BlackStack Magic Misfits West Coast IPA

 BlackStack Magic Misfits West Coast IPA.

6.5% ABV, BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Crystal clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: bright, bold, floral, fruity. Mango meets grapefruit. 

In the mouth: begins with bitterness, followed by fruit. Nice and dry, a bit brittle. Lighter bodied, bristlingly bitter, clean, popping with hops. Right on the money. A well-done West Coast IPA from BlackStack. 

Scott Johnson had a long history in beer here in Minnesota, one of the owners of the importer/ distributor All Saints, which brought us many great beers, back in the day. When he was putting his brewery together back on 2016, he would often lunch at Acadia with his crew while I was behind the bar and the conversation was always lively and he always overtipped. When I visited BlackStack, I could never spend any money. He gave me beers, growlers, glassware, merchandise. I never felt good about panning his popular NEIPAs and regret that our last interaction was when I posted a review online that he took issue with. A really great guy who left us too soon. 

Brewed with our buds at the Real Magic House in Hudson & Magic Giant, fine purveyors of top notch ear candy, in honor of a special show in a special place with some special folks. Chock full of Strata & Motueka with Phantasm, a newer product made out of Sauvignon Blanc grape skins from New Zealand that helps out hops shine even more brightly.

Duchesse Petite Barrel Aged Sour Ale

 Duchesse Petite Barrel Aged Sour Ale. Flanders Red Ale. 

4.5 % ABV. Brouwerij Verhaege, Vichy’s, Vlanderen, Belgium. 

Dark, dusky, magenta hue. Slim, off white ring of foam. 

In the nose: oak, cherries, plums, deep, earthy, fruity. 

In the mouth: slightly sweet, a little  bit tart, mostly smooth and fruity. Notes of chocolate and figs. Minor bitterness. Light bodied, full flavored, delicious. 

Duchesse Petite is an authentic Flemish Red Ale, brewed and bottled in Belgium. This refined ale, also known as "The Burgundies of Belgium" is a blend of beer matured in different oak casks for many months. 100% natural.

Lazy Monk Mad Monk IPA

 Lazy Monk Mad Monk IPA.

6.9 % ABV, 80 IBU. Lazy Monk Brewing, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Clear, but lightly billowy, immense ivory head, bright golden hue.

In the nose: bold, piney, citrusy. Lively hop attack. 

In the mouth: bitterness blazes the palate, a pleasing bombast. Orange and grapefruit and mango. Splashes the senses with hop flavors. Utterly delightful. This is my kind of IPA. 

A Centennial hop bomb, this unfiltered cloudy bier exudes strong pine & floral aromas that will remind you of warm summer days at the cabin. The taste will not disappoint you either; with 30 pounds of hops in 10 barrels, it holds all the hoppy bitterness that speaks to the heart of IPA lovers. 

Westmalle Trappist Extra

 Westmalle Trappist Extra. Belgia Enkel/Patersbier. 

Brouwerij see Trappisten,Van Westmalle 

4.8 % ABV, 30 IBU. 

What is a patersbier? A beer that the fathers enjoy, ie the monks who make it. They can’t, of course, do their brotherly duties while getting high off their own supply. One cannot live piously while sipping away at dubbels and tripels. 

Enkel? That means single. Like, below the dubbels and tripels? Or, you could say, table beer.

Well, I got one so, let’s drink one.

Clear, bright golden hue, luscious, long-lasting ivory head. 

In the nose: soft, fruity, citric. Bubblegum and orange peel. 

In the mouth: starts out smooth, mild with slightly sharp bitter bite. Belgian yeast character meets the juicy hop flavors up front, with mellow malt below. Crisp and cracker-y, with slight spice and splashes of citrus all over the palate. Light bodied and especially easy-drinking. It’s fun to drink like a monk!

This is one of the oldest beers of Westmalle Abbey, with a tradition that dates back to the start of our brewery. It was created to drink with meals in the abbey, something the monks still do today. As a top fermented golden yellow Trappist beer, the Extra is unique in combining a low alcohol content (4.8%) with a rich flavour. Enjoy its fruity notes and its refreshing, thirst-quenching character.

Firestone Psychedelic Arcade West Coast Golden Rye IPA

 Firestone Psychedelic Arcade West Coast Golden Rye IPA. 

6.3 % ABV, 50 IBU. Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Tobles, California. 

From the current variety pack. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: citrus and spice, with a pinch of pine.

In the mouth: hops are popping on the palate, bitterness buzzes, and the rye malt character comes shining through. Rich, spicy, nicely malty. Clean and just short of crisp. Delightfully delicious. 

Golden IPA brewed with rye malt and featuring Galaxy, Nectaron, Strata, and Simcoe hops for notes of ripe tropical fruit, grapefruit, pine dust, and dank.

Dual Citizen Cereal Money Breakfast Stout

 Dual Citizen Cereal Money Breakfast Stout.

7.8% ABV, Dual Citizen, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Solid ebony, thoroughly opaque, slim brown head. 

In the nose: roasty, chocolatey, deep and malty. 

In the mouth: rich, full, and smooth. More cocoa, some espresso hints. What makes it a breakfast stout? Cookies? Are cookies a breakfast food. There’setness a description on the back, but the type is too small for me to read. 

Light, but evident, sweetness. Moderate bitterness. Well balanced. Roasty toasty. A tasty treat. I feel like I understand why they’re not going with that lazy phrase “pastry stout.” It’s not that sickeningly sweet. 

A breakfast stout brewed in collaboration with our friends at Treats. An oat heavy stout brewed with six breakfast cereals, waffles, cocoa nibs, and Gus Dean coffee. 

Inbound Radio Edit West Coast IPA

 Inbound Radio Edit West Coast IPA.

5% ABV, 62 IBU. Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Clear, bright golden hue, lush ivory head. 

In the nose: citrus and pine, orange and grapefruit. 

In the mouth: bristling with bitterness, appropriately dry and just popping with hops. Medium bodied and easy drinking, never-ending hoppiness on the palate. 

I’m enjoying this one, and I hope they keep making it.

Let the radio waves of this IPA take you to the coast with righteous additions of Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops. At a balanced 5% ABV, you have a beer most suitable for drinking on repeat.

Warpigs Lord of Wolves Blackened India Pale Ale

 Warpigs Lord of Wolves Blackened India Pale Ale.

7.7% ABV, 63 IBU. 

Brewed and packaged under the supervision of Warpigs Brewing, LLC, Munster, IN, by Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Dark brown color, nearly opaque, rich beige head atop. 

In the nose: grassy hops, slight citrus, major malt. Caramel and cocoa. 

In the mouth: hoppiness hits first. Malt rushes in. Just enough bitterness to loom over the dark malt below. Little bit of sweetness to balance the bitter. Medium bodied, excellent drinkability. Pretty much yum a dum dum. 

It is not by will alone that we persevere. It is by the strength of the pack that we survive.

Three Floyds Jinx Proof Lager

 Three Floyds Jinx Proof Lager.

5.7 % ABV, 35 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana.

From the Three Floyds variety pack

Clear, bright golden hue, lush, creamy white head. 

In the nose: slightly floral, light hoppiness.

In the mouth: crisp and clean, light bodied, easy drinking. Snappy. Light bitterness. Good ol’ quaffable lager, ain’t nothing wrong with it. Like a lager? Go ahead and drink it. 

This refreshing continental-style pils has a light body combined with a pronounced noble hop aroma and a crisp dry finish. This is the perfect beer for easy flavorful drinking. Brewed in collaboration with our friends at Jinx Proof tattoo in Washington D.C.

Bauhaus Brew Labs X Hammerheart Brewing Company Schwarzbear

 Bauhaus Brew Labs X Hammerheart Brewing Company Schwarzbear Smoked Dark Lager. 

5.4 % ABV, 25 IBU. Bauhaus BrewLabs, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

I did it again. I sat on this beer. I tucked a 4-pack away and brought it home long after it sold out. That was a month ago. Had to try it out, for it’s our last taste of anything Hammerheart until they get their new brewery up and running sometime soon.

Dark brown, nearly opaque, slim beige head.

In the nose: mellow, malty, smokey.

In the mouth: brisk and smooth, rich maltiness, judicious dose of cocoa and espresso. Smoked malt flavors are subtle and delicious. Especially drinkable. Definitely delightful. 

I love a schwarzbier, even a smokey schwarzbier. Quite tasty. 

BlackStack Stacksman West Coast IPA

 BlackStack Stacksman West Coast IPA. 

6.9 % ABV, BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Months ago, I decided to stop reviewing hazy IPAs, especially those from BlackStack. I grew bored with my own complaining about this style of IPA that is not for me. I’d still drink them if I got them free, but I would no longer comment on them. But this one is not a hazy. So, let’s drink it. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: bold and super-citrusy. Lemon, orange, grapefruit, in that order.

In the mouth: somewhat crisp, somewhat bitter, clean and smooth. Citra and Mosaic, that classic combo, mixed with Strata. Medium bodied. A touch of sweet and juicy. But it could be drier and bitterer. That could bring it closer to a true West Coast. 

A meeting of the minds with Ax-Man Surplus, a Twin Cities institution that we've been purchasing all manner of knickknackery from for crafts and/or nonsense for 25+ years. Who'd have though that our hand selected Strata, Citra, Mosaic & Columbus Cryo could come together so well? A heavy dose of love for the Ax-Man from the Stacks Fam.