Summit Experimental Hop IPA

Summit Experimental Hop IPA. 6% ABV. 60 IBU. Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.

Clear, crimson-colored, large swath of creamy-toned froth on top.

In the nose: bright, fresh, and fruity. Bunch of berries, with a slice of citrus. Many characteristics at play, here.

In the mouth: Intense, bright, bold, fruity, and generally off-the wall assault of an IPA. Again, more than mere citrus, we get berries to boot. Some fruit, some hop bitterness, and a modicum of malt at work here. Quantifiably consumable.
I can like it, and I can drink it, and it is, indeed, good beer. Cheers to experimental beer, Summit!

Assertively hoppy with intense aromas of fresh berries, pineapple, apricot, peach and coconut, Summit Experimental Hop IPA deploys hops so new and mysterious they don’t even have names. Flanked by a complex grain bill and boasting 6% ABV and 60 badass IBU, this drinkable IPA showcases the interesting and exciting advances taking place in American hop cultivation. Always advance. Never retreat.

{Limited Release}
Original Gravity: 13.5° P
Alcohol by Weight: 4.64%
Alcohol by Volume: 6%
Color, (deg. L.): Pale Amber, 14° L
IBUs: 60
Malts Utilized: Argentina Pale, Cara Red, Carapils, Wheat malt
Hops Utilized: Experimental Hop 07270, Bru-1, HBC 438
Yeast: US Ale
Established: 2018

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Hazy Little Thing IPA. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA, & somewhere in North Carolina. "Family owned, operated, and argued over." Alc.  6.7% by Vol.

It's bright golden, and, yeah, it's all hazy, bro. Big. beautiful ivory toned head atop.

In the nose: Cool and calm fruity hop notes. Orange and lemon, tangerine. Nice.

In the mouth: Light on hop bitterness here, higher on the fruity factor. Very smooth, clean, delectable. Hop bitterness peeks in a bit, to be sure, just a touch. It's smooth and mellow, the malt is light and crisp and slightly sweet. Good hazy IPA and you can drink it.


It's a nice one, sure, but I still prefer a real IPA. An IPA's IPA.

As brewers, we get the privilege to sample our beers straight from the tanks in all their raw glory. Some beers need a little polishing to get ready to go out into the world, while others—the hop-heavy, rowdy, crowd-pleasers—should just be left alone. We wanted to share this brewery-only treat with you, so we present this Hazy Little Thing, our unfiltered, unprocessed IPA, straight from the tanks and into the can.

I know that everyone will associate the name "Hazy Little Thing" with "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, but let's think about another crazy little thing. It's time to start thinking about Captain Beefheart. I've been saying it for years. And the present is as good a time to say it as any.

Lagunitas Sumpin' Easy Ale

Lagunitas Sumpin' Easy. 5.7% ABV. 51 IBU. Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma, CA, & Chicago, IL.

Clear, bright golden color, dollop of ivory froth atop.

In the nose: Light citrus tones, with a touch of the tropical. Orange, mango, guava, but playing it cool and low, here. Slightly sweet, and barely bitter.

In the mouth: Fresh, zesty, delicious. Nice blast of hop bitterness to start it off, then cool and mellow. Light-bodied, lean, clean, just hoppy enough. Good drinkability. Yum, -a-dum, dum. And I mean it when I say that. Not bad at all.

A healthy dose of 2-row malted barley, a bit of wheaty-esque-ish-ness and loads of Ekuanot hops to create a super smooth and velvety ale with a fruit and resin-y- finish like biting into a freshly pickled peach. Easy! 

That's their easy version. It doesn't sound like them. This does: Dip beneath the flotsam of categories. Past nouns. Beyond exclamations! Down to the autological: words possessing the very property they express. Short is short. Sesquipedalian is long. Sumpin' has that thing on the tip of the tongue, and Easy just rolls off as easy as Sunday morning. Sumpin' Easy is everything we've learned about making hop-forward beer expressed in a moderate voice. Pale, cold, slightly alcoholic, and bitter. It's all we know.

Eastlake Oostermeer 21 Belgian Strong Dark Ale aged in a Port Barrel

Eastlake Oostermeer 21. 10.1% ABV. 23 IBU. Eastlake Craft Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark, muddy, burgundy hued, little head.

In the nose: Plum, raisin, fig, dark cherry. Mainly malty. Tart, sour, vinous. Funky.

In the mouth: There it is, again. The funk, the wine, the rich malt. Tasty enough stuff. Some puckeration. Tannins. Sweet, wild, weird. I kind of like it.

Oostermeer is a completely unremarkable Dutch village who's name just happens to translate to Eastlake. Boozy raisin, clove, and caramel are somewhat more remarkable, with a finish just dry enough to balance the dark sweetness.

Summit Dakota Soul Czech-style Pilsner

Summit Dakota Soul Czech-style Pilsner. 4.8% ABV. Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.

Ultra-clear, bright golden color, fresh and lovely white head atop, leaving lace, looking like new fallen snow.

In the nose: light, hoppy, slightly spicy, all the world like a good pilsner should. Nice.

In the mouth: clean, slightly hoppy, with little bitterness, and a very mellow malt mouthfeel. Tasty stuff. Good beer and I can drink it. Just a little bit sweet and fruity, ending on the palate with a dry note. Lean bodied, highly drinkable. I wouldn't shoo one off of the porch.

There’d be no Summit Dakota Soul without the Moravian 37 barley grown exclusively by our founder’s cousins near Rugby, North Dakota. Crafted from farm to finish right here in Grain Country, this traditional Czech-style pilsener features notes of English biscuits, honey and graham cracker, plus a floral, spicy hop finish thanks to genuine Saaz hops and the new American hop variety Loral.

Cosmos Crop Formation

Cosmos Brewing Crop Formation Honey Basil Lemon Wheat Beer.
Alc. 5.7% ABV. 20 IBU.
Cosmos Brewing, Hugo, MN.

Lightly hazed, bright golden color, huge ivory, long-lasting head.

In the nose: Sweet and spicy. Honey and lemon, for sure. No orange peel? Some coriander, or did the basil replace it? Nice, all the way.

In the mouth: Spice and fruit bombard the palate from the get-go. Big spice, intense fruit, smooth, wheat texture, mouthfeel. Light bodied, refreshing. But this one may be a bit too much on the sweet side for me to make it more than a one-time, or once-in-a-while time thing.

"Brewed wit grains from the geocentric circles of Ackling, CROP FORMATION exhibits characteristics unique to wheat manipulated by alien visitors. Thistle honey thrusts life into a simple and subtle sweetness that buzzes your buds. A suppressed hop profile allows basil to assimilate complexity as the gases collected from the Carbon Nations provide a satiating mouthfeel. Drinkers become beelievers! SAVE SPACE FOR BEER!" and..." A unique wit brew with a twist. Lemon peel, basil, and wildflower honey additions give this beer it's complexity."

Nice of them to give an Earth language description, after dropping that Isaac Asimov masterpiece on us.

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA. 7.5% ABV. 42 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

Terribly hazy, murky orange color, solid creamy head.

In the nose: fresh, zesty, citric, hoppy. Lively, fruity, mmm.

In the mouth: nicely bitter, big and fruity. Bright and citrusy. Mmm, hmmm. Tropical, a touch, citrus-y, a bit, and bursting with a mild amount of bitterness, under a mostly managable blanket of malt. Nice. If you want a nice one, go ahead and get it.

BEER FACTS 
ABV

7.5%

IBU

42

YEAST

American Hefeweizen

CALORIES

230

HOPS

Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Nugget

MALTS

Pale, Wheat, C-80, Oats

Summit Wee IPA

Summit Wee IPA. Part of the Summit IPA sampler pack. 4.7% ABV. 33 IBU. Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.

Clear, bright golden-hued, large and lasting creamy head above. Looking good.

In the nose: Fresh and zesty, some citrus and pine character. Grapefruit and lemon. Nice.

In the mouth: Nice hoppiness up front, then clean, mellow, cool, mmm. Nice and lean. Super-duper drinkability. Good and hoppy, beer and you can drink it. Easy as can be-sy.

Our Wee IPA is a low-alcohol, heavily hopped and sessionable pale ale with aromas of passionfruit, key lime, and melon, as well as malt flavors of bread crust and toast. With a complex malt bill of UK and US malts and an enticing blend of hops from Washington, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia, Wee IPA offers fruity, thirst-quenching bitterness and refreshment you can return to again and again.

Indeed Tripel

Indeed Tripel. 9.2% ABV. 44 IBU. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, golden-hued, slimmish, ivory head, looking fine.

In the nose: lightly spicy, fairly fruity, low hop bitterness, just enough malt.

In the mouth: high spice, high heat. Bold, brash, high alcohol. Bubblegum, fruit, spice. Clean, lean-bodied, light, bright, and delightful. Nicely spicy. Good triple and you can drink it.

I was surprised by this at the taproom, didn't know they'd ever done a tripel. Barman informs me that it's been brewed a few times before. Shame on me. This visit was the first time I've been to the taproom since December of 2016. Maybe I don't stop in as much because I don't think there are as many new beers on tap as I require. Maybe I'm wrong.

Fair State Mirror Universe India Pale Ale

Fair State Mirror Universe IPA. 7% ABV. 33 IBU. Fair State Brewing, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

Bright yellow, high haze, slim white head. Looking alright.

In the nose: big citrus, large grapefruit mixed with the tropical tones, too. Bitterness rides in the middle. Lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Big bitterness leads the charge, with smooth malt holding it down. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors are in command. Refreshing. Tasty. Citra and Mosaic? Of course, the classic combination that's sweeping the nation. Flat-out delicious. Yu-u-um. Nothing else left to say, it's pretty damn groovy.

A Double Dry Hopped Hazy IPA brewed with Wheat, Oats, and (too many) Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops. #donthazemebro 

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #13: Eastlake Craft Brewery / Minnesota Breweries One by One #107

In 2016, I underwent a journey of visiting as many of Minnesota's breweries and taprooms as I could, and I made it to 113. Maybe you read some of the reports on these visits. If not, you should, they can be kind of fun and I enjoyed writing them. When I enjoy writing, you can probably enjoy reading. Look for the tag "breweries one by one."

There was one that I didn't get to until December 15, which might seem odd since it was the closest one to me. (Four blocks away for the first five months of the year, 13 blocks away for the rest.) And the one that I worked at for the first five months of it's existence. Wait, was that why? Well, I'm not telling. But I will tell you that I'm talking about Eastlake Craft Brewery in the MidTown Global Market.


I finally went back, because I told myself that I had to, and I had the beers. A Dank Aaron Double IPA, a Nicollet Nicollet Mauler Mauler, a Tsathaggua rum barrel-aged Imperial Stout, and a Kirby Pucker # I forget-which, and I took pictures and I took some notes, too, but I have no idea where they went.  I dragged my feet on writing the report, because I wanted to tie it to the notes on the bottle of Tsathaggua that I was a bit disappointed by.  I didn't want to put out a middling review on the brewery that let go of me because of what is now called "optics." And the notes got lost, and it became one of many in the big pile I never got around to writing.

And I didn't visit them at all in 2017. Do I need to tell anyone this, is it information that has to be included? The Bitter Nib always asks the tough questions, even of itself. There are so many local breweries to keep track of that we can't spread ourselves evenly. Someone gets the short straw.

And in 2017/18, I begin another, shorter journey to close the gap on Minneapolis' breweries. And on Thursday, January 11, it's been snowing all day and I decided to stay close to home. Get on the 21 and take it down to Chicago Avenue and see what's up at Eastlake, which is much the same as it was three years ago, while still quite a bit different. Owner/brewer Ryan Pitman came over and talked about his plans for opening a new spot for the brewery and other plans. And I sat down for some beers.

Like I so often do, I reached for the double IPA, one named in punning fashion after  baseball legend Hank Aaron. Sports puns and themes have always run through the names of Eastlake's beers. Some of them, like Dank Aaron and Kirby Pucker seem so obvious you can't believe no one came up with it before. And this is one I was

See how many baseball puns, jokes, & riffs you can
find, kids!

quite happy with, definitely dank, fresh, citrus-y and piney, vibrant, pithy, tangy...all the things I like. Keep making this one, and keep making it this nice.

Beer #2 was their take on the hazy, NE-style IPA that they call Sun Dogs', for reasons I don't get. Does that apostrophe means that there are Sun Dogs who are the owners of this IPA? Never mind. I'd post my notes here, except I already did, from a bottle in this place.

Third up, the brandy barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout Tsathuggua. I scribbled things down in the ol' notebook, but you can read more in-debth ramblings in this post here. This was making me forget the snow. Set a nice fire inside me. Good stuff.

Did I have a fourth beer? My notes don't show one, but my pictures do. Guess I just tired of scribbling, but not of drinking.
It was called Everyone's Invited, and it was a pale ale brewed with guava and strawberry. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Some tropical, fruity feelings to stave off the clammy grip of winter. A nice capper to this visit and the multiple and various flavors of the beers. There were more available than I was accustomed to, but then again, I've really only stopped in twice in the course of two years or so. And here's where I'll admit that I hadn't come in to try the beers because I'd heard less promising words from others. All kinds of rumors and scuttlebutt and such. Well, it looks like things are on the up-and-up, onward and upward, riding high into the sunset, and so forth. Glad to hear it, gladder to see it.

Four beers was plenty and it was time to take my take-out and bring it home, along with the bottles I was bringing. Back out into the snowy wasteland, and taking a 21 down Lake Street, which Ryan will continue to tell us, is for lovers, and it is alway sunny on. Sure. Okay.

Thirteen down, nineteen to go.

Eastlake Double Dry-hopped Sun Dogs' IPA

Eastlake Craft Brewery Sun Dogs, a Juicy Citra IPA. Double Dry-hopped. 7%  ABV. 75 IBU. Eastlake Craft Brewery, MidTown Global Market, Minneapolis, MN.

Highly hazed, bright golden-toned, full. ivory-hued head, long-lasting. Looking good.

In the nose: Beautiful, sweetish, tropical notes hold it over on the citrus and pine. Pineapple and passion fruit make the scene more than orange or grapefruit.

In the mouth: Refreshing bitter attack blast the palate first, gets juicy, and ends on a dry note. Medium-bodied, long bitter finish. Juicy, and delicious. (Nearly yum-a-dum-dum, even.)

This juicy yellow IPA is so heavilydry-hopped with Citra that it appears roughly hazy as you'll be in a few minutes. Deliriously delicious and sinuously resinous, Sunny D is the good stuff kids go for, because it's always sunny on Lake Street. 

Inbound Wild Rice Porter

On one of my recent trips to Inbound Brewing Company, aka BrewCo, I purchased a bottle of Wild Rice Porter, and saved the notes I took on it to match it with the report that I wanted to write about the brewery in general. I've since changed my mind and decided that I had enough notes on other beer for that. I could post this review on it's own, and so I searched for the photos I must have taken of the bottle and the glass, and then do the curved corners thing, and then the fuzzy borders that is my trademark, my chili powder in the crystal a la Captain Cook. (Breaking Bad fans get it.)

And then I couldn't find them. Anywhere! Not in any of the folders I keep my various pics in, not in iPhoto. Where did they go? Did I delete them all? It was only a few months ago!

These things happen. No need to get all busted up about it. So, I look into my Untappd account and found a pic I took of the Wild Rice Porter from on tap about a year ago, January 15, 2017. It'll have to do for now until I find that pic of the bottle, if it ever happens.

And I realize that I could have skipped all of the above and not very many people would have cared. If you would have cared, let me know. Write a comment. I could add some voices to the voices already in my head.

(If you wouldn't have cared, feel free to not leave a comment. Some voices I don't need.)

Inbound Wild Rice Porter. Bottle # 112/750. Inbound BrewCo., Minneapolis, MN.

Solid blackness, Small brown head.

In the nose: Malty, slightly sweet. Earthy, little bit of roast.

In the mouth: Malt sweetness takes command from the start. Some roast, a touch of toast. And all is smooth. Tasty and highly consumable. Nicely balanced. Slightly nuanced. This is a good porter, and you know what? You can drink it.

I don't know if I'd pay $15 for a bomber again, though. Good as it is, not quite worth that.

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #12: Fulton

#12. It's Wednesday, January 10. Maybe you're wondering what happened to Monday or Tuesday, if you're paying attention to this thing. Simple. It became very clear that circumstances would not allow me to do a different brewery visit every single day. Circumstances such as time, money, and my health and well being. Monday mornings, for instance, I often get struck with insomnia and when my shift at work is done, I want to go home and nap. Boring, right, but I have to take care of myself. If I didn't, I'd be falling asleep in my beer at the bar, and no one wants that. And Tuesday? Hey, why can't I just take a break? I'll make up for it some other time.

And so it's Wednesday, and I have only time for a quick one, somewhere near the bus line, and today's choice is Fulton. Off the bus, on the train, off at Target Field, down to street level and a short skip over to 414 N. 6th Avenue and ....I was a little confused at first. There it is ...but where's the door. Ah, there it is, obscured by an outer entrance to keep the cold air out. There's got to be a name for the thing. And once the entrance is discovered, in I go, and up to the bar, read the chalkboard to find that for the first time in this project, there are no beers that are new to me. War and Peace, Patience barleywine, 300, Pils, MPLS Mild, Lonely Blonde, had 'em, had 'em, had 'em. Worthy Adversary, Standard lager, Sweet Child of Vine, Tanager brett IPA, HopStar, had 'em all, too. I've written them all up, too, if only sometimes in places like this, where I delivered notes on Tanager. And that's what I felt like having this time around.

It was just as good as I remembered it, tangy, tart, Brett-y, tasty, and every bit an IPA. I was glad to make it's acquaintance once more. Once is all I had time for, too, as it was time to get back on the train and head to work.

Someone always stares at me in these pictures. Hey, guy,
or gal, it ain't about you! Get over yourself!

And as I realize that I'm publishing this ten days late, it's time to retract the parameters of the project. Most of the remaining breweries are farther away from where I live, over that river in far-flung NorthEast Minneapolis, and take more time to get to. It's harder to make that voyage, have time to drink the beers, take the notes, and negotiate the way back on the days that I work. So, I'm going to relieve the pressure that I've put on my self, and not insist that this is done by January 31. I'll try, but I may not make it. But, I'll have tried, and that's still pretty good. At least, at the end, whether accomplished at January's end, or the middle of February, I will be able to say that I have written about all of Minneapolis' breweries to date, and that there are no longer any that I haven't seen in over a year.

Then, to take care of St. Paul! Then, to close the gap on Minnesota. Just watch me.

Oliphant Little Dipster

Oliphant Little Dipster. Rum barrel-aged Vienna-style lager. 5.5% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Clear, bronze/amber color, slim white head. Looking nice.

In the nose: My god, what a mix. Bigness, sweetness, mmmmm, nice and malty. Rum barrel effects stand over anything else, and I like it.

In the mouth:  Tasty. Tas-tee. Strong, sweet, smooth, rich and malty. Thin-bodied, but flush with flavor. Yeah, there's a Vienna lager underneath this, but the rum barrel consumes it. And I don't mind. Oh, so, tasty.

Bent Brewstillery Uber Lupin Schwarz India Pale Ale

Bent Brewstillery Uber Lupin Schwarz India Pale Ale. 8.3%ABV. 83 IBU. Brewed and packaged by Bent Brewstillery, Roseville, MN.

Very dark, just about black, creamy, brown head above. Looking very nice.

In the nose: roasty/toasty, lightly hoppy. Pleasant-ish.

In the mouth: Big hops right out of the gate, big bitterness, pine and citrus, bumped up against the caramel and chocolate malt. I don't know if they work together in this case. Dark fruit meets dank hops. Chocolate caramel pine cones. Mmmm. Huh. Yeah, not sure about this one.

They say: American ingenuity. German excellence. The unification of new world beer style with old world ingredients. Rich cocoa and toasted bread crumbs. Pungent spicy, piney and floral hops. Smells so good you’ll want to drink it through your nose…however we do not recommend it.

Clown Shoes The Exorcist Dry Hopped Stout

Clown Shoes The Exorcist Dry Hopped Stout. 8% Alc./Vol. Brewed and canned by Clown Shoes Beer, Boston, MA.

Utter blackness, deep and dark, huge head, vast and cocoa-toned, leaving lace, looking nice.

In the nose: dark tones bump up against high hoppiness. Do we say dry hopped stout instead of Black IPA now? It's interesting, I'll say that.

In the mouth: Big, vibrant, bitter hop notes butt up against chocolate malt and the rich toffee/caramel notes. They don't go together well. Some one put pine cones in my chocolate....and it doesn't really do anything for me. Huh. It's not bad, but I don't like it, and I won't return to it. Maybe the stouts shouldn't be dry-hopped? Perhaps that's not the best thing to do. Just throwing that out there.

I love hoppy beers, and I love stouts, but I don't think the two need to be so entwined.

Sierra Nevada Hop Bullet Double IPA

Sierra Nevada Hop Bullet Double IPA. Spring Seasonal. (We're not out of winter yet, over here, sorry, not by a long shot. But we can dream....) 8% ABV. 50 IBU.

Clear, bright golden color, beautiful ivory head, leaving a little lace.

In the nose: Floral, light fruit, softly spreading citrus.

In the mouth: All the hoppy goodness slides on to the palate with grace and style. Pow! It's here. It's a little juicy, it's a lot dry, and it's happening now. Dry, dusty, delicious. I am digging this one. Light bodied, lean malt, nothing but hops. Bring 'em on! Give 'em to me! Hit me up!

Here's one I'll go back to again and again.

Here's some of what they say about this: Hops are the name of the game with a Double IPA, but we knew we had to take it one step further. With Hop Bullet, we’re using a new technique, hitting the beer with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust—pure, concentrated hop flavor—directly into the tank to emphasize the intense pine and citrus flavors of classic West Coast hops.

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #11: Venn Brewing and Batch #16 Double IPA

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #11: Venn Brewing, with Batch #16 Double IPA.

Belgian-style Tripel

#11. I keep going back on the bit about seeing the breweries first that I haven't been to in the longest. For some of them, it's for good reason. The attraction just isn't there. You go where you're pulled to, and I really want to check out Venn again. It's been three weeks since my first stop, and I heard they had new stuff. Also, this is the first time the temperature has been in the twenties in weeks, it seems. We can let go of the ear-muffs, strip to two two layers in stead of 4 or 5, and occasionally take our toques off.

It's Sunday, January 7. I got on a #23 taking me through South Minneapolis via 38th St. most of the way, off at the light rail station, hop on until the next stop at 46th St. and there it is. I found a spot at the bar and the taproom manager Hilary greeted me, informed me of the new beers that had come on since my last visit, and even remembered my name, having met me once. I like that a lot.

Once again, I had friends in the place. Erin, Brian and Jonathan were at a table not far away, and the Sisyphus crew were doing a post-Holiday get-together. I did a lot of visiting, had a lot of visitors. And got my fill of good beer.

Batch 19, Scottish Export

First up, the Batch #11 Belgian Tripel. "Spicy, fruity, strong" went the description. They go with the three word thing here, like so many others. 9% ABV. Peppery, nearly hot. Smooth-Ish. That's what I wrote. And I liked it, it delivered the goods. Doesn't belong next to Tripel Karmeliet,or other exemplars from Belgium,  but not a bad stab at the style.

For beer #2, I chose batch #16, and it was one of the reasons I chose to visit the place this day, The double IPA, and I took it home in a growler. So, I'll skip the bar stool report and give you the notes from the growler below.

#3 was the Batch #19, Scottish Export: toasty/roasty-y, malty, dry
and delicious. Just where you want it. A good ol' drinking' beer. 4.5%. Here you go, everybody, come on in.

English Pale Ale. 

Did I have a fourth? I did. Batch 14, British Pale Ale. Sweet 'n' malty slightly hoppy. Smooth 'n' tasty, not bad in the least.

"Floral, toffee, toasty" is their official triumvirate. (Tribunal? trifecta? tripod?) See above. 4% ABV.

Four beers (not all pints) was enough, a nice little session. Back to the light rail, a quick bourbon at Northbound while I wait for the next bus, then home. And a few days later, I opened this one:

Batch #16: Double IPA. 9.6% ABV.

To the eye: clear, citrus-tinged, golden-ish, tangerine-y, with a lush, full, creamy-toned head. Looking great.

In the nose: Ah! So nice. Utterly lovely. Soft tropical fruit notes, certainly citrus tones, and just the whiff of pine, as well. And so, so nice.

In the mouth: Bam! Bam, sham-a-lam! Big, sharp, beautiful citrus hop attack at the front, staying strong and bitter, full and fierce and flush with flavor. Piney, pithy, pungent. Full-in bitterness, ripe and juicy, fresh and delicious. Goddamnit, this is right on the money. Just about perfect. Man, oh, man. Mmm, mmm, mmm. It's everything. One of my favorite Double IPAs of recent memories.

On researching their website for publication of this report, I noticed more beers available since that last visit. Breakfast Stout and Modern Sahti are new to the menu. They're just gonna keep pulling me back these guys. Just don't go fall into the whole haze/milkshake trend, or....I don't know....just don't. Please. And I'll be back, again and again.

Milk & Honey Heirloom Cider 2015 Harvest

Milk & Honey Heirloom Cider Harvest 2015.
6.9% Alc./Vol. Ingredients: apples, yeast, sugar.

Don't shame me! This is not a dirty glass, but floating
particulates. Not sure why. 

Clear, pale golden, crapload of floats....did I wait too long on this? I only got this sample a few months ago. Surely it should hold up that long. I received two bottles, had the first fairly soon after receiving it, don't recall this amount of particulate. No head, because, cider.

In the nose: apples. Very apple-y. Granny Smith? No, Golden Delicious. I don't know. Actually, certainly not, as the label tells us. 10 different varieties. Sharp, acidic, nice.

(Reading the website later, I see that we are encouraged to use a bulbed glass for greater aromatics, and I went with a silly ol' Willi Becher. And pulled out a fancy one for a local kettle sour afterward. Shame on me.)

In the mouth: Sharp, twangy, even tangy, tart, crisp, and yeah, delicious. That's some nice cider, there. If I were drinking some cider, I'd like it to be this. Ends on a dry note, while remaining fruity and tasty. Good ol' cider.



2015 was a ‘garden year’ for our apple orchards. The 2015 Heirloom best exemplifies the growing season with tropical fruit aromas and a big mouthfeel. The usual Heirloom suspects, including Newtown Pippin, Winesap, and Chestnut, were blended with some new characters including Dabinett, Northern Spy and Wickson.

LynLake Brewery Disco Jenga! Golden Kettle Sour

LynLake Brewery Disco Jenga! 5.2% ABV, 10 IBU. LynLake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, pale golden color, hefty offering of ivory froth atop.

In the nose: soft, fruity, slightly sour. Slowly increasing in magnitude.

In the mouth: light sourness, more soft, light bodied, and very mild. Other than that, nothing wrong with it. Session sour for sure. Light lactic sour, slight vinegar, everything is very minor in this one.
But, refreshing and drinkable. Starter sour.

All in all, not a bad stab at a kettle sour. I can see better things coming from this.

Eastlake Tsathoggua Brandy Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout Three-in-One

Back in 2015, when  I worked at Eastlake Craft Brewery in the Midtown Global Market on Lake Street in South Minneapolis, owner/brewer Ryan Pitman promised a Russian Imperial Stout called Tsathoggua, named after some kind of Lovecraftean ancient evil. I missed it when it was first released. Now, at last, here are three reviews of three releases....

Ladies and Gentlemen, a Bitter Nib Three-in-One. It's like The Thing vs. Spider-Man plus,  I don't know, Man-Thing. Let us now partake of.....

Eastlake Tsathoggua 2017. 14 % ABV. Bottled December 2017. Let's not age it at all and drink it now. Because.

Legend has it this beer is named for a toad-like gargoyle. This Imperial stout is barrel aged in American Oak and Spanish Brandy Barrels. Flavor notes include coconut, orange marmalade and pineapple.

I copied and pasted that info without reading it, because that's how I do it. And now, I will drink it. Because, etcetera.

Deep, dark, rich, impenetrable, etcetera. Impressive. Rich, cocoa-tinged head. Mmmm.

In the nose: cocoa and fruit. Deep and impressive, plums and chocolate. Nice. Chocolate covered oranges.

In the mouth: Yeah, coconut, richness and saltines and everything nice. Thick, rich, chocolatey, altogether indulgence.

That sounds about right. Pretty much nice as heck.

How about this one: Eastlake Tsathoggua, 2016 Imperial Stout Aged on Brandy and Brett:

Dark as the darkest depths. dark brown, with a slim, dark head of foam.

In the nose: sugar and spice and everything nice. Oh, wait, also, everything evil. The ancient tentacles crawl up from the depths and attempt to intertwine with all that is good and holy. All that is divine will soon be swallowed up by the slithering evil that lurks beyond and is only waiting to be released into our world.

In the mouth: Sweetness, sugar, rum, tasty delights, some cocoa, a little coffee, and of course, the ichor of the damned, the succor of the hellish, and the opiate of the mindless, craven,crawling, horrors from beyond. The, um, ancient,  unknowing, horrible, antediluvian, screaming, shocking, mind-numbing, just wretched shambling, shooka-barooka, -ing....yeah, it's all there. It's huge and it's sweet and it's...slithering. Just slithering. You know...

I don't mind the crap out of this.

(I was feeling a little silly there....)

So, that, and then, this: Eastlake Craft Brewery Tsathoggua Imperial Stout Aged on White Oak and Spanish Brandy. These notes were written exactly one year ago. 1/15/17. I've been hanging onto them for a solid turning of the earth 'round the sun, not knowing what to do with them, and here they are:

Solid blackness. Rich brown foam floating above, looking beautiful. Very nice.

In the nose: Cocoa and dark fruits start it off. Some oak, some sweetness. Picking up the brandy now. Nice mix going on here, I can dig it.

In the mouth: starts out rich and sweet, chocolatey, molasses-y. Medium-bodied, not as thick as I'd like. Nicely balanced. Good and even, not too this, not too that, but that may be a problem. I'm expecting more from Spandish brandy barrel-aged, and it's just not coming through. Okay, I'm getting some, and it's covering up what I like from an imperial stout. What do I want from this, exactly? Do I want an imperial stout, or a brandy barrel-ified version? And what would that taste like? I feel like I'm not getting enough of either.

I wish this was deeper, richer, thicker, more complex and multi-dimensional. I'm not getting that. This is alright, but several notches below where it should be, to be truly impressive.

So, now the question is, did this one get better or did I learn to like it more?

Wild Mind Artisan Ales Hug of Passion

Wild Mind Artisan Ales Hug of Passion. New England IPA. 6.8% ABV. Date: 12/27. Purchased 12/28. Consuming: 1/14. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

Very hazy, thick and flush with citrus tones, slim white head.

In the nose: Much fruit, low bitterness. Mango, orange, papaya, passion fruit. Nice citrus/tropical notes. Fairly mild and pleasant.

In the mouth: greater bitterness, and more citrus flavor, lots of lemon and orange. Bitterness increases. Medium body, easy drinker. Smooth and lively. Fruitiness never strays far from the bitter strokes. I never forget that it's a beer. That's important.

It's an increasingly complex beverage. A lot going on, and a lot that I like. Bright, fresh, fruity, delicious. I'm still not crazy on the hazy, but I can dig this one.

Wild Mind Artisan Ales specializes in wild, sour, farmhouse, and rustic ales that are created using barrel aging, blending, and our own wild Minnesota yeast. Hug of Thunder is a lightly sweet, deceptively simple NE-style IPA. Brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops, this hazy IPA has an inviting floral nose and an even more inviting bitterness. With Passion fruit.

Destihl Syncopathic Apricot

Destihl Syncopathic Apricot. 6% ABV. 8 IBU. Brewed and canned by Destihl Brewery, Normal, IL.

Clear, golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: tart, fruity, sour, funky, fresh.

In the mouth: Very tart 'n' sour, fruity. Some apricot, but not too much. Little stone fruit sweetness, but just a little. Refreshingly tart. Light bodied. Ever so nice. Delightful.

Dry-hopped sour ale with apricot

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #10: Modist & Mango Milkshake IPA

#10. Modist Brewing Company. North Loop / Downtown Minneapolis. A few blocks from the light rail. I gave myself enough time to get one or two and hop back on and get to work on time. I picked Modist because they had released a new beer. The last time I wrote about a beer of this "style", I said the following: I will not agonize over this stuff any longer. The next time I encounter a "milkshake IPA", I'll either skip it or keep my mouth shut.

And now I go back on my word. I sat at the bar and asked my friendly server for the Mango Milkshake IPA, and inquired about crowlers. Nope, they sold out of all 250 of them in 25 minutes. Of course. Then, beer in my possession, I took these notes: "lightly bitter, creamy, & fruity at once. Sweet 'n' smooth, too. Every now and then, you remember it's a beer. And then you wish it were more of one."

Yep. I still don't like 'em. I can drink them, but only as long as I forget that I don't like them. I had time for a second and had a Deviation 009, which I wrote about here. This is more my style. This is beer-y beer, not smoothie beer.

Back to the light-rail, and away I went. Ten down, twenty-two to go.

Oliphant Xuul Doppelbock Lager

Oliphant Xuul Doppelbock Lager.

It's another one of those. An Oliphant beer they've been making for years, and I can't believe I've never taken one home in growler/crowler form. According to Untappd, I've never even tried it. Never? Ever? Doppelbock is a style I enjoy, so I can't imagine not choosing this one, in favor of so many others. Could it just be that it was never there when I was? Some evidence will arise to prove to the contrary, perhaps. It still boggles the mind. Maybe I sampled Jason's, just for instance, and went forward with a Gobias or a Gaer Bear, or Ancient Bone Saber of Whomakalukulus, or whatever.

Wait. I know. I was there with my crap phone with no internet/data/whatever and couldn't check into untappd. Or just didn't want to. I must have at least tasted it once before. Not doing so makes no sense!

Enough. The time has come to drink!

Xuul Doppelbock. 8% Alc./Vol.

Clear, rich, caramel brown, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nicely balanced, low bitterness. Nothing but nice.

In the mouth: Sweet and smooth. Sleek and supple. Big caramel malt. Tasty as heck. Clean and lovely. Personally, I like it. It is, and I know this hasn't caught on yet but I still keep trying, ....yum-a-dum-dum!

For a long time I thought that Xuul referred
to the demon from "Ghostbusters." No,
that's Zuul. I don't know what Xuul is, or
who these characters are. 

 two stoopid dogs flashes quickly on the screen. it's been over 10 years since syndication. the room flashes green. invasion; it has begun

Barrel Theory Pullover Starter Jacket IPA

You know what highly hyped up new brewery I haven't talked about yet? Whose only appearance so far has been a coaster or two in the background collage, and a couple of mentions here and there? Yep, Barrel Theory in St. Paul. Been dragging my feet on putting out a report based on my three visits so far, for far too long. My last visit was when I bought two crowlers, for the very first time. I'll save the other one for when I write them up, but let's look at this one, first.

Here we have Pullover Starter Jacket, IPA with El Dorado, Columbus and Mosaic. 7.2% Alcohol by Volume. Canned on 12/28/2017, purchased on 12/31. One of 3 IPAs available in crowlers that day, out of the, what, six they had on tap.

Heavily hazed (it's the craze), golden-hued, lush ivory head, looking very nice.

In the nose: bright fruit notes, some papaya, pineapple, citrus tones, too. Just a touch of sweet in there to mingle with the bitter. Tropical takes the crown, though.

In the mouth: Big, beautiful, bountiful bitterness hits the lips first and foremost. One gulp begs another. Nice. Growing bitterness pleases this palate. Malt is crisp, clean, lean and slightly sweet. Yeasty goodness rounds it out. More citrus flavors pop out, some lemon and lime to match the tropical tones. Increasingly delightful. It has all the hoppy delights I require.

Is this a "NE IPA"? What does the brewery call it? Can't find any other info than what was on the crowler label. Maybe they're all NE IPAs?

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #9: Clockwerks Brewing / Minnesota Breweries One by One #92 w/ Cyr Strong

I woke up bright and early this afternoon with clarity of vision and alertness of mind, one thought bursting forth to send me in a fruitful direction: I must adhere to that acronym of the engineers at Lockheed in the 1960's. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

You see, when I launched this project, I had a few untold rules. First, I must write them in order. Second, I have to finish the Minnesota Breweries One by One report if I hadn't done that already. There are 11 un-written-up brewery reports for the city of Minneapolis, out of the 32. I had to correct that before I put them into this project. So, I bumped them around in the order if I hadn't written them up. That changed when last week, once again, I hadn't given myself enough time and was on the way to The Freehouse, thinking of the seven block walk from Washington Avenue and how freaking cold it was, and it dawned on me: Clockwerks is only blocks from the light rail station, go there!

But, I haven't written them up! But, who cares! Combine them! But, but, but? I'd get things done a lot faster if I wasn't always fighting the voices in my head. (Which is something I stole from the draft of the report that I started last July. Good. Got that out of my system.)

Boho Rye Pilsner from Feb. 2017.

I will do it all. Maybe I will combine them. Even cut and paste. But I don't need to tell you that. Keep It Simple, Stupid. It was the third stop of four on Sunday, October 16, 2016. The place was in transition before a grand opening several weeks away. Elements of their "steampunk" theme seemed to be strewn about, and the beer wasn't bad, but wasn't particularly inspired, either. Tried the Alt and the ESB. The session beer angle is one that will excite very few, but everyone has to go with their passions in this business.

And I will skip entirely the bit about the tap handles. A year and some later, they're over that. Not worth noting now. I figured it was best to give this place time to find themselves before passing judgement.

Skip ahead to trying them out a few months later, February, 2017. The beers seemed to be in a better place. I had the Baltic Porter was quite keen on it. It turns out that the owners had hired a brewer, and that was my friend Dan Banks, who had previously helmed the brewing operations at Day Block. The Boho Rye Pilsner was quite nice, as well. I definitely needed to keep these guys in rotation and continue to monitor their progress.

At this point, I'll again adhere to the principles of KISS and share with you the notes on the growler of Cyr Strong Belgian Strong Golden Ale that Dan gave me at my birthday party last June, and complete omit the hand-wringing over publishing comments or criticisms, or lack thereof, when addressing a beer brewed by a friend. And given to you. For your birthday. Gonna skip that. Not waste your time. KISS.

9.2% ABV. Clear, dark amber coloring, solid ivory head slims down to a tight ring.

In the nose: The Belgian thing is going right off the bat: sweet, fruity, funky, yeast and malt characteristics at swim in this aroma. It's the oddness that I love in the Belgian-style beers. Wild, weird, and wonderful.

In the mouth: Rich malty sweetness grips the palate, meshed with an instant warmth. Pepper-y heat spices up the tongue a tad. Flavors grows and grows. Medium-bodied, light malty finish. It's a good one.

You can't get that one at the taproom now, that was from last summer. They'll bring it back, I'm sure.

(Looking at Untappd, it seems that I took the empty growler and filled it up with their Kolsch, but never took notes, just drank it down, which is quite unlike me. I normally write up every beer I have at home. Took a pic, though. Must have been a thirsty night.)

Another thing I'll cut out: the notes on the samples that salesmen dropped off and Dan filled for me.
I took notes on all of them. Alt. Oktoberfest. Boho Rye. I like them all, they tasted like they should taste. And that crisp, slightly spicy, bread-y Boho Rye found it's way on the tap lines at Acadia for a while, and will probably return.

And we can cut directly to Friday, January 5, stepping into Clockworks to check them off this list, and make it to work on time. Lonny's behind the bar and they have the 1st Anniversary Baltic Porter on tap. It's exactly what I want. 9.4% ABV. Cocoa and toffee, dark fruit, espresso, rich malt, and yet smooth and tasty. Just where I want a Baltic Porter to be, and so satisfying. Most definitely my

Baltic Porter 2018. 

favorite Clockwerks beer to date.

I felt that I had enough time for a second, so
I moved on to a Black Pearl. Foreign Export Stout, another favorite style. Smooth and substantial, that's how my notes read. 6.9% ABV, 44 IBU. Another nice one.

It's also one of their guest brews, a recipe provided by a home brewer. This is something they've done from the start, dedicating one of their taps to a home-brew recipe brought in by a friend, family member, home-brew enthusiast, what-have-you. Remember,  Broken Clock is the collective in NE without a taproom and Clockwerks is the steam-punk-theme downtown brewery with the home-brew recipe beer rotating on tap. That's how you tell the two "clock" breweries apart. Now, how you tell Inbound, Indeed, and Insight apart, that I can't help you with.

I like this place. It's a nice spot, you can play pool, games, there are events, DJs, art shows, charcuterie, cheese, Heggie's pizza, and some good beer. You don't have to go there with a monocle or gears in your top hat, but I bet they'd like it if you did. Go check them out.

As for me, it's 9 down, 22 to go.

There's Dan minding the bar.

Hop Blast Wonder. Hey, they do IPAs!

Baltic Porter 2017.

100% ClockWerks tap handles, accept no substitutes.