Pryes Session IPA

Pryes Session IPA. 4.2% ABV. "Juicy, Tropical, Epic." Pryes Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, large, lush, lovely white head.

In the nose: mild hops, moderate bitterness, citrus and pine are popping out. Dank is settilng in. It's getting quite ripe, fresh, and ridiculously hoppy. Nice.

In the mouth: Green, grassy, fresh and zesty. Lean bodied, light malts, easy drinking as they get. Clean, sweet malt flavors. Tasty hop profile. I'm digging this quite a bit. If I may re-iterate: it's quite good.

As a matter of fact, I've got to get back there soon, and check out more of their beers.

Oliphant Hobotown 2.0 Tequila barrel-aged Gose

HoboTown 2.0. Gose tequila barrel aged. 5.5% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Clear, pale amber toned, slim and gone white head.

In the nose: Sweet. Lime. Salt. Tart. Wheat. Zest. Hmmmm, and Mmmmm.

In the mouth: Sharp and sour at once, then the salt comes along, with the lime. Refreshing and delicious, tequila comes along and coats the palate. Damned tasty. Delicious. Succulent, even.

Hobotown 1.0 was a beer I only got a taste of when it was on tap at the brewery. My friends were enjoying theirs and when I went up to get my own, after getting a taste of theirs, ....all gone. It was a big hit over the hot weekend that ...July, was it? Yeah, it was nice, but Hobotown 2.0 is so nice, I bought it twice. Growler #2 waits for a special day not too far away.

I called this "delicious", already, right? Yeah, it's good. One of my favorite Oliphants, for real.

Chalkboard model Joshua Miller. 

"Hobotown" takes it's name from, once again, the works of Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. It's the episode of Tom Goes to the Mayor where Tom becomes Vice Mayor and is put in charge of Hobotown, to the usual disastrous results. Oliphant employee Josh Miller became immortalized in chalk, with his likeness appearing on the chalkboard in the style of the show. Above him is a version of Tim from "Awesome Show." And below, Prizza Demon, I have a good guess is from the way that John C. Reilly as Dr. Steve Brule would throw unnecessary r's into words. Like "broats", "crandy", and "prizza." Man, these dudes love those dudes. It's a fertile garden. Let it grow.

Hey, if you've got time on your hands, watch Josh eat food on YouTube. It won't hurt you none.

Fair State / Modern Times Spirit Foul India Pale Ale

Fair State / Modern Times Spirit Foul. Brewed by Fair State Co-op, Mpls., MN. Modern Times Beer, San Diego, CA. India Pale Ale. Silly, Hazy, Fun. 6.3% ABV.

Before I pour this, I must admit it would be better in a pint glass, but my Fair State-branded glass  seems to have gone missing. So, a tulip with the Fair State logo is the next best thing. Also, I washed, rinsed and rewashed the glass so I don't get embarrassed as happened with the photo of another hotly discussed beer recently. And now, here we go, one of the hottest "hazy IPAs" of the past few weeks, which I enjoyed at the taproom, and am taking notes from a can, thanks to a generous and lucky friend.

Impenetrable haze, pale yellow hue, small, but lasting chalk white head above.

In the nose: ablaze with citrus notes, screaming with orange and pine. Grapefruit and lemon lingers below. Absolutely lovely. Bitterness is here, but keeps it cool.

In the mouth: Nothing but juicy and fruity, hovering over a bitter buzz. Yeast flavor charges in and takes command. Flavor remains bright and delightful throughout. Medium bodied, long bitter finish, tasty, inviting, satisfying. Hits all the right notes, and hits me right where I live.

So, it's a North-East (or New England)-style IPA brewed by West Coast and Mid-West breweries. And it's pretty darned good. Because it is now gone, I couldn't find any official information on the FS website, but dug this up on Untappd: A silly, hazy & fun IPA brewed in collaboration with Modern Times Beer. Super juicy, tropical, and dank. Brewed with Pilsner malt (barley), pale wheat, flaked oats, flaked barley, and hopped with x331 Experimental, Mosaic, & Citra. 

You had me at Mosaic & Citra. How can you lose with that classic combo?

I still don't get the hype over "hazy", can't comprehend why people are losing their crap over beers that look like this. Is it just because it's different? Is it to be contrarian? We got folks swearing by the hazy, and nothing else will do. Unhazy IPAs? Who needs 'em, they say. You put out a perfectly fine, clear India Pale Ale, and some will shake their heads and wonder about you. Last week, I switched things up at the taproom and got an IPA in between Spirit Fouls. A friend was at the bar and looked at my pint and said, "that doesn't look hazy!" Oh, but he was kidding, I know.

Elysian Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale

Elysian SuperFuzz. Ale brewed with Blood Orange. 6.4% ABV.

Heavy clouds, deeply orange-ish, fluffy white head. Some particulates showing through when seen in the light. Old bottle? Can't find a date anywhere on the label.

In the nose: Bright and citrus-y, bold hops, good balance, not too bitter, not too sweet.

In the mouth: Citrus-spiked pale ale goodness kicks it off fruity and bitter from the start. Medium-bodied, lightish, bitterness compounding on the palate, all the while remaining smooth and mellow.
I like it. Good blood orange pale, and you can drink it.

....Is a mind-bending whirl of the aromas and flavors of blood orange and Northwest hops.

I present this as evidence that my glass was clean, and
there were floaties.

Minnesota Breweries One By One #36: Steel Toe Brewery, St. Louis Park

On of the many amenities of the Steel Toe taproom includes
an enormous Steel Toe logo mural. Also, not much else.

Dear readers, you may remember my quest of 2016 to visit all of Minnesota's brewery taprooms and write about them. I made it to 113, skipping any breweries that did not have a place to drink a pint, and I believe I got to them all. But I didn't write them all up, and the project has been on a hiatus for the past seven months, for no good reason. Among those no-good reasons are: the time it takes to write these, the time I have available to me, and the pressure of that huge pile of unwritten brewery visits. Where to start, how to proceed, what? How?

I won't let it get me down, but at the same time there's a mounting stockpile of beers to review that I'm working on knocking down. As I try to make progress, I slip and it grows. It grows without me slipping, they just accumulate. And so in the middle of a night off, with about 3 reviews down and no end in sight, I decide to heck with it, let's finish off a brewery. I'm going to put a Steel Toe beer in the fridge and when it's cold enough to drink, I'll be halfway through my report. Let's do it!

Why is Steel Toe #36? Because it was the 36th brewery I visited that year, and the first of the day that Sunday, the first of May. Jason and I had a plan to do Steel Toe, then LTD in Hopkins, and finally Modist in Minneapolis, all by bike. (This was the second time we'd done this path. The first time, the year before, or was it two?, we finished our triple brewery visit with Fulton.) While at ST, I picked up 2 bottles of barrel-aged Wee Heavy, and I took notes on it for use in my MN Breweries report, which never got written (until now) for this reason: I lost the pictures. Got to have the pictures. Pics or it didn't happen, dude. Later on, I utilized those notes when I opened bottle #2. You can read those here.

As I've said in previous Steel Toe reviews, my eyes were lifted once I realized how close I was to their brewery by bike. Since I've moved to the Uptown area, I'm only about 12 minutes away. I tested this out in May, when I brought home a growler of Almost Special Bitter. A month later, I took that trip on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. June 25, to be exact. I jumped on the Greenway, about six blocks away from my place, and took that path all the way to St. Louis Park, where it crosses Beltway Boulevard. Not far from there, we can see a "Brewery is open" sign on the street and follow that road until we can see the building off in the distance. 4848 W. 35 St. The patio is full, and so is the bar. Because of this, I found a table in the larger beer hall, took my notes on the 2 beers I'd never had before.

 First off, HopTread #1, the first in a series of experimental IPAs. Here's the notes: HopTread #1: Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim ivory head.

HopTread 1

Aroma burst with tropical notes, pineapple, mango, guava, low bitterness, plenty of fruit.

In the mouth: powerful bitterness at the start, then nothing but pleasure. Juicy, fruity, with a lingering bitter smack through the finish. Very dry, despite the frequent fruitiness. Medium body. Terrifically tasty. I’m going to have to look up the hops for this one, I’m liking this combo, whatever it is.

Next up, Sissel, the Raspberry Wheat Ale. These are the notes:

Slim white head, hazy, near-orange coloring.

Sissel Raspberry Wheat

Raspberry all up in that nose. Tart and sweet and wheat. Lovely.

In the mouth: Bracing tart at first grab on the palate, lightly bitter, utterly smooth and delightful. I like a good raspberry wheat, I won’t lie. I really like a really good one. Really. And this is one. Fresh, delicious, tart, and damn it, you can drink it.

So, new to me beers down, notes done and I wandered back to the bar once some seats opened up. I like sitting at the bar. There were some real goodies on tap, Before the Dawn, the barrel-aged black barleywine, and then 2016 Lunker, the rye barrel-aged English-style barleywine.

Four beers in, and my fifth is a Dissent, while I recapture
my youth with some old Kirby Klassics.

As you can see by the illustration at left, those amazing barley-wines weren't quite enough, and I capped off the visit with a Dissent dark ale. Go ahead, call it a stout. The only thing wrong with this visit was a complete lack of Frank Goldman. It's just not a visit to Steel Toe without a little bit of Frank.

But the brewery staff is friendly, the atmosphere is comfortable, and while the place is really as no-frills as they go, it's all about the beer. Steel Toe has been successfully following their motto of having "big dreams of staying small." I like that plan a lot. They don't do a lot of different brews, but what they do, they do well.

That last visit was over 3 months ago, and it makes no sense to me. There were plenty of opportunities to return. As I look at the website today, I notice for the first time that they're open Tuesday now, too. I had all day off today, and didn't go. Also, there are 2 more new-to-me beers, including the second HopTread. Put that to the top of my to-do list.

I feel a certain obligation to stay on top of the beers of my home city of Minneapolis, and now that there are 30 breweries in the City of Lakes, and 12 and counting in our neighboring St. Paul, it's easy to forget about our neighbor to the southwest. Only 12 minutes away. The more I say that, the more it sounds stupid that I don't stop there more often.

The theme of this taproom: industrial.

Maybe I didn't see Frank on that trip, but on my
previous visit, I did bump into JD.

A peek at the patio.

Barley John's Cave Dweller Maerzen/Oktoberfest

Barley John's Brewing Company Cave Dweller Marzen. Barley John's Brewing Company, New Richmond, Wisconsin. 8% ABV, 30 IBU. Artfully crafted beer. 

Clear, bright amber/near bronze, sizable head, off white, long-lasting.

In the nose: Classic Oktoberfest aromatics from the start, malty, slightly sweet, burnished grains. Alcohol esters.

In the mouth: Even bigger and bolder once on board the palate. This double decoction version of the marzen is much heavier than your average, and bigger in booze, too. 8% ABV, 30 IBUs, too, a little high, there as well. Not that I'm complaining, but don't go in expecting a session to break out any time soon.

I'll take a moment to read the label: "This double decocted amber lager is a classic Oktoberfest beer. Traditionally made in March (Marz), aged in caves, and served int the fall. This smooth malt complexity will envelop your taste buds. Eins. Zweig. Gnome'suff! Enjoy-Barley John."

The Barley Man himself got this can into my hands, and presented it as the only double decoction Oktoberfest in the world. I'm not sure if we can know that. Is there a chance we could poll every brewery in the world to verify if, when or how they double decoct, and whether it happens with their Oktoberfest? I'll just have to trust him on that statement, and say if it had a hand in this resulting flavor, keep going, guys.

Bell's Best Brown Ale

Bell's Best Brown Ale. American Brown Ale. Brewed and bottled by Bell's Brewery, Comstock, MI. 5.8% ABV.

In this blog, I try to cover all of the bases when it comes to my favorite breweries, and Bell's is one of of those. So, it comes as a surprise when I discover that the Best Brown Ale has never been here in the Nib. Not once in the nearly seven years I've been doing this. But, surely I've reviewed it before, in the eight years prior, when I wrote reviews on BeerAdvocate.com? Well, surely I have, but I've never been happy with those notes.

So. I'll write new ones, and share the old. Here we go:

Thoroughly hazed, dark reddish-brown coloring, slim brownish head.

In the nose: Malty, slightly sweet, a little touch of nuts and fruit, Moderate hop bitterness, good balance.

In the mouth: Full-bodied, strong and malty. Solid ale, solid as can be, for a liquid that we can drink. Starts sweet, ends dry. An altogether excellent beverage. I can pick it up again and again and be happy every time. Pretty, pretty good.

Hey, let's look at what they say: Bell's Best Brown ale is a smooth, toasty fall seasonal beer that offers hints of cocoa and caramel. With the help of American hops, the malt body has the depth to stand up to cooler weather  without being heavy. A perfect pairing for the changing of the seasons. 

Yeah, I'd buy that. And here's what I said way back in January of 2003:
Deep, dark brown to near violet with a fine, simmering tan head.
Aroma is unique and slightly unfathomable! I'm getting dates, plums, roasted nuts, caramel, sweetness, but on the dark side.
Chewy mouthfeel, medium body, great texture. A very substantial brown ale that stands on the opposite end of the ubiquitous Newcastle. Sits proudly on the palate, and lingers on the tastebuds. Low carbonation.
Altogether excellent! Bell's does their brewing business with a certain je ne sais quoi, y'knowwhatImean? There's a lift, a beautiful bouyancy that I often associate with the best products of Belgium in almost everything they do at Kalamazoo.

Okay. How did I come up with the same phrase each time? This time, though, I skipped the exclamation point. Back then, I just loved exclamation points.

Ommegang Siren's Song

Ommegang Siren's Song Dark Ale brewed with figs and raisins. 9% alc./vol. Part of the Duvet Family of Fine Ales.

Dark brown/burgundy hue, fuzzy beige head above. Looking good.

In the nose: Spicy, malty, funky, fruity. A little tart, and quite vinous. Wine meets beer in here.

In the mouth: Big carbonation starts it out, followed by sweet fruit, dark, ripe, and tart. Brown ale meets funky/fruity. Mighty malt, with minor hops.

What kind of beer is this, asks the man who bought a 4-pack and drank 3 bottles already and never bothered to read the label? "Dark ale brewed with figs and raisins." Of course it is.

It's also, in addition to being fruity and funky, quite cool and groovy. At 9% Alc./Vol., it's better be. Quite nice, this one. I recommend it, far and wide.

Ancient mariners braved the Aegean, holds laden with figs and raisins. They faced great storms, monstrous sea creatures, and merciless pirates. But all paled compared to the Sirens, whose enchanted songs drifted to sea and drew the sailors to their end. 

Our dark ale, Sirens’ Song, pays homage to the lost cargos, with figs and raisins added to the brew kettle. The resulting beer is dark, mysterious, and as irresistible as the Sirens’ seductive song. 

Roasted malt and burnt sugar aromas lead, followed by flavors of dark fruit and notes of dark caramel. The finish is smooth and balanced with subtle bitterness.

Summit Belgian-style Pale Ale

Summit Belgian-style Pale Ale. Summit Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota. 5.5% ABV.

To the eye: Clear, amber-hued, solid cap of ivory froth that settles down assuredly.

In the nose: mild and malty, light fruit and a hint of spice. Belgian yeast at work. Peppers, cloves, and bubblegum.

In the mouth: There it is on the tongue. Malt, spice, fruit, yeast. Little hops. Medium bodied, easy drinker, nice and warm. I like Belgian pale ales, but they're not often my first choice. Good beers, when done well, but don't always do it for me. This one leans too hard on the spice, I think, when it could use more malty sweetness.

The Belgian Pale is an elegant, complex ale with spicy and floral aromas, as well as mild notes of orange zest and graham cracker. With a full mouth- feel and thirst-quenching bitterness, European hops and a Belgian yeast strain are layered over German, British and Belgian malts. Refreshing enough for a warm September day, hearty enough for a cool October evening.

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.5%
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 13° Plato
COLOR: Sunset Orange (14 L)
HOPS: Saaz, Styrian Goldings
MALTS: Belgian Pils, UK Pale, German CaraMunich

YEAST: Belgian Ale Yeast

Oliphant Lieutenant Daddy Double IPA

Oliphant Lieutenant Daddy Double IPA, with Zythos, Mosaic, Wakatu and Galaxy hops. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin. 9.5% ABV.

There's a story about Lieutenant Daddy, who he is, how he came to be, why he has a beer named after him, and etcetera, and that story was told to me, but Hell if I remembered it. You'll just have to go to the taproom and have them tell it to you.
Now let's drink a beer:

Hazy, as is our current fad, dull amber hue, slimmish, off-whitish head.

In the nose: sharp and citric, lightly floral, lemon and orange and fresh forest floor.

In the mouth: Super-smooth, followed by bitter blast. Slick and sweet, swallowed up by the big-ass bitterness. Loads of lush texture. Delightfully bitter, gritty, fruity, complex and pretty damn yum.

Interesting. Delicious. Delightful. Again, yum. Wow. All that hoppin' is makin' me itch!

Bad Weather Sun Pillar Belgian Blonde

Bad Weather Sun Pillar Belgian Blonde. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 5.1 % Alc. 17 IBU.
Pairs well with sunny spring days, hot mid-summer afternoons, crisp fall evenings, mild winter nights.

To the eye: Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Mild aromatics, with an undercurrent of bubblegum, light fruit, Belgian yeast, malt.

In the mouth: Moderate/light bitterness, sweet malt, and that unmistakable Belgian funk inside. Light bodied, smooth, easy drinker. More bubblegum/fruit from yeast, lightly spicy. Delicious. I like a Belgian blonde from time to time, and this is a nice one.

Subtle spicy yeast notes are accompanied by the sweetness of Belgian Pilsen malt and candi sugar. Bubble gum and clove permeate the soft aroma coming off a silky white tuft of foam.

Indeed Oktoberfest

Indeed Oktoberfest. 6.4% ABV. 20 IBU. Wait. hold on.

I received this growler from the brewery with no information on it. I looked up Derailed No.10 on Untappd and copied that information and entered it above. They've been brewing it since 2014, when I had it at the taproom. But there was another listing, with 46 people, at this hour of writing,  posting about their various pints at local restaurant and bars in recent days and weeks. And this one is listed as being 5.7% and 123 IBUs. Hmmm. I don't think so. Maybe 23?


In any case, they appear to be slightly different beers. So, here's this new version of Oktoberfest:

Clear, bright amber color, slim ivory head, gone quick.

In the nose: clean and classic. Good and malty. Cereal grains and slight sweetness.

In the mouth: More clean and more classy. Vibrant malt body, light hops, nice balance, good drinking.

A straight, by-the-books, no fuss, no muss Oktoberfest lager. Not especially spectacular, and there ain't nothing wrong with that.

This Oktoberfest is traditional with a new wave twist: a traditional German malt bill topped with new German hop varieties Polaris and Mandarina Bavaria.

(The above is from the Derailed listing. Information about the new version may be different. I'd love to pull information off of their website, but it doesn't seem to be there.)

Pulpit Rock To Hop and To Hold Double IPA

A few weeks back, Jason and I made it down to Decorah, Iowas and my first visit to the Pulpit Rock brewpub. I got the opportunity to sample all of their excellent ales during our stay, and took three of them home with me to take larger notes. And here's one that came in the handy crowler format. It's proof that there are still hop-related puns out there for those who look hard enough.

To Hop and To Hold. 7.8% ABV. 60 IBU.

To the eye: there's that haze that's all the rage, a bold orange hue, and an absolutely gorgeous pure white head, leaving lacing. Lovely.

In the nose: Grapefruit, orange, pineapple, plus. Big citrus/tropical aromatics, more fruity than bitter. And I can dig it. More of the lovely.

In the mouth: Smooth, creamy, fruity, delicious. Moderate bitterness, medium body, plentiful body and yeast at play on the palate. Juicy, bitter, ending dry. Bitterness grows and grows on the palate, and I'm enjoying it more and more.

Hazy IPA meets double IPA, and it's altogether tasty.

A deliciously progressive marital bliss between Simcoe, Mosaic & Summit hops.

Alesmith /Pizza Port Logical Choice 3X India Pale Ale

Alesmith/Pizza Port Logical Choice 3X India Pale Ale, brewed and canned by Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. 12 fl. oz. 10% Alc. by Vol. "An epic crew makes an epic brew."

There's a whole lot of copy on the back of the can. Let's try to read it: ...uh, no, it's gobbledygook. We'll stick to what I had to say.

Clear, bright golden, lush white head, looking utterly beautiful.

In the nose: Fresh tropical fruit notes start it off, pineapple, guava, mango.  Lemon, grapefruit, and pine climb on afterward. Sweet and lovely, with just enough bitter.

In the mouth: Big, bold hoppiness here. Brassy, ballsy, and a treat to drink down. Gritty, complex, yet sweet, tasty, and a lot of bitter. Needless to say, I like it.

Ommegang Pale Sour Ale

Ommegang Pale Sour Ale, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY. 6.9% ABV. Product of Belgium. (If that's confusing, it is instructive to remember that Brewery Ommegang of Cooperstown, New York is a wholly owned subsidiary of Duvel-Moortgat, and some of their branded beers are actually brewed in Belgium for sale in the U.S.) This one, actually, was brewed in collaboration with Liefmans.

Lightly hazed, pale golden coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: Big funk, big sour. Slightly vinegar-y. Wine-like, fruity, nice.

In the mouth: Sharp, tart, sweet, funky. Medium/ light bodied. Perfectly easy drinking, refreshing, and delightful. Just enough sour, just enough malt, great balance, go drink it.

I was going to copy off the words on the label, as I often do, but they used pretty much the same verbiage that I just did, and that would be embarrassing. Note that I did not read it first, however. Mere coincidence.

Here's more from them: Pale Sour is an elegant, drinkable sour beer, unique in that it’s not wood-aged. It has a well-balanced blend of sweet and sour. Liefmans is such a historic, iconic brewery and having the opportunity to work with them has been an honor and very enjoyable. 

Pale Sour begins with a mixed culture fermentation in open copper vats. Aged over several months in stainless tanks, master blenders blend new batches with older ones until the optimal balance of flavors is reached.

Insight Splendid Moose Northeast Style Pale Ale

Haze, haze, haze, haze is the craze, haze for days, the kids these days they all crave the haze, it's all the rage. Sigh.

So, this has been going on for a bit now, and I was tired of it long ago, but as the hype cranks up, I turn into even more of the Grumpy Old Man. Dangerous Man made them, Modist, Fulton, Lupulin, Disgruntled, Forager, I forget them all. I'm sure someone will pipe up and correct me. You'd think there'd be a database, with a list of all the local "NE-style" beers, sometimes referring to New England, sometimes "the Northeast", and sometimes playing with "Nordeast, Minneapolis." (This refers to the style's origins, which can be traced back to The Alchemist in Vermont and their Heady Topper Double IPA, reviewed here. Read more about the style here, if you like.) Barrel Theory is running with their versions, Blackstack and Headflyer have admirable additions to the ranks, and a couple of new ones have popped up that are making the local beer geeks forget about Dreamyard and HopStar. They are over. Over, I say! Now, it's the new one from Fair State (Spirit Foul, which I've yet to try...I haven't gone searching for a can, because when you have 2 -3 dozen cans, bottles, growlers and crawlers awaiting review, you have to stop going out and buying more beer) and this one from Insight that they're flipping out over. Brewers are feeling the pressure to put out their own to join in on the fervor. And I still don't get it.

I like unfiltered ales, I always have. Give me that yeast, baby. But this new excitement over a lack of clarity and a resemblance to a glass of O.J. is baffling to me. I get that some prefer a lower bitterness, a higher juiciness, but the extent to which they flip over that look, which is sometimes unappealing, I just can't fathom it. It feels like a fad which will soon run it's course, and then they'll all soon marvel over the clarity of some new-spun take. "Whoa, this IPA you can totally see through! And it has no hops! And it lacks any flavor! Best IPA yet!" Just you wait and see.....

Insight Don't Feed the Splendid Moose Northeast Style Pale Ale. 6.5% ABV. 22 IBU.

To they eye: Need I say it? Hazy orange coloration, slim, but lasting layer of ivory froth atop.

In then nose: Perfectly pleasant, pungent and pretty. Cool, calm and collected, busting with tropical and citric fruit notes, but low on the bitter scale. All the beauty with none of the bold.

In the mouth: Bright, fresh, full citrus flavors load the palate. Tasty grapefruit and orange notes, with a dose of pineapple. Moderate bitterness, lightish/medium-y bodied, lingering bitter finish. A pleasant pale to while away the day. Good beer, you can drink it, haze, juice, etc.

This isn't labeled an "IPA" and it isn't. Low bitterness but all the haze that the kids crave.

DON’T FEED THE SPLENDID MOOSE

Our Northeast Pale Ale is brewed with Pale and Pilsner malt, along with a copious amount of Citra hops that give a super hazy and juicy color to the beer. Bright oranges fall on the nose with a smooth, citrus flavor on the palate. If you close your eyes, you just might think this beer was juiced rather than brewed.

NE PALE ALE notes: JUICY ORANGES SMOOTH
abv:
6.5%
ibu:
22

Oliphant Undiscovered Worlds

Oliphant Undiscovered Worlds Russian Imperial Stout. 9.5% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin.

This is one purchased some months ago, and left in the fridge until now. Should I have saved it longer? Maybe next time, I just had to taste it. If I remember right, though, I did try it on tap on the day of purchase, and I recall enjoying my glass quite a bit. Now, to crack the mini-growler.

Dark as sin, roasted brown head above.

Spills out the darkest aromatics, teeming from the glass. On closer inspection, roast and toast, cocoa, coffee and cream, lush and delicious in the nose.

Now, to drink it up: Nicely even-ly balanced RIS. Not too overboard, fine and mellow. Full-bodied but not over-powering. Plenty of malt, but not too boozy. A mere 9.5%. A pushover. Some smoke and tobacco.

This one can be safely called a middle-of-the-road RIS. Not too big, not too little. Yeah, you could wish it to be bigger and ballsier, but it is what it is, and what it is is just fine. Although, yeah, I'm yearning for just a bit more, here and there. I picture this one as a preamble to something greater on the horizon.

Undiscovered Worlds as sampled at the taproom.

Like many of the beers at Oliphant, the name comes from a sketch out of the Wareheim and Heidecker ouvre, the same one as Tittleman's Crest and Graumann's Center. They're calling this the Universe Series.

Sisyphus Orange You Glad You Like Chocolate?

Sisyphus Orange You Glad You Like Chocolate? 5.2% ABV, 23 IBU. Canned 9/12. Consumed 9/13. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. Stout w/Cocoa Nibs & Oranges

Dark brown, just about black, nice cocoa-tinged head atop.

In the nose: sweet, chocolate, hint of fruit, at first. Light hop bitterness, mostly malty sweet. Okay, I'm getting it, it's there, but in small doses.

In the mouth: Rich, lush, delicious. Full body, much malt. well-tempered. Sweetness hangs on, but bitter keeps it in check. The orange, however it entered this brew, is kept pretty subdued, but has a presence. Hop bitterness stays on top, keeping command of all the other elements.

Good beer, and guess what? I can drink it.

You know those chocolate oranges you used to get in your Christmas stocking that you'd let sit for months and then they'd be all hard and gross? This beer isn't really anything like that expect for the chocolate orange part. But probably try to drink it fresh rather than storing it behind your old Beanie Babies.

Flavors: Dark chocolate, orange zest, roasted coffee

Troegs Scratch Series 83 Impending Descent Imperial Stout

It's been a long time since I've had a Troegs beer. I haven't been to Pennsylvania since....ever, and I haven't traded with an East Coaster in nearly as long. The only time their name has come up here in the  Nib was with a collaboration with Stone Brewing, that I wrote of five years ago. Over on BeerAdvocate, it looks like I've had eight of their brews, in my early years of trading. And now, I've got another one in my possession, a gift from a friend on my birthday. After 2 1/2 months in the fridge, tonight's the night to drink it down.

Troegs Scratch Beer Series 83: Impending Descent. Imperial Stout. 10.9% ABV. 98 IBU. I believe this was released in 2014.

Full-on ebony hue, rich cocoa/tan head that drift down assuredly, still, looking fine.

In the nose: full and fierce. Char, roast, cocoa, molasses, anise raisins, maple syrup, more? Intense. Incredible. Amazing.

In the mouth: Fullness to the extreme, with all the richness you can imagine. Big, huge, bold, rich. Thick. Almost viscous. Thoroughly everything. And pretty damn strong. This one goes all the way. A perfect nightcap brew. And off to bed I go.


Malt: Chocolate, Crystal 80, Munich, Pilsner, Roast, Special B
Hops: Bravo, Columbus, Galena, Nugget
Yeast: House Ale
As we spiral further toward the end of the Mayan calendar, we at Tröegs felt obligated to brew a special beer to commemorate the expiration of planet Earth. We think it’s a pile of gibberish (just don’t quote us on that, though… you never know)! Either way, celebrate the countdown to extinction and raise a goblet of this colossal Russian Imperial Stout as we plummet into utter oblivion. If your tongue doesn’t disintegrate as a result of the birthday party cheesecake jellybean BOOM, at the very least this beer will wreak major havoc on your taste buds. Yes, ¿Impending Descent? is as enormous, face-melting, and palate-numbing as it sounds. If there ever was a last beer to enjoy before Doomsday, this is it. Here at Tröegs we say, “Bring on the apocalypse!”

Barley John's Stuck Bridge Wheat IPA

I've said it before, and I'll most likely say it yet again. This Minnesota brewpub/Wisconsin brewing company business of Barley John's is becoming very confusing. I went on Untappd to find information about this one, given to me as a sample by the gnome himself, and nearly all the listings had it as being "by Barley John's Brewpub" and having been consumed at "Barley John's Brewing Company" or elsewhere that a brewpub beer from New Brighton, MN couldn't be served. Well, no. Someone made the simple mistake, and everyone else just logged on to that error. Because Brewpub comes first and no one thinks about the two being distinct? Should anyone care? When it's this impossible to un-tangle, how can anyone?

Never mind, I'm going to drink a beer.

Barley John's Brewing Company Stuck Bridge Wheat IPA.  5.3% ABV.

Clear, light amber color, brilliant white, lace-leaving head.

In the nose: lively, spicy, vibrant citrus fruit and pine aplenty.

In the mouth: Pow! Hop bitterness hits the palate hard, flooding the senses, dropping off all the orange and lemon, tangerine and pine needle goodness. Smooth malt flavors. Medium bodied. Long, bitter finish. Big hops. Delicious.

"Barley John" informed me that he remains loyal to his 6 Knot IPA, though this new creation of Mr. McKenzie is more in line with the current taste in IPAs. And mine, too. Yeah, this fits right in with the India Pale Ales that I dig the most. Sorry, John.

Clown Shoes Space Cake #7 IPA

Clown Shoes Space Cake #7 India Pale Ale. 7.77% Alc./Vol. Brewed and canned by Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA. "Our mission: To produce Beer without Pretension while Being Free and Little Crazy."

To the eye: highly hazed, bright golden/amber-hued, nice, lasting pure white head atop. Looking great.

In the nose: there's the pine and the pulp, the juicy tropical fruit and the pithy citrus. Everything you want in an IPA, and then some. Orange and grapefruit, and tangerine. And we can dig it.

In the mouth: Ah! Right on! Just enough delicious hoppy goodness, all over the palate. Sharp, strong, dry, bitter, and, yeah, delicious. Just the way I love it. Nice. So nice I'll bring out my favorite catchphrase that never caught. Are you ready? Here it comes: Yum, a dum, dum!

I love it! You should try it! Seriously. Do it. Spread it around. And give me credit. Yum A Dum Dum. TM. And C.

Tasked with bringing cake to our 7th anniversary party, Miracle Mike needed to destroy the laser beam shooting pastries that menace him.  He appears to have “borrowed” the birthday surprise from a young wizard that did not die.  Dry hopped with seven hops (Idaho 7, Mosaic, Citra, Ella, Galaxy, Centennial, and Nelson Sauvin), this IPA salutes the industry and our customers.  Thank you for a wonderful seven years!

Cosmos Martian Rambler Amber

Cosmos Brewing Martian Rambler Amber Ale. "Save Space For Beer!" 5.8% all. by vol. 25 IBU. Cosmos Brewing, Hugo, MN.

Clear, dark amber color, ivory head that starts big and settles quickly.

In the nose: Clean and malty, lightly sweet.

In the mouth: Smooth and malty, medium bodied, fairly faint finish. Slightly on the sweet side, this. There are hops here, too, just enough to keep it all in balance.

One flaw I find is that leans a little too far into the sweet side. Spicy rye malt keeps in interesting.

"Are we alone in the universe?" A true American amber, Martian rambler is crafted using only ingredients produced in the USA. Malt forward with a touch of hops, rye provides a hint of spice on the back end." 

Broken Clock Pocket Watch Pecan Brown

Broken Clock Pocket Watch Pecan Brown Ale. 6.5% ABV. 23 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, crimson/brownish coloring, nice cocoa-tinged head atop.

In the nose: sweet, nutty, malty, balanced, and enticing, to be sure. Right on.

In the mouth: On comes the malty sweetness, here comes the nutty flavor, and it's wonderfully textured and terrifically tasty. Some caramel, some cocoa, but never too much Just enough bitterness to keep it in check. Perfect balance. Long, malty/dry finish. Altogether excellent. Very nice.

I have every reason to be skeptical of brewing operations that begin with home brewers with no other experience. They have worked before, many times, but there's still the chance that they won't. Always that chance. And it's not happening here. I think this is the sixth offering I've sampled from these guys and they've all been solid. I hope to visit the brewery soon and get a few more tastes. Maybe they'll get their taproom before too long and I can while away some time with a pint or two.

Biscuity, nutty, carmely brown ale brewed with brown sugar and praline pecans from Midwest Northern Nut. Inspired by Jeremy Gharineh #16

Oliphant OcctoberBoi Oktoberfest Lager

This beer reminds me of my favorite U2 song, in honor of my favorite month, which is still several weeks away, but has a German beer celebration in it's name held in September. I'll remember it as if I am hearing the great Bono's voice whispering in my ear: "OcctoberBoi, ....and the trees are stripped bare, of all they wear....I hate Mondays....but, I love lasagna..."

So, I went to Oliphant and I brought his back, and then I drank it, and while I did that, I wrote this:

Oliphant Occtoberboi. Oktoberfest lager. 6.3% ABV.

Clear, copper-y colored, slim, off-white head.

In the nose: Rich and malty. All the right smells are here, in all the right amounts. Classic marine aromatics, toasty and ablaze with the scents of autumn.

In the mouth: Nice smack of bitter starts it out, followed by massive malt. Rich and full-bodied, a heftier version than most marzens. Also, non-stop tasty. The crowler was ended in no time at all. Not a strict, by the book rendition, but there are plenty of those.

I can't remember if there's any special reason that Garfield the Cat is associated with this beer, was it just the magical whims of the chalkboard, or some other nonsensical meaning. It's okay either way, with me.

Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest Amber Marzen

September's here, and it's Oktoberfest season, naturally. Another German bottle enters my hands due to the generous Sample Man, and once more I discover that the works of this old and revered German brewery have not been represented here in the Nib yet so far. Surely I must have taken notes on Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest Amber Marzen once before? Yes, indeed, back in January of 2003, way back in the infancy of my beer notations. I'll share them now:

5.8% Alc. by Vol. Brewed according to the German purity law of 1516.

Amber color, with a lacey, tannish head.

Highly aromatic: spicy, cloves, cinnamon, herbal.

Malty, but not overmuch. Some sweetness, but, again, just enough.
Delicate hop, solid body, slight sharpness and a coppery edge in the mouthfeel.
Very delicious.

Short and to the point. That happens sometimes.

Pulpit Rock Saftig IPA

Sunday, the 3rd day of September in 2017 was the occasion of my first visit to Iowa in recorded memory. Meaning, of course, that I could not tell you the last time I crossed that southern border of Minnesota for any reason. It's been a long, long time, and whatever reason there was, it was probably to get through to what was on the other side.

This time the reason was to drink the beer of Decorah, a long overdue endeavor. Toppling Goliath is the most renowned of the two breweries of this college town, with their many IPAs and double IPAs, imperial stouts and morning' delights getting them fame far and wide. The first time I heard of this brewery was when I found that my friend Bob Slack started brewing there, many years ago. Well, guess what? A few years back, he jumped ship and crossed the street and is now one of the head brewers at Pulpit Rock, and like the fool I am, I forgot to tell him I was coming to town. I do that too much. Have to stop that.

When Jason and I pulled into the sleepy town that is home to Luther College, and we passed by the little brewery on the hill, we saw the parking lot at TGBC full and took our chances down the road. It would have been uncouth to park at PR and walk to to TG, so the plan was hatched that we'd drink at PR, then walk to to TG, then head back for more. Unless, of course, we didn't like what we had at the first stop. That wasn't likely to happen.

I'll give you an overview of the place in a little bit, in another post. For now, I'll tell you about the first beer I had at the brewpub, which I took notes on from a growler I brought home.

Pulpit Rock's take on the hazy, east coast IPA style showcases both Mosaic & Simcoe hops.







Pulpit Rock Zaftig IPA, Pulpit Rock Brewing, Deborah, Iowa, 6.4% ABV. 45 IBU.

Thoroughly hazed, as if the day's fashion, with a dull orange timbre, and flush ivory head above. Looking nice.

In the nose: Ah! Just about perfect citrusy aromatics, fresh, vibrant, floral, lovely. Digging the grapefruit, lemon and orange/tangerine.

In the mouth: Yow! It comes on in full force here, blazing with bitterness and awash in citrus-y flavors. Clean, lean, medium malt. Excellent drinking, if you're in it for the hops. Perfect for the hophead, perfect for me. Man, I enjoyed the heck out of this one. I would return to this over and over again, and it helps to set my full faith in the fine beers at Pulpit Rock.

Coronado Islander IPA

Coronado Brewing, Coronado, CA Islander IPA. "Stay Coastal." (Well, why am I drinking this in Minnesota?) Centennial, Columbus, and Chinook hops. All the C's. Almost all. But all C's, anyway. 7.5 % ABV, 83 IBU.

Clouded, pale gold, solid, lasting layer of white head on top. looking good.

In the nose: There's the pine, there's the citrus, right where it ought to be. Absolutely lovely for a hophead like me. Perfect.

In the mouth: Hop bitterness spanks the palate from the start, fierce pine and citrus fruit flavors, punchy and pungent. Juicy, even. Medium bodied, long, hoppy finish. Quite delicious.

Castle Danger Summer Crush

Castle Danger Brewery Summer Crush. 4.7% ABV. Castle Danger Brewing, Two Harbors, MN.

Lightly hazy, pale golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: light, soft, airy, nice enough. Low bitterness.

In the mouth: Creamy, smooth, light citrus-y hop bitterness. Quite palatable...."crushable" as they youths are fond of saying, these days. Refreshing, lemon-y flavors grow and grown, and it stays just as quenching all the way through.

Good light, refreshing summer ale that I'm drinking just as summer ends....and you can drink it. (That's how my catch phrase goes, right?)

Summer Crush is a beer we brew just for summer.  It has a pleasant lemon flavor and aroma from using Sorachi Ace hops, which is a defining characteristic of this Japanese hop variety. The malted barley lends a slightly sweet, biscuity backbone. Summer Crush is a sessionable beer and our take on a Shandy without being one. Like a Summer Crush back in the day, or Minnesota's short summer season, this beer won't be around for very long. Enjoy it while you can! Crush it!

Disgruntled Bulletproof American Brown Ale

Disgruntled Bulletproof Dark and Hearty American Brown Ale. 5% ABV, Canned on 7/24. Disgruntled Brewing, Perham, MN. 750 ml crowler.
"Grumpy is Good."

In the eye: Rich brown color, clear(-ish), slim brown head atop.

In the nose: Malt-forward aromatics, nutty, slightly sweet, earthy, rich. Nice.

In the mouth: Smooth and substantial. Bold entry on the palate. Judicious bitterness meets malty sweetness well. Medium/full-ish body, consummate drinkability. A flat-out tasty-as-heck brown ale. I can drink this one all the way down and enjoy it.

This brewery is certainly getting it's due of late, mostly due to IPA's and big, barrel-aged stouts and such, as is often the case. They should be famous, as well, for making solid examples of standard styles.

Toppling Goliath Supa' Sumo Double IPA

And here we have the first bottle of Toppling Goliath beer that I purchased from Toppling Goliath in Deborah, Iowa. Picked up at the on Sunday, September 3. I could have looked for one locally, but I was there, and so was the beer.

Supa' Sumo Double India Pale Ale. 8% ABV. 100 IBU.

Hazy, just the way the kids like 'em these days, and a dullish gold hue, with a slim white head.

In the nose: soft, lightly bitter, tropical fruit notes, slight citrus, touch of pine. I'm getting the feeling that this is yet another entrant in the NE IPA sweepstakes. Time to drink...

In the mouth: Here's the bitterness from the start, there's the fruit and the hops and the delicious malty flavors. Terrific smack of hops, wonderful dryness, dee-licious. yeah, I can drink it, and enjoy it all the way. Nice. Good and nice. Tons of tropical and citrus fruitiness, while sticking on the dry side. Loving it.

This double India Pale Ale is a hazy triumph made possible by the combination of Mosaic and Citra hops giving it pineapple and orange flavors that will smash into your tastebuds. 

Ah, Citra & Mosaic, the classic, unbeatable dup, they never fail.

Oliphant Crom! Pale Ale with Zythos Hops

Oliphant Crom! Pale ale with Zythos. 6% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Hazy, amber/golden color, slim white head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Citrus hops notes take a back seat to a taste of the tropical. Low bitterness.

In the mouth: Crisp, smooth and refreshing. Medium body, with an herbal hop character on the palate. Earthy, grassy, citrus notes add to complexity.  A different take on a pale ale, with a bit of a rare hop. I've heard of Zythos, had it in a few ales, but haven't come across it too often.

As every fan of pulp literature knows, Crom! is the
deity worshipped by Conan in the works of
Robert E. Howard. And probably Conan
O'Brien, too, as I'm sure Jeremy has researched.
He wouldn't just make that up.

By Crom, I enjoyed draining the contents of this crowler!

Inbound Chocolate Belgian Quad

Inbound Chocolate Belgian Quad. "A malty rich ale brewed with milk chocolate." 10.2% ABV, 25 IBUs. Bottle #178. Inbound BrewCo., Mpls, MN.

Solid blackness, sim brownish ring above.

In the nose: Chocolate is strong in this one. Deep, dark, rich, redolent.

In the mouth: Big cocoa. So nice. Thick, rich, delicious. Not getting the Belgian quadruple character yet, but I don't even care. I'm sure it will appear soon. The alcoholic strength of a Belgian quad is coming through, if not the exact flavors. Little bit, little bit. The flavors that are here are real and true. Heavy chocolate flavors, held aloft by the heft of the Belgian quadruple at the base. Very nice.

Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn Double India Pale Ale

Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn Double IPA. Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, IL. 8 % ABV.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hued, vast, lush white head, looking great.

In the nose: Brash, bold, fresh citrus-y aromatics. Beautiful.

In the mouth: More of that, and more. Bright and wonderfully bitter. Medium body, yeast-y, malty texture. Great play on the palate. Thoroughly enjoyable. World class double IPA, all the way. Abundantly excellent, I'll go through the whole cart of superlatives before I get tired. That good.

Ninja vs. Unicorn celebrates the epic battle between two of the biggest hop-heads of lore. Brewed with over five pounds of hops per barrel, this unfiltered double IPA is sure to please the most discerning hop lover.

ABV: 9.0%

Malts: 2-row, munich, special roast, white wheat, acidulated malt

Hops:  CTZ, centennial, falconner's flight, zythos, cascade, chinook, falconner's 7Cs, simcoe


Adjuncts: dextrose