New Beer Weekend #186

Kinderbier? Probably would like it better than Radler I'm guessing

 

Just short of phenomenal (not surprising coming from one of my favorite PNW brewers) - cheers!

4.42/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottled August 2022, enjoyed on February 11, 2024 - poured at 48F from a capped-and-corked 750mL bottle into my Drie de Fonteinen tumbler.

Clear red-violet body with a creamy Mimi pink cap. Fine, sandy lacing; good retention.

Bright berry, light citrus-kissed acidity, gentle yet complex funk, and a hint of barrel.

Horse blanket, leather, and blackberry in equal measure on the palate entry - starts dry and gets a little sweeter in the finish with hints of blackberry coulis. More lactic with yogurt notes as the ale warms. Quite tart but not excessively so. Wild but well integrated while remaining a powerful expression of blackberry.

Medium-light bodied, creamy, and well carbonated.

One of the better domestic takes on the style - de Garde continues to set and meet a very high standard.

 

if you say, so. That would at least liven up the baseball.

 

Roughtail Brewery Cryptid Series 2023 Wolpertinger's Waist Coat Hazy DIPA ( with Cryo Cashmere & Idaho 7 hops ), 8.8% ABV; 4.35 overall

Pours a very hazy gold with a thumb+ of cream-colored head. Pretty good head retention & lacing

S: Tropical notes, some citrus, peach notes once warm

T: Powdery dryness, guava, mangoes, limes & green melons up front. Sweet oranges, passionfruit, limes & green melon as this beer warms up, pretty dry as well, tangerine as well. Finishes with sweet & tart oranges, green melon & much dryness

MF: Medium body, restrained carbonation, great balance

Another great DIPA from these guys. This one was purchased in Kansas at Rob's World of Beers ( Goebbel's )

 

I have a couple of beers on this unofficial national holiday. The first is from a brewery on 3 hours or so away from me that I’ve somehow never visited.

I am going to fix that this year. Mark my words.

SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!





4.42/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a luminous golden color with pillowy white head that provides significant lacing and a lingering cap atop the beer. A truly gorgeous WCIPA in my glass.

The nose is a tribute to the Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Sultana hop assault, with resiny pine, berries, mango, pineapple, and apricot notes most prominent. This is gonna be great.

The taste is bracingly bitter, with the resiny pine lingering at the back of the palate after a citrus fusillade of mango and pineapple and ripe fruits including berries and apricots. The bit of caramalt on the finish is simply a pro touch on a delicious beer.

The mouthfeel is medium and oh so dry, on point for the style. The Fat Head’s hop game is world class, IMHO, and this beer is yet another example of their prowess.

 

Founders Stay in Stout. 10.6% ABV; 4.12 overall


Pours an effervescent chestnut/mahogany with a pinky of mahogany colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Chocolate, vanilla & hazelnut cream

T: Follows the nose, mocha notes & dryness as well up front. Rich milk chocolate notes & vanilla once warm & nice hazelnut creamer as well. Finishes with some dryness, plenty of vanilla, hazelnut & rich chocolate

MF: Fairly chewy, low-ish carbonation, some warming notes. The carbonation picks up once warm & helps with drinkability

Great for what this is. I like this more the Hazelnut KBS. Better drinkability by far. Picked up in Kansas. Not sure this was ever getting down here...

 

Happy NBS!

Having a very tasty/juicy NEIPA from Cerebral (CO).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41719/689267/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Elixir by Hopothecary Ales

Watching an American football game



4.03/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Brewers Notes: Elixir is our flagship double New England IPA that has been in development from the very beginning, and our favorite to brew (and drink!) With copious amounts of CTZ, Eureka!, and Citra hops, this beer pours a deep hazy golden color and boasts flavors of candied orange, rich stone fruits with some dank resinous notes to round it out. Perfection in a glass.

New brewery , new beer …a ton of very highly rated beers…and then you look closer and see a LOT of ballot box stuffing creating those ratings …

Chilled 16oz can poured into a pretentious beer glass..Hazy yellow liquid, two finger white foam cap, streaky lacings

Aroma is citrus, oranges, lemons, tropical fruits

Taste is citrus, oranges , grapefruit, bit of dank

Smooth mouthfeel, hop kiss on the finish

Good beer

 

#2, I couldn’t find this one at my locals, but it magically appeared at my grocery store today when I went to pick up my Super Bowl supplies.

I’m so happy I could cry.





4.48/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a dark cola brown and settles black in the glass with a creamy tan head that lingers more than a bit and provides a nice cap on the beer, which I didn’t expect. Absolutely beautiful impy stout.

The nose has a nice roasty coffee note residing in the background, with rich chocolate notes and a vegetal aroma from the dried chiles, and the slightest bit of barrel. This is gonna be really good.

The barrel is more pronounced as this beer warms in the glass, and the dried chiles provide a nice bit of heat at the very back of the palate as well, with the chocolate and roasty coffee more forward and quite delicious. This is exceptionally well done, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is full, but not quite as substantial as expected with a 12% ABV stout. But I’m glad I picked up a 4-pack, and seriously considering a second because this is outstanding, IMHO.

 

Sn trail pass
...very clear light amber/gold appearance.
...around medium carbonation with body thats surprisingly close to medium.
...aroma is malt,floral and hops with wort and a very mild sweetness.
...taste is very similar to aroma with some mild hop bite but leaves an almost dry earthy aftertaste. There is some sweetness but the mild bitter earthy finish dominates along with a bit of sourness.
...overall its still an na beer but this rises above most

 

I just tried Trail Pass the IPA one, only my third NA beer so not much Fran of reference but once I got accustomed to what I called a wort-ness like quality it was quite tasty. It was from Nov and the hops were still quite lively.

 

For me its a flavor thats hard to describe but yeah its the wort-ness that can dominate na beer.
Trail pass for me was one of the better na beers I've tried

 

Shot Tower Espresso Stout
Watching the game tonight over at a friends house, so limited time.
Poured stout black with a beige head and left little lacing.
The coffee is the primary flavor, fairly in your face. Almost more coffee than stout- but at least the coffee was good.
The feeling is ideal for the beer, nice halftime beverage.
Cheers all!

 

I couldn't resist the temptation of a new beer — a low ABV full-flavored dark ale sounded great, but this beer doesn't have almost any flavor. Someday someone will come up with a commercially successful low-calorie beer that also tastes good. This one is not it.

 

Easy Buckets Blonde
4.5% blonde ale Great Lakes.



I’ll be quick. An easy drinking blonde ale that breaks no new ground and is a basic ale. Simple and clean, this beer would be perfectly fine on a hot summer day or if you want a sessionable beer. It’s a beer that tastes like beer and that’s okay with me.

 

Equilibrium Fusion Future Imp Stot w/ Loads of Coconut, Vamilla & Banana. my Guess on the ABV 11-ish; 3.97 overall

Pours a less than clear Mahogany with some tan head, some floaties, almost like fruit flakes... Some hints of lacing & head retention

S: Cola, Bananas, vanilla

T: Follows the nose, a tropical delight, some Banana & peanuts too, plus dryness & a ton of classy vanilla up front, cola notes as well. Dryness. rich vanilla & dryness once this beer warms up. finishes dry with plenty of Banana, Fancy Vanilla & Carob & Chocolate

MF: Fairly medium on the body, very restrained carbonation

If you like the featured ingredients, you may love this beer. I enjoyed it. Pretty much a flawed Banana Imp Stout with flaws. Lovely Dessert shameless Dessert Stout!!