New Beer Weekend #129

Marz Community Brewing and Art History Brewing - Major Boogie, a NEIPA with rooibos tea, sent to me by the extremely gracious @FBarber.

12oz can served in a footed pilsner glass. Dated 12.02.22.

Pours hazy amber-orange with a huge airy head, settles to some clotted lacing and a thick, stiff, mountain range. Lots of visible carbonation. Smell is lots of citrus pith, some orange juice, maybe a little mango.

Taste is a little different than the aroma. There's a deep resinous bitterness that I wasn't expecting, with something else augmenting it which I would guess is the rooibos tea (but hard to say, since I've never tried rooibos tea). The citrus pith is there, and the tropical juicy note is still there, but pretty well dominated by the bitterness.

Mouthfeel is fairly thick, but not sticky. Overall, it's an interesting and pretty good beer.

 

Hopefully all of you are having a wonderful Sunday thus far, I know that we have been. This is another beer from @snaotheus, out of all he sent I think this is the one I was most looking forward to so I couldn't resist.

Backstory...when we met up last year we went out to a few breweries together. On that little excursion together I had one of the best beers I think I've ever had, it was a little 5 % NW red ale, a style non existent here unfortunately. When I saw a 5.5 % red ale from the PNW I got really excited, perhaps we have ESPN or something Ryan...as I poured this beer I just smiled and smiled.

Block 15 - Ridgeback Red Ale (5.5% Red Ale)



Pours a beautiful crystal clear burnt red, perfect shade of darker shade of off white head; nice thick film sticks around for the glass, moderate lacing throughout.

Nose is a combination of so many things...caramelized malts, light orange zest, some nuttiness, cedar like spice too it and some really nice pine/sap to it...I'm in heaven.

The taste shows some of the same but leans very heavily into that caramelized orange zest and some beautiful pine, lingering sap, and a somewhat black pepper like hop bite on the finish...yup I'm still in heaven.

Body verges close to medium but still light, crisp and clean; this thing goes down incredibly easy...on the finish the beer presents a bitterness that combines mostly pine aspects with an ever so slightly toasted bitter character as well.

Ryan thank you for this glorious beer that makes me feel like I'm back in Washington surrounded by evergreens, mountains and water. I may have to fly back there just to stock up on this style of beer...I'm cherishing every sip, it is going to be hard for me not to give this a huge rating, my bias for enjoyment tends to get in the way...

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Since the topic of dinner came up from chef @Coronaeus what is on your plate tonight everyone? I didn’t take a picture but hopefully you all do.

We had soup made but called an audible cause I was reminded “hey we skipped breakfast for dinner yesterday.” We normally do it every Saturday, guess the soup is for tomorrow…

Forgot to take a picture but mine was a big bowl of eggs with hams pieces mixed in, avocado on top with everything bagel spice and two big pieces of toast with tons of butter.

See you all again soon!

 

Kettlehead The Most Pulpiest Thing In The World.
Looks very hazy orange on the pour. Large sea foamy head that has great retention and lotsa lacing.
Yup huge ripe sweet orange on the nose b/w mango and pineapple.
All oj on the taste. Very well balanced between sweet and orange rind bitterness. Fluffy mouth feel.
Medium body with gentle carb. No hint of 8.3%. Highly drinkable and delicious.
Great brew. KH is for real.

 

Just a single for me tonight, this is a Toppling Goliath hazy collab named Celestial Paradox, brewed with Lua Brewing and Sapwood Cellars Brewery. The TG hazy game is on point.





4.35/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a hazy, turbid pineapple color and sports a creamy off-white head that provides significant lacing. Very nice in the glass. The nose is very dank tropical citrus aromas, with orange, pineapple, grapefruit, and passion fruit aromas equally enticing.

The taste is a nice balance of aforementioned tropical citrus notes, with the orange, grapefruit, and passion fruit contributing the most, but there’s also pineapple and some mango. Delicious beer.

The mouthfeel is soft and a bit creamy, per the hazy style. This is very well executed and a pleasure to drink, a NEDIPA (by the brewery’s description) I’d revisit with loads of beer nerd enthusiasm.

 

Is/Was - Saison de Non-Denomination. Felt like this was appropriate for NBS.

375ml bottle served in a curvy Fremont glass. If there's a date, I don't see it. Sent to me by @FBarber.

Pours a mostly clear burnt orange / amber color with a fairly small soapy head, and a moderate to light amount of carbonation. Smell is SPICED. Nutmeg, maybe cinnamon, maybe allspice.

Taste is also spiced. Makes me think a lot of hot apple cider (maybe it was mulled? there's actually a specific example in my head, apple cider heated up in a crock pot with spices in it), in terms of the flavor profile. Mild sweetness, mild tartness (like a sour apple kind of tart). There's a mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is thin and gritty, like the spice is a kind of sand in the beer. Overall...This is not a great beer, but it's not terrible. A bit of a puzzler. It's barely beery at all, it's dominated by the spice profile, which usually drives me nuts. But it has a reasonable approximation of mulled apple cider, and isn't terrible in that light.

I guess I'd consider this a novelty beer. I don't think I could imagine anyone loving it so much they'd want to buy it over and over again, but it's worth trying.

 

Happy Sunday NBWs
Juice Machine from Tree House 8.4 abv American DIPA


Poured from a can dated 01/03/23
Bangers all year

Thick appearing grapefruit juice color, thin fairly quick dissipating white head. Nice soapy lacing no cap or veil to speak of

Aroma explodes from the can, overripe pineapple and tropicals, citrus, lime comes to my mind, pine and peach

Taste follows the nose with pineapple and citrus rind most prominent

Mouthfeel is soft and creamy that quickly goes astringent. Finish is a lingering citrus peel bitterness and dry. Easy drinking and a tic on the heavy juice bomb side

Overall it’s a great smelling beer, has a bitter sour juicy character. The bitterness says with you a while. The soft feel disappears in a hurry.

4.25/4.50/4/4/4.25. 4.19 rDev -6.3

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Late to the party yet again, but I'd say, I'm enjoying what I'm having tonight.

Double Barrel Double Shot Double Black - Bent Paddle Brewing - Duluth, MN - American Strong Ale - 11.2% ABV

Yes, I do like this one, but, I really am having a tough time seeing what the 2 barrels bring to the party. I'm not the biggest bourbon drinker, though I do like Buffalo Trace. I have never had Heaven Hill, so maybe I just don't know what to think of any flavor profile differences those barrels bring.

Review:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31383/633261/

4.19/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pitch black pouring with a 1 finger tan head. The head retention is decent, and there's some lacing on the glass.
The aroma is a mix of whiskey barrels, coffee, vanilla and chocolate. All Aromas are pleasing, though, it doesn't seem too different than the regular DSDB.
The beer starts out coffee, as expected, with some heat from the whiskey barrels. The middle is chocolate and vanilla. The backside there's a pleasing hit of caramel that lingers on my palate.
The body is decent. There's a good deal of heat that comes in on the backside from the alcohol. There's also a bit of heat up front from the bourbon barrels.
This is quite delicious, but it's hard to see what the two types of barrel brought to the table.


I may be back for one more review tonight, after I catch up with this thread. If I am, it will be the other DSDB variant. Cheers all!!!

 

Figured this was a good one to close out this weekend; with the holidays in the rear view mirror let’s revisit them one last time…courtesy of @snaotheus, I remember some of you discussing this beer at some point some I'm curious to see what it’s about…

Reuben’s Brews - Imperial Reuben Claus (9% imperial porter with cacao and peppermint)




Pours Black with a light brown and creaming looking head, retention in form of thing opaque film, splotchy lacing with each sip.

The nose is minty first and foremost, some dark chocolate and roast come out as it warms.

The taste is much more dark roast driven than the nose would tell you…very dark chocolate like with a hit of mint on the finish.

Medium verging on big body; creamy in nature…the carbonation adds to this; on the lower end; and smooth creamy tongue coating frothy feel…nice hit of roast bitterness on the finish.

I personally enjoyed this beer for a few reasons…the taste is very well balanced, because this was preceded but an unbalanced nose so it was a very nice surprise. It also had a great mouthfeel and avoids being too heavy.

I will enjoy seeing how this evolves as I slip into the darkness of Sunday night; see you all next week, same place, same time.

Goodnight NBW and cheers everyone, I hope you all enjoy whatever you choose to sip on or not tonight. Have a good week all.

 

Poured stout dark and was capped with a light brown head that left reasonable lacing.
The aroma was lost on my nose, Covid or chemical I’m not sure.
The taste was very stout like, good roasted malts, coffee and cocoa with just a hint of hops. Solid, not amazing, but a solid stout.
The feel is thinner than expected, even for a lower ABV beer. A person has expectations for a stout.
OA, if this was on tap locally I would likely have it regularly, but it’s not so it was really nice to try.

Part of the onslaught of beers from one @Victory_Sabre1973 as part of NBW BIF #16.
Thanks James!

 

Lost Forty Puffy Jacket Baltic Porter, 9.0% ABV; 4.13 overall

Pours an effervescent chestnut with a thumb of mocha colored head. Okay lacing & head retention

S: Roasty, a little dark fruit, some coffee once warmed up

T: Baker's Chocolate, roastyness, dryness & a touch of Chicory up front, just a touch of sweet cocoa as well. A slight bit smokeyness as this beer warms up, a little roasty bitterness & a little chocolate, just a touch of Anise mixes in, & more smokeyness. Finishes with sweetness, a little smokeyness, chicory & some woody hops

MF: Medium body, smooth carbonation, warming

Tasty brew that commands respect

 

All right, as promised, here's the next, and final member of the Bent Paddle Double Shot 2022 4 pack.


Vanilla Barrel Aged Double Black (2022) - Bent Paddle Brewing - Duluth, MN - American Strong Ale - 11.2% ABV

This is quite good, but I strongly question why they included it in the DSDB 4 pack. It just really isn't in the same league as the OG Double Shot Double Black, and the Double Barrel. I like it, and I'm enjoying it, but, am feeling a bit let down by it. I think Bent Paddle should have given it its own release rather than with the 4 pack.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31383/634218/

4.17/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pitch black pouring, with a 1 finger tan head. The bubbles in the head seem slightly smaller than the last variant. The retention is decent, and there's some lacing on the glass.
The aroma is decent with vanilla, and there's hints of chocolate as well.
The flavor is vanilla, and it lingers throughout in varying degrees. There's a roasted malt flavor that kicks in from the base beer. Dark chocolate. But, boy, there's a lot of vanilla here.
The body is decent, maybe a bit thinner than the others in the pack - but expected. There's a bit of burn from the alcohol, and maybe the vanilla.
This is an interesting take on the base beer. I like it, though, I'm not sure it should have been packaged with the Double Shot Double Black 4 pack. It probably should have gotten it's own pack.

All right, I am done for this weekend. I will show up next weekend, and, likely Saturday - on the road - for the next New Beer Weekend!!!

Cheers all.

 

Bickersons is a mile from my house. They opened a few years ago, have never really impressed me (to my great disappointment), although they have been showing signs of improvement. This Red Wine Barrel Aged Snarky Saison is not one of those signs.

500ml bottle served in a snulip. Can't find a date.

Pours a reddish amber color, mostly clear, with a fairly large head that settles into an uneven thick skin. Smell is mild red grapes, musty/funkiness.

Taste is also giving me that musty/funky grape juice vibe. It has a little bit of a straw/hay note, and maybe a tiny bit of oak.

Mouthfeel is very dry, light. Overall...it's not bad, but it's not that good.

 

Being out of the loop the last few months, I thought I would make an appearance on BA. I have been quaffing a few beers the last couple of days—Ghost Proton from Bottle Logic. The fourth Wall from Bottle Logic was too sweet. A peach sour, that was just meh. I have another bottle of logic and a Berliner that I will finish today.
Farmaggedon from @Coronaeus was last night. That was one tarty, mouth-puckering dry beer, but an excellent sipper. Now I am consuming another, I think the last from Coronaeus. Just a side note I appreciate the beers you have sent me. All it has done was make me want to have a two-week vacation in Canada drinking my way across the Providences. This is All The Best Hats from Small Pony Barrel works. Additional side note, I have never heard of Haskap berries.
Then I cracked open a 201 7 Bell Black Note. I think it was from Whyteboar. If I am wrong, my sincerest apologies. Lastly, I finished with a black ale from Allagash. It has been a good weekend. Although I am not a fan of odd numbers, however, 2023 could be the year that my life gets back on the rails.

 

Dinner was Chilean sea bass. It was nice. Kids actually ate some of it.


Now I'm on to a barrel aged barleywine from Begyle, Batch 1000. Of course, @FBarber sent me this one, too.

12oz can served in a curvy Fremont glass. Canned on 09/29/22.

Pours dark, dark amber in color with a medium sized head that settles in a minute or two to a thin, uniform, very fine ring and a very light dusting across the surface. Not much active carbonation, but moving it around gets some tiny bubbles moving. Smell is strong oak, tons of dates, some toffee and caramel sweetness. Something chocolaty/nutty about it.

Taste is oaky and dates, moderately boozy, some toffee, maybe a bit of the nuttiness but none of the chocolate.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin for a barrel-aged barleywine, but not distressing. Overall, this is a nice beer.

 

Just got home from celebrating my 2 grand-daughters birthdays!! They are 2 years and 1 day apart. Figured it wasn't too late for grandpa to celebrate with a cold one!

Rising Storm Hypnotize NEIPA. Livonia, New York 7.2%
Fairly local brewery.
Murky yellowish appearance, 1/2 inch head that quickly dissolves.
Aroma has some mellow citrus/mango hops.
Medium mouthfeel with slight touch of carbonation.
Taste is unsweetened oranges and mango's with hint of pineapple and some pine.
In my opinion the finish is the most enjoyable part of this beer; fairly dry with a nice touch of bitter pine hops that lingers.

Typical Rising Storm beer, nothing special just a solid well made beer.