New Beer Weekend #130

Odell Barreled Treasure BA Imp Stout aged in Spirit Hound Whisky Barrels, 12% ABV; 3.74 overall

Pours a chestnut/mahogany with a sliver of tan head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Cocoa, dark fruit. The nose was just meh on this

T: Dark fruit, Baker's Chocolate, cola & oaky dryness, a touch of peat up front. Some smokeyness/roastyness, raw barrel plus Baker's Chocolate & dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes dry with barrel notes, some smokeyness/peatyness

MF: Medium body to chewy, slight carbonation, very warming

Didn't pull together for greatness, very much a sipper. Hopefully this will age into better, nothing to crow about now

 

Greetings all from the great northwest where we have seen the last of the Seattle Seahawks until August or September depending on how one feels about pre-season football. It was a better season than most people expected, and they have the Russell Wilson draft picks in April, including #5 overall. Maybe Wilson is the Seahawks most valuable player this year?

This evening we have Salted Caramel Porter from Cascade Lakes Brewing.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1043/259675/

The salted caramel flavors require a bit of imagination, but this is a solid porter just the same.

Until next time

 

Omitted my overall rating; 4.07; seems a little low

 

I am not fishing that weekend. It's on.

 

Side Project Double Barrel Derivation (Brandy Port)

4.75, 4.5, 4.5, 4.75, 4.5
overall: 4.54
rDev: 0%



Side Project Double Barrel Derivation (Blanton’s Port)

4.5, 4.75, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5
overall: 4.56
rDev: 0%



Side Project Double Barrel Derivation (Willett Port)

4.75, 4.75, 4.5, 4.5, 4.75
overall: 4.63
rDev: +2.4%


i had the pleasure of sampling all of these today and while i rated them all fairly similar overall, there’s certainly distinct differences despite the overlap in barrel treatments. i can only assume this is due to the base stouts being different from one another. the Willett Port was my favorite of the bunch. the chocolate-forward base stout was highly enjoyable to me and the port finish was excellent. all are world class and i’d gladly drink again. it was quite fun to compare and contrast with these having them back to back to back.

cheers to new beers!!

 

I heard it was new beer weekend, and I just so happened to have a beer I've never tried before (Surprisingly). Racer 5 IPA by Bear Republic, a beer I've seen around a lot, but not being a huge hophead, I've never sprung for, until now. It comes off as a classic working man's WCIPA or just the original IPA style to be honest. Super dry but full with a hint of malt in the flavor but big malt in the feel. Despite all that it's super drinkable
Overall it got a 3.86 from me, as there were some off notes, but the classic hop profile was definitely appreciated.

 

Roxanne was a Special Ed teacher who sadly passed away nearly two years ago.



https://mca-productions.wixsite.com/mcaproductions/post/olympians-honor-ms-narachi-with-memorial

 

Back at it. I didn't feel like doing a review last night after the birthday party - which was a blast.

I decided to enjoy a beer that @Beersnake1 sent to me in the BIF.

Ganter Wodan - Brauerei Ganter - Freiburg Germany - Doppelbock - 7.5% ABV

I am not normally so wordy in my reviews here, but I kept getting, and seeing so much with this beer. I am always amazed how the Germans can make so many different beers using their Reinheitsgebot, and make them well. Yes, beers with more stuff added can be very good, but so can beers made using the basics. I am blown away with this beer, and am so happy that you sent this to me Tim. I'd gladly pay $5-$7 for this beer any day of the week.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/6256/28463/

4.44/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Very loud pop when I opened up the beer with a bit of smoke coming out of the bottle from the co2. This is a dark pouring beer. Hints of amber shine through at the bottom of the glass, but it's more a dark brown color. When I hold it up to the light it looks quite dark red. There's a 2 finger tan head that dissipated rapidly, with no lacing. After the head dissipates there's a bit of carbonation rising in the glass, and I can see it when holding it up to the light. As I pour the last bit in the glass there looks like there's a bit of sediment in the bottle.
I get a good deal of dark fruit on the nose - plum, raisin, fig. I get a hint of caramel as well. I don't drink soda pop, and haven't in a long time, but, I get notes of cola coming through the aroma.
I do get the dark fruit in the flavor. I get the raisin, plum and fig. I also kind of get a raspberry flavor in that mix, as well. Caramel also makes an appearance, more toward the back of the beer.
The carbonation does tickle my tongue a bit. This beer does have a decent body. It's very smooth, and full for the ABV.
It always amazes me what the Germans can do with beer using the Reinheitsgebot. While I have German ethnicity in me, I do not speak or read it, which my Grandmother would not approve of. I do see the word on the bottle, and I'd say it uses the allowed ingredients in the beer. I am blown away with this beer. I know it's around 1 Euro over there, but I'd gladly pay $5-7 for it here. Delicious!


I will be back later today with another that @Beersnake1 sent me, though, I will be sharing it with a good friend. Cheers!

 

This morning’s new to me beer is from Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Company, Akron OH - “Rocky Mountain Barrel Aged QORIS The Quasher” a Quadruple Oatmeal RIS:



Canned 11/2/22. Poured at 50°. Black with thin ruby edges; fast fizzy reddish brown head vanishes immediately leaving a small island of micro dots, and a thin ring at best; spots of lace and thick legs on swirl. Nose is whiskey and burnt sugar; boozy exhale. Entry is whiskey, bitter roast malt, burnt brown sugar; oak, black licorice; more char as beer warms; little to no base flavors other than roast; some residual sweetness but mostly bitter. Alcohol burn on tip of tongue (15.7%); warmth in mouth; medium body; smooth silky feel; not adjuncty; dry wooden finish. I like the boozy heat, but overall the beer is out of balance; the bitterness overwhelms the whole, making drinking more of a chore than an enjoyable experience; would not turn down if offered, but would not seek out.

4.25 | 4.25 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0
Score: 4.08 rDev -6.4%


Cheers y’all!

 

Not only is that their best beer in my opinion, it’s one of the best Schwarzbiers I’ve had. Right there with Köstritzer for me. For those who can remember it, Kevin made Baba black lager in his time at Uinta that was also very good.

 

Good morning NBS/nbw and tanks @SawDog505 for hosting this week.
Its not winter here in WMass, 1/15 and not a flake of snow, i wish for either winter, or for spring to get here, not this pergatory.
Todays offering is from our Team#1 who are based in Taiwan, we recieved a small box of assorted "cooking oils" shipped to us recently. Thats code for beer!
This Green Plum ale is honestly quite good, solid malt base, green plum for sure, but also some green tea flavor, hop bite, just a pleasant surprise all around.

Cheers

Green Plum Ale

Fruit and Field Beer | 5% ABV
Taihu Brewing in Taipei City, Taiwan

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.06/5 rDev 0% | Average: 4.06
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the 16 oz can dated 22/12/14 into the test glass
A - Light copper color, excellent clarity, allows for full viewing of active carbonation. Tight knit white cap, lacing is outstanding.
S - A bit of mint, sweet plums, light toasted cracker, also hints of green tea, all make for a vibrant aromatic.
T - Some honey, plum, lemongrass, candied orange, again with some biscuity attributes. Fruit jam on french bread toast.
M - Medium in body, with a relatively soft water profile, semi sweet start, then a nice malt vs plum tension, finish is borderline tart and very dry.
O - I very much enjoyed this offering, The plum is certainly present, not dominant. The minty nose is delightful, Add to that the beautiful texture nd you have a very nice experience.

 

Congratulations on the wedding! I hope your new son-in-law is worthy.

 

Back home after a week in Florida. Good visit with my daughter, my sister, and my in-laws. The weather was nice, and I got to try a bunch of new beers.
This new beer, however, is from Beer Drop. Pie of the Tiger, a nectarine pie sour brewed by Full Circle Brewing Co.
A bright orange color, with no head.
Aroma of sour fruit and sugar.
More tasty than suggested by the aroma. Sour tangerine, lactose, and a bit of vanilla.
Slightly sour mouthfeel.
Not a bad beer. I'm going to want more.

 

Just made it home after a big overtime week. Back to work in the AM so I figured I would squeeze off a big beer before it gets too late. Courtesy of @micada this was an extra in our recent trade. Barrel aged Wham Whams from Prison City Brewing.

Pours a cola amber until the glass fills at which point it is clearly black with a decent ring of caramel bubbles which quickly reduces to a nearly still liquid. Nose is big toasted oak and vanilla with some alcohol as well as chocolate, burnt coffee and a coconut undertone. Taste follows suit with vanilla taking center stage and finishing toasted malt and cola. Feel is medium/thin. Overall, good. 3.25/5

 

Drekker BRAAAAAAAAins Mango/Lime/Coconut Double Fruit Smoothie Sour, 6.1% ABV. Pours bright orange, and in the pic the head hadn't really separated, but when it did it was 5+ fingers of light orange foam that left puree residue. Nose is mango, lime, vanilla and coconut. Taste follows, quite sweet, faintly tart, salt on the close. Very thick and smooth mouthfeel, overall outstanding. One of the better variants, surprised the lime doesn't steal the show. This is the thickest beer I've ever had.

4.46/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Nice warm day in the 30's, lots of melting. Then winter comes storming back tonight and tomorrow. Guess I better fix the snowblower. Broke the chute cleaning up the 19" snow last week.

 

Nice glass, big snulip FTW. And head with a woodgrain pattern.

 

Black Acre Brewing Co. -- Saucy Intruder
Rye India pale ale
ABV: 7.2%; pouring temperature: 43 °F; canning info: n/a
Source: @jkblr



3.81/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Clear, dark copper body; massive carbonation presence; thick, white head, rocky and semi-creamy; rings and patches of foam inside the glass. Decent aroma; light spiciness; malty sweetness. Nice American India pale ale taste; balanced sweetness combined with very pleasant rye spiciness and light bitterness touch. Medium-heavy body; sticky; light sense of coarseness on the palate; mild overall dryness.

By and large, this is a very nice beer. The rye component delivers a nice spicy note that blends well with the overall bitterness. The alcohol presence stays pretty well masked behind the beers moderate sweetness.

 

My plans changed and back home. I am drinking something I picked up on my way home from the cities last night.

Double Depth Charge: Super Nova - Wild Mind Artisan Ales - Minneapolis, MN - Imperial Stout - 10.5% ABV

This is quite delicious, and well worth driving into Minneapolis (which I hate doing). So much coffee, and it doesn't drink like 10.5% ABV. Yum.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46325/636968/

4.44/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
After I popped off the top of the bottle, and removed the cork, there was a loud pop and a bit of smoke on the opening. The pour looked very thick, and pitch black. No light comes through the glass when I hold it up to the light. The head is brown and 3 finger. The bubbles look small and frothy. The head retention is quite long, and there's some amazing lacing on the glass as the head dissipates.
The aroma has lots of coffee on it. There's a slightly roasted aroma. Hints of chocolate and a nutty aroma.
The beer is coffee forward, as expected. This coffee is roasted. I get hints of caramel, toffee, chocolate on the backside.
The body is quite thick and full. Smooth feeling. This beer doesn't drink like 10.5% at all, with no burn from the alcohol.
This beer is quite good. I am impressed with it.


I'll be back later for another.

 

Another NA beer for January. Here is what the breweries website has to say-
The Ocean Under the Moon extra dark brew is inspired by barrel-aged beers. In addition to presenting woody characteristics from being aged on french vanilla oak chips, it reveals roasted and chocolate notes. It’s the epitome of a great winter brew.

Poured from a 12oz can stamped PACKED 12/07/22 to a diagonally cut tumbler at fridge temperature.
The body is brown in the pour stream and black in the glass. A minimal khaki head fades within 2-3 minutes to a ring. Although I thought my glass was clean, bubbles cling to the side all around.
The subdued aroma is mostly chocolate with a hint of vanilla.
The chocolate shows more in the taste, but still is not strong. There is a medicinal end to this beer that is hard to place. Perhaps vanilla with processing damage.
Is there an NA beer out there with a mouthfeel that is more than water? Well this one’s not it.
Almost tasty if the chocolate came out more and the finish wasn’t off.

 

Happy Sunday fellow beer friends...I'm hoping you all are having a wonderful day thus far. @SABERG describing this winter as purgatory is pretty spot on and I'm with you it sucks...I've been left home alone for about 24 hours while Mrs. Phisher and the boys visit our new niece near Annapolis, I'm home with the doggy and honestly feel lost so I guess I'll hang with my beer friends and have a beer, maybe some time for an extra one today too In between trying to stay busy and cleaning I opened this beer from Mr. @snaotheus...this has to be one of the best named beers out there.

E9 - Mugwumps (English Bitter 5.0%)



Pours crystal clear honey and copper color; lively head and active carbonation visible, low retention, no lacing worth mentioning. Despite the lack of head aspects this beer is very pretty to look at due to its clarity and color.

The nose is interesting as it smells very crisp and fresh, almost lager like to me...as it warms there is more of a biscuit like presence but I keep picking up floral notes, some graininess, an earthier honey note is also present.

The taste is biscuit like with some herbal and earthy hop presence, there is an interesting grainy bite on the finish; the bite almost reminds me of green tea in a sense.

Mouthfeel is light, clean drinking, with a low but astringent like bitterness on the finish, again grainy in a sense but slightly harsh despite it being low; there is also a slight metallic feel on the tongue.

This beer is interesting, it has characteristics that I would associate with an English bitter but somehow carries attributes of a clean lager...a very interesting beer to drink. I will enjoy seeing how this evolves as it warms up. Ryan, I'm still buried in beer from you so again, my next problem, decisions, decisions, decisions...

 

Allagash - hop reach, went ahead and grabbed 12 cos it's unlikely I don't like it.

pix host

Clear, copper/straw color, really pretty can, nice soft white head. Good looking beer. Nose is punchy and full, bitter, pithy, piney hops with resin and sap characteristics. Some malt underneath, but mostly just punchy hops on the nose.

Taste follows. Reminds me a lot of SN's Powder Day (criminally underrated). Big hop body balancing on a delicate, but nicely rounded malt body. The beer is probably leaning more west coast but in that ME/VT style with a smidge of chew on the malt body.

This fits easily into the rotation for me, perhaps one day nebco will put Sea Hag is put in 12 packs, then maybe I won't go after beers like this (or powder day). Until then, happy to have access to this, canned 12/29. Tasty stuff.

4.29/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

Corduroy Lines
8,4% New England style IPA


Poured from a pint can generously sent to me by @HoppingMadMonk.

Juicy IPA that features fruit (orange, mango, and apricot) notes in aroma and taste. Low to no bitterness though plenty hoppy, so true to style. Fruit notes mask the high ABV well.

Good carbonation and mouthfeel. Creamy and textured on the palate with a soft finish.

 

Wayfinder Brewing Co. -- Time Spiral
Munich-style dunkel
ABV: 5.5%; pouring temperature: 43 °F; canning info: DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN 11/23/22
Source: Tavour



3.73/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Clear, dark copper body; dense, lively carbonation; thick head, dense sponginess, lasting. Nice toasted aroma bordering on roasted; nutty. Decent taste; light toasted malt flavor; mild to moderate hop bitterness. Medium body; slightly dry overall.

For a double-decocted lager, this beer seems a bit weak overall in flavor and mouthfeel. Good, just not anywhere near great.

 

I started last night With Paisley Cave Complex, fantastic dessert beer. Moved on to Crux 10th anniversary, too boozy, astringent and too much soy sauce. Moving on to a Gose, unsure what I will drink later tonight.

 

3.68/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

2017 vintage - poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter.

Clear fulvous liquid with a fizzy whisper of foam that is quickly silenced. Nearly still, no lacing, though the tears leave a viscous even sheen along the sides.

Maple sugar, with a wave of stewed fruit and faint tobacco in the nose. Focused and potent yet fugitive/fleeting.

Unctuous, chewy, spirit-heavy, woody palate entry - burnt sugar, fudge, and peppercorn unfurl into the lumbering dry finish. Vanilla and maple are present, but there is a medicinal savory edge to everything with leather, dandelion greens, and brandy notes. Very distinctive and unusual.

Medium bodied, warming, a bit sticky.

Singular, befuddling, and lingering.

 

SN Torpedo is a classic and favorite but this is so different, should have came up with a new name. Little golden haze, nice well sustained head, light and pleasing aroma of citrus, fresh hops, herbal, lightly bitter, medium body. Nice fresh hop beer here but missing the malty backbone of classic Torpedo.

 

Dropping a quick one...pregamimg for Giants/Vikes.
Vitamin Sea Brain Waves DIPA
Pours a faded hazy yellow with a bright white huge marshmallow like head that takes almost forever to dissappear. Fantastic retention.
Looks like a root beer float.
Mango, pine, passionfruit, some floral and grassy notes, peach on the nose.
Taste follows with fruity notes, citrus rind and juice. Sweet to bitter balance. Very drinkable for 8%
Feel is fluffy soft, medium body. Resinous but drying finish with green hops. Delicious beer.
Another excellent DIPA from Vitamin Sea. Grab this is you see it for sure.
Cheers!

 

You're making progress, my friend!

 

Another liquid blessing from @FBarber: VSO Dark Mode, by Revolution.

Pours very dark with a big pillowy head on pour. That settles slowly into a dense ring and a big island, surprisingly dark. Smell is super bourbony, a bit of a toasted nut aroma, lots of vanilla sweetness and very boozy.

Taste is similar, but more chocolatey. Very sweet overall, less boozy than the nose suggested. Some of the sweetness comes across as molasses. Slowly noticing a dark roast coffee bitterness, but with the vanilla, chocolate, and sweetness, it's more like cocoa with coffee in it.

Mouthfeel is thick, sticky, rich. Overall, this is really nice...but better be in the mood for a sweet beer.

 

Great to be here NBS'ers

pFriem ~ Winter Ale

Notes: Cozy up to the fire with a pint of pFriem’s Winter Ale and gift your taste-buds with hints of spice, orange zest, caramel and a touch of spruce tree. You may even sense the subtle notes of fruitcake, which might encourage you to share this Winter Ale with your family and friends. Unlike fruitcake, this is a beer that will not be re-gifted.

The pour reveals a soft amber/dark pale orangish body, fine clarity, adorned with a very healthy khaki tan head. Dense looking with some major hang-time displayed and patchy globs of lace noted down the drink.

I get loads of fresh pine needle and sap on the nose (Spruce tips?). Candied orange peel/marmalade and some dank herbal resins. Very hop forward at first pop and then a faint toasted caramel malt presence.

Drinks much the same with a mass of sappy evergreens accompanied by cannabis and zesty orange citrus fruit. Apricot, golden raisin and Marmalade again. Some earthy ginger like spice elements to it as well. There lies a firm caramelized malt/sweet bready likeness throughout the flavor. Overall something more in line with Panettone bread is what I would suggest.

Moderate filling, stays lighter and frothy on the palate. Some nice drying bitterness in the finish. Solid resinous linger noted.

Fairly unique for the style. Really my only druthers with this one is that it drinks much more like a piney IPA vs a true Winter Warmer. Not an issue for me but what I was reaching for was something maltier to pair with the stormy CA weather we are having...more akin to Fremont's WW. I have plenty of great IPAs within my reach here. That said, like everything I expect from this brewery it is well crafted with good balance and drinkability. I would likely rank around a 4.0/ B+ or A- territory.

There is a Winter IPA listing here on BA but I me thinks this is really just the same brew

 

Old Bust Head's Caramel Macchiato Stout (5.7% abv) Picked this one up during a vacation trip to Virginia last summer. No date on the bottle, so compared to the can shown on the BA page for this beer, does that mean that my beer is older? (The beer was added in 2015.) Aroma and taste include a good balance of the coffee and vanilla listed on the bottle. The only negative about this beer is the moderately thin mouthfeel. Rated at 4.20. (rDev +5.8%)

 

I'd have guessed it was newer, since I haven't seen the bottles before, but a quick visit to the brewer's site would tend to confirm it's at least the current packaging (https://www.oldbusthead.com/caramel-macchiato-stout):


Looks like my review had it as a decent lower-ABV stout without the flavorings being overdone. They do a few flavors off this, and the GF always enjoys the Peppermint version each holiday (at least the ones that aren't spoiled, which happened to us only once on a batch a few years ago).

 

Late start to New Beer Sunday #934 for me. Was at Select Beer by 12:30, but they changed their hours to 2 on Sunday (website still says noon). Starting with a stronger pour, hope my palate holds throughout the day.

Russian River Shadow of a Doubt



Beer Bar Notes: $8 12 oz draft pour into a narrow tulip glass. Kegs all kept at 38F, so let this warm for 15 minutes before diving in.

Appearance: Pitch black, cream egg-white light tan head leaves fine lacing and a firm ring around and above the rim. 4.25

Aroma: Sweetness over bitterness, notes of milk chocolate, coffee, light caramel and pine. 3.5

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, sweet chocolate malt leads with coffee and a sweet caramel back. Some hop bitterness lurking but the pine aroma is awol. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Sweetness with a slightly effective hop bitterness, lightly dry, drinks lighter than the BA listed 9.6% ABV, dry caramel malt finish. 4.5

Overall: A little more sweet than I like, but can’t ding this beer for that. Solid imperial Porter full of flavor, excellent post dinner desert beer. 4.25

Believe I’ll be back shortly with another Russian River offering.

 

You make this sound like a damn tasty beer @Nugganooch

 

Congratulations on your daughter's wedding! I don't suppose you're a Sicilian and have to grant favors on the occasion of your daughter's wedding, like in The Godfather?

 

Humble Forager Foggy Footpath DDH DNEIPA, 8.1% ABV. Pours hazy orange with a 5+ finger white head that left great foamy lacing. Nose is vague citrus, taste follows, slightly sweet, slightly bitter. Decent creamy mouthfeel, overall excellent.

4.02/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Fruit Pizza Sour?
That sounds like someone pulled three words out of a hat, not a beer style.
I am genuinely curious about this beer.

 

I didn't expect to like it, but did because of the cream cheese and sugar cookies. A lot of add-junks in this one.