New Beer Weekend #279

All stuff I treasure that the Mrs. will sell or give away as soon as I lose my marbles or croak

 

Honestly, I don't remember. If I had to guess I'd say my wife picked it up at a CAMRA Charity auction. As I recall, I had duty that Saturday

 

Last week I had an IPA which covered a lot of ground and the journey was exhausting (Von Ebert Saturated Substance).

Today I just finished an IPA which also covered a lot of ground, but ended up in a much more enjoyable place.



Fort George Wormholes (collaboration with Uchu Brewing, Tokyo)

Look:
The beer has a slightly hazy bright gold body with a snow white head that quickly flees to the edges of the glass. The resulting ring and thin surface seem to punch well above their weight when it comes to lacing.

Smell:
Nose is as complicated as a Ross Macdonald plot, offering citrus, red berries, mango, peach rings, gummi bears, diesel, sage, Dots (the chewy, dome-shaped candy), pine resin, a distant whiff of skunk, and pineapple cream.

Taste:
The flavor follows, for the most part, while indulging in its own side quests. Citrus and stone fruits lead the party. Pine resin moves forward in the ranks, accompanied by a handful of mixed gummi bears, tropical diesel, and a few flakes of sage and thyme. Pineapple and grapefruit oil bring up the rear. Finishing bitterness is stronger than expected and most welcome. A spicy rye/caraway note flickers in and out like a light bulb that's about to give up the ghost.

Feel:
Body is light-medium with enthusiastic carbonation.

Overall:
This is a zesty modern IPA that's saturated with a wide variety of hop character but still holds together harmoniously. Really nice beer.

 

Page 6 (or old school page 3) can we get to 7? That would be pretty sweet.
Wish I could help but I’m thinking I’ve had enough today. But I enjoyed every second of it.
Cheers all!

 

I wonder if I contacted Ian Anderson whether he would give me permission to print the album covers on beer mats. He’s gotta be retired by now, right?

 

One of his guitarists supposedly lived near Barford St. John ( near our Transmitter site ) in Oxfordshire. Cool old Thatched Roof cottage with a guitar for a wind vane

 

OOF, started with a dud. Now I am both nervous and curious to try mine.

 

Been a busy weekend here. We do an early Thanksgiving with my dad and stepmother. So last night was wine.

But tonight...Peak Citra
Wow, the ABV is Heiden on this one. Didn't realize it was 10.5% until afterwards.
Fluffy white head caps a slightly pulp swirl. Great retention with slight layered lacing.
Nose and flavor pops with a citrus cream note drifting over the tropical melange of mango, peach, and limey grass. The malt comes through as a creamy, biscuity flavor/texture. Finish is warmly herbal.
3.96/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

 

Some drunk guy last night ( me ) said we'd get to 7 pages, perhaps a bridge too far...

My last contribution to this effort

Goose Island 2022 Bourbon County Brand 2 Year Reserve ( English ) Barleywine. 17% ABV; aged in Old Fitzgerald Bourbon Barrels; 4.61 overall

2022 vintage pours an effervescent mahogany with a pinky of fast-falling tan head. Plenty of viscosity, traces of head retention & no lacing

S: Tons of barrel, figs, raisins, smooth boozy notes & caramel once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, oaky dryness/raw barrel, treacle, some toffee notes & leafy hops up front, faint dark chocolate too. Figs, dates, leather, brown sugar and Bourbon as this beer warms up, leafy hops assert their presence as well, plenty of barrel dryness to be sure, caramel & vanilla also present. Finishes sweet, dry with Bourbon, Caramel, booze bite & figs

MF: Chewy as all get out, low carbonation level, super warming, super sticky clings to your teeth

A sipper that begs you to slowly ponder & enjoy this

 

No, he's not retired yet. Jethro Tull released a brand new studio album in March of this year, and that's on the heels of studio albums in 2022 and 2023.

Obligatory beer reference: The title track from Jethro Tull's 1977 album "Songs From The Wood" features the lyric, "Let me bring you all things refined/Galliards and lute songs served in chilling ale".

 

I do have one more New Beer for the weekend, but I'm not sure I can drag out the review over 10 more posts to reach that 7-page milestone. Hmm.

 

Alas, my ammo is gone & I do have to function in the AM...

 

No worries. I have a contribution. And perhaps some other West Coast beer people will help drag this thread across the 7-page threshold. It could happen.

 

The left flank might bail us out

 

Human Robot Brewery - Most
4.4% ABV Czech Pale Lager brewed with CZ Most hops, in collaboration with Hollingbery & Son, Inc. Hops
Very crispy and refreshing, nicely balanced. Nice apple/pear and spice notes, along with some lemon peel and crackery malt. Carbonation was spot on.

#properglassware

Cross-posted in What Mid-Atlantic beer are you drinking now? (2025)

 

I do enjoy ending the weekend with an Imperial stout, and this one is a New Beer, to boot.



Block 15 Imagine- "Speculoos" Edition

500 mL bottle purchased at Belmont Station in Portland, OR. No date stamp, but it bears a vintage date of 2025. Enjoyed in a Stone Brewing Oakquinox festival glass from 2010.

Look:
The beer is black-brown with red-umber highlights and a thick head of light brown foam that looks like the middle of a 3 Musketeers bar. The head doesn't last, nor does it leave much lacing, but it collapses to a thin collar with amazing staying power.

Smell:
The nose is spicy with cinnamon and loaded with prunes and dates on a base of fruity dark chocolate. There's bourbon too, and splashes of vanilla.

Taste:
The flavor is sweet and spicy up front, mostly cinnamon with some star anise and black pepper in the background (yum!). Dark chocolate actually takes second billing behind the spices. Next up is an array of concentrated dark fruits: sweet cherry flanked by figs and banana chips. Roasted malt and a bit of toffee follow. Alcohol heat is there from the get-go, and takes a supporting role in the long, spicy finish.

Feel:
Body is medium-full with a smooth texture and spritely carbonation. Alcohol glows like barbecue coals. (Not surprising. This beer is over 14% abv.)

Overall:
This is a sweet, spicy, and fruit-laden stout which doesn't bother hiding its strength. The speculoos influence comes across mostly as cinnamon instead of cookies. Ah well. Still tasty, though I will need some effort to finish this bottle tonight.