish.Warming from the heat on the tip of the tongue, back of the throat , & inner ears.
O Loved it! Room to improve the feel (Oats? Lactose?) , but that's nitpicking. Glad I got the full pack, not just a single.
4.5/5 rDev +4.9%
look 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/51562/364026/

 

Thank you very much sir. It was not a surprise. There was alot of family involvement (her side) the usual when this happens. Always difficult- I know Ive been there several times. TY.
Good reminder too: "Death is a part of Life". Ramble on!!

 

Happy New Yippee Ki-Yay Mother#^@%*&s & More From DuClaw Beer Sunday (Week 778)!

I had a hard lay-down after plowing through all of those 3 Stars beers, but upon awakening, I was stronger than ever! I felt like the Hulk, whose CANlections I have been reading despite showing a profound lack of interest in them as a kid. My first after my nap was a point/CANterpoint to @JackHorzempa 's earlier entry:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1924/450632/?ba=woodychandler#review

CANd then, I decided to make some rules:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1924/317733/?ba=woodychandler#review

Next, the burning Q beCANe throttle back or pedal to the metal? HA! Yinz know me! Or not.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1924/340770/?ba=woodychandler#review

Next was the Q of whether I CAN get one last one in before Midnight (EST). In for a penny … :
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1924/338792/?ba=woodychandler#review

 

Greetings fellow NBSers and thanks to @lordofthewiens for getting us going.

Multiple new beers today. Went for a late lunch to a pizzeria/craft beer haven in NW Spokane called The Flying Goat where I had a Hazy L IPA from Bale Breaker.

Meant to be a NE IPA, this is a tad more juicy up front and finishes a bit more bitter than the typical NE hazy, but it's very tasty.

 

I knew BB was so tied up in the older school WC that they couldn't pull off a seriously NE HAzebomb. Looks like Leota on steroids.

 

Later, I visited For The Love Of God Brewing for the first time.

Started with their West Coast IPA that, while quite good, was a bit too close to an east coast hazy IPA to fit that bill.

Then I had the Santa's Snack Imperial Oreo Stout.

Very nice dessert beer, and quite potent at 9.2% abv. Not sure how they get around using Oreo in the name.

 

And what makes that better-er...is my brother brought it out to me from New Mexico knowing I WAS GOING TO BOX IT UP AND SEND IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE! He loved the idea of contributing to the shenanigans in his own way.

 

Well, not content,but happy & engaged, also very important!