New Beer Weekend #116

Thanks for the opening @Beersnake1

You know what they say when a bat needs to piss

 

I saw this post bright and early today and smiled thanks @Beersnake1 no beer time yet but I’ll ponder your question…

We don’t travel often outside our regular summer vacation…but anytime we have obligations to go somewhere, wedding, shower, etc I obviously look up the closest beer stores I hope one day I’ll travel strictly for beer; that’d be a dream.

A beer I still think about quite often is the one I enjoyed with mr @snaotheus at Stoup in Seattle when we traveled there last year for a wedding. The epitome of balance and drinkability with my favorite earthy piney hop flavors and a really nice toasty malt presence; oh and the most beautiful color of beer and head.

See you all later today

 

Wycinanki by Tree House

4.49/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



New beer, new style for me

According to Wikipedia, Wycinanki is the Slavic version of a paper cutting art form. Some versions of this brew include isinglass to make it clear, this version was translucent, light haze.

Brewers notes: Wycinanki is our Piwo Grodziskie, representing a style with an over 700-year history from its native Poland. Known affectionately as "Polish Champagne," it is brewed with smoked wheat malt, and Poland-grown Lubelski hops. Pouring a beautiful yellow color into the glass, it carries intense notes of smoke and bready malts on the nose. The flavor is much softer, with notes of white wheat and noble hops gently washing over your palate propelled by Champagne-like carbonation. This is a beautiful beer that affords us the chance to celebrate a nearly forgotten style, represented with character and grace. Enjoy!

Can dated autumn 2022, poured into a pokal

Translucent pale straw , active microcarbonation streams , two finger white fluffy foam cap, good retention

Aroma of a distant smoky fire, backyard oaky fire pit

Taste is a gentle smokiness of over bready malts , slight citrus lemon, reminds me of a lighter rauchbier.

Sudsy , nice light , flavorful

Would pair great with some pork bbq

Good beer , like the style and the TH version

 

Einstok Toasted Porter


Thanks to @Beersnake1 for getting NBW started. I incorporate beer into most of my travels, picked this tasty Baltic porter up in Colorado a couple months ago.

Appearance: Dark brown, huge head.

Smell: Good roasted aroma, coffee.

Taste: Nice mocha sweetness up front, continuing coffee-mild bitterness, creamy feel, finishes with mild coffee bitterness.

Overall: Picked up a sixer in Colorado to try, I was pleasantly surprised. Nice moderately sweet coffee flavor and nice feel to it. Maybe someday they'll distribute in MN.

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @Beersnake1 for starting today's threads in WBAYDN and NBW! Africa is on my unofficial bucket list, but the flight must be loooong! Don't think I can convince Mrs. Lizard of the necessity to go there for beer (London, OK, South Africa not so much).

Today's New Breakfast Beer is from my local brewpub, which I've visited exactly once in the three years they've been open. Mediocre food and mediocre beer, according to my son who knows food better than beer.




Salted Caramel Coffee Stout from TrAils to Ales. Purchased at Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA, 03/10/22. $ 4.00 (Including tax)/16 oz can ($ 0.25oz). In reefer at store, stored at 40 degrees at home. Reviewed 08/10/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated can. Served at 43.5 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 49.6 degrees.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), opaque.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, black, and opaque except at the edges – olive at the top and ruby at the bottom.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.3 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, high density and fizzy, rapidly diminishing to a two mm crown and no cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 3.25 – Weak coffee and weaker caramel. No hops, no malt, no yeast.
Flavor – 3.25 – Follows nose. Coffee – yes. Caramel – yes. Salted caramel – nope. No malt, no yeast, no hops. No ethanol (10 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Weak gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3 – Medium, watery, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3. (After deducting 0.25 point for undated can) Another can of coffee that only dreams of being beer.
Rating 3.16, rDev 0% (First review)

 

A “Back in the Day” beer

A figure of speech I have often used in past posts is “back in the day” and thanks to a generous benefactor I actually have a beer branded using that expression: Casey Back in the Day West-Coast IPA.

Below is how this beer is detailed on BA:

“Notes: Back in the Day is a West Coast-Style IPA brewed with malted wheat, Golden Promise, and a touch of Carafoam. We also extensively hopped this beer with Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops. It's a refreshing change of pace in a world than can be slightly hazy at times!”

In the past I used to regularly brew an IPA that I called Duet IPA since it was inspired by Alpine Brewing’s beer Duet IPA. This beer is still technically available today but it is brewed by Green Flash Brewing Company but branded as Alpine. When Alpine brewing was operating, Duet was a wonderful beer.

Below is something I posted in 2012 about my homebrewed Duet IPA:

"I brewed an Amarillo/Simcoe IPA last year (my attempt to clone Alpine Duet) and it that beer turned out real well. The citrus (orange) that the Amarillo brings is complemented well by the Simcoe pine.”

A number of years ago (5+) I stopped homebrewing my Duet IPA since the Simcoe hops I was obtaining lacked the piney character I enjoyed from this hop variety (the ‘new’ Simcoe hops were more fruity/citrusy in nature).

Will I be able to pick up some pine in this Casey beer? How will Citra complement the flavors provided by Amarillo and Simcoe. Inquiring minds want to know.

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass:

Appearance

A medium-dark golden color with a white head.

Aroma

There is a combination of citrusy (like orange marmalade) accompanied by a bit of resin-like.

Taste

The hop flavors follow the nose with orange marmalade being dominant but with some resin in the background. There is syrupy maltiness to this beer. The bitterness level is moderate.

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall

This beer is pretty good. The syrupy maltiness of this beer is more akin to this beer being an East Coast IPA vs. the branding of West Coast IPA.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

Thank you for kicking off the Weekend @Beersnake1 and for sharing your African beers. I hope you have a great trip, beer and otherwise.

Sticking with the traditional Oktoberfest dates, I have two Midwest Marzen style offerings to feature this weekend from Indiana and Michigan. Both have a BA score of "Very Good".

Sun King Oktoberfest



Can Notes: Single can purchased in store temperature conditions at Beer on the Wall for $1.75 after tax. 12 oz can with a best by date of 11/15/22 @ 12:01, no can date listed. No ABV listed either, 5.75% ABV per Beer Advocate. Brewed and canned in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Oktoberfest is a German-Style Lager crafted with choice malts and noble hops for a toast malt complexity and a crisp, dry finish.

Appearance: Center single pour into a tall mug. Mostly clear caramel colour base, mild carbonation. Generous head leaves a creamy one inch cover over the base after a few minutes of receding, and clumpy lacing throughout. 3.75

Aroma: Faint in strength, light sweet bread and caramel. 3.5

Taste: Faint taste as well, light caramel, getting salt from the noble hops. 2.75

Mouthfeel: Neutral to sweet profile, watery body profile, nominal carbonation felt, malt defeats hops but more by default. Light and easy drinking, clean finish. 3.0

Overall: This is a run of the mill American Marzen. One and done for me. Not offensive or inspiring. 3.0

Hoping the Michigan Marzen is a better offering.

Cheers!

 

Hello, all. At this point, almost all of our travels have some form of beer at its core. Even when we take trips to visit family, they know we are going to seek out beer places for part of our stay. Luckily, they often enjoy joining us for some of our beer seeking. Our last trip to Vermont (specifically Stowe) was wonderful, though it didn't top our first trip together to Sedona / grand Canyon followed by the GABF in Denver 10 years ago.

Today I have a new beer from a long time brewer that reaches mostly nationwide, I think. We have not yet traveled to southern California for a beer-cation, although we've discussed it for at least 3-4 years before COVID. There would be many breweries to seek out there, and Firestone Walker would be one of them. I found this Mocha Dolce nitro stout on the shelf the other day, though I forgot the nitro part until I was pouring the beers; there was no widget or specific sound as I opened the can. As such, I didn't follow the aggressive pour instructions on the side for this tasting.


The nitro look is muted compared to what I am used to in Guinness and other nitro cans (perhaps due to my poor pour). However, a nice creamy head does form and station itself atop the black body. The nose is heavy on coffee with a thick thread of caramel running through it. With the nose, I'm curious if it'll be on the sweet side, but there's also a light char underneath which helps allay my fears.

A smooth, flat-ish liquid greets my palate without the sweetness that was in question. A fairly classic Irish dry roasted malt flavor opens the beer. There's actually no real sweetness until maybe the very end - the nose is providing enough of the "dolce" to work. It's a nice reminder of how aromas can play into our tasting experience. Coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, and a dry finish all play into an enjoyable experience for me.

 

Roughtail Magnetic Disturbance IPA, ABV 6.8%; 4.24 overall

Pours a hazed gold with 2+ fingers of eggshell colored head. Stellar lacing & above average head retention

S: Pine, tropical fruits, starting strong, but fading a little once warm

T: Passion fruit, guava, pineapple, a little dryness & lime up front. Dryness, some pineapple notes, a little sweet guava & lime as the beer warms. Sweet oranges in the finish, limes, a little pineyness & just a kiss of dryness, mostly juicy. Almost rated this a 4.5 for taste

MF: medium body, fairly gentle carbonation, nice balance

Its label says IPA with natural flavors, it's another very drinkable hoppy offering from these guys

 

Another cool, cloudy, occasionally rainy day, which suits my lazy mood. I have one "obligation" today, and that is driving around with my grandson. He just got his permit and is working on the 50 hours of driving he needs before he gets his license. I've been with him a few times, and he's a pretty good driver.
Today's new beer is 1791 Oktoberfest, from Municipal Brew Works in Hamilton, OH.
Amber color, small off-white head.
Aroma of bread and caramel.
Taste follows the nose. Toast, caramel. Some late hops/spice.
A nice beer, very drinkable.
Thanks @Manta200!

 

The Veil Brewing arrived for sale in Wisconsin. I was introduced to their beers by trades with @vabeerguy. I was impressed by all of their beers I tried so far. This is a nice looking DDH Nelson Sauvin hop NEIIPA. The look features a hazy dark orange carrot juice color. There is a slight white foamy top that quickly evaporates. The smell is mango, pear, and white wine. The flavor is white wine dominate. Pear and guava flavors also stand out. The mouthfeel is like a mimosa. Thick, juicy, and sparkling. Overall, this is a really good NEIIPA.

 

I didn't know this beer existed until now; I did however love cinnamon dulce as a Christmas type beer. It went very well with the holidays and reminded me of a Christmas cookies. Much like you said, and I'd have to read my review to confirm, but I remember the nice roast really cutting any sort of sweetness there was, a well made beer for me.

 

Good afternoon NBW
I wavered for quite some time before purchasing this one for $9. Avery Barrel-Aged Vanilla Bean Stout

16oz canned 01/11/22 poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 10.5% ABV. The beer pours very dark brown with no light penetration and light brown head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island of tiny bubbles. The aroma is huge as you can smell it while pouring with no effort. Big, sweet vanilla with bourbon, chocolate and caramel on closer review. The taste is bourbon & caramel up front with the chocolate and vanilla coming in behind and sticking. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Alcohol is somewhat noticeable, but the vanilla may be a factor in that. Not intrusive, but there. Overall, very good.

Probably not a repeat purchase, but not entirely regrettable. Cheers all!

 

Yeah, I was a little surprised to see it at the store with a fairly recent date (August) and no entry in the BA database. I figured someone between brewery and here would've been a BeerAdvocate who had it and wanted to add it.

I am a fan of it, and the GF liked it as well, which is a minor surprise given she isn't a coffee fan. Maybe she is vibing more on the dark chocolate. Cheers!

 

I don't bring my work stuff home with me anymore so I don't recall the vendor, but there is a company who has figured out a way to achieve the nitro effect without the ball or the widget. It has a lot to do with partial pressures of gasses, physical chemistry, and probably a little magic as well, to deal with the relative insolubility of nitrogen. Aggressive inverted pour was recommended. We were actually looking at it for fruit juice. Fortunately marketing came to their senses - consumers thought it was a silly idea as did we peons in the engineering group.