New Beer Weekend #299

Your review of this beer confirms that the legendary Resin has indeed changed, at least since the times I drank it regularly in 2012 and 2013.

 

Ok, now trying what I came in for. This was highly recommended by @GuyFawkes , who has a great judgement and accurate takes on all beers, but especially the Deep Woods offerings including their various variants.

Revolution Brewing Mindshaft Money Barrel

4.72/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75



Full review linked above. This is quite excellent, perhaps my top beer to date in 2026. So happy Charlie steered me in this direction, and I was able to try it (they just popped a new sixtel) while it was still available. Highly recommend following @GuyFawkes for his recommendations, especially for all the excellent Revolution variant offerings available after every release. Going home after I finish with food and White Sox baseball, if I can stay awake.

 

I am now inclined to review here when I do enjoy something new. But I do have to ask you a question.

Will you be ready for LEGENDARY reviews?

 

I went to center city briefly today but I did not see this at the place I went to but I will search for this in other places when I get back to the beer promised land!

 

Toppling Goliath Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout (KBBS) Imperial Pastry Stout, 12% ABV. Pours thick and black with a ring of medium-brown bubbles that left an oily sheen. Aroma is extremely strong maple syrup and coffee, plus chocolate and bourbon. Taste is maple, faint bourbon, coffee, and char. Outstanding thick and smooth mouthfeel, light carbonation, leaves sticky lips. Overall world-class. Slayed a whale, and it was worth the hunt.

5/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My first 5.0 rated beer, though I might rethink that in the future. I considered punishing it for no head, but it did leave an oily sheen, which really turns me on.

 

Good Saturday afternoon, New Beer Weekenders. I want to share a beer experience from earlier today. Esker Hart Artisan Ales, located in High Bridge (Hunterdon County), New Jersey, is one of the state's best kept secrets. I've never had a beer there that wasn't well-above average. One of the offerings today is Forest Edge 2, a "Viennawine." I hadn't heard of this style before. Essentially, it is an English Barleywine brewed with Vienna malts which give it a different backbone. It's an extraordinary ale.

It pours a dark mahogany with a thin ecru-colored head that dissipated rapidly leaving a thin ring. The nose is terrific with notes of brown sugar, toffee, raisin, and whiffs of leather and tobacco. Its taste is fabulous. It opens very sweet with lots of brown sugar, toffee, and Graham Cracker. The Vienna malts provide a different background from an English Barleywine. It is almost like eating high-end candy. As it warms there is greater fruit presence, including raisin and date, as well as cigar. As it warms the taste evolves and and the depth of flavor is impressive. The mouth feel is viscous and syrupy with a low level of carbonation. The 13.3% ABV is noticeable and warming but not distracting. It should be sipped slowly and savored. Overall, Forest Edge 2 is truly a unique brew. It doesn't taste like a typical English Barleywine. It is a perfect dessert beverage. I understand that Esker Hart is aging some of it in barrels, which should be amazing. I award style points for the brewery's dedication of its resources to brew it.

4.62/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Cheers!

 

Xxx

Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy + El Dorado Hops

4.26/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Purchased cold at a store yesterday and kept cold until served. Poured from a 16oz can dated 02/26/26 to a pretentious tulip-like glass. Paired with gorgonzola and Wheat Thins.
A very white head sits at about 1in/25mm and has great retention. Lacing is three dimensional with forms 0.04in/1mm proud. The golden body is opaque and approximately SRM 8 or 9. Very pretty.
The smell is heavy duty pineapple soon after the pour. I can’t remember a beer with such a strong pineapple aroma. As the session continues I pick up sweet citrus and some pine.
The taste is more resin than pineapple, but the Hawaiian fruit and citrus do show through. Alcohol is not hidden.
The light mouthfeel is sticky on the lips, coating on the pallet. Carbonation is appropriate.
A great smelling and tasting beer. I probably would have rated it slightly higher if the alcohol wasn’t so in your face.

 

Hope to see you each weekend @Giovannilucano, time to put your money where your mouth is

 

Nice to read another review of this one following @champ103 ’s review last weekend. I’m still on the lookout for this one when it makes its rounds.

 

Giovanni,

Von Trapp has an online beer finder. The brand is CS Jack's Abby.

https://www.vontrappbrewing.com/where-to-find-us.htm

Cheers!

Jack

 

3.37/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Look: pours a cloudy gold with a big white cream head. No lacing.

Smell: orange, lime, citrus peel, musty

Taste: lemon peel, orange, lime, grainy, pepper, bready

Feel: med body, average carbo, dry

Overall: 5.3% abv on the can. Starts with a nice whiff of citrus from the can but smells pretty musty in the glass. Although there was a very nice head, I got no lacing. Flavors meld together very well with the grainy, peppery notes playing well off the citrus. This brew is okay and I would drink it again, but I would not seek it out. Pairs well with Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams. I'm giving the edge to the tune by a wide margin. Cheers!

 

I cannot do each weekend for health, but I will enjoy using my brewing industry skills and keep them brushed up!

 

@JackHorzempa looks like this is the next collaboration…this one I will be trying whenever the time comes:

 

And as I thought, there is a place I can go get it the next time!

 

Hello all. I’ve been absent a few weeks. Really busy around these parts of late. Both good and bad busy. I hope to have a new beer to review tonight while I watch the Habs try to get a step closer to the division crown. I’m presently at my favourite local brewery having a Hladinka pour of Canada’s best beer, Godspeed’s Sklepník from pitch lined barrels. It is not new to me so no review here, but a little photo for your enjoyment. Hope to come back later. Cheers!

 

I will join you this post season in changing go habs go!!!

Hopefully the flyers can also stay in a playoff spot, it’s been a while since they’ve made it into them.

Should also be fun to see Buffalo back in after such a long absence.

 

I had all intentions of saying why I bought this beer etc... Got distracted. Got bit by the BA edit time limit. Left my place holder "x" though. Has this ever happened to you?