New Beer Weekend #251

@jonphisher - The ABV for .AleSmith's 394 Pale Ale is not to far off from your preferences, and if you like a pretty bitter and dry beer, hope you come across a drop or a draft one day near home or travels.

Welcome one and all to New Beer Sunday #1055! Hope to catch up on the thread this evening. Will stick with the AleSmith theme with the second of three new to me beers from them I picked up mid-week. Thisis a new to everyone beer, at least via distribution, as it was added this February, and canned about a month later.

AleSmith Anvil Pilsner

4.44/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5



5/11/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased at Beer on the Wall at Park Ridge at store temperature for $2.27 including tax on May 6, 2025. Refrigerated upon returning home until opening this morning. 12 oz canned March 25, 2025. 4.9% ABV, crisp & clean pilsner made with the finest ingredients. Proudly canned and brewed in San Diego, California. Established 1995 San Diego, California.

Brewed to perfection and forged with precision, anvil pilsner is the pinnacle of craftsmanship. Delivering a crisp and clean taste inspired by our favorite European lagers, The perfect pick for those who appreciate quality in every sip. Enjoy a beer that truly hammers home our dedication to exceptional brewing.

Appearance: First pour about 8 of 12 oz into a pilsner glass, yielding a crystal clear golden straw colored base, heavy sustained carbonation, and a generous and creamy rich bubbly bright white head, yielding substantial cotton candy like lacing and a creamy cover over the base. Very nice! 4.5

Aroma: Traditional Pilsner aroma, nice salt and pepper cracker lead, grassy. Narrow but intense full strength aroma and enjoyment. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, cracker, pepper and salt, light lemongrass. Not much beyond, but brewed as expected and really enjoying the crisp freshness. Everything popping. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Lightly bitter and dry, light and easy drinking, slightly below the ABV. Light watery body, gentle carbonation adds slightly more depth. Nice hops presence keeps the malt presence balanced, salt and pepper cracker from start to finish. 4.5

Overall: AleSmith did a great job with this traditional pilsner even picky drinkers to style will enjoy. Narrow range of experience, but strong focused greatness making this an excellent pilsner I hope they keep active at least seasonally. Want more, definitely. Thank you again AleSmith! 4.5

 

Supposed to be a hot one today in MN, how about a cool Summit Lager?

Appearance: Clear gold, good head.

Smell: Bready, mild sweetness.

Taste: Mild sweetness, then some light bread followed by a light pear fruitiness. Finishes with a light sweetness and maybe a hint of grassiness.

Overall: Summit can make some really good lagers, and this is one! Quite flavorful for a summer/lawnmower/beach beer, but not “too much”. Will have to try their light lager as well.

 

New Zealand Burger from Roaring Table, purchased at Beer Bazaar in Hainsville. This was not in the BA database and when I entered it I said it was an American IPA although the brewer refers to it as a New Zealand IPA (style not listed here) as it uses hops from that part of "down under" and it's based on their All American Burger IPA which the brewer refers to as a California style IPA, which I assume to mean a WCIPA.
So now that that nonsense is all said and done.....

3.92/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L: A rather unappealing cloudy yellow, a decent white head, some spotty lacing.
A: Citrus and tropical aromas, similar to NEIPA's.
T: Citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Not as sweet as NE's, a bit of a hoppy finish.
F: Nicely carbonated, oily sticky mouthfeel.
O: This one grew on me as it warmed, definitely an improvement over NEIPA's, which I don't care for.

 

Good Sunday morning NBS/nbw and thanks @Premo88 for hosting this week.
Its been wet all week, but today is clear and neaerly a perfect spring day here in the 413.
Todays offering is from Mast Landing, a rich and flavorful Lager, the grist is full of flavor, more so than most. Mouthfeel is another winner with this offering. Crisp, with a great succint finish.

Cheers to all the Moms today

Champ Lager

American Lager | 5% ABV
Mast Landing Brewing Company in Westbrook, Maine

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.02/5 rDev +7.5% | Average: 3.74
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16 oz can dated 1/3/25 into the test glass
A - Excellent clarity, early sunflower yellow color. A parade of gentle carbonation feeds a thin white cap.
S - Nice grain in the nose with an earthy hop thread, hint of lemongrass.
T - Cereal, grainy, with a bit of waterbiscuit. Some notes of honey, and grassy hops
M - Excellent texture, with a nice crispness. Not sweet with a fantastic dry finish
O - A very good lager with depth of flavor, and fantastic texture. One that is worth seeking out

 

This beer has been calling for me for a bit now, and I decided to open it today. I have to thank the generous @cheeseheadinMinneapolis for it.


Single Barrel 48 - 608 Brewing - LaCrosse, WI - English Barleywine - 15.1%

This beer is a heavy hitter for sure. It does have a very boozy aroma from the barrel and I was worried about that being all I taste. Thankfully, the barrel doesn't overwhelm the flavor, but adds to it is a delicious way. I am happy and thankful to have the opportunity to try it.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/53720/745126/
4.14/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a 375ml bottle. There's no date on the bottle.

There was a slight pop and smoke upon opening the bottle. The beer is dark colored and there's no light shining through the glass. There's just a faint brown head that dissipated almost instantly.
Aroma is quite boozy smelling. I get a ton of the barrel on the nose. I also get lots of notes of dark fruit in the aroma.
Taste - Ok, the flavor is quite full of barleywine flavors. I get lots of caramel and toffee notes. I get a nice hint of dark fruit. The flavors are quite powerful and a lot more than the nose let on. The thing that is less is the barrel notes. They are there, but just add another layer to the flavor, and doesn't overwhelm the other flavors.
The body is so full and thick feeling. Very smooth. There is just a faint warming that tells you to take your time with it, but it's not harsh.
I was worried about this beer based on the aroma. The flavor dispelled all worries about it. This is damn good.

Since this is such a big beer, this is likely all for today. If so, see you all next weekend. Cheers!

 

Got some catching up to do in NBW!

Enjoyed a couple new ones on Friday. First up was:

Flying Dog - The Truth (courtesy of @jzeilinger )



O a pleasant fruity, dank, and resiny dipa w/ an old school vibe to it- very nice!

---

Second new beer:

Kuhnhenn - Solstice Stout (courtesy of @Beersnake )



O a complex and super enjoyable imperial stout; notes of vanilla, milk chocolate, cherries, and dates; not overly sweet and dangerously drinkable for 16%

 

...And one new beer from yesterday:

Conflux - Racoon Fight Hazy IPA



O a solidly-crafted hazy with good flavor and drinkability; stone fruit and tangy melon, with restrained sweetness; diggable

Cheers

 

I'm continuing my Flock of Moons weekend. Today I'm drinking Owl's Eye. an APA.
The beer is an amber color with a one-inch white head that leaves some nice lace.
Aroma of sweet malt and citrus.
Taste of grapefruit and caramel. A little bit of pine late.
Nicely bitter.

 

Good afternoon! Tried working outside on this gorgeous day in west Michigan, but the neighbors decided to target practice and Tobbi is terrified of bangs and booms, so back inside we came.
I was very unhappy with Founders when they announced that they were no longer going to package Red’s Rye for sale, but only sell it on tap. (Which, by the way, has been their biggest selling beer on tap since, and maybe before)

So perusing the offerings at Horrocks, I came across this beauty-

I generally pass on their IPAs unless I’m buying for a BIF, but once I saw it was a Red Rye IPA, it was a no brainer for me to pick up.
The pour is reminiscent of the red Baltic amber I have seen in the past. Warm red tones and a massive cream colored head that took time dissipating.
The taste, my I missed this bite. Almost sharper than Red’s Rye and the malts balance that bite nicely.
The feel is ideal for the style (and the day) just enough body to carry all the flavors.
OA, if this holds up in cans better than Red’s Rye, it’s going to be a great contender.
Oh, and it sounds like they finally quit shooting. Back outside!
Cheers all-

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. And happy Mothers Day to all BA Moms and Moms of BAs! Today marks my first outdoor NBS of the season and it couldn't be a lovelier Spring day here in North Jersey. My first review today is Hyperphagia, an Imperial Stout brewed with maple syrup, maple granola, cocoa nibs, coffee, and cinnamon, from Esker Hart Artisan Ales in High Bridge, New Jersey. I had a draught pour at the brewery last month and really enjoyed it so I wanted to write a proper, thoughtful review. This is a beautiful, and delicious, Imperial Stout!

A very attractive pour: Ink black with almost a finger cap of creamy, medium-mocha-colored foam and film of lacing. The fragrant smell includes lots of maple syrup, chocolate, freshly-brewed coffee, and cinnamon, along with subtle notes of leather, tobacco, and nuts. The taste is sensational! Rich, dark cocoa, acidic coffee, with flavorful but delicate maple syrup. I can also taste the granola and cinnamon. Beneath these flavors lies roasted malty base with hints of nutty char and tobacco. The tastes blend beautifully. This Stout has a rich, creamy, viscous mouth feel with low carbonation, and the 11.8% ABV is very well hidden - especially if slowly sipped. Overall, Hyperphagia is a World Class American Imperial Stout. While it is adjunct-laden, none of them are distracting. It is an terrific recipe and I'm not certain it could be executed any better. It would pair very well with vanilla ice cream.

4.59/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Esker Hart is an excellent brewery. I haven't had a beer there yet that isn't memorable. I hope there are still bottles of Hyperphagia because I want more of this gem! Cheers!

 

New to me is fine example of an American made Kölsch called Spring by Maine Beer Co. Prost.


4.02/5 rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An easy, steady pour produced a finger of soapy white foam that slowly shrunk to a creamy lasting cap and ring. Clear deep golden-straw body, a bit dark.

A blend of white grape juice, dry white wine and lemon juice greets the nose with biscuit and toasted bready malt plus floral hops following closely.

Semi-sweet with average bitterness, the malt flavors are first with a balance of sweet grape and dry wine 2nd. Hop flavor builds during the semi-dry finish, hops linger as the lemon/wine fades.

Medium bodied with ample carbonation, well balanced and quaffable. True to style, great for warmer weather.

 

Just commented in another thread about how much I enjoyed that one too. I love that it had that good bit of bite that you too noticed. Definitely a winner of a beer IMHO too.

 

I still gotta try their hefe eventually; one of the few German ones left that I haven tried.

 

All-American Burger from Roaring Table, Lake Zurich, purchased at Beer Bazaar in Hainsville. RT calls it a "California Style" IPA, I expected a WCIPA. Wrong.


3.36/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
L: Disappointing color and clarity.
A: Orange and grapefruit rind.
T: Citrus
F: Medium bodied, nicely carbonated.
O: I was disappointed based on their NZ Burger IPA

 

NBS #2. Anyone who sees my posts on this thread and on WBAYDN would know that I am a big booster of my hometown brewery, Autodidact Beer. Auto brews a wide variety of styles but is best known for its hazies. And I think this is their best work yet. It's a collaboration with The Druery (not to be confused with The Bruery), which is located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey (near Princeton). It's basically a DIPA with New Zealand and Mosaic hops. I'm a big fan of Motueka but somewhat ambivalent about Nelson. And they've added Mosaic. It all works in Proper Dose; soft, mellow, creamy, and very flavorful. Despite the 8.2% ABV, I would be tempted to drink a few of these in a session.

It is a dense, opaque, pastel lemon-orange color with a big, creamy, bright white head and lots of soapy lacing. A big, fruity nose with lots of lemon, lime, tropical fruit, white wine grape, and soft floral hops. There is tart citrus, including grapefruit, lemon, and lime, along with sweeter passionfruit. The Motueka and Riwaka are front and center but the taste is subdued. The Nelson hops add some white wine notes. But as it warms, the Mosaic opens up with some nice berry flavor. I don't know whether this ale is oated but there is some sweetness in the grist, as well. But the whole taste is soft and mellow. I've had few IPAs where the Nelson Sauvin is used so tactfully. The bitterness is mild and clean throughout. This is just a pleasure to drink! The mouth feel is vintage Autodidact: luxuriously creamy and pillowy, The carbonation is dialed back - giving it a Milkshake IPA feel, and you wouldn't suspect the ABV is 8.2%.

4.43/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is my highest rating yet for Autodidact. The Rons should be proud of this shah!

Have a great week, everyone. Cheers, NBW!

 

Greetings, New Beer enthusiasts! It is breezy and occasionally rainy in the Portland area this afternoon. Welcome to Spring, certainly the most volatile of seasons up here...

My kind of weather, really, so with the weekend's chores and errands done, I am out enjoying my kind of down time: a good book and some good beers. Like this one:



Upright Foeder IPA

This is an unfiltered oak-aged IPA that Upright Brewing (Portland, OR) made in collaboration with Old Standby Brewing (Salem, OR).

The beer is a nearly opaque apricot gold, with an off-white head that shows good retention but not much lacing. The smell is quite dry, with a pleasing combo of clean malt, grapefruit pith, and pine. Taste opens with soft malt and a drop of orange oil, with a round oaky character like a particularly buttery chardonnay (yet not buttery enough to trigger my diacetyl aversion). Very dry, although there's a touch of sweetness through the middle, along with oaky tennis and a mild potpourri of herbs. The finish is pine and citrus pith with a firm bitterness that's amplified by the tannins.

Overall: This is an IPA with a rustic feel, spicy and woody and dry. The kind of slightly off-kilter take on a well-known style that Upright excels at. Glad I had the chance to try it.