New Beer Weekend #289 (for @cavedave!)

This is for @cavedave. I chose this beer because it’s a New York beer and a big stout, as I recall his sweet spot.

I made my first post in the NBS series in NBS #527 on 3/29/15, so about halfway through the life cycle of this recurring thread. Dave and @utopiajane were the hosts then, although @lordofthewiens inexplicably kicked off the thread that Sunday. I reviewed Old Guardian - Extra Hoppy by Stone, a since-retired big ol' hoppy barleywine, and of course I overrated it.

There were 193 posts in the thread that week - all in one day, which is about double what we now see in this thread, which now spans the weekend, so it's definitely a different thread than it was nearly a decade ago.

But so is "craft" beer, which is a lot different.

And yes, I overrated this beer, staying true to brand.





4.49/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours black and settles pure black that swallows all light in its path with with fluffy, creamy tan head that lingers for a long time and provides an enticing amount of thick ropes of lacing. Such a gorgeous BA imperial stout.

The nose led by a crushing amount of oak from the barrel that is present as soon as you open the can - literally a tsunami of oak that is followed by a little booze and a big dollop of rich cocoa and vanilla.

The oak is present on the taste as well, but more restrained, yielding center stage to the rich cocoa and vanilla flavors, with a nice bourbon flavor and warming on the finish. So delicious.

The mouthfeel reaches valiantly for thick and creamy, but is a bit thinner than expected for a beer of this gravity. Still, this is an exemplary representation of the BA RIS style that is worthy of your consideration, IMHO.

 

Tree House - Bergsteiger schwarzbier

16oz can served in a nonic pint. Dated Autumn 2025. Got it from @Braunmeister_1943.

Pours darker than cola, medium sized head on the pour, shrinks down to a thick skin and good shoulders. Smell is roasty, toasted bread and rising dough, coffee and hazelnuts and chocolate.

Taste follows many of the same descriptors, but adds in a sweetness -- might be dates, but that doesn't seem right. Coffee and heavily toasted bread.

Mouthfeel is light, airy. This is a really nice beer, I could drink a lot of it.

 

Back with another barleywine, this one a big bruiser from Beer Tree Brew. It's called Old Man Splitfoot. Cheers the @cavedave one of the best all-time BAs.



This is a wonderful example of a deliciously abrasive American barleywine. Sweet caramel and butterscotch up front with just a little char character to them. I also get sugar cookies and some odd jammy-ness, is pineapple jam a thing? The finish adds just the right amount of pithy bitterness and nice dose of heat. This is a great American barleywine in my glass!

 

RIP cavedave

4.05/5 rDev -2.2%

look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce can dated 10-2-25 into an IPA glass at 50 degrees F.

Appearance- Pale gold, very hazy, white creamy head, plentiful large visible particulate, above average head retention, slightly above average lacing.

Aroma- Papaya, mango, clementine, medium strength of scent.

Flavor- Pithy, clementine, papaya, weak strength of flavor.

Feel- Between medium and full body, slightly below average carbonation, moderately creamy, moderately bitter, soft, mildly mouth warming, mildly mouth coating, mildly astringent.

Overall- Pale gold and very hazy with enough large visible particulate that this beer is reminiscent of a snow globe. The bouquet was a nice mix of papaya, mango and clementine with medium strength. The flavor was pithy with notes of clementine and papaya, but was weak in strength. The body was between medium and full with moderately creamy and soft character. There was some mild astringency detectable that detracted from the experience. Overall, this beer was solid in all respects except for flavor. The flavor was pleasant, but had weak strength. It’s possible that the age of this beer could have contributed to that, but it was just purchased for me as a gift and if it’s currently on a shelf it’s up for evaluation.

 

Here's to @cavedave!

Covert Artisan Barley English Barleywine, 11% ABV. From the weenie 6.3oz bottle, it pours dark-brown with no head, hence no lacing. Aroma is toffee and vanilla. Taste is toffee, moderately sweet, slightly bitter. Decent mouthfeel, with almost no carbonation. Overall excellent.

4.18/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Untappd had someone's opinion that this is an American Barleywine, but the brewer doesn't say, and to me it's not bitter enough to be American.

 

Here's another New Beer courtesy of @Whyteboar. This one's a black IPA from a brewery I'd never heard of before.



Brewery Faisan Sympathy For The Abyss

Look:
The beer is burnt umber with deep amber highlights. A moderately heavy pour raises a tall and eager head of light brown foam which leaves a few scraps of lacing. The foam actually lasts all the way to the bottom of the glass.

Smell:
The nose is more roasty and grainy than hoppy, and offers dark malt, coffee, and some bittersweet chocolate.

Taste:
The flavor also leans more heavily towards roast, opening with dark chocolate, burnt wheat toast, and coffee. A roasty and resiny bitterness slams through the middle, accompanied by hints of caramel, toasted grains, and orange peel. The bitterness recedes a bit in the finish, opening the door for notes of cocoa powder and coffee hard candy.

Feel:
Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation which punches way above its weight when it comes to generating foam.

Overall:
This is one of those black IPAs that's closer to a hoppy American Stout than an IPA. Fortunately, I enjoy hoppy stouts, so I liked this beer just fine.

 

Good evening BAs. Sad to hear of @cavedave passing…

Tonight’s new beer is from Mortalis - Barrel Aged Double Coconut NYX (Copper Wax) imperial stout aged 15 months in Stagg barrels; a Luau 2024 VIP exclusive bottle:



Inky black poor at 56.5°; no ruby edges; lots of coconut Floaties; almost no head; no ring nor lace; oily coconut surface; no legs on swirl. Chocolate; bourbon; coconut. Dark chocolate; cocoa; sweet bourbon and toasted coconut; chocolate fudge finish. Thick fudgy feel; heavy body; light carbonation; mild warmth from ABV. Overall, sweet chocolate, but not cloying; thick feel, but not too syrupy; chocolate dominates; bourbon present and coconut likely fading; a delicious pastry stout.

4.0 | 4.25 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 4.5
Score: 4.39 rDev -4.6%

A bit more bourbon and/or more coconut and the beer would have scored higher. I would bet that was the case fresher.

Cheers y’all!

 

Single Hill - Rumored Extinct red IPA

16oz can served in a nonic pint. Can dated 2025-12-02. Bought it at Chuck's Hop Shop Seward Park a few weeks ago.

Pours a slightly cloudy reddish amber color, modest head and lots of carbonation. Smell is pine and toffee, grapefruit rind and citrus pith.

Taste is on the bitter west coast IPA side of hops but has a nice floral caramelized sugar sweetness. Pine bitter keeps growing as I sip. Toffee character comes out more.

Mouthfeel is maybe a bit on the thin side. Very nice beer.

 

Almost time to break out the shorts and sandals - we got to 21 degrees today and the pending snow has so far stayed south east of us. Watching outdoor hockey from Tampa Bay...and I always do like the throwback to the roots of the sport but I am gagging on the stupid pirate shit thats being done plus some stuff that looks staged during the action. Yep...getting old and working on grumpy, I guess.

So anyway...



Bissell Brothers Presence of Another World, Batch 2, 12% ABV, rye barrel aged stout with cacao nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and ancho chilis. Aged in Dad's Hat Rye barrels for 12 months.

Pours like 100K mile transmission fluid - so dark I'll call it black but it's actually somewhat sanguine on the pour - deep, blood red tints where light dares tread. No head. No bubbles. It looks thick and heavy - mildly menacing.

The smell starts off with chocolate, but as it warms and I take deeper huffs, there's light vanilla and an amalgamation of spicy "stuff". I guess that makes sense if the cinnamon, anchor, and rye are driving the spicy bus.

Initial sip did not go well. It was bitter baker's chocolate straight up then a mild spice on the back end. Wildely unbalanced. As it warms up and the taste buds adjust, the spices and chocolate start to play partially positively. The cinnamon peeks out mid-taste and the ancho comes out a bit more with some fruity/vegetal heat. There's just a of rye spice that goes along for the ride and just a hint if vanilla sweetness. I'm not getting a ton of barrel here but there is a slight whiskey taste.

The mouthfeel is strange. I'm gonna go with slightly slimy? It's got a texture to it but it feels thin at the same time. Not sure what I can equate it to. A big chalky and the heat builds between the peppers and cinnamon.

I'm not sure what to make of this one. It has me moderately mystified and makes my mind muddled. The flavors kinda of come together but it's rough around the edges to my tastes. It could use some more vanilla to give it a hair more sweetness. I think I'm glad I tried it...gotta think a bit on the score.

 

This New Beer from pFriem Family Brewers of Hood River, OR, was canned less than 2 weeks ago. But for some reason, my local Safeway gave it a clearance price that cut its regular price by a third. That feels like a mistake, but I was happy to help them with their clearance efforts.



pFriem Export Stout

Look:
The body is a deep rust brown with exquisite mahogany highlights. The head of dense, cream-colored foam wanes to a heavy collar and thick skin that lasts to the bottom of the glass and dispenses ample lacing.

Smell:
The nose is rich with roasted malts and a restrained, pleasant sweetness. It displays notes of toasted brown bread, coffee, and brown sugar, along with a sharp earthy bitterness.

Taste:
Roasted malts dominate the flavor, offering bitterness, burnt grains, and a pinch of acidity which offsets a stronger sweetness than the nose promised. There’s dark chocolate, caramel cream, a pinch of licorice, and a morsel of raisin through the middle, followed by molasses, coffee, and more dark chocolate in the finish.

Feel:
Medium-bodied and chewy with aggressive carbonation.

Overall:
Brash at the start, this beer benefits from a bit of a time out between the pour and the sip. Let it warm up and lose some carbonation and it is a much more pleasant drink.

 

I have had so many new beers this weekend between SAN and Roll Out the Barrel at Bell’s.

The one that I chose to have in Dave’s honor is one that isn’t in the database yet and I’m not sure if it should be put in if it’s the only event it was brewed for. But that would be a shame because it is really good.
Black Note is a bourbon barrel aged combo of Expedition imperial stout and Double Cream stout, so it’s really good as is. But add coffee and vanilla in proper portions and it goes to another level.

The lactose in the double cream amps up the vanilla like crazy and then the coffee balances it back out.
The Expedition portion holds its own and that’s the only thing that keeps it from getting too sweet.
The feel is a very nice level of viscosity, I enjoyed it slowly.
I might report back on another, we will see.
Cheers!

 

At least they got hockey weather down there

My brother lives down that way & apparently hasn't ran his heat in 3 years. 56 F in his living room I wonder what his filters look like? I am sure those are not ballsy heat pumps down that way

 

Last new beer of the weekend, this one is for you @cavedave

Prairie Bourbon Barrel Okie Weekend American Strong Ale ( beer 140 reviewed from these guys ), 14.6% ABV; 4.32 overall a rare ) 0% dev review from me


Ours an effervescent mahogany/ebony with fast falling tan head. Plenty viscous, zero head retention & lacing, coconut residue is present

S: Vanilla, Chocolate, coconut & Bourbon late, want more assertiveness from the nose

T: Follows the nose some coconut, marshmallow & barrel up front. Bourbon starts to subtly surface once this beer warms, along with more coconut, marshmallow & dark chocolate. Finishes with a little Bourbon bite, cola, marshmallow & dark chocolate

MF: Chewy, low carbonation, warming & sticky on the teeth

Great drinkability & blend of flavors, really appeals to my sweet tooth

 

Claim 52 - Thicc Peach Cobbler, puree gose. 16oz ccan served in a nonicc pint. Rolled the ccan around a bit before pouring. Dated 09/12/25.

Pours...like its name. Thicc. Slurry. Puree. No head, though it looks like there's some ccarbonation that's struggling (and failing) to rise to the surface. Smell is peach and cinnamon, really does smell like peach ccobbler filling with a little bit of a doughy ccrust. That peach is sccreaming, though.

Taste is PEACH in all ccaps. Cinnamon and nutmeg seem to be in there, a little bit of a sweetened oatmeal. Hard to ccall it tart, but it is, kinda.

Mouthfeel is...shoccingly thicc. Smooth, still. Overall...I'm enjoying it, but would rather have a pilsner right now.

 

Here is one for @cavedave
I have had this one sitting on the basement floor for a while waiting for a special occasion. I decided now is the time to enjoy it. It was still in the tube and the seals were unbroken. I drank it late last night but got tired and was busy all day today. So I will post it now.

Goose Island Bourbon County Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout. 2021. 16.0%

Taste is dark chocolate. plenty of brown sugar that seems toasted, molasses, roast, smooth bourbon, char, raisin. There is some but not a lot oak and vanilla at the finish. The vanilla was mellow and did have a hint of marshmallow flavor. Fairly smooth beer that was on the sweet side. The ABV was fairly well hidden but does come out a little. Medium body not thick or thin.
Great beer. It held up very well. 4.5+/5

 

Future Primitive - Old No. 7, blend of seven years of barrel aged barleywines, 11%

12oz skinny can served in a snulip. There's a date on the can, but I cannot read it. Ends in 25. Bought it a bit before Christmas.

Pours dark amber, clear, small head. Looks thick, sparse dusty head. Smell is Bigfoot-esque, barky and piney. Caramel and toffee sweetness in the background. Dates, raisins, but light.

Taste is also Bigfoot-esque, though less intense on the bitterness side, more of the sweetness I typically get from English barleywines. More caramel and toffee, nice toasted nuttiness.

Mouthfeel is thick, not quite chewy, not quite sticky. Overall, this is actually really nice. Better than expected from what I've come to think of as an "OK" brewery.

---
That'll end the weekend for me. Got a shit (but short) workweek in front of me, then a fun/not-fun long kids' weekend in Sacramento, then back to the grindstone. Sometimes I can find PtY while I'm there, so cross your fingers on my behalf.