One of the beer adventures that I had last summer that never found it's way on this blog was a trip through some of the suburbs with my ol' pal Jason B, last June. We visited Steel Toe Brewing, my first time by bike, then the Four Firkins store, a quick lunch at a Pizza Luce, and next the just- opened LTD Brewing in Hopkins, then the Cedar Lake Parkway trail all the way back to Minneapolis, then to Fulton, and finally Day Block. What a fun day that was. The greatest revelation to me that day was how easy and quick it is to travel to Steel Toe from where I live, just doing the Greenway all the way to St. Louis Park, a mere 25 minute bike ride. I vowed to return and pick up a growler of the pale ale I had that day, the Size 4, but I never did.
When Steel Toe opened in 2012, they had some odd hours of business, and often their beers were only available when I couldn't get there. I relied on the kindness of friends for some of their earliest releases, in bottles and growlers. Today, I was at a coffee shop, online, reading through Facebook and saw a friend posting about some new bottles on sale today at the taproom, one of which had already sold out. I had hours to go until I had to work, why not get on that Greenway and get me some? And so I did, purchasing two bottles of this beer, which is only available at the taproom (not on tap, just the bottle sales). The other one was sent out to a lucky few stores, and there's the possibility I can still find one, if I don't wait too long.
The takeaway, once more, is that it's so incredibly easy to get to by bike that I can't believe that I don't do it more often.
Before I get to this beer, there was a thought that occurred to me. Could I count this trip among the Biking to Beers occasional journey? Well, it was only one brewery visited, not three or four, or even two. And it wasn't on my day off, and also the battery on my iPod died, so I couldn't snap any shots. Later. Next time. Maybe Wednesday? Sometime soon, in any case.
As for right now, I'm gonna drink some beer.
Blood From The Barrel. Belgian-style Dark Strong Ale, 90% Aged in French Oak Wine Barrels. 9.0% Alc./Vol., bottle conditioned.
Appearance: Dark. Dusky. Murky burgundy, under a thin ring of head.
Aroma: sweetness. malt. yeast. dark fruits, raisins, plums, dates and cherries. Blueberry? Richness abounds, and the Belgian character is peeking through.
Taste: Boom. Thick and rich and full, bursting with flavor. Damn. Big, fat malt, lush fruitiness, ultimately ending on a long, dry note. Warm and wonderful.
Steel Toe is not known for doing Belgian-style beers. I'm glad they've branched out into this new territory. Not too much of anything, just enough of everything else. Lots of wine barrel flavors in here…and I'm scanning the brainpan, trying to think of what else is left to say…did I mention Yum?
No "gobbledygook" at all, as usual, just the necessary information, government warnings, etcetera. No need, the proof is in the bottle. And the barrel surely did bleed through on this one. I'd want to try the base beer, to see how far it is far this barrel-blessed version. Until that lucky day, this is damned fine stuff.
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