New Beer Weekend #209

A trip Down Under!

A little over a week ago I started a thread about a new beer style (well, it was new to me) from Australia called Pacific Ale:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/a-new-beer-style-pacific-ale.677827/

Today will be an ‘old school’ beer style from Australia called Sparkling Ale; specifically, Coopers Sparkling Ale. Sparkling Ales have been brewed in Australia for a long time with Coopers Sparkling Ale first brewed in 1862.

I subscribe to BYO (Brew Your Own) magazine and in an issue from 2015 there was an article about the Sparkling Ale beer style which I will leverage in this post. Since I am not familiar with this beer style the article provides details about what sort of beer this is:

“An Australian sparkling ale is superficially similar to many modern American pale ales or English golden ales, in that it is a clear, deep yellow to light amber beer with a tall white head and high carbonation and noticeable effervescence. However, the flavor profile is different (although the overall balance can be similar).

The malt character is grainy or bready, typically without caramel flavors. If you try an imported Coopers and it tastes caramelly, this is likely due to oxidation and not part of the flavor profile of fresh samples. The same is often true with many British imports as well. The base malt flavor is often fairly neutral or mild, with hops and yeast carrying the show. The high attenuation also helps keep the malt flavors in check.

The yeast character is mostly fruity esters, perhaps with a light sulfury touch (although this can also come from the water). The most typical esters are pears and apples, although some examples have a hint of banana. Don’t over-emphasize these esters — it shouldn’t be highly fruity like Belgian ales, or have banana like a German weisse beer. The hop character is often herbal-spicy, typically with the characteristic profile of Pride of Ringwood hops (which often can have a slight iron-like character).

The body is moderate but the carbonation is very high, making the beer spritzy. The finish is very dry, accentuated a bit by sulfates in the water, with a medium to medium-high bitterness level. The high attenuation and sulfates can make the apparent bitterness seem higher than measured. As a moderate-strength beer, alcohol shouldn’t be tasted or felt in any significant way.

Combined, the balance of bitterness to malt is similar to many pale ales – the bitterness is forward but not extreme. Likewise, the esters and hops should be noticeable but not out of balance. Most components of the beer have a moderate intensity level, which gives the beer a pleasant balance and drinkability.”

https://byo.com/article/style-profile-layout-3/

Well, it reads like an enjoyable beer style.

From the Coopers website they provide details of:

· 32 IBUs

· 5.8% ABV

On the bottle is detailed “Bottle Fermented” which indicates this is a bottle conditioned beer akin to my homebrewed beers. As is my normal practice I will carefully decant this beer during the pour to leave the sediment behind and hopefully the net result is a ‘sparkling’ appearance to the beer.

I am looking forward to trying this new beer (to me) with the hope of having a G’day!

Served in my Spiegelau Lager glass:

Appearance:

A medium gold with a white head.

Aroma:

A combination of bready malt and frutiness from the hops. I find the aroma to be very pleasant.

Taste:

The flavor very much follows the nose with a combination of bready and fruity. There is a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

This beer is light/medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer, it is good – very good. It has the quality of drinkability.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @AzfromOz

 

"midnight forum time" ?? Please explain

 

Learn something new everyday!!! Thanks

 

Gilded Grove Bourbon Barrel by Tree House

4.45/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Brewers notes : Brewed for the first time in the spring of 2022, our Blonde Barleywine was nestled in the quietest corner of our barrel warehouse and put into a deep slumber for an indeterminate amount of time. Walking amongst these towering stacks of barrels, surrounded by the intoxicating aromas of earthy oak, char, and spice, the space that housed these precious wooden vessels of golden elixir was thus deemed the Gilded Grove. We now present to you several distinct expressions of this wonderful treat. Gilded Grove Bourbon Barrel brings us many familiar notes of soft vanilla, oak, and inviting heat, but with added notes of warm-baked banana bread, sweet caramel, and brown sugar.

Chilled 12 oz gold wax dipped and capped bottle purchased at Tree House Brewing Company, Sandwich, MA
Served in a tulip

Translucent russet colored liquid, fizzy taupe foam cap quickly fades
Aroma is sweet bourbon, brown sugar, caramel,sherry,
Taste is bourbon, brown sugar, caramel. Bourbon soaked raisins, vanilla, toffee, sherry, banana bread,
Fizzy mouthfeel , boozy,
Good beer

 

At the Sheboygan bottle share with many excellent BA cohorts. @Blogjackets stopped by Bells on his way.

This is a variation that I never thought would happen, and Bell’s did.
The Orange is muted but very present. The vanilla serves to amplify the orange.
The feel is typically expedition, light viscosity,
Short review, sorry, got to get back to the party.

 

That was my beer of choice the one time I went there 20+ years ago, a lot VB as well

 

I went to Australia for business in the 1990’s and VB was the beer I drank the most.

Cheers!

 

Equilibrium Neutrino Pale Ale, 6.8% ABV; 4.32 overall

Pours a very hazed gold with 3 fingers of billowy pearl colored head.

S: Melons, peaches, a little citrus, fades a bit as this warms

T: Green melon, tangerines, some white grape & dryness up front. Dryness, tangerine & orange peel as this beer warms up, lime as well. Finishes a little dry, grassy with tangerine, green melon & orange peel

MF: Medium body, fairly lively carbonation, nice balance, carbonation smooths out, guessing there might be oats in this

great drinkability, good flavor, citrus really presents well

Credit to these guys, always bringing new stuff into Arkansas

 

A sahti from Fox Farm called Satu. @Roguer gave this to me when I met him on Monday night. I think it's my first tick of the style, which is cool. Not sure if that's happenstance or by design, but @Roguer is a very devious man.

750ml capped/corked bottle served in a stemmed wineglass. 02.09.23.

Pours a hazy ruby-amber, medium sized head, surprising retention, not a lot of active carbonation. Smell is juniper and dry red wine, berry tartness.

Taste is tart, stronger juniper, jammier berry tartness, some ginger spice, plum juice sweetness, twiggy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, light and fluffy texture. Overall, very interesting and very tasty.

I met two BAs in two states within 24 hours (@Roguer in WA on Monday, @FBarber in IL on Tuesday), three in a month (@beergoot in CO). I'm winning at BA, or nuts, or both.

Cheers, friends.

 

Anthem Brewing Eclipse My Mind BA Imp Stout, 10.6% ABV; Aged for 16 months in Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon barrels; 4.36 overall

Pours a slightly turbid chestnut/mahogany with a sliver of fast-falling caramel colored head. Zero head retention & lacing, plenty viscous

S: Bourbon barrel, dark fruits, cocoa. Hazel nuts & banana taffy once warm

T: Follows the nose, barrel forward, chocolate, a little Sour Mash, leafy hops & oaky dryness up front. Oaky dryness, Sour Mash, leafy hops, carob, vanilla & just a little maple syrup as this warms up ( not part of the process from what I can see ). Bourbon in the finish, maple candy presence, lovely

MF: Fairly chewy body, modest carbonation, warming; starts thinning out once warm

These guys are really starting to bring it with their BA brews! Hits almost all of the notes. Drinks easy enough

 

We are going to blow up this thread tomorrow. The reviews may be short. But they will be true.

 

Poured into a 16 oz Snulip glass canned on 7.3.24. Pours a hazy orange yellow with a finger plus sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with nice retention. 4.25

Aroma is passionfruit, mandarin, mango, pineapple, and apricot. 4.25

Taste follows follows mandarin, mango, pineapple, and apricot well balanced. 4.25

Mouthfeel is above average, soft carbonation, not dry or sticky, and at 8.2% a good amount of flavor, but easy going down. 4.25

Overall this is a TDH NEDIPA 8.2% called All The Citra In The World. It is nice, but I was honestly expecting and hoping for more. 4.25 I hope you all have a great Saturday. Cheers

 

Good morning, beer lovers. I have a few new beers I hope to review as I enjoy the glorious weather we have in New England this weekend.

First up is Brother Soigne, from Grassroots Brewing (Hill Farmstead).

3.74/5 rDev -15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottled in June, 2017.

Decent looking beer, with a vibrant orangey color and a finger of white head that receded fairly quickly to a persistent cap & ring. Aroma is quite strong, but in a good way. From a couple feet away I would swear this was a hefeweizen. Loads of fruity esters and clear, but nice yeast notes. Not overly complex, but enticing nonetheless.

Taste definitely deviates from the smell, as this is clearly a Saison on the tongue. The lime notes are still there even after seven years, while the blood orange is maybe, maybe just barely detectable on the finish.

Overall, while this is certainly light and refreshing, and a good beer, it's not a standout. While I appreciate the subtlety of the lime & orange, there's just a little bit of complexity missing. That said, a very nice beer for a beautiful summer day.

 

Of that I am confident! Safety third or what ever

 

Was busy with the bottle share here last night to leave a proper review last night. I really enjoyed Central Waters 26 - J. Henry variant.

Today we are at 3 Sheeps and I wanted to enjoy one of the few new to me beers on the taplist before diving into the share today.

3 Sheeps Wisconsinitis

3.97/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4



Outside of the sulfur taste and aroma, this is consistent with the style and I’m enjoying on what is turning out to be a warm sunny day after my walk to the brewery.

Might drop by later today, otherwise tomorrow.

 

What better way to enjoy a Saturday: watching The Open and drinking beer. Scores are going up because of the rain.
My new beer for today is Wreak Havoc Imperial Red Ale from Bootstrap Brewing Co.
The beer is a dark amber color with a sticky beige head.
Sweet malt aroma, earthy, woodsy.
Taste is sweet caramel, spicy hops.
nice hop bitterness, warming.
A nice beer.

 

Pivovar Permin (Czech Republic) ‘Permin Sherpa’ IPA

Proper pint pour at Craft House in Old Town Prague.
Head vanished before the photo. But damn, it laces down nicely.
Nose is malty with fruity hop zest.
Taste is balanced - it’s a riff on a US WCIPA - knda reminds me of a weak version of Terrapin’s ‘Depth Perception’. Not bad.,.
Mouth is full, got low carbonation.
Overall, finding good craft beer in the Land of Pilsners is challenging, but doable. Here’s a good start!

3.91/5 in the BA DB