668 Neighbor Of The Beast - New England Brewing Co.

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz can into a tulip- pours a hazy golden orange color with minimal head, retention and lacing.

Smell is very nice, intriguing and well balanced. Definitely some yeast in there along with some pale malt sweetness, a little hops.

Taste is also very intriguing- there's something about it that reminds me of an imperial stout. Maybe a little cacao nib? Pale malt up front, followed closely by the earthy, roasted flavor, then some citrus hops and yeast to finish out.

Mouthfeel is good- medium body, light to moderate carbonation, some hop resin. This is a very interesting beer and I recommend it to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 21:23:01 | More by Hopdaemon39

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can opened on 7.25.12.

A - Pours a clear, medium orange with a half inch near-white head.

S - Malty, yeast, and bubblegum?

T - Sweet, Belgian yeast. Again, and almost bubble gum like sweetness. Very tasty.

D - Great carbonation and a light body.

O - Sweet, but not overly with some bubblegum like flavors that are very welcoming.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 04:04:20 | More by HuskyinPDX

sebod89

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Interning here at the moment and having this fresh from the bright beer tank might be the best thing on earth. It has great overall flavor, and unbelievable drinkability for it having 8.7% ABV.
It has great balance with respect to bitterness to sweetness. The yeast is strong and brings out great belgian style flavors. This is just overall a great beer!

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2012 23:23:04 | More by sebod89

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Slightly hazy straw, honey. Thin white head, leaves great lacing.

S: Belgian Candi, Banana, Cloves, some funkyness, barnyard sweatyness.

T: Bright bouquet of flavors, lots of spices, coriander, cloves, and hard candy. Some currants, and lightly toasted bread. Hints of anise and maple. Not overly sweet. Very minimal hop presence, some lemony grassyness in finish.

M: Rather creamy and rich, medium carbonation, viscous and oily. ABV very well integrated, pretty drinkable.

O: Really like this, and I'm not usually into the high ABV belgians. Tons of different flavor notes, weaved together beautifully. Very drinkable for what it is. Highly reccomended. One of the best US belgian style brews I've had.

Serving type: can

07-21-2012 02:03:14 | More by BigCheese

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz can into a duvel glass.

A. Pours a nice golden with a touch of orange and a slight haze, about a finger of white head that dissapates nicley with some sticky lacing.

S: toasted grain and a touch of honey, a bit of earthyness and light Belgian funk, overall smells pretty delicious, not over belgiany like I was afraid of. A faint grassy hop.

T: toasted grain and light honey sweetness, a bit of belgian yeastyness that adds some fruit notes but not overbearing in anyway, nice balance and drink ability, a light grassy/earthy hop note on the end, very nice

M: medium bodied with nice medium tight bubbled creamy carbonation, very drinkable, alcohol is very well hidden.

O: for a nine percent alcohol beer the booze is really well hidden, this is very drinkable and very tasty. Deffinatly give this a whirl of you have the chance.

Serving type: can

07-20-2012 02:21:28 | More by PeterIngemi

sukwonee

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Cloudy Golden Body with 2 finger head, good retention and lacing.

S: Clove, Banana, wheat, yeast, some spice (slight)

T: ughhh... this beer smells much better than it tastes... I really didn't enjoy the unexpected hoppy bitterness that kicks towards the end. It also tastes spicier than in the nose...

M: Lots of carbonation. Medium thickness.

O: I really love the name of the beer, as well as how it looks, smells, and feels, but I didn't like the taste of it.

Serving type: can

07-16-2012 06:12:19 | More by sukwonee

popery

California

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours golden blonde with a small white head. It's a touch hazy. Not the prettiest Belgian out there but perfectly acceptable. The aroma is raisins, limes and sugary malt. There's also a light tropical fruit note and some peppercorn-coriander spice. Taste is drier than expected. It's mostly sweet malt and spices upfront, but the finish is dry with more of that lime rind flavor. Mouthfeel is light and airy for a 9% abv beer. I'm pretty surprised at the strength. There's very little booze or stickiness. This beer isn't going to blow anyone away, but it's a very nice Belgian, and the can is a fun bonus.

Serving type: can

07-09-2012 04:29:17 | More by popery

Beericjb

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden/Orange in color and hazy, 1 inch head with nice retention and lacing
S: slightly smells of banana and clove
T: getting the clove and banana. Nice malt character and a touch of hops. Very nicely balanced, even a little sweet (but not in a bad way)
M: I am loving the mouthfeel here, creamy and moderate carbonation
O: Definitely enjoyed this. Hard to believe that is 9% (seems more like a 6% as you drink it). Also, it is local for me which is a plus, and I love the name!

Serving type: can

07-08-2012 22:15:02 | More by Beericjb

mdaschaf

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to my brother for grabbing this for me.

A: pours a hazy orange/golden color with a one finger white head. Decent retention with sheets of lacing.

S: Some cloves, banana, pear, and lost of yeast on the aroma. Slightly doughy.

T: More bready malt and yeast, a bit of spice, mostly cloves and coriander. Some candied sugar and a little bit of grassy hops.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly dry finish.

O: A pretty good beer. Drinks rather easy for 9%. Would drink again for sure.

Serving type: can

06-19-2012 02:10:13 | More by mdaschaf

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 5/26/12

Appearance: Hazy, gold with some amber - starts with a little white head, fades to a little ring, leaves some wisps and spots of lacing

Smell: Spicy Belgian yeast - a ton of clove and bananas - appropriate for the style - some alcohol - bready - like a banana bread studded with cloves - pale malts, and some cooked malts - some other light fruits as well

Taste: Bready, with cloves, bananas, light fruits, and alcohol - tasty, but it lacks depth - spicy Belgian yeast imparts a lot of clove and dried banana - pale, cooked malts, a little chewy - some candi sugar-like sweetness, but mostly dry... with dried cloves - an undercurrent of light citrus in here, too

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nicely carbonated, smooth

Overall: I want to give bonus points for the name of the beer

The only issue with labeling this beer "The Neighbor of the Beast" is that it makes me want the real beast. And this is not as good as Duvel. While the Belgian yeast strain here is rather aggressive, it somehow lacks the depth of others in this style. It's tasty, but not amazing.

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 05:40:41 | More by angrybabboon

warnerry

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Generous extra from woosterbill. Cheers!

A - Pours a hazy orange-brown with a lot of fine suspended yeast and one finger of white head. Head has decent retention and leaves a nice display of lacing.

S - Aromas of apple, pear, pepper, clove, banana and bubblegum. Somewhat sweet aroma of candi sugar, Pils malt. Faintly grassy hop aroma as well.

T - Rather fruity, with apple and pear. Candi sugar, Pils malt. Faint amount of pepper and hop. Finish has quite a bit of spice and a dry bitterness.

M - Medium mouthfeel starts out a bit sticky sweet and finishes dry, earthy, and a bit herbal.

O - A little sweeter than I want in a BSPA, but still quite tasty. I would take Duvel over this, but I would happily drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 02:27:37 | More by warnerry

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/25/2012 at Julian’s, in Providence, RI served in a snifter glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber/gold color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains Belgian yeast, spices, fruit, caramelized malts and some hops.

T: The taste starts out with sweet flavors of caramel, spices and fruit that are followed by breadiness from a hearty malt character and Belgian yeast backbone. The hops presence is mild but complementary and creates a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sweet.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong but well-disguised kick, good representation of style, this is a decent stronger Belgian-style beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 21:48:40 | More by TheManiacalOne

dejrrma

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Jwale73 for this one. No canned on date. Poured into Newport Storm snifter.

a- pours a hazy opaque yellow-orangey color. Has a white bubbly head, slight lacing.

s- spices, fruity, banana, yeasty

t- sweet and fruity, bready and banana-y and some honey, small traces of citrus, and is little beery towards the end but not in a bad way.

m- medium body, medium carbonation. refreshing but with some warmth as it goes down.

o- good beer, haven't had much from the style, but i enjoyed it. i could myself purchasing this from time to time if it was available to me.

Serving type: can

05-18-2012 22:20:26 | More by dejrrma

SneezyAchew

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of my favorite labels. So glad this was saved for me at one of my local packies. Poured from a can into a Stone Levitation pint glass.

A: A foamy lacing sticks to the glass throughout.

S: Pepper, bananas, and grass.

T: Spicy pepper, surfacing over a modicum of fruitiness, batters the tongue with each sip and makes its presence known as you swallow.
I probably wouldn't have cracked open another can if I had realized this was 9% abv. Either I've become almost completely immune to the taste of alcohol, or this is pr. damn well hidden. I'm thinking the latter.

M: Full and creamy. Very nice.

O: A very tasty golden ale for a not-too-bad price point. Glad to have two 4packs of this. Recommended.

Serving type: can

04-27-2012 05:19:15 | More by SneezyAchew

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this in a trade. Thanks to davey101!

A- Poured into a tall pilsner glass. A three finger, frothy head formed and retained well. Color is a hazy, almost orange gold. Tons of carbonated bubbles float up from the bottom for a long time. Good lacing.

S- Spicy notes and light malts are the main tones here. Smells similar to a American pale wheat ale. Hints of coriander and lemon peel are present.

T- Starts off with a spicy flavor profile. Coriander and lemon flavors mix in. After the initial flavors, the malt backbone kicks in. Mostly light malts, but a slightly heavier malt profile supports the spice notes and wheat profile.

M- Slightly thick, and very creamy. Less carbonation than expected for the appearance it presented. Not a trace of the 9% ABV, and very drinkable. It'd be easy to put down quite a few of these without noticing.

Overall, this is a solid Belgian style pale ale that has just what you'd expect from the style. Maybe if I get out east I'll get to try some more offerings from New England Brewing.

Serving type: can

04-18-2012 21:59:00 | More by boilermakerbrew

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

no evident date

A: The head is surprisingly short-lived, and lacing is minimal.

S: Powerful phenols. Lots of clove spiciness and banana and a touch of black pepper. That's about all I get on the nose, but what there is is pretty strong.

T: More yeast by products. Cloves and sweet banana bread. Hop bitterness and white pepper come through on the finish. A white sugar sweetness comes through as the glass empties.

M: Fairly full, with surprisingly light carbonation.

O: This is a tasty beer, but it gets sort of heavy and cloying after a while. I don't find myself wanting a second. That said, it's remarkably drinkable for the abv.

Serving type: can

04-14-2012 02:24:53 | More by greybeardloon

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to angrybabboon for giving me a can because he can.

Appearance: Hazy. Deep gold/ruddy straw. Head is bright-white and leaves a thin ring on the top of the beer. Some carbonation. Looks like it should.

Smell: Holy Belgian yeast Batman! Cloves, ripe bananas, and even more ripe bananas. Big yeasty component. Sweet bready notes. Almost hits like fresh baked banana bread. Lingering sweetness. Slightly peppery with a bright citrus backing. So much yeast. Pale malts round the whole thing out. Bubblegum...that's what it is!

Taste: Yeast and bananas rolled in a clove rub and then cooked in to a bread. That's exactly what this tastes like. Loads of peppery hits from the yeast. Cloves are unrelenting, but are nicely tempered by a sweet, pale malt base. Loads of ripe, almost overripe bananas. Yeast and more yeast. Bubblegum comes through here as well. So very estery.

Mouthfeel: Lively carbonation with a medium body. Drinks very smooth with a lingering dryness associated with the yeast.

Overall: I'm not a huge Belgian yeast fan, but this is well balanced and manages to be massively Belgian without being overbearing. Nice depth of flavor.

Serving type: can

04-09-2012 20:00:58 | More by Goblinmunkey7

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received as an extra in a trade. Poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a slightly cloudy/hazy orange with a thin quarter inch head that doesnt really fade, just stays there leaving minimal side lacing.

S - Smell is pretty good, nice cloves, banana, yeast, almost a bubblegum note. Light belgium funk. Very light alcohol noticeable.

T - More of those nice belgian esters, cloves, banana, and bubblegum. This is almost, almost like a triple. Quite enjoyable.

M - Mouthfeel isnt bad. A little thin. The alcohol is hidden nicely but the feel is lowly carbonated resulting in a thinish feel.

O - Overall, this is a good beer. Could use better mouthfeel, and some more head. Those considered, this is a pretty solid beer.

Serving type: can

04-05-2012 00:57:23 | More by rudzud

TheCorkStopsHere

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A brand new arrival, and a very limited one at that, this is the 668 "The Neighbor of the Beast" from New England Brewing. Even though they're located just a short drive from here, we get very limited quantities of the 668, and therefore I've never been able to try it before. Tonight I thought it was a necessity, so Gunnar and I cracked a can to split.

The 668 comes in 12oz aluminum cans with no discernible canning date or alcohol level. The cardboard flat that the cans arrived on was dated March 28th, 2012, so this batch is pretty darn fresh. The brew pours a slightly hazy golden straw color, with a nice white foam. The main body of foam dissipates relatively quickly, but a thin film of carbonation is present throughout the duration.

The aromas on the 668 are lightly sweet and citrusy. The last brew I had from New England Brewing was the Ghandi Bot, and I totally wasn't prepared for this soft little guy today. A little bit of that typical 'belgian funk' is present in the background, but the citrus and spice is definitely the dominate force in the aromas.

On the palate the start is very nicely sweet, followed by some nice fruit esters, and finishes with a crisp dryness in the back of the palate. There's just a touch of hops clinging to the back of my tongue, but the overall impression is distinctly citrusy, fruity, and a touch sweet. A nice medium body makes the 668 both flavorful and quite drinkable.

All said and done, I'm quite impressed! This "Belgian Strong Pale Ale" is very balanced, smooth, and well-done. If this were available on a regular basis, it would be a staple in my own fridge. Great job guys!

Serving type: can

04-04-2012 00:49:30 | More by TheCorkStopsHere

abrand

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce can poured into tulip

Pours an orangish color with a nice cloudy head that never leaves. Aromas of grains, spices, and subtle hops hit the nose. Not a very strong smelling beer but nice. Somewhat sweet on the nose. Taste is full of sugar with plenty of fruits. Bread doughs and hop backbone round out the palate. Mouthfeel is somewhat dry but thin. Overall this is a sessionable brew. Nothing outstanding but nice.

Serving type: can

03-31-2012 16:13:15 | More by abrand

tylerprince

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a snifter. I've been on a NEBC binge lately and have been excited to try this one.

A: Beautiful color. Pours a hazy, thick amber with off-white one finger head. Poor retention. Head resolves into a sparse lacing.

S: Saison all the way. Pilsner malts throughout with honey, fruits, and a little bit of lemony citrus.

T: Delicious. Very sweet with minimal alcohol taste. Mellow honey throughout with some wheat and a grassy finish. Banana, yeast are somewhere in there. Approaches 4.5.

M: Really nice. Smooth and low on the carbonation; virtually no alcohol sensation. Makes for a fairly sessionable beer. A great spring beer.

O: I'm usually not a fan of Belgians, but this was a pretty great brew - borders on the Belgian/American line. NEBC is new to me, but I'm impressed so far - haven't had anything less than great yet.

Serving type: can

03-15-2012 01:06:41 | More by tylerprince

travis224

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a really cool can into a snifter. Nice golden color with a light white head. The smell is dead on for the style. Taste is everything Ii expected from the smell. Spice, sweetness, delicious. One of the best American Belgian style beers I've had in a while. I can't believe this is 9% ABV, the alcohol his hidden really well. My first offering from this brewery and I am very pleased. Hope to snag some more in the future.

Serving type: can

02-12-2012 04:10:29 | More by travis224

scottfrie

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thank you for the growler, Michael and friends.

A: Pours a slightly hazy dark golden amber with a couple fingers of bright white head. Good head retention that faded into a thick collar that left sheets of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Belgian yeast dominates with doughy and spicy notes, and I also get a hint of lemon and citrus as well.
T: Follows the nose with flavors of yeast, dough, citrus and a slight bitterness. There are also some spices but this beer isn’t super spicy, maybe a touch of clove. I get citrus and a bit of alcohol in the finish.
M: Medium body, slick and slightly dry mouthfeel with good soft carbonation that is just barely on the low side.
O: Solid saison, easy to drink. Not my favorite, but I wouldn’t turn this down.

Serving type: growler

02-10-2012 03:59:11 | More by scottfrie

mjyoung

California

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to scottfrie. Split w/ the above and bbb099.

A: A thick honeyed amber color with a full fingers worth of head that dissipates quickly but leaves behind some pretty sweet lacing.

S: Not a lot coming through in the nose at all. Light bits of yeast and wheat, but I'm not picking up much else. After it's warmed it puts off a bit more summer fruit.

T: The taste follows the nose pretty well. Yeast, wee bit of wheat, and a grassy backbone that wasn't there too much in the nose.

M: Mmm delicious. A nice firm body, and nicely carbonated.

O: Very good. Glad I got a chance to try this one.

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 23:29:15 | More by mjyoung

bbb099

California

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to scottfrie for the beer!

A - Thick and foamy shell-white head. Slightly hazy orange-brown (almost chicken broth-like) color.

S - Belgian yeast and grain aroma, not exceptionally strong but enjoyable smell.

T - Syrupy honey-like malt flavors with spices present. Some hops that add to the bitterness.

M - Moderate amount of carbonation and full bodied.

O - Great overall taste, aroma and appearance. The alcohol is hidden incredibly well.

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 23:22:45 | More by bbb099