New Beer Weekend #78

Pollyanna's Personal Chain Letter, Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout with coffee and vanilla.

Plenty of great aroma and flavor with this, but I probably would have enjoyed it more without the coffee and vanilla. I hate when they ad junk to beer!

4.23/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25


L: Pours a thick, oily black, small tan head fades quickly to a ring, no lacing, but an oily film on the glass.
S: Vanilla dominates as soon as the can opens, coffee, and bourbon, hints of cocoa.
T: Very flavorful, vanilla, coffee and bourbon.
F: Thick, creamy mouthfeel, abv well hidden.
O: I really enjoyed this at first but the vanilla and coffee, got a bit old after 8 oz. I would love to try this without the vanilla or coffee. Still, an excellent beer.

 

Life is better on the Farm

Especially if there is barley growing on that farm!



Which brings us to today’s new beer which has an ‘interesting’ name: Stickman Daisy Point Farm Pilsner.

I have never heard about Daisy Point Farm so I conducted a web search but I came up with bupkiss. Is this a fictitious farm name? Maybe, but the cow on the label is saying “It’s a Stickman, just drink it” so that is good enough for me.

I also tried to learn more about this beer so once again I conducted a web search to only find the following:

“Daisy Point Farm Pilsner is a no nonsense, Czech style pilsner. Unfiltered, crisp, and full flavored. What else do you need to know?”

Well, as a homebrewer and beer aficionado I would indeed like to know more details but it would seem this beer is rather ‘camouflaged’. Perhaps a better name for this beer would be Incognito Pilsner?

But as well know it is what’s inside that counts.

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

A pale straw color with a BIG rocky white head.

Aroma:

A combination of bready Pilsner malt and hop aromas of herbal/spicy.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with the combination of bready Pilsner malt and herbal/spicy hop flavors. There is a firm bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

This beer is very good! Another “Fine Pilsner” to join the plethora of other high quality Pilsners produced by Philly area craft breweries.

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @RobH

 

Thanks Roguer for starting it up this morning. Went on an errand run and stopped by the closest mom & pop liquor store for some bourbon and checked the beer section, found a new Surly!

Surly Double Bladed Axe Man


Appearance: Mostly clear gold, big head.

Smell: Rich sweetness, big citrus note, bit of alcohol.

Taste: Moderately sweet then a big hit of citrus bitterness. Middle has some tropical fruit notes then more black cherry-like (which to my taste buds means alcohol). Somewhat full mouthfeel, not syrupy though. Finishes moderately bitter.

Overall: Very surprised to find this so soon after its release. It's a solid beer, not mind-blowing, kind of old school DIPA feel to it. Definitely a fair amount of malt and alcohol and bitterness, not a softy. I like it.

 

So, Surly is retconning what axe in "Axe Man" means?

 

4x4 new winter brews for coldest day
Aberration | Toms River | NJ | 6% | Dark IPA
4.27/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3rd review. This is Irish Jersey at its best. (I am otherwise a Carton fan)
a) Fills the snifter to the top with lace all the way as I draw down on this black brew.
s) dark roasted malts, bitter hops, and winter warmer type citrus, brown sugar, cocoa, and as reviewer said (orange chocolate candy).
t) Fills mouth with aroma’s flavors but blooms larger, with more chocolate, roast, and excellent punchy hop bitter almost medicinal.
f) fuller mouthfeel than tyoical IPA with moderate carbonation.
o) One of my most favorite styles, done to perfection, not too sweet, just the right bitter, smoke finish.

Juicy Ass IPA | Flying Monkeys Craft | Ontario | 6.5% | NEIPA
4.17/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Hoppy to find this on Jersey Shore.
Gotta let this warm to cask to get all the juicy ass.
a) modestly hazed golden yellow color lace spreading over the entire snifter.
s) Aromas first of lemon, then grapefruit, peach, mango, melon, citrus peel, pine, honey on toast.
t) Follows aromas with bigger burts of juicy fruit punch a decent mix of citrus, tropical, melon and peach. Adds toasted bread, herbs, flowers, grassy earthiness.
f) Complex, juicy, cleansing, peppery mouth feel.
o) As with all canadians, great craft, a bit original.

DuckBoy Pale Ale | Little Dog | Neptune NJ | 5.25% | APA
4.05/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
As if the Jersey Shore did not need to get any weirder, we have towns like Neptune and Red Bank and Little Silver and Little Egg. (oh it gets weirder just visit). But neptune is sister to AsburyPark, a famous NJ town and around here (Carton, Kane, LittleDog) they make great beer. It’s the water (Pizza, bagels, french bread good too!)
APA is my favorites style in which Dales Pale is quintessential. Most APAs are blonder and lighter like DuckBoy and it hits the mark.
a) My snifter fills with dotty lace like stained glass over classic chill-hazed golden amber body.
s) Hot citric hops like peppery marmalade, rind included, over french bread toast. (not french toast)
t) Follows aroma, balanced, adds more lemon pound cake. Granted it’s an everyday beer, not at IPA, bright, clean, somewhat pilsner like.,
f) Clean carbonation. Dry finish.
o) Juicy, balanced, good food and first beer of evening. Duck boy is a lucky boy.

This Is Definitely Not A Fake Duck
Carton | Atlantic Highlands, NJ | 12% | Winter Warmer
4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1st review. This is revised Decoy where the backstory, narrated by a fat, 40-something Augie Carton is lovingly told below in 2013. 8 years later what have we learned? (Well, for one thing, Augie's now co-captain of a lithe cycle racing team.)
a) splash of peppery lace around the snifter over a solid walnut brown body. (brown sauce)
s) faintly of peppercorn and spice, tea and spice cabinet of black teas and old spice, wood, smoke.
t) Follows the aromas with a nice back-drop of peppery burn.
f) Silky, sweet/pepper, last beer of evening (at least before you hop on the winter stationary bike and do a Time Trial)
o) It’s a replay of Decoy, with slightly more pepper? Save for special occasions.

As always, we believe our own (Carton in my home town), our water, our terroire is best. You gotta love where you live. And we homies do love Carton beer.

 

Thank you for kicking the proceedings off @Roguer ! Perhaps we will take a three day holiday weekend for NBW/NBS!

@ZebulonXZogg , I agree for the most part and have stopped buying variant laden BA Imperial Stouts and regular imperial stouts, w with the exception of some coffee or coconut versions. Like when the extra components complement rather than overwhelm the base beer.

I rated two NA beers for the tasting thread, which I have been enjoying participating and learning. The Athletic Run Wild was my favorite.

I am starting here with a new release by a classic brewery which I’ve seen popping up in BA over the past few weeks.

Sierra Nevada Powder Day IPA



Can Notes:

Appearance: Crystal clear yellow tan pour, medium carbonation, generous head which resulted in multiple pours into the shake pint glass. Creamy egg white head leaves generous creamy full lacing. 4.5

Aroma: Nice citrus pine aroma, full strength and pleasant. Old school IPA! 4.5

Taste: Really hitting the spot for me, taste consistent with aroma, even fuller, excellent balance. Pithy, light dankness. Consistent with typical SN Hoppy Bitter IPA taste and feel, top shelf and right in my wheelhouse! 4.75

Mouthfeel: Very dry and bitter, this beer is present in the feel as much or more than the taste. Medium carbonation persists throughout. Dry bitter aftertaste, could be too much for some which do not like this combo but perfect for me. 4.75

Overall: Perhaps I’m just missing having SN by me (usually just drink out west or if I can get in McHenry County fresh), but so grateful for this beer gift from my brother!

Outstanding taste and feel, would have to confirm but I believe this is my favorite SN IPA, and likely a top 5-10 rating for me, as it hits everything I’m looking for in a Old School WCIPA. Outstanding Sierra Nevada, thanks for this release! 4.75

Countdown to Ecstasy indeed!

 

It appeares @Mdog beat me to it. I was very excited to try this beer. Surly Brewing was the first brewery I chased after for their beers once I got into craft beer, because of their quality, and also their connection to heavy metal music. I was born in Minneapolis, MN, and almost all of my relatives live in Minnesota, so I visit the area frequently. Having said this, I will be hosting a beer share near the warehouse district in Minneapolis at 7pm on 4/1/22. All Minnesota BAs are welcome! Todd the Axe Man was one of my favorite beers. I have not purchased Axe Man without Todd being involved. This beer is certainly more "abrasive." The appearance is golden copper blood orange, with a light white foamy hat. The smell is very powerful, with tropical fruit, malty, and floral. The taste is also very powerful, featuring citrus fruits, hard candy sweetness, malty, slightly bitter, with a pleasant tropical/bready aftertaste. The mouthfeel is medium carbonation, full, and heavy. Overall, I don't believe this beer is better than (Todd the) Axe Man. I haven't had Abrasive is some time, but I would probably choose that beer over this one, in this genre. I do like the can art. I have a large battle axe tattoo on my stomach, so I am partial to that design.

 

Thank you @Roguer for getting us started today and I am loaded with New Beers this weekend again. This is a collaboration with J. Wakefield Brewing & Other Half NEIPA 7%. Pours a cloudy orange with a solid finger sticky white head that leaves little bubbles of lace all down the sides of the glass with nice retention. 4.25

Aroma is peach, mango, papaya, and apricot. 4

Taste follows peach, mango, papaya, and apricot big on flavor, low bitterness, and maybe a touch sweet. 4

Mouthfeel is above average, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7% it goes down very easy. 4.25

Overall this is really solid, but I was hoping for more. Still really solid. Cheers all. 4

 

Thanks for kicking things off, @Roguer.

I had this yesterday as part of the NA online tasting, so technically not a part of the weekend. However, I thought some here might be interested.

I did a side-by-side of Weihenstephaner's Non-Alcoholic Hefeweizen and their Hefe Weissbier.
The NA was new to me.



Overall, the NA is no hefeweizen, but it is enjoyable in its own right Even so, I doubt I'll be buying it again. My rating of the NA computes to 3.46.

Here is the complete posting of the side-by-side.

 

Synaptic Cleft from Drekker really just didn't work on any level.


3.49/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

L: Pours a pale, hazy yellow, a decent white head that fades to a foamy ring, excellent lacing.
S: Lotsa tropical fruit, mild hops.
T: Bitterness starts early overpowering the "tropical" fruit flavors.
F: It felt acidic, decent carbonation.
O: This one just doesn't work for me.

 

I've had a bottle of Harveys Elizabethan Ale in my basement for about a year and, given today's weather (8° now), I figured it was time to open it up.
The label says

and that it commemorates the Queen's visit on 10/31/13 so I'm thinking this "new to me" beer is 8 years old

Elizabethan pours a clear amber, almost the color of light maple syrup, with a thin short lived head, and the aromas of caramel, toffee, and fresh sticky buns.

The flavors follow the aromas with caramel, toffee, strong tea w/sugar, the cake part of fruitcake, and some burnt sugar bitterness

Light bodied and easy drinking for the style with no noticeable carbonation and a slick bittersweet aftertaste

Overall, this is a very nice barleywine style ale, but it is held back by the relatively one dimensional flavor profile. I don't know if that is due to the age, storage (likely just sitting on a store shelf or in a warehouse), or if that is just how it is made.
An enjoyable beer, but it is a toss up whether or not I'll buy another.
4.06/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Omission IPA Gluten-Reduced 6.7%ABV
3.63/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle pkg date Nov 8, 2021 into a 16oz glass.
L: Pours a chill hazed light apricot gold color with a 1" rocky soapy white head. Light carbonation with random light sticky lacing.
S: Hops, light bready malt, stone fruit, grains. Earthy.
T: Apricot, light pine, a nuance of sour, tangerine zest. Slightly hop frwd & grassy/earthy, sharp and a bit tangy. Malting is subtle and pale. Some bitter hops linger.
F: A medium bodied mouthfeel with a med-length finish that is moderately drying. Low carbonation.
O: An earthy tasting and pale IPA that is hop frwd and fairly easy drinking. It's bitterness is bold. A good gluten-reduced IPA overall.
I might adjust my rating with upping the look but lowering the taste a notch. No hurry. Cheers!!

 

Boulevard Space Camper Nova Flare West Coast Style IPA, 5.9% ABV; 3.84 overall

Pours an effervescent & hazed gold with 2+ fingers of rocky pearl colored head. Stellar lacing & good head retention

S: Orange juice, guava, fades a touch once warm

T: Tangerine, lime, bready & grassy notes up front. More tangerine & lime, plus dryness as this warms. Finishes with lime bitterness, orange sweetness, grassy notes & dryness

MF: Medium body, pretty firm carbonation, pretty good balance

Plenty drinkable, just lacking the depth of flavor to make this one I would recommend

 

We are enjoying our visit here in Florida. Last day with my sister and BIL, heading to the in-laws tomorrow. It's been a good trip overall, except for a flat tire on our rental car. This took several hours to resolve, which didn't seem necessary to me, but in the end I got it resolved and got an upgrade on a car.
I hit Total Wine in Sarasota and got a few beers I've been wanting to try. One of which is the Utopia barrel-aged WWS. Very good beer, but quite a mouthful.
A pitch-black pour with no head.
Very boozy aroma. Some dark fruit and some chocolate.
Taste of rum, some bourbon. Cherry. Chocolate.
This is a big, aggressive beer. Sip carefully!

 

First up on this Saturday, Brooke Special Effects Hoppy Amber, Brooklyn is always a solid brewery and they seem to be doing a great job with nonalcoholic beers.
3.88/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into a pint glass

A- A clear golden amber with a small white head.

S- Wheat, honey, tea, earth, touch of citrus.

T- Wheat, toasted sweet bread, earth, some citrus, herbal tea.

M- Smooth, light to medium body, high carbonation.

O- Honestly this is a tasty amber and easy to drink. Flavors a slightly on the lighter side but still well done.

Cheers!

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass not sure exactly but canned sometime in December. Pours a hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves little bubbles of lace with with excellent retention. 4.75

Aroma is guava, mandarin, passionfruit, apricot, and grapefruit rind. 4.25

Taste is huge guava, mandarin, passionfruit, apricot, and grapefruit and little gritty hop burn. 4

Mouthfeel is big, gentle carbonation but loads of hop sediment and I rotated a few times before pouring. 3.50

Overall nice nose, good flavor, but that gritty sediment thing really hurt this one. Still worth a shot. 3.75

 

G'afternoon NBW/NBS-ers!

Picked up a 4-pack at the local ABC yesterday on my way home from work. At the sale price of $7.24 I couldn't resist!



Poured from a 16 oz can.
Opaque golden orange body with pillowy white head that leaves plenty of lacing in the glass. Mild aromas of bread, cracker and citrus. Taste follows suit with a easy drinking honey and bread taste with a dry finish. Super easy to drink with a sessionable abv. This is a definite crushable beer.

Cheers!

 

Was at Holler Brewing in Houston today, and had their new Hollahollaholla, yeah they sometimes go overboard with the tongue in cheek names, but oh well. Its a Foreign/Export Stout at 6.9% ABV.



Pours a nearly opaque black color. A dense tan head rises with excellent retention and lace left behind. This is a looker.
The aroma is full on roasted malt in the nose. Coffee, bitter bakers chocolate, toffee. Baked dark bread, really enjoyable.
Taste wise, like the nose, all the roasted malt flavors. Coffee, bakers chocolate, toffee, baked bread. The bakers chocolate finishes with a dry bitterness. Maybe even a touch of an earthy hop bit in there as well, but very faint.
A full body. The carbonation is crisp but ultra smooth at the same time. Beautifully dry as should be expected. This is a really good one, that I had no trouble drinking and will come back plenty.

That malt character is so wonderfully dry, and nuanced. Easily one of the better American examples of the style I have had. Well done all around. The kind of beer I can see Malcolm Lowry enjoying at a pub.

Overall score is 4.13, an easy A- and can probably bump it up a little higher on subsequent tries.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45647/585605/?ba=champ103#review