Hop Harvest
First, let’s bounce again a few weeks (alright… all the best way again to Tuesday July twenty sixth), and a incredible package deal got here from our mates at Second Sin Brewing Firm whereas I’m reducing and selecting a number of of my Chinook hops right here at The Beer Thrillers Headquarters (or Bender Braus Brewery). Wasn’t a full hop harvest day, was only a light pickings and cuttings of a few of my Chinook and Cascade Hops and getting a gallon bag of Chinook hops. Nevertheless it was the primary of the yr and the beginning for the yr for my hop harvest.
Second Sin Supply
There may be completely nothing higher than beer mail. Particularly when it comes as such a terrific present from Second Sin Brewing Firm! They’d simply introduced the discharge of The Illusion Menace, a Star Wars themed IPA utilizing Illusion powder, and I knew I used to be going to wish it for 1) consuming causes, 2) for Star Wars causes, 3) for weblog causes, and 4) for Star Wars TV present day beer consuming and reviewing causes on the weblog…… okay, let’s simply be sincere with ourselves right here — for consuming causes that I might justify by saying “I’ll assessment it for the weblog”.
Since I wouldn’t have the ability to get out to Bristol Pennsylvania earlier than they bought out of it, I reached out to the devoted followers of Second Sin Brewing on the Fb group – Disciples of Second Sin – and requested if anybody might hook a Star Wars beer loving nerd up with a can or extra, both for commerce or on the market (on the down – low if on the market in fact). Thats when Mike Beresky personally reached out to me.
Mike Beresky is likely one of the house owners of Second Sin Brewing Firm and went out of his solution to not solely hook me up with a candy package deal, however all on their very own dime, initiative, and care. Fully above and past and completely unanticipated however very (very, very, very) a lot appreciated!
So for sure I used to be utterly ecstatic whereas out trimming, reducing, and selecting hops when this incredible supply will get dropped off right here at Casa De Kline (or The Beer Thrillers HQ). Not solely did he hook me up with two ‘The Illusion Menace’, but additionally two of their ‘Kolsch’ and two of ‘Dragged into Daylight’ (each of which have evaluations which can be getting printed shortly), in addition to a candy glass to high all of it off.
As soon as once more then, let me give an enormous shout out to Mike Beresky and Second Sin Brewing Firm. I can’t wait to get out to the brewery and provides them an enormous thanks, hopefully it’ll be by the top of the yr (which implies hopefully earlier than the top of November, as a result of more than likely after Scarlet Emma is born, the touring to breweries will decelerate for a bit).
Second Sin Brewing Firm
Talking of Second Sin Brewing Firm, let’s discuss in regards to the brewery itself earlier than we get into the beer assessment. From Untappd:
Second Sin Brewing Firm is a micro brewery from Bristol, Pennsylvania. They’ve 244 distinctive beers with 22, 393 rankings and a world common score of 4.09 (as of 9.21.22). There isn’t a description of the brewery listed on Untappd.
Their social media pages are:
Their brewery location on Untappd: Verified Venue – Second Sin Brewery.
Different Second Sin Brewing Firm articles we’ve written are:
Star Wars Day
Whereas in fact its not THEE Star Wars Day (Might the Fourth), it’s a “Star Wars Day” right here on the weblog. Which implies – its the day of a brand new episode of Star Wars TV launched. We’ve performed up to now, a brand new beer on every episode’s launch of The Guide of Boba Fett and the Obi-Wan Kenobi reveals. As we speak is the premier of Andor (the Cassian Andor present) on Disney+.
Not like up to now the place I did a separate beer assessment for every episode, I’m going to do only one for immediately regardless of Disney+ releasing the primary three episodes of Andor immediately (9.21.22). (One, it might be a bit a lot to do and have three completely different beer evaluations to go immediately – and secondly, I’d run out of Star Wars themed beers very quickly.)
My understanding of the Andor present is that its a full season, however form of damaged up in three episode arcs. Which form of explains why they determined to launch the primary three episodes as a bundle on the day of the premier. (They did this equally with the Obi-Wan Kenobi present, which they launched the primary two episodes directly. Though, that was barely completely different, and was a direct straight run of a present.)
I’ll come again to discussing the present, with spoilers and such after the total beer assessment. If you want to not be spoiled, be sure to skip that space of this beer assessment weblog submit. And now, with out additional delay, lets get to the beer assessment……..
Beer Evaluate: The Illusion Menace
Now that we’re lastly on the beer assessment, let’s dive proper into this scrumptious juicy beer!
Beer: The Illusion Menace
Brewery: Second Sin Brewing Firm
Type: IPA – New England / Hazy
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: This beer is our first foray into utilizing the brand new hotness in brewing – Illusion. Illusion is a powder made out of dried wine grapes which can be excessive in a chemical compound referred to as thiols. There’s not sufficient room to enter it right here, however suffice it to say thiols might be remodeled by yeast into fruity, tropical flavors and aromas.
We paired that with some excessive thiol hops – Blanc, Crystal, Chinook, and Ekuanot – to amp issues up and see what this new product can do in our Hazy IPAs.
Let’s begin with the coloring of this stunning beer. Golden hue, hazy, positively a New England IPA by and thru. It has a heat golden straw coloring that’s opaque and appears stunning. This can be a splendidly stunning wanting beer, preserving with the type utterly. An ideal pillowy mild, ethereal foamy head, left nice lacing on the glass, and maintained its coloring all through. Little to no sediment on the underside with the whole beer poured into the glass. As you’ll be able to see within the first pic it seemed good through the day, after which once I had the second later within the night, it seemed simply pretty much as good at nightfall and night.
Aroma is incredible as effectively. That nice hop aroma that’s so beautiful and alluring with New England IPAs. It has that “simply picked proper off the hop vine” odor to it. The Chinook hops are the powerhouse of the aroma with this beer and I really feel that the illusion powder is simply such a significant enhance to it, like steroids or hops on crack. Simply lifts and boosts the hops aroma and taste a lot extra. This has a terrific pine resin, woodsy, earthy aroma that will get added to it by a grapefruit and even grape fruit nostril. The chinook and the crystal hops are definitely the leaders right here, with the blanc hops including their very own distinct aromas as effectively.
Okay… time to place all of it collectively and the true take a look at of a beer…. and …. (sips… adopted by deep sip….) wow – it is a scrumptious beer! Once I need to describe a quintessential New England IPA to somebody, this may be the beer I’d give them to drink. This has all the pieces you could possibly ask for in a New England IPA; and possibly much more. I’m changing into increasingly hooked on that illusion powder in beers. Amy and I had been even discussing it with the Fourscore Beer she reviewed – Phantomania (Beer Evaluate: Phantomania by Fourscore Beer Firm) – again in February earlier than she grew to become pregnant. We had been different beers which have used the illusion powder and to do an article on that. The powder actually brings out the smells, tastes, the flavors, the aromas, all of what makes hops… effectively… hops, however pumps them stuffed with steroids mainly. Its like taking the 120 lb child in center faculty and getting him pumped up and letting him free within the WWE as a 280 lb monster of a wrestler. As for the hops, it has an earthy, woodsy, pine, pine resin, considerably west coast IPA like style; but it surely does get a drier end more than likely from the blanc hops (presumably due to the illusion powder, however I contribute it to the blanc hops). There may be definitely fruity notes and flavors, specifically grapefruit, grape pores and skin, there’s a mild lime lemon contact to it. There’s a little bit of a tropical trace to all of it, I don’t suppose its tremendous sturdy or overpowering, however its definitely there and noticeable, this could possibly be from the yeast and thiols, from the Eukanot hops, and all in all the mix therein might be the reply. I’ll simply repeat that I completely liked the beer, it was downright tasty, scrumptious, quenched my thirst, and positively made me need to go for the second can. The 6% low degree ABV for the beer additionally makes it a pleasant regular day beer, not tremendous sessionable or crushable however definitely not knocking you off the bar stool both.
Final however not least, we are able to focus on the can artwork. A easy purple can artwork with a pleasant drawing of Darth Maul, and a terrific pun of a reputation (The Phantom Menace to The Illusion Menace).
My Untappd Ranking: ****.25
World Untappd Ranking: 4.1 (as of 9.21.22)
Andor
Spoilers alert. Klaxon sirens. Spoiler alert. I will probably be discussing some spoilers after this.
Disney+ launched the primary three episodes of Andor this morning (Wednesday, September twenty first, 2022). And I’m completely excessive in regards to the present. In case you squint… it seems and seems like Star Wars. Its refreshing, promising, and good to see; a change of tempo actually. Not like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian and the horrid ‘The Guide of Boba Fett’, this seems like a gritty, grownup, sci – fi present that occurs to be set within the Star Wars universe. Its good seeing that the one characters who’ve appeared earlier than in Star Wars movies will probably be – Cassian Andor (Rogue One), Noticed Guerra (Rogue One, The Clone Wars, Rebels), and Mon Mothma (Return of the Jedi, Assault of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars, Rebels).
Its nearly like a William Gibson model of what Star Wars could possibly be. Its gritty. Its darkish. Its actual. Its superbly shot. However all differently to how different Disney choices have been. The place the sequel trilogy felt like a nasty model of recent Star Wars, like an addition, a poor man’s add on to the Star Wars universe; or The Mandalorian which seems like its a love letter written by fanboys to different fanboys; or The Guide of Boba Fett which was only a horrible present by and thru; to Obi-Wan Kenobi which was a hit and miss fascinating tackle an intimate drama set in Star Wars but additionally felt… considerably pointless and with some poor scenes that didn’t make sense.
This, seems like its Star Wars, however NOT Star Wars. There’s no lightsabers. There’s little connection to different supply supplies, however all in a great way. (A minimum of to me anyway.) These three episodes had been performed very effectively, with a tightly woven story arc. Which is what the season / sequence appears to be aiming for – three episode arcs that can tie collectively as a full story main as much as Rogue One; main as much as the Revolt’s beginnings; resulting in in essence to A New Hope.
You’ll want to examine again right here with the weblog subsequent Wednesday for one more Star Wars themed beer assessment, and extra dialogue about Andor!
All of Our Nerd Content material
Right here’s all of our nerd content material, served up finest in a single single place. Get pleasure from!
I do know ya’ll right here for the nerd evaluations. So take a look at our different nerd evaluations beneath:
Star Wars:
Lord of the Rings:
Rick and Morty:
Area Balls:
Sport of Thrones:
The Simpsons:
Again to the Future:
Scrooged:
Groundhog Day:
A Christmas Story:
Professional Wrestling:
Phillies:
Matrix:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:
Seinfeld:
Different:
Thanks For Studying
As at all times, let me say thanks everybody for studying. Additionally, an enormous (HUGE!) shout out to Mike Beresky of Second Sin Brewing Firm for the nice package deal and beers! Thanks a lot!
Sorry for getting this assessment out late within the day, however time runs out on us all. Labored yesterday 11 to 7, and hoped to have most of this completed (writing over from my beer notes, including issues, discussions, and so on.) so I might simply add the Andor components within the morning. However submit work, we stopped at Residence Depot to choose up provides for the infant room (Scarlet Emma will probably be right here earlier than we all know it!) in addition to all the pieces I want to complete the again patio. Then once I received up this morning at 5AM to observe the present, time slipped away, and needed to do a number of chores about the home and solely received two episodes of the three completed, and didn’t get to complete up the article. Then I labored 10 – 6 immediately on the on line casino, and we stopped for groceries afterwards, and now I’m lastly received episode three watched and received to complete the article.
I hope you all loved it. And might’t wait to stay up for seeing you guys right here on the weblog for our Sport of Thrones Sundays in addition to our Star Wars Wednesdays. Please make sure to take a look at the location and go away us any suggestions or feedback you might have.
Cheers All!
-B. Kline
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Tags: B. Kline, Beer Mail, Beer Evaluate, Bristol Beer, Casa De Kline, Cassian Andor, Chinook Hops, Craft Beer, Darth Maul, Residence Depot, Mike Beresky, Nerd Beer, Nerd Tradition, PA Beer, Pennsylvania Beer, Illusion, Illusion Powder, Pop Tradition, Scarlet Emma, Second Sin, Second Sin Brewing, Second Sin Brewing Firm, Star Wars, Star Wars Beer, Star Wars Defined, Star Wars Wednesday, The Beer Thrillers, The Beer Thrillers Headquarters, The Phantom Menace
