New Beer Sunday (week 803)

Good afternoon, all, and Happy New Beer Sunday! I just got back from a long vacation road trip that took me through several southwestern and southern states. While putzing around in the extreme northwestern corner of Georgia, I happened upon this little tobacco, vape, and beer shop in Trenton. I went in to look around, not expecting much. They had a cooler filled with the standard macro stuff, seltzers, and what-not. But while I was looking around, I found a freestanding shelf in the middle of the store with a sign that read "Check out our craft beer!" I walked around the display and was amazed at the selection they had. There were German imports, Samuel Smith, Founders, and Allagash, among others. There were also a few selections from Creature Comforts, including Tropicália. This was well worth the side trip. It's the old-school WCIPA I've been looking for. Bright and lively tropical fruit and citrus, with a punch of resiny pine and a slightly oily bitterness that lingers on the palate. Just enough malt backbone to provide a good canvas for the palette of hop flavors without being obtrusive or overly sweet. I wish I'd bought a pallet of this stuff, because I'll probably never see it again. (See what I did there?)



Pairing this with a plate of meat, and it is fantastic. Ribeye seasoned with a homemade spice rub and grilled to medium-rare, plus chicken drummies spiced Kansas City-style, oven baked, and finished on the grill with Zarda's Original BBQ sauce. (Not shown: Steak-cut fries from Dollar Tree.)

 

Greetings y'all.

It's a cool, cloudy 76° right now, which I'm enjoying after yesterday's heat. I'm not sure I'll get a new beer in today. I've got a couple projects that need a fair amount of dedication today. Fortunately, I had a couple yesterday that I was able to review, so, I'll submit a couple New Beer Saturday beers and we'll see if I get to a new beer for this Sunday later on.

Yesterday, after breakfast, I had myself a vanilla coffee porter, called Riverbend, from Spokane Valley brewery YaYa:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/57417/473093/?ba=woemad#review
The picture doesn't show it, but this was the lightest looking porter I've ever seen. When held up to light it was a semi-clear dark ruby. It was also a massive vanilla bomb, with the vanilla almost totally obscuring the coffee and, indeed, the porter aspect of the beer. Also rather watery. I think I learned to stick to YaYa's IPAs from here on out.

Running errands on Spokane's South Hill (while it was 91°, officially our hottest day of 2020 to date), I stopped by Republic Pi for lunch, and while there, I had a 2020 3-Way from Fort George (apologies for the glare):

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16077/490186/?ba=woemad#review
This year's 3-Way was brewed with Structures (from Bellingham, WA) and Level (from Portland). Yet another hazy edition, which kinda disappointed me, but it's extremely drinkable.

Maybe I'll be back this evening. If not, y'all have a great week.

 

Correct.

And there can be some nut character in an Alt, just none of that lingering, toffee, sweetish flavor common in a Brown.

 

Last new beer of the day for me.

De Ranke Saison De Dottignies, 5.5% ABV.



Pours a hazy golden/amber color. A two finger white head forms, with initially good retention. That eventually fades to a small cap that sticks throughout. Light lace is left behind.
The nose is of baked bread, malty and almost like wort. Seems a little unfinished in the nose, but not entirely bad. Citrus hops, light dusty yeast. Though the yeast and esters are almost nonexistent.
Tastes is chewy malts, baked bread and doughy. Citrus hops come in next, with just a touch of bitterness. Where's the yeast? Almost no yeast character, and that is a disappointment.
A medium body and moderate carbonation. Not a particularly vibrant bite here. Just kind of there. Not hard or offensive to drink in any way, just not a good Saison.

I mean, as kind of a malty, hoppy, beverage with some alcohol, yeah it meets that criteria. Which isn't bad "in that regard." Though how can this be a Saison? I'm being a little generous in my scores, but not to style at all.

Overall score 3.07
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/739/58235/?ba=champ103#review

Well, I like the OEC Coolship Lager Americana well enough, and was easily the best of the bunch for me this afternoon. Though there are still many equally as good lagers available to me locally. So all in all not a particularly great crop of new beers for me. I'm just going to open something I know I love now. Some 3 Fonteinen Cuvee Arnand & Gaston.

 

Time to squeeze in another, I think, before my supervision is reinstated...



Nature Loves to Hide, a Franconian-style unfiltered lager from Brick & Feather...

From a 16oz can, dated 06/25/20. Served in a Brick & Feather-branded Pilsner glass (I don’t own a stein).

Pours a mostly clear ruby-tinged copper with two fingers of bubbly head. Retention is OK, leaving a thickly bubbled, creamy, pocked curtain of lacing.

A moderately robust, earthy nose of brown bread and honey.

Taste is unexpectedly dry, earthy, chalky. Tobacco, bread crusts, bitter herb.

Feel is silky smooth, medium bodied with a bit of chew, gently carbonated.

Overall, a subtly tasty beverage, smooth and satisfying.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Swiggers and commentators. It's another beautiful Sunday afternoon in North Jersey with a drop in humidity. Ideal deck drinking weather. Thank you, @WunderLlama, for getting us started today. And congratulations and blessings to you and your family on the new arrival!

I've been drinking mostly DIPAs lately (and have another new one lined up for later) and was craving something a little liter. I've been impressed lately with Man Skirt Brewing's (Hackettstown, NJ) canned offerings and when I saw their Cream Ale in 16 oz. cans I jumped at the chance to try it. It brings back happy memories of my college days pounding Genny Cream. But Ride On isn't nearly as sweet as Genesee's. There is the expected corn but it's well balanced by tart lemon peel and a slightly hoppy, spicy finish. At 5.5% ABV it's crushable on a day like today. This Ale is ideal for the beach or any outdoor activity and would be great for a traditional summer cookout. Not many of our local breweries take the time to brew this style (Carton and Twin Elephant do a nice job) and I credit Man Skirt. I'll be buying at least another pack of this Cream Ale.

I hope you're all enjoying your new beer(s) this afternoon. I always enjoy reading the reviews and will be back with another soon. Cheers, NBS!

 

Hello, finally, NBSers!
Glad to join in again.
This tie with an Oskar Blues Death by Affogato porter with lactose, vanilla, cacao, and espresso beans. 6.5% (just like Death by Coconut), canned 5.11.20

3.98/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

L - 4 - Lovely brown froth-stew here; good head, decent but not a ton of lacing as it went down.

S - 4 - Definitely get the roast and adjunct on the nose first, then a hit of coffee at the end of the sniff. Not much vanilla on the nose at first; definitely gets better with warming.

T - 4 - Solid, not DBCoconut solid, but a good quasi-affogato taste for this; I like that it's not a heavyweight, and you do get a nice espresso impression on the way out, back-palate. Coffee is the after-taste with a hint of cream vanilla ice cream. Good

F - 3.75 - where I think DBA could use a little help; it has decent not overwhelming carbonation, but the mouth and taste are a little 'thin' and watery for 6.5%. Could just be first tastes impression here, but I think I have it right here.

O - 4 - Not going to be picky about another addition for the Death by ... series, especially in these weird times. Thanks, Oskar Blues, for letting us embrace our inner existential dread right now.

 

Mikkeller Spontancherry Frederiksdal


Comes with a synthetic cork. Pours a glowing, dark ember color with a bigger, bubbly head, which receeds quickly.


Smells of lusciously ripe sour cherries, unleashing an amazingly sweetness which comes close to sticking your nose into a freshly opened glass of jam.


Drinks light and refreshing with a soft, slightly stony carbonation, highlighting the complex cherries in this very well, while providing a nice tartness at the same time.


Tastes of ripe, fleshy sour cherries with a smoked pith quality atop. The tartness in this comes quite naturally, reminding me of biting into the actual fruit, accompanied by a light marzipan and flowery note. Has a well developed, yet smooth drinking carbonation with a nice stony peak to it, adding a well working, somehow colder counterpart to the cherries. Finishes with a powerful, ripe not jammy cherry complexity, with a black forest cake sweetness, a lingering, calming pith earthiness and a vinuous, tart peak.


This is pretty amazing and certainly a huge surprise to me regarding all the mediocre beers I‘ve had from this brewery as of lately. This is a true cherry bomb. It‘s complex, goes down dangerously easy and proofs to be a remainder, why cherries taste great, as the beer captures their complexity very accurately.

 

This thread is very traditional, but it is nice to see everyone who responded liking or at least accepting the idea. I only post in this thread beers I drank on the designated day, and while it works well for at home consumption, I think the site would increase interest and participation if it was expanded to the weekend (NBSS or NBW (weekend)).

We had a NB Thursday created earlier this year, but it fizzled out like The Wave at a Chicago Sporting Event. Not sure the historical days used beyond Sunday and that Thursday attempt over the years, I only navigated beyond the Great Lakes folder over the past year or so.

As @MNAle noted above, opening up @FBarber BA Tasting threads to two days gives flexibility, increases participation and helps attracting European participation as well.

Your review makes me want to track this down this week. Had a few special coffee takes at Metropolitan for a Dopplebock (Jitterator a Nitro pour) and Woke as Helles (also Nitro) the past two weeks. So glad I have been exposed to these two very good breweries brewing the traditional styles over the past year.

 

Sounds delish.

I'd like to encourage you to break out of your review template though (boilerplate text with only a tweak or two per review). I know it's harder to write something new every time, but it's good to challenge yourself to hone your tasting skill and vocabulary.

 

NBS #2. My first beer from Civil Society Brewing Company in Florida, Tricked Out Golf Cart, a 7% American IPA hopped with Citra and Riwaka. As you can see, it's a lovely pour. I'm not very familiar with Riwaka but like most New Zealand hops it provides lots of tropical citrus notes and nicely compliments the more familiar Citra. I'm tasting a tart orange, lemon, grapefruit, and a hint of ripe peach. It has a plush, creamy mouth feel and it's an easy drinker at 7%. Here's my full review:

4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

No canning date indicated but the beer was added to the BA database on 5/29/2020. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass. It pours a turbid, pastel tangerine color with two fingers of frothy, milk-white head and thin sheen of creamy lacing that lasted through the pour. The smell is primarily floral with notes of lemon peel and grapefruit rind. There are also some subtle orange/tangerine notes that become more evident as it warms in the glass. The taste is fuller than the smell would indicate: there is tart orange, lime, and ripe peach along with the lemon I smelled. I'm not very familiar with Riwaka hops but they must account for the plush, tropical citrus flavors, along with the Citra. There is very little bitterness but a slightly spicy, peppery finish. It sports a creamy, pleasant mouth feel with a pleasant level of carbonation, and it's an easy drinking IPA at 7% ABV. Overall, Tricked Out Golf Cart is really flavorful and enjoyable. I've long heard of this Florida brewery and am happy to finally sample its wares!

I'm happy to finally have a beer from this brewery and I'm looking forward to more. Cheers, NBS!

 

I like PS quite a bit, it comes as quite dry for me, the nose is fruity hops as is the taste. I can’t think of a beer here that’s quite like this, so it would be a bit unique.

 

Dale, what do they charge for a four-pack of PS in North Carolina?

Cheers!

 

My daughter in law picked this up today because she thought I might like it.

High Cotton Brewing Mexican Lager

Brilliantly clear very light yellow color with quickly disappearing cap.

Aroma of clean grain and slightly floral hops.

Taste is fuller than the scent implies with a lean toward grain. I don't really get much in the way of hops with that flavor receding into the background. Drinks and finishes dry with just a hint of bitterness.

A medium full texture with balancing carbonation.

Overall it strikes me as an AAL type with more flavor than we usually expect from that sort of brew.

 

Crane Brewery Serif Brett Raspberry aged in barrels; 8.0% ABV, 3.67 overall

Pours an effervescent amber with rapidly falling beige head. Some head & lacing

S: Plenty of funk

T: Pear, sour fruit, a little apple up front, plus oaky dryness. Tart cherry, a little vanilla and raspberry as this warms, Finishes very dry, with a little more raspberry

MF: Medium body delicate carbonation

Was hoping for more raspberry & brett. Drinks pretty easy

 

I’ve got them in some trades and from the BIF. If it was here I’d buy it occasionally.