New Beer Weekend #259

Welcome everyone to New Beer Sunday #1063! Was nice catching up with the thread, including @Whyteboar kayaking tales and pics. Hope the waters are fuller next time.

Going to copy @Beersnake ’s Saturday evening selection while we are still in the weekend, and will likely return with one or more before the Pacific clock strikes midnight.

Enegren God Bless America

4.23/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25



7/6/25 - (DA’s Home) (Las Vegas, Nevada) Can Notes: Purchased refrigerated on July 2, 2025 at Speedee Mart on 8570 W. Sahara. Paid $3.24 with tax for a single 16 oz canned 5/27/25, with can stamp Prost! German-Style Pilsner brewed with Liberty Hops, 4.8% ABV, 35 IBU.

It is only natural and proper that each year for Independence Day we brew this Pilsner with American Liberty Hops to pay tribute to the finest country in the history of the world. On the 4th of July we commemorate the birth of this great nation by literally blowing up the night sky, grilling meats, and drinking beer. This is that beer. Give us Liberty Pils or Give Us Death! Happy Birthday America!

Appearance: Slow poured close to half the 16 oz can into a flute glass, yielding generous creamy soapy lacing over a clear bright straw base. Light sustained carbonation, head finally settles after a few minutes to yield a bubbly thick cover over the base. 4.5

Aroma: Nice bread cracker base, salt and pepper, lemongrass, mineral water. All blends well, full strength and enjoyment. Very nice. 4.5

Taste: Consistent with the above, bread, salt and pepper. Supporting lemon grass and mineral water accentuates. Traditional German Pilsner flavors done well. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Negligible faint carbonation though sustained visually. Drinks below the 4.8% ABV, very light and easy. Lightly dry, balanced. Nice sustained bread pepper flavors start through finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a light and easy German Pilsner packed with flavor expected from this style. This is an expressive offering by Enegren, and I look forward to continuing my journey with a few more pending beers to try. 4.5

Vegas folks should grab these Enegren cans at what @MacMalt says sell here for cheaper than they are sold in California. Should have another after the Sox game.

 

KBS Iced Latte



Poured from a twelve ounce bottle the body is a faded gold with fluffy head. The beer clears as the chill haze wears off. Good lacing.

Aroma is toast coffee. Taste follows nose as the coffee flavor dominates. The taste also features a light vanilla sweetness that reminds me of another Founders coffee beer - Marvelroast. Light notes of chocolate. No roasty char or bitterness to be found.

No sign of the ABV and no bourbon taste or heat. Not your father's KBS.

Mouthfeel is good with light carbonation.

The biggest potential hurdle with reviewing this beer is its name. It's not a stout and certainly not a KBS stout. Moving past my biases, the beer is a simple, easy drinking beer for coffee fans.

 

Perfect review, my friend. I gushed over this beer a bit too much arguably. I will leave my gushing as is, but I think your assessment is spot on. Less malt does mean that vegetable note you get might pop out; I love the beer because less malt also equals less ABV, which I'm a sucker for every time.

If only the U.S. brewers understood how to milk their malt for more flavor while still holding down the ABV ...

 

Some do. I do my part to encourage/support them by buying their beers and recommending them when I can.

 

Good on ya. We've got one in Dripping Springs that I need to revisit ASAP.

 

Happy New Beer Weekend to all of you! A busy weekend so far; hosted a ton of people in our front yard for the Fourth Parade as we always do, another round of blueberry picking, organized and cleaned up after all the chaos.

Today's beer is a bit of an enigma, this brewery has been around a while, since 1996, and is very German-centric but their beers never make it far from their brewery. In all the years I've been a beer person this is the first time I've seen this flagship of theirs in the wild. It is sadly 6 months past BBD but the style and fact that I've never tried it got the best of me. For those interested in this speakeasy like brewery of NJ here is their site: Ramstein Beer about intro below...

Here we go...

Ramstein Beer - Hefeweizen



Pours nicely, clearer than expected, probably the age and sediment settling; color is straw with golden and orange hues, head is slightly is a lightly dirty white; good retention once settled.

Nose is light; its quite refreshing, there is light clove and then a sort of light pop of bubblegum character, as it warms there is some light vanilla, that coupled with the wheat comes off like nilla wafers; despite its age there is very light lingering old world hop character.

The taste shows some of its age, not really in a bad way but all those great hefeweizen notes are just muted a bit; still, what is there is pretty nice; firstly it has a really good malt character, rich wheat bread, then comes some light hefe yeast esters, but mostly only in aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is medium-low; goes down easy and clean, lick of bitter, has a little bit of parch inducing dryness on the finish too.

Well for a beer that is probably a year or so old it holds its own, I would LOVE to try this beer fresh because I think it is probably very good. Maybe one day fresh bottles will make their way here, or I'll happen to be near the brewery, until then this will suffice.

Happy week ahead everyone, stay cool, drink beer that makes you happy and hopefully see you all next weekend.

 

Time for another beer.

Lakeside Lemon - Castle Danger Brewing - Two Harbors, MN - 4.3%

I think they were attempting to make a shandy, but I don't think they pulled it off well. It's ok at best.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/25567/753353/
3.49/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From a 12oz can. Canned on 04/16/2025

This beer looks quite light in the glass. The color of the beer is a lemon color, and is somewhat murky looking. There's a 3 finger white head to the beer that has good retention, and some good lacing on the glass.
There's notes of lemon in the beer, but is somewhat light. There's hints of an earthy element to the aroma.
The flavor is somewhat malty up front. There's some tartnrss n the flavor. There's a bit of lemon that hits my throat on the way back, but somewhat light flavored.
The body is a bit bubbly and light.
I think they were trying to make a shandy, but didn't quite pull it off.

I might try to do one more after that last beer. I'll see in just a bit.

 

Good Sunday afternoon, New Beer Sippers and commentators. Today's first new beer review is a Pastry Stout brewed by Mortalis in collaboration with Corporate Ladder Brewing, called Critical Hit. It is brewed with cocoa nibs, coconut, vanilla, and granola. This is the non-barrel-aged version. The BA database includes two BA variants with higher ABVs.

I've enjoyed the Mortalis Stouts I've been able to purchase locally but this one is simply too sweet for my enjoyment.

It is dark walnut in color and sports a creamy, medium-mocha head and spotty lacing. The pleasant aroma includes cocoa, vanilla, and nutty char. It is very sweet - almost cloying - with huge cocoa, vanilla, and coconut. The granola in the background is mellow and I taste virtually no bitter char to balance the sweetness. There is, however, an odd, anise-like flavor that I cannot place. This Stout provides big flavor but the sweetness is overpowering. It has a rich, thick, mouth feel with low carbonation, and unlike the barrel-aged versions, the ABV of 10% seems temperate.

4.18/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I tried to be fair with my rating and not punish Mortalis because I think it is too sweet. I could see how a fan of Pastry Stouts would really like it.

After this, I need to review a DIPA to reset my palate. Cheers!

 

I wound up at Saint Arnold this afternoon, and had a new one for me...

Belgian Table Beer, at an almost shockingly low ABV of 3.4%.



Pours a cloudy yellow color. A white head rises to about two fingers, with good retention and lace left behind.
Aroma of lemon grass, light grains and light esters in the nose. There is a bit of a sulfur like character lingering that detracts a little.
That lemon grass is up front again, cereal grains and light banana esters are more apparent than the nose. Just a bit of bitterness, and NO sulfur taste wise.
A light body for sure, with crisp carbonation that smooths out after a minute. Dry and refreshing. Which all leads to something that is very easy to drink.

A could say I want a bit more intense ester or yeast character here. Though it is hard to quible when it is this low of ABV. An all around solid low alcohol option when at the brewery that has just enough to make you want to come back and have another.

Overall score is 3.93, easy B+

And have another I did...with their mozzarella chicken an green tomato sandwich, on house baked Chibatta bread . The paring worked really well as everything is subtle and light for the summer

 

Orthodox Farmhouse Brewing's Buckle, a Berry/Vanilla Ale, 4.8% ABV; 4.03 overall

Pours a semi-hazed purple/amber with a thumb of pinkish head. Average head retention & stellar lacing

S: Tartness, floral & grassynness

T: Berries, vanilla & dryness up front. More tart berry, more blueberry than other flavors, some blackberry, vanilla & dryness once this beer is warmed up. Finishes dry with vanilla & berry sweetness & a little tartness

MF: Medium body, fairly restrained carbonation

Fun easy drinker for the hot summer

 

Here's my palate reset: Mosaicus Straticus, a DIPA brewed by The Druery in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Mosaic, Strata, and Citra hops. It was canned on Friday morning and I bought a pack at the brewery yesterday. It has a strong hop burn which should mellow. I'll probably wait till next weekend to pop another can. I may revisit my rating then.

It is a hazy, pale, grassy, pastel yellow color. The foamy, milk-white head dissipated rapidly leaving a modest ring. But it has a robust, fruity nose featuring lemon, lime, grapefruit, red berry, dank grass, and sweet floral hops. The taste is even more dank with wet grass, herbs, lemon peel, grapefruit rind, and ripe strawberry. There is a strong bitterness and some hop burn at the finish. This ale is lite and crisp with fairly lively carbonation, and it doesn't drink like 9.2% ABV. It goes down fast - particularly on a hot summer afternoon. Overall, Mosaicus Straticus is big, tasty, and super dank. My "4" for taste reflects the hop burn. If it mellows, then I may increase it to 4.25, which would impact the overall rating.

4.07/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Although I added this beer to the BA database, I'm not the first to rate/review it. @q33jeff rated it 4.32 and wrote a very good review. It's possible that our visits to The Druery yesterday overlapped.

It's been a terrific Independence Day weekend. I cannot remember having almost perfect weather for 3 straight days. I hope you all have a great week! Cheers, NBW!

 

Schlepped back from The Czech Republic

 

3.74/5 rDev -5.3%

look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from an undated 22 ounce bottle into a snifter at 55 degrees.

Look- Black, opaque, medium brown frothy head, small visible particulate at the margins, average head retention, slight below average lacing.

Smell- Cocoa, bourbon, roasted malt, oak, vanilla, between medium and high strength of scent.

Taste- Overwhelming burnt malt, bourbon, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, below average carbonation, mildly mouth warming, mildly mouth coating, highly bitter.

Overall- Great black and opaque appearance with visible particulate at the margins and average head retention. Bouquet was a nice mix of cocoa, bourbon, roast malt, oak and vanilla. Flavor was spoiled by an overwhelming presence of burnt malt with the only saving grace being bourbon notes shining through. Feel was much thinner than expected with only mild mouth warming and coating character. Overall this beer delivered in the appearance and bouquet categories, but fell off significantly in flavor and feel. This beer provided a significantly below average drinking experience for the style.

 

Good afternoon NBW
My last for the weekend. I knew I would not care for this one personally when I picked up the mix pack, but it's nice to have some variety in the fridge for summer.

DFH Festina Peche

12oz can stamped OCT 2025 poured into a shaker pint glass at fridge temp 4.5% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright light golden yellow with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and scattered bubbles. The aroma is mild with sweet ripe peach and a hint of pale malt. The taste is tart peach up front that gradually fades across the tongue until pale malt and minimal bitterness close things out. The feel is thin bodied with above average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, good if you like peach and tart beer...

Cheers all!

 

Happy NBS!

Having a pretty tasty/juicy NEIPA from Outer Range (CO). Every once in a while I get these 14.9 oz. cans from them.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47922/753374/?ba=Wasatch#lists

Cheers!

 

Greetings! It's been a productive Sunday which included a couple hours helping put the final touches on the MASSIVE tifo for the Portland Timbers' 50th Anniversary match a couple weekends from now.

On the way home I stopped at John's Marketplace for a celebratory beer. I opted for the brand new entry in Bale Breaker's Frenz Collaboration Series, which I'm pretty sure is the first beer in the series which wasn't an IPA.



Frenz WC Pils
(Collaboration with Holy Mountain Brewing of Seattle, WA)

The beer is a pale yellow-gold that's mostly clear but has a bunch of floaties milling around in there. (If that's hop debris, I am 100% cool with that.) The dense white foam head shrinks quickly to a sturdy ring and patchy skin that leaves uneven lacing. Nose leads with lemon-lime character and mildly sweet malt, followed by an interesting note that's floral but not noble. Flavor largely follows the nose, adding a layer of green grape character to the slightly-too-sweet malt. And like the nose, the flavor goes off on a tangent after the initial impression, with pine, mixed herbs, and...roses? The body is light-medium and the restrained carbonation still provides a decent bite. Overall, it definitely belongs inside that fuzzy boundary labeled "West Coast Pilsner," with some interesting notes that give it a rather quirky personality. I'm a fan, even if I have no idea what kind of numbers I'm going to give it...

 

Winding down a slow Sunday looking at an intentionally light work schedule next week - sometimes it's good to be king...we juggled a ton of work around vacations and created a nice little pocket of nothin'.

Tonight's brew:



OEC Coolship Lager Amber Smoke, a Rauchbier, 5.4%.

Skip to the end...yum!

Pours a slightly hazy deep amber/copper color with an inch or so of tan foam. Not much retention, but does form a nice cap.

Big surprise but the smell opens with smoke - slightly sweet and woody. Caramel. Very light Noble hops - lightly floral/herbal with a little citrus.

The smoke is more subdued in the taste but still prevalent. Sweet but not heavy sweet. Caramel and soft, bready malt. Hops cuts through nicely to counterbalance the smoke. Floral and herbaceous, very light lemon and a bit of spice as a top note at the end.

Silky smooth and soft feel, bordering on medium-bodied. Mildly carbonated. On the dry side.

I could drink a few of these. Smoothly integrated flavors with enough smoke to notice but not to dominate. Malt and hop flavors provide a deft counterbalance to the pleasant smokiness. Thinking in the 4.25 ballpark. Very enjoyable beer.

 

First new beer of the weekend was courtesy of @Beersnake (enjoyed it the other night)..

Bottle Logic - New Leaf



Notes:
P black, 1f super dark tan head (probably one of the darkest I've seen), quick recession
N rich inviting fudge, pecan nuttiness toward the finish, licorice as it opens
T follows nose with big fudge notes dashed w/ light roast, maple mid-palate, lots of warming booze in the finish, super cohesive, delicious
Mf full bodied and silky smooth, soft med carb
O outstanding stuff; thanks so much for sending this one, Tim!

Cheers

 

Happy, happy NBS!
Tonight I chose to pull out one that has been in my cellar for a while - an 8 year old 120 Minute IPA.
I had read that it tastes like a barley wine if it is aged for a while so I thought I’d try that. In retrospect I’d have had one fresh for the actual review, but a man with a plan is focused on the goal.

The pour actually produces a head which surprised me a little. No lacing, but I didn’t expect it.
The taste is caramel and toffee, some warm bread and a touch of hops that is a minor player but definitely present.
The feel is all barley wine, definitely viscous. Not sure if the fresh ones are the same but I’d think so.
OA, have a couple more, I’ll try one next year and the year after that.
One and done for me today.
Cheers!