Folks, I've just discovered something a little embarrassing. There's an unpublished draft of an article I was writing two years ago about my visits to the Castle Danger brewery & taproom three years ago. I never finished writing it, and had clearly meant to include more photos of the inside of the tap room to illustrate it. They disappeared some time ago, and so did, perhaps, my intent on publishing it. Well, I'm going to post it anyway, because I did actually get a lot of it finished. Here we go....
Let's go back in time, back, back in time. Actually, we're going to go back to two times, the two times last year that I visited Castle Danger in Two Harbors, MN. And that first time was Thursday, September 1, 2016, when they became brewery #76.
Actually, I was curious why a professional brewer such a Melissa was doing working behind the bar. Was she biding her time until another brewing position opened in the area. Pretty much, she told me. She'd left her job at Fitger's Brewhouse recently after Dave Hoops stepped down and new owners came in. Did she know then, and just wouldn't tell, what we all learned months later, that her next move would be the head brewer at Mr.Hoops new operation opening this spring, Hoops Brewing in the Canal Park neighborhood of Duluth? Maybe, just maybe.
So, Dave and I sat at the bar and got our samples. Castle Danger has been in the Nib six times before now, from the growler of George Hunter Stout I brought back in July of 2012, to the cans that made their way to the Cities starting in 2015. My notes show that I had a flight consisting of Castle Cream Ale, Danger Ale, Summer Crush and George Hunter Stout. I actually just got a can of Castle today and will do a full review of that later. I took home a growler of Danger on my second visit 7 weeks later, and those notes are below. I've already written up George Hunter years ago. So, I'll share the notes on Summer Crush, which has gone out of season long ago. 4.7% ABV. I found it "bright and lemony, light bodied, quenching and 'crushable', easy as pie, nothing wrong with that." We need the crushable ones in the summertime, early autumn.
I next had an Ode IPA, which has also been reviewed here before. I did not take notes on exactly what beers were available, but I believe I'd had everything before. Looking at Untappd shows that I'd also gotten in another beer, this one the 17-7 Pale Ale. We had plenty of time to spend, after all, since our next stop, Bent Paddle in Duluth, did not open until 3 pm, and was only a half hour away.
When we first entered, we were the only ones in and took our time soaking in the place, while Melissa served up some chips and salsa. As time went on, more and more folks came in, the lunch rush came and went, and we whiled away an hour or two. As taprooms go, it's fairly perfunctory. Here's the merch, there's the games. Nice northern feel, all wood, cool patio, decorated with beer signs and a vast collection of growlers from elsewhere. Great range of products, well made.
I made it to Duluth a second time, some weeks later, October 20, to be exact. It was the second of three brewery visits, after a breakfast at Fitger's, Jason and I pulled into Two Harbors to check out CD just because. I took no notes on this visit, although I did try a new beer, Azacca-to-me, a nice and hoppy pale ale. I followed that with a Fresh Hop Mosaic Ale, which has turned into quite a sensation for them.
....and there's where it ended, and here's where I was going to attach a review I did of a growler I took home...Castle Danger Danger Ale. Dangerously Good Ales. Two Harbors, MN.
Slightly clear, deeply crimson hue, huge creamy white head. Looking great.
Aroma: ah.. citrus-y hop notes, bright and fruity and a little tropical. Nice.
In the mouth: big hoppiness, matched well with bold malt backdrop. Fruity up front, low bitterness, with juicy malt holding it up fro below. Yum. Malty, delicious. . Really, truly delicious.
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