New Beer Weekend #167

One more marzen for the weekend - prost!

3.73/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Packaged on July 14th, 2023 - enjoyed on October 1st, 2023. Poured from a pint can into my Moonlight willi-becher.

Dark yet clear chrome orange to amber gradient with a fat finger of champagne/ivory foam. Soapy lacing; average retention.

Faintly toasty/nutty aroma with whole vanilla, whole grain bread, and leaf litter.

Malty palate entry with sandwich bread crusts and faint tobacco/thyme/grassy hop notes. Mild even bitterness leads into a crisp fairly dry (yet still malt-forward) finish. Neutral yeast. Slight mineral-water quality.

Medium-light bodied with zippy carbonation.

Decent, middle-of-the-road domestic marzen - not bad in a pinch, but wouldn't seek it out. I prefer the brewery's sours.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Samplers and commentators. After over a week of rain we finally have a glorious, early autumn afternoon. Perfect for sampling a new-to-me Pumpkin Ale, Scythe, brewed by The Drowned Lands. Given DL's use of locally sourced ingredients and its Foeder aging prowess, I was excited to try this ale. And it didn't disappoint.

It pours a cloudy, dark pumpkin color with a large, fluffy, ecru-colored cap and copious thick, soapy lacing. The nose is spicy with lots of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove over a fairly sweet malty base. The spice carries through the taste. The use of pumpkin in the whirlpool takes it beyond a simple spiced ale. But what sets Scythe apart is the dryness from the Red Wheat and Spelt malts and the oaky taste that comes from Foeder aging. Its complex. The mouth feel is rich and creamy with fairly lively carbonation, and the 5.7% ABV gives it good substance. While Scythe certainly simulates pumpkin pie, it does so in a much more interesting and sophisticated way than most - which I'd expect from The Drowned Lands. This is a very robust and enjoyable Pumpkin Ale.

4.28/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I can foresee buying more and drinking it through Thanksgiving. Cheers, all!

 

You made this one just sound too damn interesting and good.

I will keep my eye out for this, I’ve never bought any Drowned Lands but I do see them around from time to time.

 

Looks like I'm going back to back. There must be some good football games on that I'm missing. The Veil recently starting distributing in New Jersey, which is actually quite an achievement since one our biggest local distributors appears to be shutting down. I've always enjoyed IPAs from Veil so I was excited to find Dirt Dirt Nap Nap fresh. Wow, this is great!

It pours a murky, muddy orange with a half finger of creamy, bright white head and soapy lacing. It has a sweet, malty nose with notes of lemon and grapefruit. But the taste! It's grapefruit-forward but with subtle berry and stone fruit, which become more prominent as it warms a bit. The Citra-Mosaic combo is great! Behind the citrus the Mosaic adds earthy notes of pine and herbs. The Nelson is understated (which I like). There's just a hint of white wine. And the Galaxy adds clean bitterness throughout. No astringency. The mouth feel is stellar, as well: Luxuriously thick and creamy with pleasant carbonation. And it drinks much too easily for 8.8% ABV. Overall, I really like it.

4.32/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Welcome to NJ, Veil! Cheers, NBW!

 

Devil Craft Hamamatsucho Hell’s Revenge


4.18/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Brewed in Japan, purchased there as well, traveled to Seattle, and then to Europe, hand delivered to me by @snaotheus outside the Sacher Hotel in Vienna after a night of brews at Ammutson …then carted to Munich, London and finally to Boston …poured into a pretentious beer glass after being opened by an Ottakringer bottle opener

Small batch brewed, hand, bottled into a 330 mL brown bottle, 5% Pilsner by the devil craft brewing Company of Tokyo.

Clear golden liquid , occasional streams of micro carbonation, one finger frothy, white foam crown , settles to a thick layer with occasional lacings

Aroma is grassy grains, malts with a spicy hop finish

Taste is grassy, grains, peppery hop spiciness on the finish

Clean, crisp, smooth , quenching dry finish

Good beer

 

Saw something online somewhere about a local brewer who won some Gold at the GABF in '23. Why not! Sew Hop'd Alt 140, a Dusseldorf Style Altbier a style I'm unfamiliar with, with the exception of Alaskan Amber......

Clear dark brown pour, some reddish highlights in the sun. Khaki head lingers abit.

Reminds me some of dark Czech lagers. Good stuff.....
Bready aroma, dark bread flavors

...can says they took silver in '21...whoda thunk it..

 

Another new beer from a mixed pack. The least favorite one. My curiosity is satisfied, I have no plans to get Sam Adams beers anytime soon.

 

From Stony Point Brewing Co. Have been checking in on this brewery every few weeks to see what they've been up to. This beer is a notable step up in complexity compared to what they typically brew. First of all tackling a Strong Belgian Style Ale, but then on top of that barrel aging it...

Bourbon Barrel Bulsontown Belgian Brown... that's a lot of B's

The appearance is a deep off ruby color leaning towards dark brown. Not quite opaque. Carbonation is moderate. A thin off white head persists.
The nose has a lot going for it. Aged/dark fruit. Licorice like. Roasted malts. Hints of flavors imparted by the bourbon barrels, but a little subdued. Onto the tasting!
Much to sift through here. Up front Getting a kind of toasted barrel with bourbon/rye spice. Lots of oak. Hint of vanilla. The base beer eventually shines through - quite fruity, but not overwhelmingly so. Combo of bright and dark flavors from the Belgian yeast and darker malt. Some bubblegum. Some Dark bread. Carmel. More bourbon in the after taste.
The mouthfeel is quite light. Finishes dry.

Overall 4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

Some people had the computer all tied up. DFH Fruit-full Fort Imp Stout. 18% ABV; 4.21 overall

Pours a ruddy chestnut color with fast-falling tan head. Viscous, zero head retention & lacing

S: Jammy, some leafy hops, just ooozes dark fruit & jammyness as this beer warms up. Just gets better as this warms

T: Follows the nose, barrel heat& dryness, blueberries, figgy with raisins up front. Boozy Concord grapes, blueberry & barrel dryness as this beer warms. Barrel warmth in the finish, red grapes, leafy hops & figs

MF: Fairly thick body, slight carbonation & very warming

These big BA Imp Stouts with a Red Wine influence have really got to hit for me to love them, but this one is pretty solid to drink despite the considerable heft & just got better at room temperature

 

One last one to share before the weekend comes to an end...grabbed a single to try yesterday, grabbed another festbier single for next weekend too we're in the home stretch of our 3 months away from home for renovation we did, 2-3 weeks more and we'll finally be back home. It is finally starting to get to us, WE NEED HOME.

This one caught my eye because I've seen a few people post about it here and there and given how much I enjoyed SN's "hoppy" festbier I thought I'd try this one that is marketed as such.

Von Trapp (collab with Narraganset) - Festbier (5.8%)



Pours straw, but with noticeable gold hue, thick sustaining and clumpy white head; settles to a pretty nice cap with thicker islands and some lacing present here and there at first, slowly disappears and stops doing so. Really a good looking beer the gold is deep and pretty and the white cap is cohesive and thick, one swirl and it pops back and lingers for a while again.

Nose has a touch of sulfur; followed by cracker like malt with fresh herbal hops, these are front and center on this beer, as the beer warms some light sweetness and deeper malt character comes out.

Taste is hops first and foremost, prickly on the tongue, slightly peppery at first, then herbal then grassy finish; malt is in the foreground and has more of a biscuity, leaning towards sweet, quality present than the nose leads one to believe; but returning to aftertaste it is all herbal and grassy hops.

Light to medium body, very smooth and creamy carbonation; it drinks very easily and leaves you wanting the next sip; residual hoppy feel on the tongue with moderate bitterness.

I hate to draw the comparison but I have to with the two hoppy festbiers...this one is far more in your face hoppy than SN's was and it lacks the biscuity maltiness that I did get from SNs. This ones hops are way more punchy to me. Yes SNs was masked to but this drinks like a heftier German pils with just little hints of more complex malt.

Dissecting aside it is an enjoyable beer and I'm glad I bought one to try, I will happily enjoy the rest of the glass but on this one I'm glad I didn't buy a four pack first.

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Have a great week everyone and we'll see you all in another few days.

 

Until the fan favorite variety pack comes out in November

 

Day 2, still in Philadelphia, drinking a nice local beer.



3.77/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a nearly clear golden straw color with a foamy white head that provides ample lacing. Beautiful lager. The nose is some grass and a nice grainy cereal malt flavor.

The taste mirrors the nose, with a little more grassy flavor and a nice cereal malt flavor, all of which is complemented by a very clean, crisp mouthfeel. A very nice crusher of an American Lager.

 

Here's a new offering from Switchback in Burlington, VT.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/5691/672511/



16 ounce can packaged 09/21/23.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a nearly two inch light tan head over a dark brown body with sticky lacing.

Nose of roasted malt, dark malt, smoked malt, and slight pumpernickel.

Taste follows nose closely with the smoke flavors coming off as medium in intensity.

Mouthfeel is nice and full with a higher level carbonation.

Overall, this is a great rauchbier being not too smoky and quite tasty.
Kudos to the crew in Burlington, VT for this gem.
Cheers!

 

Good evening NBW
I'm going to continue my European conquest with a couple Italian beers courtesy of the international beer club my wife gifted me for Christmas.

Angelo Poretti Luppoli 4
330mL bottle stamped LJ23032 N 05/2024 poured into a teku glass at fridge temp 5% ABV. The beer pours bright light gold in color with nearly white head. The head recedes slowly to a thin ring and island. The aroma is sweet pale malt, green apple and grass. The taste is semisweet pale malt with more grassy green apple and moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with above average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, ok. Not something to drink for the experience, but passable with a meal.

Cheers all!

 

Italian beer #2

Angelo Poretti Luppoli 6 Bock Rossa

330mL bottle stamped LJ22189 R 10/2023 poured into a teku glass at fridge temp 7% ABV. The beer pours bright medium amber with mahogany highlights and light khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. The aroma is sweet toasted / caramel malt and dark fruit. The taste is semisweet toasted malt with a unique earthy chocolate note, toasted dark bread and a hint of molasses. Mild bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, a bit of an outlier as a bock, but enjoyable enough beer.

Cheers all!

 

Tons of great seafood and the wonderful Albarino wines

 

Am I really triple posting on Sunday evening? World tour closing up here with an RIS from New Zealand.

8 Wired iStout

14.9oz undated can poured into a Spiegelau stout glass at fridge temp 10% ABV. The beer pours pitch black with no light penetration and medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. Slight lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring dark chocolate, coffee and earthy notes. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt notes of coffee, very dark chocolate and black licorice. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with just less that medium carbonation and a mostly dry finish. No hint of the ABV in the aroma or taste. Overall, very good to excellent.

Purchased this one strictly for the New Zealand tick. Makes 40 countries with at least one beer reviewed for me. Big bonus that it was a very good RIS. Cheers all!

 

Have you been? I always tell people that go to Spain to go but I don’t think I know anyone, other than my family, that’s been. It’s a unique and cool place, a lesson in just how different parts within countries can be.