New Beer Weekend #221

The only fruity aspect I picked up was on the initial sniffs of the beer. Earthy was indeed the dominant flavor so maybe describing Cluster hops as providing an earthy flavor vs. blackcurrant is more accurate here (for this particular brand).

Cheers!

 

How is this for irony, I was there in August when they were brewing this beer. Below is from a previous post:

“The visit to Von Trapp was nice, I had no plans to tour the brewery but I struck up a conversation with a brewer (Tom Everett) and he invited me to join him as he was mashing a batch of Trosten. That beer utilizes a single decoction which was taking place as we chatted for 15 – 20 minutes on a variety of beer and brewing topics.”

Cheers!

 

50th Anniversary Event – Special Beers

A local restaurant/craft beer bar (Capone’s in Norristown, PA) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this weekend and are servings a number of special beers for this event. I could discuss a number of beers but I will discuss just one: Cantillon Classic Gueuze.

Served in a small 5.5 ounce goblet:

Appearance:

Golden yellow colored with a thin white head.

Aroma:

Mosty fruit aromas (e.g., stone fruit aromas) with an aspect that hints at tart.

Taste:

The flavors follow the nose with fruity flavors, a hint of funk and some tartness.

Mouthfeel:

Light - medium body with a dryish finish.

Overall:

This beer is excellent. Enticing fruit flavors and some tartness. For my palate all of its qualities work very well together!

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet @rotsaruch @RobH

 

It's a nice weekend to be relaxing and watching college football. Our son and his girlfriend are visiting, which means I have a lot of beer brought down from Albuquerque to drink. First up is Mang Neato, a sour from Starr Brothers.
A clear gold color, small white head which disappears quickly.
Nice sweet fruity aroma.
Taste of mango, Sweet, not tart.
Light-bodied. Sweet, not at all tart or sour.

 

Enjoyed the Friday / early Saturday reviews. Will need to hit Capone’s next time in Philly that I have a car @JackHorzempa . Was too far to reach by train or bus (about 2 hours each way). We still don’t get reasonably priced Cantillon here (on site bottles in the $100s only at this stage).

Starting this one while watching the Detroit Tigers game, and researching TV Tuners to capture the new free Hawks / Sox OTA broadcasts broadcast via MPEG-4 (all other Chicago OTA stations broadcast in MPEG-2). Hopefully this won't take as long as my current multi year project as to how to best manage photo and file backups.

Down to two “drink fresh” beers on hand over three months old. These were refrigerated this entire time, so hoping these held up well as they typically do from this brewery.

Hop Butcher For The World Dun Dun Dun

3.96/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4



Full review linked above. My overall take quoted below:

Have a Top 26 Illinois brew planned for "Prime Time" New Beer Sunday. See you then.

 

Time to contribute my first, hopefully not last, beer to this thread over this weekend. We've had some beautiful cool weather this week here in NJ, and we got to see the northern lights on Thursday, right in our backyard; I still think I imagined it. Today is a beautiful warm fall day, we may go check out a Greek food festival in the next town over that people rave about, hoping to turn that into our dinner tonight and get out of the house for a little, they got all sorts of great food they cook as a fundraiser for the Greek Orthodox church that it is at. Gyros, full on food platters, and tons of Greek pastries and goodies.

But for now it is time to contribute a beer; I had this one last night but didn't post it, until now

Getting down to my last fresh hop beers from @snaotheus my first fresh hopped bitter from a stellar English style brewery in Seattle.

Machine House - Fresh Hop Simcoe Bitter (English Bitter 4%)



Pours dark orange hues straw color; mostly clear, not ever devoid of head but nothing crazy.

Nose was an instant “whoa,” hops really jump out at first, slowly subsiding over time, overripe orange citrus, light vegetal quality peeping out here and there; little toasted biscuity malt sweetness hides underneath.

Taste is a well balanced but hoppy and bitter; the hops don’t overpower it like the nose suggests they might but they’re still dominant; it’s earthy, grassy, apricot, toasty moist bread; some light crustiness.

Mouthfeel is light but far from watery; really nice soft mouthfeel, lower carbonation and so creamy; nice sticky bitterness on the finish courtesy of the fresh hops.

@MrOH

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Hoping to be back again later tonight or tomorrow sometime if I can, still got a few "drink fresh" new ones I have to get to this weekend or next, at the latest.

 

First, possibly only new beer of the day, we shall see.

Skydance Brewing's Switzer Light Lager, 4.8% ABV; 3.55 overall

Pours a light & effervescent gold with one pinky of rapidly falling beige head. Stayed effervescent throughout the can, minimal head retention & lacing

S: Grassy & floral

T: Follows the nose, light breadyness, slightly sweet & dry, hints of melon & peppery/spicy hops up front. More dryness, hints of pear, green melon, grassyness & crackers, a little sweetness as well. Finishes a little dry, grasssy with slight pear sweetness

MF Light body, fairly restrained carbonation, okay balance

I think they did Bary proud, very drinkable for the style. I'd take this over a Macro lite any day

 

Today I have quite a few Enegren beers that I am excited to try. I am sure I will be back, but up first, Nighthawk, a 4.8%, 28 IBU Black Lager.
From the brewery-
Nighthawk is a German-Style black lager - a Schwarzbier. The beer is clean, crisp, and brewed with a heavy dose of chocolate wheat and debittered black malt for a big coffee roast flavor without any bitterness.
MALT
German Pilsner
German Munich
CaraMunich III
Chocolate Wheat
Carafa Special II
HOPS
Hallertauer
Nugget

4.31/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 16 oz can dated 05/06/24 to a Nonic at 42F.
The body is, surprise, black. In the sun some edges pass light in a brown hue. The head is freaking amazing..light brown, puffy, creamy, mountainous terrain. It does fade after a few minutes and laces in rings.
The aroma is mild. Malty, mostly Malaird caramel.
The flavor is dark chocolate and coffee, just like I read on the can after noting this. Although there is a slight sweetness in the front, overall this is a dry beer. There is some hop character peaking through all that chocolate goodness also.
The mouthfeel is medium- light..
An impressive beer to look at, a pretty good taster too.

 

Goldfinger original lager


4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewers notes : Our flagship beer is the epitome of a lager. It is the beer you can enjoy everyday no matter the occasion. Whether you’re celebrating a victory of your favorite sports team, or throwing back a couple with friends or coworkers, this beer is unobtrusive. It is the cold, crisp, light, yet flavorful accompaniment to life. Just enough malt and noble hop flavor to subconsciously remind you how enjoyable it is after every sip, while not distracting you from making unforgettable memories. This is the style our Goldfinger ancestors would have brewed and certainly would have enjoyed.

18 IBU
Single Decoction

Chilled 16 ounce canned poured into a Monhegan brewing glass produces a clear yellow liquid with numerous micro carbonation streams, and a two finger white fluffy foam cap that recedes to a ring and islands

ARoma is spicy pepper, malts cracker yeast

Taste is sweet malts , peppery spice , crackery, biscuity-ness, gentle citrus on the finish

Clean, crisp mouthfeel

Good helles , recommended

 

Georgetown - Fresh Hop King (Chinook)

 

Good afternoon NBW
Another country tick acquired in Ashville a few weeks ago.

San Miguel (Philippines)
11.2oz stubby bottle stamped 10CAM poured into a bowtie glass at fridge temp 5% ABV. The beer pours bright light golden amber with off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. The aroma is mild, corny sweet with a vegetable note. The taste is semisweet pale malt with persistent diacetyl and bitterness throughout. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, not my favorite AAL. The diacetyl and bitterness are equally out of place, ever present and define this bottle. I'll note the label states Product of Thailand and For Export Only.

That's country #45 and AAL #81. I have one more country tick in the fridge I'll get in this weekend. Cheers all!

 

Boulevard Carrot Cake Belgian-Style Strong Ale, 12.2% ABV. Pours medium-brown with a one-finger off-white head that left some lacing. Aroma is carrot cake, cinnamon, and vanilla. Taste is carrots, faintly sweet, moderately bitter. Decent mouthfeel, overall very goodish. Too bad the flavor doesn't match the smell.

3.97/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Part of Boulevard's 2024 Fall Barrel-Aged Mix Pack.

 

Georgetown - Dalton fresh hop IPA

 

SM from Thailand WTH?

 

I took an Enegren break after the first one and posted a Fuzzy Baby Ducks on WBAYDN. Back to my Enegren stash I have The Lightest One. A good example of a Helles.

3.99/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz can dated 05/13/24 to a can glass at fridge temp.
The body is mildly hazy but clear enough to see the generous nucleation bubbles. A 3-inch pure white head sits after the pour but fades to a surface head, lacing moderately through the session.
The aroma is pretty bread-yeasty right after the pour. As things settle the smell sweetens some.
The flavor is quite balanced but the finish is dry and crisp.
The mouthfeel is medium- light (despite the name) with some hop oil texture. Carbonation cleans that out well though.
A good representation of the style.

 

It isn't on their beer finder yet, so indeed we wait.

 

Jack's Abby Brewing — Intrepid Traditions Wheat Beer

Another week, another Jack's Abby limited release in the series sold by Trader's Joe.

The beer pours foggy yellow with no head to speak of, and no sediment either.

The nose is mellow with spice and yeast.

The taste is thin orange zest with not much else going on.

The mouthfeel is also thin with a lingering citrus bite.

Overall, it tasted good on a sunny warm day like today.

 

Dru Bru - Fresh Hop IPA (Krush)

12oz can served in a footed pilsner glass. Can is dated 09/24/24. Bought it at Dru Bru six days ago.

Pours clear golden amber with a big, fluffy head. Medium carbonation. Smell is dank, resinous, bright flowers, honey sweetness.

Taste is in the same vein, but earthier and with less of the floral/honey sweetness.

Mouthfeel is light, bordering on watery. Overall, it's pretty good.