New Beer Weekend #297

La Fin Du Monde
Unibroue
Drinking out of a small goblet.
Pours a clear golden color with a full dense head.
Smells of spicy apple, some biscuit.
Good mouth feel. Good carbonation.
Nice sweet taste with spices.

 

Great review, Dave! This is one of my very favorites; a desert island beer for me. Unfortunately, they didn't brew it in 2026. Big time bummer for me. I used to buy a case every year. Cheers!

 

4.02/5 rDev 0%

look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 16 ounce undated can filled at the brewery in my presence into a snifter at 53.1 degrees F.

Appearance- Amber-brown, light brown sudsy head, low transmission translucent, below average head retention and lacing.

Aroma- Whiskey, maple syrup, raisin, plum, fig, caramel, between medium and high strength of scent.

Flavor- Maple syrup, fig, plum, raisin, caramel, whiskey, oak, very high sweetness, high sour, highly boozy at finish, high strength of flavor.

Mouthfeel- Between thin and medium body, below average carbonation, mildly creamy, moderately mouth warming, mildly mouth coating, high alcohol burn at finish, moderately bitter, very high sweetness, high sourness.

Overall- Amber-brown and low transmission translucent with below average head retention and lacing. The bouquet was a great mix of whiskey, maple syrup, raisin, plum, fig and caramel with plenty of intensity. The flavor was different than I was expecting based on the nose. The sweetness was off the charts and there was an unwelcome sourness, but the mix of maple syrup, fig, plum, raisin, caramel, whiskey, burnt oak and booziness was able to offset the sweetness and sourness enough to still allow for this beer to deliver an enjoyable flavor profile. The mouthfeel was between thin and medium body with mild creaminess and moderate mouth warming properties. The sourness again detracted from the mouthfeel, but not enough to totally discount the good attributes. Overall, the aromatics were outstanding, but a couple of attributes adversely affected the flavor and mouthfeel. The time in the barrel could account for the lower carbonation, head retention and lacing, which is understandable and excusable. This beer was complex and interesting, and I would definitely try it again fresh from the source.

 

Founders All Day Peach IPA, 4.7% ABV; 3.52 overall

Pours an effervescent gold with 2 fingers of pearl colored head. Very nice head retention & lacing

S: Peach not much else

T: Follows the nose, some dryness & grassyness, just a little green melon up front. A little pomelo joins in with the peach & some apricot & dryness. Finishes a little dry with peach ( almost seems artificial ) & pomelo

MF: Light/medium body, moderate carbonation, alright balance

Moment of weakness to buy this mixed 12. You can make a good flavorful IPA in this ABV range, but this All Day series aint it. These other beers will probably go at parties or BBQs

 

If I see ore, I’ll let you know. Cheers.

 

Social Project Brewing Will of the People Smoothie Sour ( Customer's Choice ) w/Banana, Peanut Butter & Coconut Cream, 6.0% ABV; 4.09 overall

Pours a very gritty gold with plenty of coconut floaties & a thin beige head. Not a pretty beer, more grit & residue than head retention or lacing, but some

S: Coconut, banana & peanut butter, fades a little once warm

T: Follows the nose, a kiss of pineapple & little lactose up front. More of the advertised ingredients with coconut & banana leading the way, plus a little pineapple. Finishes with coconut, some banana, pineapple & the peanut butter has gone AWOL

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, a little acidity

Drinks too easy. I will most likely pick this if I am looking for something with a tropical slant

 

Wound up at Baileson Brewing this afternoon...and they had a new Black IPA...

Wiggins Special, 5.8% ABV



Pours a nearly opaque black color. A dense tan head forms with good retention and lace left behind. This is a looker.
Aroma is big pine and resin up front. Mixed with the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee...yep this fits the bill.
Taste wise, like the nose, that big resin like pine and hoppy character. Roast, coffee, bitter chocolate. Plenty of hoppy bitterness as well.
A full body and well carbonated. This becomes resiny, thick and chewy, without being over the top. Which all leads to a well made example of the style. I can come back to this when at the brewery.

This does fall into the trap that I have never been the biggest fan of...for the style that is. The hoppy bitterness and roasted bitterness clash. Which certainly happens to an extent here. Though it either doesn't bother me as much as it use to, or its a bit more rounded and balanced than other examples. Either way, its not my perfect style, but still enjoyable and recommended if at the brewery...especially for the loud niche fan base for the style that I know is out there. Even if its not my personal go to style, its still really well made that I can enjoy. So don't pay TO much attention to my overall score.

Which is 3.86, and is a very sold B+ and if you are a real fan of the style, I can that being easily upped.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50448/794310/?ba=champ103#lists

Another note on Baileson, they are always just solid. Everything is well done, if not in the upper tier, but thats OK, I would rather just drink something solid over a lot of the poorer breweries around town. And...thats all the new beers for me this weekend...at least I got one in ha.

 

Hi all, my first "New Beer Weekend" post. This was, for me, a good way to start this experience...

 

what did you like about it? It’s been a long while since Anderson Valley has been around NJ.

 

After cutting down two trees and moving them to the back of the property, I thought I should have a beer.
Picked this one up because it stared at me every time I went past the international section at Total Wine. After all, dortmunder beer is usually a little more robust than the regular.
And it is. But for a Maibock that might not be the best thing.

The pour is yellow amber with a very tall white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left little lacing.
The taste is rather one dimensional; but that is probably my ability to taste the subtle things others can taste.
Lots of bready malts, a tiny amount of hops, but mostly malts.
The feel is heavier than I expected, but I guess with all the malts obviously present, kinda makes sense.
OA, happy to have tried this but probably won’t buy it often.
Definitely will be back for another; I have one last new to me barleywine.
Cheers!

 

Good to see that one is still around

 

Double Pixel Daydream
Phase Three/ OH collab

A gift from @Danmullens1 , Big Gracias!


Reviewed by TCgenny from New York

3.43/5 rDev -14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
One month old can popped today: pours a yellow murk with 2 inch fluffy head that reduced sudsy on the glass quickly. Aroma is herbal, feigns white grape,. Taste is interesting: not quite like limey or grapefruit, it’s there but sedated. I’m getting earthy feels, even some wood. Mild funk, really combo of very mild lime aid, earthy herbal , and sedate smacky tacky. It’s a strange woody bitter kick at the end that confuses me. Medium feel. It’s aaaight

 

Poured out nice and thick, had a great golden look in the pint glass, and it was lightly hopped - I'm am not an IPA guy, but this I enjoyed...

 

Bad can, perhaps . I’ve actually seen similar reviews, but really enjoyed that one. It doesn’t have to be good to be a classic lol. Peace, Tom!

 

You’re right,
I’ve search the world over
For the Holy Grail
I sing songs of love
I sing songs of betrayal
Don't care what I drink
I don't care what I eat
I climbed the mountain of swords on my bare feet

humbly yours

 

Sorry I haven't caught up with the thread yet. Had a plan for New Beer Sunday #1101 to visit the second closing brewery, but just too disgusted after the White Sox game/sweep, so staying home with a nice and easy light offering like yesterday, and rating with food delivery on the way. I will visit Illuminated for a April weekend visit, and can return if I find good beer (which I didn't my first two attempts shortly after they opened).

My selection today is a collaboration offering from two outstanding breweries, so high expectations. Full review linked below.

Brasserie de la Senne & Brasserie Cantillon Bière de Coupage Quintessence Blend (2025)

4.31/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25



This is a very good blend, lemon and citrus with a down the middle funk and tartness, Brett, and more malt (caramel) than I expected. It all worked very well and despite being $10, would definitely pick up another down the road for an occasional splurge.

Will catch up this evening or early morning. Hope everyone enjoyed their beers this weekend. I am grateful for my outing and above average to very good selections!

 

A quiet Sunday here, as expected I didn't get to another new one today. Appreciate the posts from today and I look forward to starting us off next weekend, see you Friday with a fine old beverage around 7 PM Eastern Time.

Have a great week everyone!

 

Phase Three GrayLax

‘back at it with another @Danmullens1 midwestern illy brews, thanks my dude!

Reviewed by TCgenny from New York

4.1/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Canned 2/10 cracked today 3/29 pours glug glug golden yellow murk with a jacked head, could have been my sloppy second pours… status settled into a honeycomb pattern on my forsythia flowers style vase/ glass. Aroma is soft melon, strawberry , and oddly enough mild spring flowers, and a whiff of undercover alcohol underneath the petals. Taste is soft pink grapefruit, passion fruit , very user friendly: no bittery kick at all. Smooth, medium, smoothly smooth as we get down to it.
It’s very good, deceptive at 7.8 abv.
Thanks Dannyboy!