Indeed Day Tripper Pale Ale

Indeed Brewng Company , Minneapolis, MN. Day Tripper Pale Ale, 5.4 % ALC./VOL., 45 IBU. 750 ml bottle, bottled on Aug 02, 2012, drunk early in the morning, Aug 04, 2012.

Today, I had an appointment to sample beers from Indeed Brewing, one of our newest breweries in the city, with Tom, one of the owners. He was running a little behind and came in at 8, four hours late, with the excuse of a 36-hour brew day. I forgot to mention that's too many hours in a day, but I let it slide. Tom looked familiar and he finally revealed that he worked as a server at Town Hall Brewery, where he knew me as a bar stool warmer. My reputation gets around. Tom gets extra points for saying he'd be "honored" to have Indeed on tap at the Blue Nile. Well, that's all well and good, but how are the beers?

Tom brought two with him, two cans of the summer seasonal, Shenanigans Summer Ale, brewed with honey and wheat, which I poured for all in attendance (he arrived in the middle of a Summit Abbey Ale cask tapping.) Everyone was pleased with this happy, hoppy drinker. The other one, in a 750 ml bottle, I kept for myself in order to do this review. But I don't think I'll every go very long without finding more of this one, once it hits the shelves in cans. It will be a hit.

I will share the graphics for the can, and the logo, which very different from this drab, brown paper label. But free-sample-getters can't always be choosers.

Beautiful glittering golden hue, slightly hazed, under a full flush of white foam. 

Aroma: fresh, zesty, brimming with hops, bubbling over with citrus and pine, a vibrant, pithy nose, plumb with lemon and grapefruit. 

Taste: Here's where it's getting good. We start with a slap of hops and a tickle of malt, and it never, ever quits. A fierce blast that tempers some in time, with malt succulent, soft, and supple, keeping the ground level, delivering a modicum of sweetness, providing a minimum of balance. Good and hoppy this one (though not out of bounds), and a remarkable drinker. Certainly a sessioner, with the continuing reward of hoppy goodness on the tongue.

Medium bodied, with a long, hoppy finish. The bitterness is high, and ever-present, and coupled with the malt flavor, it provide deliciousness. This is such an excellent pale ale, I'm finding it almost perfect. There's not a thing lacking, not a bit wrong, nothing to dishonor this ale. Like I said, these guys will have a hit on their hands.

I didn't take notes on the Shenanigans, and I have yet to try the third beer, an American Black Ale, called Midnight Ryder, but it seems very promising. The head brewer spent many years under Mike Hoops at Town Hall and won GABF awards for his brews there. The location (the center of NorthEast Minneapolis, 711 15th Avenue Northeast), the look, the style, the attitude, and most importantly, the beer itself will make this one a success. 

Next up: an open house next Wednesday, followed by the grand opening of their taproom (making them the first Minnesota brewery to open with kegs, cans, bottles, and a taproom all at once) next Friday (which I won't be able to attend, especially if I end up going to the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, WI next weekend), and their first tapping at Icehouse the following Wednesday, and general tappings at other bars the week after. Let's just say I'm going to try figure where they will work into our schedule, because I'm expecting great things from Indeed!