New Beer Weekend #69

G' afternoon BA'ers. It's 4:00 andtemp has finally dropped to 84F from 90F when I started yardwark just 2 hrs ago. This is no time for a beer with a snowy holiday scene and holiday spice....I picked a new beer (of course), but one that fits the bill....WC IPA 16 oz can labeled by Left Coast Brewing but a collaboration with Pizza Port and Artifex Brewing companies. Mosaic, Nelson, Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade hops. Ya, I can hear all the yawning from you all at this less than exotic recipe but it hits the spot nicely on a hot day after yardwork. 87 points on BA.
Pours a light straw yellow with copious white fluffy head (vigorous pour) that eventually recedes to a white soapy island and a thin film of foam surrounded by a thicker ring. Not much lacing. Perfectly clear; no haze. Steady stream of fine bubbles coming from the bottom of the glass.
Smells "hoppy". Some faint pine, some citrus, but I can't nail down which one. Maybe grapefruit (both fruit and rind).
Same taste. This one hits the sweet spot for me on bitterness for a WC IPA. Definitely hoppy/bitter, but to me a bit less than (for example) the 2021 SN Celebration, which I find too bitter. I can tell there are several hops in this.
Clean finish, moderate body, very mild carbonation in the mouth.
Maybe not a prize winner but it hits the spot for me today.

 

Thanks, I’m not sure I will have to time this week, but I should make that happen the week of thanksgiving.

 

Another work week in the books and now for a couple new-to-me beers.
1st up is a wild ale from The Rare Barrel: Kerfuffle.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/33018/158754/



2021 Vintage.

Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 5/8 inch off white, very light pinkish head over a pinkish orange body with lacing.

Nose of raspberries and strawberries with slight citrus and very slight oak.

Taste is all of the above with a bit of caramel malt on the finish.
Very tasty, tart, and quite refreshing.

Real nice mouth filling feel.

Overall, I don't think there's a kerfuffle between the raspberries and strawberries at all as they seem to be getting along quite well in my glass, thank you very much!

Cheers!

 

At Spiteful for another English Dark Mild.

Spiteful Farthing



Brewery Notes: $7 + tax, 3.6% ABV.

Appearance: 16 oz draft into nonic glass. Dark rich copper clear pour, thin tan ring above the glass. 3.75

Aroma: Strong roast malt, caramel and rye. Nice. 4.0

Taste: Nice rich flavors, sweet caramel and toffee lead, roast malt follows. Light bakers chocolate and tobacco as well. Hops keeping sweetness in check, bitterness consistent with the Spiteful profile. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Persistent light fuzzy carbonation holds throughout, light to medium body, hops present but sweet melts steal the show, light tingly sweet caramel aftertaste after, pleasantly lingers. Drinks at or below ABV. 4.25

Overall: This is a well brewed English Dark Mild, bursts with flavor (more sweet than their enjoyable Best Bitter), sweet caramel, hoppy backing brings a nice balance. Well done Spiteful! 4.25

Thanks @FBarber for steering me in this direction, will bring some home if still around when they release Bike Messenger.

 

#2, how about an oatmeal stout with dandelion, chicory, and vanilla?

Sign me the flock up.





4.21/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark cola brown color that appears black in the glass with mahogany brown on the edges, all underneath a creamy light tan head. The nose has some chocolate, a smidge of vanilla, and a LOT of the chicory that presents as roasty coffee, and an herbal note as well I’d attribute to the dandelion.

There’s a lot going on here.

The taste, though, is straightforward - a bit of chocolate and a lesser bit of vanilla, and a heaping helping of the chicory as a roasty flavor, and a significant herbal component that works really well with this oatmeal stout that pokes hard at boundaries. Absolutely love it.

 

I'm back NBW, hopefully with pictures...

This is Taxman's Bourbon Barrel Imperial Bean Counter

12oz canned 10/19/21 (26 day ago) poured into a snifter at 48° F 10% ABV 32 IBU. The beer pours very dark brown with no light penetration and mocha colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and a few tiny bubbles. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring cold brew coffee, vanilla cocoa and a hint of barrel. The taste is bittersweet dark malt, big coffee, vanilla, cocoa and a hint of barrel & char. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good. Very limited alcohol presence for 10%. Can says Belgian style brown, but I don't get any notes of Belgian yeast. I'm guessing second use barrels as the bourbon influence is minimal, but pleasant with the coffee.

Regular Bean Counter is a very nice coffee brown ale that I nearly picked up for the tasting thread. This was an automatic purchase when I stumbled across it in Bloomington earlier today. This is the best balance of brown ale, coffee and barrel that I've experienced outside of Founder's. That's high praise. Super happy to have three more of these to enjoy or share.

Cheers all!

 

Angry Scotsman Peer Pressure New England Style IPA, 7.0%; 3.53 overall


Pours a slightly Hazed & effervescent gold with 2 fingers of pearl colored head. below average head retention & lacing

S: Kiwi fruit, strawberry, grassyness, a little tangerine, doughy

T: Follows the nose, lime, light breadyness, peaches upfront, plus grapefruit. Lime, green melon & dryness as this warms, light grainyness as well, a little pomelo too.

Finishes dry, with pomelo, lime & green melon & more doughy notes

MF Medium body, soft carbonation, decent balance

Easy drinker, but not a shining example of the style

 

Larry, I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm sure your good memories will stay with you always.

 

New from Foley Brothers Brewing.
(Not Foam)

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/30542/576233/



16 ounce can.
No date, but we just rec'd a couple cases last week of this brand new offering from Brandon, VT.

Moderate pour yields a one and a half inch pure white head over a golden colored body with sticky lacing.

Nose of saison yeast and strawberries with a bit of funk.

Taste mirrors nose rather closely with the yeast and strawberry flavors present all through the finish of slight hop bitterness.

Nice feel, and I would drink more than a few of these in the summer.

Overall, this is worth seeking out.
Cheers!

 

Last one, I will venture to say with more than a bit of confidence that this is the first kelp ale offered up for NBS/NBW. I cannot emphasize enough how excited I am to try this.





4.06/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy brown color with a light tan head that dissipates in seconds. I attribute this to the kelp eating the head. :-)

The nose is briny, like a dill pickle with some green olives tossed in for good measure, and a smidge of toffee as well. This is not your father’s Scottish Ale.

That dill pickle/olive note is forward on the taste and there’s a significant green pepper note as well, with a bit of toffee in the background. The mouthfeel is a bit on the softer side, which isn’t shocking given the 4% ABV.

I’m not sure how much of a Scottish Ale this is (maybe not of an Herb and Spice beer), but I’m really glad I had the opportunity to try it, because it’s a fun ride.

 

@larryi86
Very sad to hear about your Grandma's passing. You and your family are in my thoughts.

 

I love this thread for so many reasons, I won’t get into all of them but one of them finding beers i otherwise probably wouldn’t have bought. This is one of those beers, saw it reviewed here so many times, all positive, here we go.

Deschutes - XXXIII



Pours a pitch black and nice and slow, can tell this is a big bodied beer. Nice small dense head settles to minimal splotches and a ring of light brown.

The initial aroma to me is surprisingly…hops??? I’m not sure if it’s my mind playing tricks on me or not or if this is a nice hoppy porter. Then roast, dark fruit and raisin, some chocolate, and black licorice.

Huge flavor…a huge hit of incredibly rich thick and malty chocolate, and then again licorice like flavor and raisins. I do notice the maple in the form of a lingering subtle sweetness, unmistakably maple.

A big body beer, appropriately viscous without being thick or overdone. Big hit of lingering roast on the finish, and a lingering green pepper like bitterness. Surprisingly now alcohol noticed, at all. Subtle maple syrup mouth coating as well, if you eat pancakes with real syrup you know the feel I’m talking about.

Nice rich slow sipping beer on a Sunday night. Thank you fellow NBWers who kept posting about this one. I may buy a bottle or two more for when it gets colder. I think I already said it but hey, I’ll say it again, have a great week everyone.

 

And, I can say with confidence that you would be wrong. I don't remember the brewery or beer, names, but a few years ago I had a beer from BC made from kelp. It wasn't Bull Kelp like this, but more the leafy type that folks collect, dry and use in cooking. Too lazy to go dig through and look it up though.

 

Deschutes Royal Fresh Imperial IPA
4.18/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I like the taste and feel of this brew a lot. I'll pick some up next time I spy it...
19.2oz silo can pkg date 8/3/21 into a 20oz ale glass.
L: Pours a lightly hazed med-dark gold with a 1 finger creamy off white head with fair retention down to edge foam. Light carbonation and moderate thin sticky lacing with some banding.
S: Tropical fruits, pineapple, orange, honey, stone fruit, light bread.
T: Fresh oranges, orange rind, citrus pith, light wheat malt, grapefruit, yeast, light breadiness and mild pine resin in the finish. It is hop forward and clean tasting. Light alcohol as the beer warms.
F: Bright, smooth, lightly creamy, juicy med-full bodied mouthfeel with a medium length finish. It is lightly thick on the palate.
O: Very well balanced and moderately bold. The ABV is considerably well hidden and it is can conditioned. Gently sweet and drinks with great ease. It is excellent in it's style.

 

So, not a new brew, but it has been 7 years, so..... Lo these many moons ago @TongoRad sent me a Carton Boat beer. I remembered liking it a lot. Well, @jonphisher recently sent another can my way. I did a mental review, then went and looked at my first review. I find no differences. I will happily drink this gem whenever I can get my hands on it. Great brew!

 

There is a Scottish Brewer too

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12142/1556/

 

Thanks for that. I would love that beer and would enjoy seeing more of the type and similar beers. I think there is a market for dunkels lurking.

 

Such depth and drinkability packed into 4.2%…I’m really glad you enjoyed it!

 

Tribute Brewing Co, from Eagle River, WI
Old Copper Oktoberfest Bier, 5.8% ABV
First time I had this beer and might be the first time I have tasted any beer from this brewery. The women folk were in north east WI last weekend and brought me a 4 Pack back.
My review:
16oz can, canned 9-13-2021
Body: slightly hazy orangish amber. Nice head, that fades away semi slowly leaving some lacing
Smell: bread, sweet malt, smells good, but not strong aroma wise
Taste: bread, then some toasted bread that becomes stronger at it warms, a little grain. then a herbal fruity note. the fruit is pear and maybe apricot. Sweet malt. very smooth, no bite to it, easy to drink. Actually just slight sweet over all.
Mouth feel is good, the beer is soft and mellow. Not thin.

A little different, I like it. but it really adds up to a 3.9 to 3.99/5
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31809/443690/