New Releases Panel
New Releases are beer samples submitted by the breweries for review. The tastings are done blind. The tasting panel for June was:
Tom Dalldorf – Celebrator Beer News
Jim Hart – Ol’ Republic Brewery
Matt Margulies – Matteo’s Public
Simon Olney – Ol’ Republic Brewery
Aventura Mexican Style Lager
Hangar 24 Brewing Co. – Redlands, California
Clear bright straw color with slight white head, clean but shy aroma with some minerality, hopping is balance for a casual sipper. 4.6% abv. Highly Recommended
Double Barrel Dubbel with spices and barrel-aged
Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, New York
Slight hazy mahogany red, nice cream-colored head with lacing, deep rich aromas of Belgian yeast and wood aging, rich complex roast malt flavors speak to exotic wood aging with a curious spice note. The Double Barrel in the name refers to both bourbon and brandy barrels. 9.9% abv. Outstanding
Double Betty DIPA
Hangar 24 Brewing Co. – Redlands, California
Clear orange gold color, nice white head with lace, mountain high cabin aromas with oniony weedy slightly dank notes and mango and tropical notes. Big rich malty flavors nicely balanced with piney resiony hop flavors and long rich viscous finish. 10.1% abv. Outstanding
Felice Barrel aged
High Water Brewing Co., – San Jose, California
Golden color with a slight haze, low head, rich funky aromas with pepper and coriander, rich Burgundian character with stone fruit, citrus and obvious barrel aging, well balanced and lingering complexity. A serious session beer! 4.5% abv. Outstanding
Follow the Sun Pils
Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – San Diego, California
Bright straw color with white head, slight bready notes in aroma with noble hop character, lush mouthfeel, light body with some hop character coming through. Good summer sipper. 4.8% abv. Recommended
Framboise Rosé Gose
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. – Boonville, California
Golden peach color with slight head, tropical floral notes in nose, dry, clean and crisp with some salty flavors, not too tart or salty, very quaffable and refreshing. 4.2% abv. Highly Recommended
Hop Hyzer Ale
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. – Boonville, California
Hazy light golden color with slight white head, garlic oniony notes in aroma speak to modern west coasty style hops, well balance finish gives you everything you want in an IPA but dialed down. 4.9% abv. Highly Recommended
I’M PEACH Double IPA
Stone Brewing Co. – Escondido, California
Clear golden copper color with a slight white head, big assertive herbal hop notes in aroma, soft mouthfeel with nice bitter hop bite is delightful and invites the drinker to I’M PEACH! 8.8% abv. Highly Recommended
Imperial Weizen
New Glarus Brewing Co. – New Glarus, Wisconsin
Hazy golden color with frothy rich white head, huge aromas of banana and yeasty esters are compelling. The inviting aromas follow in the mouth with rich yeasty and malty flavors that speak to the best of Bavaria on steroids. Some hop bittering prevails in the long expansive finish. (NGBC does not state alcohol content). Outstanding
Isomerized IPA
Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – San Diego, California
Clear golden color with nice white head, stone fruit and pineapple aromas and some dankness, tart hopping checks the rich malt and late hop edition keep the aromas clean and assertive. Crushablely delicious. Expert use of hop extracts. 7% abv. Highly Recommended
Lateral Hazy IPA
Dust Bowl Brewing Co. – Turlock, California
Hazy golden color with slight white head, big rich herbal hoppy aromas invite and that first taste confirms a truly hop-worth hazy beer that other hazy IPAs seem to mollify. Long rich hoppy bittering balanced nicely by the firm malt bill to a delightful finish. 8.5% abv. Highly Recommended
Lizard’s Mouth Imperial IPA
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Buellton, California
Clear golden color with medium white head, inviting hoppy aromas with notes of tropical fruit, firm bittering in the mouth balanced with a malty grain bill brings home the super IPA character of this tasty effort. 9% abv. Highly Recommended
Orange American Wheat Ale
Hangar 24 Brewing Co. – Redlands, California
Hazy grapefruity appearance with slight head, orange sherbet in aroma with slight fennel note, wheat in the grain bill comes through on the palate. Bone dry and clean, super sessionable. 4.6% abv. Recommended
Orange Wedge DIPA
Hangar 24 Brewing Co. – Redlands, California
Deep golden color with frothy white head, subdued aromas but massive in the mouth with firm hopping, delightful tangy orange notes and big malt bill designed to host the chorus of hops doing the singing here. Less orange wedge than big time double IPA. 8.5% abv. Highly Recommended
Ramble on Rose
High Water Brewing Co. – San Jose, California
Hazy light golden with slight white head, complex yeasty applely notes with some sour lacto funk and white pepper in the nose, tropical tart lushness in the mouth. Wood aged, perfectly balanced and well made with blueberries, rose buds, rosehips and pink peppercorns. 6% abv. Outstanding
Saison Rosé Oak aged hibiscus/chardonnay juice
Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, New York
Hazy red/orange color with nice white head, complex aroma speaks to floral exotics with sophisticated yeast notes, firm tart herbal flavors are provocative and engaging taking the saison model to another dimension. Well executed. 7.7% abv. Highly Recommended
Scorpion Bowl IPA
Stone Brewing Co. – Escondido, California
Golden color with slight haze, rich pillowy head, hoppy aroma with grassy/herbal notes, soft rich malt flavors with tart bittering leading to a strong bitter note in the finish. 7.5% abv. Recommended
Strawberry Rhubarb
New Glarus Brewing Co. – New Glarus, Wisconsin
Hazy cloudy red/amber color with slight white head, rich strawberry aromas follow in the mouth with liquid strawberry jam and slight tart finish. Juicy sweet flavorful, fruit pectins keep it from being cloying. Highly Recommended
Taco Truck Lager
Dust Bowl Brewing Co. – Turlock, California
Brilliant golden color with bright white head, low retention, slight fermentation note in aroma with subtle hop notes, very dry in mouth with good lager flavors with slight sweet malt finish. 4.7% abv. Highly Recommended
The Muddy Imperial Stout
Goose Island Brewery – Chicago, Illinois
Black color with a nice tan head and a cornucopia of rich malty aromas with licorice leading the way. The soft rich malt sweetness is nicely balanced by the subtle hoping. We found this sample in the back of the tasting fridge no doubt saved because of the cool retro guitar amp on the label with “The Muddy” on it making reference to blues great Muddy Waters. The label said “fresh for 180 days after bottled on date.” That turned out to be 06Aug14! 9% abv. Outstanding (OMG!)
Weinhenstephaner Original Premium Lager
Bayerische Weihenstephan – Feising, Germany
Bright straw gold color with white head, subtle hop notes with nice honeyed rich malt character follows in the mouth with hopping playing a supporting role through the finish. This beer hits all the notes without bragging. 5.1% abv. Highly Recommended
Weinhenstephaner Pilsner
Bayerische Weihenstephan – Feising, Germany
Brilliant clear straw gold color with slight white head, subtle malty notes with noble hop character in the aroma, natural champagne-like carbonation adds to the extraordinary mouthfeel. Classic pilsner character throughout. Superb. 5.1% abv. Highly Recommended
Weinhenstephaner/Sierra Nevada Braupakt Hefe Weissbier
Bayerische Weihenstephan – Feising, Germany
Slight orange opaque color with rich white head with lace. Rich banana clovy esters in the nose, massive rich yeasty notes in the flavor with wheaty-malty character follows. Classic German wheat beer is refreshing and flavorful. 6% abv. Outstanding
West Coast Style IPA
Stone Brewing Co. – Escondido, California
Clear golden/orange color with nice white head, reserved hop aromas but big tart hop character with huge malt base. Classic old-school California IPA structure. 6.9% abv. Highly Recommended
White Ghost Berliner Weisse
Stone Brewing Co. – Escondido, California
Straw color with slight haze, rich frothy head, exotic aroma with floral notes and tart bright yeasty flavors with lacto tartness in mouth and finish. Crisp, slightly salty and refreshing. Well done. 4.7% abv. Highly Recommended
