New Beer Weekend #195

Picked this one up yesterday—Westmalle Trappist Extra. At 4.8% ABV I don’t know what so “extra” about it, but it is extra refreshing. Preliminary review below—I don’t often get a 0% rDev… Cheers!

4.04/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
330mL bottle (packaged 4/7/2022, best by 4/7/2024—close enough) into a Westmalle chalice. Pours a slightly hazy pale golden color with a billowing clean white head, patchy lace.

Aroma is subtle—pale bready malt, some fruity esters, light funk.

Taste is likewise subtly bready, fruity, funky. Dry. Hard minerally water.

Mouthfeel, where most Belgian beers do not disappoint, is spot on. Assisted by the quality of the water, this beer washes over the palate and finishes clean and crisp. Just the right amount of Old World hops to give the feeling but not the taste of bitterness.

Overall a highly seasonable Belgian pale. Maybe not quite in the same class as its elder brother, Westmalle tripel, but still an enjoyable beer in its own right.

 

Just a couple more pics of the head on the beer I just reviewed and posted. I’ve never seen anything like this, and I’ve been around a bit. The first pic is 15 minutes after the pour and the second pic is probably 35 minutes in.

I am literally mesmerized.

 

Komes barleywine
...murky reddish brown appearance
...light carbonation with a slightly thick,slick body
..aroma is prunes and other dark fruit,malt,roasted barley.it reminds me of the dense,sweet prune bread my mother made
...taste doesn't stray too far from the aroma but the alcohol definitely shows up and puts a harsh medicinal component in here.the alcohol doesn't take away though,just makes it feel like a heavy serious beer.
..overall its a great barleywine and the heavy abv actually made it unique

 

Hello New Beer Weekend!!!

Very late to the party this go around. First off thanks to @Snowcrash000 for starting off this party. Second, I am 100% in favor of it starting off on Friday here in the continental US. Heck, if we had a member from Guam, or the Northern Marianas Islands starting a thread, and they are US citizens, this thread would start Friday where I'm at here in Minnesota. So, yes, start it whenever Saturday hits this planet, and end it when Sunday leaves.

Now, I'm home from work, and it's beer time. This one is thanks to @Roy_Hobbs

Copestone (2020) - Fox Farm Brewing - Salem, CT - English Barleywine - 13.5% ABV

I am not a wine drinker at all. I've tried, but it doesn't agree with me at all. This Barleywine is aged in Port barrels, so a lot is lost on me. That being said, I think this is a very well made beer, and I'm glad I got the chance to try it.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45832/385486/

4.29/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 500ml bottle 2020 vintage, Batch #3

Nice hiss and a bit of smoke upon opening the bottle. This is a very dark brown pouring beer. When I hold it to the light, I get faint red hues shining through. The head is a 1 finger tan color. The retention is damn good for this high octane beer. There's no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is full of dark fruit notes with hints of caramel. Now, I am not a wine expert at all (it does not like me) but I'm assuming I'm also getting the Port wine notes in the aroma.
Taste - There's a good caramel hit to this beer, and it's a lingering flavor. I am not getting dark fruit as mush as the nose let on. The barrel does get a wine/grape kick to this beer, and it does linger on the backside.
There's a burn in this beer for sure, but it's also not harsh. The body is fairly full. There's actually a bubbly feeling to this beer.
Ok, I am not a wine, or port drinker. Due to that fact, I'm sure a lot is lost on me. I do think this is a well made beer, and if you do drink wine/port, this would be right up your alley.

I think there's a good chance at one and done this weekend, though, you never know. Cheers all, and see you down the road.

 

Thanks to the dogfish thread I was alerted to this beers return. My dad happened upon it in Delaware close to Milton. DFH is still 100% DFH but mostly at the brewery, it’s such a great spot to go. This is one I never grabbed back when it was around but so many BAs mentioned this in the current thread that I was so happy fate brought this beer to me, and other BAs.

Dogfish Head - Palo Santo Marron (Imperial Brown Ale 12%)



Pours quietly, the deepest darkest of browns; vigorous pour leads to a thick creamy brown dense head, good retention; swirling revives dense super creamy looking thick cap.

Nose is all sort of different things; rich roast molasses, littered with unique woody character, some booze, vanilla, woody spice character, somewhat cedar like but different, more stickiness to it.

The taste is very rich and again, booze ; fudge like comes to mind but there really isn’t much, if any chocolate; more of a super roast presence but creamy vanilla like molasses flavor, so smoothed out; unique and sticky spice character before a beautiful mix of everything in a long lingering aftertaste.

Big mouthfeel; luscious immediately comes to mind, lower carbonation adds to this feeling; lightly sticky on the finish and surprisingly unboozie; incredibly rich but not sweet in any way; you get very light chest warmth and that’s about it, light roast bitterness, some how remarkably easy to drinking…beware.

Really neat beer, it drinks remarkably light but then this stout like richness hits you as it goes down.

—————

Have a great week everyone!

 

We rec'd a case of this Lambic a couple weeks ago. I couldn't wait any longer.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2170/698212/



375 ml bottle with no date.
Since I just added this beer it can't be too old!

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a slim white fleeting head over a slightly hazy golden amber body with no lacing.

Nose of funk, oak, and a very slight bit of malt.

Taste is much more of the same plus ruby red grapefruit flavor at first, then yellow grapefruit, lime and lemon near the finish which has a bit of grapefruit pith. Wow!

Feel is not as I had hoped before opening this; mostly flat.

Overall, mouthfeel aside, this is a delicious unblended, unflavored lambic and definitely worth a try.

Cheers!!

 

That beer is sooo good! Glad you like it!

 

Another truly tasty Double IPA, New England style, Sent to me by der @WunderLlama in NBW BIF #18. Interesting in that it didn't have a name other than "Double IPA"
Had the typical pour of orange-yellow opaque with a light beige head.
Citrus fruit flavors lead the way and some melon mixed in with a touch of what could be dankness, but it's so mild I am not certain it's that or another herbal flavor.
The feel is soft and not actually viscous, but no less mouth filling of excellent flavor.
OA, Thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks Maynard!

 

I think that might be well hello western mass

 

Nice read!

 

Fidens From Albany to Woodburn


Poured from a pint can, the body is an opaque yellow head. Good lacing.

Aroma is a tropical melange with orange and peach notes. Smells like a breakfast juice in the best way.

Taste follows nose. Lightly sweet, the hops create a delicious, juicy body with no sign of bitterness.

Mouthfeel is excellent: good carbonation and the beer is quite soft

Another well crafted, easy drinking IPA from Fidens.

 

Nod Hill, noted.

 

I meant to ask you where we are in the count! So it is next weekend? The big NBS Millennium Edition.

 

Tree House - Sapphire Rose

16oz can served in a snulip. Can is dated 3/13/2024. Provided by the generous @Roguer in NBS BIF #18.

Pours very white, somewhat yellow. Big rocky head, lots of carbonation. Smell is citrus rind, leaning toward lemon.

Taste is primarily citrus, but there's an interesting melon rind note in there, too. Somewhat juicy, definitely leaning toward the pithy side.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, dry, chalkiness is a bit less intense here as opposed to other Tree House beers I've tried. Overall, very nice IPA.

 

Man, all these Tree House IPAs from @Roguer, feels like a change of pace is needed. So...

Fox Farm - Ashlawn, nitro coffee stout...from @Roguer.

16oz can served in a little dimpled mug. Can is dated 03/28/24.

Pours black, with a dense, dark tan creamy head, settles very slowly into a very dense, very thick cap, at least two millimeters thick sustained. Carbonation is undetectable unless you get right up to it. It's a pretty beer. Smell is burnt grain and dark roast coffee, with a slight honey sweetness in the background.

Taste is much sweeter than I expected. Not so much honey as the aroma suggested, but sugar and cream in your coffee sweet. Char is still there, not quite dominated by the sweetness but also not quite keeping up with it.

Mouthfeel is medium, very silky, smooth, and clean. Overall, very nice beer. Very nice.

 

Time does it no favors, but it does hold up. I will always get a sixer unless decrepit. My wife likes this more than I do. When she drinks her monthly beer...