New Beer Weekend #135

Greetings fellow NBSers! Just a bit after midnight here in the Fourth Corner, and I'm hitting a couple afterwork brews. AHHH is a new murkbomb from Boundary Bay, and it drinks easy enough for 8%: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/701/641258/

 

This version has 2 beers Pulpy and Moon Rover and they combine the 2 recipes and make a new beer. Not sure how it became 8% ABV when one is 7.8% and the other is 7%, but whatever.

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass it says canned on 2/20/23 but it is 2/17/23 so obviously marking the cans is still a work in progress. Pours a hazy yellow orange with a finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.25

Aroma is mandarin, passionfruit, pineapple, and apricot. 4.25

Taste is passionfruit, pineapple, mandarin, and apricot well balanced and better than the nose for me. 4.5

Mouthfeel is a little above average, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 8% it goes down easy with a good amount of flavor. 4.25

Overall this one is good, I kind of thought it would impress me more, but I will have no problem drinking the rest of them. 4.25 Thanks for getting us going @AzfromOz you are very good at it. Cheers all.

 

Great opening @AzfromOz

Rock? Classic Rock? New Rock? Most definitely!

Iconic classic rock band Led Zepplin fits the bill as a foundation in the classic rock pantheon. The body shaking songs, the singing, the guitars and heart thumping beats, it is Rock and Roll!


Rock and Roll Live Video (Madison Square Garden 1973) Original Records



So how do you interpret something from the foundation and bring it forward? Use the same or similar sounds and give it its own flavor. Greta Van Fleet brings the iconic Led Zepplin sounds forward to a new generation


Greta Van Fleet - Highway Tune



Sean Lawson of Lawsons Finest Liquids brews some mighty iconic beers. His sip of sunshine and Double sunshine are New England classics from vermont. How do you re-interpret those and bring them forward? Take the Double Sunshine and add natural Red Grapefruit to create Lawson’s Finest Liquids Double Sunshine Ruby Red Grapefruit

4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewers Notes: This special edition of our American Double IPA is made with ruby red grapefruit, adding an extra layer of mouth-watering, juicy, lush fruit character along with dank tropical aromas.

Can poured into a teku , deep translucent orange, numerous microcarbonation streams, capped by a creamy, fluffy off white egg shell foam cap

Aroma is juicy red grapefruit, truth in advertising

Taste is citrus, juicy red grapefruit, grapefruit rind

Smooth and juicy, the 8%abv is well hidden

Good beer, a juicy red grapefruit rock and roll bombastic beer bomb!

 

Do you believe in magic!?!



In December 2021 I read a post by @Rug discussing a limited release beer from Boulevard Brewing: Magic Drip Barrel-Aged Wheated Imperial Stout with Columbia Coffee. When I saw a four-pack of this bottle at my local Wegman’s supermarket I readily purchased a four-pack. I had the intention of discussing this beer in an NBW thread a year ago but frankly I was not too impressed with the first bottle since there was a ‘harshness’ to this beer which was not pleasant for my palate. I placed the remaining three bottles in my basement for later drinking. Well that day has come!

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Boulevard website (with emphasis in bold by me):

“Magic Drip

Barrel-Aged Wheated Imperial Stout with Colombian Coffee

Magic Drip is a rich Wheated Imperial Stout featuring pale, dark, and crystal malts, plus Magnum hops and Colombian Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee from our friends at Messenger Coffee.

The Wheated Imperial Stout was then aged from 8-18 months in various Bourbon Casks, each barrel bringing its own personality of vanilla, oak and char. Clocking in at 13.5% ABV, the end result was pure Magic Drip.

When you open and pour this beer you’ll find notes of well-rounded coffee aroma and flavor that make way for vanilla, cocoa and barrel characteristics. The fusion of the sweet and boozy Imperial Stout base alongside rich coffee and boozy bourbon casks makes for a balanced beer of rich chocolate and coffee, vanilla, whiskey, and toasted oak.

Recommended Glassware: Tulip Glass

ABV: 13.5% ABV

Bitterness: 23 IBUs

AVAILABILITY: No Longer in Production”

So, it appears that Boulevard has stopped making this beer?

On the back bottle label, it states: “Please Enjoy By 16AUG2023”

Will the year I cellared this beer result in a more pleasant drinking experience? As the wise owl says: Let’s find out.

Served in a tulip glass as recommended by Boulevard above:

Appearance

Dark mahogany colored with a very thin (almost nonexistent) khaki colored head.

Aroma

Vibrant aroma of dark malt aromas – some chocolate, toasted dark bread and subtle roastiness (coffee-like)

Taste

The flavor follows the nose with some chocolate, toasted dark bread flavors and a hint of roastiness as well. Also, there are some dried dark fruit flavors (e.g., fig, raisons, dried plums). There is a semi-sweet aspect to this beer. A low bitterness from the hops.

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied, a luscious mouthfeel with a dry finish.

Overall

I think this beer is very good. The ‘harshness’ is no longer there; the beer improved/mellowed with time in the cellar. A tasty drinking experience!

An enjoyable beer for winter (cold) weather drinking.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

My new beer this weekend is from Surly's "Bottle Project", a beer subscription with 4 quarterly releases during 2023.

The first bottle release here in February is a barrel-aged barleywine called The Long Winter:

Appearance: Clear amber, good head.

Smell: Hugely barrel-forward, big wood, vanilla, bourbon, booze aroma. Maybe a hint of fruitiness underneath?

Taste: Mild sweetness, then a swift boozy kick that has a metallic note to it. Some hoppy bitterness noted. Let's let this sit for a while and try it warmer.
When warmer, it at least doesn't have the metallic kick to it, but doesn't really improve much. Woody notes become more prominent.

Overall: Pretty disappointing, I really like barleywines and barrel-aged, but this was a pretty clear miss. I probably drink beers a little too cold, so if I have to wait for it to get to room temperature to consider it decent, that's not good, especially for a $25 bottle. Oh well, there's three more in the bottle project this year and I'm still looking forward to those.

 

Thanks for another great open @AzfromOz !

I limit intentional cellaring or aging at this stage to beers I didn’t like fresh. Revolution Imperial Anti-Hero and Founder’s Nemesis come to mind as the most recent examples. Glad your patience paid off @JackHorzempa , and nice way to take advantage of Celluary!

Glad that Triple worked out for you @Roguer ! I am very selective either Triple IPAs and it still doesn’t always work out (see Imperial Anti-Hero), but still give them a shot from a trusted brewer, for the rare treat of being pleasantly surprised like I was last week with Hop Nut’s Anniversary Triple IPA. While I was fine after my first attempt, it knocked me on my ass on my second, which I chalk up att least in part to a somewhat empty stomach.

Wish to have one later today after a meal, but also plan on 1-2 new to me offerings sometime later today. Have Goose Island’s Sir Issac’s Stout purchased on sale yesterday, and two new to me Sierra Nevada beers from their latest variety pack picked up by my brother after I let him know about it.

Looking forward to a great weekend of beer for me and you! With a little luck….

 

Good morning NBW. Today I’m going to start with my first ever Oud Bruin; Premiere Noir from Barrel and Beam. “Michigan, French, and Belgian sourced ingredients.”

Malty-Complex-Tart.

Didn’t know this was a dark beer at purchase so the dark brown, oily liquid that emerged was quite a surprise. A one finger oatmeal head rises and quickly reduces to a ring, spotty lacing chases the beer down the glass. Nose is a tart grapefruit rind, some coffee grounds, baked rye bread, and bakers chocolate. Taste follows suit with a pithy citrus tart taking center stage and subtle bitter coffee following. Feel is very smooth and easily drinkable for 7.5%. Overall, I actually love this beer. Cheers all.

 

3 Sheeps Brewing Cuvee Blend 2023. 1/3 each BA barleywine, BA Belgian-style quad, and BA Russian imperial stout. The color is pitch black with minimal brown foam. The smell is incredible. The three styles fight to take over, but come together as one. Fig and molasses are at the forefront. Then intense sweetness jumps out. Vanilla, rye, graham cracker, bourbon, chocolate, and raisin are present. The flavor is a tidal wave of the three styles, all complimenting each other. It blends perfectly. You can taste each style individually, yet it seems they also take turns taking over each sip. Flavors include chocolate, vanilla, graham cracker, raisin, rye, bourbon, fig, and toffee. Together they create a combined wonderful, balanced flavor. The mouthfeel is oily, thick, smooth, and full, with medium carbonation. Overall, this is the best edition of this series. There is no need to be too creative. They should just use this formula every year. Some years were a swing and miss. This is a 3-run walk-off home run.

 

A great way to start this thread!

 

Another cool, breezy, cloudy day. Stout weather. I am enjoying Dark Hedges, an Irish Dry Stout from Woods Boss Brewing Company.
The beer is almost black, with a small tan head.
Aroma of chocolate, char, floral hops.
Taste of chocolate, tobacco, leather. Hops late.
Medium-bodied, dry.

 

Jacks abby kogarashi rice lager
...clear gold/orange appearance
...body is around medium with the carbonation hovering around the same
...aroma is a malt,honey,light amount of cereal and grain. There is definitely an aroma of rice which shows up in a pleasant way.
Taste is a nice mix of everything present in the aroma. Slightly sweet with a growing,very mild bitter finish. Earthy honey also makes a showing.
..overall this is an excellent beer,one of my favorites from this brewery

 

been terrible about posting new beer reviews the last few weekends so here’s to changing that! hope everyone is having a great weekend thus far filled with delicious new beers!

this is Fat Bear from Hop Butcher For The World. that’s right, a peanut butter imperial stout brewed with chocolate from a brewery that seems to specialize and dedicate themselves to hoppy ales.

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my review:

poured from a 16oz can into a rev deep woods tumbler. pours out a thin looking cola brown liquid but settles in the glass nearly black with a little over a finger of creamy, mocha brown foam. aromas of chocolate and peanut butter as well as roasted peanuts. to me the taste, although fairly similar to the smell, is much better executed. there’s a faint PB&J thing going on in the nose (perhaps the hops used in this stout?) but i don’t get any of that in the taste. it’s decadent chocolate and peanut butter with a hint of caramel in the finish. the mouthfeel is my favorite aspect of this beer - and surprisingly so as i was fairly certain it would be on the thinner side based on the initial pour. however, much to my surprise, the mouthfeel is fairly thick, very creamy and incredibly soft for such a big beer. this was quite tasted. had been wanting to try this for quite a while now and glad they finally distributed some to central IL!

4.25, 4, 4.25, 4.5, 4.25
overall: 4.22
rDev: -1.4%

cheers to new beers!!

 

Good afternoon NBW
Deschutes does not distribute to Indiana, so this is not only my first time with XXXIV, it's my first time with any of these anniversary beers.

Black Butte XXXIV
12oz bottled 6/23/22 poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp 11% ABV. The beer pours mostly black with brown edges and light brown head. No lacing. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring bourbon, coffee and vanilla. The taste is semisweet dark chocolate with the coffee coming through next before light bourbon and vanilla. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with just less that average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. ABV is well hidden with just a touch of ethanol heat. Overall, very good.

Cheers all!

 

3 Sheeps Brewing Hopper. A BA imperial milk stout with cocoa nibs, mint, and vanilla. One glass is only the beer. The other glass contains vanilla ice cream. The only beer review is first. Perfect black color with a brown foamy top that leaves nice lacing on the glass. The smell is strong with mint. Vanilla, chocolate, and bourbon ride in the back seat, but they are still quite present. The flavor is McDonald's Shamrock Shake with bourbon delicately poured into it. Which is exactly what I hoped for. Mint shake flavor with a bourbon kick. Perfect. The mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and full. The carbonation is light. With vanilla ice cream, this is a really good grasshopper cocktail. Creme de menthe is not necessary. Overall, this is a unique beer. It is very delicious. 12 ounces is ideal. 3 Sheeps Brewing is taking aim at Central Waters Brewing's heavyweight title for Wisconsin's premier barrel-aged beer program.

 

Sam Adams Just The Haze NEIPA NA. Pours hazy orange with a three finger off-white head that left great lacing. Nose is fruity. Taste is juicy and fruity, slightly sweet, slightly bitter. Decent mouthfeel, overall excellent.

4.21/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Ten days left in dry-February. I've been surprised by a a few of the NA beers I've tried, and this is one of the better ones.

 

Back at the recently opened Oakflower Brewing. I’m drinking Full Circle a 5.5 ABV Saison, that is brewed using Chamomile flowers. Oakflower’s other saison is excellent so I decided to try this even though I usually don’t like beers with added flavor. Full Circle pours light gold with a white head. The aroma is is mild with hints of Camomile. The taste is the same the mouthfeel is light and the finish lasting. This is a very enjoyable brew. It will be better in warm weather.

 

Apologies for the un-rinsed glassware!

3.72/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottled 2021 - best before end 2025 - enjoyed on 2/18/2023. Poured from a capped-and-corked 750mL bottle into my Brasseurs de Garde flute.

Ectoplasmic appearance! Clear apple green liquid with an active magnolia cap. Soapy/sticky lacing; fair retention.

Funky nose suffused with barnyard and botanical qualities. Floral/herbal and slightly cheesy.

Tart, intensely earthy/grassy with a lasting bitterness. Hints of sorrel and wormwood. White pepper emerges with a touch of funk and unripe pear. Long, dry finish with a crackery malt base. Quite unusual.

Light-bodied, silky, and somewhat tannic.

Weird and refreshing table beer - less complex than I expected, though the recipe is quite a mystery!

 

Stopped of at Gristworkz in Houston this afternoon for some lunch. This use to be called Local Group, but after ownership shakeups a new set of owners took over. Local Group never could get off the ground. They had a great gastropub like kitchen, maybe some of the better brewpub food around. Though I remember they opened on one of the worst days you could imagine, as all of Houston was without water for several days (a huge water leak and no pressure throughout the city). So of coarse they had to postpone, then a just a few weeks later, this little thing called Covid shut everything down. So after struggling for a few years, the new owners took over with a name change and re-branding.

Anyway, first up is Maltanado, a classic Amber Ale. 6.6% ABV



Pours a copper amber color. A one finger white head forms with good retention and lace left behind.
This has a soft malty aroma. With toasted malts, biscuits and light fruitiness. Simple, but enjoyable.
Taste wise, like the nose, the malty flavors run from sweet English biscuits to fruit. Kind of doughy, and caramelized sugars that becomes just a touch too sweet. Though a leafy, herbal hoppy bitterness peeks through in the finish.
A medium body with soft but noticeable carbonation. This becomes ultra smooth, and finished clean. Which all makes for an easy drinking malty offering.

An enjoyable offering that I will be coming back to when I can. This reminds me of Saint Arnold's Amber, in a good way. Just well balanced and enjoyable.

Overall score is 3.83, solid B+
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/58735/641313/?ba=champ103#lists

Had this with lunch. Real Barbacoa. Smoked beef tongue, cheeks, and all the fatty goodness rendered. This is like butter. Really damn good tacos, the Barbacoa is legit, and most places don't do it this old traditional way. Whenever I come across it now, its usually just chopped beef ha.