New Beer Weekend #167

This probably wasn’t your intention but you may have chosen my victim for this weekend, I just so happen to have a helles bock as well.

 

Thanks @LeRose for the start. My new beer is the third release in Surly's bottle project, called King Harvest:

Appearance: Dark brown with ok head but poor retention.

Smell: Very complex smell, starts with strong bourbon barrel wood/vanilla, then shifts to a mix of the barrel and cinnamon and nutmeg.

Taste: Kind of sweet to start, then a mix of chocolate with mild oranges (usually I dislike this combination, but it is working for me this time due to the light touch on the orange). Cinnamon comes through later, with more choc/orange and finally the nutmeg in the finish.

Overall: Hey, this one works for me! After the first two in the bottle project were not too great, King Harvest is a complex and tasty treat. Maybe reminds me more of winter flavors with the cinnamon and nutmeg. The cinnamon is strong but not overpowering, reminds me some of Cassian Sunset. An interesting and special treat beer.

 

3 Floyds Brewing, Zombie Ice. 8.5% ABV, Imperial IPA.

This is the last of my new beers from vacation...



Pours a hazy orange color. A dense white head rises to over two fingers . Rings of lace are left behind as the foam gently recedes.
Aroma is pine, grapefruit and citrus. An assertive toasted malty character mingles in with the hops.
Taste wise, like the nose, pine resin, grapefruit, and citrus flavors. A big bready and toasted malt character that gives a substantial sweetness. Soapy, oily, and lingering bitterness.
A full body and moderate carbonation, would like a crisper and drier bite. Sticky resin like with a slick oiliness. Not hard to drink for the style. The alcohol is well hidden.

I have always gotten an oily/soapy/slickness with 3 Floyds, and always thought their beers were on the sweeter side. Both are definitely here and detracts some for me, for sure. Though despite some perceived inadequacies on my part, it is still fairly enjoyable to drink. If that doesn't bother you, or you don't pick it up like I do, then I can see why people would like this. Not bad at all, just doesn't hit the mark I'm personally looking for in the style. Your mileage may vary.

Overall score is 3.7, a solid B, not exactly to my B+ threshold.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26/616588/?ba=champ103#lists

 

Everything but the kitchen sink?

Today’s beer is quite interesting. This is not the sort of beer that I would buy but it was gifted to me; I am reminded of the old saying to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

Today’s beer is Edmund’s Oast Imperial Cereal.

I am not familiar with the brewery but a quick web search yields:

“Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. is a craft brewery, taproom, and restaurant located at 1505 King Street, Charleston, SC in the Pacific Box & Crate development. Quality first. The rest will follow.”

Details about this beer from the brewery’s website (with some emphasis in bold by me):

“Imperial Cereal

We understand that sometimes one bowl of cereal isn’t enough, especially if you’re having it for dinner. Sometimes the day has worn you down so much, you don’t even notice the aromas of fresh cut vanilla bean, hand-toasted coconut and fragrant almond erupting from your bowl as you absent-mindedly keep pouring until your whole table is covered with the stuff.

Sometimes, you need something a little stronger, and we understand that. So please enjoy the souped-up version of our classic Cereal for Dinner – now with double the malt, double the cereal, and double the fun.

Style: Blonde Barleywine

Series: Around Less Often

ABV: 10%”

Some details on the can’s label: Strong Blonde Ale brewed with lactose, almond, coconut and vanilla. <- ergo my “kitchen sink” reference.

I have never heard of “Blonde Barleywine” before so this beer will be a first for me. And drinking a beer with lots of ‘adjunks’ is not typically something I would drink so there is that as well.

OK, let’s give this beer a go!

Served in my Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass:

Appearance:

Golden yellow with a white head.

Aroma:

An interesting mix with vanilla being most prominent (yet still of a low level).

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with again a low level mix with vanilla being most noticeable. It is a bit cloying sweet. A low/moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium-full bodied, soft mouthfeel with an off-dry finish.

Overall:

This beer is good. I appreciate that the contributions from the ‘adjunks’ are of a lower level.

This is not the sort of beer that is in my personal sweet spot (pun intended) but it is well brewed and delivers as advertised.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 9/12/23. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow orange with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace, with amazing retention. 4.75

Aroma cantaloupe, papaya, tangerine, passionfruit, and apricot. 4.5

Taste follows cantaloupe, papaya, passionfruit, tangerine, and apricot extremely balanced. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft almost creamy carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7.2% it drinks bigger but easy going down. 4.75

Overall another gem from one of NH finest NEIPA makers. 4.5 Well worth a shot. Cheers all.

 

Thank you, @LeRose for getting my favorite thread started.
My new beer for today is The Truth, an imperial IPA from Flying Dog. I drank a few beers from this brewery when we lived in Maine, but since moving to New Mexico five years ago haven't had any. Thanks to Beer Drop for providing me with a little nostalgia.
A pretty beer. Copper colored, persistent off-white head, some lace.
Aroma is subtle. Sweet malt and pine.
Taste of caramel, bread, pine, and citrus. A hint of peppery spice.
Medium-bodied. Nice closing bitterness.
An enjoyable beer.

 

It’s been a lazy Saturday thus far, so, I figured a barleywine would make a welcome accompaniment to the day. This is Skookum Heavier is the Head that Wears the Crown Vanilla.



Pours a dark and murky mahogany brown. Little to no head. No lacing.

The nose is wet oak, oodles of vanilla, stewed stone fruits and red Twizzlers.

There is an unexpected bitter punch to the first sip. Vanilla, dry wood, more bitter notes towards the finish. As it warms a brown sugar note emerges. Appropriately sweet. Mildly boozy.

The body is moderate. ABV noticeable (14%) Slow sipper.

This is really quite good. I really like the way the bitter middle plays off against the strong vanilla and sugary notes. I’d love to have this again.

Cheers!

 

Poured into a 16 Nordic pint glass canned on 9/25/23. Pours a very attractive hazy yellow with a finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace with nice retention. 4.5

Aroma tangerine, passionfruit, mango, honeydew, and apricot. 4.25

Taste is better tangerine, mango, passionfruit, honeydew, and apricot. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 8% ABV it has big flavor but extremely approachable. 4.5

Overall I am liking this one a good amount. Well worth a try. 4.25

 

Thanks for kicking things off today @LeRose , and I look forward to reading where you land on the Hellerbock / German Pale Ale divide.

Sorry you didn't enjoy Zombie Ice @champ103 . I am sensitive to sweetness, but rarely experience that with 3 Floyds beyond a few of their stouts. I really enjoyed Zombie Ice, but like Zombie Dust better after a side by side. And thank you for your thoughtful recommendations in the Saint Arnold GABF Award Winning Appreciation thread!

Enjoyed two new to me beers nearing the weekend. Thought this might be the base of Deth's Tar, but the bartender at the brewpub said it was not. Revolution Rise returned for the first time in quite a while, and I'm glad I stopped in and tried it (4.25 overall, link to review).

I opened a surprise box from Vann @Ocalafox and enjoyed the first of two new to me beers, Stone's One Citra at a Time (4.25 overall, link to review). I like balanced versions of "hazy beers" and Stone delivered. Today I am cracking open the second of two new to me beers from this box, from a brewery that is also new to me.

Arkane Aleworks Pineapple Clouds Forever



Can Notes: Received a few days ago and refrigerated until opening this afternoon. 16 oz, no can date or listed ABV, 8% ABV per the Beer Advocate database. Double India Pale Ale with pineapple. Brewed & Packaged by Arkane Aleworks, Largo Florida.

Appearance: Poured 2/3 of the can into a slender tulip glass. Turbid brown orange base, looks like pineapple juice. Bright white head lingers for a hot minute before leaving a little cover over the base and bright white ring around the rim. 3.75

Aroma: 2/3 Pineapple Juice and 1/3 Orange Juice. Medium plus strength, enjoying the juice flavor, can't pick out anything beyond after a few attempts. 4.0

Taste: Pineapple, backed by pineapple, though I am getting some hop presence attempting to peak through. Not sure what "with pineapple" means, but it's pineapple, pineapple and pineapple. Five minutes later, all pineapple. There is beer / alcohol in here because I'm getting a buzz not even a quarter in. 3.25

Mouthfeel: I'm sweet sensitive, so this is beyond my comfort zone in terms of beer. I would pair future cans with a breakfast if I ever woke up in time for one. Hella sweet, the ABV is hidden at first, but gets you shortly there after. Can pick up some hops attempting balance, but failing as would a toddler trying to fight a heavyweight champion. Pineapple and sugar linger on and on.3.25

Overall: This beer delivers as advertised, pineapple is front and center. This could have used a bit more balance, or a bit less pineapple in terms of fitting a beer I'd appreciate more. Overall, it's enjoyable but I'm drinking it slow and wish I had pancakes and bacon to pair it with. Thanks Vann, always enjoy exploring new styles and I do enjoy pineapple flavor. 3.5

No theme this weekend, hitting a local IPA I've been sitting on for to long, than suburban locals next week before returning to beer trade bounties.

Cheers!

 

Tree House Brewing JJJuiceeee Project Citra + Sequoia. Courtesy of my godfather, Don @azuelke. A light white foamy top quickly disappeared. The color is murky/hazy pear-colored light brown/orange. The sun gives it sunflower yellow highlights. The smell is mango, pineapple, banana, pear, and grapefruit. It is a bouquet of fresh fruit aroma. The taste is orange, mango, cantaloupe, lemon, papaya, and Smarties candy, and a touch of honey sweetness. A wonderful balance of sweet fruit flavors. The mouthfeel is thick, juicy, full, and soft, with light-medium carbonation. Overall, this is another triumph from Tree House Brewing. The premier brewery for the creation of hazy IPA art.

 

X-posting in this year's Oktoberfest thread - prost!

4.23/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

No packaging date - poured from a pint can into my Moonlight willi-becher.

Clear orange peel liquid supports a finger of soft papaya-whip foam, receding rapidly to a low active raft. Vague lacing; mediocre retention.

Lovely malt aroma with hints of banana, clove, and peppercorn with low floral notes and a hint of caramel and bubblegum.

Rich linear malt flavor married to a low but lasting noble hop bitterness. Finishes medium-dry and earthy with some lingering spice. Quite bready with some light complexity following the nose - cleanly lagered with no off notes.

Medium-light bodied - adequate carbonation. Refreshing yet substantial.

Exceeded my expectations, this is a very good domestic take on the style that I would seek out on draught during the season.

 

It is really wild to think this but all the way across the country, we're looking at the same thing, only at a different place in time. I look at Venus every morning too, walking the dog, she's been very bright for a while now.

Beautiful picture Dave, thanks for sharing.

 

Zichovec 17 I'm Waiting Here, single hop NEIPA

500ml can served in a big snifter. STOCENO: 31/08/2023, EXPIRACE 01/03/2024. Bought it at 100piv in Bratislava, brought it home in a suitcase.

Pours a murky pale orange with a smallish head that turns into wispy pile around the edges. Smell is orange juice and citrus pith.

Taste is not exactly the same. Citrus pith is still clearly there, but not so much orange. More of a ripe tropical fruit in the flavor, hard to pin down. Juiciness is damped, but bitterness is also lacking, making it kind of muted, not quite lackluster.

Mouthfeel is rich and slightly chalky. Overall...not bad, but needs some more oomph, I guess?

 

Bonesaw shore town lager
...very pale light gold appearance.
...medium carbonation with a body thats close to the same.
...aroma is cereal,cracker,white bread and toast.very slight floral sweet honey and perhaps a mild bit of grass.
...taste is very similar to aroma but almost no sweetness. Strongest part is the cereal and how its very dry.
...tad bit different than most lagers,especially how dry but its very good and glad I got a six pack

 

I think you and I could talk for hours about these things, and beer, or course…