New Beer Weekend #64

Graciously sent to me in NBS BIF #14 - Thank you @ovaltine !
This has all the makings of an excellent NE IPA in all their hazy glory.
The look is very nice, raw honey golden and opaqueness. Beautiful white head caps the beer.
The aroma is very nice as well, the citrus and hops and almost literal "juiciness" are in there.
The taste, likewise, very good. The citrus leads and the hops swirl in to keep things from tending too sweet or malty, but the finish throws me a bit.
The feel - not a huge fan of the dryness (Is this caused by the DDH?) and while it does have the affect of making you want to drink again, it does so until the end when there is none left!
OA, really appreciated being able to try this apparently rare bird. If you like that dryness at the swallow, then this should be perfect for you. If you can find it!

Cheers all!

 

Glimmen by Schilling. - a smoked helles

4.27/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25



Pint can poured into a tall , narrow stemmed Schilling flute glass

Brewers notes: Deep golden in color with a white frothy head, this lightly smoked lager expresses aromas of cherrywood and light mesquite with a gently spicy and floral hop character. The body is malty and full, and the finish is dry.


Golden clear liquid with several micro carbonation streams, three finger fluffy off white foam cap , thick puffy clouds, sticky lacings , settles to a puffy island

Aroma is bready, biscuity, gentle smokiness

taste is interesting , a light helles but with a smokiness on the finish . Not as smoky as a full up Rauchbier. Gentle hop spiciness, biscuity

Clean, light, smoky , low sudsing,

Really interesting, would be good with seafood, fresh fish, smoked oysters, shrimp, smoked fish

Good beer

 

A lighter beer than the last comp

 

I vote for adjunct saison

 

Beautiful beee and photo, and sounds delicious. Awesome.

 

That first beer from @Victory_Sabre1973 this morning went down amazingly well. My first porter or stout in months and I was quickly reminded of why I love both of those styles so much. I was tempted to go to something similar, but instead landed on something that felt like a good bridge to what will likely be an IPA this afternoon. For beer # 2 for today I chose this can of Better Year Bitter from Bull & Bear, courtesy of @MacMalt.

Surprised I was so far under rDev on this, as I really, really like this beer. Need more classic styles like this in my life.

3.86/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium copper in color with an inch of medium density, khaki colored head that slowly receded to a nice ring, leaving behind decent lacing. Clear on the pour, then semi-translucent in the glass. Aroma has some faint fruitiness, but is generally muted overall. Taste has some nice, resinous characteristics with enough bitterness to keep things interesting, without completely overpowering. The malts are a little more subdued than what I would consider ideal, but the ingredients do all seem to work well together. Fairly light bodied with low carbonation. Easy drinking and very enjoyable.

 

Good afternoon NBW
It's 87 degrees here and I'm done working outside. I grabbed this monster single yesteday while hitting all my normal spots in search of fresh hop beers (which aren't here yet)...

Dos Equis Lager Especial Lime & Salt

24oz can BBD JUNE 2022 poured into an oversized mug at fridge temp 4.2% ABV per can. The beer pours bright light straw yellow with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and splotchy cap. No lacing. The aroma is mild with vague citrus, salinity and corn. The taste is lime forward with a bit of salt before any of the light malt makes it's way to the tongue. Negligible bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin with the salt added to the feel. Carbonation is above average and the finish is mostly dry. No off flavors or flaws that I can detect through the lime & salt. Overall, good AAL.

This beer is currently listed as an American Lager. I went to the brewer's website and found an honest list of ingredients with corn starch being listed second. I requested a style change to AAL but it did not happen. In my mind, the defining difference between these two styles is the presence of an adjunct such as corn or rice. Oddly, I have requested the same style change multiple times over the years, always with a statement from the brewer and only about half of them were changed. I could have sworn the BA American Lager style description used to state all malt, but it doesn’t now. Am I missing something?

Cheers all!

 

Flight of four beers at Interboro. I didn't remember having Premiere before, so only three of them are new to me. My friends are on their ways to their homes, and I'm on my own...which means paying attention to beer more than people. I'll probably hit Grimm next but not sure I'll do a flight.

Far left:
Yankee and the Brave, a collaboration NEIPA with Run the Jewels. It's my favorite of the four.

Pours a very murky orange-amber color with a small head and little lacing. Smell is super juicy and orange-y.

Taste is along the same lines, with a little bit of a lean toward pith and a moderate peel bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel is medium but leaning toward thin. Overall, this is a very nice IPA.

Second from left:
Alpenglow, collaboration DIPA with Burial. My least favorite of the four.

Pours a hazy dark yellow with a smallish head and thick, even, creamy lacing. Small amount of active carbonation. Smell is very mild, not getting much at all. If I work at it I get a little orange.

Taste is surprisingly boozy. Kind of dark, overripe tropical fruit. Fairly nondescript.

Mouthfeel is medium but very still. Overall, it's not bad, but I'm glad I got a sample and didn't double down. There are better beers here.

Far right:
Mad Fat 5th, a TIPA clocking in at 10%.

Pours a creamy/hazy amber with a small, very fine, very creamy head. Smell is somewhat boozy, somewhat citrus. Actually, very boozy.

Taste is actually quite juicy, lots of orange juice and some tropical stuff, too. But also very, very boozy.

Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and smooth. Overall, this is a good beer, though five ounces seems like a pretty good serving size.

 

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass canned on 8/11/21. Pours a beautiful dark orange with a 2 plus finger sticky off white head that leaves big sticky streaks of lace with amazing retention. 4.5

Aroma is pungent grapefruit, apricot, caramel, pine, papaya, and dank weed. 4

Taste follows but in reverse order, caramel, papaya, herb, apricot, pine, and grapefruit in the lingering finish. 4

Mouthfeel is big, plenty of carbonation, a tad dry, and at 12.5% it goes down easy enough, but loaded with flavor but for me it drinks like a big American Barleywine, not a bad thing either. 4 Cheers all.

 

Today is a new beer to me.

Hofbrau – Oktoberfestbier

6.3% ABV

The beer is listed as an Oktoberfest festbier on the label – and listed as “Lager – Festbier / weisnbier” on BA. I have no earthly idea what a weisnbier is.

The beer was removed from a 40ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 2 weeks. Beer poured into a classic Hofbrau dimpled stein. Consumed over a 40ish minute period while eating a brat with german mustard and barrel kraut.

First Impression: Quite beautiful; pours a wonderful hay/straw golden yellow with a nice head. 4.35

Appearance: Beer is quite clear, but perhaps not as clear as one might hope or expect. Maybe that expectation is unrealistic, but my feelings for a festbier are similar to (approaching) those for a pilsner with it being quite clear. Beautiful color, although perhaps a shade darker than expected. 4.6

Smell: As is always the case for me with Oktoberfest beers, this one isn’t particularly fragrant. I get a very light bready nose, and then something I can’t quite identify. It’s a little sweet. Again (see taste below), I get some Belgian esters that no one else seems to get. 4.0

Taste: Much to my surprise, this is actually quite nice for a festbier. I’m normally not one for festbiers, as I traditionally find them quite pale – and more pale than I prefer. There’s almost no discernable hop presence. I’d argue this is almost like a cross between a marzen and a festbier, but I’m no expert. I still get some of the Belgian esters that others don’t get (specifically some bubblegum and clove). Only a small amount of yeasty, bread, crust flavor – not as much as I’d prefer. 4.35

Mouthfeel: Nothing special. Mostly classic, but thicker than I’d prefer, especially for a festbier. I’d prefer if this were a bit more crisp, which I normally associate with festbiers. 3.85

Overall: Not a lot to add. This is good, but perhaps not everything I would look for in a festbier. Truth be told, I purchased this by accident, since I usually enjoy marzens more than festbiers due to the hop presence. By that metric, I should like this, but it’s just not hitting the spot (both for me personally and for what I think this beer should be). It is going quite well with the brat and kraut, however. 4.0

BA Review Score: 4.161

My review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4686/2011/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

Cross-posted with WBAYDN

 

Decided to go for a pint of Carry the Zero, a west coast IPA, at Interboro before moving on to Grimm.

Well, it's supposed to be a pint, but looks too small. Still on tap at the brewery.

Pours clear dark golden with a big creamy head. Collapses slowly to a very thick meniscus with steep sides. So far so good. Smell is...mild and hard to recognize. Smells vaguely earthy and vaguely bitter. Not nailing it.

Taste is kind of grainy and kind of bitter, also kind of earthy. Also kind of watery.

Mouthfeel is tending a little toward thin, but has a nice dry finish. Overall...I would not say they succeeded overmuch with this beer. It's not terrible, but it's not was I was hoping for.

 

I’ve enjoyed your Interboro musings. They’re not my favorite Brooklyn brewer, but I love the taproom vibe and food. I’ve had great conversations with several bartenders there. Looking forward to your thoughts on Grimm, which is one of my favorite Brooklyn brewers. And another stellar taproom, too. If they have Lambo Door, get a full pour, for sure.

 

Hey NBSers
I haven't posted a new one in a while. This one is from a brewery I visited on Super Bowl weekend a couple of years back
Chains from J Wakefield Brewing Miami. Fla. inspired by Dyme Lyfe Clothing's turnover chain the Miami Hurricanes made popular,


Its their take on a NE IPA 7% abv

Pours cloudy orange, bright looking and a thick white head that reduces to a full cap and medium soapy lacing
aroma is citrus as its poured and a little dank pineapple
Taste is bitter citrus and muted tropical notes, slightly sour.
mouthfeel is prickly, medium carbonation and finished dry bitter and slightly astringent
overall despite it being predominantly bitter and astringent it's fairly easy drinking and tasty. It's not heavy for a thick looking beer and pretty refreshing.

4.25/ 4.25/ 4/ 4.25/ 4.25 4.15 rDev 0.7%

 

I've been AWOL from NBW for most of the last two weekends. Life does intervene from time to time, so I have some catching up to do.

Thanks for kicking thigs off today, @Shanex.

I've reviewed a number of beers from today's brewer in these threads before: HammerHeart, of Lino Lakes, MN (with plans to contract / move / re-start --- we'll see what transpires).

Even though they have closed their taproom, they do continue to brew small batches for distribution.

Their focus has been Nordic smoked beers, but today I'm having a beer that is a bit outside of that niche.

Today's beer from them is a memorial to their late friend / colleague Reva.

This is printed on the can label:
"Before our dear friend Reva left this world, she made a request of our brewer, Austin: 'After I'm gone, make an imperial version of my beer and call it Cryin' in my beer edition'. So, here we have an Imperial version of Reva's IPA that she loved so much... just as she asked for. We miss you and love you Reva!"

Hammerheart Reva's Crying in my Beer Edition (Batch Four Hundred)
ABV: 10.0%
IBU: NA



Relatively strong aroma, pineapple, melon, tropical, peach.

Opaque orange / pineapple juice haze, (bright orange around dark orange center with a backlight). Dark floaties and moderate-to-weak carbonation. Short off-white head from a fairly vigorous pour with good retention, eventually becoming a ring with bubbly islands. Light strings of lacing left behind as I drink.

Smooth fruit (as aforementioned) in the initial flavor. The middle becomes sharper, slightly astringent, with a nice pineapple and melon finish. There is a bitterness that builds from the middle and remains in the aftertaste, helping to balance and control the overall sweetness of the beer. The finish is bitter-sweet, with the bitterness just enough to demand another sip.

The beer is medium-bodies with, as mentioned, a combination of smooth and slightly astringent/nicely bitter mouth presence.

Overall, a nicely done "Imperial Hazy" IPA. Not my favorite style, but well done.

L: 3.75 | S: 3.75 | T: 4.0 | F: 3.75 | O: 3.75 | Rating: 3.85

 

The Open Work from Grimm is the best new beer I have tried this year.

I hate typing on my phone.



I apologise for my handwriting.