Invictus Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll Golden Ale

 Invictus Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll Golden Ale.

5.2 % ABV, Invictus Brewing, Blaine, MN. 

Clear, light amber color, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nutty, creamy…vanilla…salty..,caramel.

In the mouth: more sweet malt, but still in balance. Medium bodied, light hops, a malt-driven tasty treat. Vanilla and caramel are big, but never too much. 

There’s been talk from people who liked a previous version as a stout (by now-defunct Tin Whiskers), but this one really does deliver the flavors of the salted nut roll, and I like it. 

We partnered with Pearson’s Candy Company in St. Paul to create a clean and crisp Golden Ale loaded with 200 pounds of Salted Nut Rolls. The Flavors of roasted peanuts, golden caramel and fluffy nougat with a hint of salt. Perfectly paired with a Salted Nut Roll. This brew has the qualities of the quintessential St Paul candy we know and love.

Surly Eighteen

 

Surly Eighteen. Belgian-style Golden Strong Ale Fermented with Brettanomyces.u

11% ABV,  Surly Brewing, Minneapolis / Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. 

Clear, golden, slim white head.

In the nose: funky, sweet, fruity. Stone fruit, citrus, bubblegum. 

In the mouth: sweet and fruity up front, but balanced. Light bodied, easily drinkable, but for the high ABV coming on slowly but surely. Slightly sugary, while never overly sweet. Ending on a drying note. 

I like this, but I want to like it more. That’s just my way. As is, it’s a rarity these days. No one really makes anything like this, at least not around these parts. Wish this was something I could taste more often, rather than a once in a blue moon thing. 

Surly's anniversary beers are all about challenging ourselves, be it with ingredients, processes, styles, or all three at once.

For our 18th anniversary, a sturdy Belgian golden strong ale ferments on two wild yeast strains, allowing a funky/sour process to develop while aging in stainless for months. 

A portion was then removed and aged in virgin oak, before everything was blended back together, dry-hopped, and pasteurized.

The end result is an absolute gem, with notes of white wine, berries, oak, leather, and honey.

The path Eighteen travelled mirrors our 18 years of brewing, instigating, and making something worth seeking out, sharing and savoring. Thank you for taking that journey with us.

Schell’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter

 Schell’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter.

6% ABV, 25 IBU, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN.

Dark brown color, fully opaque, rich, full, creamy head. Looking good. 

In the nose: big aromatics, bold p.b. & chocolate. Sweet, but balanced. 

In the mouth: full bodied, rich, and well-rounded. Smooth (not chunky), slightly toasty and altogether malty. The p.b. / cocoa combo is kept in check, displaying sweetness, but never too much. Ends on a delicious dry note.

Well done! Good work, Schell’s!

This porter is a full-bodied drinking experience with strong notes of peanut butter and chocolate—a delicious dessert beer. The porter’s base malt is Golden Promise, and the other seven malts make up  chocolatey-caramel joy. The peanut butter flavor comes from an extract that was slowly dosed into the fermenter as a secondary addition. Cacao nibs were added to the fermenter as a secondary addition to further enhance the chocolate notes. This porter is all about balance and finding ways to experiment with the boundaries of what beer is and how good drinking beer can be. 

Rush River Oktoberfest Beer

 Rush River Oktoberfest Beer. 

6% ABV, Rush River Brewing, River Falls, WI.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: delicately sweet and malty, moderately hopped. Very noble.

In the mouth: smooth and supple, light bodied, easy drinking. Maltier and stronger than your average German lager. This tastes like a fairly accurate rendition of festbier, or Weisn, Oktoberfestbier, but I still like Märzens better. Give me that caramel-y goodness! 

Drekker Igor’s Horn Black IPA

 Drekker Igor’s Horn Black IPA. 

5.4 % ABV, 100 IBU, Drekker Brewing, Fargo, ND. 

Solid black, roasty tan head, complete opacity.

In the nose: grassy, minty, hoppy, swaddled in dark malts.

In the mouth: chocolate malt meets piney, grassy, slightly citrusy hop profile. Meaty mouthfeel, with effortless drinkability. Full bodied and continually rewarding. 

A big, bold Black IPA that boasts a strong hop profile and, thanks to a heavy dose of dark roasted malts, an equally impressive malt backbone.  The coffee and chocolate notes are balanced out by a pleasant citrus and pine hop character giving way to a clean finish.

Ol’ George #3

Notes on #3:

 Did you know that there’s another Kelly’s bar a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?

Ol’ George at both the Tatooine  and Earth locations. Wuher runs the bar. He doesn’t serve droids and he doesn’t like MAGA.

Ol’ George at Kelly’s #2

 Notes on #2: this one is a little late. I should have drawn it weeks ago. No self-respecting bar would tap a pumpkin beer in November. November is when you wonder “when am I going to get rid of this shit?” No one wants a pumpkin beer after Halloween. So, let’s pretend this takes place in late September, a perfectly reasonable time to pour a pumpkin ale or lager or cider or whatever. Why so late? The first one took too long, because I was fussing over the depiction of Chester, I wanted to get a good likeness out of respect for the man—-

Hey. Hi. I have a question.

What? Who is this?

Me. From last time. With the questions.

Okay….go ahead…

So, I just wondered. Did you know there’s another bird bartender in comics?

Okay, so?

Roz from Jeff McNelly’s Shoe.

I remember.

Well, don’t you think that’s unoriginal? Another female bird bartender? 

Okay, no. Roz, a barnyard fowl of undetermined species was(is?) cook, waitress, bartender, proprietor of Roz’ Roost, a treetop diner in a bird centered comic strip.

Irma, on the other hand, is a Southern Hemispheric flightless avian who is employed at Kelly’s bar, by a human, I think (we haven’t gotten there yet) in a cat-led, multi-species strip. So, there’s the difference. Also, there are other elements that I leave it to the reader to discover. Get it?

I guess. But wouldn’t a mouse be better?

No! Whose strip is this, mine or yours? And how did you even get in here?

I’ve been here all the time.

Here Comes Ol’ George!

 

Did you know that this blog began as an art blog back in 2007? It’s true! But, inevitably, I became disappointed with my drawings and sketches and it was briefly abandoned. In 2010, I slapped my noggin and said “why am I posting beer reviews to those other websites when I’ve got my own?” And the rest is history.

And that history is changing, with art, cartooning and comics returning to the Nib and the introduction of my cartoon character and his comic strip, Ol’ George at Kelly’s. Now, due to no demand, here are answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 

Who is Ol’ George and what is Kelly’s?

Hold on, there, son, One at a time.

Okay. Who is this George, anyway?

George, or Ol’ George, is a blue-furred feline who drinks beer at a bar called Kelly’s. He’s named after George Herriman, creator of Krazy Kat, who also was never without his hat. The bar is named after Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo. Those are two of my favorite comic strips and cartoonists.

Okay, then, what is Kelly’s?

I already answered that.

Oh, yeah. So, why is he blue?

Why is the sky blue? Why is grass green? Why does the Sun keep on shining? Why do these eyes of mine cry? Who wrote the book of love? I don’t know, stop asking stupid questions. 

Okay, sorry I asked. Who’s this Chester guy?

Good question, I’m glad you asked that. Chester is based on a man who was an institution on the West Bank/U of M neighborhoods of Minneapolis for many years, busking with his accordion all over town, riding his bike, drawing comics. I first met him at Acadia before I worked there and he gave me some of his comics featuring a character who looked like him and his idiot sidekick, Glimpi Dumbinski. They were silly things, often one panel per page, but it was true outsider art.  I saw him more often when I started working there in 2015, he would tip me in cartoons and doodles. Unfortunately, he died in October of that year, in his mid sixties. I wish I’d kept those comics. When I came up with Ol’ George, I thought of Chester and declared to myself “If he could do comics while living under a bridge, what’s my excuse?” I decided that the first strip must have Chester as George’s drinking buddy in tribute to him. Grain Belt, the friendly beer, was his favorite. 

Great story. Will George have other “drinking buddies”?

Naturally. There will be so many, your head will spin.

Will there be any crossovers with other comics?

There will be so many your head will spin. 

Cool. Is George based on anyone or thing?

No, he’s an entirely original creation, formed from my very own imagination. 

Are you sure?

Yes…say, what are you insinuating? George’s only antecedent is an image I created 17 years ago. It’s original purpose was a mere pipe dream and it hung on my wall in a frame all that time until I decided that I must do something with it. Hence, George was born. 

Will all of the strips be about beer?

No. 

Why not? 

Because. Any more great questions?

Why a cat?

Not a great question. Next?

Can you describe his personality in three words?

Sure. Irascible. Cantankerous. Sarcastic. Crotchety. Whoops, sorry, I thought I could do it. 

Can I get a plush Ol’ George window cling for my Mazda?

Hush, child, all in good time. Any more questions?

Will Ol’ George ever get to kick that football?

No, and he’ll never have lunch with the Little Red-Haired Girl, either. 

One more: Why now? Why not 39 years ago?

What did I say about stupid questions?!?

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest. Märzen-style. 

5.3% ABV, Little Thistle Brewing, Rochester, MN.

I had this beer for the first time about five weeks ago at the brewery. Took a pic of my pint and it for my Untappd check-in. The next day, we closed our night at the brewery again, and I bought two cans, and drank one in the hotel room. Took a pic, etc, etc. The other day, I sat down to write these note with the second can, poured it into an appropriate glass, and forgot to take the pic. That’s why I’m using the hotel pic, in the plastic cup. Oops, sorry. I’ll do better next time. 

Clear, copper color, prodigious creamy foam above.

In the nose: malty, bready, caramel, light spice, moderately hopped.

In the mouth: sweet, but balanced. High ease of drinking. Toasty, caramel-y, classic Märzen flavors. Medium bodied. An utter delight. 

Where’d I put my pretzels? 

Oktoberfest Lager with notes of caramel and toffee.

Pipeworks Infinite Lizard King

 Pipeworks Infinite Lizard King. Mosaic and Citra Pale Ale.

6.5% ABV, Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, IL.

Clear, bright golden hue, fresh ivory froth atop.

In the nose: zesty, fruity, popping with citrus. Orange and lemon, with a bit of berries.

In the mouth: coming in hoppy, but light on bitterness. Refreshing and flavorful. Goes down with remarkable ease. Light bodied. Overflowing with citrus and blueberries. Thoroughly satisfactory.

Infinite Lizard King is a captivating pale ale that combines the best of both worlds. This brew is a masterful blend of our two flagship beers, Infinite Citra and Lizard King. The Mosaic hops impart earthy, tropical fruit notes, while the Citra hops add a burst of citrusy freshness. This harmonious union results in a complex, yet balanced flavor profile that will leave you craving more. This one is a must-try for all of our Pipeworks fans out there!

Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens

 Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens  Festbier.  

5.3 % ABV, Fat Orange Cat Brew Co., North Haven, CT.

Despite saying Festbier on the front, the side of the label states “Märzen style lager.” One more example of an Oktoberfest that won’t say Oktoberfest.

 Clear, amber hue, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: sweet and malty, earthy, caramel-y. Perfect Märzen nose.

In the mouth: rich, toasty, delicious. Liquid bread. Hearty and satisfying. Medium bodied when a long, malty finish. Quite likable. 

Three Floyds Speed Castle World-Ending Pilsner

 Three Floyds Speed Castle World-Ending Pilsner.

5.6% ABV, Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slim and lasting layer of ivory foam.

In the nose: floral, highly hopped, altogether pleasing.

In the mouth: spark of lemon-lime, brief blast of bitterness, then smooth and easy. Hop bitterness remains on top through the duration, and beyond. Crisp, clean, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Our newest year-round beer has arrived – Speed Castle Pilsner. Using hops sourced from German farms, American Pilsner malt, and hand-selected fresh or ‘wet’ hops, Speed Castle is a crisp, refreshing and world-ending Pilsner.

Ommegang All Hallows Treat Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout

 Ommegang All Hallows Treat Imperial .Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout. 

7.6% ABV, 18 IBU, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY. 

Dark brown, opaque, slim brown head.

In the nose: sweet, malty, roasty. PB & cocoa are here. 

In the mouth: full body, rich, sweet, and balanced. Is 7.6 % really “Imperial”? Close enough, I guess. Increasingly delicious. It may be possible that for am drinking this a touch too cold, so I’ll sip slowly and let it warm up on me. As it does, I’ll take time to reflect on its continually growing delights. 

Sweet and spooky like the perfect Halloween night, All Hallows Treat rekindles your favorite childhood holiday memories. Aromas and flavors of dark chocolate, creamy peanut butter and a soft vanilla finish swirl with a smooth body and medium mouthfeel. It’s the perfect throwback that brings you to your first bite of a chocolate peanut butter cup

Fulton Hop Kingdom Imperial IPA

 Fulton Hop Kingdom Imperial IPA.

9% ABV,  Fulton Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Clear, golden / amber hue, large, lasting, lace-leaving ivory head. 

In the nose: big citrus, grapefruit, orange, tangerine. Bit o’ pine. Slight sweetness to match the bitter. 

In the mouth: bursting with big hop flavors. Citrus, pine and dankness permeate the palate. Full-bodied, lush, hop bitterness popping out all over. Big booze starts to shine over all, but hops won’t let it hog the spotlight . 

(This can has a little age on it. I’ve had it fresher, and it’s a different a animal. I like it new and at six months.)

A Midwest take on the Imperial IPAs of the Northwest. Mosaic hop extract creates just enough bitterness to cut through the large quantity of malt used in this 9% IPA. Fermented with a clean West Coast ale yeast and heavily dry hopped with Simcoe and Talus; this beast of an IPA creates a delicate synergy of flavors including grapefruit, pine resin, floral, & citrus rind.

Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager

 Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager. 

5.4 % ABV, 29 IBU, Unmapped Brewing, Minnesota, Minnesota.

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: malty, rich, caramel toned.

In the mouth: crisp, clean, earthy, malty, moderately hopped. Medium bodied, easily drinkable. Toasty, bready, delicious. They have packaged a Märzen Oktoberfest without going near any of those words. 

The following was found on Untappd, but does not appear on the can label: 

We brewed this copper-colored lager to welcome in the glorious season of Flannel (a.k.a. Autumn) and to celebrate the grand Oktoberfest tradition of Bavaria. This tasty marzen lager is light and refreshing, but it also has a lovely malt flavor to keep things interesting. Prost!

Pizza Port Mongo Double India Pale Ale

 Pizza Port Mongo Double India Pale Ale.

8% ABV, 100 IBU, Pizza Port Brewing, Carlsbad, CA. 

This is my 18th Mongo. Six-packs of 16-ouncers for fifteen bucks. That’s a bargain for a double IPA. Every time I bought a 6-pack, I held on to one for the note taking, then drank it and bought another. This time for sure! And then I’ll buy another. 

Mostly clear, with a chill haze, bright golden hue, large ivory head. 

In the nose: big citrus and pine, with a twist of sweet, a touch of candy, a little stone fruit.

In the mouth: hoppy, fruity, and thick. Medium bodied with a long, lingering bitterness hanging hard on the palate. Citrus explosion all the way. Grapefruit, pine, orange and mango. And the booze rides in and it won’t quit. Me, I am digging it. It works for me. 

Mongo is a big wave of big flavor. This DIPA bursts with classic hoppy character thanks to additions of Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe hops. You can expect massive aromas of citrus with notes of piney bitterness on the finish.

Boulevard Space Camper Quantum Hop IPA

 

Boulevard Space Camper Quantum Hop IPA. Imperial India Pale Ale. 

9.5% ABV, 70 IBU, Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, Missouri. 

Clear, golden hued, slim white head.

In the nose: dank, citrus, ovenproof, sharp.

In the mouth: starts out big and boozy, nothing subtle here, dripping with gooey, sticky dankaliciousness. Powerfully potent and riddled with hoppy flavors. A bit ostentatious, perhaps, but I enjoy that now and then. 

The Space Camper IPA Saga has traversed the far reaches of aroma and flavor, protecting the mind and palate-bending alternate universes of intergalactic India Pale Ales. From the remote corners of these alternate realities, Space Camper has taken a jump, a leap, a hop through time and space itself and has emerged as a bigger and bolder hero. Astronomically approachable at 9.5% ABV, a powerhouse of Citra and Mosaic hop flavors, offering infinitely interesting notes of grapefruit, pineapple, peach and berry. 

Hops 

Magnum

Citra

Mosasic

Citra Incognito

Moasic Incognito 

Dry Hop

Citra

Mosasic 

El Dorado 

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest.

5.9 % ABV, 20 IBU, Danger Man Brewing, Maple Lake, MN. 

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: herbal, malty, sweet, earthy.

In the mouth: caramel tones, sweetness abounds, but nicely balanced. Minor hops, easy drinking, especially delicious. My kind of Märzen. 

Celebrate with our Oktoberfest Märzen beer! It’s a German classic with a toasty and bready backbone, enriched with malt sweetness and hints of caramel, all culminating in a crisp and clean finish! Prost!

Pryes Glamorama West Coast IPA

 Pryes Glamorama West Coast IPA.

6.5% ABV, 55 IBU, Pryes Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Clear, bright golden hue, large ivory head. 

In the nose: big time citrus and pine. Popping with grapefruit and tangerine. Lively aromatics. 

In the mouth: starts out bitter and sharp, then in comes the juicy. Dry on the palate, like any good WCIPA should be. Not as fully dry brittle and bitter as I want, nay demand, but, eh, close enough. I’ll take it. 

Go on and be bold. Shine big. Step out. Sparkle? Hell yes. While you're at it, welcome in the citrusy blast and the bit of mighty hops that pop like paparazzi. This is Glamorama.

Bent Paddle Munchin’’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager

 Bent Paddle Munchin’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager.

5.6 % ABV, 18 IBU, Bent Paddle Brewing, Duluth, Minnesota. 

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first year that Bent Paddle has packaged this Oktoberfest beer, although they don’t call it that on the label. They call it a Märzen Party Lager. They’re not the only one, Fair State also calls their Festbier “party lager”. What does this mean? Don’t all parties have lagers? (I said parties, not bottle shares.) I’ve noticed more and more beers will be labeled Märzen or Festbier (even when they are Märzens), and not Oktoberfest at all. This is probably a smart move for a style of beer being released in July.

Also, what kind of name is Munchin’ pretzels? Is it because munchin’ sounds like the German word for Munich? Why don’t we call it that? If we can say “munchin’”, we can say Munchen. And you know what they call Bavaria? Bayern. Sounds like something my mom would say. Don’t leave the Bayern door open.

I wish I had some pretzels, but I don’t. I almost bought some today, but there was a man standing in front of them in the grocery aisle and he was taking too long. so I didn’t buy any. So here I am having a party lager at home taking notes with no pretzels to munch. Maybe if I put on some polka music, it’ll be okay. 

For 60 Minutes, I’m Andy Rooney.

Clear, Amber/copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nobly hopped, bready…pretzel-y?

In the mouth: more sweetness on the palate, but well balanced. Smooth and maltalicious. (That’s a real word I made up just now.) A lager for communal enjoyment, for schnitzels and spaetzels, and yeah, the twisty bead stick. This one goes down nice and easy, chock-ful of Märzen-y goodness.

Münchin' Pretzels is a classic Märzenbier that boasts a rich amber color and a medium-bodied mouthfeel. Brewed with traditional German malts and hops, this beer offers a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. The aroma is characterized by notes of toasted bread, caramel, and a subtle hint of hops. The flavor profile is dominated by a delicious bready malt character with hints of caramel, making it an excellent choice to pair with traditional German cuisine, especially soft pretzels and sausages. Prost!

Malty | Bavarian | Festy