New Beer Weekend #32

Reading that, you can see exactly where I stopped talking into my phone and started typing instead.

 

Yes, I've noticed (decline in posts in this thread). I noticed it around the holidays, but figured, "It's the holidays." I don't think that's it now, and I'm not sure what the cause is.

I have noticed that the "online tasting" threads have done really well (the barleywine thread was a hoot), so maybe there's something in that format we can utilize to help this excellent thread gain some momentum.

 

Well, up next is one, even though I don't have an official "want" list, this is something I've wanted to try for a while now. This is from a beer trade.


Maple Bacon Coffee Porter - Funky Buddha Brewing - 6.4% ABV

This beer is worth the hype in my book. I love this.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31805/62761/

4.46/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown. 1 finger tan head. Head retention is very good. No lacing on the glass.
The nose hit me hard. Some smoke, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla.
Taste - Vanilla hits me hard up front, that mellows out on the back with the caramel, chocolate, and smoke flavor. There's also a hint of coffee here.
Smooth, creamy, full bodied.
Damn! This is worth the hype!

 

I too have noticed that this thread seems less well-traveled in recent months. Maybe it's just personal bias, and I haven't verified what I'm about to claim, but I always liked when it was just NBS, not a whole weekend, and I think the amount of posts may reflect that for others. I still keep my posts to Sunday (even if that means I stayed up late on Saturday night and am sneaking one in after the clock strikes midnight, mind you). Regardless, I still always try to line at least one beer up for this day to share with you all.

 

Call me Ishmael, I bagged me a great whale that I had been hunting for quite some time

Abrasive by Surly

4.5/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Canned 11.10.20, opened 2.28.21 poured into a willi becher glass



Translucent deep amber liquid with numerous streams of micro carbonation , three finger off white crackling big bubble foamed cap , good retention, settles to a solid layer after five minutes with good lacings

Aroma is orange citrus , grapefruit, tangerine, hint of floral, hint of pine

Taste is hop forward with grapefruit, pine, resin

Mouthfeel is a smooth , low sudsing firm yet smooth bitter bite that nicely lingers on the tongue

Good beer

 

Good afternoon, NBW/NBSers, from the snowy morning & now sunny afternoon Upper Midwest.

I was shopping (on-line, of course) for the upcoming porter on-line tasting, and came across this one. I've never had this one, and with a BA-rating of 3.22 / UT rating of 3.38, how could I pass it up?

Of course, I'm thinking, I should add at least 0.5 to both of those to compensate for the anti-AB-Inbev knee-jerk bias... Well, we'll see...

Boddingtons Pub Ale - English Pale Ale
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: NA

The rattle lets you know that this is a nitrogenated beer, going for the simulated cask feel. (Or, as AB-Inbev calls it, the DRAUGHTFLOW® SYSTEM).

Appearance is crystal clear golden amber with an almost still appearance (very sparse tiny bubbles once the nitro settles) beneath a typical nitro head - dense, white, thick and very, very long-lasting. It leaves peaked lacking behind after you tip to drink.

Aroma is subdued, faint even, but has elements of biscuit, sweetness (honey), and fruit.

Taste, like the aroma, is subdued, but has the expected flavors of an English pale ale. Biscuit, grassy, ripe fruit, honey, perhaps a touch of caramel. It takes some concentration (and perhaps imagination) to parse all those flavors out. But, it is surprisingly enjoyable as your basic English beer. There is a mild bittering that starts in the middle and carries through to the aftertaste. The aftertaste bitterness does tend to grow a bit as you drink, but it remains smooth and mild.

Feel is thin and smooth, which is, I suppose what they were going for with the nitro (sorry, DRAUGHTFLOW® SYSTEM). It does a passable imitation of the cask feel in that it is smooth and not carbonated without feeling flat. Quite similar to Guinness from a can, in fact.

Overall, a beer to enjoy when you just want something that is not too challenging and is just pleasant. It could use a bit more complexity, though, if you were going to make an evening of these.

L: 3.75 | S: 3.25 | T: 3.5 | F: 3.25 | O: 3.25 | Rating: 3.38

 

Agreed. We have had some new entries so thats cool. And it could be because its winter but that hasnt slowed it before. Just for shits and giggles I would like to see the numbers before and after NBS was morphed into NBW. Was there in increase in participation overall? I would think so. And hope so.

 

I concur with the other posters who have stated the New Beer Sunday threads were considered more special, between the frequency / anticipation and traditional hosts.

I wasn’t aware of the history when I created a thread like a WBAYDN for one of my first NBS posts. The host I displaced the week was more than gracious. After learning the history, I gained an appreciation about this thread and long-standing curation and participation by great members.

I dropped out of participating in this the thread for a few weeks after the “crackdown” last March, between banning videos and allowing anyone to kick it off. Not sure if a substantial number of previous participants were also turned off after many reviews including mine were deleted without warning that Sunday. I believe the transition to weekend occurred shortly thereafter, perhaps a reaction to a significant drop off in participation. Not sure if there were also changes to BIF, it seems to me many participants in NBW come from those threads.

I enjoy participating and reading everyone’s reviews. I continue to honor NBS by noting the NBS week number (835 this week!). I hope anyone who felt displaced or had issues with the transitions last year feel comfortable to return if they so choose. I believe we do a good job at welcoming new participants.

 

To keep this NBW hit parade going. This was sent to me by another former member here @Snrubnivek


Owl Theory - Czech Dark Lager - Fieldwork Brewing - 6% ABV

Holy cow! There's a lot going on here. This is amazing, and so happy he ninja hit me. He won't see this, but there will be a return hit.

Review
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38745/458190/:


3.98/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown. 2 finger tan head. The head retention is very good. There's some good lacing on the glass.
The nose is minimal. There's a hint of the malts here with a slight bread sweetness.
Taste - Wow. There's a lot more than the nose let on. Of course, it's a very malty beer. However, I also get a faint smoke flavor. I get some caramel on the back. I even get a creamy flavor here.
Smooth body. Creamy in a way, though there's no lactose here.
This is a very delicious beer. I am happy to have tried it.

 

Well said. My thoughts as well.

 

My entry for day #2 is from Half Acre, which suddenly has distro in my neck of the nape.

That development may require an addition to my garage to hold another beer fridge.





4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a hazy golden straw color with a clingy, dense egg-shell white head, what sticks out on the nose is the density of the tropical citrus aromas - there’s a plethora of ripe oranges, pithy grapefruit, and (surprisingly) lemons, packed wall to wall.

The taste is juicy citrus in triplicate, with the orange, grapefruit, and especially the lemon shining concurrently and maintaining a balance that is admirable in a beer this light (5.5% ABV) - how do they pack so much into a sessionable beer without sacrificing the mouthfeel?

Which Half Acre doesn’t do - the mouthfeel is medium, a bit on the softer side, which aligns with the style, yet exceeds what is typically seen in the sessionable space, a credit to Half Acre’s prowess as a brewery.

 

I always like to see a review of my lowest rated beer on BA.

I will openly admit I only rated it, and I'd likely rate it higher now, but as I recall (from 7+ years ago, mind you), I thought is was a watery mess. Your review here might have pushed me over the "time to re-review" edge.

 

Cheers to my first weekend after my first week back at work since the 7th of January.
Here's a new one from Northfield, VT.:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43995/536853/



16 oz. can.
Canned 02/09/21.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a hefty one inch off white head with nice sticky lacing. Nose of citrus with a slight floral characteristic. Taste of citrus and a bit of tropical fruit with a finish of citrus pith. Nice feel and overall, a great DIPA from down in Northfield, VT. I highly recommended this smooth and tasty offering.
Cheers to Scott and the crew for a job well done!

 

Might as well continue with a beer from my local - Pantown Brewing.

RMWP Neapolitan - Cream Ale - 5.3% ABV.

I sure as heck wasn't expecting this, but am so happy with it. I was expecting a dark pour, and a chocolate nose. Very cherry aroma,. and very delicious!
Oh, and I had to add it to the system. Not surprising, because most of their beers are added by me. It might have been more if not for the BS from the past year.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/54849/536863/

4.36/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I was surprised with the pour. It pours a nice red color. Fairly clear. 1 1/2 finger red/white head. There's some nice lacing on the glass.
The aroma also surprised me - deep cherry aroma. A hint of vanilla also. off the charts.
Taste - cherry, is the main flavor I'm getting here. Some chocolate. Some vanilla. Some cream flavor, though I don't know if there's lactose here.
The body is good. Smooth body.
This is tasty. Pantown does create amazing fruit beers, and this isn't a Dream beer, but damn amazing.

 

All true and my original comment was not meant to be derogatory. I was thinking as a complete package and not just based on today. Im not proclaiming either platform is the right way just making an observation. Intially many people had doubts on whether making NBS into NBW was the best idea. I wasnt one to give an opinion either way but was more on the side of lets give it a try- since we dont have a choice anyway. And I think thats the thing that should have been different if anything- lets get a feel for what the NB community thinks before we make a decision. All that said NBS will always hold a special place for me because it made me put alot of effort into finding, rating and taking beautiful pics of a new beer. Cheers!

 

NBS 800, 801, and 802 went 3 pages. NBS 803 and 804 went 4 pages before the change to NBW. I checked back to NBS 790 and 3 or 4 pages was the norm.

I think a “thematic” approach may be an option to rebuild interest, and having set hosts to establish the direction may help. JMHO.

 

Knocking down a 22 of Reubens Three Ryes Men Barleywine (2020). It's very nice, but, the Rye isn't bright enough, it's a bit too syrupy, and there's too much of an alcohol burn. If I find a couple more bottles, I will set them aside, as I think some time will do well by this brew.