Ymm, Beer!

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Hoptronix-New Holland Brewing Company

A new IIPA from these folks, introduced in 2016. Two ounce pour was a yellow-orange with a small head. The Mosaic hops (listed) and the Motueka variety (rep info) from New Zealand both imparted both juicy, tropical aromas and pineapple-y/mango-y/papaya-like tastes. IBUs of 70 listed on the bottle and ABV stated at 9% so this was no lightweight. I'd have this with a sweet and sour shrimp or chicken entree and would definitely slurp another at any time I might be offered one.

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From 3/12/16:

From 3/28/15:

Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout-New Holland Brewing

It ain't from Asheville so I think ricks68 picked this up on a whim after having it on draft from one of his (many) favorite watering holes. I usually divide a bomber of a high gravity ale over two nights but this one was consumed over two halves last PM. Poured a dark brown with a modest light tan head. The body/texture was a bit thin for a stout but the tastes were not. Aromas were cocoa, vanilla, wood, bourbon and a whiff of coffee, though it is not an ingredient. Tastes were heavily roasted grains up front and matched the aromas pretty closely with a mildly boozy finish. Glacier and Nugget hops provided little bitterness and an IBU rating of 31. Grains included 2 row, Munich, Caramel, Crystal, Black, Chocolate malt and flaked barley and drove the ABV to 11%. Vintage date on this was 2014 with no month specified. I don't drink many New Holland products but this will make me look again when I see them on the shelves and try some of their other products.
Thanks again to ricks68 for selecting this and including it in his recent delivery.

From last PM:

Dragon's Milk BBA Stout (2015 vintage)-New Holland Brewing

I don't think the recipe has changed much since the 2014 vintage above. Three of us raided his beer fridge (on more than one occasion) before (and after) his arrival last PM to his surprise 70th birthday party and we were quite happy we did. So the bomber was divided fairly equally among 3 of us in our tulip glasses and all partakers were very impressed with all the features above with a warm, boozy middle and finish.

Thanks to ricks68 for leaving this in his beer fridge for our arrival .

From last PM:

Dragon's Milk (bottle dated 3/15/17)-New Holland Brewing Company

The 3/28/15 review is pretty detailed and accurate. What really surprised me from last night's sample were the prominent coconut aromas and fairly intense toasted coconut flavors upon sipping my small sample. The booziness was fairly subdued. Vanilla was also upfront on the flavor scale. Interesting tidbit learned from the NHBC rep was that they use whatever bourbon barrels they can buy for their beer aging and, due to lack of a large supply from any one distiller, they almost always blend their aged products before bottling. Not so with my next review however...

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First Dragon (draft)-New Holland Brewing Company

I think the $4 half pint I savored last PM may have been this:

http://newhollandbrew.com/our-beer/d...brewersselect/

This is their single source, bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout, most likely with all their barrels coming from their own distillery. I'm not sure whether this was a "fresh" keg or one from this variation's original release last year. Most striking feature, not really surprisingly, was the prominent bourbon/booziness upon first sip. Dark chocolate, vanilla, wood, dark fruits followed and I thought there was very little, if any, coconuttiness to this draft. Grains were 2 row, Munich, Caramel, Crystal, Black, Chocolate malt and flaked barley with hops being Glacier and Nugget, pretty much the same ingredients as the bottle version listed above. IBUs were 30 but the ABV was up a bit at 12%. And it was indeed highly savory as I mentioned above.

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Box-O-Barleywine (draft)-Southern Pines Brewing


I really don't like barleywines much any more and I haven't been that impressed with the several Southern Pines products I've tasted. However, color me wrong, again, after tasting about a 3 ounce sample of this last PM after First Dragon.

Pour was a slightly cloudy, orange-amber with no head. This stuff really smells and tastes more like a wheat wine with juicy orange aromas and a sticky-feeling, orange liqueur flavor, accompanied by brown sugar syrup, dark fruits and almost vinous perceptions. Upon looking at their taproom draft list (*copied and pasted below), I can understand why and how. I'd have never guessed 125 IBUs as their list claims, but I can certainly vouch for the 13.8% ABV. Whoa!

Note to fuse and Tripping William: If/when you're in the Sandhills area later this week, I'd certainly seek out this beverage, either as a taster, a full pour, a 32 ounce crowler (better share with someone!), a 2L growler or a 4 pack.

*"Sweet malts and honey paired with exotic hops from New Zealand like Rakau, Wakatu, and Nelson Sauvin enchantingly entice you to savor its apricot, plum, zested lime, and crisp white wine flavors. Fermented with Trappist and Riesling wine yeast and finished on French oak."

[devildeac]

King of Hop-Starr Hill Brewery

I've seen plenty of their products on the shelves but never put one in the cart/tasted any until May beer club filled the 4 pack with an interesting litter of IIPAs.

First up, Mango Habanero. I had my fears about this one and a 12 ounce bottle certainly didn't dissipate all of them but certainly increased my tolerance level for the "hot stuff." Pour was a yellow-reddish-orange with a one inch head that lingered. This ale is deceptive as the nose was all mango and tropical fruits and the first sip was also, but, then the heat began, albeit rather mild, even as my portion warmed a bit over 30 minutes. There's a bit of brown sugary sweetness, some graininess and some herbal notes that all still take a back seat to the mildly hot/spicy fruitiness. IBUs of 50 and ABV at 7.5%, both at the low end of the scale for a DIPA. If forced to have another, I'd pair with some curry or Szechuan dishes. I'm not adventurous enough to buy an Habanero Sculpin and/or Founder's Mango Magnifico (and certainly not another Evil Twin Mini Dingo) but will gladly volunteer the honorable Tripping William for that distinction for a comparison and his words of wisdom.

[devildeac]

King of Hop-Starr Hill Brewery

I've seen plenty of their products on the shelves but never put one in the cart/tasted any until May beer club filled the 4 pack with an interesting litter of IIPAs.

First up, Mango Habanero. I had my fears about this one and a 12 ounce bottle certainly didn't dissipate all of them but certainly increased my tolerance level for the "hot stuff." Pour was a yellow-reddish-orange with a one inch head that lingered. This ale is deceptive as the nose was all mango and tropical fruits and the first sip was also, but, then the heat began, albeit rather mild, even as my portion warmed a bit over 30 minutes. There's a bit of brown sugary sweetness, some graininess and some herbal notes that all still take a back seat to the mildly hot/spicy fruitiness. IBUs of 50 and ABV at 7.5%, both at the low end of the scale for a DIPA. If forced to have another, I'd pair with some curry or Szechuan dishes. I'm not adventurous enough to buy an Habanero Sculpin and/or Founder's Mango Magnifico (and certainly not another Evil Twin Mini Dingo) but will gladly volunteer the honorable Tripping William for that distinction for a comparison and his words of wisdom.

King of Hop-Starr Hill Brewery

The (code) Orange version was up next last PM. This was more pleasing to my palate. Pour was a bit yellow-orange with a very similar head (d'oh ). Orange aromas were prominent as were the flavors, both of the zest/rind, along with a bit of orange/hop oiliness. Sweetness was just enough to remind me of a weak orange liqueur. Bitterness was mild and not unpleasant. Advanced stats were the same as the Mango Habanero version. This would be pleasant with a sweet and sour dish or perhaps some shrimp and grits.

[devildeac]

King of Hop-Starr Hill Brewing

Coffee version.

Interesting combination. Pour was a light, golden-yellow with a modest head. No coffee aromas, just some citrus and herbal scents. There was a coffee finish as the ale warmed over 20-30 minutes but a very muted one, more like a light or blonde roast. The citrus flavors were more pithy/rind-y than fruity. Sweetness/grainy-ness was likewise nuanced. This accompanied one of Mrs. dd's delicious homemade chicken and spinach quiches last PM. IBUs of 50 and ABV was 7.5%, low normal for a DIPA and exactly the same stats as the first two varieties.

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King of Hop-Starr Hill Brewing

Plain.

I guess I could have started off with the plain version but thought the Mango Habanero and Orange siblings paired better at one sitting followed by the Coffee and No Additives versions on another night, separated by a night of dancing with my twinkle-toed bride, was good planning.

Pour was light copper-yellow with a medium head and herbal and citrus aromas. Tastes matched the scents, once again with more rind and pith than juicy fruitiness. A bit of light brown sugar flavor provided balance. Stats duplicated the prior three.

Overall, good, but not outstanding brewings. I'm not sure I'd have bought a mixed 12 pack of these but happy to have tasted them from last month's beer club offering.

[devildeac]

Molten Mirrors-Three Floyds Brewing

Labeled a peach saison but this drinks more like a sour. Poured from a bomber into champagne flutes and shared 3 ways tonight by yours truly, younger daughter and her husband, all with borderline raves about it. Small, fizzy, quickly-disappearing head and a cloudy, orange-peachy (d'oh!) color. Fresh peach aromas with sour, then sweet, then sour-finishing peach tastes. Like a Peach Sour Patch Kids/Warheads, followed by peach gummies. Peach cider vinegar would be another reasonable comparison, if such a thing exists. I'll guess IBUs about 10 and the ABV from beeradvocate (no ratebeer reference here ) is 6.6%. Forget any pairings as this may well be a one-off project. Rather sad they were out of Sicario Piña, a pineapple saison/sour, when daughter and SIL visited FFF in April .

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Malice (2014)-Wicked Weed Brewing

Disclaimer: This 500 ml bottle was gifted to me last month by a patient whose son owns Bomber Beverage Company in Wilmington, NC, and I am very appreciative, but none of my had-earned bitcoins were used to support the sell-outs . Plus, it was a 2014 bottling so waaayyy before the takeover was done.

Pour was a red-orange into a 2011 Duke Hall of Fame goblet. Head was modest and quickly faded. Nose was zinfandel and tastes were orange (brewed with 100+ pounds of blood orange), vinous, wood, nectarine, vinegar/acidic and some hay/funk from the Brett fermentation. Beeradvocate (who cares what's posted on ratebeer ) says limes and ancho chiles and I don't get either of those. Nor do I perceive any tamarind which is stated on the label, but, then again, I've led a sheltered existence and have never seen/tasted a tamarind, but have read about them on the interwebs . I'll guess IBUs about 10 and the ABV on the bottle is 6.7%. Wicked Weed really does brew innovative/different/delicious beers, but, I just can't see myself buying any more of their generally rather expensive offerings since their sell-out to InBev.

[devildeac]

Krankshaft-Metropolitan Brewing

"Brewing German-style lagers in Chicago since 2009."

Drink local!

A Kölsch style beer, their flagship offering was a light straw color with a thin, fizzy head that disappeared quickly. Faint floral aromas accompanied gentle scents of lemons, apples and pears. Tastes were light grains along with subtle flavors of apples and pears. No lemons added, no lemons tasted. IBUs were 28, higher than I expected/perceived as this is a fairly light-bodied beer. ABV was 5% and made a nice pairing with several Chinese entrees we share this evening. We thought the White Street and Mother Earth Kölsch creations were better, but not by much. But, then again, we're all homies.

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Sea Quench-Dogfish Head

I'm just going to copy/paste how this ale was created:

"SeaQuench Ale is our session sour quencher made with lime peel, black lime and sea salt. It’s a citrusy-tart union of three German styles of beer blissfully brewed into one. We begin by brewing a straightforward Kolsch with lots of wheat and Munich Malt, then we brew a salty Gose with black limes, coriander and our sea salt. We follow it all up with a citrusy-tart Berlinerweiss made with lime juice and lime peel. All three beers are then blended together in the fermentation tank to create this German hybrid."

Exercising no restraint yesterday, I picked up a 6er of this last PM and shared a can with younger daughter and her husband with our Chinese entrees last PM. Mrs. dd was quite content with a large glass of water. Pour was a pale straw color with a fizzy head reminiscent of Rick Pitino restaurant stories. Smells like unsweetened limeade and tasted like a spiced, puckery, salty and peppery Daquiri-light. IBUs of 10 and ABV was 4.9%. Quite enjoyable and refreshing beer "cocktail" given the blending of 3 different styles of brews.

I also chortled at another paragraph describing the beer:

"And, releasing just in time for the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot - aka the “German Beer Purity Law” that says it’s illegal to brew with anything other than water, barley, and hops - SeaQuench Ale both commemorates (and disintegrates) this art-censorship law."

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Chicago Pilsener-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

First of ten 3.5 ounce samples, divided (not quite) equally 3 ways.

Pale straw color, thin head with floral aromas and light, grainy tastes with some flowers and a bit of brown sugar. A bit hoppier than I'd have thought for the style with IBUs of 30 and the ABV listed at 4.8%.

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#2

South Side Pride-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Even a lighter straw color with similar aromas to the pilsener. Less floral tastes and even less "graininess" and brown sugar. Listed on the menu as a Munich Helles. Minimal bitterness with IBUs of 16 and ABV checks in at 4.8%. The first 2 were a bit overpowered by the grilled Reuben and salt and vinegar, house-made chips.

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#3

High Noon-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Light orange-yellow color, mild foamy head and typical aromas and tastes of a hefeweizen, those being bananas, oranges and cloves. Our daughter and son-in-law thought lots of banana tones but I thought they were mild. Even less IBUs at 10 with about the expected ABV of 4.9%. A bit "light" to pair with the Reuben but still pleasant.

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#4

EZ Squeezie-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Not related to weezie .

Listed as an IPL and also as their lightest offering, a title they also gave to South Side Pride.

Pour was a clear, light bronze with "all the most popular IPA hops," which to me were more like New Zealand/Australian varieties as the nose was citrus and the tastes were lemon-y and zesty. IBUs at 28 and ABV conflicted at 3.9% on the menu and 4.5% on the website. A palate-pleaser but still a bit light for the Reuben pairing.

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#5

Red Velvet-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Medium amber color with a small, creamy head. Toasted wheat bread aromas with medium brown sugar, earthy and bready tastes. It's a bock beer so they checked off all the boxes (bock-ses) for the style. IBUs are 22, typical for the style (technically, it's a lager) with a bit higher ABV than the first four out at 6%. This paired nicely with the Reuben.

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#6

Hip Hop Beatbock-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Sixty four ounce pitcher courtesy of the friendly old drunk at the bar, shared four ways but not finished, plus a 3.5 ounce part of the 10 beer sampler.

This one was a Maibock/May Bock/Helles Bock. I had to learn the differences as I'm not that sophisticated. (read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bock)

"The maibock style, also known as helles bock or heller bock, is a helles lager brewed to bock strength; therefore, still as strong as traditional bock, but lighter in colour and with more hop presence. It is a fairly recent development compared to other styles of bock beers, frequently associated with springtime and the month of May. Colour can range from deep gold to light amber with a large, creamy, persistent white head, and moderate to moderately high carbonation, while alcohol content ranges from 6.3% to 7.4% by volume. The flavour is typically less malty than a traditional bock, and may be drier, hoppier, and more bitter, but still with a relatively low hop flavour, with a mild spicy or peppery quality from the hops, increased carbonation and alcohol content. The following commercial products are indicative of the style: Ayinger Maibock, Mahr’s Bock, Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock, Capital Maibock, Einbecker Mai-Urbock, Hofbräu Maibock, Victory St. Boisterous, Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock, Smuttynose Maibock, Old Dominion Brewing Company Big Thaw Bock, [Brewery 85's Quittin' Time], Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Franconia Brewing Company Maibock Ale, Church Street maibock, and Tröegs Cultivator."

Pour was a slightly cloudy, dark amber with a moderate, foamy head. Earthy and herbal nose with toasted, wheat-bready tastes, some dark brown sugar sweetness and mild bitterness. I'll guess IBUs around 30 and the ABV was 6.9%, their highest ABV on the chalkboard. Nice pairing with my Reuben.

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#7

Velociradler-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

Great name. Interesting beer.

As the name implies, it's of the Radler (German for cyclist) variety, meaning a blend of a lighter beer (pilsner or wheat beer) and a soda, typically lemon. It's the German version of a shandy, and don't anyone dare mention Leinenkugel's!

Their version uses kumquat juice (WTH?) and it's about as expected, a cloudy pour with a small, thin, rapidly disappearing head. Sour/vinegar-y scents and pucker-y, yet mildly sweet and fruity tastes. I'd have never guessed kumquat if it hadn't been printed on the menu . Perhaps nectarine? IBUs nearly non-existent at 5 (no typo) with a comparably low ABV at 3.1% . Those wacky Germans.

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#8

Berliner Weisse-Baderbrau Tap and Kitchen

More sour beer! ;)

Lots of wheat malt (but no unc references , a bottom-fermenting yeast and Lactobacillus cultures make for a somewhat cloudy, yellow-straw pour with a small, thin, fizzy head, some sour/vinegar-y aromas and mildly astringent, funky tastes. I'll guess IBUs around 10 (it's sour, not bitter), and the ABV is appropriately low at 3.6%. Not a bad pairing with the Reuben I'm still nibbling.