New Beer Weekend #38

You really should try to enjoy this hobby more....

 

So I've been eying up this bottle of barleywine ever since I received it from @Roguer in NBS BIF #12 a few months ago. Andrew was ridiculously generous to share this beer with me, and holy crap it didn't disappoint. I lack the words to describe how much I like this beer. I almost always come under rDev, and very, very rarely end up rating a beer above ~4.4. This is an exception. This is Sacred Ceremonies, from Cigar City. It was for El Catador members and is from their 12th year.

4.7/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Nice, dark brown with a faint reddish tinge on the pour. Not much head, but overall, still a nice looking beer. Aroma is amazing. Molasses, oak, faint chocolate, and very rich. It smells absolutely amazing, and I only wish I could better describe it. Taste is equally fantastic. The booze is there, as is the cognac, but intertwined with caramel, toffee, chocolate, and while I don't think it's used in the brewing of this beer, vanilla. It's sweet without being cloyingly sweet. Beautifully long finish. Full bodied, smooth and oh so drinkable. This is one of the best beers I've had in quite some time.

 

First thanks to Jack for the brilliant opening, that bohemian lager looks beautiful and I am sure I´d enjoy drinking it by the gallons!

Today I am reviewing a special beer from Brasserie Rochefort, which is no less than Rochefort Triple Extra, the first blonde beer this brewery has ever made available to the public as far as I know. Apparently they were already brewing a strong blonde in the 20´s (well before 6, 8 and 10 showed up), but I guess none of us were around and this still seems like a "brave" and significant move from such a renowned brewery, with also one of the smallest line-ups I can think of.

For starters I am pretty much loving the not so small decision of going "full purple".



I didn´t notice there is quite a lot of yeast in suspension in the bottle until it was opened, so I ´ll wait a couple of minutes and just pour it no matter the consequences. I have even enjoyed feasting on Rochefort yeast without decanting in the past (sacrilege!), and really can´t wait for much longer.



The nose starts with a grassy/metallic hop on front, then red apple and subtle pear, maybe young stone fruit, and then some spice growing up from there with some nice flowery notes rounding it all with a moderate sweetness, the slightly toasted bready malts playing solidly in the background. It gets better and more balanced as it settles, the spice and grain coming on front as you shake the glass. Hard to compare it against other great tripels this soon (which might be actually the point), but the beer is deep, balanced and complex enough to win some initial respect.



First landing in the mouth is pretty great. Decent hops, a subtle floral sweetness and a silky feel reminding clean cold sheets in the winter. I am beginning to forget about comparisons, and just carry on enjoying the beer on its own.



Tripels are both dangerously drinkable beers and tasting sippers, and I use to “give them a slow walk” around the mouth a couple of times to extract any essence from them, as you´d do with quality wines and liquours. This one behaves nicely in that front, while maybe not reaching the impossibly sweet and rounded climax of the Westmalle by the last bit.

I hate a little how all the tripels go somehow flat by the end and lose that first lovely bite along with the perfumed gardens, but you can always focus on the aforementioned sweet ending of the sip, as the aromas remain.

Overall this is definitely a great beer and possibly better than my review shows; I am still getting a lot from the nose as I write (lemon peel comes in) and a whole load of fruits in the taste by the end of the bottle. But this need a deeper, more relaxed tasting, not to mention a few bottles. As always.

My favorite tripels on first thoughts are (possibly in that order, and for different reasons);

-Westmalle
-Chimay

-Gouden Carolous

-Karmeliet

After first impressions I think Rochefort might be fighting for that 3rd spot already, even as a rookie. But this is all conjectures at this point, as this is a pretty huge little battle.

 

Just edited. Sat back down to drink it and had that "oh crap, I didn't name the beer" moment!

 

LOL! I am definitely an all-in beer nerd.

Speaking of all-in, how about a Gruit Ale? This is courtesy of a ninja box from our beer nerd friend @Victory_Sabre1973. This is my first gruit, so I’m pumped. Let’s do this.





4.19/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a beautiful iced tea brown, nearly clear, with a light tan head. The can references clove and juniper berry, and both are present on the nose, and there’s a little caramel as well.

Per the style guide here on BA, gruits have no hops, and that is very apparent on the taste - there’s the caramel flavor, but it’s very subtle. The star of this show is the juniper berry/clove combo pack, which is delicious.

This would be a perfect beer to enjoy around a fire on a cool fall evening.

 

I'm finally trying the Voodoo Ranger from New Belgium in honor of @scream, who passed away recently. There is an on-going memoriam for him on WBAYDN.

New Belgium Brewing Voodoo Ranger IPA
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 50


Clear, light gold, good carbonation. 1 inch thick and creamy white head with excellent retention and thick lacing.

Aroma brings the grapefruit and pineapple. Some grassy malts.

Taste mirrors the aroma, but with the addition of some pininess in the background. A nice level of bittering in the middle carrying on to the finish, but not to the intensity of some of the WC substyle. The finish is semi-dry, with a nicely bitter aftertaste. Very well balanced with a solid maltiness.

Mouth feel is moderate, appropriate for the style, with a bit of coating.

Overall, a good American IPA. If I was to break it down further into substyles, I'd say Midwest style with a bit of an overlap with West Coast.

L: 4.0 | S: 3.75 | T: 3.75 | F: 3.75 | O: 3.75 | Rating: 3.77

 

Several of you were generous enough to send along some Barleywines for our upcoming annual share, and I'm doing a bit of QA testing right now. Holla @ovaltine for this Straight Jacket from Revolution. This is the base version, and it's fantastic. @FBarber sent along some variants, and I'm certain they'll be the belle of the ball, but, for a straightup, in yo face example of the style, get this one!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22072/72933/?ba=BBThunderbolt#review

 

Here's a new offering from the boys of Tunbridge, VT,
brewed and canned up the hill at von Trapp Brewing.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/46275/543427/



16 oz. can.
Canned 04/02/21.
Brewed and Canned by UPB at von Trapp Brewing in my hometown of Stowe, VT.

Moderate pour yields a one (+) inch white head over a very hazy, golden body with sticky lacing. Nose of citrus (orange, grapefruit), slight tropical fruit (papaya, mango), and a bit of berry. Taste mirrors nose very closely with berry and grape near the finish. At the very finish there is a slight citrus pith bitterness. Very interesting and quite refreshing. Nice feel and overall, a pretty unique offering and would recommend.
Cheers!

 

This one courtesy of @Mbgreg during his initial strike in BIF 13.
Poured a hazy orange-yellow with soft white head topping the fill.
The aroma was definitely citra forward but the other hops let themselves be known to.
The taste was pleasantly complex, not 1 dimensional at all. All three hops came out to play. Citra leads the way but is followed by an almost savory flavor, very mouth filling.
The feel was spot on for the style, not to thin, not too thick.
Beers with 8% ABV should not be this easy to drink. Really tasty beer, thank you Mark!

 

Crazy busy but fun week, our littlest one turned two this week and I’ve been on spring break running daddy day care. It has been fun but exhausting now time for a new beer, in keeping with last weeks tradition a local lager.

Cape May brewing - boat ramp champ

edit: added their disclaimer cause it gave me a laugh

Disclaimer: This brew is best enjoyed AFTER a day of boating, fishing, on the water. Please do not consume while operating a motorized sea vessel.




Pours a light straw color and it is relatively clear with a slight haze. Mostly chill haze because it did clear up more, not to the point of crystal clear but damn close. The head didn’t last too long but settle to a thin layer of creamy off white.

Aroma to me at first was lightly floral but to better describe it...A very pleasant aroma, all the fresh air smells you get when the weather warms and all the green starts coming back to life.

Taste is hard for me on this one because it’s such a subtle beer, in a good way. All the flavors meld together and it’s just so light and easy drinking but I’ll try. I still get that floralness just more subtle now and it warms there is some subtle sweet to it. It doesn’t taste like white grapes, but it reminds me of them. That refreshing subtle sweetness they have.

Mouthfeel is crisp, dry, and super clean, it really hits all the spots. It also has a very subtle bitterness.

Very happy to have tried this beer a very well made lager in my opinion. If you’re local or can get this beer I suggest giving it a try.

 

OMG! Awesome name and label! Too many breweries are too serious, goofy, metal, "creative", cartoonish, juvenile, just unrelateable in their names and labels. This great. Good job!

 

Another BW? Why not? Thanks to @FBarber for this Belligerent Bob from Spiteful. Solid version of the style.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30454/208633/

 

Just say no! Danger - avoid!

 

Last one, this is from a ninja box from @larryi86. I would wage a lotta money I’m the only beer nerd on BA that had a NEDIPA, a gruit, and a bitter today!



4.17/5 rDev +10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a beautiful brown color with a tan head. Bready malts and toffee on the nose, as well as a bit of stone fruit.

The toffee and bready malt flavors are most prominent on the taste as expected, but the stone fruit flavor is a nice complement for balance. This is a really nice example of the style, IMHO.

 

I had no idea who the “qualified captain” was but no I do, here’s the whole blog post if you’re interested or need something to read, cheers.

https://www.capemaybrewery.com/blog...nEAo0ash6G7lURDjNdZaf8X81JDtdq0jPS7f8-kpInwL4

 

Still taking it easy for now... Fox Farm Tiddly Dark Mild (Nitro), a LIF treat courtesy of @Roy_Hobbs from NBS 13


A: An aggressive center pour out of the can reveals a cola brown ale with clear mahogany edges. Initially the head is a finger of creamy tan foam, then quickly recedes to a lasting ring.
A: Nose gives toasted malt, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, brown bread, light roast coffee.
T: Taste follows the aroma exactly plus more nuts and some pleasant sweetness.
M: Nitro didn’t seem to affect the head so much (al a some of the Guinness cans out there) but it really shows up in the silky texture. Long malty cocoa finish
O: Not a style I see very often - which is too bad - this is really tasty. Nicely balanced interesting flavors, great complexity for a 3.8% package. Perfect pub beer, you could literally drink this all day. Another delicious, superbly well-made lager from Fox Farm