BlackStack Pull Tabs Pale Ale

 BlackStack Pull Tabs Pale Ale.

6% ABV, BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

I swore I’d release my self from the burden of reviewing the BlackStack IPAs that come my way, to avoid repeating myself. Well, this one is a pale ale, so that doesn’t count. Let’s try his one out. 

Hazier than I like a pale ale to be (and this is not labeled as a hazy, per se, at least not on the can, so there was a chance of some clarity, says the guy who’s been fooled before), bright golden hue, slim, lasting, white head.

In the nose: softly citric, grapefruit hints, carried away by slight tropical tones. Pleasant hoppy aromatics.

In the mouth: exceptionally smooth entry on the palate, gliding effortlessly over the tongue. Light hop bitterness, easy drinking, medium bodied, soft and squishy. Just a little juicy. Nice and breezy. 

I’d like a little more in the way of crisp and clean, but it wouldn’t be BlackStack, then, would it? 

Hazy Pale Ale w/ Mosaic, Strata & El Dorado... PULL UP!

Surly Cyber Wolf Black IPA

 Surly Cyber Wolf Black IPA. Black India Pale Ale.

Hoppy/Citrusy/Dark.

6.5% ABV. Surly Brewing, Twin Cities, MN. 

Fully black, absolute opacity, slim tan head.

In the nose: bright and grassy, pine and citrus notes peeking up through the chocolate below.

In the mouth: dark malts keep time with the hops. Plenty of bitterness on the palate. Medium bodied. Easy enough drinking. I can’t knock it. 

Cyber Wolf’s howling blend of roasty malt and citrusy hops defines this defiantly dark IPA.

Headflyer Mint Chocolate Factory

 

Headflyer Mint Chocolate Factory. Chocolate Pastry Stout.

8.5% ABV. Headflyer Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

I have a strict ban on “pastry stouts.” If it’s on the label, I won’t buy it. This came to me free. Once upon a time, you would just it a chocolate stout, and now they’re pastry beers. Moronic. Let’s drink it anyway.

Solid black, complete opacity, slim brown ring atop.

In the nose: mint and chocolate, there it is, mild roast, slight sweet, overall pleasant.

In the mouth: again, mint hits first, then cocoa. Medium bodied, smooth and easy drinking. Nearly non-existent bitterness, only for balance. Inherently likable. Enjoying this. 

Stone 26th Anniversary Imperial IPA

 

Stone 26th Anniversary Imperial IPA. A triple dry hopped Imperial IPA 26 years in the making.

Mostly clear, bright orange color, slim white head. 

In the nose: dank and citrusy, high hopping stepped up into the stratosphere, set afire. Orange, grapefruit, mango.

In the mouth: popping with hops, turned up a notch or ten. Busy bitterness on the palate. Resinous to extremis. Big, juicy, dry, dripping, hot, wet, sizzling…this one’s a beast. And I can dig it. Sometimes you got to go all out. 

One of our favorite releases every year is in the summer when we celebrate our anniversary. This one is two-fold: 26 years of Stone Brewing and 25 years of Stone IPA. To honor that beer, we did this supped-up version with massive amounts of Centennial hops and 9.7% ABV! Cheers to us, cheers to you, cheers to Stone IPA, and cheers to another amazing year.

25 years ago we celebrated the 1st Anniversary of our fledgling brewery with a beer that was far away from the craft beer norms at the time. It was far too intense. It was far too hoppy and bitter. Yet it became the shot heard ‘round the world, and beer history was changed forever. We’re talking of course about our flagship Stone IPA. So, to celebrate the beer that (eventually) launched generations of hop fanatics, we present this imperial version of the beer that made our name among the (budding) craft beer legions. Loaded with gloriously bitter notes of piney, citrusy, resinous dankness, it’s everything we love about our classic West Coast style IPA…properly turned up to 11.... we mean 25 for the occasion.

Drekker Flizzard Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

 Drekker Flizzard Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout With ice cream, Oreos, cacao nibs, and milk sugar. 

12.5 % ABV, Drekker Brewing, Fargo, North Dakota. 

Here he have a beer that I would never have purchased on my own. The price is usually prohibitive and the ingredients go against my principles. But my nephew brought it to Christmas and gave it to me, so I suppose that I had better drink it. 

Full on ebony, complete opacity, tight brown ring.

In the nose: cocoa and cookies, dark chocolate, fudge. Whispers of crème filling. Hints of nougat. So much richness.

In the mouth: more richness, more depth, more chocolate explosion on the palate. Not sure how ice cream contributes to anything, it’s a gimmicky additive, if nothing else. Why use it? 

Full body, full flavor, loads of deep delights. And cookies! Yay! Cookies…whee!

Oreo®️ Flizzard is the first of what will be a whole series of stupidly fun Flizzard stouts. This one was built on a blended base stout from some of our favorite barrels, and conditioned on ice cream, oreos, and milk sugar.

I will now shut up and….just drink…

Back Channel Slappy Beer Girl New England IPA

 

Back Channel Slappy Beer Girl New England IPA. 

7% ABV, Back Channel Brewing, Spring Lake Park, Minnesota. 

I am going to break my vow and examine an NE IPA here in the Nib, if only to enter into the record this beer named for my friend Michelle Davila, who passed away from cancer last year. This is it’s debut in cans, having been released on tap about a year ago, shortly after her passing.

Back Channel was a favorite hang for Michelle and her husband Rod. The meaning of the name is derived from an old email account. None of us knows to this day why this beer girl would describe herself as “Slappy”, and I know of no instances of slapping. Never slapped me, as far as I can remember. Teased me, now and then. All in good fun. 

She liked pink flamingos.

And the beer…heavily clouded. Dull orange. Slim milky white head. 

In the nose: soft and citrusy, orange and papaya, grapefruit and mango.

In the mouth: smooth, slightly sweet, light bitterness. Bright fruit sensations on the palate, wrapped up in fuzz. Tropical notes chime higher than citric on the tongue. It’s a juicy, fruity blend. Slides down the throat with effortless ease. 

I still haven’t been to Back Channel, though I would like to, for I need to drink from a bowl once in my life or I haven’t lived. 

For now, I finish this tribute to Michelle in wildly inappropriate glassware and think fondly of that sweet woman. You were loved and you will be missed. 

Revolution Infinity Hero India Pale Ale

 

Revolution Infinity Hero India Pale Ale. Next-Gen hops Juicy Citrus Character.

7% ABV, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois. 

What if Dr. Strange had a hop cone for a head? Well, they did that once in the ‘70’s, didn’t you read that arc? When he fought that elder god with the rutabaga head? Around the time Clea dated Ben Franklin? (I didn’t make that one up.)

Clear, bright golden hue, long lasting and lace-leaving ivory head. 

In the nose: popping with citrus notes, with a dose of tropical, pineapple and papaya mingle with grapefruit and orange. Perfectly pleasant. 

In the mouth: just a little juicy, then turning dry. Hops resound on the palate. Blast of bitterness comes on like Kirby’s forced perspective while Ditko’s otherworldly weirdness casts spells on the tongue. Medium bodied and ridiculously drinkable. 

By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, I’m happy that IPAs like this still exist and I admire Revolution for making them. 

The universe has long been at odds between Classic and Hazy IPAs. Infinity-Hero sets out to unite these dimensions by weaving the best of both worlds into an extremely drinkable, forward-looking IPA. A next-gen dry hop including Nectaron, Strata, HBC #586, and HBC #1019 provides a glimpse into the future of hop innovation with seemingly endless juicy, citrus character.

Wabasha Zeus Double IPA

 Wabasha Zeus Double IPA.

8% ABV, 69 IBU. Wabasha Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota.

I’ve had some bad luck with Wabasha in the past, and have been staying away from them. This one, however, has gotten good reviews from friends and I was able to get a single, so here we go…

 Nearly opaque with reddish tint, small milky head. Some floaties. This is not super fresh, nor is it super old.

In the nose: fruity and sweet with a glimmer of dank below. 

In the mouth: bitterness grabs the palate right off, with sweet, juicy, fruity flavors rushing in. Citrus and tropical tones. Alcohol rises up to meet. Full bodied, fully flavored. This isn’t my favorite type of double IPA, but still like it. Don’t love it, do like it.

Orange, Grapefruit and tangerine with earthy pine undertones

A. Schell’s Limited Batch Scotch Ale

 

A. Schell’s Limited Batch No. 008 Scotch Ale.

7% ABV, 20 IBU. August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, Minnesota.

Clear, dark reddish color, slim beige head.

In the nose: slightly sweet, malty, earthy, notes of toffee and caramel.

In the mouth: smooth and malty, expertly balanced. Just enough hops to keep malt sweetness in check. Medium bodied and exceptionally easy drinking. Note perfect Scotch. Quite tasty.

Revolution Jukebox Hero Black IPA

 

Revolution Jukebox Hero Black IPA. A power chord of amped up hops. 

7.5 % ABV. Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois. 

From the current League of Heroes variety pack. 

Nearly black color, full opacity, with a slim tanned head. 

In the nose: cocoa meets grass and pine. 

In the mouth: smooth and malty at the start, hops popping up. Bitterness is low, but lays long, if light, upon the palate. Chocolate and caramel malts carry it, though the hops could go further. Yeah, it could be bigger in a few ways, but as is it’s decent and downable. 

Half Acre Tend Winter India Pale Ale

 Half Acre Tend Winter India Pale Ale.

6.8 % ABV. Half Acre Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois.

Largely clear, rusty toned, slim white head.

In the nose: malty and moderately hopped.

In the mouth: a little spice up front, with just a dose of hop bitterness gliding across the palate and slipping down the throat. Caramel-y malt flavors. Rich and delicious. Toasty delights abound. A delightful winter IPA. 

Tend Winter IPA. Seasonal beers, more than most, are big for beer makers to fiddle with the associations living in the recesses of your brain. In Tend, we’ve looked at the cycling, Gregorian hold-down that is Midwestern cold. Brewing beer for the cold, we think hearty, chewy beer. Give us color, increased density and heft to live with the sunken temps, but hopefully beers brewed in rhythm with the season push on associations. In Tend, a range of specialty malts tilt us into a Caramel, baked & toasted bread landscape ~ chord wood, simmering soups, wind-licked skin. Some of our favorite hops, Mosaic and Simcoe, bake-in the notes of pine and orange, berry marmalade ~ Norway Spruce, dense outdoor soundscapes only heavy snow can provide and fractalized horizons sliced-up by naked trees. Weighty Winter IPA brewed for wood smoke and fire to lift your mind out over the dim, long cold.

Pipeworks Infinite Galaxy Galaxy Hopped India Pale Ale

 Pipeworks Infinite Galaxy Galaxy Hopped India Pale Ale.

6.5% ABV. Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, Illinois.

I was first sold on this one being a non-hazy IPA (on account of being sick of the hazies), and I was secondly sold on the label illustration. Show me a space tortoise and I am all in.

Ever so slightly hazed, bright golden hue, lasting layer of milky froth atop. 

In the nose: arresting aromatics, chock full of citrus and pine. 

In the mouth: brief bitter bite starts it off, with a little bit of juicy on the palate. Fruity flavors splash about. Hops aplenty here, running amok with ultimate autonomy. Vastly delicious. Medium bodied. Delightfully drinkable. 

This is the sort of IPA that makes me love Pipeworks all over again. 

Sisyphus It’s Not On the Menu Double Barrel Imperial Stout

 Sisyphus It’s Not On the Menu Double Barrel Imperial Stout. Buffalo Trace & J. Carver Bourbon barrels.

13.5 % ABV. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis , Minnesota.

For much of 2022, there was a special beer on tap at Sisyphus that you could only order if you were, you know, in the know. At last, I’m sitting down with a bottle of It’s Not on the Menu. 

Solid ebony, strictly opaque, brief brown head. 

In the nose: molasses, cocoa, caramel, vanilla and whiskey all the way. Charcoal and cherry. Smoke and oak. 

In the mouth: bombardment of riches deployed upon the palate. Much deliciousness. Super double massive attack. Cocoa and caramel, roast and toast. Low bitterness, but sweet is kept in check, too. Big and balanced. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom. 

All the goodness unfolds deliciously. Cherry and chocolate wrapped up in bourbon. Layers and layers of delight. 

I may need to buy a few more of these. A speakeasy double bba ris, utterly unmarketed, is a magical thing. A wonderful, magical thing. 

Mikerphone Step Into the Freezer Cold India Pale

 

Mikerphone Step Into the Freezer Cold India Pale Ale.

6.5% ABV. Mikerphone Brewing, Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Here we go. A cold IPA. Do I like them now? Let’s find out. 

Crystal clear, bright yellow color, slim white head.

In the nose: lightly spicy/citrusy hop notes, a whiff of malt. Not really digging this part. 

In the mouth: minor bitterness. Light bodied. Grainy. Crisp and clean. Hop flavors sizzle slightly on the palate. Lacks overall in the flavor department.

This cold IPA stuff? I don’t get ‘em. They barely resemble an IPA. The rice factor doesn’t appeal to me at all. 

At least I didn’t pay for this one. As with hazies, I’m pretty sure I’ll never put my own money down on one of these. It’s a fad style I’ll be staying away from. 

Noon Whistle Big Strike West Coast IPA

 Noon Whistle Big Strike West Coast IPA.

Hops, Centennial, Cascade, & Strata. 6.2% ABV. 

And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a beer from Noon Whistle Brewing of Naperville, Illinois (and also Lombard, IL). Prior to this, the only thing I knew about Napervillle is that is hometown to actor/ comedian Bob Odenkirk. I make it my business to know things about Bob Odenkirk. Another thing I try to make my business is West Coast IPAs. This is the first non- NE IPA from this brewery, so I have to give it a go.

In Collaboration with Little Thistle Brewing of Rochester, Minnesota, a brewery I still haven’t been to. The name and label design is a tribute to bowling as a pinball machine or video game and may also allude to The Big Lebowski.

Not quite clear, golden hued, with a large and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: it’s got the hops in a abundance. Perfumey and pungent, dare I say dank? 

In the mouth: slight bitterness up front, a smidge of sweet and good slathering of citrus on the palate. And then along comes a touch of butter that does not belong. Citrus and pine are at play, orange and mango in the mix. But that flaw in the flavor ruins the experience. Lacking in bitterness, as well, and needs to be crisper, less malty. Drinkable, but not especially pleasant. 

I wanted to like this, but it fell severely short. 

This West Coast IPA is a collaboration with our friends at Little Thistle Brewing. We had such a great time bowling with them in Minnesota that we wanted to call our beer Big Strike! This beer perfectly showcases the fruity and citrus-forward oils in some of our favorite hops. Hopped with Centennial Cryo, Cascade Cryo, Strata, and Chinook this beer has ripe notes of peach, pineapple, nectarine, orange, grapefruit rind, and lemon. The big fruity notes are followed up with a balanced bitterness that feels like a Big Strike! 

Arbeiter Cartwheel Fireworks Strong Pale

 Arbeiter Cartwheel Fireworks Strong Pale.

6% ABV, 33 IBU, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

What is a strong pale ale? This is only 6%, is that strong? I’ll get some answers eventually. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, large and lush ivory head. 

In the nose: citrus notes and tropical tones. Pineapple meets grapefruit. So far, so groovy. 

In the mouth: minor bitterness at the front, fresh and juicy in the flavor. Zesty, citrus packed pale ale. Medium bodied, easy going. Delightfully drinkable. 

Hey, look what I found: American Strong Pale Ales are deep golden to copper. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures. Low caramel malt aroma is allowable. Fruity-ester aroma should be moderate to strong. Hop aroma is high, exhibiting floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney, resinous, or sulfur-like American-variety hop characters. Low level maltiness may include low caramel malt character. Hop flavor is high, exhibiting floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney, resinous, or sulfur-like American-variety hop flavors. Hop bitterness is high. ABV: 5.60% – 7.30%. IBU: 40 – 50.

You learn something new every day. 

I honestly did not know this was a category.

This beer is a play on bright flavors typically found in hazy IPAs & IPLs. Using a new hop variety this beer delivers tropical fruits along with bright herbal notes over a light body.  A strong ale that drinks smooth, exciting, & light.

Revelation Ale Works Edison’s —— New England Style India Pale Ale

 Revelation Ale Works Edison’s —— New England Style India Pale Ale. 

6.4% ABV, Revelation Ale Works, Hallock, MN.

And now it is 2023. In the year 2022, this blog marked 12 years. Also, it was the 20th anniversary of the beginning of this little beer writing obsession of mine. In the summer of 2002, a friend gave me a bottle apiece of Lion Stout and Dogfish Head 90 IPA, I started a notebook and never looked back. Posting them on the internet began a few months later. 

I’ve observed a few rules while doing this and I recently had an epiphany, or a revelation, if you will, about rules: they are mine and I can change them. And so, I no longer have to review every beer that I bring home in this blog. I can just drink it without turning it into a review.

That said, this may be the last review of a hazy IPA you will ever read here in the Nib. Maybe. You never know.

What brought this on? I’m as tired of complaining about them as you probably are of reading it. The last BlackStack review was the last straw.

On with the beer formerly known as Edison’s Medicine before, I presume, the brewery was informed that you can’t suggest that your beer has medicinal properties.

Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim milky white head.

In the nose: soft and fuzzy. Pineapple and peach, orange and mango.

In the mouth: more soft, no fuzz, citrus and tropical notes. Bereft of bitterness. Juicy and sweet. Light bodied. Fruity finish. Pineapple sometimes gives way to grapefruit. 

Enjoyable version of this style. If you’re into that sort of thing. 

“ This hazy, citrusy New England IPA is double dry-hopped with TONS of Citra and Mosaic hops.  This smooth non-traditional IPA is like an electric shock to the brain!

Nine Mile Double Sol

 

Nine Mile Double Sol. Double New England IPA.

8.2 % ABV, Nine Mile Brewing, Bloomington, Minnesota.

Hey, Al,  you’re saying to me, I thought you hated the hazies? Don’t you despise the doubles most of all?

Yes, true, but this was given to me by a co-worker who was also works at the brewery with no warning that it was a hazy. And this brewery hasn’t appeared here yet, so let’s get one in the books. 

(I’d been to Nine Mile once before, on their opening day, nearly a year ago. I had exactly one beer then because it was too crowded and the line was insane. Haven’t been back because when am I in Bloomington? 

All hazed out, dull yellow color, lush cloud-white head. 

In the nose: big citrus. Slightly tart. Touch of tropical. Pineapple meets grapefruit.

In the mouth: lots of fruit and fuzz. Virtually no bitterness. Too sweet for me. Not what I want in a double IPA. As I’ve said over and over again, ad infinitum. Very soft, “pillowy”…but that’s how they make ‘em now. I’m getting no bitterness, but here comes the booze. 

I’m glad I can still find the kind of DIPA I like around. Plenty of Sticker Fight to be found. 

And I’ll finish it, and I thank you, Michael, for your generosity.

Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies Limited Release Fresh Hop IPA

 Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies Limited Release Fresh Hop IPA.

6.5% ABV, 50 IBU, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon.

Yes, I saved my last fresh hop IPA until January, what of it? 

Clear, bright green hue, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: grapefruit and lemon, with a trace of tropical, slice of stone fruit, trickle of piney, drops of dank. 

In the mouth: blast of bitterness up front, followed by a splash of sweet. Hop flavors play smooth and gentle on the palate. Medium bodied, fresh, delicious, a joy to drink. Bitterness lingers on. Just the way I like it. 

I’ll get some more, if I see any. 

Crafted with Idaho 7 Hops

From fresh picked to fridge ready, seize the hop harvest season with this fresh and juicy IPA featuring aromas of tangerine, apricot and papaya paired with pine resin.

BlackStack Rule of Thirds TIPA

 BlackStack Rule of Thirds TIPA.

10.1% ABV, BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Another TIPA from BlackStack, but not a Triple IPA, and never a hazy or New England TIPA. Why not? I want to see NETIPA on the label and I want someone to call it “nettipa.” And of course it’s hazy.

What else would I call it? Dull yellow color, slim white head.

In the nose: citrus drenched, tropical tinged.

In the mouth: citrus blast that’s almost sour. Fierce attack on the palate, turning toward astringency. Overload. Bit much. Each new swallow brings a wince and a pucker. Overdone dank, superfluous hopping. I just read the back and can’t believe the beer I’m drinking is the one they described. 

Composition matters. Every little piece fits together to form a semblance of a whole. Fully packed with our selected Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic & a new to us blend called Experimental HBC 303 Cryo containing Phantasm. Nothing out of place. Everything in focus.

Medium-ish bodied, but a bit of a challenge for the drinking. I’m not surprised my opinion is so contrary to the loyal fans. Alcohol is imbalanced. There’s little “composition “ to speak of. Normally I’d admire something as bold as this, but the shock at the start sort of ruined the experience. This is essentially a mixed-up sugary mess. Nothing focused about it. No clarity. A fuzzy, boozy wreck.