Odell Mountain Standard IPA

Odell Mountain Standard IPA. 6.5 % ABV. 40 IBU. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

A new year-long IPA offering from Odell, an attempt to create some new style, a mash-up of West Coast and New England style IPAs?

All hazed-up, as all IPAs must be now, with a hefty offering of ivory foam, cast in a dullish yellow tone.

In the nose: Citrus and pine, with a touch of tropical sweetness. Pineapple, mango, passionfruit. Nice.

In the mouth: Hops hit the palate, make a splash, then shake it off. Crisp and refreshing. Medium-bodied. Just enough juice and bitterness to keep me happy. In fact, it's got plenty of it, and that makes me more than happy. Ends on a tidy, dry note. Leaves me wanting more.


This is Mountain Standard, a tribute to our backyard and the Rocky Mountain lifestyle. Hand-selected, modern American hop varieties build layers of complex hop flavors with juicy, tropical notes and bold, vibrant aromas. Join us as we help define the Mountain-Style IPA.
At 6.5%, this Mountain Style IPA is brewed with modern, American hop varieties which bring tropical hop aromas of pineapple, orange, and mango. To accentuate juicy hop aromas without using adjuncts or fruit, Mountain Standard IPA is triple dry-hopped. The result is an extremely drinkable IPA bursting with bright hop flavors, low bitterness, and a slight haze.

Inbound Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout (RIS)

Inbound BrewCo.Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout (RIS). 11.4 % ABV. 77 IBU. Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, MN. Bottle 125/500.

I thought that "RIS" was an abbreviation. Inbound is using it as the name for their Russian Imperial Stout. The staff at the taproom is calling it "Ris". (Not everyone, actually. Just this one guy.)
It reminds me of the time I heard a friend pronounce "D.I.P.A." as if it were a word, rather than abbreviation. "Dippa." We don't say "Ippa", or "Eye-pa", we say "I.P.A." And we shouldn't say ""Rizz." I'd rather they didn't. Oh, well. I can't fix everything just by complaining. There are breweries out there calling their Russian Imperial Stouts "Russian Stouts." A little reminder: Russian Imperials did not come from Russia.

I've had this before, at the taproom, and on tap at Acadia. Made sure to get another keg of it this year. And now, for my first bottle.

Solid blackness, under a rich brown head of foam. Ultimately impenetrable.

In the nose: Whiskey, first. Bourbon barrel. Molasses, brown sugar, anise. Smoke, tobacco, cocoa. Deep stuff. Arresting and arousing.

In the mouth: Slightly sweet, strong, and bursting with flavors. All those from the nose come on board the palate. Dark fruit mixed with chocolate, and a touch of coffee. Bourbon Barrel covers it all. It's sweet, bitter, hoppy, rich, luxurious and uncommonly smooth, all at once. Alcohol content comes roaring out. It is a most excellent nightcap.

A lot of rich malt goodness coating the palate, and lasting long through the finish. So many layers of deliciousness. I'm liking this lots. Paid $17 for the bottle at the taproom. I'll be back for more.

Our Russian Imperial Stout aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for five months. The result is a rich, smokey, chocolatey, and fruity-estery Barrel Aged RIS.

Belching Beaver Me So Honey Blonde Ale

Belching Beaver Me So Honey Blonde Ale. 5.5 % ABV. 19 IBU. Belching Beaver Brewery, Oceanside, CA.

Clear, golden-toned, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweetness at the fore, honey notes, mild malt, minimum hops.

In the mouth: Again, sweet from the start, but not quite "too." Just well-balanced enough. Light-bodied, clean, and quaffable. Moderate hop bitterness. There's flavor here, and not a small amount.

I'm not one for blonde ales or honey blonde ales, but this one is alright. Go ahead and drink it. I won't stop you.

Our smooth drinking Honey Blonde Ale is one of our best-sellers and for good reason, we brew with the finest quality honey available. Floral aromas leap from the glass while subtle, sweet, honey flavor linger on the finish, making this a beer for all occasions. This golden brew is an easy drinking favorite enjoyed by our whole Dam crew.

More beavers puns? You're killing me, guys!

Fulton Fika Coffee Stout

Fulton Fika Coffee Stout. Milk Stout with Maple Syrup. Alc. 8.6 % by Vol. 45 IBU. Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, MN.

Full-on blackness, with a deep brown, but swiftly gone, head.

In the nose: earthy, gritty, nutty coffee. Just a touch of cherry-ish sweetness. Malt-forward, for sure.

In the mouth: Roasty, toasty, smooth and slightly sweet. Creamy. Flush with nutty, fruity coffee flavors. Medium-bodied, nearly full, and exquisitely drinkable. I'm not really getting the maple syrup, though it's there, at work, I'm sure. No matter, it's delicious.


 
For this stout, we used a high ratio of oats (23%) in the mash to create a smooth and full mouthfeel. We added pure maple syrup from Sawtooth Mountain to the kettle for flavor as well as some lactose to ensure a smooth and slightly sweet finish. We used just enough Herkules hops to balance out the intense malt character and finished it with 1#/BBL of Fika Dark Roast Coffee cold steeped in the fermenter. The result is a very complex stout with notes of chocolate, coffee, and maple that has a luxurious mouthfeel and a slightly sweet finish.

Town Hall Vine's Eye 2019

Town Hall Vine's Eye 2019. American Honey Ale (Eye Of The Storm) aged in red wine barrels. 9.7% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

This beer has been made since last year, and it's my first time reviewing it. Growlers were sold out before I could get them last year, as is often the case with Barrel Aged Week offerings. There was one in 2017 called Eye Wine Red, and I'm not sure what, if anything sets them apart. Perhaps it was because that year there was Eye Wine Red, as well as White. And the base beer, Eye of the Storm? I can find no evidence that I've ever taken notes on it. This seems terribly, terribly wrong. I just don't understand it.

Wait. Looking at my review of Eye Wine Red, it looks like I shared my notes on Eye of the Storm from 2007. So, I either I didn't search correctly, or once again, a review got lost on BeerAdvocate. Sigh....

Anyway, here we go, into the growler:

Clear, bold gold coloration, slim whitish head.

In the nose: Sharp, sweet, strong. Honey meets wine this time. Brash expressions.

In the mouth: More sweet, more sharp, more big and boozy. Complexities abound in this. Red wine tannins bump against buzzing honey sweetness, a tasty tug of war. Mead-like, wine-ish, and boom, boom, boom, boom.  The remainder of the glass unfinished at the table went with my to the nightstand, as companion into my surrender to slumber.

Beaver Island Tangerine American Wheat Ale

Beaver Island Tangerine American Wheat Ale. "Dam. Fine. Beer." Ha! Beaver puns. Beaver Island Brewing, St. Cloud, MN. 4.5 % ABV. 22 IBU.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Big citrus. Light and smooth.

In the mouth: Plenty of tangerine on the palate. Well balanced. Easy drinking. Lean and clean. Light bodied. Refreshing. Good beer and you can drink it.

A crisp and refreshing American Wheat with a spike of Tangerine. Perfect for those warm weather days. It’s like sunshine in a glass! Cheers!

Guinness Blonde Lager

Guinness Blonde Lager. 5 % ALc./Vol. Brewed and canned by the Guinness Brewing Company, Latrobe, PA.

Clear, golden toned, slim white head.

In the nose: Thin, slight, corn-y, vegetal, grainy. Eh.

In the mouth: Lightness. Water. Barest wisp of malt. Nothing else. Oh, wait, here it comes. Second sip, getting more citrus from hops. And a little more than a bare wisp of malt. Not bad, after all. Tasting like a classic blonde lager, and you can drink it.

Brewed with North American ingredients, including Pacific Northwest hops, as well as our classic Guinness yeast, Guinness Blonde is a crisp, golden beer. It has a noticeable but gentle hop aroma of citrus and tropical fruits, clean cracker-bread malt flavor and a pleasantly bitter refreshing finish. Brewed at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Baltimore, Maryland.

Eastlake Arcturan Mega-Saison

Eastlake Arcturan Mega-Saison. 8.4 % ABV. 34 IBU. Eastlake Craft Brewery, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, MN. Brewed with pink grapefruit and ginger.

I wrote about the 2017 bottled version of this beer, which has been brewed since 2015 (I remember it's newness when I worked there), back in July of last year. I'm not 100% certain if this is the 2019 version or the 2018. I want it to be fresh, of course, but I wouldn't be too unhappy if this were an aged version. Though the thought of it sitting on a shelf for a year is rather sad.

Clouded, bright gold, slim ivory head.

In the nose: Sweet, fruit, funk, spice. Big citrus. Belgian yeast character. Tons of flavors.

In the mouth: Ginger strikes first, with grapefruit not far behind. Smooth, turning sharp. No pussywillow, this. Full-flavored, medium-bodied, long finish. Lives long on the palate. A perpetual delight. Alcohol comes on the horizon. Boom, boom, boom, boom, to quote John Lee Hooker. But it lasts just long enough. Not too fatal, in the end.

I'm as fond of this beer as I was when it was first produced, and I'm they glad that they continue to make it.

The star we call Arcturus is known as the harbinger of spring, for the time in which it appears in the night sky. Arcturus is also home to many types of mega-fauna, known by the phrase "One's soul moves at the pace of an Arcturan Megacamel." So, if you can't find Arcturan Mega-Gin, you might as well go with Arcturan Mega-saison." 

Much of the above is taken from a work of fiction by Douglas Adams called "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", which I enjoyed as a teenager, and still do. There were two live-action versions, a TV series for the BBC in the 80's, and a major motion picture in 2005. Even though Adams was active in both, I'm partial to the first. The film is too American-ized, in my opinion. Took so much Englishness away. Talented as he is, Sam Rockwell doesn't compare to Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox. Who's just this guy, you know. And if I went on, I would have not very nice things to say about Martin Freeman and Zooey Deschanel and Mos Def or whatever he calls himself these days, or etcetera, etc.

If you are new to the Guide, and you have a few hours to spare, go here:

12welve Eyes Winter Warmer

12welve Eyes Winter Warmer. 7.1 % ABV. 12welve Eyes Brewing, Lowertown, St. Paul, MN.

Clear, dark crimson coloring, leaning toward bronze, with a slim whitish head.

In the nose: Mostly malt, with a touch of spice. Cinnamon? Nutmeg? Slight dose of grassy/citrusy hops. Orange zest?

In the mouth: Malt and spice hit the palate together. Hot and toasty. Medium-bodied, easy drinking. Spice and fruit notes continue. Dominate. Delight. It's a bit thinner in body than I'd like, but it's tasty stuff, so I don't really care. Clove is coming through. Overall, it's got the flavor of a mulled ale. Raisins and orange mix with cinnamon and clove. Getting honey, too. Love it.

Getting my last tastes of winter flavors, as we welcome spring, at long last. Oh, it's gonna be great. Been a rough winter. Gonna real love this spring.

Wild Mind Leia Hazy IPA

Wild Mind Leia Hazy IPA. 6.5% ABV. 25 IBU. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

Another Hazy IPA. What do I have to say about another hazy IPA?

Thick, thick, thick. Cloudy as she gets. Hefty chalk white head. Dull yellow color. Not especially attractive. Or, maybe...in the light, it looks a little nicer.

In the nose: Sweet. Hoppy. Yeasty. Chalky. Some citrus. Trifling tropical.

In the mouth: Thick and yeasty on the palate. Dry and chalky. A little bit of juicy, but not much. Sure, berry, but only a hint, if at all. Just a touch. I'm not getting much of this tropical and plenty of the grass. (I've peeked a bit at the brewery notes before writing my own, something I never do.)

I keep drinking hazy IPAs and pooh-pooh-ing them. And then I try another and reach the same conclusion. Hey, I've got consistency going for me. But the brewers don't stop brewing them and everyone but me doesn't stop liking and drinking them. Again, it's not my ideal IPA, but it ain't bad. And you can drink it. (Is that a new version of my motto?)

I can't help but like a beer named for Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, and that's why I include the video below in honor of Carrie Fisher.

Part of a trio of hazy IPAs featuring Ella hops, an Australian variety that provides bright aromas of fresh cut grass and tropical fruit flavors. Leia was brewed with 2-row barley, malted wheat, flaked oats, and pairs Ella with Mosaic hops,which provide her beer with a hint of berry.

Corona Premier

Corona Premier. Brewed and bottled by Cerveceria Modelo Mexico. 4.1 % ABV. 7 IBU.

I was told that this is lighter than Corona Light. Well, that sealed the deal. Give me a bottle, please!

(Perhaps I'm taking a facetious tone. I might need to remind some of my goal to try all types and styles, brands and trends. I don't want to pay for every one of them, so if a sample comes my way, it will find a spot here in the Nib.)

Clear, pale golden hue, not a head to speak of.

In the nose: Sad, sick, disappointing. Vegetal. Mineral. Dull and dead. Nobody's wafting the aroma about, though.

In the mouth: Wet. Light. Containing no flavor at all. Slightly alcoholic water and nothing but. No joy, no thrill, nothing. Slight cereal/malt, maybe. Grainy, gritty, but ...blah. "Higher expectations"? What the Hell are they talking about? Is this some Bizarro world, where nothing is something? Gimme a break!

Blah!

Blech!

Blourgh!!!


Lower carbs. Lower calories. Higher expectations.

Fair State Strata Single Hop DDH Hazy IPA

Fair State Brewing Cooperative Strata Single Hop DDH Hazy IPA. 6.2 % ABV. 25 IBU. Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Mpls./St. Paul, MN.

All hazed up. Dull orange. Full ivory head. Looks good for the style.

In the nose: We've got citrus notes, hop presence, all clouded up with yeast.

In the mouth: Cloudy, cloudy, yeasty, yeasty. Citrus and pine, and murk and dry, dry, dry. Not enough hop bitterness for this old school IPA lover and not enough. ...sigh. I'm not enjoying the things that make this beer succeed as what it's trying to be. I don't get what that is.

I can drink it, though. It is a good beer. I just don't get it.

Trying harder: It is juicy. And that's nice. Slightly sweet, tropical-y toned, and just a touch of the bitter. Ending dry.

Everyone's excited by these, but not me. What's wrong with me?

Finnegans Running With Axes Fresh Hop Ale

Finnegans Running With Axes Fresh Hop Pale Ale. 5.5 % ABV. Finnegans Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

I'm doing this one a little bit late. But it's not my fault. I didn't know this beer was even out until recently. Found a six-pack on sale. Like, real cheap. Down to the last can, as is my habit, and it's time to take notes.

Hazed & golden, large & lovely ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: All the hops, all the big, fruity flavors and tons of bitterness, buoyed by blasts of malt. It's a biggie. Fierce and fuzzy. Even thought this is being consumed six months later than it should be, there's a lot of action going on.

In the mouth: Pow, pow, pow! Bigness everywhere. Huge hop bitterness, fruit, citrus, otherwise. And mucho malt. Boom, boom, boom. Bam, bam, bam, bam. Tasty. Tangy. Vivid. Pow, pow, powerful. So full of everything, yet delightfully drinkable.
This hasn't seemed to have lost anything.  And I'll look out for it fresh the next time it's brewed.

A fresh hop Pale Ale brewed exclusively with Minnesota grown fresh hops by Mighty Axe Hop company. We are using over 150LBS of hops per batch of Centennial and Cascade hops picked just days before brewing the beer.  It’s a classic pale ale with earthy, pine, and citrus undertones. Once you go lumberjack you’ll never go lumberback.

Unmapped Primetime Porter

Unmapped Primetime Porter. 7% ABV. 31 IBU. Unmapped Brewing, Minnetonka, MN.

Utter blackness, thoroughly opaque, with a rich tan head above, leaving lace.

In the nose: Sweet, creamy, malty. Cocoa and molasses. Rather nice.

In the mouth: Smooth, malty, big-time chocolate-y. Medium-bodied. Exquisitely drinkable. Dry in the finish. A touch of roasty malt. Sweetness stays on top, perfectly balanced. Tasty stuff.

Another winner from Unmapped. Keep 'em coming.

You might not know it, but we spent more time on planning Primetime Porter than any other beer we've ever brewed...that's because Math is hard! We channeled our collective inner (and outer) nerd and made sure that every. single. input. of this beer was a prime number. From the 61 minute boil to the 31 IBU calculation to the actual day of the month it was brewed (the 19th), this beer is chock full of prime numbers and prime flavors! Medium-bodied with chocolate and mild roasted malt notes, math has never been more fun (and delicious)!

Vander Mill Blue Gold Apple Blueberry Cider

Vander Mill Blue Gold Apple Blueberry Cider. 6.9 % ABV. Vander Mill Cider, Spring Lake, MI.

Clear, bright crimson coloring, nothing on top.

In the nose: Bold and fruity, blueberry comes creeping in. Sweet, lovely, a twist of tart.

In the mouth: Tart kicks it off, big time pucker. Sweetness rises back up. Blueberry is all over here. Sweet and tart do a tight little tango, til dry ends it out. Light bodied, easy drinker. Tasty stuff. Well balanced flavors. I recommend it.

Apple Blueberry Cider. When creating products from Michigan fruits it seems natural to include Michigan blueberries. They add a nice fruity flavor to the cider. Like our other hard ciders, this one is not too sweet or overpowering.

Junkyard Biocumulus Sour IPA with lactose

Junkyard Biocumulus Sour IPA with lactose. 6.4 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, large and lace-leaving head atop. Looking lovely.

In the nose: Tart, floral, fruity. Citrus and pine.

In the mouth: Big sour from the start, with with a judicious dose of fruity. Nice brace of hoppiness, completely covered by the sour. Medium bodied, and fairly smooth and tasty.

Why the lactose, though? I can't even taste it. Not sure what it's there for. Are the brewers just going through the ropes, tossing in the lactose out of habit? Am I not supposed to taste it? Is it in there to stave off the hop bitterness I crave in an IPA? These questions and more plague my mind. If anyone wants to school me on this, go right ahead.

Sour IPA, eh? Well, I like this one. Refreshing and delicious. Can't argue with the results.

Town Hall Czar Jack 2019

Town Hall Czar Jack 2019. 9.2 % ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

The last time I wrote about Town Hall's barrel-aged imperial stout Czar Jack was way back in 2013. I managed to get a full-sized growler of it, snapped it's photo, shared (most of it) with a friend, and posted my initial review from 2004. Which was written based on a sampling at the pub. So, I've never posted notes on the beer taken at home, from a growler.

If my research is correct,  I've also never managed to get a growler to take home since six years ago. How is that possible? It's just that popular. Always sells out before I can get one. This year seems to be an exception. I was surprised and delighted by my luck. And now, several weeks after sitting in the fridge, I'm going to crack it open and write new notes. Why don't I save it even longer? Because I'm just not into aging growlers. Cans, bottles, maybe even crowlers (but not likely), yes. Growlers, no. Not to say it can't, or even shouldn't, be done. But I'm just not going to do it.

So, here we have it, my second time writing about this beer, Czar Jack. Old Jack Frost Imperial Stout aged in Jack Daniels barrels. (Or something similar.)

Eternal darkness, utter blackness, beneath a rich brown-tinged ring of foam, slowly drifting away.

In the nose: Oak barrel char, dark chocolate, anise, smoke, espresso. Charcoal, tobacco, soot. I'm digging it.

In the mouth: All that and more, loaded on the palate. Thick, rich, powerful. Sweet, dark, bitter, beautiful. Big time bourbon, even bigger stout. Wave on wave of dark deliciousness. Full bodied, if you couldn't guess, and absolutely worth ever sip between cup and lip. I love every time that a beer this complex and luxurious is present on my tongue. It is wonderful.

This is really one of the best of the best. We are lucky to have it among us, every once in a while.

Russian Imperial Stout (Ol' Jack Frost) aged in American whiskey barrels.

Wild Mind Han Hazy IPA

Wild Mind Han Hazy IPA. 6.5 % ABV. 25 IBU. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

One of three beers in a series of interconnected hazy IPAs, all named after the three main human heroes of the Star Wars saga. Original Trilogy, anyway. I'll be doing them in alphabetical order: Han, Leia, Luke. Because, why not.

Ever-so thick and hazy, dull orange tones, thick slab of ivory head. Looks the part.

In the nose: Soft and citrusy. Some sweet, tropical notes pop up to join the orange and the lemon. Nice.

In the mouth: Soft, sweet, smooth, juicy. Easy on the hop bitterness. Big on the fruit notes. Medium-bodied, and easy-drinking. Plays it nice and sweet until it ends on a dry note. Tasty stuff. Just a touch yeasty/chalky.

I continue to remain outside of the camp of NE IPA lovers, but this is a good one, and I drink it with pleasure.

Part of a trio of hazy IPAs featuring Ella hops, an Australian variety that provides bright aromas of fresh cut grass and tropical fruit flavors. Han was brewed with 2-row barley, malted wheat, flaked oats, and pairs Ella with Simcoe hops, which provide this scoundrel of a beer with an extra burst of fruit flavor.

Harp Lager

Harp Lager. 4.5 % ABV. 21 IBU. Imported from Ireland. Guinness Brewing, St. James Gate, Dublin. Est. 1960. (The beer, I presume, not the brewery.)

It's that time of year again, when the sales reps try to push their Irish-brewed and Irish-themed beers in time for one of the dumbest celebrations in America. "Everyone's Irish, let's get drunk!" Bah.

And so I end up with samples of Irish beers that I would never put on tap where I work, because they just don't fit our theme or the general scope of what we do. If people want to celebrate, there will be locally brewed craft beers with an Irish angle.

And I have these, and I always promise that I'll review any bottle, can, growler or crowler that fits it's way into my fridge. Lo, and behold, I've never reviewed any of these. And here's the first one:

Clear, pale yellow color, sizable ivory head.

In the nose: soft, slight, minority malty. Brief touch of corn, cereal. Typically lager-y.

In the mouth: Modicum of hop bitterness, more malt, very light and inoffensive. A little bit crisp. Mostly clean. Drinkable, forgettable. If it's "just beer" that you're drinking, go right ahead.

I'd drink this without a fuss if I had no other choice, but otherwise....eh...







The best selling premium irish import lager in the world today. This rich, golden pilsner style lager, with a smooth, refreshing hoppy taste, is brewed the irish way, using only the finest barley and pure spring water from the Cooley Mountains of Dundalk, Ireland

Sisyphus Scoopshot Apricot

Sisyphus Scoopshot Apricot. IPA with vanilla and apricots. 7% ABV. 60 IBU. Canned: 3/10. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, bright golden/orange-ish coloring, sizable and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: Sweet apricot notes first. Nothing but sweet and mellow.

In the mouth: Cool, smooth, well-balanced fruit, mixed with lovely vanilla. Barest hint of bitterness. Light/medium bodied. Apricot flavor is on the light side, too. You can taste it, all mixed up with the vanilla, but it isn't terribly strong.
Do you need much apricot, though. Subtlety can be a strong suit.

The second iteration of the Scoopshot, after the pineapple, the milkshake IPA without the milk, which debuted last April. I like it fine, and I can drink it, but I'd rather have the IPA that's underneath all that vanilla and fruit. That's just me. I like beer that tastes like beer. Good thing they make some of that, too.

OUR TAKE ON THE MILKSHAKE IPA EXCEPT WE SKIPPED THE LACTOSE (YOU ARE WELCOME, OUR LACTOSE INTOLERANT FRIENDS.) BUT THIS THING STILL TASTES LIKE IT HAS A SCOOP OF ICE CREAM IN IT, WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF APRICOT AND VANILLA, TO COMPLEMENT THE FRUITY HOPS AND YEAST.  LOOK FOR THIS ONE TO BE A NEW REGULAR OCCURRENCE ON OUR MENU!