New Beer Weekend #290

@Nugganooch my limited experience has been hit or miss with Dovetail. One very good, Hefeweizen, the others meh…which was unexpected given the talk they get.

 

I followed the tasty but underachieving Over/Underberg with a half pour of a bigger Fort George stout that offered licorice and delivered beautifully, and with verve.



Fort George Black Lake
Imperial stout with chocolate and salted licorice

The opaque black-brown body resists my phone light, revealing a dark brick red color and ruby highlights only at the thinnest edges. The nougat colored head quickly pulls back to a thick collar and deposits sticky lacing on its way down the glass.

The nose is a nicely integrated combo of dark chocolate ganache, roasted malt, salted caramel, and a heady layer of black licorice.

These elements come through in the flavor like instruments in a well-engineered album. Dark chocolate leads, but doesn't step on the malt, and notes of coffee, caramel, and black licorice ring through clearly. There's just enough sweetness to bring the flavors into focus. Salt flickers briefly in the middle, leading into a low licorice note which takes a solo and then bows out to let dark malt and unsweetened cocoa have the outro. The body is medium-full with satiny texture and a warm wave of alcohol.

This is how you handle a strong flavor with finesse. The salted licorice is the star here, but it shares the spotlight instead of stealing it. I am sorry that this is only available on draft. This is the kind of beer I could enjoy until early spring, and crave until the weather turns cold again.

 

What the heck, I'll join with another one tonight! I might as well, prime time Sunday @ChicagoJ, it’s arctic cold still so why not pretend I’m in southern Florida with @FRANKHAZE drinking in the sunshine. Based on the haul thread I think he likes this one and it caught my eye with the 68 IBUs, my friend once worked news in Tampa and he'd talk about Green Bench from time to time, I'll have to send him a pic.

So let's get a head full of sunshine on this Sunday night shall we...

Green Bench - Sunshine City (IPA 6.8%)



Pours lemonade and straw; opaque, wit like look; fluffy attractive white cap.

Nose is all about refreshing zippy fruit; not tropical really though; orange and tangerine come to mind; peach rings; zest; as it warms some lighter tropical notes come out.

The taste leans into refreshing fruit bowl mix; again noting really tropical just like a fresh fruit salad; replace melon with citrus and a little peach; light straw like malt.

Body is medium; one bright and zippy ipa; this is refreshing summer ipa through and through; good bitterness and dry clean finish.

This beer does exactly what I think it’s intended to; be a highly drinkable clean and refreshing ipa made for Florida heat. It isn't new school, it isn't old school its just an awesome clean drinking, slightly modern hop leaning bitter IPA. Thanks for sharing Frank, I can see why you like this one.

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Looking forward to diving into one or two more @FRANKHAZE beers next weekend. Until then be well everyone and hey maybe some snow will melt finally, we hit above freezing Tuesday!!!

If you got skin in the game tonight either fandom or betting I hope it goes all of your ways, though we know it is not possible I still wish it so. See you all in five days.

 

The was a time, specifically when Jai Alai's freshness falloff was a factor, when people claimed this to be the best (or close to / hidden gem) Florida IPA. I got to try it in some trade or BIF at some point and thought it as solid as you describe... quite a few years later.

 

Good evening NBW
Honduras tick via Wisconsin made available by Total Wine.

Salva Vida
12oz can stamped 25 090 poured into a vintage bar glass at fridge temp 4.8% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright golden yellow with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. No lacing. The aroma is minimal with very light malt and orchard fruit. The taste is semisweet pale malt with more pronounced apple flavor. Negligible bitterness. The feel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, ok. No diacetyl that I can taste which is a plus. Noticed in the small print this was brewed and canned under license in the US. Might explain why my experience was different than the BA average.

 

The Celtics got pasted, the Pats are working on the same result, and it's another freezing night here, but I think I have something special to warm things up...



Barreled Souls MGP Rye Barrel-aged Old, Old Wooden Ship. That's the art side of the label. Here's the data side - it is a rauchwine (which I think means American barleywine here) aged in rye barrels for 11 months, 20 days. Bottle 943 of 960, packaged on 9/15/2025.

The pour is drop dead gorgeous. It's crystal clear and a deep garnet red color. Tight khaki head last several minutes then leaves a veey respectable ring and a couple of wispy islands. The bubbles cling like mad.

OK it's weird but it smells like sweet brown sugar smokey bacon. And not in a bad way at all. There's some toffee and darkish bready malt, a whiff of vanilla, fruitiness. Oaky. A barely detectable spiciness.

The flavor delivers in waves and its morphing a bit with each sip. Sweet - toffee and some brown sugar. Smokey - mildly sweet smoke, fairly strong but very clean. A bit of fruitiness hides within - undefined, maybe apple? There's a nice note of vanilla. On the back of the taste is a peppery rye sting. Woody oak combines with the sweeter smoke for an interesting sensation. I can't do this justice - pretty sure I'm missing some attributes. Tobacco, kind of a leathery note. Very mild dark fruit presence - cherry, figs and raisins. OK- short version - freakin awesome layered flavors.

Feel is slightly sticky with just a hint of alcohol tingle. Warming all the way down.

Do I ever wish I bought two of these - how do ya know? This is north of 4.5 all day long and twice on NBS. I suspect it would cellar spectacularly. Another winner from Saco, ME.

 

Riggs Beer Company Schwarzbier 5.5%



Poured from a pint can, the body is a dark brown with a big fluffy white head. Medium lacing.

The nose is a wisp of smoke. Taste follows nose with added malt up front along with a nice light smoke. A light bittersweet flavor arises at finish.

Mouthfeel is light to medium and smooth with good carbonation.

A light no nonsense Schwarzbier that went down easy. Thanks to @GrumpyGas for the beer. Cheers Kevin.

 

That glass is GREAT. Back in the 70s my folks had a set of those, along with the pitcher that went with 'em. Pretty sure they picked 'em up at the Anheuser Busch brewery in Van Nuys, back when they still had a Busch Gardens and a monorail.

 

I have a weakness for vintage American macro barware...
Michelob especially

 

Cross post.

2015 BBA Bigfoot

Thankfully, it’s coming in with a really nice pine resin forward delivery. Then a really smooth combination of the bourbon barrel meets caramel malts, dates, and pure bliss.

I had this one within the first year and it was more boozy forward and “warm.”

Now it has melded together and I would posit has aged gracefully.

 

Have a good NB Superbowl Sunday. I was up until 10 AM after being up all night reading again. Finished Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams about working at facebook. 3.75/5. Read all of Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Reid Jenkins which is an oral historical fiction about a 70s rock band. They had a different voice actor for every character. 3.75/5. And finally started Mythos by Stephen Fry. I already read Troy about 3 years ago, liking this about as much so far. 4/5

We had a ton of Cookout last night at about 1 AM. The Gate City location was packed. My usual big double with everything/cheese/bacon, bacon ranch wrap, and a honey mustard Chicken wrap. PB Oreo Shake and chili cheese fries not pictured.


Venn Basic Decency. Another from the Green Bay tasting, and probably from @LesDewitt4beer. Canned 6/23/2025. Apparently a gluten reduced beer the way Stone Delicious is? Lasting luffy head retention and foamy lacing, a lot of carbonation. Aromas of big red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, mango, melon, passion fruit, papaya, berries, citrus peel, peppercorn, pine, white bread, and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Taste follows with red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, mango, melon, passion fruit, papaya, berries, citrus peel/zest, peppercorn, pine, white bread, and herbal/floral/grassy hop earthiness. Light-medium pine/herbal/woody bitterness on the finish. Medium-high carbonation, light-medium body, and crisp/clean/refreshing finish. Balanced grainy malt and sticky hop mouthfeel. Nearly bone dry finish with light lingering hop resin drying. No hop astringency. Not sure if there was referementation in the can from Clarity Ferm or something, but otherwise this is a great showcase of Citra hops for a light bodied pale ale. Hops are still vibrant and lightly dank. 4.03/5


Cheers

 

A nice beer to take the sting away. This Cowboy fan starts drinking those in October

 

Yeah but...they're Cowboys fans. So who cares.

 

F**k Cancer indeed. I'm glad you had some music to get you through times. Focus on that. I've had way too much o the Big C in my life, family for sure, but friends too. Do the checks.

 

This what you made me resort to you animal!

 

If I ever had stupid money, I'd have a ranch somewhere that Highland Cattle wouldn't die of heat stroke ( not here )

 

Looks like I have a theme for my New Beers today: "stouts with licorice." A polarizing theme, certainly, but I am a fan. So here's one more New Beer for the end of the weekend:



Block 15 Super Nebula "Valhalla"
Imperial stout aged in Willett bourbon barrels and conditioned on cacao nibs, cardamom, star anise, and juniper.

Look:
Here's another stout that's too opaque to transmit the light from my phone flashlight. The edges are dark amber-brown with burnt orange highlights. The dark tan head subsides to a thick collar and a surface Benoit Mandelbrot would have appreciated.

Smell:
The nose is plenty spicy. The star anise and cardamom are pretty easy to pick out even when the beer is opened cold from the fridge. The juniper is lurking under a bourbon-enhanced layer of roasted malt, dark chocolate, oak, and vanilla.

Taste:
Bourbon and dark chocolate jump forward in the flavor. They trip over a low wall of spices and kick up a small cloud of licorice and cardamom. Just beyond the wall there's an unexpected cushion of marshmallow which breaks the fall. Bourbon and dark chocolate scramble to their feet and race into the finish. Caramel makes a brief appearance. Bitter juniper notes combine with licorice and bourbon at the end to create an odd gin-flavored cough syrup character. I blame the juniper.

Feel:
The body is heavy and smooth, with reasonable carbonation and just a bit too much alcohol heat.

Overall:
I like most of what's going on in this beer. The added flavors are easy to pick out, and for the most part they get along fine. The star anise and cardamom are particularly enjoyable. The juniper, however, is a little too bitter and a little too loud. Take it out of the mix and you'd have a combo that's unique, distinctive and delicious. As it stands, the "Valhalla" edition of this year's Super Nebula is still unique, still distinctive, and easily 90% delicious.

 

A rye barrel-aged, barleywine-strength rauchbier?

YES PLEASE.