Minnesota Breweries One by One: #1: Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, with Winter Warmer

It's 2016, everyone! hooray! And it has been for a good, solid week, now. And what did I do? Well, I was under the weather for a bit and down in the dumps for a while, too. But, we shouldn't wallow, should we? We should correct this and soldier on as only we, I mean I, know how. And what am I going to do? Make an effort to hit up all the Minnesota breweries through the year, visiting so many I've never seen before, and revisiting old favorites.

This idea occurred to me last week, and I thought about making at least one post a week from a Minnesota brewery, based on a visit, reviewing a new beer. It could be more than one post a week, and if it wasn't, how could I get to our more than 100 breweries in a year? Is it possible? Of course. Can I do it? I'll try.

So I look back on week one, January 1-7, and where did I go? On Saturday, 1/2, I stepped foot into Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery and had a handful of great ones, then Sisyphus, later that night. I will probably save MTHB, which is one of my most common haunts, until Barrel-aged week in about a month. Last night, Thursday the 7th, I went to Sisyphus again, this time to see owner and brewer Sam Harriman headline a comedy night. I had no idea what I was in for. And I took home a crowler of Winter Warmer, which I missed out on a few weeks ago.


Sisyphus Winter Warmer. 6.7% ABV. 30 IBU. Filled: 1/7.

Mostly hazy, nearly burgundy in color, a reddish-brown to be plain, with a full, cocoa-tinged head. Looking good.

Aroma: nutty, cocoa-y, creamy, smooth malt notes. Very nice.

In the mouth: starts out slightly fierce and hoppy, then all is smooth and malty. Terrific balance, fiery at first, full of flavor, heat, and some spice, then more. Vanilla is here, cherries, too. Rich malt. Slight hops. Terrifically tasty. Medium-bodied, fairly easy-drinking, full of rich malty flavor. Lots of complexity in this one, and it's a true winter warmer in all regards. I am very happy with this one. I'll drink one whenever I see it. Yum, I say. Yum, indeed.

I talked about Sisyphus several times in the past. (Hey, if you don't want to wade though all those posts, just check this one out.) I find myself increasingly happy with their output these days. There's rarely a beer I don't like. With this visit, I took in stand-up in the performance room for the first time, and got to see what Sam's comedy is all about. I had no clue what it would be? Impressions? Props? Scatological humor? I was not disappointed, and maybe a little bit shocked. In truth, I hadn't laughed so hard in quite a long time. I recall some of Sam's jokes at his wife's expense, while she switched duties between both sides of the bar, then, later, while he gotten into even sicker stuff, pulling out the smartphone to record the set. I sort of wished I'd done the same. I never got out the camera device, and just relaxed and enjoyed the show. How do you know I was there, then? How can I illustrate this evening?
 I will borrow a picture that my brother-in-law took that same evening, and posted on Facebook. I'm sure he won't mind. I do wish I'd thought to snap a shot of Sam onstage, but sometimes I just want to live life, and not document or record it. Don't you just want to turn off that modern urge once in a while?

......

So, the year-long project begins. To clarify it one more time: At least once a week, one blog post based on a visit to a local brewery, with a new beer review from that visit, with no brewery to be repeated, (more clarification: of course I will return to breweries and their beers after they're tagged in "minnesota breweries one by one", but they won't return to the series.), urging me to keep getting out there and documenting my visits to the Minnesota brewing scene. Do I stay safe and hit up a local, South Minneapolis brewery next, or get out to St. Paul, or plot a course to get to one of the suburban breweries, or even further out-state? That is the quest. Watch this space.

Sixpoint The Crisp

Sixpoint The Crisp. 5.4% ABV. 12 fl. oz. can. 44 IBU. Lager. Brooklyn, New York.

Clear, bright golden coloring, large head that drifts down quickly.

Notes of flowers and honey in the nose, nicely hopped. A little grainy with some late blooming
 fruit.

In the mouth: nothing but smooth. Light bodied, easy drinking, clean and lean malt flavors. Happier than most, this is a lager I can get behind. Don't have much else to say, so let's see what they say.....When the Mad Scientists emerged from underground, the quest for a new formulation went from obsession to reality.
What do you get when you fuse old world craftsmanship with new, clean, & bold flavors from right raw materials? The Crisp. It's Mad Science.

Sisyphus "Richard Kind" of a Big Deal

I was at the brewery the other day and brought this home to try. Don't remember if I tasted it there, or not. Maybe that's why I brought it home, because I didn't try it. And I couldn't recall the style, nor is it listed on the can. A little diligent research shows that once again users of untapped are much more active than BeerAdvocate. They're calling it a "Lager-Black." Didn't know that was a category.

"Richard Kind" of a Big Deal. (totally forgot why they named it for the actor, though I remember a discussion about it.) 5.1% ABV. 25 IBU.
Full black coloring, short cocoa-tinged head, soon drifts down to nil.

Sweet malty nose, notes of caramel, cocoa, cream.

In the mouth: some bitterness, but mostly smooth malt flavors. Lots of dark, slightly roasted tastes, a hint of cocoa and espresso. Medium bodied. Especially easy-drinking. Finishes clean, with remaining flavorful. In other words: good beer, you can drink it.

Fair State Old Richmond Rye

Here's a beer I knew nothing of, until I saw the bottle. Okay, I'm-a gonna drink it. Batch 01. Bottle #139. Rye whiskey barrel old ale, 7.3% aBV, 40 IBU. Okay, let's drink it. Brewed by Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Partnership with 45th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond, Wisconsin.

Very murky appearance, highly haze, rich mahogany coloring, slim head that settles quick.

Aroma is big-time whiskey notes: cherries, vanilla, and oak. Just fine by me.

In the mouth: whiskey notes are huge right from the start. Big bourbon, vanilla, dark cherry and other fruits. Big malt, low hops, huge whiskey-fied flavoring. Doesn't translate through the alcohol, but it positively boils over in the flavor. Rich richness from New Richmond, via Minneapolis. Wow, this is delicious. Dee-lish-us.

I'm digging it big time, and wondering what some time would do for it. Maybe I ought to buy another for the cellaring, before they're all gone?

Dave's BrewFarm The Perle Pundit

Reports of the demise of Dave's BrewFarm, my own included, have not necessarily been exaggerated, but projected too far in advance. The property has been up for sale, but a year and some months later, there has been no successful transaction and change of hands. The last one fell though, and David Anderson is still at it, though he had made that metaphorical move within his soul, and wishes to make that life-change  a reality. Surely someone else wants to buy a brewery in the middle of nowhere, Western Wisconsin?

On my last visit, my first in months, there was exactly one beer I'd never tried available in the growler format. I am about to drink it. The Perle Pundit. 6.4 % ABV. We'll get to FarmerDave's description later.

Lightly haze, bright golden color, large white head, looking good.

Fresh, floral aromatics. Lightly hoppy, just flat out beautiful, if truth be told. Belgian yeast aromatics, as well. Intriguing.

Tasting it: crisp, dry, hoppy, zesty, yes. That's the quick review. Let's go lengthy, now. Lean bodied, nicely hopped (I'm gonna guess Perle), easy going down, lightly bitter, crisply malty. Extra smooth, man. Like the saxophone solo in a Kool & the Gang hit from the 80's. That Belgian yeast strain is doing it's thing, too, delivering that funky fresh flavor to the palate. Reminds me in a way of a Belgian single, and nothing else. A little pilsner-y, a little pale ale-ish. Great beer, and I'm drinking it.

From the mouth of FarmerDave: "Pils, Cara Red and a splash of oats. Two additions of Perle and finished with Select hops. Fermented with a Trappist-lineage yeast. Crisp and refreshing." Yes, it is that. I wish I were at a picnic. Oh, well.

Oliphant Treehouse of Gourdor II

Here's one that's lasted a bit longer than they'd like at the taproom, and I was happy to help diminish the supply. Treehouse of Goudor II, ale brewed with pumpkin and spices. 7% Alc./vol.

Thoroughly hazed, dull brown coloring, slight head, soon gone.

Aromatics start shy, then slowly grow. Spices spill out first, followed by the sweet meat of the gourd.

Taste: malt-forward, with just enough hops for balance. Pumpkin flavor is there, but not large in the least, Spices are plentiful, though. A nice, warm, well-balanced seasonal ale. Unfortunately, this is not one of their more arresting offerings. And it gets harder to move it off the taps when we get farther away from Turkey Time. It's good beer, though, and you can drink it.

Widmer Brothers Brrr Seasonal Ale

Widmer Brothers Brrr Seasonal Ale. Portland, OR. What, no "Christmas", not even "Holiday"? Is it PC gone amok, or a smart strategy to keep consumers from rejecting it outright, after December 25?
7.2% Alcohol by Volume.

Lightly hazed, dull amber/bronze coloring, short-lived off-white head.

In the nose: earthy hop bitterness is here, but it's mostly malt, slightly sweet, a little bit spicy. Nice blend.

In the mouth: Zesty hop attack up front, some citrus, little bitter bite, swallowed up quickly by rich malt. Medium bodied, easy-drinking (for 7+ %). Spicy malt character warms up the palate. Hops continue to play, and all is fairly harmonized. I do enjoy the flavor in this one. Not a bad winter warmer at all.

Hey, there's gobbledygook on the label, let's read it...."Warm up with a cold one. Or two. Our winter red ale is the perfect treat. Naughty or nice." Signed by one of the brothers. I hate the phrase "cold one." Just do. Wait, there's more: "Citrusy hop aromas fill your nose. Than caramel and chocolate malts reward you with a perfectly balanced candy-sweet flavor and velvety finish." Sure, okay.

Oliphant KameHameHop Belgian-style Imperial IPA

Everything about this beer says Me, Me, Me. I didn't not taste it at all on my last visit to the brewery, this previous Sunday. Thought I'd try everything else and bring back a crowler. A Wisconsin-sized crowler. Gonna crack it open and tell you all about it. Oh, it's 9.2% Alc./Vol. But that was hinted at in the whole "Imperial" thing.

Very clear, classic amber/bronze hue, smallish white head, sticks around as a tight ring.

Aroma is exactly like I'd suspect from anything calling itself "Belgian IPA": funky, fruity, lightly bitter. Reminds me of Harriet's West Side, and Flying Dog's Raging Bitch.  Hitting all those notes.

In the mouth: a strange flash of Belgian yeast meets up with hop bitterness. Pretty mellow, though. Yet so far. Smooth malt flavors, too.  Tasty stuff. The alcohol is starting is show, and I don't mind it one bit. Buzzy, hoppy texture. Quite drinkable, though. I almost want to take points away for not being original, but have to give some up for being right on the money.

I don't know what this is.

Avery Out Of Bounds Stout

Here's another one I'm revisiting. So many old reviews to see again anew. This one is from April of 2007, a bottle received through trade, a few years before you could get this brewery here. It's the Out of Bounds Stout form Avery Brewing, of Boulder, Colorado. 6.3% ABV.

Dark brown body body, ruby tinges around the edges, under a puffy cocoa head, plenty of lacing, rocky, looking good for a stout.

Aroma is sweet and roasty, lots of espresso notes, nuts, chocolate...nougat, caramel...it's a candy bar, nearly, more I sniff it...toffee! Me like!

Taste: just right. Full bodied, big on board the palate, bittersweet, tart yet again chocolatey, very cocoa-licious! Hmmm, mmm!

Quite satisfying, full flavored, with huge hops, tempered by roasty chocolate malts...mmm, mmm...I quite like it.

I still quite like it.

Barley John's 6 Knot IPA

Now, we get to the last of the 4 core Barley John's Brewing Company cans, brewed in New Richmond, Wisconsin. The brewpub had always had an IPA called Stockyard, (which I first reviewed in 2004), but they couldn't use that name anymore due to some body telling them they shouldn't, because of, you know, "We want that name, and we have lawyers." Stuff like that. Is it the same beer? I'm going to review it now, and look at the old notes later.....

Barley John's 6 Knot India Pale Ale. 6.9% ABV. 50 IBU.

Clouded, golden hue, large, lush, whitish head. Looking good.


Aroma is bursting with hoppy goodness, Pine, citrus and tropical notes aplenty popping up. Delightful.

In the mouth, it's more of that bouncing on the palate. Juicy, fruity, dry, and bitter. Lots of grapefruit, probably a good use of Cascades and other, but this is not a West Coast style at all, lots of other influences. Lottos earthy malt notes in it, too, and an overall balanced approach. Classic IPA all the way, with plenty of character and pedigree. Medium body and excellent session-ability. Good stuff, go ahead and drink it.

So, that's my take on the can in 2016. This seems to be exactly the same beer as Stockyard, re-named. I wonder if they changed the name at the brewpub? Anyway, here's more...


The website for the brewpub say this: Strong malt backbone with a present hop character, not as citrus and hoppy as the American IPA counterpart, our IPA  celebrates the more subtle British presentation of the style.

6.8% ABV | 50 IBU’s

Malts Used: 2-Row, Munich,  Crystal,  Wheat,  Aromatic | Hops Used: Warrior, East Kent Goldings, Whitbred Goldings, Challenger, Cascade | Yeast: House Strain

and the website for the brewery says this: 6 KNOT
MY IPA IS A BALANCED, LAYERED FLAVOR EXPERIENCE. MALT GOODNESS INTERTWINED WITH HOPPY INTRIGUE. I SWIPED THE BRITISH STYLE AND REPLACED THE MONARCHY WITH A GNOMARCHY.

6.9% ABV   |   50 IBUS

And in 2004, I took home a growler and wrote this:

Deep amber color, nearly crimson, with a tight, slight, bubbly head.
Aroma: citric, grapefruity, lively and enticing. Nice.
Taste: good initial bitterness, great match with malt, wonderful juiciness in the palate, fruity flavor just bursts forth, and feels like a Belgian style with a certain spicy/sugariness.
Rather light bodied, and smoothly drinkable.
Nice, if I were in New Brighton more often, this would be my drink of choice.
Looking at the other reviews, there might have been some change in the recipe or brewing, but, dagnabbit, I like it!

Barley John's Little Barley Session Ale

Here is another of Barley John's canned ales, and it's one I first took notes on over 11 years ago, from a growler bought at the brewpub. April 7, 2004. It's known at the brewpub as Little Barley Bitter, but the name has wisely been changed. The sort of folks who enjoy this beer would be put off by the word "bitter." This is a scientifically proven fact.

Here are those old notes.

Clear, light copper color, thin, white, bubbly head.

Nose is fresh, though plain, yeasty, and faintly fruity.

Crisp taste, neat, tasty, tidy bitterness, great malty feel, excellent balance.
An easy quaffer, this, slightly sweet, but sure, and perfectly fills the bill for the style. I can imagine that this does the trick when a beerlover comes into the pub, needing a brew for the less adventurous companion.

Decent bitter, though I'd choose one of their bigger brews.

Eleven years later, I'd say it's still the same. Not going to be a choice for me, but I wouldn't turn it down, either.

Destihl St. Dekkera Excommunie Quatre

Destihl St. Dekkera Reserve Sour Ale Excommunie Quatre, sour quadrupel ale aged in oak barrels. Brewed and bottled by Destihl Brewery, Bloomington, IL. Alc. 11.5% by vol.  Batch/year: 2013.

Clear and rosy hued. Slim, tight ring of head.

In the nose, sweetness first, then sour. Cherries and funk. Sourness increased, oak-iness continues. Very complex and intriguing aromatics. Beautiful, really.

In the mouth, it's as deep, dark, and delicious as you can get. Fruitiness, tannins, bitterness, souring, oak edges....all of this happening at once. Lays long on the palate. Sour mixes with malt sweetness, no hop bitterness. Refreshing, while strong and boozy. Tartness continues and hangs heavy, delivering deliciousness.

I'm just gonna come right out and say it: this is good. Richness, fruit, sour, dark, delicious malt. This has it going on. Pretty amazing. Worth the $19 I paid for it? Yeah.

Anchor Double Liberty IPA

Anchor Double Liberty. A double IPA from Anchor? Whaa-a--a--at? Alright, I'm in. Let's do it. Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, California, 8.2% Alc. by Vol.

Clear, bright golden coloring, vast ivory head. leaving lace.

Bitter, fruity aromatics. Starts with the sweet and the tropical, and then comes the rich and ridiculous. Candied fruit, dipped in brandy. Boozy and truculent. Dried apricots, mixed with liquor.

In the mouth: Big, big, big. Sweet, then bitter. Then bigger, then bigger. Rich, and overly everything. This is not a kindler, gentler double IPA, nor a smooth one. This had got the booze and the hops, but isn't altogether...together. Doesn't quite hang. If you want to be pummeled by hops and booze, go for it. Booze is riding higher and higher now, boom, boom, boom, boom. Tasty, then too much.

Eh, I'm going to say that I didn't love it. There's better double IPAs out there. Go drink them. Anchor, try again.

there's a lot of gobbledygook on the label, in such a small type that I can't read it. Surely it's on the web somewhere? Well, sure there is. 

Fulton Barrel-aged Expat Rye Saison

Fulton Barrel-aged Expat Rye Saison, bottle #2346 of 3000. Mols, Minn. Aged in Red Wine Barrels.

Hazy, dull amber, slim whitish head.

Belgian yeast hits the nose first, followed by spicy rye malt notes. Slight sweetness, wheat malt notes (?). I like it.

In the mouth: Here's where the barrel-aging starts to show. Spicy and sweet up front with a flash of bitterness, and a brief bit of sour. Tannins take over. Grapes and raisins pop up on the palate. Medium bodied, or less. Tasty, smooth and satisfying. Just shy of delicious.

Bent Brewstillery Brother Vesper Strong Dark Belgian Stout Aged on Toasted White Ash

Bent Brewstillery Brother Vesper strong dark belgian stout aged on toasted white ash. So says the label. Alec. 9 % by vol. IBU 20.

Fully opaque, definitely dark coloration, with a slim and soon-gone head.

Aroma spills out some sweetness, some cocoa, maybe, a little ...hmmm, not much else. Earthy, malty tones. Some grit, some spice.

Now, to drink: In the mouth, sweetness and bitterness, lots of malt, and....medium body....slight fruitiness. Good balance. A little bit of raisin in there, a little bit of coffee, but ...not much more. I'm not entirely impressed. I want to be. But it's just not working. There's nothing special, there's no joy.

I love beers like this, or like this is supposed to be, and I really want this to be one that I like. It isn't. Eh. Life goes on....

from the label: "Brother Vesper sips his daily ration. Flavors and aromas of plum, brandy, jammy wine and cordial cherries, wood, spice, plus a gentle alcohol tug. Strong? Dark? Stout? Quadruple? Ant? Can I get a beer-blessed hell yes!"

not from me, sorry.

New Glarus Milk Stout

Dark brown coloring, with ruby highlights at the edges, under a tan head that holds it's own.

Nose is cocoa and toast, light roast and cocoa, plus a lot of lactose. Very nice.

In the mouth: Creamy, from the start. Rich and smooth. Dark chocolatey delights reveal themselves, some caramel and toffee, and a hint of coffee here and there. Medium bodied. Smooth upon smooth. Drinkable as heck. Lactose is bringing the sweet and the creamy, hops keep it just in check.

All in all, a very satisfying milk stout. This style should have plenty of adherents, and this beer will find favor with them. And I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers.

There's tiny, tiny type on the side of the label that I can't read. Luckily, there is this.

Epic Brewing Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout

I'm late on this one, too. It's been available in the Minnesota market for years, and I've never picked up a bottle and actually brought it up to the checkout counter. And I like to try all the Imperial Stouts. Why did it take me so long? There is no reason. Let's drink the thing.

Epic Brewing Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout. Stout with cocoa nibs and coffee added and aged in whiskey barrels. 11.9 % Alc./Vol.
Epic Brewing, Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colorado.

Utter blackness, with a tight, cocoa-tinged ring around it.

In the nose: bitter, sweet, revealing chocolate, espresso, more. Earthy, lush, and deep.

In the mouth: Big sweetness, followed by some bitter. Increasing heat, then some mellow malt. Vanilla beans bump up in the flavor, then oak. Rich and irresistible. Dark, mysterious, and full of deep pleasures.

does this say release #55 or #65? I can't read it!

That was the end of my notes, before the Sandman called me to sleep. I didn't finish the contents of the bottle, but I think I got it. That's what it was, that's what it is, good beer, go drink it.

Sixpoint Resin

Sixpoint Resin Double IPA. 9.1 % ABV. 103 IBU.


Clear, bright golden coloring, big ivory head that settles down quickly.

Aroma is all kinds of citrus, big hop bitterness, all the things that the hophead yearns for, really. Lemon and lime and orange rind. Pine needles and flower pedals. Kinda nice.

In the mouth, a burst of hoppy goodness. All the citrus, all the pine, and all the sticky resin-y hop flavor you're looking for.  Lean-ish body. Light malt character. This is where the hops shine, and shine they do. Big, bright, and busting out. Lasts long in the finish.

This one is right on the money. Can't find a flaw at all. Go out and drink it.

Toppling Goliath Pompeii India Pale Ale

Pompeii India Pale Ale, brewed and bottled by Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, Deborah, Iowa.

Hazy, cloudy, yet bright golden in color, pure ivory head, creamy and lush, leaving lace, looking great.

Aroma is burst with citrus, pine and tropical fruit notes. Big, bright, and booming. Spreading zesty sunshine up into the nasal cavities and beyone. I dig it.

In the mouth: More brightness, more beauty, more yum. Clean, smooth, and full of tasty hoppiness, without a lot of bitterness. Sunshine-y and ever-so tasty. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Easy-going and utterly delightful. Ah, my goodness. Medium-bodied, light bitterness, beautiful fruit factor.

I won't read the label to you. I tire of typing. It's an over-ripe and over-wrought scenario involving the  volcanic eruption at Pompeii and the mosaics that existed there. Because, I presume, Mosaic is the hops here, and it is delicious as ever in this. Here's what they say on the website. 

Good IPA, go drink it.

Odell Friek

Odell Friek, ale with cherries and raspberries, aged in oak barrels. Alc. by Vol. 6.9% ABV. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, Colorado.

This is one I'm really late on, I admit it. But the plain and simple reason is that when I see the $17 price tag, no matter how appealing it sounds or how much I love the brewery, I back away. With very few exceptions. Well, I finally decided to take the plunge. What's the worst that could happen? Let's jump on in and drink this one.

Bright ruby red coloring, slim, soon-gone head.

Aroma: fruity and funk. Raspberries are first in the nose, sweet cherries come up from behind. Hints of oak barrel coming through.

Tasting it: Boom! Wildness starts it off, barrel aging adds the oak. Tastes exactly like it is: a blend of framboise and kriek lambics, or if not "lambics", the closest we can get without being in Belgium. It's bright, fresh, ending on a dry note, and exceptionally refreshing.

Great stuff, done well, just as I knew Odell would do. At that price, I wouldn't return to it too often, but if you can spend the cash, do.