New Beer Weekend #139

4.6/5 rDev +2.4%

look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 1/20/22 into a snifter.

Look- Black, opaque, plentiful visible particulate at the edges, dark brown frothy head, zero head retention, below average lacing (but coats glass wall).

Smell- Cacao, coffee, chili pepper, vanilla, high strength of scent.

Taste- Cacao, coffee, chili pepper at finish, moderately bitter, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between medium and full body, well below average carbonation, mildly spicy, moderately mouth warming, mildly mouth coating, moderately bitter, syrup like.

Overall- Black in color with visible particulate at the edges and zero head retention. Bouquet was high in strength with a great mix of cacao, coffee and chili pepper. Taste was also high in strength with the same wonderful flavor profile. Feel was between medium and full bodied with mild spiciness and moderate mouth warming ability. Overall this was a really great beer that provided an excellent drinking experience. The only critique I had was that the carbonation was noticeably weak, but that could have been a one-off.

 

Look's Beer No Bolshevik RIS, 11.1% ABV. The canned date and ABV were hand-written on the label. Pours thick and black, with a three-finger medium-brown head that left a cup of foamy lacing. Nose is malt and alcohol. Taste is roasty malt and bitter hops, faintly sweet, quite bitter as a RIS should be. Excellent mouthfeel, overall excellent. I'm not a huge fan of highly-bitter beers, but I can appreciate that this is true to style.

4.12/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Going to be a quiet night at home, settling in with a great RIS, ranch and cream cheese chicken in the crock, and then hours of OnPatrol: Live.

 

Smart to start nbw today, thanks @NorsemanOne

Magnify shamrock shake smoothie sour ale
...appearance..Holy crap
...light carbonation with a bit of a thin body
...aroma is a peppermint patty with vanilla
...taste is a mint,vanilla Creamsicle. Sweet ,almost candy like which lingers lo g in the mouth
...overall I cant fault execution, its a mint,vanilla smoothie for adults. Would I have another??maybe next st Patrick's day

 

Starting like that was prescient. Time at the Prime Meridian is always eager for the day to begin.

 

...hell, I didn't realize NBW started already...a beer from earlier this afternoon:

Tripping Animals Brewery -- Shegar
Irish dry stout
ABV: 5.0%; pouring temperature: 48 °F; canning info: CANNED 12/14/22
Source: local purchase (Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits)



3.79/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear, dark brown color and produces a thick, densely sudsy tan head; decent rings and sheets of foam encircle the glass. Light aroma, but what does come through is dark roasted grains with a slight hint of mocha. The taste has more complexity; more milk chocolate with a touch of caffeine flavor; nice, low-key bitterness adds a bit of depth. Heavy body, smooth and slick on the palate.

A pretty decent, straightforward stout that drinks easily.

 

...being now fully retired (after nearly two decades of being semi-retired), every day is pretty much a weekend for me...some days just a bit busier than others...

 

Bolero snort they Kilkenny irish ale
...cloudy murky dark brown/amber appearance
..medium carbonation that dissipates after awhile with a thin body
...aroma is malt, malty bread,earthy and buckwheat honey
..taste is mild sweetness, malt,dark honey, almost dry and earthy.
...Overall its different just a bit than expected but very good nonetheless

 

Since my fellow Norseman, @NorsemanOne, got us going on the most sacred day of an island we used to pillage, I will join in. This is The 51 Irish Red from Petskull Brewing in Manitowoc, WI. Down the street from where @scream lived. Vibrant dark copper color with a light off-white foam. The smell is roasted nuts, caramel, and brown bread. Quite pleasant. The taste is buttered white toast, toffee, and roasted grain, with light malty sweetness. The mouthfeel is dry, with medium body, and high carbonation. Overall, this is a solid beer. Which tastes better today than any other day of the year. When you visit me for a Green Bay Packers game, if I pick you up at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI, we will stop at Central Waters Brewing in Milwaukee first, then we will stop at 3 Sheeps Brewing in Sheboygan, then my house. Petskull Brewing is nice, but they need to step their game up for us to stop there after 3 Sheeps Brewing, since they are located 30 minutes between Sheboygan and my house in Green Bay. Once you get to my house, we will drink whales. On my roof.

 

Damn, I was so immersed in the March Beer Madness tournament, I didn't realize this was kicked off early this weekend, but there aren't many holidays that can top Saint Patrick's Day.

Haven't missed a NBW/NBS day in quite awhile, but may be trashed after two BA Imperial Stouts today to properly rate one of my new to me tournament beers I were hoping to advance to dual post over the weekend.

Will catch up on the thread and present at least 2 this weekend, perhaps sneak a third in before midnight if I can miraculously recover within 2 hours.

Cheers!

 

Great call!

 

Well this one Pictured is new for me today had it earlier as is the brewery from Ventura,CA. Its hazy for the WC ,floral hoppy and soft.

 

OK, going to make it under the bell before Midnight local with a beer that stood zero chance going up against Guinness on Saint Patrick's Day, a beer I've never had before primarily because it's a style I don't seek very often.

Spaten-Franziskaner Premium Weissbier



Bottle Notes: Purchased at Beer on the Wall on 3/15 at room temperature for $2.25. A single 12 oz, bottled 7/1/22 @ 19:51 (Bottle code L182216) Best by 7/1/23. Refrigerated upon my return home until opening. 5.0% ABV. Premium Hefe-Weissbier. In accordance with the Bavarian Purity Law. Average Analysis 153 calories, 11.6g Carbohydrates, 2.8g Protein, 0g Fat. Imported by Import Brands Alliance, Saint Louis, Missouri. Brewed and bottled by Spaten-Brau, Munich, Germany.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a small flute glass. Nice creamy rich bright white head leaves cover for several minutes over the murky peach yellow base with visible persistent mild carbonation flowing throughout. 4.25

Aroma: Belgian yeast with banana lead and nice clove and mild spices backing. Solid, consistent with style expectations. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with aroma, light mellow banana yeast leads, spice also tastes more muted than the aroma. Good, but hoping for a fuller flavor and more pizzaz after the aroma. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Pillowy light and easy body and drinking, light and easy carbonation throughout. Some dryness and hops linger throughout, the sweet flavors balanced out, with light banana lingering on the finish. 4.0

Overall: This is a solid Hefeweizen. Very light and easy drinking, perfect for a hot Summer day which this is almost the exact opposite. That said, I'm glad I picked one up, and if I am in the mood for a light version of this style, I'd grab one of these and be happy. 4.0

 

4 Hand No Bake Brown Ale, 5.0% ABV; 3.41 overall

Pours an effervescent cola color with 2 fingers of sandy colored head. Nice head retention & lacing

S: Some toastyness, vanilla. Fades & turns tea-like once warm

T: Vanilla. toastyness & oatmeal cookie up front, A little, Little Debby cookie creeps in but not enough, taste more like some sad hippie take on the style. Finishes a little dry with hints of oatmal cookie, leafy hops & dry woody notes

MF: Light/medium body, mid-range to aggressive carbonation, gets weak over time

This could've done with so much more malt. Could've been so much more with a plus up on some malt bill, Not bad, but not near good

 

Curiosity Twenty Seven by Tree House




4.53/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A re-release of a classic treehouse beer. A beer that I hadn’t ticked off. Didn’t need to get more beer but when the opportunity presents itself to grab a good rare brew, you go to the brewery , taking one for the team. I know , how noble of me

Brewers Notes: Our curiosity continues with an intensely kettle and dry hopped Double IPA primarily featuring Amarillo! The base of Twenty Seven is straightforward to allow the unique and intriguing characteristics of Amarillo to shine. We experience flavors and aromas of grapefruit flesh, tangerine, and peach. It evokes memories of 22… Our house yeast provides a familiar character and intermingles beautifully with this precious and distinctive hop. Despite its focused and intense flavors, this Curiosity drinks softly… dangerous and beautiful.

Hazy orange liquid poured into a pretentious beer glass

Aroma is orange citrus , whiff of grapefruit

Taste is orange citrus, grapefruit , tangerine , melon, hint of peach

Deceptively smooth , 8% abv is very well hidden

Good beer

 

Kicking off the first of two beers today from the First Annual 2022 March Beer Madness bracket. Still plenty of fun to join in on the fun, either with new to you beers or old favorites. This round runs today and tomorrow.

This one is out of I'm guessing Longmont, Colorado (two other locations noted on the can). I've had the Barrel Aged version, which I really enjoyed (4.33). About time to finally get around to this one.

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY



Can Notes: Purchased Wednesday at store temperature for $4.75 from Beer on the Wall. 12 oz canned 9/28/22 @ 14:14 can code 143. Properly lubricate your gaskets the can message. 10.5% ABV, Imperial Stout brewed & canned by Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, Colorado, Brevard, NC, Austin, TX. I assume this is out of the first city listed.

Appearance: Near pitch black base with a touch of dark brown standing out, nice creamy tan full head that lingers for a few minutes before leaving a creamy cover over the base and generous lacing. Topped off the pour into my 14 oz snifter, and away we go. This looks lovely. 4.5

Aroma: Nice bold creamy chocolate fudge after the 10 minute mark of warming up. Getting mild roast malt 15 minutes in, medium strength, so time to drink. I preferred the aroma when colder. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with aroma, but with a nice bitter hop punch keeping the sweetness mostly balanced. Milk chocolate, lactose, getting nice warm alcohol, smooth not hot or burning now at the 20 minute mark. Hits like a BA stout, without the BA. Roast malt chills while this is all going on, indeterminable separate hop flavor. It is all working great, and now I'm struggling to finish this review before the beer. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Full creamy body, faint lightly prickly carbonation lingers throughout. This hits you hard, more so than the already high ABV. Very well balanced, nice malt presence, some bitterness and mildly dry. Wonder taste flavors linger all in about equal measure. 4.5

Overall: WTF was I waiting on for this one. So glad I picked this up. Hitting everything I love about an excellent imperial stout, rides alone without any gimmicks, delivers solid to excellent flavor, decedent feel. More please. 4.5

Have a second new to me beer still alive in the Central Region I'll pull out tomorrow, Saint Joseph's Day, and then a busted beer (Delirium Tremens - I've rated the Red version) perhaps next weekend. Salute!

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass canned on 3/15/23. Pours an attractive hazy yellow orange with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.25

Aroma is honeydew, passionfruit, mandarin, elderberry, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows honeydew, passionfruit, mandarin, elderberry, and apricot very well balanced. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above medium, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8% it goes down extremely easy with a nice amount of flavor. 4.5

Overall this is really nice. I am really digging it. 4.5 Cheers all. This one with Idaho 7, Strata, and El Dorado.

 

I’ve got a gal in Kalamazoo!



Well, not really but I do have a beer with the word Kalamazoo in it: Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout.

I have had a lot of beers from Bell’s but for some reason I never drank this brand. When I was filling up a mix-a-six pack, and I saw this beer I said to myself: time to try this one!

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Bell’s website:

“Beer Info

This smooth, full-bodied stout offers a blend of aromas and flavors of dark chocolate and freshly roasted coffee, balanced with a significant hop presence.

Category: Year Round

Alcohol By Volume: 6%

Shelf Life: 6 months

Ingredients: Water, Malt, Hops, House Ale Yeast, Brewer’s Licorice (gelatin-free)

Nutritional Information (per 12 oz. serving): Calories: 221, Carbs: 22.5

IBUs: 51

Original Gravity: 1.065

Flavor Profile: Roasty, Coffee, Dark chocolate notes”

Wow! I don’t know that I have ever had a beer that was brewed using “Brewer’s Licorice” before. This will be a new experience for me. I am really looking forward to drinking this beer.

Served in my Spiegelau Stout glass:

Appearance

Dark brown approaching black with a khaki colored head.

Aroma

A combination of dark chocolate, some roastiness and a hint of toasted black bread.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with dark chocolate and coffee-like roastiness accompanied with a notable bitterness. There is a hint of a harshness/astringency as well.

Mouthfeel

Medium body with an off-dry finish.

Overall

I think this beer is good – very good. I would have preferred a bit more smoothness to the body and the hint of harshness/astringency was a bit distracting.

Cheers!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

I have a good buddy Phil who retired a couple of years ago and his characterization is: every day is a Saturday except for Sunday.

Cheers!

 

...I also find that I still have more things to do or accomplish than I make time for...I don't find myself bored or directionless...your buddy's assessment seems spot on to me...

 

War Pigs Divine Huntress


Too excited to try this new weizenbock, spilled some!

Appearance: Murky brown, big head, overflowed!

Smell: Bananas, yeasty

Taste: Moderate sweetness, brown sugar, banana bread, some spiciness, nutmeg. Full bodied.

Overall: I wasn't aware of this weizenbock until I saw it on the shelves. It's a tasty one, good sweetness and banana flavor along with an interesting mix of spices for more complexity. Tasty stuff!

 

I'm IU-Bloomington, Class of '85. I was in The Hall the day Coach Knight tossed the chair (that was my senior year). When I saw the picture of Cal (one of my ATF Hoosiers) in your post, I think I shed a tear.

 

Awesome!

Robert Montgomery Knight and his teams throughout the years have always been a joy to follow. Don't watch sports anymore, unless I get comped tickets to join family or friends, but do like reminiscing. So great Purdue was bounced by a 16 seed yesterday. I love IU more than I hate Purdue, but it's a close call.

Quinn Buckner, undefeated his senior year at Thornridge HS, undefeated his senior year at IU. He was named the 1972 Chicago Area Player of the Year as a senior for Basketball AND Football.

 

Buckner also played football his freshman and sophomore years at IU, and IU was undefeated in hoops in the regular season of both his junior and senior years at IU. That's a pretty substantial footprint he left in Bloomington.

As for Purdue, my Dad went there, so I don't have any "hate" for the Boilers per se - plus, I had a LOT of friends in HS that went to Purdue (more than IU), so I've got THAT going for me. And I love Gene Keady - tough dude, and he and RMK are really good friends, which doesn't usually happen with coaches that beat RMK's teams as much as Keady's did (he was 21-20 vs RMK).

PS: those Purdue friends are being strangely quiet today.

 

Martin House Brewing Co. -- Best Maid
Sour pickle beer
ABV: 4.7%; pouring temperature: 45 °F; canning info: 01/04/23
Source: Tavour



3.96/5 rDev +21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Mainly clear, golden yellow body; excellent carbonation; initial head appearance was nice, white and somewhat dense in texture, but it soon faded to a thin, wispy ring and then completely disappeared. Bold presence of pickle juice on the nose; dill. Very nice sour beer and pickle juice flavor; no apparent bitterness. Medium body; light tanginess and puckering sourness.

This is a beer style that may not appeal to everyone, but if you like pickles, chances are you will find this to be an enjoyable and unique type of beer.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...this is a beer style I was unfamiliar with until @BeerVikingSailor gave me two different pickle beers...I expressed some doubt to Jerry about how I might react to the beer, but he pretty much was adamant that I'd likely go for them. I did. Thanks, Jerry! Now I have a third one under my belt and these appealing novelty beers continue to sway me towards the style...

 

I've been retired five years and can attest to every day feeling like Saturday. I have plenty to do and haven't once felt bored. If I get to the end of the day and there's still stuff to do, well, there's always tomorrow.
I am continuing with March Madness and beer. Purdue's loss yesterday left a gaping hole in the left side of my bracket.
Today's new beer is Weihenstephaner Original, a pleasant gem.
A clear gold color with a modest-sized white head and a bit of lace.
Grassy, sweet malt aroma. A hint of spice.
Grassy, malty taste. Spice.
Crisp mouthfeel.

 

Not a new beer but I am here at the Mother Ship to procure some BA IS and had to have the porter on tap, I want to be able to drive home with my beer in the lake effect snow.
But if you like porters and haven’t tried this one yet, look into it. Dark roasted malts, coffee and some bakers chocolate, roasted grains and dark bread. Solid porter, and while not quite sessionable it won’t mess you up after one.
Cheers all!
I’ll be back soon.

 

Central Waters Brewing Pilot Series Barrel-Aged Chile Pepper Stout. It is aged in rum. They told me they are going to change up the next batch. They want more heat. Let's find out. Pitch black color with minimal light brown foam. The smell is strong with rum. Vanilla, chili pepper spice, milk chocolate, and cinnamon round it out. The taste is a nice blend. I thought rum would overpower everything else, but it does not. Rum jumps out first, then it follows with vanilla, cinnamon, milk chocolate, then it finishes with chili pepper spice. There is not much heat. This beer feels like a sibling to Cassian Sunset. The mouthfeel is oily, thick, silky, smooth, and full. Carbonation is light. Overall, this is a nice beer. It could probably use more heat. And a creative name, once they dial it in and release it in bottles.