New Beer Weekend #24

I think it represents the natural evolution of substyles more than anything indicative of the catch-all IPA term. Even within certain IPA substyles - WC IPA for example - you see evolution and branching over time. There are old-school WC IPAs where restrained caramel malt usage and assertive bitterness are both essential components, and there are new-school WC IPAs with cracker-thin malt profiles and just the barest hint of bitterness, if any at all. Neither is less of an IPA than the other, it's simply different approaches to a given (sub)style.

If anything, I think it's an issue where breweries could do a better job of communicating their goals with a given beer, but I also realize that beer geeks are a fraction of their market. The average beer consumer doesn't necessarily understand that hop-derived aromatic compounds are entirely different from bitterness and one can exist without the other - they just know they like "hoppy" beers.

They should be separate styles with nuanced differences, but in practice, many breweries blur the lines between the two. This goes back to the point about breweries communicating their goals with a beer.

 

well stated sir !

 

Yeah - this hits home a little, as I sorta got used to a "thinner" malt profile "sub-style" of IPA before spending some time on the west coast (Oregon). The relative strength of the malt backbone in the beers I tried weirded me out a tad. I think the differences I was noting *might* be along the sub-sub-style of PNW vs SoCal WCIPAs, but I'm just as likely to unwittingly be pulling that out of my ass.

All that said, I do think there's a marketing shift here on the east coast. I think that if a newer craft beer person from this area ordered an IPA, they'd expect a much lighter bitterness profile than they'd likely get out west - to the point where they might even think/say that what they got "wasn't an IPA."

Which would of course be funny to me. Yes, that is pure speculation on my part, but I have adapted to my environment to the point that I absolutely no longer expect a bitter beer when I order an "IPA" from a small brewer these days - even those that say "West Coast IPA." Who'd've ever thunk that?

 

New year, new beer, yet existence feels like a suspiciously familiar tire fire. I guess the stroke of a clock didn't fix reality.

A friend in Austin for whom I proxy Modern Times was kind enough to send a box of thank-you beers out this week, and first up is Lo Brau from Pinthouse Pizza.

Pours a perfectly translucent hay color with a half inch or so of foamy, eggshell head.

The aroma opens with faintly sweet grain character reminiscent of fresh country white bread, followed by classic noble hops that lean heavily into the floral end of the spectrum. I feel like a bit more of a grassy edge would've balanced some of the grain-derived sweetness, but it's a minor quibble. Some very minimal phenolic notes pop in and out, but aren't significant enough to be a distraction.

On the palate, the white bread character remains but carries a denser and sweeter profile that the beer can't quite carry, even with its effervescent carbonation. A floral and herbal hop component comes in towards the backend, leading to a more balanced finish, but it still leans just a bit too sweet for the style. Clean fermentation profile and a nice, dry finish that begs for another sip.

Reasonably well-executed, but even if it was a local option, I couldn't see myself drinking it often. American pale lagers have a lower ceiling than styles like pils and Helles for me, and this doesn't even quite hit its potential.

3.5/5

 

Well said. Many questions and probably an excellent topic for a thread. My other thoughts on that particular beer were this was sort of a marketing strategy - which it is in a way. The name of the beer and it claiming no IBU's, and the high abv seem to be an appeal to the masses. Soft on the palate and simple to catch a buzz. And hey Im not saying thats bad. They need to sell beer. I dig Sixpoint. I have fresh Resin in the fridge right now.

 

And my edit on this is I havent had the beer! Im just reading a label. But hopefully you get my point. And yes I will try it.

 

Before I start the day with a nice an Hefeweizen brewed in Chicago, I am issuing a correction, my first 2021 BA error.

Yesterday I posted a Dovetail Helles Lager as new to me, but unfortunately I grabbed from the wrong beer stash and I did have this in October 2019 at the brewery. The remaining Dovetail beers, including this one, are in fact new to me.

Dovetail Hefeweizen



Can Notes: 16 oz canned 9/23/20, 4.8% ABV. Hefeweizen. Banana-clove, effervescent, sunny.

Appearance: Multiple pours into a tall Pilsner glass, the closest glassware on hand similar to a Weizen glass. Cloudy darker orange, minimal off-white thin head, generous carbonation throughout. 3.25

Aroma: Strong, pleasant weizen yeast aroma, banana and cloves strong, on the sweet side. Backed by lemongrass, apple and wheat. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with aroma though lighter in strength and complexity. Primarily banana, somewhat flat. Light background wheat and lemongrass. 3.0

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, consistent fine carbonation throughout, light dryness, neutral taste balance, easy drinking and finish. 3.25

Overall: Somewhat disappointed in this hefe, was stored refrigerated but perhaps a bit stale after 3 1/2 months of age. OK beer, not my favorite style, but this is just average within the style. Would not seek out again. 3.0

Looking forward to catching up with this thread before my next beer. Cheers!

 

Cross threaded with wbaydn with a touch more explanation.



Tonewood brewing Company
Dreadnought
Dunkel. 4.8% ABV.
Oaklyn, New Jersey


Ruby, brick red. Olive tan head. Smells of bread crust. Semi cocoa, toast, rye bread. Pumpernickel. Tangy hop character. Chocolate pudding skins. The feel is medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Perfectly balanced. Completely amazing and so well done. A gorgeous beer. Very clean and crisp.

I’ve been all over Tonewood the past two weeks and almost double digits ticks from them in that amount of time. There’s something about great Dunkel and Vienna lagers that do it for me. Top tier beer style for me. The color. The smell. The flavor. Everything. I’d say in my area Warsteiner Dunkel 12 packs are the only way you can get a Dunkel with semi ease depending on the store. Super difficult to come by. But Dreadnought is better than Warsteiner for me because Dreadnought also has that Czech style soft water feel to the beer which I adore.

I can not believe I can get such an amazing german style beer on the outskirts of Camden.

 

Well stated.

 

Thanks for this Review Jack. I have been wanting to try some beer from Sterling and this sound great. I did see the WH Black lager at the PM WF on New Year’s Eve. I went with Stillwater Dry and an Orval as I saw the lager after I paid. It was on the ledge overlooking the cash lines.

Enjoy

 

We’re lucky to have a brewery like Tonewood @Urk1127 if you haven’t tried blackbird I would highly recommend it, it is my favorite beer they brew. I’ve bought 4 4 packs so far this year. One of my NBW beers this weekend is gonna be the only lager of theirs I haven’t tried...

 

During my last visit to the KoP Wegmans I saw the Workhorse Black Lager as well and as I was reaching for it I saw below it Sterling Pig Shoats Pilsner and I think I exclaimed "Woo-Hoo!" out loud. My Wegmans had not carried Sterling Pig for many months - some sort of crap about Wegmans needing to update their purchasing database since Sterling Pig changed their distribution. Why updating a entry in a database took 5+ months is crazy but I suppose 2020 was a crazy year. That six-pack of Sterling Pig Shoats Pilsner was $8.49 and it was canned two weeks prior.

I will be buying some Workhorse Black Lager the next time I go grocery shopping. I could just get it at the brewery since it is just 'down the street' from me but they closed Church Rd. for construction and I would have to take a detour. I suppose I am just lazy here!?!

Cheers!

 

Closing out the new portion of today with another Chicago born and bred beer. It's also my second ever Roggenbier, With Rye one of my favorites, not sure why it's only my second outside of the fact there are not many brewers who attempt this style.

Spiteful Brewing Norm is a Son of a Bitch



Can Notes: 12 oz canned 11/19/20 @ 12:29:55, 6% ABV. We brewed this traditional roggenbier with a large percentage of malted rye, noble german hops, and hefeweizen yeast in tribute to this German Shorthaired Pointer.And if Norm could talk, he would tell you to get going!

Appearance: Clear darker tan brown, off-white creamy head lingers for a few minutes, leaving no lacing but a creamy layer over the top of the pour, thicker around the rim. Mile carbonation. 4.0

Aroma: Very nice aroma, smokey rye leads and is very enticing, the banana from the hefeweizen yeast compliments well. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, very enjoyable rye here, banana, clove. Nice freshly backed pumpernickel, smokey roast hops like a nicely cooked sausage. Bold in strength and breadth, enjoying this one. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Medium, creamy body, faint fizzy carbonation lingers throughout, lightly dry and bitter, crisp and clean finish. 4.25

Overall: This is only my second beer under this style, so not entirely sure what the ideal components are, but this beer makes me want to get more of these beers. I'm glad I have five more in the fridge, will definitely buy more when these are brewed in the future. 4.25

See you back tomorrow, hope to catch up through the remaining posts before my next beer.

Cheers!

 

I tried Fuego after multiple people said it was the best ipa in jersey. I like Freshies more. It’s a little softer. But what really caught me was the lagers and out of the box stuff. Dreadnought, Lawn Boi and the Foederbier are all completely amazing and the session stout Still Night is probably my favorite beer all of 2020.