New Beer Weekend #266

A quick review of a daughter beer in my beer fridge:

my daughter works at Walgreens, like me, and she texted me that a 12er was marked down to 5 bucks… easy sale. This is a beer that was in everyone’s fridge when I grew up, and is still enjoyed today ( @nicholas2121 looking at you)


The beer pours a clear, golden yellow, the kind of bright, familiar color that feels like summers past—AAL through and through. With a strong pour, it crowns itself with a foamy, picture-perfect head that could have come straight from the commercials we grew up watching. The aroma is simple but comforting: grains, a brush of hops, and that faint corn sweetness.

The flavor follows suit—straightforward and honest. The corn adjunct is there, but not heavy-handed, just enough to remind me of the kind of beer that first taught me what “cold and crisp” meant. Nothing out of place, nothing fancy, just exactly what it should be. The body and feel are right in line with the style—light, easy.

Overall, it’s not a top-shelf pick for me these days, but it’s a nostalgic companion.
lol, as good as Hamms!

 

First I will answer your question @Beersnake, I tend to open my new beers as soon as the kids are in bed so I can focus, however Mrs. Phisher sometimes get forced smell/taste test if I'm particularly excited. If I get one of those big smiles after I smell or taste I usually say "try this or smell this," sometimes that results in a "mm that's good," or sometimes if its a lager, "mmm tastes like college" is her favorite line, this goes for any lager by the way like you @ChicagoJ I come here to nerd out with like minded beer lovers.

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So with my vacation post behind I’ll be reviewing a beer I picked on the last day of vacation, having dinner with my family in Farmington, CT. I had this one about 10 years ago now and haven’t since so by all means new, and never reviewed. My only recollection of this beer was it had good malt and was nicely bitter; fingers crossed that it still holds true.

New England Brewing Co - Sea Hag (AIPA 6.2%)



Pours a dirty light copper brown; very cloudy; good sustaining head that settles to a really nice cap.

Nice nose; it’s reminds me of those first IPAs that people raved about, it’s very softly fruity and lovely floral with good old school punchiness; good malt; adds light sweet aroma and some caramelized quality.

Taste leans into all of the above; soft fruit quality lingers here and there, but turns nectar floral, follows but a nice malt presence; gives perception of caramelized citrus peels; touch of pine, but it’s more sap than biting and bright.

Medium body, very smooth; good firm bitterness, I’d say a touch higher than moderate; some stickiness, dries out quite nicely with some light residual malt sweetness.

Old school beer right here, that delicate fruit note reminds me of when the tide started to turn in the hop world but this thing stays true to the past; an east coast brewed maltier bitter and clean IPA. I’d definitely recommend to anyone, and also a revisit if it’s been a while.

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I may have one more in me tomorrow but if not I look forward to reading all of your reviews to come.

 

Is that a tasting note?

 

I really enjoyed the maple aroma the most. Maple flavor in front, with the base Warlock bringing up the rear. A barrel aged version would be interesting.

 

@Hinda65 sent me this beer. Uinta barrel aged quad black IPA Labyrinth. Poured cool to a chalice, it’s a lively cola color that keeps its effervescence for a short while. Nose is leathery, old. First sips are surprising, in that the barrel tannins are HEAVY up front, with the “black” following hard. If this was blinded, I’d swear it’s a stout. I can’t say I’ve drunk many quad IPAs, but this brings no recollection of any IPA level, other than maybe faint traces of hops, oddly, at the end of the sips. The barrel tannins are really what trump for me. It’s heavy, all in a good way. A savory vein in the middle, coriander-ish? It really is a labyrinth. The taste buds go down one hall, thinking it’s one thing, only to dead end, and force a new path. Alcohol doesn’t bite, but brings an early and heavy warming buzz. It was a good choice for this warm/cool night on the back porch. Really done well.

 

Alesmith stroopwafel stout
...solid black appearance with a tan/brownish lasting head.
...medium light carbonation with a thick,full,creamy body. Thick feeling lingers and coats the mouth with the high abv adding to the feel as it creates a decent amount of heat and burn.
...aroma is rich,malty, boozy,with the caramel,brown sugar showing up with the vanilla showing up in the background.
..Taste is definitely boozy, sweet with the high abv mellowing out the sweetness.
Caramel,brown sugar and vanilla are done in great proportions as not one dominates.
...overall a hefty stout,definitely a one for the night type

 

Cross post copy paste: Red Rock’s Marvella Tripel. Fuckin’ Utah has a lot of sleepers! Not one of my regular styles, but I try most everything. I’d call this “genteel.” So smooth. Light. Belgian effect is there. The candi sugar is complementary, showing a quick flash then disappearing. 11% ABV. Dramatic pause. ELEVEN PERCENT. Drinks like an easy session 5% brew. Unique aroma I can’t describe. Lemony, but subtler, like a limoncello. A lady in the streets and a hell cat in the sheets. No offense intended…trying to convey a dichotomy here.

 

Bitburger radler
...pale cloudy lemony appearance
...medium light carbonation with about a medium body which overall produced a nice feel
...aroma is pretty much lemonade, comes off like real lemon juice and peel but again lemonade
...taste is lemonade,maybe an adult version, barely,but lemonade
...overall it was very flavorful, came off real,not artificial. Refreshing and enjoyable

 

Panic at the Distro (not gonna lie: I chuckled) is a west coast IPA from Grains of Wrath (Camas, WA) in collaboration with Ruse Brewing (Portland, OR). That's quite a pairing for an IPA fiend such as myself.



The body is yellow-gold and brilliantly clear. A heavy-handed pour raises a sudsy head that vanishes into nothingness almost as fast as it took me to type that sentence. No lacing. Smells and tastes like a giant fruit bowl loaded with grapefruit, tangerines, nectarines, and weed. Bitterness creeps in silently under the cover provided by all that fruit. Finish is drying and leans more towards weed and ripe nectarines than citrus. Carbonation starts out rough but smooths out after a few minutes. The ensuing hop burps are excellent.

Overall, a fine WCIPA for this toasty evening in the PNW, and a good pace-setter for the weekend's New Beers.

 

Happy Stouterday! Or something like that.
@Ozzylizard and I met up at Founder’s earlier today and I had a couple beers with him and his wife along with some great conversation.
This is one he sent me a couple weeks back, not a big beer but a tasty one -

The pour is stout black with 5 or 6 centimeters of light brown head that dissipated fairly quickly and leaves rings of lacing.
The taste immediately corrected my expectations of an oatmeal stout; this is coffee all the way. I drink my coffee black so the light bitter taste works well for me. Has a nice depth of flavor for the ABV.
The feel is a little thinner than I expected, but that’s probably because I don’t drink enough regular stouts, it’s certainly within the style standards.
OA, it was a nice coffee forward stout to end my day with.
Thank you Bob!

 

When did that come out and how do I get one? Definitely one I would need to share, but it looks great.

 

Ouch! What caused that and why didn’t you use full width duct tape?

 

Knee replacement, by one of Northwest Arkansas's finest Orthopedic Surgeons. Staples get removed in 4 days, but who's counting?

 

Boulevard Brewing Co.'s Whitman's More s'mores BA Stout, 8.2% ABV; 3.64 overall

Pours an effervescent & chill hazed chestnut with one finger of mocha colored head. Some lacing & head retention

S: Marshmallows, smoke

T: Follows the nose, some cocoa notes that leads to dryness & a little bitterness up front. Traces of barrel dryness, a little bit of oakyness, some cinnamon notes, cocoa & marshmallow & smokeyness once this beer is warmed up. Finishes a little bitter, a little cocoa dry with classic S'mores flavor

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation

Wish there was more heft & barrel presence, but drinkable enough. Way too pricey to ever buy again. The bitterness & smokey notes salvage this offering. Not forced, but not great

 

I need that affirmation, cheers