New Beer Weekend #213

Happy NBS!

Having a very tasty/juicy NEIPA today. Glad to see this brewery showing up again, around here.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47536/569246/?ba=Wasatch#lists


Cheers!
Horse Thief Bench/Rustler's Loop

 

Komes barleywine by Browar Fortuna 12%.



I drank half yesterday and finished today. I'll note where changes were observed.

Poured from a bottle slightly more than a pint was a brown body with small head. Not much lacing. Day two had the same head but lacing was good.

Aroma is bourbon and a light toffee, a bit boozy but lightly sweet.

Taste follows nose. The barrel works well with the dark fruit notes that emerge upon warming. Light toffee and caramel notes appear but do not outshine the barrel. Post swallow an apple flavor, lightly sweet and not tart, appears just before the flavor dries up. A small bit of booze is exhaled and it's over. Second day had less alcohol at finish.

Mouthfeel is a good and a bit sticky but not cloying. Carbonation light but seems appropriate. The second day mouthfeel was soft and not sticky

Nice drinking barleywine that offers a strong enough bourbon presence to keep it in my wheelhouse.

 

4.09/5 rDev -1.9%

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500ml bottle dated 2023 into a Teku glass at 49 degrees.

Look- Medium gold, very slight haze, white frothy head, average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Earthy, floral, brett, oak, between medium and high strength of scent.

Taste- Earthy, oak, fruity, highly sour, mildly sweet, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, slightly below average carbonation, highly dry finish, highly sour, mildly sweet.

Overall- Medium gold with very slight haze and average head retention and lacing. Nose was a mix of earthy, brett, oak and floral character. Flavor was fruity with oak and earthy notes. Body was on the thinner side with a very dry finish. Overall this was a complex beer that delivered an interesting drinking experience.

 

This one is via the NBW BIF#18 LIF from @Whyteboar Cheers!

One Well Brewing, State of Bean Coffee Blonde Ale, 5.5% ABV; 3.77 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with a pinky of eggshell colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Coffee & vanilla, good nose

T: Follows the nose, fairly rich coffee, vanilla & even a little butterscotch, plus some dryness up front. Dryness, vanilla sweetness & coffee as this beer warms up, a little woody hop bitterness as well. Dry sweet finish with mocha flavors

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, skews a little sweet as intended I'm guessing

Never going to be wild about Blonde Coffee Ales, but this one is drinkable enough

 

While I generally prefer Marzens, cans of this just hit the shelves here and I'm happy I didn't pass it up - prost!

4.1/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Packaged April 4, 2024 - enjoyed on August 18th, 2024 - poured from a pint can into my Moonlight Willybecher.

Bright, clear jasmine body supports a fist of rich soapy ivory up top. Cap slowly recedes to three fingers and clings to the sides with a doilie of fine lace. Excellent retention.

Clean, gently grainy aroma with faint toasted sugar notes along with lightly kilned malt.

Rich malty palate entry, honey-kissed sweetness, almost floral. Low bitterness with a faintly tart flourish at the very end of the finish. Medium-dry with a multifaceted bready character. Lovely.

Fairly light bodied with good carbonation and just a tiny bit of heft to keep you from guzzling the pint in one go. Nourishing yet refreshing with the ABV held in check.

Easy drinking yet perfectly crafted - a focus on drinkability without sacrificing flavor.

 

We had an honest to goodness thunder and lightening storm last night. Don't see those that often out here. My wife who is from New England/NC and my brother and his family who live in Texas were all delighted and felt at home. I was just excited, minus the nostalgia bits.
Got the Texas crew dropped off at the airport and now we're trying to figure out what needs to be done with the house that we also have the energy to tackle for this afternoon. I'm probably not helping the productivity by opting to join you fine folks instead, ha!



Burke-Gilman Brewing Company - We Don't Talk About Brno
(subcaptioned: yes, yes yes!)

The pour yields a lovely light golden yellow body that's mostly clear but not what I would call crisp by any means. There's a little bit of muddying to the body. The head is pristine white, but large wet bubbles that don't stick around long and ultimately settles into a lazy cap.

Nose is quite inviting. Golden honeyed/crackery malts up front married nicely to a classic grassy kind of hop profile.

The flavour does a good job of blending these primary flavours as well. The malts have a nice honey bordering on light caramel sweetness over a crackery base, while the hops come in with an increasingly bitter intensity that does get pretty noticeable by the end of the glass. Sharp and oily, I'd personally probably dial it back just a touch, but it does work nicely with the sweetness of the malts and provides a beer that has a bit more depth of flavour than some other pilsners might. It slows down ones ability to just power through a couple of them, but I'm fine with that as I don't typically use my beer drinking for that anyway.
The body is nice and medium as well, and the carbonation is sharp but brief and unobtrusive.

Overall I fairly well enjoy it, but it is going to be a little bit bulkier than I think a lot of people will assume given the style and teh season. But maybe I'm just projecting.

Anyway, cheers, slainte, na zdravi, etc etc

 

Barrel Aged Cafe Ink
13% stout by Rheingeist Brewery



Poured from a bottle, the body is black with a mocha colored head. Scant lacing.

The aroma is a delightful mix of bourbon, coffee, and a light sweetness that adds a chocolate element.

Taste follows nose but the bourbon is more assertive. The barrel is strong without being hot. The ABV is higher than tasting might indicate, though brewers are getting better about masking ABV. The sweet chocolate note deepens and merges with the bourbon to great effect. Once at room temperature, this stout shined.

Mouthfeel is good but a little thinner than expected. Carbonation is adequate.

A tasty stout that I'd gladly buy each year.

 

Here's a new one from Foley Brothers Brewing!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30542/711947/#navigation



16 ounce can with no date; we rec'd this about a month ago.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a nearly two inch white head over a hazy golden body with sticky lacing.

Nose of peach, slight sweet citrus with a bit of floral attributes as well.

Taste of peach, background flavors of sweet citrus and currants while finishing with slight peach pit and slight citrus pith bitterness.

Very good mouthfeel with medium carbonation.

Overall, I am enjoying this offering from Brandon, VT and would recommend.
Cheers!!!

 

Settling back in to the home do not much going on today.

Tonight's volunteer:



Rope Swing IPA from Lake St. George in Libeety, ME. I think this one has been around since our first visit years ago but I never tried.

Pours beautifully clear, deep bronze color with a generous dense white head. Ends as a thick ring and a foam cap. Clings well.

The smell is mild pine, orange and grapefruit citrus. Some nice bready malts provide the base. Some grapefruit peel/pith. This is classic WC IPA.

The taste is smooth and balanced. Slight malt sweetness, pine resin, orange and grapefruit as the citrus. Very clean, flavors hit quickly with no carryover. Straightforward beer.

Feel is light, a little bit of juiciness. Balanced bitterness mid-taste.

There's not a lot to pick apart and decode here - this is a straight up old school IPA. But just because there's not a ton to unravel doesn't mean it's somehow "less". Easy 4.0 all day long on this beer. It's not complex, it's balanced and well-made, pretty spot-on for the style.

 

Hello, hello not quite late night NBS, er W.
I have been busy AF (as the kids say). I have enjoyed a few beers recently. This one is an example of a style that gives me little excitement, but it was a fine example for style.

Obliquity by Barclay Brewing Co in NY. Thanks to @zeile33 for sending this one in NBS BIF #18!

Golden and bright in its clarity. Fluffy head that leaves clumps of lacing. Pretty solid retention.
Crisp lager notes with a crackery malt. Only a hint of spice tones back the sweet. Flavor follows the nose consistently. Not picking up any distinct adjunct notes. Mellow and and malt forward. Crisp, not quite sweet. A smooth drinker.
Not an exciting category but an inspiring example of what "can be."
3.78/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

 

Got this one from the awesome @snaotheus

Fort George Electric Surfboard DIPA, 9% ABV; 4.3 overall

Pours an effervescent& slightly chill hazed gold with a thumb+ of pearl colored head. Clears up, good head retention & lacing

S: Bready, catty, tropical fruit once warm, nice nose

T: Follows the nose, dryness, green melon & papaya up front, woody/piney hops as well up front. Dankness & dryness as this beer warms up, some green melon, guava & grapefruit as well once this beer is warmed up. Finishes dry, dank with some white grape skins, green melon & pomelo & just a little guava

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, nice balance

Nice straight forward West Coast DIPA, drinks fairly easy

 

Helluva deal unless old

 

The Veil
Run to You (Southern Pine, Cherries, and Cranberries)

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41018/713609/



750 ml bottle, no date.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 1.5 inch slightly light pink head over a reddish-purple body with scant lacing.

Fruity nose of cherry and cranberry.

Taste mirrors nose closely with tart fruit and a bit of sweetness.; finishing slightly dry.

Mouthfeel is thinner than I had hoped, but ok with less than medium carbonation.

Overall, a tasty collaboration with Fonta Flora that shouldn't be overlooked!
Cheers!!

 

La Cabra Brewing - Hipster Catnip
7.2% AIPA



Poured from a pint can, the best day is an apricot yellow with big fluffy head. Light lacing during the tasting.

Aroma is a juicy one. Your standard Citra and mosaic inviting aroma.

Taste follows nose and it has a mildly bitter bite that works nicely with the juicy citrus elements (though the intensity of flavor does not match the nose).

Good mouthfeel supported by excellent carbonation. Things dry up quickly after swallow with only a brief residual light bitterness.

Nothing novel here but a solid drinking IPA that isn't too juicy and provides enough bitterness to balance.

Thanks to @Braunmeister_1943 for the beer.

 

Nice, I've never stayed at Waterbury, but it should be a good place to get to all known Vermont breweries.

Last year, we went to the Soulmate Brewery in Morrisville. It was a consolation prize for the Lost Nation which is no longer a thing. If you are in the area, I'm curious to hear from someone on BA to try it out. Based on 200 five-star Google reviews, and my own experience in their first week, Soulmate should be a place to check out.