Moose Lake Oktoberfest.
6% ABV, 29 IBU, Moose Lake Brewing, Moose Lake, Minnesota.
Clear, copper-colored, slim off-white head.
In the nose: toasty malt, noble hops, slightly sweet.
In the mouth: sweetness hits the palate first, but well in balance, caramel notes abound. Medium bodied, long, sweet, malty finish. Full of a kind of character you don’t get in a drier märzens.
And I kind of like it.
6% ABV, Wandering Leaf Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Clear, amber-hued, large & creamy head.
In the nose: soft and floral, mostly malty, minor hops.
In the mouth: crisp, clean, caramel-y. Medium bodied, smooth and malty, just enough hops for balance. Moderate bitterness keeping it all in check.
There should be more Vienna lagers out there, don’t you agree?
Pen Name Fresh Bier. Foeder aged Lager Wet hopped w/ wild Minnesotan hops Malty Hoppy Crispy.
5 % ABV, 25 IBU, Pen Name Fermentation Project, St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Clear, bright yellow hue, slim ivory head
In the nose: fresh and zesty, hops aplenty. Who knew? Tropical tones with a bit of the ol’ dank, quite citrusy. Arrestingly interesting.
In the mouth: crisp, snappy, citrusy, light bodied, easy-drinking. A touch of the oak comes through. Moderate bitterness. Maybe a bit more lemony than I like.
Altogether enjoyable and I look forward to more from Matt.
A hyper-local wet-hopped lager brewed with MN-grown Pilsner + spelt malt and St. Paul beer caves yeast. Wild hops went from farm to beer in just one hour, bringing noble character and bright tropical melon over a crisp, crushable backbone. Brewed to be enjoyed fresh—drink it now!
Ol’ George #57.
Notes on #57:
1. If you haven’t figured it out yet, George is not a beer geek. He might actually enjoy the beers Balonious mentions, but he’ll never fuss about them. Deciphering the jargon in itself is a task he would never undertake.
2. When I started this, I called it a “warts and all” endeavor. By this I meant nothing was meant to be “perfect”, some efforts would be better than others, and I would ask forgiveness for minor flaws. No drawing would be guaranteed to be always “on-model.”
Take this one, for example. I like Balonious in panel three better than two, which is infinitely better than one. But, it’s good enough and it’s better than the first version. This is the first time I scrapped a fouled-up effort and started over. You can see it in the other side of the original , but you’ll have to peek when I’m not looking.
And then, I posed the page for a pic, as I do, forgetting that my forearm was wet from dishwashing. I’m a forgetter. Not having any liquid paper on hand (note: buy liquid paper), I fixed the lettering and colored over the other stains. Maybe later, I can fix it digitally. I’m not drawing it a third time.
Just asking you to forgive my flaws and enjoy this for what it is. And I’ll keep trying harder. (Note to self: keep your hands dry.)
Une Année Quad Abbey Ale.
11% ABV, 33 IBU, Une Année Brewery, Niles, Illinois.
Clear, ruby/mahogany toned, slim off-white layer of foam.
In the nose: caramel notes, and toffee hit first. Belgian dark malt looms largest. Terrifically complex flavor profile in the aromatics. Utterly lovely.
In the mouth: much sweetness greets the tongue, but well tempered. Rich and malty, more caramel and toffee appearing on the palate. Excellent balance without a bit of bitterness and high alcohol well hidden. Except when it comes to…yeah, there it is…
Magical malt here, tasting every bit like a classic quadruple. Neither too this, nor too that, and never not enough. And every bit delicious. Belgian Special B all the way. Ever so delightful in every little way. There’s not enough good Belgian quads out there. I’m glad this exists.
4.7 % ABV, Wooden Ship Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Thoroughly ebon, purely opaque, slight head,
In the nose: roasty, malty, chocolatey.
In the mouth: slightly bitter, cocoa, coffee, malty. Smooth and creamy. Medium bodied, clean and drinkable.
Not too shabby of a schwarzbier.
Smoked pistachios, cayenne- collab with 320 Brewing.
Notes on 56:
1. Why pick on Keokuk, Iowa? No reason. It’s a fun word to say, like Cucamonga, Walla Walla, Seattle.
2. Balonious’ dialogue in panel two was not written by me, merely transcribed. I was minding my own business at the Black Forest Inn when I overheard a man say those actual words to a woman he had just met. Way to go, slugger, you’re going to score with a line like that! That’s when it hit me that if I ever run low on ideas, I can just sidle up to the bar and listen in.
That line was in my idea bin for a year and I finally found a use for it.
3. Also, I’d always wanted to do one with the Hamm’s bear, but couldn’t come up with a good use or a gag. Glad it all came together in this third installment of The Saga of the Sign.
Dangerous Man Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrel Sged Russian Imperial Stout.
10.8 % ABV, Dangerous Man Brewing, Maple Lake, Minnesota.
Back in March, there was much shock and grief when Dangerous Man Brewing called it quits after 12 years. Who could believe that such a beloved brand couldn’t make it in the market?
Well, then a funny thing happened. Six months later, having not gotten around to liquidating their assets, a white knight arrived! New owner, with the old owner, good Ol’ Rob Miller, manning the tanks. And they’re returning to stores and bars this week, with plans for a Twin Cities taproom soon.
So, I will celebrate tonight with something from the cellar (but not really that old, actually).
Solidly Stygian, slim tan head. Complete opacity.
In the nose: smoke, whiskey, ash, leather, oak.
In the mouth: cherries, vanilla, barrel. Deep and caramelly. Richness abounds, thick and viscous. Malt driven, if it has to be said. A treat for the tongue, pleasure for the palate. Chocolate creeps around this melange. Big time bourbon, no kidding around, Jack.
I’m looking forward to more like this in the future. Welcome back, Dangerous Man.
Russian imperial stout, aged in Heaven Hill, bourbon barrels for eight months.
DAB Dortmunder Ur-Bock.
8% ABV, Dortmunder Actien Brauerei, Dortmund, Deutschland.
Clear, bright golden hue, slim ivory head.
In the nose: classically clean German lager aroma. Slightly malty / bready notes.
In the mouth: tastes darker than it looks. Still bolder and brighter than the average lager, though I prefer bocks that are darker and richer. The high ABV isn’t hiding itself at all. It’s ringing loud and clear. Medium bodied, but drinkable enough.
I don’t love this, but I am enjoying it. Though I wonder. It’s labeled as a maibock, but its strength is that of a doppelbock. What is it? Just an extra-strength maibock?
Notes on #55:
1.You may be reading this from outside the MidWestern region of the United States. You may not know the history of Grain Belt and Minneapolis Brewing, which started way back in the late 1800’s. Grain Belt continued being produced in Minneapolis until the early 2000’s when August Schell took over the brand and moved production to its New Ulm facility. Is the Grain Belt that my Dad drank in the ‘70’s (0r 60’s, or ‘50’s..) the same as the beer they produce now? Probably not. We’ll never know. All I know is that he always had a case in the fridge and apparently the Anoka VFW (or was it the American Legion?) ordered it just for him.
In 1977, my family went on a 3-week tour of the Western half of the United States, visited family in Washington and California and stopping at all the tourists spots along the way. My older brothers encouraged Dad to try the regional beers wherever we went, just to grow their beer can collection, when Grain Belt was not available. He did his best, but gave up eventually and switched to Budweiser because he could count on it tasting the same wherever we went.
2. The oldest lore in this strip’s history is Chester’s love of The Big Friendly, from the very first strip last year, when most of the strips were 2-tier, 2-panel, drawn on 12x12 paper. It was the real Chester’s beer of choice, at least at Acadia Cafe: Maybe there were bars that didn’t stock it and he had to settling for Hamm’s or PBR.
3. We haven’t since a plop panel since Rasputin in #32, five months ago. I didn’t plan on it originally, was going to make tier three just like one and two. But I need a panel of George thinking, then couldn’t imagine how to fit them both in the last panel with dialogue. Plop-out was the perfect solution.
4. A guest star enters the scene in this one. Can you tell who it is? An unnamed ladybug from Walt Kelly’s Pogo! I thought I would have gotten to Albert, Porkypine, Pogo himself, or even Walt himself before this little guy (or girl? Can’t be sure it’s not a girl bug, because it’s not wearing a bonnet) , but here we have it. I’ll get to those guys eventually, I plan on drawing this forever.
Modist Doomed Moon Oak-aged Red Lager.
5.5% ABV, Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Clear, crimson hued, slim layer of off-white foam.
In the nose: malty, slightly sweet, kiss of the hops.
In the mouth: crisp and clean, light on the palate, lightly toasted . Just enough malty flavors to keep it interesting. Just enough hops to keep sweetness at bay.
I quite like this particular lager.
Red rice lager w/ Red X barley malt, brown rice, hopped w/ Simcoe, aged in American oak foeders
Inbound Samuin Harvest Pumpkin Ale.
6.6 % ABV, 15 IBU, Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a pumpkin beer. I had a few Dogfish Head Punkin Ales from the variety pack, but that’s not why I bought it. And now, more than a week after Halloween, I will review this one.
Clear, auburn hued, large, looming head.
In the nose: pumpkin spice-y! Clove and nutmeg. Floating over a pumpkinny amber ale.
In the mouth: warming and rich, malty and not too sweet. Brown sugar and spices over an amber ale. Plus actual pumpkin, it seems. Not too shabby here. Fulfilling mouthfeel. Medium bodied. Quite tasty. Hey, I’d drink another.
And this endeth my pumpkin beer consumption of 2025.
Savor this Autumnal treat. An amber ale with a rich orange hue, bone white head, and a blend of pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices. Perfect for crisp evenings and fall rituals
Ol’ George #54: Bats
1. Personal accomplishment unlocked: pencil, ink and color all done in one night, under four hours. Wrote it today, too. Originally, I thought I would have Superman as Bats’ drinking buddy, but I am glad I chose Boy Wonder as the one to take the Caped Crusader home after too many vanilla porters. Yeah, I figure Batman as a vanilla Porter kind of guy.
2. When I was 4, 5 years old, I was the biggest Batman fan on the block. I tuned in, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel to see Adam West and Burt Ward pow, zap, and ka-zowie the bad guys. I was that weird kid running around the neighborhood with a bath towel around my neck. When the kids on the school bus sang “Jingle Bells, Batman smells “, how it irked me! How dare they malign my hero!
I would read the comic books off and on over the years, not really becoming a regular reader until the mid-80’s, and that was a great time for it, in the years before Burton’s big film. Miller’s Dark Knight & (Mazzuchelli’s) Year One, Moore’s ( & Bolland’s) Killing Joke, Morrison’s (& McKean’s) Arkham Asylum …and so much more. I dropped it all when I dropped everything mainstream and corporate owned and delved full force into everything alternative. The only Batman I could look at after that was the stuff that never took itself seriously. It’s a comic book, people, lighten up! I couldn’t avoid in the 90’s, though, as I worked at a comic book store for seven years.
3. I feel the same way about beer these days. It’s just beer! Lighten up!
And I feel the same way about alternative comics. Only the serious stuff gets attention these days, only autobiography and memoirs of oppression and great tragedies. No one gives a damn about silliness. That can be a great art form, too, and that is one hill I will die on, with a flower growing out of my corpse.
