[robrox]

@ Somerville American Legion Post 388, 163 Glen Street, Somerville, MA (That's in East Somerville)

(Note, NERAX used to be at the Dilboy VFW Post in Davis Sq.)

Schedule

Wednesday Session-Wednesday, April 11, 2012-6:00pm
Day of the Living Nanos-Thursday, April 12, 2012-1:00pm
Thursday Session-Thursday, April 12, 2012-6:00pm
Friday Session-Friday, April 13, 2012-6:00pm
Saturday Session One-Saturday, April 14, 2012-12:00pm
Saturday Session Two-Saturday, April 14, 2012-5:00pm

For more info navigate to : www.nerax.org/index.php/nerax/nerax-home.html

Warning, the lines can get very long!!!!
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)

[robrox]

Chambo says:

[Dlira]

[robrox]

[robrox]

The NERAX tix situation is not so harsh. I bought tix for Wed, Thr, and Fri w/o any touble and see their notice that "a large number of tickets will be available at the door"

There might be extra waiting for at-the-door tix compared to the will-call line for the pre-paid tix....
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)

[JohnF]

bump

[robrox]

April 11, 2012

Sampled, in order, starting with a pair being a bit light and then to dark pair and from thence to a power finisher:

Trade Winds from Cairngorm Brewery, Highlands, Scotland
-A fine Best Bitter, a lunch companion, also fine of an evening.

Long Trail Ale from Long Trail, Bridgewater Corners, VT
-I like it better from the cask. Not really faint praise, it is a fine ordinary ale.

Toffee Porter from Tryst, Stirlingshire, UK
-Flaforful but not chewy, a fine porter for long conversations

Nightmare Porter from Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England
-A pint of this would make dark times bright. Why is it that Yorkshire porters have never disappointed me?

Cant Dog Imperial IPA from Marshal Wharf, Belfast ME
-Stunning! Serious competition for Heady Topper
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)

[robrox]

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Round two, in which your intrepid respondent samples 7 more of the various living ales, porters and stouts on offer at NERAX 2012.

Bitter, Adnams, Southwold, Sufolk, England
Lovely example of good pub bitter, a great choice for a swift half, when thirst compells but time is short.

Midnight Bell, Leeds Brewery, West Yorkshire, England
A gent in the queue recommended it...His Leeds Football sweater inspired confidence. Well placed confidence! Nice malty dark ale, fairly sweet but in all ways balanced and not pushy. Just the thing for chatting away the hours.

Lia Fail, Inverlamond Brewery, Perth, Scotland
Dark with admirable balance of muscular malts and strong hops. Sneaky, starts like a good dark ale and the unleashes it's flavors in a rush. No unseemly lingering of one attribute over another. The Shed's Darkside was a lot like this.

Old Engine Oil, Harviestoun, Clackmannanshire, Scotland
The brochure promised Chocolate but I found coffee stronger here. A solid porter with some tooth to it...thank goodness for that. This would be one to pick for a pint or two with friends.

Square Porter, Somerville Brewing Co., Somerville, MA, USA
Thin, to the point of utterly lacking "tooth" but very tasty with an unusual nose. Quite unexpectedly this one smelled off Olives just after it was poured, then It became chocolaty. Worth another visit.

Chocolate and Vanilla Stout, Titanic, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
No tooth, none....how the heck is that possible for a stout? Sweet to the nose, but leading one down a false and uncertain path. I hate to say it, but I will anyway...I dumped most of this one down the drain in the gents!

Notch Milk Stout, Notch Session Ales, Ipswich, MA, USA
Faint Nose...how the heck does a stout have little nose??? But wait, As the scent lingers, faint chocolate and a hint of cinnamon become available. A bit of tooth faintly sour in a pleasant sort of way. Drinkable but not for the long haul.
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)

[robrox]

Third day at NERAX was a charm! Can't write my review yet, but celebrated with fine cigars on the way home.
More Later!
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)

[thornton]

this thread is rad and makes me miss warm flat and extremely tasty beer -> yum!

cheers

[robrox]

Friday at NERAX sadly, the last of my set for this NERAX)

Whereat a grateful man samples six Cask Conditioned Brews, all of which were admirable and whereafter a couple of of fine cigars were obtained and enjoyed, thereby capping a day of good news and good cheer.

First the news, a reason for the initial gratitude. The Doc said I was right on target with my TKR and that I should keep on with my progression in the same style. I'll check in again in a year instead of at the anniversary date...unless something bad happens.

Back to NERAX: YHS arrived before the doors opened at 6PM and resolved to go right for the bigger things after a sandwich.

Bitter and Twisted, Harviestoun, Clackmannanshire, Scotland
The lightest first, a very firm Bitter, consumed with a Portabello sandwich from the Redbones concession. It was a wonderful pairing. If you want a bitter with your Perfectly Normal Beast sandwich, this one will stand up to it but let food and conversation lead the way.

Oak Aged Chocolate Porter, Gardner Ale House, Gardner, MA, USA
Toothy the way a big Porter should be. Excellent balance start to finish, featuring Smokey nose, silky smooth over the palate and a brief hoppy finish.

Maple-Kissed Wheat Porter, Throwback Brewery, North Hampton, NH, USA
Great body and a comfortable nose, sniff at it long enough the Maple sap boiler comes to mind. There is a bit of sour in the malt part of the finish, still quite pleasant, but then the hops take over and linger quite a bit. Fortunately the hops prtion of the finish is more aromatic than opressively bitter.

Ruination IPA (ABV 7.7%), Stone Brewing, San Diego, CA, USA
Not my first encounter with this worthy IPA, but the more favorable, not that there was anything less than favorable about my first experience of it. The nose was fairly popping with herby power. Not harshly bitter on the palate, more of a sliky flow than an assault. The finish begins sour but progresses to sweetly herby within 30 seconds. This is fine for sipping or glulping. Might be a good pair with Cajun meats and ragout, but it's quite a pushy item.

Full Throttle Double IPA (ABV 8.4%), Sedbego Brewing Co., Gorham, ME, USA (This is the clear winner of the 18 brews I sampled)
Herby nose, impressive to front, middle and back of palate. The malt carries the hops with dignity right to the balanced finish, leaving with a touch of numbness of lip. I didn't mind that last bit at all. This would be a fine pint beer, having enough body that pairing with food would not be neccessary or even advisable.

Handsome Mick's Irish Stout, Vermont Pub and Brfewery, Burlington, VT, USA
Malty nose like a fine yorkshire Smoked Porter, light on body for a Stout but not actually thin. Very drinkable.
_________________
"Moderate is not the new Low" - Chris Joosen, USFS Lead Snow Ranger (Tuckerman Ravine, White Mountains National Forest)