New Beer Weekend #148

So, thought this might be a good dessert beer but it wasn’t. It is a good coffee stout and that’s about it.
The pour is stout black with a tall light brown head, and the taste is pure stout with a coffee accent.
The feel was thinner than I expected but then the majority of the stouts I drink are barrel aged, serves me right for expecting something more.
I picked up a 4 pack of this because my last SAN was all about coffee stouts, and I forgot I had these. Oh well, they are not special but they’re not bad either, so drinking them won’t be a hardship.
I may try to find my “dessert” stout and get back with you.

 

Well, I'm hitting some lighter ones today. This one is also from @FBarber . Having sent it in NBS BIF #17.
A light, crushable drink for warmer weather.

Alterado a Mexican-style lager by Alter Brewing Co.
Canned 2/22/22

Straw to gold in hue. Bountiful white head.Actually leaves a bit of layered lacing which surprises me for style. Pretty solid head retention for the first few minutes.
The nose is light corn and mildly citrusy.
Flavor follows the same path. A most subtle, leaning toward, Noble hops presence.
Mouthfeel is light, crisp, and finishes a tad dry.
Truthfully, not an exciting style, but having said that, this is well done. Glad to have the opportunity.
3.73/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

 

Cheers to @sulldaddy for this Counter Weight Brewing' French Toast Slumbering Behemoth Imperial Stout, 10%. Shows retired in the database; 3.81 overall

Full disclosure the head vanished instantly, I suspect someone washed this glass in the dish washer, so I rinsed another glass & decanted the rest in that. Slightly better results

Pours an effervescent mahogany with one finger of mocha colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Tons of Pancake Syrup, just got stronger as it warmed up, a little vanilla too

T: Vanilla, maple syrup, a little dryness up front, getting faint Bourbon notes. Bourbon picks up a little as this beer warms up, a little bit of oakyness, some vanilla sweetness too. Finishes with a little barrel oakyness & booze, but mosty maple syrup & a touch of butter & vanilla

MF: Medium body, low carbonation

Soilid effort, would like more stout profile, less French Toast, drinks pretty easy for the heft

 

Been there had my dog see a cat, reverse course on me & cut my legs out from under me. Bruised the crap outta my hip. Here's to the Mrs. getting better

 

I too drink pickle juice, but still not sure this works based on the few I've tried

 

Okay, still not BA, but at least it’s an Imperial and pastry. It still doesn’t scratch the itch, it is closer though.
The pour was stout black, the light brown head was large bubbles and dissipated fast. Really fast. Curious.
The taste is marshmallow forward, stout secondary- and the difference is slight.
The malt is smooth and and so very tasty. I’m sure the marshmallow helps, but it doesn’t dominate. I expected chocolate (s’mores have chocolate) but nope. Coffee and marshmallow. I never thought I’d like that combination but it is pretty darn tasty.
Cheers and good night!

 

Could have been me, @russpowell. I feel like most of the BDCS flying across this country came from one of us.

 

I'd say we are the main culprits

 

Skydance Brewing Oceania New Zealand Pilsner, 5.2% ABV; 4.08 overall

Pours a chill-hazed gold with one finger of cream colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Cereal sweetness, a little lemon, soapy & perfumy hops once warm

T: Lime, Kiwi Fruit, cryo hop dryness & grainy sweetness, a touch of soapy hops as well up front. Soapy & grassy hops as this beer warms up, bitter grainyness. Finishes with bready & grainy sweetness, a touch of lemon & lime, plus a little grassyness

MF: Medium body, creamy carbonation, good balance

Pretty easy to drink, this will work well year round, nice lake or tailgate beer

 

Thanks again to @XsoldoutX for supplying a hearty amount of my NBW this weekend. (Don't worry @Whyteboar, your beers are for tomorrow!)

Victory - Sour Monkey


Best by 2.7.25

Poured at fridge temp into a tulip glass

Pours a slightly hazy/cloudy dull gold and accompanying sheen, with a fair sandy colored head that settled fairly quickly. Some tracing lace and a tight ring left behind. 4.25

Puckering tart candy apple like aroma, with a touch of sweet spice - cinnamon sugar? Its very nice. 4.25

Flavor follows aroma on the sour candy fruitiness, tart green apple on the finish, spice is very faint and almost lost. 4

Enamel-stripping acidic, and medium-high carbo. 3.5

Overall a very enjoyable if not occasional treat, only because it is SO acidic. Aroma was very pleasant. I was a bit disappointed because I felt like I missed the yeastiness, which is a favorite mark of mine on Belgians. 4

4.03 BA DB

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass not sure when it was canned, but most likely in the last 3 weeks. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with excellent retention. 4.75

Aroma is cantaloupe, peach, mango, mandarin, apricot, and a little grapefruit rind. 4.5

Taste follows cantaloupe, mango, mandarin, peach, apricot, and a little grapefruit bitterness in the lingering finish. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle almost creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8.6% huge flavor, but still very approachable. 5

Overall I knew nothing going in but that it was a very cool can. This is a very impressive NEDIPA. 4.5

 

This was my other beer last night which I failed to post while watching the some great hockey. Another of the survivors from my @FBarber box. This one a nice light and low abv that drank much heavier than you’d think, I believe this is my first Goldfinger beer too. So many first brewery tries in this little box.

Goldfinger - Czech 10 (Czech Pale Lager 3.8%)



Pours yellow hued pale; hazy but see through, sudsy and white head.

Nose is doughy bread, touch of honey brightness, pleasant and aromatic herbal note.

Taste is noticeably hoppy; it is balanced nicely by some light malt presence but hops are definitely front and center; grassy, earthy, and slightly peppery in nature.

The body is light but the hops make this a bigger feeling beer on the tongue; nice bitterness on the finish; semi dry, the lingering hop presence sort of messes with drinkability for me on this one.

Tasty little lager, the hops are quite prominent on this one; overall a tasty beer. Thanks Frank!

 

Thanks to @FBarber this finished me off last night after some lighter offerings.

Humongous Chungus by Werk Force Brewing
16 oz can stamped 030723 on the label. I'm assuming that's a canning date.
Damn near black in color. Cocoa colored head asserts 2 fingers initially but tapers off to a thin film.
Aromas are plentiful and varied but quickly meld together beautifully: chocolate malts, vanilla, bourbon, coconut. But they all play their part, none overwhelm.
Yes she is sweet, but not cloyingly so. Again the chocolate and vanilla seem to lead off with the bourbon and coconut rounding things out. As it warms a hint of earthy wood peeks in. But a dessert beer this is, and was. A capper for the night that would be hard to follow.
Mouthfeel is full, almost chewy, and warm.
4.15/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Definitely a closer.

 

Breakfast beer time!

Brought to me (mailed/traded rather) by @XsoldoutX, thanks Matt!

Troegs - Grand Cacao



Freshest by 8.27.23

Poured at fridge temp and warming in a tulip glass.

Pours dark and deep brown, no visible light even at the edges. Head is a mild khaki with thin ultra fine bubbles
Leaves a very thin wall of lacing behind it appears so far. 4.5

Aroma is creamy chocolate and some light roasted barley. 4

First sip at near fridge temp reminded me of a chocolate cola, Pepsi most specifically. It evolves into toasted malts and barley of similar flavor. 4

Body is light, and offers a cola adjacent feel. Pleasant and mildly lingering toasty aftertaste. 3.75

Overall I think this makes for an excellent breakfast stout, drinkable, dynamic and really very tasty. 4

I'd also recommend this as a non-nitro option for beginners looking to get into craft beer. It seemed very cola adjacent to me, which I really liked and found it easy drinking. I think this beer is fairly underrated, imo anyway. Probably will post it over there.

Cheers and happy Sunday my dudes!

 

Good Morning NBS/nbw and thanks @GrumpyGas for hosting this weeks events
A long stretch of work has me tuckered out today.
Much needed rain last night has the Valley popping this morning.
Asparagus is in full swing, and the frist Strawberries are out, Spring in the 413 is rocking

Todays offering is from our good friends at Wunderkammer, a beautiful mixed culture beer with
excellent texture, just enough acidity, and lovely funk
Cheers all



Astral Magic Practice

Wild Ale | 6% ABV
Wunderkammer Bier in Wolcott, Vermont

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.14/5 rDev 0% | Average: 4.14
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from the 500 ml, 2022 vintage bottle into the test glass
A - Excellent clarity, light straw color, a lovely white cap quickly disipates, fleeing to form a white thin ring.
S - As soon as it was opened, that funky mixed culture smell filled the area. Up close the nose is more nuanced, with Verbana, honey, jammy orange all in the mix
T - Very much follows the aromatics, with layers of funk, like bloomy rime, blended with candied lemon.
M - Tart start, excellent body, with crisp dry texture. Ashen dry finish
O - A beautiful mixed culture offering, Well done