Surly The Rye Wolf IPA

Surly The Rye Wolf IPA.
6.4 % ABV.
Surly Brewing, Twin Cities, MN.

Last one from the Hop Pack. A rye IPA, and those I can dig.

Mostly hazy, bright golden color, large helping of ivory head on top.

In the nose: Soft and citrusy with slight spice rising up. Quite nice.

In the mouth: Rye malt covers the palate, with citrusy hops flavors shining through. Spicy, bread malt flavors dominate, citrusy hop flavors coming in after. Medium bodied, low bitterness, easy drinking, fully flavored. I like this one, and would have it over and over again. Good rye IPA and you can drink it. Tasty stuff.

Scouring the fields and running-down its prey, the rye wolf is on the prowl. Brewed with spicy flaked rye and dry-hopped with Lotus and Mosaic hops, The Rye Wolf features a blend of intense candied citrus flavor with a peppery-earthy bite.


RYE IPA COLOR Amber

HOPS Warrior Lotus Mosaic (Dry Hop)

MALT 2-Row Munich
Flaked Rye
Honey Malt

YEASTEnglish Ale
IBULow
ABV6.4%
SURLY MN USA

Cantillon 100% Kriek Lambic Bio

Cantillon 100% Kriek Lambic Bio. 5 % ABV.
Brasserie Cantillon, Brussels, Belgium.

Ah, Cantillon! The true lambic, where sour beers started. (The Belgian tradition, I mean, not Cantillon specifically.) Why can't I find you anywhere?

It's slipped my mind: did the importer pull out of distributing to our state, or have these bottles  become so rare and expensive that they don't wind up on the shelves of the stores that I visit? Or do I see them and pass based on the price tag? This brewery has appeared in the Nib exactly once before. It was seven years ago, after a friend brought a bottle of St. Lamnivus to my birthday celebration. And I referred to my notes from nine years prior. It just seems insane that in 10 years of this blog, I haven't come across another bottle.

Until the other week when my friend Julie tossed a bottle of the kriek lambic my way. The cork says 2017, so I need to ask her some questions and clear up these mysteries. I had a bottle of this way back in October of 2004, and make these scribblings, and I present them now in 2020, after consuming the bottle during a ZOOM session with friends last Friday night, here in our time of the COVID-19 quarantine.

pinky crimsony coloration...light, negligible head...

nose is funkalicious, big fruitalacious, but not moreso than this overpowering funkadelicaliciousness...cherry-sweet, berry-licious...

Taste? ...ooo, wee! yeah, the cherry's there...but the funk is in control here, this is a distinctive taste, not for everyone... hey, maybe not even for me, at least not every day...whoa, again, I say...big, fresh, cherry taste, but yeasty ...meaty...huge mouthfeel, never ever feels like getting off the couch...pretty damned delicious, but , oh, so unique....

I put these words to electronic pen and paper, while 1/2 a bottle remains...fierce flavor, full, lush, impressive.

I'll let my 16-year old notes stand. Here's what the brewery says:
Beer with a slightly acidic taste of red fruit complemented with subtle almond flavours.
Kriek brings out its maximum “fruitiness” when drunk young. With age the lambic will take the upper hand, but this is at the expense of the fruit component.

Color :
crimson red
Alc:
5.5%
IBU:
25
Serving Temperature:
15 °C/59 °F
Bottle size(s)
37,5 cl (12,5 oz) (currently available at the brewery)
75 cl (25 oz) (currently available at the brewery)

There's always something different in the Belgian brewery's descriptions. Almond? Okay...

Three Floyds Hati Berzerker's India Pale Ale

Three Floyds Hati Berzerker's India Pale Ale.
7% ABV. 109 IBU.
Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN, in collaboration with heavy metal band Amon Amarth.

Thoroughly hazy, full orange coloring, large and lasting ivory head above.

In the nose: Bursting with bold citrus-y goodness. Grapefruit, orange, lemon and such, with a slice of pine. Just a trace of the tropical, subtle nods from pineapple and mango.

In the mouth: Blast of bitterness right off the bat, then comes the fresh, juicy citrus flavor, ultimately ending on a dry note. Clean malt mouthfeel, long lasting bitterness, grips the palate tight.

Once again, I'm taking my notes with the sixth bottle from the pack. Might go back for more before it disappears.

Our 3RD collaboration with the Mighty Amon Amarth! Inspired from the song “Skoll and Hati” from their newest album Berserker. Skoll and Hati were vicious wolves born of Fenrir. In North Mythology, they chased the sun and the moon creating night and day. For HATI, The Hater, who chases the Moon, we brewed a HAZY IPA – A very hoppy unfiltered IPA with loads of tropical and citrus aromas and flavors including pineapple, mango, lemongrass and grapefruit.

From the iron moors of Jutenheim

Arose Two Wolves of wrath innate

Skoll and Hati were their names

Born of Fenris, born of Hate

Junkyard Casual Flex Strawberry Gose

Junkyard Casual Flex Strawberry Gose.
5.6 % ABV
Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN.

Rosy, pink-is, lightly strawberry-y coloration, fully opaque, slim white head.

In the nose: Softly sour and salty, nice dose of fruit, touch of sweetness.

In the mouth: Big sour from the start. Intense puckering, terrific tart, with a decent dose of fruit, to boot. Medium bodied, easy drinking, long lasting sour. Juicy and delicious.

German “gose” (say goh-zuh) style beer brewed with strawberries and a hint of salt. This beer is preceded by the aroma of berry-filled pastry or pie, followed by the flavor of a sour jolly rancher with a fresh strawberry finish

Sierra Nevada 40th Anniversary Hoppy Ale

Sierra Nevada 40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale.
6 % ABV, 65 IBU.
Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, CA.

Mostly clear, bright golden hue, large and lasting pure white head.

In the nose: Beautiful, bold citrusy and floral aromatics. Fresh and lively.

In the mouth: Nice hoppy buzz hits the palate, and spreads a brief blitz of bitter joy. Lemon and pine, orange rind and grapefruit galore. Just the right blend going on. Malt is light, a tight cracker-y snap, with a little bit of juice. Lean, clean, and deliciously hoppy. Ends on a tidy dry note. Tasty and exceptionally drinkable.

Rather than celebrate this landmark anniversary with something large, strange, or ponderous, Sierra Nevada chose to go with a variation on the sort of pale ales and IPAs that have made them popular lo these past four decades. And there's nothing wrong with that. Good IPA and you surly can drink it.

Hop-forward beers weren’t popular when we started brewing in 1980. But we loved them, and knew that if we were going to open a brewery, we’d better make something distinctive. It’s been 40 years since then, and we’re still brewing what we love. This beer showcases the bold flavors and aromas of a classic West Coast IPA: intense pine and citrus with a deep gold color and slight caramel sweetness. Here’s to following your passion, and to the next 40 years. 

The Rare Barrel There Are Rules

The Rare Barrel There Are Rules.
Golden Sour Beer Aged in Oak Barrels, with Raspberries, Apricots and Peaches.
6 % ABV. The Rare Barrel Sour Beer Company, Berkeley, CA.

Clear, bright golden hue, brief head.

In the nose: Intensely sour and fruity, all the fruits are popping out.

In the mouth: Even more intensely sour. Bracingly tart and lushly fruited. Picking up the peach and apricot, with raspberry coming in from behind. Sour never ends, lips keep a'smacking. An interesting blend of fruits, with plenty of funk. I'm digging it.

Thanks to Julie, for helping me get my hands on a bottle of this fine beer. (And the next two coming up!)

There Are Rules is a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with raspberries, apricots, and peaches. Fermented with a combination of microorganisms, this golden sour beer strikes up aromas of bergamot and fresh picked raspberries and is pinned with flavors of tart raspberries, ripe apricots, and juicy peaches.

Toppling Goliath Scorpius Morchella Double India Pale Ale

Toppling Goliath Scorpius Morchella 
Double India Pale Ale.
8.2 % ABV. 100 IBU.
Toppling Goliath Brewing, Decorah, IA.

Highly hazed, dull orange, slim white head.

In the nose: Bold, assertive citrus: lemon, orange, grapefruit, with a trace of pine on the side.

In the mouth: Just a little juicy, before the hops pop. Bitterness splashes on the palate, before ending on a dry note. Medium-bodied, flowering alcohol, overflowing hoppiness. Plenty of citric goodness.

I'm pleased that this is not an "NE/hazy" double IPA. Too many of those, not enough of these. Gimme a good old unfiltered non-NE DIPA. Hold the DDH. Once in a while, at least.


Brewed each spring to celebrate our brewery’s annual day off to go morel mushroom hunting, this excitingly hazy double IPA is a tribute to our love of great hops and morels. Created with a combination of Pacific Northwest and Southern Hemisphere hops, Scorpius Morchella is meant to be shared with friends on a warm spring afternoon.

Town Hall Amber Lager

Town Hall Amber Lager. 5.5 % ABV.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

I searched the Bitter Nib for Amber Lager from Town Hall and I found Red Sterling Lager, but this is not that. And looking on BeerAdvocate, I found that the only "amber lager" named as such was added to their database this January. So, there's a new beer for me to review, so ...I shall.

You see, we are still in the time of the quarantine, still trying to wait until the threat of COVID-19 hs safely passed. My place of work is still shut-down, and I'm still hanging out at home with Sonny Boy the Cat, catching up on reading, doing a little doodling, binging shows on Netflix, dusting off DVDs, doing a little this and that, and trying to find new beers to review. I decided to order delivery crowlers from Town Hall this week, and there weren't a lot of new ones to me, just a few. But we also just need some good old good ones, just to drink. So a Masala Mama here, an Amber Lager there, an Ol' Jack Frost here, a Raspberry Chocolate Imperial Stout there. So, keep your eyes out for that one, soon, and here we go with this one.

Clear, copper-y/bronze colored, slim beige-ish head.

In the nose: Sweet malty aromatics, a little earthy, a touch of fruit.

In the mouth: Herbs, earth, little hop bitterness at the front. Malt sweetness is kept in check with just enough hops for balance. Lightish bodied, easy drinking, clean, smooth, but still quite flavorful. I don't drink amber lagers much. Not enough hops for me. But it's a good amber lager, and you can certainly drink it.

Crisp and full-flavored red lager with emphasis on rich layered malts without lots of hop bitterness. 

It's funny what is sometimes considered "lots", no?

BlackStack Chop Chop NE IPA

BlackStack Chop Chop NE IPA. Collaboration with Falling Knife.
6.6 % ABV.
BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Hazy, bright golden, large, lasting white head.

In the nose: Soft and smooth, lightly fruity, slightly sweet.

In the mouth: Brief blast of bitterness grazes the palate, subsequently light citrus hop flavors shine. Juicy. Lemon and grapefruit lead the charge. I'm waiting for the tropical hop element that is requisite for the NE IPA style to come on in and join the party, but it's running late. Oh, wait, here it comes, a little bit of sweet juiciness.

I'm liking this. Not too hazy, not too sweet, but yet not bitter enough for me to fall in love with it.
Not bad, though. Good NE IPA and you can drink it.

Thanks to Julie for bringing this back from far-off St. Paul for me.

Our buds from Falling Knife came over to get dicey with some hops. We cut this one from a lush cloth of hand-selected Citra & Sabro Cryo with a sprinkle sprankle of Idaho 7 for kicks in the whirlpool. A heavy portion of spelt give a creamy, cloudy body you could cut with a falling… pair of scissors. 

Venn Experimental Hazy Pale Ale with BRU-1 hops

Venn Experimental Hazy Pale Ale with BRU-1 hops.
5.6 % ABV. 35 IBU.
Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

All clouded up, bright yellow, huge head, pure white, leaving lace.

In the nose: Lightly hoppy, citrus notes abound. Lemon aplenty. Nice and cool.

In the mouth: Slightly spicy, minor bitterness, flush with citrusy fruit flavors. Lean bodied, easy drinker. I'm not sure what BRU-1 hops provide,...but I found this: The perfect hop for a wide range of pale ales and hop-forward beer styles, BRU-1™ is known for its bright, floral characteristics, pleasing bitterness, and an unmistakable pineapple punch.

Oddly enough, I didn't get any "pineapple punch" up in my sniffer. Results may vary, as they say.

All is mild for now, and exquisitely refreshing and quaffable. Maybe I'll give it another try, later on down the road.

A hazy Pale Ale featuring BRU-1 experimental hops.

Malts: Domestic Pale, White Wheat, Flaked Oats

Hops: BRU-1 (United States)

Yeast: British Ale 

Odell The Meddler Oud Bruin Ale

Odell The Meddler Our Bruin Ale.
8.9 % ABV. 20 IBU.
Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

And here I have an Odell Brewing beer that has not yet appeared in the Nib, probably due to the cost of the bottle. Looking on Untappd, it seems that I've had the beer before, at a tasting party at my home in 2016, for my birthday. One of my fine friends brought it along for all to share. The bottle I find in my possession has provided by another fine friend.  It seems that they make this beer no longer, but I have no idea what year it would be. Anywhere between 4 and 8 years, maybe? I have no idea when it was last brewed.

Well, this is a style that improves with age, so there's no worry here, right?

Off with the cage and cork we go and into some kind of appropriate glassware, while wishing I still had Odell branded glasses. (Nothing lasts forever...)

Rich, Burgundy hue, largely opaque, slim beige-is head.

In the nose: Wine-like, sour aromatics come wafting from the glass, spilling into the senses. Dark fruits and dark malts intermingle, mixed in the with the work of the barrel and the wild yeasts.
Raisin and fig meets all the berries, blended. Lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Intense sour-ness from the start, rich, tannin-y, oaky, complex. Big fruit, big sour. Medium bodied, long, sour finish, wonderful blend. Caramel and cocoa lurk below the barrel and the sour and the funky stuff. At times earthy and bittersweet, with the sour always on top. Delicious.

I love a good oud bruin, and this is one. I do feel that whatever it's age, this bottle is getting near it's peak. Vinegar is starting to creep in and turn the taste.

thanks to Max for the bottle.

A resurrected style from the Flemish region of Belgium, The Meddler oud bruin is a crafty concoction, comprised of several generations of brown ales, barrel aged and blended. Wild yeasts, Lactobacillus, and Brettanomyces meddle with the brew for over 18 months creating complexity and depth of flavor. Hints of malty sweet chocolate and vanilla toy with a hauntingly sour finish. Intricate yet balanced, The Meddler will leave you craving more of the mysterious brew.

Here's more: Seen as a just another arrow in the cure all quiver for bad brewing practices, blending has gotten a bad rap. This is most unfortunate, as blending was oft the saving grace for many a small brewer and vintner alike. There is a roundness to beer, a balance that we as brewers and beer drinkers alike yearn for. Some beers can achieve this right out of the fermentor, but certain styles demand a softer touch. After over a year of barrel aging, we finally have hammered out the kinks in our attempt at a traditional Oud Bruin. Burgundy hued, with sweet caramel up front that fades to clean tartness. Hints of dark fruits linger well after the initial sip, supported by the cinnamon and coconut tannic structure. It’s like a trip to the Flemish region of Belgium, without the hassle from the TSA.

ONE Fermentary & Taproom Oak Hell (Collaboration with Surly)

ONE Fermentary & Taproom Oak Hell (Collaboration with Surly).
5.3 % ABV. ONE Fermentary & taproom, Minneapolis, MN.

Crystal clear, brilliant yellow, slim ivory head atop.

In the nose: Clean and classic, subtle, lightly malty.

In the mouth: Moderate bitterness, delicate malt, light bodied, easy drinking. Starts slightly juicy, ends nice and dry. Oak comes through, just a little. Touch of sweetness, and very tasty.


Surly Brewing Co.’s Helles Lager, fermented in ONE’s oak foeder. Crispy lager with notes of vanilla and marshmallow and light oaky notes. This is ONE’s first beer fermented in the oak!

Surly Minor Miracle Hoppy Ale

Surly Minor Miracle Hoppy Ale. 5.5 % ABV. IBU: low.
Surly Brewing, Twin Cities, MN.
"Citrusy. Miraculous. Crisp."

This one came from the Hop Pack, which I purchased recently. 3 cans of Furious, 3 Yummi Bear, 3 of another new one that will be reviewed soon, and this guy. I've had and like half, and the others seem fine. Can't miss, win/win...sort of...we'll see...

Clear, bright golden, slim, softly settling white head.

In the nose: Highly hoppy, yet soft and smooth. Tropical tones and citrus notes. Orange and lemon, pineapple and papaya.

In the mouth: Nicely hopped, initial bitterness fades quick, with juicy malt rushing in. Sweet turns to dry, while bitterness lays on the palate. Light bodied. Easy enough drinker, hoppy enough. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors play on the tongue.

Minor for the low bitterness and light body, miracle for....? Unfortunately, it's just not terribly special. Missing something short of a miracle. Why is it labeled as "hoppy ale"? They don't want to call it a pale ale? It's not hoppy enough to be an IPA? Not sure what the thinking is, here.

I like this just fine, but can't get too excited about it. It'll do.

BREWED FOR THE IMPROBABLE AND UNEXPECTED, BUT NOT THAT IMPROBABLE AND UNEXPECTED

These days, making a light hoppy ale that still packs a big hop punch is minor miracle, but that’s exactly what we’ve done. It’s light-bodied, with bright, citrusy hop flavor of orange peel and papaya.

HOPPY ALE
COLOR
Golden

HOPS
Warrior (bittering)
El Dorado
Centennial
Cascade (dry hop)
MALT
Two Row
Munich 1
Acidulated Malt
Dingeman Aromatic
OG
YEAST
English Ale
IBU
Low
ABV
5.5%

SURLY MN USA

Invictus Beautiful Buzz Blonde Ale

Invictus Beautiful Buzz Blonde Ale.
4.7 % ABV. 25 IBU.
Invictus Brewing, Blaine, MN.
"Beer for the Unconquerable Soul."

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweetness, honey, mild hops, moderate malt.
Slight citrus.

In the mouth: Honey malt makes it's presence felt at first.
Minor bitterness, just enough for balance. Sweet malt flavors are in charge, but kept from growing large.
Big, lemony flavors, with a kick of lime, ending on a dry note.
Light bodied, smooth, not too sweet, not too anything. Not bad at all. Good blonde ale and you can drink it.

From the can: You think Blonde Ales are ordinary? Well, this ain't no ordinary Blonde Ale. Hopped with Galena and Lemon Drop hops, this beer is also brewed with lemon peel and honey from Bar Bell Bee Ranch in Northern Minnesota to give it a uniquely refreshing  lemony flavor. Prepare to be refreshed. 

Brewed with Golden Promise/2-Row, Wheat, Crystal, and Honey Malts. Hopped with Galena and Mandarina Bavaria along with late kettle additions of Lemon Peel and local Honey from Bar Bell Bee Ranch. Highly quaffable with citrus notes. 4.9% ABV, 25 IBUs

Hayes Public House O'Ruaidhri's Irish Red Ale

Hayes Public House O'Ruaidhri's Irish Red Ale.
5.5 % ABV. 25 IBU.
Hayes Public House, Buffalo, MN.

And here we have only the second appearance of Hayes' Public House in over four years, here in the Nib. The first visit in 2016 was recounted in this blog post. I've seen bottles before, but they were a bit out of my price range. I've had a sample and shared a cheers with Pugs' at beer fests, but never came across kegs on tap anywhere else, or had the chance to order any myself. My good friends Jeff and Renee saw these for sale at a recent beer run, and thought of me. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more in the future. For now, let's enjoy this one...but don't ask me to pronounce the name.

Mostly clear, dark crimson coloring, slim reddish head.

In the nose: Sweet, malty, slightly fruity. Not a trace of hops, just right for the style.

In the mouth: Tasty, sweet malt delivery on the palate first, quickly balanced by the merest amount of hop bitterness. Big caramel, with a twist of toffee. Perfect balance in this one. Slides right away and leaves you thirsty for another. Medium bodied, light malty finish, and quite consumable.

Although I don't often drink them, I like a good Irish Red Ale, and this is one of them.



Gaelic Origin: Surname for Rogers

Gaelic Pronunciatoin: "O'Rory"

Flavour: Medium bodied Irish Red Ale with sweet notes of caramel and toffee. Brewed with a unique blend of malts imported directly from Ireland and Britain. 

BlackStack Concerned Citizen India Pale Ale

There are no more Concerned Citizens out there than Moe and Galactus.

BlackStack Concerned Citizen
 India Pale Ale.
7.5 % ABV. BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

At last, after nearly three years in business, BS has produced their first see-through IPA. The nerve! The gall! The sheer chutzpah! I can believe that they would throw their reputation on the line like that.

Actually, I'm thrilled beyond belief. So tired of every single damned IPA being DDH and Hazy, etc. Or juicy. Give me what I crave, the clean, the dry and the bitter. Unless....we'll see...

Crystal clear, bright golden color, slim, but lasting ivory-toned head on top.

In the nose: Alive with citrus-y hop aromas, with pine on the side. Crisp, clean, and beautiful.

In the mouth: Brash bitterness begins it. Electric hop sensations on the palate. Slight sweetness, moderate malt, easy-drinking and not holding back on the bitter. Lemon, grapefruit, orange. Wonderfully hoppy expression of the West Coast style, the kind that's been missing from the local breweries in favor of the juice and the haze and all that craze for days,...I says...

Now, how is it to get something like this on the reg? I know it's unorthodox to ask for such a thing, but, you know me, I'm a rebel.

It only took us 3 years, but we made our first see-thru IPA. We figured it was about time to scratch that crispy itch and have some good old-fashioned, clear-headed fun. West Coast classics Simcoe & Mosaic low riding with El Dorado & that new new Sabro. CAN U C ME? R U OK?

Boulevard Rye on Rye 2015

Boulevard Rye on Rye 2015. 12 % ABV. 47 IBU.
Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO.

In 2020, I'm going to open a 2015 bottle of a beer I first had when it was new in 2010. First, I will take notes on the former, and afterwards I'll share those 10 year old notes on the latter.

Once uncorked, the liquid came tumbling out of the bottle, although I handled it as well as I could. Lost a little bit, alas, alas.

Clouded, opaque, Burgundy-hued, slim beige head, drifting down to nil.

In the nose: Spice, malt, earth, whiskey. Heavy rye, of course. Dark fruits, raisins, plums, currant. Vanilla and cherry. Quite a cornucopia.

In the mouth: Huge flavors board the palate on first sip. Massive malt, abundant richness, spicy rye malt, powerful barrel presence. Very vinous, this, abundant fruity associations. Feeling like a barleywine, a bit. Oak and whiskey attributes are large, of course. This is a monster, and I'm digging it big time.

Oddly, though, I am looking through the many posters on Untappd who are also cracking open their bottles (clearing the cellar is a common theme inn quarantine), and they are saying it's past it's prime, missed it by a couple of years, and so on. Maybe theirs was mishandled, somehow, but this bottle is missing nothing.

Reading on further, it seems that many more are on my side. It's mellowed a bit, but that's what cellaring is for, no?

I have Max to thank for this gift, and now, here we have the official description, followed by my old notes:

Why Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than with ales. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch. But when we procured some seasoned barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, “Why not?” Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Two kinds of malted rye provide spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum, and Saphir hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish.

April 26, 2010:
Boulevard Rye on Rye

Dense & opaque, solid, almost sludgy...gorgeous cap of rocky, lace-leaving, beige foam holds down the fort. Beautiful.

Intriguing aroma. Notes of cherries, leather, alcohol, spice. Plenty of whiskey happening here. Rich and ripe. Arousing, enticing.

In the mouth, it's ablaze with flavor. Warm and spicy, tingling on the tongue. Full-bodied, generous with the senses. A certain heat subsists throughout the drink,while the cherry and vanilla flavors wash over the palate again and again.

I'm a sucker for the whiskey barrel beers, that's for sure, but this one almost exceeds them all. Despite a huge alcohol content, I feel it's a well-balanced beer, ...for what it is. We've basically got a whiskey barrel barleywine in this one, a rich, hot sweetness, backed with formidable strength, then cool and mellow.

I think this beer is genius, and I'd be an idiot not to pick up more of these bombers.
Has to be one of the best beers I've had in a long time, not a surprise, as I've yet to have a Smokestack brew I didn't love. These guys are doing great work!

Falling Knife Supermood Fruited Sour Ale

Falling Knife Supermood Fruited Sour Ale.
5.5 % ABV. Falling Knife Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

And here we have the second Falling Knife crowler that I picked up at Hum's last week. I'll be busting out of quarantine for more beer shopping tomorrow, and am wondering whether I should look for more of these, or call them and order delivery. One thing I know for sure is that when all this is over, I am overdue for a visit to their taproom. Hell, everyone's taproom. The past month has felt like forever.

Lightly hazed, bright golden/orange hue, slim, white, soon-gone head.

In the nose: Tartness begins it, and then it comes the fruit. Peach, mango, guava, maybe? Apricot?

In the mouth: Intense sourness right off the bat, with a delectable blend of fruit washing in from behind. Juicy stuff. Medium bodied, long sour/fruity finish. Refreshing. Big citrus and tropical fruit flavors. I like it. Keep 'em coming.

Refreshingly Tart Sour with Peach, Mango and Blood Orange

North Coast Barrel-aged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout XIX

North Coast Brewing Company Barrel-aged 
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout XIX.
(19th Anniversary)
Stout aged in bourbon barrels. 11.2 % ABV.
North Coast Brewing, Fort Bragg, CA.

North Coast Brewing has appeared here in the Nib a mere 7 times in the history of this blog, and not once in over 7 years, even though Old Rasputin and Brother Thelonious are two of my all-time favorites. Jumping over to BeerAdvocate, I can see that I've reviewed 16 of their beers. It's not likely that I'll repeat them all here, for some are not easy to find. Such as the XII (12th Anniversary) version of this beer, which was probably the only one I've tried. Twenty-five dollar bottles tend to scare me off. But, I splurged on this one. Happy that some much-needed money fell into my back account while waiting for the world to turn back to normal, I thought I could excuse a little excess. Just a little. So, let's open it up.

Solid ebony appearance, thorough opacity, burnished brown head on top, lasting a little.

In the nose: Bourbon, smoke, chocolate, cherries, licorice. Port, sherry. Mmmm, this I dig.

In the mouth: Warm entrance on the palate, almost fierce and fiery. Chocolate and coffee, wrapped up in leather and smoke, doused with vanilla, dark fruits, bourbon barrel over all of it. Bright, grassy hop presence shines a light above the darkness. Thick and rich, but not too much. Fairly easy flowing, with the alcohol strength just now rearing (roaring) it's head.

I have to wonder what a fresh bottle of this was like. I am drinking a 2016 bottle in 2020, though I bought it four days ago, fresh off of a liquor store shelf. Has it been there the whole time? So many questions. The biggest is: Would this have been bolder, richer, etc. when it was first released? It feels like it's fallen short of it's true potential.

Well one way to find out is to look back. The 12th Anniversary bottling came out in 2009, and I reviewed it immediately. Here are the notes from a fresh bottle, taken 11 years ago:

Bourbon Barrel Old Rasputin, 12

Fully ebon hued, with little foam on top, rather bare capped, at that.

Whiskey hits the nose right off, then blackstrap molasses, leather, bittersweet espresso and cholate...all the usual, banged up with bourbon.

Mmmm, indulgent...thick, rich, dry, delicious. Deep, yet mellow. Actually, this is something lovely. It's ...nearly gorgeous, in the realm of the imperial stout. The whiskey's big in it, but not so big. And when it hits, you feel no pain, to quote Robert Nestor Marley. Yeah, what it is, is groovy. Real groovy.

Full body, full flavor, and amazingly complex. The flavors roll out, and over, up and down. They reverberate, shock a bit, send the waves out on a molecular level.

Tobacco, toast, dry, dark chocolate...mmm, mmm.

I'm pretty pleased, though still not sure whether $21 a bottle is quite fair. 22 ounce, maybe...25 ounce, now, you've got a party!
My second bottle will sit for some time, I think, and be enjoyed to it's fullest.

Here's what the brewery has to say: Every year we age a special batch of our much-loved Russian Imperial Stout in Whiskey barrels. The depth, intensity, and complexity of the flavor profile of this special release, like its predecessors, make it a worthy tribute to Old Rasputin.
Prior to 2010, Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin was released in such limited quantities that it was available only at the North Coast Brewing retail shop in Fort Bragg, California. However, we received so many requests for this beer that we began producing enough Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin to put into broader, but still limited, distribution.
Available in 500 ML bottles with a cork and wire finish.
Bourbon Barrel Aged: The most robust expression with a rich toffee nose, chocolate notes, and a silky mouthfeel.

Waldmann Brewery India Pale Lager

Waldmann Brewery India Pale Lager.
ABV: 6.2,  IBU: 60.
Waldmann Brewery, St. Paul, MN.

Crystal clear, bright amber hue, long-lasting white head.

In the nose: Clean, lightly fruity, slightly floral. Nice, lager-y aromatics, with a hit of hops.

In the mouth: Slight bitterness at the start, highly hopped for a lager. Crisp and clean, light-bodied, easy-drinking. Flavors of citrus and melon come forth from the hops. Malt forward, slightly sweet and highly satisfying.  This is my kind of lager, excellent drinkability and tasty stuff, for sure.

Once more, thanks to Ed for helping me sample St. Paul's finest.

This is copied off of the crowler label (only to discover later that I could've copied and pasted it from their website): A quintessentially German IPL, decoction mashed with all-German malts, cold-conditions and bursting with 60 IBUs of Hercules, Huell Melon, and Mandarina Bavaria hops that provide a soft bittering of resinous orange and an aroma of melons and berries. Unfiltered for full flavor. 

Oliphant Zozo GunGun Hazy Double IPA

Oliphant Zozo GunGun Hazy Double IPA.
10 % ABV.
Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

All clouded up, bright golden hue, slim white head on top.

In the nose: Bold and beautiful hop expression. Big citrus, touch of floral, spice, little bit of tropical fruit, as well. Nice.

In the mouth: Blast of bitterness blazes the palate. And the hazy and the yeast swallows it up. Just a little bit juicy. Medium malt, high hops. Resulting in fairly balanced and smooth, until the booze builds. Orange and grapefruit, building bitterness, ending dry.

I keep drinking the Hazy Double IPAs because they are there and I have to drink something,  even though I don't prefer them over a regular, non-hazy DIPA. Make more of those, please. Pretty please? Pretty pretty please please?

By the way, it does not seem that ZoZo GunGun is directly related to an earlier beer from Oliphant called Zozo Gun. Also, it might not repel poltergeists.

a hazy double ipa w/ cryo mosaic & wakatu. 

Town Hall Double Barreled Xtra Milk Stout

Town Hall Double Barreled Xtra Milk Stout. 9.8 % ABV.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN

Alas, the last of the Barrel-aged Week growlers from Town Hall. This one barely made it to two months in the fridge. Can't wait to crack it open.

Thoroughly black, ultimately opaque, slim brownish head, soon disappearing.

In the nose: dense, rich, chocolatey. Whiskey comes in, oak, vanilla, cocoa, coffee.

In the mouth: More rich, more dense, thick and viscous. Immense malt. Sweetness, with a touch of bitter. Whiskey comes barreling in, mixing up with the cocoa and cream. Great balance between sweet milk stout and the barrel-aging effects. Big powerful beer in all respects. Whiskey flavors grow and grow, as does the alcohol warmth.

A tasty beverage that's getting better and better the further in we go.

Double Milk Stout Aged Twice in Two Different Bourbon Barrels

Beaver Island Axe Dragger India Pale Ale

Beaver Island Axe Dragger India Pale Ale.
6.3 % ABV. 59 IBU.
Beaver Island Brewing, St. Cloud, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, sizable and lasting white head.

In the nose: Weird. Off. Cooked vegetables and butterscotch. Flaws up and down.

In the mouth: Foul from the start, rotten all the way. I can't judge any of it, because the off flavors are too distracting. Diacetyl. Skunky. Bad taste in the mouth.

So, I picked this one up at a local store, with high hopes. I've like everything I've had from Beaver Island, why not try out this new IPA. I opened can #1 and it tasted exactly like this one. Next next four cans were used for cooking, although I drank some, holding my nose, putting the flaws out of mind. Each time, I hoped anew that it was maybe just some of the cans, not the whole batch. There's no way they'd release a beer so badly infected, right?

I held onto that hope right up to this last one. Maybe I just got unlucky with the first five? Is that possible? No, of course not, they're all bad. How could they have sent this to market?

This one is going down the drain. I'm not wasting one more minute on it. Ew. Flat-out terrible. Blech.

Folklore says it was Paul’s dragging axe that carved the Mississippi river. A story that inspired this legendary IPA, sculpted with MN’s own Mighty Axe Hops.

Sierra Nevada Fantastic Haze Imperial IPA

Sierra Nevada Fantastic Haze Imperial IPA.
9 % ABV. 40 IBU.
Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, CA (& elsewhere).

Quite hazy, with minuscule floaties bobbing about, under a slim ivory head.

In the nose: Powerful hop notes popping out, tropical notes and citrus tones. Starts sort of small, but soon to embiggen.

In the mouth: Aggressive bitter bite at the front, then along comes the juicy, mixed with the hazy. Big citrus, long hoppy finish, stays swimming on the palate. Zesty. Hop heavy. Eminently diggable. Bold flavors, everlasting bitterness and full of delicious delight.

We were in search of something fantastic. Something juicy, something hazy, something ripe with notes of mango, melon and citrus. So we said, "Reason be damned," and filled our kettles with five hop varieties and loads of malt, oats and wheat. Some may call that absurd. We call it absurdly fantastic!

Bittering Hops: Amarillo, Azacca, Chinook, Idaho 7, Strata

Malts: Two-Row Pale, Wheat, Oats

Yeast: Ale yeast

Beginning Gravity: 19.0° Plato

Ending Gravity: 3.0° Plato

BlackStack Thirst Encounters of the Third Kind Triple IPA

BlackStack Thirst Encounters of the Third Kind Triple IPA.
10 % ABV. Blackstack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Hazed to the moon and back again. Absolutely opaque. Slim chalk white head atop.

In the nose: Citrus hop notes. Trifle tropical, too. Bits of berries below. Starting shy, soon unfolding.

In the mouth: Bright, bold, assertive. Bursting with fruity hop goodness, but barely bitter. All that hazy lies lazy on the palate. Medium bodied, soft, easy going. 10 % ABV starts ringing in loud and clear. Getting richer and thicker as we continue. Fairly powerful stuff, and we're just getting started.
Sweetness kicks in, then turns dry. Temporary bitterness on the palate, while the booze gets bolder.

This is my first beer of the night. A few hours to go in this lonely quarantine night, with other biggies on the docket. May not have been my best choice to begin, but I'm glad I had it.
Thanks, Ed!

Another year older, another year young. Another attempt to pass through the hoppy wormhole into another oil laden dimension 🌌 This expedition we took spaceship SABRO 🚀 to substation MOSAIC 🛰 in the the first sub STRATA ⚛️ where we froze the crew with EKUANOT CRYO ❄️ and handed the controls over to Robot EXPERIMENTAL HBC-692 🤖 to man the ship into another GALAXY 🪐… We started out trying to make an offensively over-hopped anniversary beer and accidentally ended up writing the synopsis to what sounds like a pretty dope sci-fi novel. I think we’re onto something here…

Lift Bridge Barrel Dessert Series Short Stack

Lift Bridge Barrel Dessert Series Short Stack.
8 % ABV. 30 IBU.
Lift Bridge Brewing, Stillwater, MN

This one's the final of a sample pack given to me by a brewery rep. It's been waiting too long.

Dark brown color, throughly opaque, no head at all.

In the nose: Overwhelming maple syrup notes, sweet and cloying, barrel effects on the side.

In the mouth: Drenches the palate with maple syrup and bourbon. An interesting mix, but not exactly successful. The "sweet dessert stout" underneath the barrel, the maple, and--is this right, the pancakes?--does not hold it's own against the other flavors. Just a bit too thin to withstand the sweetness and the booze. Can't say that I'm enjoying this one at all.

I will finish this. It's what I do. But I can't recommend it.

Short Stack is a blend of a sweet dessert stout with a bourbon barrel aged stout, accentuated by natural Maple Syrup and Pancake flavor additions.

Stacked Deck Nihilist Hazy Pale Ale

Stacked Deck Nihilist Hazy Pale Ale.
5.4 % ABV. 34 IBU.

Stacked Deck Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

And here we have the second appearance in the Nib of St. Paul's Stacked Deck Brewing. The first one was a crowler I brought back from my first visit in September of last year. This one was found in a nearby liquor store, a 4- pack of cans. It checks several boxes that drive me to purchase a beer:
1. Mosaic hops in a pale ale.
2. Nice illustration on the label.
3. References to "The Big Lebowski."
Now, let's break it open and see what we find.

Highly hazed, dull yellow color, thin white head.

In the nose: Bright and bold citrusy hop aromatics at play. Orange and lemon, with a pinch of grapefruit.

In the mouth: Citrus and spice jitterbug on the palate, with tropical notes of mango and guava piping in, a fruity delight with a potent dose of bitterness. Just about juicy enough for any haze head, and plenty bitter for me. Light-boded, smooth, easy-drinking. Quite likable.

The only thing I didn't like about this was the price. It was $13 for a 4-pack, making each 16 ounce can about $3.25 apiece. I'd rather not pay that much for a pale ale. $2.50 is about the max. But as I said, it checked those boxes, so I didn't think too hard about it. If it was much more, like fifteen buck or higher, I'd have let it sit on the shelf. It's good, but it's not that good.

"Nihilists? Fuck me...I mean, say what you will about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos."

There's only one song to hear while drinking this beer, and Kenny Rogers sings it for us:

They "believe in nothing", They will "takes 
the money." One of them is an expert cable 
repairman. They love lingonberry pancakes
and a tasty hazy pale ale. This hazy beauty is 
loaded with Mosaic hops giving it aromas of 
mango, stone fruit, apricot, and passionfruit. 
Be advised, that just like the Nihilists, this brew
may very well "f*cks you up." 

And. I would like my undies back.

Oliphant Brewing's The Cherry Lime Humdinger Sour

Oliphant Brewing's The Cherry Lime Humdinger Sour. 5 % ABV.
Fruited sour brewed with cherries and limes.
Oiphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Another intriguing label illustration that leads me to thinking, "What?" Someday, I'll get an answer. Until then, it's a puzzle.

Lightly hazed, bright reddish-hued, nearing pink, with ample froth atop.

In the nose: Light in the fruit, light in the sour. Playing it mellow, now.

In the mouth: Intense sour right out of the gate. Cherry flavor comes up, with lime taking over quickly. Big tartness grabs the palate with each new sip. Slightly sweet, largely tart, easy drinker, lightish bodied. Ends clean and dry. Quite nice.

Good fruited sour and you can drink it.

Falling Knife Verbal Tip NE IPA

Falling Knife Verbal Tip NE IPA.
Citra & Mosaic, 7.3 % ABV.
Falling Knife Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

And now we have my first review of one of the newer breweries in Minneapolis, Falling Knife of NorthEast, occupying the former site of NorthGate, having opened to great acclaim late last fall.
I have not been there yet for several reasons. I had not contacted friends with cars to bring me out there, and I did not wish to travel there solo during the winter because it is too far to walk in the cold from the nearest bus stop. I've been to the location on bike in the past, though, but it only became bike weather recently, during this time of COVID-19 quarantine, when one may not stay and enjoy one's time at a taproom, only take beers to go.

And you know what happened? They, like many breweries, began a delivery service, so that one needn't leave one's house to receive their beers. But, you know what else happened? Before I got around to doing any ordering, they started selling their crowlers to liquor stores. One of those is not far from me, and a store I haven't visited in at least 20 years, and boy does it look nice. Better than it did in the 90's, ( when I shopped there frequently) that's for sure. And because shopping for beer is an "essential trip", I hopped on a #6, walked from Hennepin and Franklin to 22th & Lyndale, mere blocks from where I lived in my twenties, bought some Falling Knife beers at Hum's Liquor, (among others, of course) and took a #4 back home to drink them.

So, here is the first crowler I will review from Minneapolis' first brewery named for and themed after digital dismemberment:

Thoroughly hazed, bright golden hued, large and lasting ivory head. Looking great.

In the nose: Lazily citrusy, lightly floral, slowly and surely opening up and spreading it's Citra and Mosaic wings, getting lovelier by the minute.

In the mouth: We're getting the juice, the haze and the hops altogether here. Nicely bitter, joyfully spicy, and flush with citrusy goodness. Light bodied, smooth, easy finish. Medium bitterness, fully flavored, expertly drinkable. I like this one.

But, if you're any follower of this blogging activity of mine, you may know that the "hazy" style of IPA is not my favorite style. I'm eagerly anticipating trying some of their other India Pale Ales that may not be of the hazy variety.

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quadrupel 2015

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quadrupel 2015.
11.8 % ABV. 19 IBU.
Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO.

Slightly hazy, medium crimson, near Burgundy, slim, brief head.

In the nose: Quadrupel aromatics hit first, big, bright Belgian-esque, sweet, malty, funky. Spicy, fruity, deep.

In the mouth: Fierce alcohol blast the palate first, then comes the malt, the Belgian yeast, the bourbon barrel effects, vanilla, dark fruits, little bit of licorice, touch of maple. all kinds of cocoa. All kinds of wow coming out of this bottle.

So much going on here. The Quad is one thing, the bourbon adding more. This is one that is best shared, doing an entire bottle on my own is quite a feat. Hot, potent and highly expressive. Boom, boom, boom, boom.

My notes left off there. They often do after "Boom, boom, boom, boom", which you have to read in the voice of John Lee Hooker. This was one of my favorite beers of recent times. Absolutely luxurious in every sense. Just about perfect. I haven't returned to this one much since it was first released, but this well-cellared bottle has proven me a fool. Definitely belongs in everyone's cellar.

Based loosely on the Smokestack Series’ The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the “angel's share” of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.

And her is my original review....from December 2008:

Caramel brown body, great carbonation, head's a fizzing, bubbling pool of brownish beige. Simmers down aquick.

Cola notes hit the nose at first, nuts...malt...now comes the whiskey notes, and now the Belgian yeast, and here it is a very Belgian strong dark ale/ quad with whiskey overtones. A beautiful combination. Never ever dreamed of a bourbon barrel quad, but damn, it seems natural now.

Let's drink!
Sweetness, fruit, & booze. Rich malt. And absolute joy. Like whiskey made mellow, the harsh edge of the alcohol made smooth, when married with the brew. Sparkling with the Belgian magic. Vanilla? Yeah...Toffee? A little. And the cherries are still there, with the warmth and the leathery lick of the bourbon still kicking. Warm amd wet. hot and hearty, whiskey meets wonderful.

Long finish, full body, luxurious mouthfeel, nearly decadent flavor. This is a rare and delicious treat.

Wild Mind Spontane' 2018-1 & 2 Year Blend

Wild Mind Spontane' 2018-1 & 2 Year Blend.
5.4 % ABV. 5 IBU. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

This bottle's been in the fridge far too long, and would be celebrating it's 2nd birthday, if I waited too much longer. After a brief struggle with the cork, the beer is free and ready for the glass. Pours clear, bright gold, with a slim, soon-gone head.

In the nose: Straight up funk from the start. Traces of stone fruit and a touch of citrus surround the sides. Wild and wooly.

In the mouth: Blast of sour greets the palate. Lemon and lime mixes it up with apricot/ punk and some definitive Belgian-Style lambic funk. Thin-bodied, with a long, sour finish. Sour hits the lips and smacks the tongue, time after time. Glimmers of fruit offer strains of sweet, quickly subsiding and finishing dry and crisp.

A very admirable version of the Belgian lambic style. Wish I could have snagged bottles of the fruited variants. Ah, well, there will be more. Must try a little harder to get my hands on them next time.

Spontané 2018 is a blend of one and two year old spontaneously-fermented wild ales that were brewed using our custom-built coolship, where the beers picked up loads of flora and bacteria to create a funky base. After aging in barrels and foeders, beers were chosen from several different batches to create a complementary blend of funk, acid, and tartness. The blended sour was then refermented in the bottle to help round-out this complex, truly spontaneous ale.

Odell Barreled Treasure Imperial Stout

Odell Barreled Treasure Imperial Stout. Barrel aged with Cold Brew Coffee.
11 % ABV. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

Solid blackness, utterly opaque, slim brown ring of foam above.

In the nose: Caramel, toffee, cocoa, coffee, all wrapped up in charcoal, oak, smoke, tobacco.

In the mouth: Chocolate hits the lips first, followed by whiskey and rum, and coffee comes right along. Big flavors in this one, lasting long on the palate. Thick, rich, scrumptious. Big barrel flavors, intensely expressive. Molasses, brown sugar, dark rum, espresso, so very many delights unfold from here. Full bodied, long malty finish.

Odell has some of the most overblown copy in the world of beer. Here's more of it: A reward of hidden bliss awaits the intrepid explorer whose liquid journey brings them to Barreled Treasure. An imperial stout aged in both bourbon and rum barrels and awakened with a hefty dose of coffee, Barreled Treasure has a luscious, complex profile packed with aromas and flavors of rich espresso, blackstrap molasses and baker’s chocolate. Your riches await!

Surly Eight Ale-Six Year Later

Surly Eight Ale-Six Year Later. 12 % ABV.
Surly Brewing, Brooklyn Center, MN.

Mostly hazed, dark crimson coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: Bright, bold fruit, almost wine-like. Vanilla and cherry. Slightly sweet, lightly tart, a wonderful complexity coming through.

In the mouth: Big hoppiness. Big malt. Massive barrel action. Tart tannins. Smooth stuff, underneath the bigness. Citrus fruit, stone fruit, berries and cherries. Quite tasty.

I'm going to have to check on my notes from the original release in 2014.

Six years on, it's much more mellow, alcohol strength isn't felt quite so hotly. Flavors remain plump and delicious. Holds up remarkably well after six years. Wish I had another.


When it’s done” is a phrase we’ve used to describe release dates for our beers for many years. When you’re putting the beer first, it just makes sense. Our anniversary is technically in February, but this unique Oat Wine style ale needed to age in High West Rye Whiskey barrels until, well… until it’s done. Here’s to Eight great years, and we’ll all be celebrating soon in our all new Destination Brewery.

Venn / Dangerous Man Collab Milkshake IPA

Venn / Dangerous Man Milkshake IPA. with Toasted Coconut, Mango, & Pink Guava.
6.5 % ABV. Venn Brewing (in Collaboration with Dangerous Man), Minneapolis, MN.

Three Facts:

Fact #1: In it's over 7 years of existence, Dangerous Man Brewing Company has appeared here in the Bitter Nib a mere 14 times. It's not because I don't feel that they are making quality beers, quite the contrary. It is a matter of proximity, or lack thereof. Remember that their beers can only be had at their taproom or the growler/crowler shop next door. When push comes to shove, I tend to stay on this side of the river. I have not actually crossed the Mississippi to visit North East Minneapolis and it's 10 or so breweries to purchase crowlers or growlers to take home and review for over 2 years. With one exception: on my birthday last June, our caravan of bikes traversed the Plymouth Avenue bridge to have some Dangerous Man beers, where I did not slow down the celebration to visit the crowler sales shop. If the bike trip from home in Uptown to 1300 2nd St. NE weren't an hour long, maybe I'd go more often. As it is, I tend to stay in my neighborhood for beers more often, and "my neighborhood" includes all of South Minneapolis. (Also, breweries of downtown Minneapolis belong to this area, and let's throw in Surly, while we're at it.)

Fact #2: Evidence of my prejudice towards breweries more local to my own home is that in it's less than three years of existence, Venn Brewing of South Minneapolis has appeared here in the Nib 50 times. The last such occasion was in February, when I brought home 3 crowlers to review. A few weeks back, Venn was one of  the first to my knowledge to respond to our current crisis with home delivery. Before I had a chance to take advantage of this, they reversed this decision and decided that it was best not to, after all, for the good of everyone. We're all reacting differently to this pandemic because we've never dealt with it before, and we're responding with different degrees of caution and/or panic. They didn't stop brewing, though, and encouraged customers to purchase their crowlers at local stores.

Fact #3: Long ago, I swore that I would stop purchasing "milkshake IPAs" in order to stop myself from complaining about them. Without checking, I would wager that it was a Dangerous Man beer that urged this on. And yet, when visiting a local(-ish) liquor store and seeing the varieties of Venn available, this is what I chose. Despite it all. I keep picking them and hoping against hope that my opinion has changed. What hasn't changed is that the breweries still love to make them, and plenty of other people still love to drink them. I paid $10 for a crowler I may or may not like, just to have another Venn (/Dangerous Man) beer to write about, at a time when I don't know where my money's coming from, or when. I hope it's worth it.

Quite haze. Golden hued, Bright ivory head, settling in.

In the nose: Mango greets the senses first, coconut follows, then traces of the pink guava. If there's hops here, they're keeping it quiet.

In the mouth: Holy Crap! Big time sweetness on first sip, mango and coconut blended together, guava in the back. Brief traces of bitterness, slight glimpse of hops on the palate.

One more time for those who didn't hear it the first 10 or 20 times I've written it: If you're trying to remove or cover up or greatly reduce hop bitterness, you no longer have an India Pale Ale. "Milkshake IPAs" are not IPAs.

Okay, back to it: Medium bodied. Long, sweet, fruity finish. Merest glimmer of hop bitterness. Practically none. Sweet and fruity, and not an IPA. Milkshake...Feh!

Modist Lord Hungous Barrel Aged Imperial Rye Stout 2018

Modist Lord Hungous Barrel Aged Imperial Rye Stout 2018. W/ Marshmallow & Vanilla.
11.8 % ABV. Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Solid blackness, slim brown ring of foam above.

In the nose: smoke, char, spice, much malt, vanilla and cherries.

In the mouth: Richness, molasses, thick, slick, sweet. Massive malt. Smoke. Bacon. Sausage. (?)
Outrageously rich, deep and sweet. Luxurious beyond compare. Spicy, malty, crazy. Keep this one for the good times.

"For us. For you. For the Wasteland." Wasteland was a good beer. Bring that one back!

Borne from the blood and fire of the wasteland. Lord Humungous is a one-of-a-kind Imperial Rye Stout that's made from over 53% malted rye, chocolate rye, and Caramel rye. This motor oil thick liquid was aged within the grains of a Rye Whiskey barrel for about a year then rested on copious amounts of Madagascar Vanilla Beans & marshmallows were added.


Vanilla, sure. But, marshmallows? Really, seriously, marshmallows?  Come on, you guys...Come on.

ONE Tally Ho Dry Stout

ONE Tally Ho Dry Stout. 5.1 % ABV. 36 IBU.
ONE Fermentary & Taproom, Minneapolis, MN.

Deep black with a slim toasted brown head.

In the nose: Roasted malts, cocoa, coffee, soft & smooth. Nearly note perfect.

In the mouth: Glides onto the palate with charm and grace. Slight bitterness, quickly overcome by smooth, slightly sweet chocolate malt goodness. Coffee pops up and lays in for the long haul. Small tug of war between bitter and sweet continues until it all mellows out. Cool, dry, and classic.
Warm and satisfying. Wonderful stuff. Right on the money.

I had my first taste of this beer at the taproom on my first visit back in November. This bottle was purchased two weeks ago, when I couldn't get a pint of it if I begged for one. I'll be back soon for a quick crowler or bottle to take home and enjoy in quarantine, while dreaming of that happy day that shall someday come.

Coffee-like, dark roasted barley character with medium hop bitterness

Fair State / Three Floyds Partying Past Burning Bridges Dip Hopped IPA

Fair State / Three Floyds Partying Past Burning Bridges Dip Hopped IPA.
6.66 % ABV (of course). 60 IBU.
Fair State Brewing, Minneapolis, MN, in collaboration with Three Floyds, Munster, IN.

A viking ship, partying hearty we presume, floats past a burning bridge. This beer is a collaboration between Three Floyds Brewpub (rather than Brewing Company) where former Surly head brewer Todd Haug now performs brewing duties (among other things) and the Fair State Brewing Cooperative, current employer of Jerrod Johnson, formerly assistant brewer at Surly, then co-head brewer after Todd's departure, and his friend. Perhaps this connection explains the meaning of the name, or other things? Perhaps.

Lightly hazed, bright crimson color. Sturdy, white, lace-leaving head holds down the fort on top.

In the nose: Spicy malt notes and bold, fruity hops.

In the mouth: Again, very assertive hop profile from the start. The usual blend of the citrus, pine, floral and other at play on the palate. Big bitterness. Juicy malt blend behind it all. I suppose the dip hopping deserves credit for the spicy, extra assertive hop presence. Past that, it truly tastes like a Furious clone, an assessment I am not alone in assigning.

Despite that, I enjoy this one. Party on, gentlemen.

Let us introduce you to “Partying Past Burning Bridges”, a collaboration with 3 Floyds Brewpub that celebrates connecting and collaborating in the name of gaining a new experience.

This is a dip hopped IPA. Dip hopping is an innovative Japanese technique, new to both 3 Floyds and Fair State Co-op, that involves hopping the wort post heat exchange, but before the introduction of yeast.

Pryes Above The Canopy Hazy Double IPA

Pryes Cartographer Series: Above The Canopy Hazy Double IPA.
8.3 % ABV. 32 IBU.
Pryes Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Thoroughly hazed, bold golden/orange appearance, firm and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: Spills out sweet and tropical, pineapple and papaya, with orange and grapefruit rushing in at the sides. Nifty.

In the mouth: Juicy, hoppy, and just bitter enough. Sweetness matches the bitter just barely, and booze  comes bubbling up. Bitterness catches up and keeps pace. Merest malt provides a simple stage for hops to shine. One very nice double IPA that doesn't let the haze hog the spotlight. Citrusy hop flavors and bitterness lay long on the palate. Loving it.

A double dry-hopped hazy IPA with smooth tropical fruit flavors ending with a touch of sweetness.
OR: Set course for a tour de force of double dry hopped nirvana. Packed with Mosaic, Samba, and Amarillo hops, you may want to savor this is total solitude.