To the eye: Slightly, ever-so hazy, bright golden-hued, creamy-dreamy ivory fluff above.
In the nose: sweet and bitter. Floral, fruity, tropical notes meet a bit of bitterness, some pine and citrus. Delightful.
In the mouth: Smooth, creamy, and just bitter enough. Light-ish bodied, lower malt, nonstop hoppiness. Long lasting hoppiness, just the way I like it.
Good ol' IPA. No gimmicks, no trends, no fuss, no muss. Just good ol' IPA. How I love thee.
Brewers don't want you to know these 10 tricks to making great IPA! The first beer we brewed on our new 5bbl system! Loaded with Nelson Sauvin hops in the boil, and dry hopped with a mixture of Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic.
It's a hazy one, alright. Utterly impenetrable, bright pineapple juice appearance, big white head that shuffles down to size.
In the nose: Yeah, you want to use the word "juicy", because that's the right one. Orange, mango, pineapple, low on the bitter notes, high on the juicy/fruity.
In the mouth: More juice, more fruit, with a lower dose of bitter. At first. Give it time and it roars on the palate, scouring the tastebuds in the most delightful way. What we have in this is a New England (or some would say "North East") Double IPA. Less bitter, more fruity, juicy, unfiltered, higher booze, bigger IBUs.
Nice. Very nice. In fact, pretty damned good. And you can drink it. NE style double ipa hopped with citra, galaxy, and nelson sauvin hops!
In the nose: Malt sweetness, some bitterness. Nice little tango of the two.
In the mouth: There we have it, the fierce hoppiness, and the flush, sweet malt. Bitter, sweet, bitter, sweet, la ta da ti da. Medium bodied, long malty finish. There are familiar pieces here, but they are not quite so well put together. I wish they were. I want it to be. It's missing something compelling, though. Needs a little more. A little more out of everything. Doesn't quite get there. A bit too sweet. Needs the hops, needs the bitter. Without that, it's a bit blasé.
Nothing terribly wrong with it, but nothing really right, either. Gonna have to pass.
(Later, I notice that the bottle I received as a sample from the Sample Man lacks the back label and all of it's informational verbiage and obligatory government warnings. Was this sample bottle packaged differently than those meant to go to market? Possibly. )
IRA Red Ale - Imperial / Double 8% ABV 60 IBU Cosmos Brewing Company Hugo, MN Our imperial red ale is hoppier than most. The full flavor blends well with the higher ABV. Malty & fruity, the mosaic hops tie it all together.
Coronado Guava Islander Tropical IPA. 7% ABV, 65 IBU. Coronado Brewing Company, Coronado, CA.
Clear, bright golden hue, with a large and lasting layer of ivory foam atop.
In the nose: Assertive hoppiness, tropical tones, guava notes, highly pleasing.'
In the mouth: Hop bitterness pounces on the palate at first sip. Juicy tropical fruit flavors flood the senses and wash away some of that bitter punch, but it comes back with each return of the glass to the lips. For a "fruity" IPA, the fruit doesn't get in the way, which is a good thing for this IPA lover. Medium bodied, easy drinking, but a long, bitter finish, just the way I like it.
Further blasts of tropical fruit juice interject through the drinking, and the hoppiness continues to keep up. Good tropical IPA and you can drink it.
Can Tropical fruit meets tropical vibes in this “guavacated” version of our Islander IPA. Brewed with the classic West Coast combo of Centennial, Chinook and Columbus hops, this beer gets the tropical treatment with a hefty dose of fresh guava puree. The result is a surprisingly smooth, unfiltered IPA bursting with tropical goodness that’s sure to put you in that island state of mind.
Junkyard Brwing Far Out Stout Series Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout. "That's Far Out, Man."
Stout brewed with cocoa and spices. 8.8% alc. by vol.
I had a completely different movie cued up for watching while drinking this beer, but the look on the Dude's face on the label of this crowler led me in a decidedly different direction.
"Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!"
To the eye: solid darkness, nicely tanned head, lasting long and leaving lace. Absolutely gorgeous. Flat out lovely.
"Nothing is fucked, here."
In the nose: cinnamon screams out. Peppers, chiles? Yep. Earthy, dirty, malty, spicy.
"Man, I've got certain information, man, certain things have come to light. It might not be just a simple... you know?..... I'll tell you what I'm blathering about....I've got information, man! New shit has come to light!"
In the mouth: More spice, more heat, more pepper. Hot, rich, malty, cool. "And that's cool, that's, that's cool." Chocolate comes roaring in, taking over for a moment from the peppers, and momentarily mingling in.
"She's got to feed the monkey. Hasn't that ever occurred to you, man, sir?"
"That had not occurred to us, Dude."
"Well, you weren't privy to the new shit, dude..."
It's been a few years since I peppered a review with Lewbowski quotes, so I don't feel like it's a well-worn device just yet. Man, you want a toe? I can get you a toe. Believe me, there are ways, Dude, you don't want to know about it, believe me, Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon, with nail polish.
It's getting hotter and spicier, maltier, and a little more than I like. But that's what pushing buttons and boundaries is all about, man, I mean, you know, in the parlance of our times, with all this new shit coming to light....
Full body, long, malty finish, lasting pepper heat. An immersive experience, intense, incredible, richly rewarding, but not one that I would return to myself. Makes me feel just a little bit bad, for this reason. I found this crowler at a certain store, hiding behind a King Size crowler. Not a great hiding spot, putting it behind another Junkyard beer I'd been looking for. The clerk said: "Oh, you found my stash." And he would not stop talking about it. After I paid and he bagged me up, he said: "Enjoy my Far Out Stout." Okay, I will, and I am, and I never will again. I hope he has first dibs again, and I will pass it up if I see it there. Pepper beers are fine, but not what I crave. I can totally do without them.
This version in our Far Out Stout series has added spiciness and a richer chocolate taste to our already delicious recipe! We brewed this beer with cocoa powder, lactose, and a heavy grain bill to give it its rich, chocolatey taste and ancho and guajillo chili peppers for a touch of warmth. Then we aged it on cinnamon bark so this beer would resemble a delicious cup of traditional Mexican hot chocolate that fills you with chocolatey goodness before warming your tongue just a hint. 8.8% Alc/Vol 40 IBUs
To the eye: thoroughly blackened, utterly opaque, large tanned head, that slips down to a tight ring.
In the nose: Rich, sweet, creamy, chocolatey. Cookie crust. So far, it seems like we're stepping into an Oreo beer, if there is such a thing.
In the mouth: Dark malts with a chocolate edge, deep and delicious. I try not to repeat certain words or phrases, but I want to go back to rich and creamy and sweet. Full bodied, smooth, ending on a dry-ish note. Hop bitterness is here, too, and it serves to keep the sweet in check, rounding out the palate.
This is excellent. Go drink it.
I found a surprising number of Disgruntled crowlers at a certain local store recently, and had quite a job of choosing. Glad I skipped Lingerer, because that's the one I brought back in a growler from my visit to the brewery last year. (I wouldn't mind having another, of course. But with so many beers out there to try, I have to stretch my dollars.) I'll return to pick up the rest, before I contemplate the question of whether it's wise to support them after the departure of head brewer Brett Doebbelling.
With beers like this in his portfolio, there's no question that Brett will find another home for his incredible creations.
I had to go way back through all of my previous Oliphant posts to see if I'd reviewed Gaer Bear Baltic Porter before. It appeared in the first post, from a glass at the taproom, nearly 3 years ago, although I voiced my approval, but went no further. I would love to review in depth again, but I have not been there again when it was on tap and I could take home a growler or a crowler. But, before that can happen, let's try the bourbon barrel-aged version, shall we. Indeed we shall.
Solid blackness, with a thin tanned ring of foam atop.
In the nose: whiskey, ash, char, vanilla, cherry, bourbon.
In the mouth: Rich, sweet, malty. Full-bodied, long malty finish. Abundant sweetness, over-run with bourbon barrel flavor. Not that I mind.
Absolute decadence. Utterly delicious.
Dark brown body, near-impenetrable, though not quite black, under a toasted tanned head, lasts long, leaves lace.
In the nose: soft, creamy, semi-sweet, majorly malty, with not a whiff out of hops. Fits the style just fine.
In the mouth: More smooth, more creamy, more just-enough sweet. And, again, mostly malt, with the right chocolate notes and a dap of espresso. This one gets it done. Getting richer and maltier as we go in, and more alcohol-y, too. (Something was telling me this was 8% ABV, but further research finds the fact published as 7%.)
Incredibly smooth, and quite tasty. This one was killed with no problem. And I will be back for more.
Bell's Black Note Stout 2017. Stout aged in bourbon barrels. Alc. 11.2% by Vol. Shelf life-unlimited. Bell's Brewery, Comstock, MI.
Here's one that has eluded me for some time. Originally only available on draft for special events and festivals, it was finally released in bottles a few years back. I never saw one, though, until recently, and at last I get to take my notes on this highly hyped stout.
Solid blackness, the perfect hue when pulling the side out of the sleeve. Slim, toasted tan head on top.
In the nose: Big time. Sweet, sweet. Molasses, maple, anise, charcoal, ash. Deep, intense, magnificent. It's locked into a deep, dark, soulful groove.
In the mouth: Bam. Barrel-aged bourbon essence from the beginning. So dark, deep, rich, intense and delicious, the floodgates are lifted and the fury lets loose. Large chocolate and espresso deposits are set free and fill the senses. Coats the edges of every orifice. I'm all stuffed up.
This one is big, big, big. And good, good, good. Sweet, full, vast, rich. Boom. Bombastic. Busting out at the seams. Hits the right notes, again and again, a percussive thunderation of notes upon notes. Boom, boom, bam, bop. It is yum, and it's yum + yum times yum.
But.
Is it worth $10 for a 12 ounce bottle? Naw. It ain't. Just ain't. Good stuff, but I can't see how the price is justified.
Although, I am too quick to call them out on price. One day after writing the above, I went to another store and found bottles at $6.99 a piece. You just have to know where to go.
One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell's history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.
Town Hall Mosaic Mania IPA. 6.1% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.
Clear, pale golden/amber color, fine white head on top.
In the nose: there's that wonderful mess called Mosaic. All manner of fruits pop out of this aroma, but, yeah, blueberry, there it is. Citrus, berry, melon, maybe more, but blueberry stands on top. Very nice.
In the mouth: Big bitterness, at the start. Beautifully abrasive. A cornucopia of fruity flavors popping on the palate. Medium body, long, fruity, bitter finish.
Smooth and delicious.
Good IPA and you can drink it.
Three weeks ago, I cracked open a 5-year old bottle of Surly Darkness Russian Imperial Stout to very happy results. I've said it before that these bottles shouldn't be saved forever, and definitely shouldn't be aged for too long beyond 5 or 6 years. And so I'm staggering these tastings just a bit, and will conclude in another 3 weeks with my oldest "vintage", being 2010. After this, I'll know that my next vertical tasting will be safe, so to speak.
So, off comes the wax, cracking the crown, and the liquid goes in the glass.
To the eye: solid black, impenetrable, richly roasted slim tan head. Looking great.
In the nose: Richness, toasty, roasty, sending off fumes of molasses, anise, ash, smoke, deep, dark chocolate, intense. Incredible.
In the mouth: Ah! Yes. So rich, thick, delicious, viscous, powerful and luxurious. Yes, sir, just about, mmmm, alright, and uh, huh. Not to mention, oh, yeah. Some amount of hop bitterness, but mostly malty, and very smooth. Almost too smooth, It seems as if something is lacking, if just a little, that something opened up and left. yeah, it's not perfect. Six years on, is that still a good thing? Sometimes, yeah, sometimes, no.
In 2011, The Walking Dead was in
it's second season and zombies
were all the rage. When you went to
Darkness Day that year, there were
make-ups artists on hand to
zombie-fy you, if you wished.
My first Darkness vertical was six years ago. I waited until I had 2007, 08, 09, 10 and 11 bottles in possession, and although that 2007 bottle was only 4 years old, it didn't taste remarkably better. The others, did, though. A year later, I did 2007-'12 and it wasn't as much as a disappointment, but neither did tragedy strike. One to 5 years is good, with the expectation that your lives may not exactly be transformed by the experience. This isn't where I warn you against doing what I love to do, but you should also know that these experiences won't be changing your world. It's just for fun, that's all it is.
This bottle I opened tonight gives all the delights of an Imperial Stout. It doesn't expand on them, but doesn't lessen, either. This beer is big when it's young. If that's what you wish, by all means drink them up fresh. If you don't mind something just slightly cooler and not so burly, then take it with some years on it. As it is, it's still plenty powerful six years later. I'm still drinking, and the flavors keep coming, the waves on waves, the richness and the maltiness, and the pow-pow-powerfulness. So good. So nice. I've got plenty left in my glass and more in the bottle and mmmm, I'm feeling fine.
Cosmos Crispy Dream Imperial Vanilla Cream Ale. All. 8.2% by Vol. 14 IBU. 22 fl. oz. Cosmos Brewing, Hugo, MN.
Clear, golden-hued, slim white head.
In the nose: Sweetness and malt, lemon-y citrus and hops. Touch of vanilla.
In the mouth: Citrus-y hop flavors, moderate bitterness, bright, sweet, malty. Clean and smooth, light bodied, and over-ly sweet.
"Imperial Vanilla Cream Ale." Huh. Never heard of one of those. And I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. Imperial Cream Ale. Bit of an anomaly there. Too strong. Too ...too.
I'll read from the label: A smooth and full flavored imperial ale that's creamy, but not overly sweet. Notes of vanilla make this a fun palate pleaser.
I beg to differ. It is overly sweet, and I'm not really groovy on it. Pass. Hard pass.
New Belgium has many many witbiers over the years, but never one that was also called Fat Tire. Is this going to be a new thing for them, I wonder? Easier marketing, using the FT brand, since everyone seems to think the brewery is called Fat Tire, anyway?
Hazy pale yellow, slim ivory head above, looking perfect for the part.
In the nose: coriander, big ol' coriander, slice o' citrus, wheat, Belgian yeast, smooth, but spicy.
In the mouth: Nothing but smooth and easy drinking. Lightish/medium-bodied, light malt, low bitterness, just enough of the coriander, a touch of the citrus. Pretty tasty and easily pushed past the gullet.
Our Belgian Master Brewer's classic white wheat ale brewed with juicy Seville orange peel and freshly ground coriander.
Also: 25 years ago we started brewing Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale. It became an iconic beer, and a symbol synonymous with craft. Now, for the first time, we’re adding a new beer to the Fat Tire family: Fat Tire Belgian White. Taking inspiration from our decades of experience brewing Belgian beers, Fat Tire Belgian White is made with Seville oranges and Indian coriander, both freshly ground less than a mile from our Fort Collins brewery. It’s a fresh, perfectly sweet, natural tasting Belgian White.
Rich brown color, nearly black, toasted tan head, large and looming, slowly drifting.
In the nose: Incredible aromatics, peanut butter flavor wafts out and floods the atmosphere. Take it in for a closer sniff: sweet, creamy, rich, nutty, incredible. Insane. Whoa. Chocolate and other stout characteristics lurk beneath, but the peanut butter is all over it.
In the mouth: Thick and rich, lush and wonderfully rewarding. Again, there's a stout here, but the peanut butter component commands over all. Hop bitterness keeps a lid on the sweet, it's there but just to tamp down the malt and the peanut butter of it all. Some of the coffee and the cocoa of a stout creep up in to the flavor and are greatly appreciated on the palate, but there's never a moment where PB is not king in this. (Brings to mind, of course, Junkyard's other PB beer, which I've tasted once, and need to secure a crowler of ....that's the next hunt.)
I had this on my first visit to the brewery last summer, and was impressed then. Great to finally get my hands, and my lips around a full crowler (since I wasn't able to buy any then). So nice.
In time, sweetness is tempered, and the bitterness reigns over the malt, which is how it ought to be. I will not rank this against other PB beers, claim one as champion, crown a king. But I will pose a question: when you ask which is the most "peanut-butter-y", do you really want that? Do you want the most "peanut butter" in your beer? And if so, why? Do you want beer, or peanut butter? Are you an adult who drinks beer, or a child who eats peanut butter?
And I should shut up, because there are those, including this brewery who are adding jelly-like additives to the mix, because, of course, why not. And the breweries that I admire are doing the things I detest. Like "milkshake IPAs", Dangerous Man, of course, but Modist, Forager, and Junkyard are all doing them, and I can't keep from despising the infantilization of beer. I don't want to drink beers that remind me of things I consumed when I was a child. I will read my comic books and watch cartoons with a real beer in my glass, not something that tastes like candy or a smoothie. So, there.
A lot of blah, blah, blah to get out of my system. Sorry, if I'm an old grump. But, damn if this isn't good. And I'll try all of their beers, peanut butter and jelly or milkshake, etc, I'll try all of them once, at least, and try not to make the same old grumbles, and root for the real stuff. Just bring me a good ol' stout, keep the peanut butter.
Oliphant blizzard of '91. "Pecan pumpkin pie blizzard ale." 4.1% Alc./Vol. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.
I recall that blizzard of '91. Who among us can forget it. Shut the whole darn town down. Except the muffin shop I worked at back then. They wanted me to come in. So, I waited and waited for the bus, like an idiot, to wait around for customers who weren't there because they took the day off and stayed home, like smart people. I'll bet this beer won't suck, unlike that Halloween blizzard.
Clear, Amber/bronze. large and lasting ivory head. Nice.
In the nose: Sweet, malty, vegetal. If there's pumpkin here, I'm getting it. Pecan? Yeah, sure. Spicy, pumpkin-y, nice, once more. A little toasty, tasty, mmm....
In the mouth: more sweet, more spicy, more tasty. Medium body, long malty finish, vanilla, pumpkin, sweet, spice, yum. A sometimes treat. I'm taking down this big ol' crowler by myself, but it's more than enough. It's definitely delicious. Has everything in just the right amounts, not too much, not too little. Damn.
I'm going hunting for more of this. It'll be perfect for Thanksgiving.
Fair State BFD#/ Barrel Fermented Du Pounde. ABV: 5.2%, IBU: 25, OG: 11.2, 750 ml of beer, brewed and bottled by Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis (and St. Paul), MN.
Clear, bright golden hue, slim, soon-gone head. Not especially impressive, but is what is.
In the nose: white wine and vinegar, sharp and sour, funk and more funk.
In the mouth: more funk, more funk, more funk. A touch of sweet, and a ton of sour. Sour, sharp, slightly sweet, utterly delightful. Light bodied, low hop bitterness.
Tart 'n' sour 'n' fruity. Nice. Terrifically acidic, and quite refreshing.
Barrel-fermented Du Pounde is the mixed-culture, oak-fermented version of our flagship saison. Historically, saison would have been skewed toward the very bitter or the noticeably sour, depending on wort composition and fermentation. Brewed with malted wheat and barley and lightly hopped, this version is tart, funky and oaky. BFD# is a blend of our favorite barrels from the cellar.
Summit Brewing Company hasn't done a lot of Belgian-style beers. There were some witbiers in their past and a recent Belgian pale, but their other attempts at the Belgian styles have all been in the Unchained series. They've done a dubbel, and a strong golden, and a few saisons, but never anything quite like this. The name nods once to the nickname for the most famous trappist beer of all, Westveleteren, and the chummy nickname that some apply, and also to the West 7th St. neighborhood so near to the Summit brewery. It's clever, and fun, and how is the beer?
To the eye: dark, deep, burgundy-hued, with crimson highlights, and a slim, brownish head.
In the nose: Belgian funk, sweet and fruity, stone fruit, dark fruit, pitted fruit, plums and raisins and figs. We've got the general tenor of the Belgian quad, the Trappist high orders, the wild and the wonderfulness. It's beautiful.
In the mouth: So tasty. Delicious. Nails it. All the flavor of a dubbel or a quad, but below 8% ABV, and just a straight-up tasty treat. All that detected in the nose settles onto the palate. Not too big, not too heavy, but still loaded with flavors. Hangs hard on the sweet side, with just enough bitterness to keep it nice and balanced.
I like this one, and can see myself taking down a pint when I see it, but I only have one quibble. This brewery is canning their beers more and more, but seem to switch off when it comes to the Unchained Series. Of all the beers I'd like to see not in a can, it would have been this one. It just doesn't feel right.
With rich notes of dark fruit, dark caramel, and — lucky us — rum, Summit Unchained 26: Westie 7th features a complex blend of specialty malts, subtle, noble-type hops, and dark Belgian candi syrup. Finished with a Trappist-Style Ale yeast, expect traces of fig and raisin to round out the beer.
To the eye: clear, light bronze hue, slim, off-whitish head.
In the nose: malt sweetness, molasses, brown sugar, kept fairly dry with the right amount of hopping.
In the mouth: clean, smooth, and ever-so malty. Sweetness is alway kept just in check. Right on the money here, downright delicious. Medium body, clean finish, just perfectly delightful.
A DELICIOUSLY DRINKABLE GERMAN ALT, BREWED IN THE TRADITION OF A DÜSSELDORF BREWERY FOUNDED IN 1848. OUR TAPROOM’S COPPER KETTLE DOME HAILS FROM THERE AS INSPIRATION FOR OUR COPPER-HUED ALT.
Clear (-ish), bright golden hue, beautiful ivory, lace-leaving head.
In the nose: assertive hop bitterness screams out, spraying citrus notes and pine. Aggressive, but not unbalanced. Lovely.
In the mouth: It's off the hook, what seemed assertive in the nose is an all-out attack on the palate, but matched with malt to keep it under control. Citrus-y hop bite on each subsequent swallow. Grassy, piney, lemon-y flavors never quit, rage upon the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The senses are under siege.
I got tired of waiting for the sample man, so I got a six-pack myself and finished in off in no time. Good thing Sample Man finally came around so I could review it, (and I definitely will get a keg, or two!).
Medium bodied, long, bitter finish, delivers all the IPA flavor you're screaming for.
Omni Brewing Lake Day Citra Ale, Omni Brewing, Maple Grove, MN. 4.9% ABV. 30 IBU.
You know we love our lakes around here. And we love talking about them on beer labels, as you'll see below. For now, let's concentrate on the beer:
Slightly hazed, golden hued, slim white head.
In the nose: bright and sunny, citrus-y. Altogether pleasant.
In the mouth: Nice hop buzz up front, good dose of bitterness. Lean -bodied and likable. Tasty and quaffable. Creamy mouthfeel and citra hop flavor carries you through.
Good pale ale and you can drink it.
Hop a wave of happy. Dive into aromatic goodness. Immerse your face in a personal 16-ounce inland body of natural wonderment. LAKE DAY brightens any day with it's soooo drinkable flavor profile, thanks to an ideal splash of citra hops. Our always lovable and lake-able citra ale. Enjoy the view and have a great LAKE DAY.
In writing this next post, a realization came over me. An embarrassing one. I have always referred to this brewery as "Olvalde Farms". It is not. It is Olvalde Farm, singular. Armed with this new knowledge, I must now go back and edit all past entries. And if you've never read, you would never have known of my mistake. So, I admitted this for nothing. Once again, the Bitter Nib is the beer blog that bares all, to no avail. You're welcome. (Strangely, I always copied the correct name off of the label, but went ahead and said 'farms'" anyway.)
Olvalde Farm Ale From the Old Vale, or the Brave Little Brewer, ale brewed with natural flavors, unfiltered and refermented in the bottle, local & native herbs, local hops. Olvalde Farm and Brewing Company, Rollingstone, MN. Also on the label, the words "Cepuros" and "Pandecter", which mean nothing to me. 7% ABV, 68 IBU.
Clear, bright golden color, slim white head.
In the nose: tart, fruit, spice. Wild & funky. I like it.
In the mouth: More wild, funky, & strange. Moderate hopping, medium malt, light body. Oddly flavored. Not bad, just odd. Not quite like any other flavor I've gotten from your average beer. Well, Joe Pond doesn't make average beer.
Citrus-y, slightly sour, and uniquely spiced. Certain to put many off, this is not for everyone. Polarizing, you might say. Me, I stand on the other side. I find this to be a delightfully quirky and refreshing Belgian-style brew.
It's crazy. This beer has been around for nearly two and a half years, and I've just recently got my first taste of it at the taproom. I'm never there when it's on, or it's brother, just plain Bort. You can be sure that I would have if it were, for I certainly wouldn't have skipped a beer of a favorite style named after such a great Simpsons reference.
I'd seen it in a crowler recently at a local liquor store, but passed, knowing that I'd be at the taproom soon and wanted to get it straight from the source. Went with a glass growler on this, instead of the crowler. This way, instead of having to finish one can in one night, I can reseal it and finish it off tomorrow. See how smart I am. S-M-R-T! I am so smart! I mean, S-M-A-R-T!
Enough palaver, it's time to drink some Also Bort. (And maybe, just maybe, someday I'll get some regular Bort, too. We can't have everything we want all at once, can we?)
To the eye: Clear, bright golden hue, under a slim, but sturdy, ivory head.
In the nose: Classic triple aromatics, slightly sweet, fruity, spicy, candi sugar and bubblegum. Orange, peach, and puree of pineapple.
In the mouth: Sweetness and spice lead the charge again, with moderate hop bitterness, and mostly malt on the playing field. High alcohol is also apparent from the start, but it's not troubling in any way shape or fashion, not yet. As I mentioned above, I'm not finishing this in one sitting, no mama, I'll drink half now and down the rest tomorrow....or, maybe I won't, and I'll just wish I hadn't in the morning? With all the fruit and the spice and the booze, I am throughly digging it. It certainly reminds me of Delirium Tremens from the days when that beer was novel and fresh.
Remarkably smooth and terrifically tasty. Starts sweet, ends dry. It only tastes a little bit like burning.
(If you're confused, that's another Simpsons
reference. Classic Ralph. )
In this permanent chalkboard illustration, Jeremy has used
an old Tommy Roe Greatest hits album as his canvas.
It's called 12 in a Roe, and a large Tommy looms over many
smaller Tommys. Jeremy replaced Mr. Roe with Bartholomew
J, and his miniature selves.
also bort dangusrous is what this is. it's also what we aim to beeeeeee. c'mon and flap, flap away with us to a land where everyone is also bort. that's nice! peace.
Bonus: I got a keg of it recently that I will soon tap at Acadia. Every day we can all drink all the Also Bort we want!
Sisyphus Hades The River Cinnamon Styx. 11.5% ABV, 80 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. Imperial Stout with cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa nibs & ancho chilies.
Dark brown coloration, nearly black, with a large tannish hued head, looking very nice. Very, very nice.
In the nose: Sweet and spicy, earthy. All cinnamon. A bit of anise and molasses behind, backed by a bunch of malt.
In the mouth: More and more cinnamon. When I first had this on at the taproom, it was bit too spicy and hot for me. But I went back and bought a crowler, because I had to tackle it. I couldn't skip this one. Left it in the fridge for a week, and tonight's the night to drink it. It's still hot, earthy, malty, spicy, hoppy, huge.
This is also a beer you could not order at the bar, and could only take home in the crowler. Wait, you're asking me, didn't you say you had it at the taproom. Yes, a sample. And that sample was enough to say, "hmm, maybe, maybe not." Drinking it now, it's a fine stout, if you're up for the heat and the spice. I can't see myself returning to it over and over again. This one crowler should do it for me. Or, I could see sharing one with friends. But, it doesn't give me what I really want in an Imperial Stout. And how often do I want to drink this much cinnamon?
I'll give it this: it's certainly it's own thing. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.
Warpigs Foggy Geezer. Hazy India Pale Ale. Warpigs Brewing, Mikkeller/Three Floyds.
8% ABV, 70 IBU.
Here we have the collaborative effort between Denmark's Mikkeller and Indiana's Three Floyds Brewing, Warpigs. They had a Copenhagen brewpub, and now there's one in Chicago under the guiding hand of our old friend, Todd Haug. The names are the same as those brewed in the Danish pub, and these cans are produced by contract in Wisconsin, under Todd's watchful eye. (The can reads in a combination of English and Danish: "Bryggit af Warpigs USA Brewin USA Verona WI USA.")
To the eye: Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim white head.
In the nose: bursting with the tropical. pineapple meets pine and citrus.
In the mouth: Bold bitterness, fresh citrus/tropical hop flavors, and a clean entrance on the palate. Medium/light body. Refreshing. Slightly sweet for a bit, with hop bitterness subdued. Remains sweet and fruity throughout, a bit too much for me.
Toward the end, a bitter astringency comes roaring back. Seems just a touch confused.
Good India Pale Ale, and you can drink it.
A super fruity and dank Warpigs hazy IPA forged in collaboration between Three Floyds and Mikkeller.
Summit High Sticke Alt. Proudly brewed in St. Paul, Minnesota. 12 fl. oz. Ale. 7.5% Alc. by Vol.
St. Paul is a hockey town. So naturally a "sticke altbier" out of that town would get a hockey pun for a name. This is not the first altbier from Summit. The style was once a fall seasonal for them, early on. In my early days of buying beer for a bar, I tried to bring on all the Summit seasonals, and had a hard time moving that one when it's turn came. I'd explain to customers that the name meant "old beer" and they'd bellow "I'd don't want any old beer! Bring me fresh!" and wave me away callously. That hurt. Maybe consumers are more receptive to beer education now, and will stop yelling at me when I provide them with new information?
And, hey, let's just call them German brown ales, why don't we?
(It was also, I forgot for a moment, the 20th in the Unchained Series, two years, as evidenced here.) (And it slowly sinks in that this may be the very same beer, especially after my FaceBook post got a like by brewer Mike Lundell.)
Clear-ish, brown colored, slim off-white head.
In the nose: light caramel malt sweetness, low bitterness, nice. Warm and pleasant.
In the mouth: Big malt boards the palate, with more of the same character found in the nose: moderate hop bitterness, tasty malt sweetness, caramel and brown sugar, nicely toasted.
From the label: "Crisp hop spice, assertive bitterness, and notes of caramel and biscuit."
You know what? It is crisp and assertive, lasting long into the finish. Not the kind of hop presence a big-time hop-head like me is looking for, but more than you'd expect in an English- or American-style brown ale.
Quite drinkable, even at 7% +. I can't rightfully call it a session beer, but so tasty that I could go for a few at a time.
More information, and hockey puns, from the Summit website: With big aromas of stone fruit and toffee, plus a slap shot of spicy hop flavor and assertive bitterness, Summit High Sticke Alt basically runs the rink. Cross-checking, throwing elbows, talking trash — the beer just does what needs to be done. Deep copper in color, traces of toast, caramel, and biscuit come from a complex blend of German malts, while a huge hop load and a long period of cold conditioning result in crisp, refreshing drinkability. Find our newest limited beer on draft and in 12-oz. bottles, only inside the Summit Penalty Box. Conversation Starter Inspired by the Altbier style famous to Düsseldorf, Germany, High Sticke Alt has roots that go back centuries. “Alt” is literally German for old, referring to the beer’s method of fermentation, and “Sticke,” on the other hand, means secret — a nod to the special-occasion seasonal beers brewers would make for themselves and their favorite customers.
I know that some of you will read my posts and be interested in the beers, hoping to get yourself a taste of it, too. I have to disappoint you with this one. I picked it up on the final BrewFarm date of the year. Dave will close for 2 months to pursue projects in Cambodia. Maybe there's some left in January? Let's go there and find out. Meanwhile, these notes.
Dave's BrewFarm Hibiscus Lager. 6.1% ABV. Bottled on October 27, 2017, purchased 10/29. Consumed 11/5.
Clear-ish, crimson colored, beautiful ivory head, with a slight pinkish tint, soon to crumble.
In the nose: fresh, vibrant, flowery. Lovely.
In the mouth: Starts out with a palate-gripping slight tartness, then that fades and all is smooth and mild. Some graininess in the texture. Hibiscus flavor brightens up the mouth on the regular. Nice hoppiness keeps it interesting, lively, and fun. Light-bodied, easy drinker, soft finish.
"Another in the botanical series, using lager yeast, couple with Pils and Ashore Mild malts, Mount Hood and Nugget hops, and a late addition of hibiscus flowers. Pretty beer."
Oliphant Leche Dorado de Kittay Cream Ale with vanilla, lactose and spices. 4.8% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. Canned on 10/16/17.
Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.
In the nose: the milk comes first, the cream, the smooth, the sweet. The vanilla. Delightful. Not what I'm on the hunt for on an average day, but pretty damned pretty.
In the mouth: Creamy, sweet, lush, vanilla-y. Minimal hops, moderate malt. Quite tasty. Smooth. Delicious. Give this to the person who "doesn't like beer", asks for "the least hoppy", would normally be drinking a "Sex on the Beach." Or some such.
At last, the mystery of Garfield as Occtoberboi is
revealed. He started as the illustration for this one.
Creamy, yummy, .....and yet, I still don't like lactose in beer. Except sometimes. But particularly not in a cream ale, which is a style I don't prefer. But people who like cream ales should love this. So, why am I drinking this one? Because, as I stated previously, I have an uncontrollable urge to try all of the Oliphant beers and write about them. It's impossible, but I try nonetheless. Someday I will also have every appearance of Benjamin J. Grimm in a Marvel comic book from 1961 to say, 1986. I will, someday. I promise this to you.
Meanwhile, this beer? Sweet, but balanced, and oh, so, drinkable. And not what I like to drink. Someone in your life will love it, though Someone in everyone's life should.
the city of gold was never a city but instead a fancy, lovely kittay. cream ale w/ lactose, vanilla, and golden milk spices. 4.8% abv.
Bent Paddle Valve Jockey #3 Session Barley-wine. 7.1% ABV. 50 IBU. Brewed and canned by Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Duluth, MN.
Dark burgundy hue, with crimson highlights, sizeable, cream-toned head.
In the nose: a mostly malty affair, with a healthy dose of hops. Nutty, fruity, complex and intriguing. Has a handle on the sweetness.
In the mouth: Meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. Rich and smooth, a medium malt monster. Caramel and toffee at play on the palate. At "only" 7.1% ABV, this is a much smaller version of a barley-wine, hence the "session." But most of the attendant flavors are here, just holding a lid on things, making it nice and easy. Flavors of apple, berry, stone fruit abound, with citrus hop bitterness keeping pace with the malt.
It's a great idea, really. Giving us the flavors we love in a barley-wine, with making us incapable of operating heavy machinery. (Another term used to describe it has been "think of an Imperial ESB.")
The choice of tallboy cans in a 4-pack, versus the bombers of the previous entries in this series, may be another nod to subverting the normal vessel for a barley-wine and re-direct our intentions. And yet, I put away the pint glass and couldn't help myself from pouring into a snifter.
One tasty beer. Let's say I like it.
This beer was designed to celebrate the role of barley in a brewer's arsenal. This "Session" Barleywine ale is a chance to reflect on the role of malted barley in a beer recipe by creating an homage to the style that you can enjoy in a larger glass. Brewed with primarily English malts and yeast, you can expect a nuanced dried fruit/breadiness with a solid supporting a surprising citrus hop presence from the use of citra and cascade hops.
Junkyard Galaxy Experimental IPA. 6.7% Alc. by Vol. West Coast IPA. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN.
My first ever crowler from Junkyard (though I've sampled from others'), bought at Minnehaha-Lake Liquors. Along with another one I'll tell you all about later.
Hazy, bright golden hue, full ivory head, leaving lace. Looking nice.
In the nose: floral, slightly sweet, moderately bitter. Lightly fruity, citrus-y, dry. Lemon peel and pine needle.
In the mouth: Fresh, hoppy, dry and delicious. Bristlingly bitter, citrusy, lovely. Drinking down nice and easy. Smooth, not too bitter, not too fruity, just juicy enough. My kind of India Pale Ale. Very enjoyable, highly recommended.
Sisyphus Banana Boss. 5.1% ABV. German-style HefeWeizen. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.
Highly hazed, golden hued, sizable head that drifts down to nil in no time.
In the nose: Ah! Banana cream pie! There it is. The weizen yeast, the smooth wheat malt, banana and clove, with a hint of citrus.
In the mouth: Mmm, yeah. Perfectly quenchable and crushable smooth hefe weizen here. Slightly sweet, well balanced, light bodied. Nothing but right on the money with this one. Fits my dinner of Thai Chicken Drunken Noodles just right. Douses the flames delightfully.
A beer with appeal for everyone - we weren't monkeying around with this crisp Hefeweizen. Crisp wheat taste means that once you have one you'll want bunches. Drink it now before it splits. Flavors: Banana, tapioca, dry finish with a touch of sweetness.
As you may know or have surmised, I try my best to put all the beers I try, or have tried, into the Nib. But if a beer appears here, I have to be drinking it now. This mean that for the past seven years since I began this blog, I have not had any Bell's Winter White Ale, which I did a review of long ago. And thanks to the sample man, a bottle finally came my way, and so I'll these notes that I originally posted on BeerAdvocate.com oh, so long ago.
2-07-04
I've since had this one many more times, fresh off of a new keg, and found more to appreciate than before, and have raised my ratings from the original appraisal to reflect this new appreciation. No, it's not what I'd look for in a winter beer, but that's no reason to rate against what it is...which is a smooth, tasty wheat...here's the original, but I'd definitely recant the low opinion of the aroma...maybe it was the bar I was in at the time...also, banana is felt keener, as well...
Appearance: cloudy dull orange, opaque, with a solid, bone-white head, 1/2", long-lasting.
Aroma: on the mild side, yielding minor notes of spice and citrus, doesn't stand forward in the least, though, but nicely woven, nonetheless.
Taste: neat spiciness starts off on the palate, coriander, chiefly, with the citrus character continuing in the taste, though terribly muted compared to other wits. Compared to their own Oberon, which is a bright, juicy explosion of fruity/yeasty goodness, it's a mellow affair, with the finish, too, on the downlow, though it fades happily off the tongue. The citric twang on the palate is persistent and well-liked by this tongue.
Drinkability is quite good, but in the final summation, this Bell's fan would sooner reach for a TwoHearted or one of their spectacular stouts. I hope it appeals to others, as it's not a bad beer in the least. Just not great.
Omni Brewing Muddy Runner Coconut Porter. 5.8% ABV. Omni Brewing, Maple Grove, MN.
Solid brown body with ruby highlights, slim brownish head.
In the nose: Sweet, nutty, coconut. Yup, it's there. Much malt beneath.
In the mouth: Boom! Coconut from the start, rich and sweet and tasty. Medium body, good drinking. Long lasting coconut flavor. Cocoa, maple syrup, molasses, nuts, other flavors at play. Sweet, balanced, low bitterness. Damn good beer.
As for me, I don't normally like coconut in my porter, but you know what? It ain't bad. Not at all. In fact, it's pretty good. In fact, damn good, as I said before. MUDDY RUNNER Toasted coconut in the fermenter give this Porter a coconut nose and sweet coconut finish that is not overbearing. All combining with a light body to make this so much more than a dessert beer. Or, "Ever want to go out and just play in the mud? MUDDY RUNNER is a dark, but lighthearted, Coconut Porter. A collection of malts rolling happily in the mud with a dash of Cascade hops. This is one savvy coconut that even surprises those who aren't fans of the cc-nuts. Get off that well-worn pavement and dive into a MUDDY RUNNER. All Beer, No Pretense. omnibrewing.com, Maple Grove, MN."
Toppling Goliath X Hops Maroon Pale Ale. Toppling Goliath Brewery, Decorah, Iowa. 5.3% ABV.
Hazy, bright golden coloring, lighter and more transparent at the bottom, with a large, looming ivory head.
In the nose: Ah! Beautiful citrus and pine, plenty of grapefruit, orange, lemon/lime. Just right.
In the mouth: Juicy, fruity, bitter. Just enough bitter to keep tabs on the pithy citrus fruit. Lean bodied, sweet malt, just enough balance to let the hops shine through. Just enough biscuity, cracker-y malt, with an abundance of blisteringly bitter, bright and juicy citrus flavors flowing. Tasty and satisfying, this.
Sisyphus Clickbait IPA. 7.9% ABV. 80 IBU.
