Arbeiter Duel City Belgian IPA

 Arbeiter Duel City Belgian IPA.

8.1% ABV, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

I was scrolling through the social media on a Friday afternoon and learned that Arbeiter was releasing a Belgian IPA that very day. No one brews them anymore, but if there’s any one place in the world that I associate with that style, it’s 3038 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota. I had to stop in and get a crowler, which also got you a token for a free pint of Bad Weather’s version, over at their taproom. Hence the name. Now let’s drink. 

Clouded (why?), dull golden hue, large, bright ivory head, leaving lace. (Edit: looking back at my notes on this very blog, Harriet Brewing’s West Side was initially, at least, on the hazy side.)

In the nose: Belgian yeast runs this show, giving off the nuances of a wit or a Tripel. Spicy, fruity, funky. Hoppy notes lurk below. 

In the mouth: hop bitterness starts it off, spanking the palate for a spell, with spicy, fruity flavors rushing in. Dry finish comes quick. Citrus and stone fruit flavors meld together,  combine with the light spice, mild bitterness, bread-y malt, and crisp, refreshing qualities. 

This is the beer that Arbeiter should have released last summer when Harriet owner/founder Jason Sowards passed away after a motorcycle crash. Something more along the lines of what he actually used to brew. 

Now, to cross the river and try out the Bad Weather version.

NEW BEER! NEW COLLAB!

Duel City W/ @badweatherbrew 

Dip Hopped Belgian IPA 

8.1% ABV

 A collab? A friendly competition? A collabpetition? It’s a Crosstown Classic of epic proportions. Two of your favorite breweries on either side of the Mighty Mississip’ teamed up to bring you TWO cool new beers born of the same wort! 

For our Belgian Battle, we brewed up a massive Belgian over at Bad Weather that was used for their incredible huge 10.3% Belgian Double IPA. The beer was so incredibly massive we shipped 10 barrels of unfermented wort back to Arbeiter to  make our own, massive in its own right, 8.1% Belgian IPA. Can it get any bigger? Yes. Both Belgian IPAs were dip hopped which accentuates the hop aromas and flavors!  *DROOL*