Finnegans Irish Amber

Finnegans Irish Amber. 4.7 % ABV, 20 IBU. Finnegans Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Maybe this is your first time reading The Bitter Nib. Maybe you've been in it for the long haul. In either case, it's a well known fact that I drink all the beers. Also, I like to keep on top of the locals. So, why did it take so long for me to take notes on this beer, that's been around for so many years? One never knows, does one? Maybe because amber ales just aren't my style. And why is that? Good question....

Enough palaver, time to check this one off the old list. Here we go...

Clear, amber-toned. Respectable ivory head.

In the nose: Malty sweet. Slightly grainy.

In the mouth: Malty, tasty, smooth. Medium body. Definitely down able. Light on the hops. Good Irish Amber and you can drink it. Quite tasty.

I don't drink a lot of amber ales. I'll try them, but I won't choose them. Why? Just don't give me the hops I demand. But, I see their appeal, and doggone it, this is a good one.




The flagship brew that kicked off our whole beer-as-a-charity movement, FINNEGANS Irish Ale is a full-flavored, medium-bodied ale with a caramelly, malty finish. While most beers provide temporary bliss, FINNEGANS Irish Ale fills your soul with deep-rooted goodness. It’s charitably delicious, making it good in every sense of the word.
4.75 % ALC/VOL • 20 IBU
4 HEAVENLY INGREDIENTS:
WATER, YEAST, HOPS, MALTED BARLEY
PAIRS WELL WITH:
CORNED BEEF
POTATOES IN ALL FORMS
TACOS
CORNED BEEF
IRISH GUILT

Upslope Citra Pale Ale

Upslope Citra Pale Ale. Upslope Brewing, Boulder, CO. 5.8 % AV, 37 IBU.

These guys like the 3-word approach. "Floral. Juicy. Brilliant" reads the can.

Clear, bright golden hue, considerable layer of lace-leaving, ivory head above.

In the nose: bold hop presence, bursting with citrus, orange, grapefruit.

In the mouth: Light on the palate, light-bodied, but a plentitude of hops on the attack. Juicy/fruity flavors lay in for the long haul. Light malt presence. Fresh and refreshing, Citra hops at play. Tasty stuff.

An astonishingly likable pale ale. "Crushable", as they say these days, but I don't.

Prominently featuring Citra hops, our Citra Pale Ale delivers pungent grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas on the nose with a semi-dry finish. Juicy notes imparted by the hops pair with the light caramel malt character to balance this drinkable, “go-to” American Pale Ale.

COLOR Deep Gold
AROMA Apricot, Tropical Fruit, Grapefruit
FOOD Bacon Cheeseburger, Street Tacos, Spicy Thai Chicken Curry
ABV 5.8%
IBU 37
AVAILABILITY All year long, baby.
BODY Medium

Vander Mill Hard Apple Cider

Vander Mill Hard Apple Cider. Produced and canned by Vander Mill Cider, Grand Rapids, MI.
6.9 % ABV. 2.7 Brix.

Fresh pressed. Ol' Reliable, Semi-sweet.

Clear, light greenish look, no head (duh).

In the nose: Green Apple.

In the mouth: Crisp. Light bodied. Refreshing. Green apples. Strays short of tart or sweet, but not exactly dry. Close, though. Quite delightful. Good cider and I can drink it. So can you.

This unique blend of apples is the foundation of each year-round cider we create. It personifies the inherent balance between an apple’s natural sweetness and acidity. Gluten-free.

Town Hall Blackbarrel Gold

Town Hall Blackbarrel Gold. 9.1% ABV. Belgian Quad. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, dark crimson coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweetness at first. Fruit, spice, malt, and everything nice. Then the bourbon pops up, the vanilla and cherry, oak and char. So nice. Beautiful blend.

In the mouth: A mellifluous mix. Bourbon flavors spank the palate first, then on comes the blackberry. Bright, ripe berry flavors, with a lemon-y finish. Medium bodied, long-lasting flavors. Spicy, fruity, deep, dankalicious. Yum, a dum-dum!


This is a thoroughly unique creation from Town Hall. Blackberry bourbon barrel Belgian Blonde? Somehow it works.

Bourbon Barrel-aged strong Belgian blonde w/blackberry

Oliphant Ghost Ship Spooktacular IPA

Oliphant Ghost Ship Spooktacular IPA. 5.6 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

A little hazy. Bright gold look on it. Slim white head.

In the nose: Bold citrus and pine. Orange, tangerine, lime.

In the mouth: Juicy. Fruity. Slightly sweet-y, and just enough bitter-y. Light bodied, easy drinking. Big, bright citrus flavors carry us through. Delightfully delicious. I like it.

I don't, though, know why they chose the name they did for this one. Doesn't quite fit.

India pale ale brewed with Citra and Amarillo hops.

HeadFlyer DreamShake Juicy Milkshake IPA

HeadFlyer DreamShake Juicy Milkshake IPA. 7.2 % ABV. IBU: 0. HeadFlyer Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

I keep saying that I should stop trying milkshake IPAs, and I keep breaking that promise. When will I learn my lesson? Maybe this is one that will change my mind? One never knows.

Hazy, cloudy, dull orange color (rather unattractive), with a slim dingy white head atop.

In the nose: Tropical fruit notes, pineapple and mango, blended with some citrus tones, too. Sweet.

In the mouth: Slightly bitter, some vanilla, a bit creamy, but...it doesn't come together very well. Orange is apparent. And it's interesting, but not especially cohesive. Once more, it bears little resemblance to an India Pale Ale, and oughtn't be called such.

The malt base interests me. It seems to give off a little bit of chocolate flavor. Can that be right?
Altogether, it's not unpleasant. But if you tell me this is an IPA and hand it to me, I'm not gonna dig it. Vanilla and lactose do not belong in an IPA. Yeah, but it's a "milkshake", you say to me, and what do I say back?

I won't say, because my Mom might be reading this.

This seems to be very popular and well-received, so my opinion means nothing.

It was all a dream, lactose, orange zest and vanilla bean. We took our Juicy IPA base and made it into a milkshake. Get it while it's hot!

Barrel Theory Black Lotus Milk Stout w/ Coconut

Barrel Theory Black Lotus Milk Stout w/ Coconut. 6.9 % ABV. 15 IBU. Barrel Theory Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.

Dark, black, impenetrable, with a rich brown ring of foam, leaving lace. Nice.

In the nose: Coconut spills out from the start. Sweet. Lush. Lovely. Malty all the way. Lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Pow! Coconut! Mmm. If you like that stuff. Sweet and creamy and smooth. Never quits. Nice all the way. Not much from hops or roast in this one. But it gives you what it set out to give. If that's what you're into, go for it. Not what I would want on a regular basis. A tasty treat from time to time, sure. A one and done for me. Quite nice. Even delicious. But, I don't need another.

You want another? You go for it. I recommend this highly to those inclined towards it.

Milk stout with toasted coconut

Venn Brewing American Porter

Venn Brewing Batch 107 (return of batch 9) American Porter. 6.5 % ABV. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark brown, nearly black, cocoa-tinged head.

In the nose: coffee, cocoa, rich dark malts. Right on the money for the style. Or, as they say these days, "on point."

In the mouth: Nice hop forward flavors up front, bright and citrus-y, up against the roasty dark malts. More cocoa, more espresso, much more malts. Little bit of dark fruit lingers below, cherries and berries and such. Medium body. Easy drinker.

Absolutely lovely porter, finished that crowler in no time.

I was a little confused about whether I'd had the beer before. Now that this brewery has reached it's goal of producing 100 individual batches of 100 different beers in under a year, they are returning to re-brew some of the old ones. And using current batch number, but letting us know which batch it's repeating. That's helpful. And it seems that I have had this before, on my initial visit, in late December. I called it "nearly perfect." I still think so.

Milk chocolate, coffee, nuts.
Venn’s take on a traditional American Porter.

Malts: Maris Otter, Munich, Pale Chocolate, Oats, Caramel 60, Chocolate, Victory.
Hops: Warrior.
Yeast: American Ale.

Summit Union Series #7: 120 Shilling Export Scotch Ale

Summit Union Series #7: 120 Shilling Export Scotch Ale. 9.5% ABV. 35 IBU. Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.

Deep Reddish brown color, slim brownn-ish head.

In the nose: Caramel and toffee, sweet and malty. Very nice. Quite delightful.

In the mouth: More of the same on the palate. A malt monster. Medium bodied, earthy, gritty, and quite tasty. High alcohol isn't apparent at first, but creeps on in and takes over, making everything pleasant for a time. This one has a bit going on, while remaining fairly easily drinkable. And then the booze climbs on, and a happy feeling comes over one and all.

I'm going to go out and get some more of this.

Brewed with Scottish base malt, roasted malts from England, and the pure Irish passion of Summit’s Head Brewer Damian McConn, our seventh Union Series brew is a 120 Shilling Export Scotch Ale — an homage to the malty, complex beers Damo enjoyed as a brewing student in Edinburgh, Scotland. Inspired by a 19th-century recipe and brewed with modern, experimental hop varieties, this powerful ale is deep ruby in color with aromas of toffee, Scotch whisky and baking spice, while rich flavors of dark fruit and caramel lead to a long, warming finish.

Surly Liquid Stardust Sparkling Ale India Pale Ale

Surly Liquid Stardust Sparkling  India Pale Ale. 7 % ABV. Surly Brewing Company, Twin Cities, MN.

Light haze, brilliant golden hue, small ivory head atop.

In the nose: Bright, vibrant happiness, notes of citrus fruit, tangerine, lemon.

In the mouth: Sparkling! Fresh, zesty, lively. Bursting with hops, then quickly turning dry. Flush with tropical fruit flavors, pineapple, guava, et al. Light bodied, easy drinking. I like this quite a bit.

This is a delightfully refreshing Brut IPA, and I can easily envision granting it space in the fridge. Taking a couple down for a few sessions.



Unfortunately, this one is only available in the new Frost Pack, along with the new Mortal Sun Porter, as well as 2 cans each of Furious and X-tra Citra.
Free the Liquid Stardust, Surly, give it it's own package.


Festive and crisp, Liquid Stardust sparkles like few, if any, IPAs. Far-out waves of hop flavor and aromatics pack a celebratory punch, while the clean, champagne-like finish begs for another sip.

Inbound Brewco Minnemosa Brut IPA

Inbound Brewco Minnemosa Brut IPA. 5.2 % ABV. IBU: zero. Inbound BrewCo., Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: lightly fruity, increasing over time, with notes of citrus, lemon, pineapple.

In the mouth: Just the briefest bit of bitterness on the palate up front, then all is juicy. Light-bodied, smooth as silk. Ends nice and dry. Fruity tones flourish on the tongue. A very pleasing pale ale, and it'll do nice with supper, but definitely not what I look for in an IPA. I'm searching the fridge for something that can appeal to my palate a little better. How many "real IPAs" do I have around to correct this situation?

There apparently are people out there trying to achieve a lack of bitterness in an IPA, and I wonder why they are doing so. Why, I want to ask them, are you still calling it an IPA?

A Brüt IPA brewed to be juicy with a dry finish. Notes of pineapple, mango, and tangerine. Late hop additions contribute to the insanely non-existent IBU.

Town Hall Azacca Strong Pale Ale

Town Hall Azacca Strong Pale Ale. 6.4 % ABV.

Clear, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: Fresh and zesty hop profile, citrus-y, lemon. pineapple.

In the mouth: Blast of bitterness starts it off on the palate. Brisk, crisp, clean. Bright and dry. Mmm. Just the way I like it. Medium bodied, easy drinking. Beautifully bitter, delightfully drinkable.

I like this one. It's right up my alley.

Strong pale featuring the tropical fruit forward hop Azacca.

I've got to say that this is the first time I've really seen the phrase "strong pale ale", and am curious how it came about. Does it mean a pale ale over 5 % ABV?  (Is 6.4 % really all that strong?) Is anyone else using it? Is it a "thing" now? What's the difference between a Strong Pale (that's not really that strong?) and an IPA? These are many questions that I'd like to find the answers for.

Sapsucker Farms Yellow Belly Small Batch Cider Barrel-Aged

Sapsucker Farms Yellow Belly Small Batch Cider Barrel-Aged. 6.5 % ABV. Sapsucker Farms, Mora, MN.

Clear, no head, greenish yellow color.

In the nose: a little sweet, a smidge of tart, and a lot of apple.

In the mouth: Sweet at first. Smooth, light bodied, quite agreeable. Quite tasty. Crisp and apple-y. Okay, I like this one. Although, I didn't pick up much of the barrel action on it.

our cider aged in a bourbon barrel for three to four months. Distinct apple flavor with a mild bourbon finish.

Fulton Citra Double Dry Hopped 300 India Pale Ale

Fulton Citra Double Dry Hopped 300 India Pale Ale. 7 % ABV. 74 IBU, Fulton Beer Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright golden color, slim ivory head, lasting and lacey.

In the nose: bold, lively hops on display. Nicely citrusy.

In the mouth: A gentle deployment of hop bitterness starts it off. Light bodied and quite on the drinkable side, for the hopheads among us. If you're not in that club, it's clearly not for you. It's for me, though. Juicy and bitter at once, fresh and delicious.

I don't know if I like this better than regular 300, though. I'm still fine with that one.

What happens when you take one of your beloved (and hoppiest) beers and double-dry-hop it with CITRA? Well, you get overly joyous is what you get. We love hops so we decided to take one of our favorite IPAs and double up on the dry hop to create an IPA with an intense hop aroma. We dry hop 300 at a rate of 1.65#/BBL and then recirculate the beer to ensure we extract as many of the desired aromatic compounds as possible. For the DDH 300 we did that process twice for a total dry hop rate of 3.3#/BBL and re-circulated it twice.

Founders Dank Wood

Founders Dank Wood Imperial Red IPA Aged in Bourbon Barrels. 12 % ABV. 65 IBU. Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Dark reddish brown coloring, large, fuzzy, cream-toned head. Very appealing appearance.

In the nose: Dank? Yeah. Sticky-icky, for sure. Rich and resinous. Caramel and toffee creeps in. Lots of fruit pops in against the dark malt and bourbon barrel-ousness, grapes, cherries, raisins.

In the mouth: Thick and fruity. More than an IPA, nearly a barley-wine. Big from the barrel, big from the booze, and bursting with hops. Rich with malt. Huge. This is a big, crazy mess and so outsized and flavorful that I love it.

Hangs hard on the palate, this one. Stays thick, sticky, juicy-oosy. It's expensive, but I like it. And I'm glad I spent the dough to give these 4 bottles a try.

What do you get when a big, bold imperial red IPA meets an oak bourbon barrel? A palate stunner that’ll send your senses spinning or, as we like to call it, Dankwood. Rich caramel notes emerge from the depths of the IPA, highlighting strong malt character while the bourbon barrel-aging develops the complexity. A dank, sticky and slightly sweet sipper, Dankwood is the perfect alchemy of wood and hops.

Indeed Wooden Soul La Peche Mode

Indeed Wooden Soul La Peche Mode. Bottle Conditioned. 7.8 % ABV. Brett Saison with Peach. Bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Looking hazy, with an exceptionally peach-ish hue, and the slightest of head on it.

In the nose: Tart hits the nose first, deep, wild, and funky, followed by fruit. Hitting all the right notes.

In the mouth: Sourness is most fierce, from the very start. Non-stop pucker. Medium bodied. Quite drinkable, for the sour-heads out there. And I am one, from time to time. This is the good stuff.

Sour, sour, sour. Peach, peach, peach. This, I dig. Go get it.

Sisyphus Son of Weeliam Scottish Ale

Sisyphus Son of Weeliam. 6.3 % ABV, 24 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark brown, zero head, wholly opaque.

In the nose: Rich, sweet, malty, earthy, etc.

In the mouth: More of those flavors on the palate. Smooth, light-ish bodied, with just a little bit of earth, nuts, & grit. Caramel/toffee galore in here. Malty, tasty, mmmm. Ain't nothing wrong with it.

A "wee" version of our Weeliam Wallace Wee Heavy. Using a yeast cultivated from the walls of Dunnotar Castle in Scotland gives the beer a truly unique experience. Malty sweetness and strong caramel and toffee notes.

Venn Batch 109 Mosaic Centennial DIPA

Venn Batch 109 Mosaic Centennial DIPA. 8.2 % ABV, 80 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, crimson colored, slim white head.

In the nose: Chock full o' hops: citrus, piney, resinous, and then some. Juicy, fruity, sweet. A cornucopia of sensations.

In the mouth: More of that, berries, cherries, etc. Lightish in body, easy in the drinking, with the high ABV ringing in surely, in time. Mild bitterness, but bitter, all the same. I'm liking this a lot. Very tasty, with the buzz beginning.

Yum. A Dum. Dum.

Fruity, piney hops, honey malt, balanced.
A Centennial and Mosaic forward Double IPA with a sturdy enough malt backbone for balance within the style.

Malts: Simpsons Golden Promise, Munich, Oats, Honey.
Hops: Warrior, Centennial, Mosaic, Amarillo, Cascade.
Yeast: American Ale.

Earth Rider Caribou Lake India Pale Ale

Earth Rider Caribou Lake India Pale Ale. 7.4 % ABV, 84 IBU. Earth Rider Brewing, Superior, Wisconsin.

Clear, pale amber color, creamy, lasting head, leaving lace.

In the nose: aggressive hops, resinous hop notes. Big fruit, bright citrus. Beautifully bitter.

In the mouth: Big, bold, aggressive hop blast at the top. Juicy malt base. Tasty stuff here. Fairly mellow and quite drinkable. Plenty of flavor in this, plenty of hops, just right for my kind of IPA.


Hop aromas of pine and berry harken to lakes of the far North. 
A prominent malt backbone balances moderate hop bitterness. Hold fast.

Town Hall Dry- Hopped Pilsner

Town Hall Dry-hopped Pilsner. 5% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Crystal clear, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: Clean, nicely hopped, slightly citric. Nice.

In the mouth: Light-bodied, crisp and clean. Zesty hop blast up front, soft finish. A little bit clings to the back of the throat. Fairly pleasant stuff.

I often pass on pilsners and lagers. Not sure why I picked this one to take home. Maybe there was nothing else in growlers? That must have been it. Nonetheless, I don't mind this at all. The growler will be finished in no time.

Modist People Power Pale Ale

Modist People Power Pale Ale. 5.3 % ABV. Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Hugely hazy, dull yellow, slim white head.

In the nose: Big citrus here, great gobs of grapefruit. Lemon.

In the mouth: Smooth, yet spritz-y. Quite clean, though, light-bodied and refreshing. Citrus-y hops flavor continues on and on.

It ain't my favorite, but it ain't bad.

People Power is a hazy Citra & Motueka Pale Ale brewed with heaps of sticky soft oats, Chilean barley, whirlpool hopped with Citra and dry hopped with Motueka and Citra. YuM! Notes of candied citrus zest, lychee berry jelly and lemon lime squish. It’ll be on tap with a limited number of crowlers available to take home.

Boom Island Lemon Drop Wit

Boom Island Lemon Drop Wit. Limited Collaboration 2018. Collaboration with Brouwerij Maenhout.  5.5 % ABV. Boom Island Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Hazy gold, lasting and lacey ivory head.

In the nose: Nicely hopped, citrus notes, delightful.

In the mouth: Soft and smooth. Touch of spice. Easy going. Crisp and delicious.
Good wit and you can drink it.


Peure wit will rock and refresh your
world! The wheat makes her pale
and cloudy. She’s enriched with
coriander and lemon zest.
A Peure wit is at her best amoungst
friends on summer days. Inspired by
Peure Rock music festival, a
fundraiser for the Mivalti assisted
living facility.
A percentage of the profits from
each beer sold here will also help
support Mivalti.

Imminent Brewing The Quick and the Red IPA

Imminent Brewing The Quick and the Red IPA. 7% ABV. 70 IBU. Imminent Brewing, Northfield, MN.

Clear, bright reddish tint, huge head, long-lasting meringue, leaving lace. Quite lovely.

In the nose: Highly hopped. Grassy. Herbal. "Dank." Citrus and pine apparent. Sweet malt present and accounted for, also.

In the mouth: Big bitterness up front that lasts long on the palate. Caramel malt takes center stage soon. I'm not terribly keen on caramel malt in IPAs, but it works here, and I'm liking it. A little bit of roast and traces of cocoa. Malt sweetness never outpaces the hops. Medium-bodied, full-flavored, heavy on the hoppiness. Can't help but like this one. It's right where I want an IPA to be.


Our second hopalicious creation, this red IPA couldn’t wait any longer to get into your glass! Some caramel malt sweetness with a touch of roast and a firm American-hop flavor yields to a bouquet of floral, piney, and citrus aromas! Enjoy!

Surly Darkness 2018

The first time I wrote about Surly Darkness Russian Imperial Stout on this blog was 7 years ago, when I paired my original notes from 2006 with a picture of a bottle from 2010. I've reviewed some older bottles recently, as well, like this one at five years. Last night, I made the decision to review a fresh bottle for the first time. Here come the notes:

Surly Darkness 2018. Russian Imperial Stout, 12 % ABV, IBU: "low", Surly Brewing Company, Minneapolis & Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

Solidly stygian, utter opacity, slim brown head. Looking perfectly the part.

In the nose: Roast and toast. Here comes cocoa and coffee, caramel and toffee. Some charcoal, a twist of fire.

In the mouth: great richness, massive malt, much sweetness. So much goodness. So much delicious. Thick, rich, deep, amazing. Some dark fruit pops in, but mostly dark roasted malt, rich and sweet. And flat out wonderful. Good stuff. Go on out and drink it.

Our massive Russian Imperial Stout contains waves of chocolate, coffee, cherry, raisin, and toffee, plus a non-traditional dose of aromatic hops.

BlackStack Tug It Out Double Dry Hopped IPA

BlackStack Tug It Out Double Dry Hopped IPA. 7.3% ABV. BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Heavily hazed, bright golden coloring, big, lasting white head. Nice looking stuff.

In the nose: tropical fruit notes aplenty on display here, the pineapple, the guava, some orange and other citrus...just a trace of bitterness, leaning heavy on the sweet in this. Quite delightful.

In the mouth: A nice, astringent bitterness clings to the palate, with yeasty goodness at work, as well. Lots of brilliant hop action working hard, too. Fresh and zesty, and more. Sweet, creamy, light bodied, and drinkable. Man, you can drink and drink it.

I'm a trifle disappointed that this brewery pumps out nothing but double dry-hopped double IPA after double dry-hopped double IPA. But when they're this good, why worry about it?

TUG IT OUT DDH IPA 7.3%

Our collaboration with The Nook is dripping with Mosaic, El Dorado and Ekuanot hops. In the spirit of our participation in WCCO’s Pulling Together Tug-of-War, A portion of case sales as well as $1 per pint, sold of this beer in the taproom, will be donated to Fraser to help aid in their mission of serving children and adults with special needs

Sisyphus Peach Never-lasting Gobstopper

Sisyphus Peach Never-lasting Gobstopper. 3% ABV. 20 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Cloudy, orange/golden, hardly any head.

In the nose: tart and fruity. Fresh and funky.

In the mouth: Intense sour, big fruit. Refreshing and tasty. Light bodied, easy-ish drinking. If you like the sours, go right ahead and get this one. Very nice.

Me, though, I'm not a fan of peach and tart. And I'm less and less a fan of sours as time goes on. I bought this one because they was nothing else new on tap for me to bring home and review. But when I look at a crowler full of a fruited sour in the fridge and contemplate drinking it, I don't look forward to having that much of that beer in one sitting. Not the same way I relish the notion of guzzling down so much of an IPA or a stout.

That's just me, though. We're all different, aren't we?

Town Hall Six Hour Tour

Town Hall Six Hour Tour. Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Coconut Milk Stout. 8.6 % ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Solid blackness, utter opacity, slim brownish head.

In the nose: Coconut pops out first, creamy, rich, malty. Sweet and delectable. Not picking up anything from bourbon barrel yet, though.

In the mouth: Bam! Impressive entry from the coconut flavor at the start,  then it snowballs, getting bigger and bigger, deeper, richer, maltier. Bourbon makes the scene, grows and grows on the palate, vanilla, cherry, oak, booze. This is flat out delicious. More delicious than all the delicious that came before. Yu-u-um. So tasty, and the whiskey elements creep up from below, coat the throat and linger on all over the tongue and in the roof of the mouth. Dangerous stuff.

I was a little late to buy the growlers that night that they were released. A friend nearly let me buy his, until Chris revealed that someone who won one in a trivia contest didn't want it, so it could be mine. That person is one gigantic idiot. Just think. Merely bringing this to a party could have made him the life of such an event. A hero. A beer-o. Passing it along to a friend would make him greater in said friend's esteem. Donating it to a charity silent auction would make him seem like a saint in some eyes. Whether he wanted to drink it or not, merely having this growler and giving it up in a myriad of ways (giving it to someone in a hospital who is near death, pour some for someone who is suicidal and give them a reason to go on living!) would have enriched his regard by many, ensuring his legacy for decades to come.

But, it became mine and I am selfless and merely take my notes to tell the world of it's majesty and now you know to seek this out and enjoy it's wonder on your own. Aren't you glad you know me?

Schell's Snowstorm 2018/2019 Speciale Belge

Schell's Snowstorm 2018: Speciale Belge. ABV:? IBU: ? Belgian Strong Dark Ale. August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN.

Clear, dark crimson-colored, slim head.

In the nose: malt-forward, dark fruits, raisins, plums.

In the mouth: Fruit notes dominate. Mostly malty, a kiss of caramel, and just enough hops. Medium bodied, leaning toward light. Swift finish. Some of the classic hallmarks of Belgian-style ales seem to be in attendance, but not enough, and lacking any vigor or verve.

This year's SnowStorm is a good beer, and you can drink it. But I wish it was a little bit more.

As every Midwesterner knows, no two snowstorms are ever alike. This year’s rendition is moderately malty with notes of biscuit and a subtle fruitiness.

You know what? Reading the above, thinking about Schell's, who they are, where they are, and what they do, I wonder to myself what I thought they were going to make. Did I expect a Trappistes Rochefort or something? It's a nice beer, it's tasty, it goes down easy. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.

Fulton Proper Porter

Fulton Proper Porter. 6.4 % ABV. 30 IBU. Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark brown color, thick tan head on top.

In the nose: lightly hoppy, mostly malty. Cola. Caramel. A touch of roast. Slight coffee, cocoa, nuts for a bit.

In the mouth: Bittersweet. Medium malty. Deep roast. Coffee, caramel. Smooth 'n' tasty. A good ol' porter, and you can drink it. Go, Fulton! Cheers to proper porters!

This is a newly bottled effort that had previously only been available on tap. I found this on their website:The Proper Porter pours a beautiful black with ruby highlights. Flavors of toffee and chocolate help to balance the roasty-ness of this wonderful porter. 

I edited out the stuff about being brewed specifically for the Holidazzle parade and being only available on tap at the brewery. I'm pretty sure you can pick up these bottle wherever you like.

12welve Eyes Brewing Cataracts: Denali

12welve Eyes Brewing Cataracts: Denali. Hazy IPA. 5.5 % ABV. 50 IBU. 12welve Eyes Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Cataracts seems to be the name for the rotating Hazy IPA from Twelvewelve, each one featuring a different hop.

Thoroughly hazed, dull yellow hue, large and lasting pure white head.

In the nose: Vibrant floral hops, with underlying fruit. Delicate, delightful.

In the mouth: Big bitterness blasts the palate from the start. Alongs come the fruit. Tropical tones, as well as citric. Guava meets pineapple, dappled with grapefruit and orange. Light bodied. Easy drinking. Refreshing and likable. And pretty damned tasty.

I like these guys, and this brewery, that was named after 3 owners who all wore glasses so that they were 3 4-eyes, aka Twelve Eyes, although one left before the brewery opened, so they should really be 8eight Eyes....but the numeral 12 should not replace the letter T, no way, no how. It's not like replace an E with a 3, for they are at least nominal similar in shape. I'm gonna keep calling them Twelvewelve, and you can't stop me.

Prairie Artisan Ales Pink Guava Funk

Prairie Artisan Ales Pink Guava Funk. Sour Ale with Pink Guava. 6.3 % ABV. Prairie Artisan Ales, Krebs, Oklahoma.

Completely, thoroughly hazy, milky and pink, slim white head. Such a look on it.

In the nose: Powerful sour. Big time funk. Lots of fruit underneath.

In the mouth: Yep, that's tart. Intense sour, with fruit hanging just below. Tasty, too. I like it, though I try to keep my sour contact to an occasional, once-in-a-while type of "treat." I kind of like it.
So, sour heads, go and get it.

Kettle Sour with Brett and Pink Guava

Tin Whiskers Nebula Hazy Citrus IPA

Tin Whiskers Spark Series Nebula Hazy Citrus IPA. 5.9 % ABV.  33 IBU. Tin Whiskers Brewing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Thoroughly hazed, dull golden, amble ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Bright, vibrant citrus and pine notes aplenty.

In the mouth: More of that, nicely playing on the palate. Smooth, creamy, pillowy mouthfeel. Very much juicy. Quite pleasant. Practically no bitterness, which is what people are going for these days, it seems. If you ask me, (and if you're reading this, then you did) losing the bitter bite makes an IPA not an IPA. Call it something else if you must. It seems so many people have been incorrectly drinking IPAs for so long.

If that's the kind if "IPA" you want, this is the one for you.

A hazy, citrusy IPA, bursting with notes of tangerine and orange peel, brewed with Mandarina Bavaria, Citra, and Ekuanot hops.
We're pretty sure this beer's going to make a pretty Big Bang.
This aggressively hopped IPA, the latest in our limited-run Spark Series, starts with notes of tangerine and citrus zest before finishing with a clean, bright bitterness. In space, no one can hear you order another round. Good thing we brought this beer back to Earth.

Venn Brewing Batch 100 Holy Trinity Triple IPA

Venn Brewing Batch # 100 Holy Trinity Triple IPA. 11.4 % ABV, 110 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, gorgeous snowy white head, looking lovely.

In the nose: sweetness, fruit, hops. Mostly citrus & pine. Alcoholic strength is highly apparent.

In the mouth: big citrus & pine, powerful hoppy punch. Surpringly smooth and ten kinds of tasty. Light bodied, easy-drinking (despite the 11.4% ABV). A little sharp at turns, but altogether delicious.

Yum a dum dum.

Dank, citrus, tropical fruit.
For our 100th batch we brewed a ridiculous, over-the-top Triple IPA featuring the “holy trinity” of hops: Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe. Using standard pellets, cryo pellets, resinate, and extract, it was hopped at every opportunity: Mash hops, first-wort, bittering, mid-boil, whirlpool, fermentation, and three dry hop additions.

Malts: Extra Pale Pilsner, Flaked Rice, Candi Syrup.
Hops: Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic, Idaho 7.
Yeast: American Ale. 

Utepils Broomstacker Red Lager

Utepils Broomstacker Red Lager. 6.0 % ABV. 41 IBU. Utepils Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, amber/reddish color, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweet, fruity, malty nose. Just enough hops for balance. Quite delightful.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, ultra-drinkable. Mostly malty. Moderate hopping. Nicely balanced. Very refreshing. The quintessential good beer and you can drink it.

European red lager brewed for winter enjoyment. Medium, toasty malt body with a balanced crisp finish.

Named for a old tradition in the sport of curling that we think embodies sport as fun. The "skip" or team captain can pause the match by stacking the brooms and during the break, both teams go have a beer together. Doubt you'll see it in matches in the Olympics but we can only hope.

Lupulin BAM Nectar American Pale Ale

Lupulin BAM Nectar American Pale Ale. Bravo, Amarillo, & Mandarina hops. 5.5 % ABV. 45 IBU. Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Highly hazed, slim ivory head.

In the nose: Bright and lively citrus notes. Quite a hoppy one, this. Grapefruit, orange, pine.

In the mouth: A blast of citrus-y hops on the palate. Medium bodied, long hoppy finish, exquisite drinkability. Fresh and delicious.

I'm not crazy about the prices for these cans, but you can't argue with the quality.

BAM Nectar is a Pale Ale made with Golden Promise, Wheat and Oats and heavily dry-hopped with Bravo, Amarillo and Mandarina Bavaria hops.

BAM! A hazy hop-slap for your mouth-gap! Brewed with Bravo, Amarillo, & Mandarina hops, this pale ale will bang your buds with orangealicious deliciousness. Perfect for passing the time away on a Summer day. 

Stone Fear Movie Lions Double IPA

Stone Fear Movie Lions Double IPA. An Unfiltered Double IPA. 8.5 % ABV. Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA.

Highly hazed, burnt orange coloring, big white head.

In the nose: Big citrus. Powerful, pungent. Outsized and exceptional.

In the mouth: Sweet and bitter at once. Juicy. Brisk, brittle, beautiful. Medium bodied. Expertly drinkable. Inherently likable, for the hophead such as I. It's my kind of double IPA. Yum, a dum-dum.

Here's what they say: New England-Style IPAs are all the rage. Fans of Stone repeatedly ask for our take on the style, which can be met with some criticism. Rooted in West-Coast style IPAs for decades, how would we do it? Fear no more. Our brewers took the approach to deliver incredibly hoppy and aromatic flavor while keeping it very balanced, and upping the alcohol unnoticeably - nailing this astounding one-of-a-kind creation.

Overall this unfiltered double IPA is juiced up with massive tropical & citrus notes. The mild bitterness and relatively dry body compliment the style, and the residual maltiness nicely rounds it out. Lingering lime peel and tropical fruit derived from the hops stand out on the finish, begging one to seek out more. 

Town Hall Hopfen Konig Kellerbier

Town Hall Hopfen Konig Kellerbier / Zwickel. 6.6 %ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, stable ring of ivory foam.

In the nose: Highly hopped, vibrant, citric.

In the mouth: Bright, hoppy, piney/citric. Lean-bodied, light, easy drinking. A little lemony, grassy, very crisp and refreshing. This is the lively lager I've been looking for.

At this point in the blog post, I usually pull out information from the brewery's website to flesh out the story of the beer, it's ingredients. etc. In this case, there is none. What you see is what you get.

Geisenbrau Geisen Weiss Hefeweizen

Giesenbrau (pronounced "GHEE-sen-broy") Giesen Weiss Hefe Weizen. 5.1% ABV. 10 IBU. Giesenbrau Bier Co., New Plaque, MN.

Clear, amber-hued, slim white head.

In the nose: there’s some banana, right next to citrus, with a touch of clove. Lightly spicy, fruity, nice.

In the mouth: Light-bodied, refreshing, easy drinker. Nice, citrusy flavor. Not quite what I look for in a weizen, though. Lacks a bit of the banana & clove, missing the yeast.

This one falls short. Drinkable, but disappointing. I was expecting more from a brewery that wears it's touts it's German roots as loudly as it's lederhosen.

Maybe it lost something from being a month old? Maybe?

Boom Island Quad

Boom Island Quad. 10.2% ABV. 21 IBU. Boom Island Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark, burgundy-hued, slim head.

In the nose: sweet & malty, toffee & caramel. Never too anything, but quite nice. 

In the mouth: deep, rich, malty-sweet and quite delicious. Cocoa, caramel, molasses, oak. Doesn’t go as far as it could, barely gets into the peculiar Belgian character, but I can’t help but like it.
Very warming and agreeable.Very tasty. Quite nice.

(Note: this is a sample bottle from the brewery. You'll find your retail version available in big ol' bomber form.)

Our Quadrupel is based on centuries old
Trappist traditions in Belgium. 

Barrel Theory Fire Diss Track IPA w/ Mosaic

Kids these days. Always using that newfangled slang. I still like that old-fangled slang. 23 Skidoo, Cat's Meow, groovy, way-out, man, and all that. Let's see if I can figure out the name of this beer.

Fire, we know, is something hot, that has heat, or is ablaze.  "Diss" is to disrespect, of this I am aware. And track refers to a piece of recorded music, in this context. So, what we have here is a rap song, I think, where one musician calls out another with which he has a "beef" for being "wack", or some such, and does it so well that it is "fire." Why they need to do this, though, I'll never understand. Whatever happened to nice music, for the nice people? Why must the artists of today tear down others in order to build themselves up? Whatever happened to melody?

Okay, enough acting like an old fogey, let's drink one of those Barrel Theory IPAs that are all the rage these days...

Fire Diss Track. 7.3% ABV. Barrel Theory Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Thoroughly hazed, bright orange hue, long-lasting ivory head.

In the nose: bold hop presence, big citrus, orange, lemon, a pinch of pineapple. Other flavors lurk below. Mosaic going wild here.

In the mouth: hop bitterness blasts the palate, followed by nothing but juicy. Intense and delicious. Beautiful blend of bitter buzz juicy, smooth mouthfeel. Goes down remarkably easy. Hop bite continues to tread across the palate, providing additional delights.

I like this one. Surprise: BT makes great IPAs.

Official description: An IPA with all Mosaic hops.

BlackStack Birds in a Trap Honey Double IPA

BlackStack Birds in the Trap Honey Double IPA. 8.5 % ABV. Collaboration with Wren House Brewery,

Lightly hazed, bright golden hued, prodigious ivory fluff on top.

In the nose:sweet, fruit, citrus. And tropical .and altogether delightful. Honey really should es here.

In the mouth: more delights, sweet and fruity are matching with bitterness and ncroachi g alcohol. Pineapple pops up to match grapefruit and lemon. Just a little rough around the edge, but mostly smooth and largely delicious.

Now and then, I find myself decrying that this brewery puts out only slight variations on IPAs, double dry-hopped IPAs, double IPAs double dry-hopped, etc. Is there that much difference between them, I now and then wonder. This one, though.....

Wren house brewing company out of phoenix, az is one of our biggest brewery crushes. Somehow they found the time to flutter by the stack and help us brew this buzzworthy beer. We used St. Croix valley honey from wolf honey farms leaving it dry and crushable. 

Waldmann Weissbier

I try to keep up with the local breweries, but I'm a little behind. This one has been around for over a year now, and I still haven't made the trip to Waldmann, the German-style brewery and "wurstery" located in an old saloon  and former brewery on West 7th Street in St. Paul. Luckily, I have friends who help me out from time to time. Cheers to Ed for hanging on to this hefe weizen, and letting me get my first taste of Waldmann. I'll get on the bus again, someday soon, and check out the space for myself.

Waldmann Weissbier. 5.5% ABV. Waldmann Brewery, St' Paul, MN.


Lightly hazy, Amber-hued, large, lasting, cream-toned head.

In the nose: banana &.clove pop on board. Fruit ‘n’ spice, mighty nice. Bavarian yeast aplenty.

In the mouth: Light bodied, crisp, clean, tasty. Flavors found in the nose appear, however lightly, on the palate. Strictly smooth and consumable. Good beer and you can drink it.

A deep gold Bavarian style Weißbier. Floor malted wheat malt and central European pilsner malt fermented with a traditional Weißbier yeast strain.

The above is a truncated version of the verbiage from the label that I found on Untappd. There's even more gobbledygook on there, but I'm going to let you discover it for yourself, share it with you another day, another beer.

Venn Brewing Batch 103 Columbus IPA

Venn Brewing Batch 103 Columbus IPA. 6.7%. 75 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Sometimes you just want a good ol. IPA. A good ol' Columbus hop West Coast-style IPA.

Clear, bright gold n, slightly dusky hued, firm ivory head on top, leaving lace.

In The nose: citrusy, slightly tropical, just a little sweet, but abundantly fr8ty,

In the mouth: big time juicy. Freshly fruity. Low bitterness. Delicious malt. Tasty stuff. Bright citrus flavor continues. This is nice. I’d love to keep it around as an everyday drinking IPA.

West Coast style, pungent, resinous, bitter.
A West Coast style IPA featuring just Columbus hops.

Malts: Domesic Pale, Munich, Red Wheat.
Hops: Warrior, Columbus.
Yeast: American Ale. 

Prairie Consider Yourself Hugged

Prairie Artisan Ales Consider Yourself Hugged. Imperial Stout with Peanut Butter Roasted Coffee. 11.9% ABV. 50 IBU. Krebs, Oklahoma.

Pitch black, beautiful brown foam above, looking particularly enticing.

In the nose: coffee hits first, then, yeah, there’s the peanut butter just below. Lots of chocolate in the mix, too. Very nice.

In the mouth: more big and more rich. Deep and decadent. Yum. We're in Chocolate Town with a side trip to coffeeville,  by way of Peanut butterBoulevard. I’m digging it. And at 11.9 %, it’s packing.

This is one I enjoyed a few times while we had it
on tap at Acadia for a short spell, and had to go out and get some for the purposes of this review. Wish it was affordable enough that I could get a few more. ($10 a bottle, or so for this.)

Gray's Honey Ale

Gray's Honey Ale. 4.78% ABV, 12 IBU. Gray's Brewing Company, Janesville, WI.

I have in my hands a can of Gray's Honey Ale from Janesville, Wisconsin. Fourteen years ago, I took notes on what I can only presume was a bottle of said beer. I will now drink the can and look back on the notes that I posted in September of 2004 and see if I was wrong, or perhaps the beer has changed, or, am I still right? Let's see. Here come the notes:

Ultra-clear, pale honeyish hue, thick, fat fizzling white head, that zips down in nothing flat.

Nose is softly herbal, lightly sweet and honeyed, a little citric, leaning into sour. Not crazy about it, really.

Taste: too, too mild, bearing little in the flavor department, not even the advertised honey tastes. Very light bodied, short on texture, limp in the finish.  Even irritating...I can't find much to like in this one. So sorry, I really held up hope, but it's just not working out. Too, too blase'...cheers to anyone out there who digs this, but don't count me among the crowd.

I really like the bee on the label, though. Pity there's no close-up available here, he's really a demented looking bug!

So? I have to concur with my younger self. This is wholly unremarkable. There is some honey in the aroma, but the flavor is a total washout. Nothing here at all. And the demented bug is gone, replaced on this can by a man with a beard of bees. Why, he couldn't grow his own? That's no excuse.

This is actually very bleh. I may need to reverse my no drain pour policy.

Hammerheart Reva's IPA

Hammerheart Reva's India Pale Ale. 6.9 %ABV. Hammerheart Brewing Company, Lino Lakes, MN.
Bottled on 9.4.18.



Highly hazy, utterly unfiltered. Murky gold. Slight ivory head.

In the nose: fresh and fruity, citrus and a bit tropical, pineapple. Mango-y.

In he mouth: nice bitter buzz up top, citrus hop notes aplenty. Medium body, hop bitterness continues to blaze across the palate. Quite tasty. Even delicious. Yea, I'd go that far. Yum. Yumm diddly. Um. This is right down my junction.

Oh, that Hammerheart NE IPA. It's not smoky, or dark or dangerously strong. They can trick you these guys.

From the bottle: Reva’s is a bright, hoppy ale for a vibrant and brilliant friend: a Hazy IPA, full of juicy goodness: piney, earthy, and floral, on a hazy, dee amber malt base. Original art by Reba Myers of Amber Moon. 

Mikkeller Windy Hill New England style India Pale Ale

Mikkeller San Diego Windy Hill New England-style Inda Pale Ale. 7% ABV, 70 IBU, Mikkeller San Diego, San Diego, CA.


Highly hazed, creamy orange color, fine, ivory stands tall atop.

In the nose: vibrant hops at work, floral, fruity, stone and citrus. Nice.

In the mouth: brisk, crisp, with a big bite of bitterness kicking it off. Unstoppable citrus. Medium bodied, long, hoppy finish. Quite a tasty little number, this. Not too bitter, not too sweet, just right.



This is my first review of beers from the new Mikkeller San Diego brewery. Maybe it's not so new, but it's new to Minnesota. I've also tried their version of Beer Geek Breakfast, but I didn't bother to take new notes on the can, to compare against the older bottled version from Denmark. Life's too short to keep re-reviewing the same beers, over and over again.

But, just for kicks, here's a pic of the new can design.