In the nose: Tart from the start. Funky, fresh, fruity. Slightly citrusy.
In the mouth: More sour, fierce puckeration. Quickly goes from fruity to dry. Somehow slightly sugary. All in all, though, I'm not getting too much tangerine. Just a touch.
If I were a more critical sort, I'd knock this effort for coming short on the advertised fruit. Certainly not one of their more successful tries at the fruited sour style.
Lupulin / Surly Operation Cohoperaton Double IPA.
8.5 % ABV. 50 IBU.
Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN. Collaboration with Surly.
Hazy (naturally), bright golden/orange. flush ivory head. Looking just about perfect.
In the nose: Bold, fresh, and citrusy. Sweet, tropical tones saunter in. Very pleasant.
In the mouth: Big bitterness bursts on the palate, at first. Juicy hop flavors bounce in the mouth. Tangy, slightly tart, nice and malty. Ending on a dry note. Citrus flavors take turns with tropical. Alcohol rise, sense of well-being flows. A tasty beverage, when all is said and done.
It's a pleasing beverage, but every time I get one of these hazy/juicy double IPAs I feel cheated. I want the bitterness of a double, not just the booze.
This one has been a long time coming! The Surly Brewing crew "CoHoperated" with us on a big, juicy, and chewy DIPA! Brewed with a healthy dose of Citra and Sultana, as well as Lotus hops, to bring complexity to the fruit cocktail aroma. Expect notes of Pineapple, Vanilla, Orange, and Mango backed up with a big sweet chewy body. Surly is a Minnesota brewery that brews award-winning beers with a Surly attitude. Their philosophy is: “Make great beer. Have fun. Give a damn about your community. Be independent. Don't be a dick.” Now those are words we can get behind.
Three Floyds Region X Export Lager. 6 % ABV. 26 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN.
Have I had a lager from Three Floyds before? An Imperial Pilsner. And that's it. IPAs, pale ales, saison, double IPA, black ale, stout, Berliner weisse, Scottish ale, barley-wine, all the styles of the rainbow, but no other lagers. So, let's drink it.
Crystal-clear, bright golden, large ivory head, swiftly collapsting. Looking good.
In the nose: Clean, slightly grainy, lightly floral, wide-open and un-troubled.
In the mouth: Just a kiss of the hops, here. More clean, quite crisp, a touch of fruit and grain in the taste. Slightly sweet. Super smooth. Expert balance. Lightly toasty malt. Altogether pleasing.
A smooth and crisp German-style lager. Lightly hopped with traditional noble hops and brewed slightly stronger than other light-colored lagers to help us get through the cool spring nights around The Region.
Once upon a time, I was at a certain taproom and they a beer available in crowlers that I chose not to purchase. It was a pastry lager. Yes, a pastry lager. Why was it a pastry lager? Because it was a lager brewed with marshmallows. I chose not to buy and review this beer because it doesn't sound very good at all and because I don't want to think about pastry lagers.
A few weeks back, I bought a can of Fair State's Heckin' Chonker Pastry Stout, and I expressed my opinion about this whole pastry business. You may have read it here.
And now, I have a can of something that Inbound calls a Pastry Ale. It was a gift and I have no choice but to review it. It is my way. I considered skipping the usage of this odious phrase after having covered it already. Why not pretend it doesn't exist? Imagine a world where a fruited sour ale isn't being compared to pastry for some reason. Is anyone else doing this, or only Inbound? I swear I've never heard of it outside of this brewery. Most breweries call their fruited sours "fruited sours."
Pastry Ale and Pastry Lager and Fuckin' Pastry Stout aren't things, people. Stop it, you're just messing with people's minds, and it's not very funny. And it's making me very sad. I weep for the beer world, people. Sigh...
Fully opaque, all clouded-up, bold crimson coloring, slim, pinkish head.
In the nose: Very berry, with a pinch of tart. Not a trace of sweetness about.
In the mouth: More sour, more berry. Nicely rounded. Medium bodied, easy drinking. Sour is mellow enough, not to strong, not too tart, and the berries are doing their thing. Rasp, blue, and black all blended up and sent into the sour.
Fruited Goses are all the rage (if they aren't Fruited Berliner Weisses). This one ain't bad. But this "pastry" shit has got to stop.
Our tart Gose brewed with a whole bunch of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. It’s a sweet blend in a sour ale and everything you didn’t know you needed in a beer.
Wild Mind Double Wegian Paradise IPA.
8.5 % ABV. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.
Thoroughly hazed. Utterly chunky. Bright golden hue, Which, rich, luscious ivory head. Looking very nice for the style.
In the nose: ah! Lovely stuff. Fresh and fruity, softly muted citrus notes, with a twist of tropical on the side. Delightful.
In the mouth: Lightly bitter, smooth and slightly sweet. Alcohol lays low at first, but will surprise in the end, I'm sure. Juicy, citrusy, lemon and lime and grapefruit meet papaya, passionfruit, pineapple, and more. Medium-bodied. Nice and dry in the end.
I like this one. It is tasty. I want to call it Yum a dum, dum. And I will stand behind that.
Fermented with Voss Kveik yeast, dry-hopped at a higher rate, and brewed with even more wheat and oats to further enhance the beer’s smooth mouthfeel. Double Wegian Paradise highlights Citra, Ekuanot, and Mosaic hops in the whirlpool and dry-hopping, resulting in loads of tropical and citrus character ranging from sweet grapefruit to ripe papaya
Town Hall Double Oak Bruin.
8.6 % ABV. Belgian Strong Dark Ale aged in bourbon and wine barrels.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.
It was (still is) Barrel Aged Week again at Town Hall, and things went a little differently this time. Sure, there's still great new barrel-aged offerings along with the favorites of years past, but I'm thinking of the way growlers were sold. The tickets for growlers went on sale on the Sunday one week before the event began, not the morning of the day before. I'm not sure why that was, but when I stopped in on the Monday that the event began, this week, not a single beer had sold out. I went in on Friday, and only one had been completely spoken for. In all, I took home four growlers, probably the most I've ever bought in one week, all completely new beers to the Nib. Maybe I'll return for a few more, while we're at it? Why not, indeed.
But, let's kick it off with this beer, which I have not even sampled before.
Dark ebony shade, full opacity, short-lived whitish head.
In the nose: Bold, brash, funky and fruity. Wine barrel spilling out everywhere, with bourbon limping behind. Oak and vanilla touches. The Belgian brown hides in the background.
In the mouth: Red wine tannins blast the palate and splatter all about with tart fruity flavors. In time, other flavors emerge from beneath the fruit, chocolate and caramel come crawling from under. A little vanilla, a bit more oak. Getting stronger and sharper as go further. Cherries and maple are also popping up. The Belgian brown beneath holds it down with aplomb, but it's individual flavors are outshone by the barrel's contributions. At turns sweet, sharp, and tart, this effort from the barrel-aging masters keeps the palate twisting and turning. The alcohol rises, the feeling of well-being grows. Flavors of wine and bourbon take turns providing interplay. Cherry and grape, oak and whiskey, deep and sweet, rich and delicious. Nice one.
Inspired by the many wine cask finished bourbons in the market today, this is the perfect blend of both bourbon and wine barrel aged beers. Using two very different oak barrels creates a beer that offers aromas that may resemble fudge, chocolate, red berries, vanilla, buttery caramel, and maple sugar.
Another Hazy IPA? Yup. There's no end to them. Seems there's nothing but hazy, everywhere you look. (A quick look at the stats on this blog show that I've tagged 76 posts with the term "hazy" and 13 of them are just this year.)
And Fair State feels fairly confident about this one, enough to announce it as a new year-round core beer. Or a flagship, or whatever you want to call them. It's about time I gave it a try already, right? Right.
Oh, it's hazy, all right. And bright golden, with a thin white head on top.
In the nose: Typical fuzz, murk, mystical haze, fogging up the hop presence. Citrusy notes loom below the clouds.
In the mouth: At turns bright and fuzzy. A morass of murkiness in the mouth. That's what the kids dig these days. Decent amount of hoppiness, slight, ever-so slight bitterness, mostly vague citrus flavors, a slice of pine, and whispering wisps of tropical tones.
Okay, moving along it's getting sweeter and creamier. Lighter bodied, easier drinking, hits all the right notes for the hazy IPA. A good drinker, sure to please many. I can see what they're going for with this, and I wish them success with it.
Some beers are malt forward, some are hop forward, this one is PARTY FORWARD. A hazy IPA brewed with lemongrass and Citra hops, for extra fruitiness, crushability, and fun.
Judge me not harshly, gentle reader. sometimes you think you've got them cleaned, and it turns out you're wrong, try as you may.
Insight Luring the Lord of the Loch Hazy India Pale Ale.
6.3 % ABV. 73 IBU.
Insight Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.
All hazed up, bright golden/orange-ish coloring, lasting white head.
In the nose: Soft, slightly sweet, tropical notes issuing forth, the usual roll call of mango, passionfruit, papaya, nice and round and plump.
In the mouth: Nothing but smooth. A little bump of bitterness at the start, getting good and mellow thereafter. Nice and juicy. Lean and easy. More tropical fruit notes, as noted above, than citrus and pine. Terrifically tasty. So, I like it.
Our latest and greatest hazy NE style Ipa. This beer is double dry hopped with Citra, Amarillo, and El Dorado Hops. Big notes of pineapple, mango, and papaya. And from the can: "...This was no normal Nessie. This was a strange, humpbacked, horse-headed mega-uggo. But it also sat atop a stockpile of fresh, new hazy IPA I had to have. So, countering slyly over, I wrapped my arm around the shoulder (????) of the sea serpent (???) and said, "What's a handsome devil like you doing in this cold, forgotten, waterlogged grotto?...."
In the nose: bursting with tart and berries. Delightful.
In the mouth: Powerful puckering, fresh fruity flavors. Blackberry, raspberry, blue....? (Nope. boysen.) Bright, juicy, tart, tasty. I can't help liking this one. Lean, easy drinking, delicious.
Cosmosis: A series of sophisticated sours that'll make you pucker.
A Venn-style kettle sour, infused with actual blackberry, raspberry, & boysenberry. Previously called "Triple Berry Sour". Malts: Domestic Pale, White Wheat, Unmalted White Wheat Hops: none Yeast: Champagne, Lactobacillus And: Blackberries, Raspberries, Boysenberries
In the mouth: A short, sharp sting at the front, then along comes the sour. Freshly fruity, turning slightly sweet, before ending dry. Cinnamon and brown sugar are blended in well, and not sticking out in the slightest. Mezcal comes through, though. Oh, wait...yep, here they come. It's getting just a little spicier as we go. Spicier and sweeter, too. I'm liking this one. Nice sour ale.
Influenced by Mexican tepache, we added loads of pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves to our house sour recipe before maturing the beer on mezcal
Lightly hazed, bright, golden hued, slim white head.
In the nose: light & mellow, slight citrusy notes. Just the bare minimum.
In the mouth: Fresh and zesty, notes of lemon and lime, with a twist of grapefruit. Nicely hopped, but low on bitterness. Meager malt, as well. Doesn't really do it for the "hazy" style, either. Not a terrible IPA, but not much else....
This one had no charms over me, and I was turned off fairly quickly. Ho hum.
Southern Passion, Sabro, El Dorado, Mosaic, Citra, and Sultana hops.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales Winter Porter. 5.6% ABV. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.
Whenever I visit Wild Mind, I have to get my growler filled. There aren't many beers that they'll put in there, and getting a crowler is definitely cheaper. The shape and size of it is inconvenient and hard to carry. So, why do I do it? Another mystery. Perhaps it's the fact that I decided to purchase it and continue to own it, means that I must continue to use it. And so on and so forth, and Scooby-dooby-dooby....
And here we have just a straight-up porter, no fuss, no muss, no variations or deviations.
Dark brown, nearly black, full opacity, slim cocoa/tan head.
In the nose: Roasted malt, espresso, slight cocoa, very dry.
In the mouth: Roasty toasty malt flavors. Medium bodied, Minor bitterness, excellent balance. Right on the level. Some chocolate, some caramel, and ultimately smooth and easy drinking. Quite a nice porter. I did half the growler tonight, and will save the rest for tomorrow.
Hey, maybe that's why I still use growlers.
Brewed with caramel, chocolate, and black malts, just a touch of oat malt, and US Golding hops, Winter is a smooth, chocolatey porter with hints of carmel and a roasted backbone. At 5.6% ABV, Winter is the perfect sessionable-ish beer for a cold Minnesota night.
And here we have my first review from the latest brewery in Minneapolis. I have been procrastinating, as is my way, the report on this brewery, which I first visited back in November, and which I saw for a second time a couple of weeks back. On that occasion I bought this bottle. These guys are going against the trends and instead of crowlers, they are filling 750 ml bottles and growlers. I still prefer crowlers, but to each their own. Now, let's drink it...
Dark brown, fully opaque, slim head.
In the nose: Sweetness. Malt. Peanuts. Cocoa.
In the mouth: More sweet, more smooth. Prominent peanut butter. Banana? That's creeping in, but not forward, dominant, or any other word you'd like to use. All is medium and mellow, not too anything happening. Just deliciousness and smooth. I like it.
Sweet stout brewed with lactose, banana and peanut butter
Oliphant Brewing's A Risk of Cats. Bourbon barrel-aged Super Squishy. Berry Sour with coconut, lactose, and sea salt. 5 % ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.
Collaboration with 1010 Washington Wine and Spirits, which were I buy most of my Oliphant here in town, mostly due to convenience. All the other stores that carry them are just a little out of the way.
"Fruit Sour" is all the can will tell us. Except for this: "In the heist of the decade, Whiskers Pinkstar stars as Meowcifer Hairballin an intrepid yarn thief with little cares. After a chance meeting in Stray Cat Alley, Hairballin is forced to steal for the evil genius BRAIN STEM, played by Pinkus Putterus in his tour de force return to cinema." I have no idea what that means. Is it a spoof or something? What is Jeremy referencing on this label? Or is it a completely original creation? Will I ever find out?
But for now, let's drink a beer.
Dark crimson coloring, thoroughly opaque, slim to no head.
In the nose: Big time berries, slowly but surely smothered with bourbon barrel. Sweet berry flavor hovers just above the whiskey, vanilla, oak, et al.
In the mouth:
WAIT! Stop everything! I get it: The Aristocats! A Disney movie I've never seen because I've never really been into Disney movies, but now, I guess, I technically am, because of my love of Star Wars and Marvel. (And the Muppets.) (And The Simpsons.) (...sigh...)
Aristocats...A Risk of Cats. Duh.
But, back to the beer:
In the mouth: Tartness and sweetness, swallowed slightly by the barrel. Takes some time to get there, got to let it grow. Berries are bright, coconut lays low, salt and sugar keep all in line. Medium bodied, easy-drinking and scrumptious. Barrel character continues to grow and wrap itself around the berries.
Now maybe, just maybe, this could have spent a bit more time in the barrels, or maybe, just maybe, this is enough. I haven't had a lot of bourbon barrel-aged fruit sours, so I'm not even sure if they're a good thing.
This, though, is a very fine thing. A very fine thing, indeed.
And there's one song to pair it with. Excuse the occasional racism (sheesh, you'd think by 1970, they'd get it):
Crazy with the haze. Bright golden hue, large, lasting and lace leaving pure white froth atop. Looking good.
In the nose: bursting with citrus, popping with lemon and orange, expressively dry.
In the mouth: All the fruit noted above blasts the palate, lays a trail of bitterness behind. Smoothness henceforth. Cream comes foreward. It's creamy, but it takes away from what's an IPA. I like it at first, but now that I see ...now, that I ...sigh....cream? What happened to lactose? Is that over, or is it the same thing?
I should just skip them when they have cream in them, or lactose, then I won't repeat myself when I say again and again, I don't want milk in an IPA. Or, is "Cream IPA" a new thing? ...shudder....
Sometimes the mix of hops and milk (I can't believe that the concept even exists), well, it just doesn't work for me.
An orbiting mix of fluffy oats, soft wheat malt & creamy milk sugar, double dry hopped with our fruity Simcoe, sticky Strata and drippy Mosaic
In the nose: Lightly hoppy. Stray spice. Come citrus.
In the mouth: It's all witbier from first gulp. Smooth wheat malt flavors dominate the taste. Sweetness kept just a bit at bay by hop bitterness. I'm not getting as much of the IPA here as much of the wit, and perhaps that's the point. Will anyone drink anything that's not called "IPA" anymore?
While it is hoppier than a regular wit, it's not quite enough to call it an IPA. Other than that, I'm enjoying the heck out of it.
Northodox IPA/Belgian Witbier hybrid. Our house IPA, Northodox, fermented with Belgian Witbier yeast and infused with coriander. Malts: Domestic Pale, White Wheat, Flaked Oats. Hops: Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic. Yeast: Belgian Ale. Other: Coriander.
Clear, bright golden hue, nearly amber, under a slim white head.
In the nose: Big citrus with a pinch of pine.
In the mouth: Big juicy jolt of hops right off the bat. Dripping dank and resiny hop goodness, leaving slight bitterness behind. Fairly smooth and mellow. Beautiful bitterness rides down the back of the throat, coating abrasiveness on the way. And I can dig it. Long lasting hop flavors, supported by clean, crisp, medium malt. Tasty stuff. I can have a few of these, no problem.
Our IPA is a celebration of all that we love about hops. Aromatic. Floral. Resiny. Flavorful. Memorable. This dry, slightly grainy brew has tropical notes on the nose and a citrus follow up that balances its firm (but not too firm) bitter finish. For those who are turned off by the bitterness of IPAs, have no fear. This beer is big on flavor and aroma but not so bitter as to destroy your palate for a week.
Fair State Heckin Chonker Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Vanilla.
10.5 % ABV. Fair State Brewing, Mpls./St. Pl, MN.
Just so you know, guys: I refuse to acknowledge the "pastry stout". It is without doubt one of the dumbest designations I've ever heard in the world of beer. It's meaningless and moronic and deserves to be banished to the dungheap of beer history. I can't even believe it exists.
Nevertheless, I'm going to drink a beer, and here we go....
Absolute ebon, this one, thoroughly opaque, with a tight, slim ring of brown head.
In the nose: Big whiskey here, charcoal, cocoa, espresso, leather....deep and rich. Not smelling like any "pastry" I've ever eaten.
In the mouth: Deep and rich and full of dark, decadent flavors. Is it like a cake? No, it's a fucking beer, people, and beers have been like this for a long, long time and no one ever called them fucking pastries. Pardon me, I don't often swear in this blog, I try not to, it's against my nature. But, it's just so goddamn dumb.
Anyway, I'm getting bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout, and I'm not getting much vanilla, and I'm enjoying this as it is. But...what makes it "pastry"? The vanilla? Something else I'm not getting? It's a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout. Did people forget what that is? Do we need a new name to make it sexier? Is there a segment of the beer drinking market that needs to see those words to understand a beer? Does "pastry stout" make sense to many, and I'm just the clueless one?
Milkshake IPA needs to die, and Pastry Stout has to disappear. Pastry anything. No. Go. Git. Banish. Eliminate. Make go away.
Holy shit. I'm getting it. Marketing people did this. Marketing people decided that drinkers new to the craft beer world don't respond to Imperial Stout, but they'll get down with Pastry Stout. That's what is happening here. Thinking about having a pastry in a beer translates for them, while Imperial or Double does not.
I'm still against it. It's still dumb as shit.
HECKIN’ CHONKER BARREL-AGED PASTRY STOUT A big, luxurious brew. Blended bourbon barrel-aged pastry stout with vanilla. TASTING NOTES Big, sticky, vanilla, oak, spirit character, chocolate ALLERGENS Wheat STATS STYLE STOUT ABV 10.5% AVAILABILITY LIMITED HOPS HORIZON MALTS ALL THE DARK MALTS
Klockow Lion's Courage Double India Pale Ale. Batch #137.
8.3 % ABV, Klockow Brewing, Grand Rapids, MN.
Here's my first beer from Klockow Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, MN, a crowler bought at 1010 Washington Liquors. And it's a double IPA, because that's what I like to drink. Let's hope it's a good one.
It's hazy, dark amber/golden hued, with a significant amount of floating particulates, making me wonder about it's age. (From the can: Canned 10/30/19. Over 3 months old at this time.) Large helping of froth atop.
In the nose: Hoppy and sweet. Some malt notes, a touch of caramel, too.
In the mouth: Big sweetness grips the palate first, mixed with the bitter. Not sure if it's all malt sweetness, though. End nice and dry, with with a residual sweetness. There's something slightly off about this. It's perfectly acceptable and fine, but far from ideal.
There's nothing wrong with this interpretation of the style. It's been done before, and I've tried several of them. They don't all have to be the extra-dry, bitter West Coast-style, and they certainly don't have to be DDH hazies. I don't not like this beer, but neither do I enjoy it. Well, ...I enjoy it enough that I'm drinking it. I'm a fairly forgiving sort.
Pipeworks Ninja Vs. Unicorn Vs. The Haze Double IPA.
8 % ABV. Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, IL.
A temporary truce between the shadow warriors and the unicorns has been called. Though they are sworn enemies, they must join forces to defeat their trendiest enemy - The Haze!
So, here we have a hazy version of a beer I like quite a bit. (As seen here.) Will this be an improvement? Only one way to find out.
Highly hazed, dull yellow color, large and lasting ivory head.
In the nose: Soft and citrusy, with an increasing sweetness from tropical tones.
In the mouth: Hops climb on the palate, dab it with brief bitterness, than along comes the sweet notes of tropical fruit, blended with citrus. And the haze for days that's all the craze, and the yeasty goodness that swims in the mouth. Juicy and smooth. Tastes enough like the DIPA I prefer, but keeping the kids happy with the haze. Compromise? I know which one I prefer. This one is far too into the sweet side for me. I need more of the bitter, please and thank you.
I'd like to know who wins this epic battle. Did Ninja and Unicorn defeat the Haze? If this is just a one-off, and if the original NvU is still around, we may have our answer.
Did the Ninjas defeat the unicorn, or was it Biblical negligence? Shel Silverstein contemplated the question of the unicorn's absence in our world, and the Irish Rovers sang the song:
Some time ago, I swear I heard Jeremy say that he was going to cease using Josh as his muse on the Oliphant labels. No, no, I insisted, you can't stop, keep it up, I cried. And so now we have poor ol' Joshie as Jabba the freakin' Hutt. Zwub Zwub, indeed.
Lightly hazed. Bright golden hue. Big ivory froth atop.
In the nose: Nicely hopped. Bold citrus. Popping with lemon, grapefruit, orange, and a taste of the tropical, too.
In the mouth: Juicy, hoppy deliciousness. Even-tempered bitter smack on the palate. Beautiful bitterness meets fruity phantasmagoria, and ever-shifting landscape of fruity/juicy associations. At turns sweet and bitter, but ending on dry. Medium bodied, and easy drinking for the hopheads. Right on the money. Damn, if this ain't a tasty one. I'd even go so far as Yum, a Dum, Dum.
There should be one song you listen to while drinking this beer, and it is not called "Jedi Rocks":
Lapti Nek, lapti nek!
A Hazy Double IPA Brewed with Citra.
A 'Zwub Zwub' is a "zero waste 'ungy boy" who will eat all of your leftover food for you so that you don't throw it away. in fact, you musn't throw it away. the Zwub Zwub demand their feed!
Three Floyds Robert the Bruce ScottishAle.
6.5 % ABV. 25 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN.
The stalwart Scottish ale from Three Floyds has returned to the Twin Cities market for the first time in nearly 20 years. And I bought a 6-pack and wondered if I'd taken notes on it before that I'd want to revisit for this blog. Sure, I did way back in December of 2002, over 17 years ago, and it was the usual model of brevity of the time. You see, I started with minimalism, broadened to a wordier style, and have returned to terse and concise language. Actually, a bit of both isn't bad.
So, I'm going to open this 2020 bottle and merge new notes with old, just for kicks:
Generous, creamy head, Dark brown in color.... fairly opaque.
In the nose: aroma includes toffee, vanilla, soft caramel notes....mostly malty, hops are missing. Just shy of sweet.
In the mouth: Solid malt here, but very, very hoppy. Sweet, mild, but still a stout and hearty ale, very enjoyable. One of my favorite Scottish Ales. Hail Robert the Bruce!
....Hops are here for balance, keeping the sweetness in check. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, a touch of cocoa, fairly sweet, ending nice and dry. Flat-out deliciousness. Classic. I'm happy to return to this one, after such a long time away.
A full-bodied Scottish-style Ale with a well-rounded malty profile and roasted biscuit-like notes.
Lupulin Keep The Change Ya Filthy Animal Double IPA.
8 % ABV. 70 IBU.
A Collaboration with Red Cow (the fine burgers joint).
Brewed and Canned by Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.
Sigh. I miss the non-hazy DIPA. Here we go, again.
Hazed up, bright golden. Slim white head.
In the nose: mostly muted, citrusy hop notes slowly emerging. Tropical notes peeking out.
In the mouth: Ever so hazy. Smooth. Mild bitterness. Piney/citrusy character blends with pineapple & passionfruit & mango. Very easy-going and delightful to drink. Even delicious.
Nice blend of the sweet and the bitter. Alcohol's starting to grow and spread.
Yeah, I gripe about the hazies, but sometimes they're alright.
The reference behind this is one that has only recently made any sense to me. There are some movies I never saw and still have never seen, and "Home Alone" is one of them. I've seen "Star Wars" 200 times, "Dr. Strangelove" 27 times, "Barton Fink" 11...one of these days I'll see "Home Alone"...maybe....
Hazy DIPA brewed with Citra, Simcoe, Sultana, and Falconers Flight Hops. Aromas and flavors of Mango, Grapefruit, and Passion Fruit .
Summit Twenty-One IPA. 7 % ABV. 70 IBU. "A very lucky India Pale Ale."
Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN.
No more Maibock this year, as Summit fills the slot it's long-time seasonal with...another IPA. This one is called 21 because 7 brewers used 7 hops and 7 malts. And maybe they played cards later?
I don't know, let's just drink it.
Lightly hazed (a surprise), golden-hued, ample layer of ivory froth.
In the nose: Grapefruit, lime, and a slice of orange. That'll do it.
In the mouth: Nice bitterness up front. Great blast of citrusy flavors on the palate, followed by a whiff of the tropical. Smooth stuff. Mellow malt. Just a little juicy. Tasty one.
I could have another after this, if I had one.
Fine IPA, Summit. I just worry you're going to turn into Surly and be all IPAs, all the time.
A collaborative IPA from the Summit Brewing team, Summit Twenty-One features seven different malts and seven different hops, with each of Summit’s seven staff brewers selecting one hop and one malt variety. Offering juicy, citrusy and piney hop characteristics, plus some tropical and fruity notes for good measure, Twenty-One’s dank, vibrant and clean hop-forward profile is balanced by a complementary biscuity malt backbone.
In the mouth: Brisk, fresh, crisp and clean. Bursting with citrusy hop notes. Plays pleasantly on the palate. Medium bodied, expertly consumable. Biscuity malt background. Continually hoppy and delightful. Good pale ale and you can drink it.
Pome fruit, stone fruit, dry. An American-style Extra Pale Ale featuring Rakau hops from New Zealand. Malts: Maris Otter, Honey, Biscuit Hops: Warrior (United States); Rakau (New Zealand) Yeast: American Ale
This one's being billed as a "hazy ale", not an IPA, but not a pale ale, either. So, that means that it is a pale ale. Because no brewery would miss an opportunity to label a beer an IPA, and pale ale has lost it's luster. The fact is, beer drinkers want pale ales, even if they don't know it.
All hazed up. Bright golden golden, ample layer of ivory froth.
In the nose: Citrus hops. Grapefruit and lemon. Encroaching sweetness.
In the mouth: Mild bitterness at first. Juiciness on the palate, plenty of hops delivered on the tongue. Bright and delightful. Medium bodied, easy drinking. This one is tasty, and fuzzy, and in the hallowed tradition of hazy, but lighter and lower alcohol. So, go drink it.
BREWED FOR: PUTTING YOUR MONEY IN THE GIFT HORSE'S MOUTH This juicy, hazy ale is brimming with Citra and Simcoe hops for a fruit-forward blast of hop flavor. Drink it. You’ll like it. It’s not rocket surgery, it’s Rocket Surgery. HOPS:Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo MALT: 2-Row, Vienna, Unmalted Wheat, Oats OG YEAST Hazy Ale IBU: Low ABV: 5.5%
SURLY MN USA
While enjoying Rocket Surgery, always think of the Rocketman...the ...rock...et...man!
Oliphant Tangerine Anutart Sour. 5 % ABV.
