New Beer Weekend #146

I guess I’d leave at 11…

 

You're in Page, AZ?

 

Glad you enjoyed said Starr Hill beer. I don't recall ever having it, though the name and label tickle a small part of my memory bank. I did scroll through the ratings/reviews and I'm guessing its retired status may be a good fate despite your favorable opinion, so I probably will not get to see how crazy your appreciation is

 

I just know we’ve talked Starr Hill once or twice before, was curious if you had Lucy and what your reaction was.

 

#2 this evening is from NBS BIF #17 and @Coronaeus. After three beers from this “new to me” brewery as of last week, I am a BIG fan.





4.42/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours absolutely pure black with a rich, luxurious dark tan head that is lingers. Gorgeous beer. The nose features milk chocolate, caramel, some roasty char, a nice barrel note - and stone fruit. Is that the cognac barrel effect?

That milk chocolate flavor and the caramel are forward, but man, does that stone fruit flavor, as ripe dark cherries, assert itself mid palate, guiding you into the slightly boozy, oaky finish. This is world class stuff here, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is rich and creamy, perfect for this decadent beer. The Bellwood’s impy stout game is top tier, IMHO.

 

Great pics
I have a small Oil painting of that exact spot
Cheers and safe travels

 

For the weekend and then back to the grindstone on Monday….sunrise at monument valley





Life is a box of chocolates

 

Or hide in the bathroom

 

Well @LeRose, I know you didn't ask but I now present to you, and the rest of this wonderful group the story of your beers...Lawn Boy and Is this Still Lawn Boy...long nerdy rant incoming steer clear if you do not want to take a detour...

Sort of necessary shortened backstory, Phish improvises a lot, as most know; but there are also songs that don't change much and you always know what you're gonna get when they're played...Lawn Boy is one of them...as singer you may enjoy this one…



Well, one night during the Baker's Dozen, when they played 13 consecutive shows at MSG, they played Lawn Boy on the night that was titled "Jammed Filled." Yes each night of the Baker's Dozen had a donut theme...well on jam filled night that song above, after being played as normal, divulged into a 30 minute musical journey, for the first and last time ever...for anyone who is brave enough



Thus coined the expression "Is this still lawn boy???" Someone made a few shirts days later, threw one on stage and Trey wore it during an encore of that night; then they reprised Lawn Boy in a shorter funky way on the last night of 13 and Page says "you know, a lot of people have been asking me....is this still lawn boy?...it is...." If you truly want to finish the journey: https://phish.in/2017-08-06 ...just click on lawn boy reprise at the bottom...sorry no video I could find.


I will never bore you all with a nerdy Phish stories ever again....I promise....

Now time to pour a beer and join the fun again.

 

Here we go with the last beer from the Xtreme Stout Box:



Barclay Flux, an Imperial Stout with vanilla. There's quite a litany of how it was concocted. Some is young, some is barrel aged, and a whole pile of Madagascar vanilla was used. So let's see what's what, McFly...

Pours like oil, very thick looking. Aggression results in a dark brown head that lasts about a minute before damping down to a ring and an island or two. It's pretty much black liquid. The liquid coats the glass like syrup.

It smells surprisingly...well...stouty. Decent roast malt, bread, a fairly hefty dark fruit contribution, faint barrel, faint vanilla. A bit of chocolate threads through along with some dark brown sugar/molasses. There is a mild and pleasant bourbon smell. It's not a strong aroma even though I let this warm up before opening, but it is certainly thorough. Maybe a faint whiff of the 13.8%.

Taste...well... On the whole, it's richly flavored and deep. The stout base is pretty clear and the rest of the players combine into a huge flavor impact. The viscosity is pretty high - thicker than any beer I've had - and it takes a while for the flavors to unwrap. Let's take the stream of consciousness route... Roast malt, bready. Oaky phenolic, mild bourbon. Sweet. Milk chocolate. Dark fruit maybe dried cherry, but almost pruney. Brown sugary sweetness. An almost acidic bright note that I'll chalk up to the "young" part of the blend - a little bite to it. The vanilla is mild, very pure, obviously natural, and smoothly integrated. Earthy. A tad bit of licorice creeps in eventually.

The feel is thick, oily, syrupy. I guess chewy is the term, but I don't like it. I don't find it cloying, but the first sip is a bit of a WTF moment. The aftertaste is important with this one - as the thick liquid eventually disengages from the taste buds, the flavors come out in layers. Very interesting sensation - almost like drinking in reverse as the flavors do a gradual deconstructive reveal versus building up and integrating. Yet it remains cohesive - no rough edges. Its ridiculously smooth - must have used a goodly amount of oats. Pleasantly warming.

I like this one - very interesting. I dont know whether its skill or a fortuitous astronomical alignment, but I'm gonna guess this delivers beyond what Barclay thought they were going to get and the sum is far greater than the parts. It's luxurious and decadent, tremendous depth of flavor. It's not a dessert or pastry stout - it's a different kind of richness at work here. I dont think you could drink this beer quickly if you tried - its so firmly in the sipper category. Rushing through it would not do it justice anyway. Right this second, I'd land this around 4.5 or higher, but maybe I'll come to my senses...maybe.

 

Liar! I hope, anyway

 

Had a great day today, busy but in a low key way. Kids sports, yardwork, dress rehearsal for a Pink Floyd show (what parent doesn't want their first grader singing we don't need no education?), and a high school baseball game all on perfect spring day. My heart is full. The kids are in bed, time for my glass to be full. Thanks to @FBarber for this one!



Jötunheimr
Pollyanna Brewing Company

This drinks a little lighter than 10%, the ABV is very well masked by nutty bread, caramel, and light baking spices. There are also hints of light fruit, cherry and raspberry, plus just a trace of Belgian chocolate. I am thoroughly enjoying this. I appreciated reading the background for this in your review @FBarber , thanks again!

 

As a musician, I think this is just an awesome story. As a New England musician, I probably should have made the Lawn Boy connection, but that didn't happen.

 

Back to the beer...this one a beautiful beer from @snaotheus included in my as he called it "care package." Was pretty excited to see another NW red in that box and I can't resist any longer...

Machine House - Hoppy Red (Northwest Red 4.3%)



Pours the darkest of reds, almost dark brown but when held to light it is a beautiful deep dark shade of red; off white brownish head, thick and sustaining; espresso crema like in nature; lacing present.

Rich malt presence; whisps of sap but mostly aromatic fragrant wood, hints of rose and something that just touches on dark berries.

Rich darkened malt and an incredibly unique mix of flavors; its again very wood like, cedar but even some oak; dark fruits noted above again but with the pine and sap becoming more prominent; the finish has an almost organic-ness to it, I'm not sure how else to describe it, feels primitive.

Incredibly smooth and creamy feel on this beer...the carbonation contributes so much to that; its like CO2 and Nitro met somewhere in the middle; it is quite dry and has a noticeable pine like bitterenss.

I would drink this beer again and again, thank you for sharing this one with me Ryan...really enjoyable experience

 

Great looking beer, very fine package and a mouthwatering review. And I love its total provenance.....

 

Thanks to @sulldaddy for this East Rock Pilsner , 5.2% ABV; 3.84 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with one finger of eggshell colored head. Average-ish head retention & lacing

S: Grassy, bready, some perfumey hops

T: Follows the nose, some lemon & floral hops as well up front. Bready sweetness, grassyness & touch of lime as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry with grassyness & bready sweetness

MF: Medium body, crisp carbonation, good balance, perhaps a little too sweet

Easy to drink, solid Pilsner