New Beer Weekend #67

Wild couple of days this week. Lots of folks waiting for power to come back, considerable destruction of trees. Where we live, we seemed to be in a pocket that escaped the worst of it. As I made my way the 14 miles to work on Thursday, the more damage I saw. Still, damned lucky all 'round, I reckon.

Now in the glass:



Whim purchase. Proclamation Mono > Stereo, labeled as a dry hopped grisette on the can, categorized as a farmhouse ale saison here on BA. It features locally grown Pilsner malt.

Yep...pours with an enormous white rocket head that hangs forever and leaves gobs of foam on the glass. The picture is far darker in color than reality. The liquid looks like lemonade and is fairly turbid. Not a murk bomb, just hazy.

The smell is clean malt, very light almost undetectable spice, a bit of orange, Honeydew melon, and floral hops. There is a touch o' funk...

Well, it tastes pretty fine. Slight sweetness, obvious clean and crisp Pilsner malt. That little bit of orange becomes more obvious in the taste. Definitely get a melon flavor that tastes more cantaloupe to me. Very mild, slightly peppery spice and the overall hop contribution strikes me as floral and becomes more fragrant in the aroma after taking a taste. There is a bit of bitterness and just a touch of Brett-like funk.

The feel is light, slightly dry, quite crisp.

This is ticking all my boxes for a saison. A gloomy day is probably not the best occasion for sippin' on this one. I can imagine working in the fields of a summer day and having this beer accompanying my lunch. Well-made, maybe a bit tame as far as the flavor intensity, but there is no doubt what this beer is all about. Score will be influenced by liking, for sure, but it really is a nicely made brew. Right around the 3.8 to 4.0 region of the scale.

 

This beer's 1st review...

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4/544223/



12.7 ounce bottle.
Packaged June, 2021.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 3/8 inch slightly off white head over a hazy reddish copper body with scant lacing.

Nose of cherry, blackberry, slight funk, and citrus.

Taste mirrors nose fairly close, exhibiting fruit nicely with an almost perfect amount of tartness on the finish.

Excellent feel for the style.

Overall, a great new offering from Portland, ME.

Cheers!

 

It started as a pilot beer, but has become a tradition for them as sort of a trasition into "winter" beers. I have found their website to be a bit inaccurate these days as it shows Haunted House available on draft and a couple other missing updates. I had it last year and quite enjoyed it but I am not sure what to call it. It is what it is, I guess, and maybe they tinker years to year.. When I reviewed it, apparently it was a Belgian strong ale even though there is nothing Belgian that I tasted either <shrug> and I also thought it very porter-like.

 

Uerige produces a wet hop Sticke Bier. I don't know if it's only for export, but if I remember correctly, it was a crazy beer.

 

Last one, I’ve had this one in my beer fridge a year.

Let’s dance.





4.35/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a rich mahogany brown color, practically clear, with a sudsy tan head that evacuates the premises quickly. The nose is boozy, with toffee notes up front - and a smidge of cherry and orange lurking in the background. I am intrigued.

The taste has the barrel in spades, and there’s a nice, substantial toffee note, but it’s the orange peel and especially the cherry that makes this beer for me - I’ve never had an Old Fashion, and I really don’t like booze, but this flavorful cocktail-inspired beer is extraordinarily well done, IMHO. Magnificent stuff, approaching world class, again IMHO.

 

I'll probably forget about it in the garage until past the BB date (2/22)

 

Second and last beer for tonight is Brew of '62, a Barley Wine from Slack Tide Brewing in Cape May County, NJ. When I first opened the box of beers that @MacMalt sent me earlier this year, this one immediately caught my eye, and I saved it for last. Not only do I love a good Barleywine, but the name of the beer triggered some memories for me as well. My dad was a huge weather geek, and I heard him speak many times of the storm this beer refers to. If I recall correctly, he and my uncle were either at the Jersey shore that day, or went the next day. All I know is that he remembered the devastation well, and spoke of it often.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday_Storm_of_1962


3.88/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Let's start with the fact that this is a great looking bear. Color is a clear deep amber, but the highlight is the loads of dense khaki colored head with excellent retention that eventually leaves behind a persistent ring, a moderate cap, and just a bit of lacing. For a 13% ABV beer, this really looked great.

Aroma took me some time to warm up to. I was underwhelmed with the first whiff, as all I got was booze. That quickly changed as my schnoz acclimated. While the aroma certainly isn't bursting from the glass, there's a really nice caramel / brown sugar element to this that is very intriguing.

On the tongue the hops take center stage, at least initially with a bit of a piney bitterness the first thing I'm picking up. The malts are playing a bit of hide and go seek. They are there, but you have to look for them, even after fully warming up. Nice and smooth going down, with a pleasant warming that never strays over that invisible alcohol burn line.

Good after dinner beer.

 

SweetWater Almond Milk Stout, 5.4% ABV; 3.7 overall

Pours a very effervescent cola/mahogany color with 2+ fingers of caramel colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Some roastyness, vanilla
T: Mocha notes, dryness, a little woody hoppyness, Baker's chocolate as well up front. More Baker's Chocolate, dryness, some roastyness & woody hops once warm, a little chicory as well. Finishes dry with some mocha notes plus a little Chicory a whisper of vanilla

MF: Medium body, light carbonation, body thins a little once warm, carbonation picks up

Drinks alright, but I need more body from a sweet/milk stout. Glad I was able to buy it as a single

 

Chris, what is the brand name for this beer? Have you seen it for sale?

Cheers!

 

One of the last few from the @2beerdogs BIF Box. Been excited to try this.
Go Blue Bunny with a Chainsaw
Tropical Berry DDH DIPA.
Pouring a golden lightly hazy with a a bright white head that settles to a thin ring with spotty lacing. Yup dark berries on the nose with a bit of orange and cantelope. A bit of soapy green cannabis as well. Nice strong aroma.
Taste is blueberry for sure and Im actually getting something in the way of blackberry or boysenberry, some melon and a bitterness like orange oils and /or pith on the finish. A little oily slickness coats the tongue than dries on the finish. Fairly soft in the mouth with little hint of the 8.2%. Tiny bubble carb throught the drink, which incidentally goes down quick.
Bold in flavor and aroma and a bit different but I really enjoyed it.
Cheers and Thanks!

 

Ive discovered Tox as well and have loved the IPAs Ive had so far. Havent had that but will be on the lookout

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1923/215231/

 

Sorry @JackHorzempa - I forgot to answer you fully. I think B. United brings this in via its tanker to can project. I had it on tap before they started canning it.

 

BreakThru Brewing is local brewery I haven't really heard of. Apparently they canned this "TDH Imperial IPA" named No Fruit Needed.

16oz can served in a footed pilsner glass. Dated 08/31/21. I think I bought it at Full Throttle Bottles.

Pours a murky grayish-amber with a small head. Smell is very juicy -- lots of orange and general citrusiness.

Taste is also very juicy, but with a very resinous bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is moderately thick with a definite gritty/chalkiness. Overall, even at two months old, this is a very nice beer. Not very pretty, though.

 

Thanks Mike, we got crushed . I got power back after 24 hours. Parts of the south shore are still without power. Lots of tall tree damage, shesring off tops of oaks, toppling pines, etc. we ended up ok but it’s a real pain in the kiester