Sierra Nevada Cold Torpedo Cold IPA

 Sierra Nevada Cold Torpedo Cold IPA.

7% ABV, 45 IBU. Sierra Nevada Brewing, CA & NC.

From the Hoppy Sampler 12-pack.

Clear, pale golden hue, small white head.

In the nose: soft & citric. Lemon, grapefruit, orange. Increasing in hop presence. 

In the mouth: bitterness starts mild and begins to build. Citrus and pine aplenty, and awfully easy drinking. Minor sweetness gets me wondering if SNBC used adjuncts, too, like so many recipes call for. Doesn’t seem their style. 

I’m still not a huge fan of this style. It’s not made for me. Too light and bitter enough. But this one ain’t bad. No thanks too shabby at all.

Cold Torpedo plunges into frigid fermentation and delivers the fruit-forward hop rush you’re after, yet this cold twist on our classic IPA finishes ultra-crisp and clean for peak drinkability.

Outstate Common Cream Ale

 

Outstate Common Cream Ale.

4.9% ABV, 10 IBU. Outstate Brewing, Fergus Falls, MN. 

Number two in the six pack sampler reviewing my nephew’s beer from far-flung Fergus Falls.

Clear, bright yellow, small white head. 

In the nose: mildly malty, with the telltale grainy note.

In the mouth: clean, light and surprisingly flavorful. Slight sweetness, minor hops, easy drinking. Bright and shiny. Quite likable. And this is definitely not my usual style, but I can see the appeal, and I know a good one when it slips past my lips. 

Crafted for drinkability, our Cream Ale is light bodied and smooth. Pilsner malt and Crystal hops create a refreshing balance, with just enough bitterness to not be too sweet.

Light, Creamy, Smooth, Freshing, Clean

Steel Toe Giganticbery IPA

 Steel Toe Giganticbery IPA. 

6.76 % ABV, Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN.

A new IPA from Steel Toe and it’s...is it?...a hazy? A hazy collab? Oh, well, better than another “cold IPA”, I guess.

Hazed out, golden toned, ivory head atop.

In the nose: grassy, pin.mey, dank. Traces of tropical, plump with citrus pulp.

In the mouth: juicy and bitter at once, when it boards the palate. Citrus and tropical notes, again, mixed with a bit of berries. Nicely balanced, smooth and flooded with flavor. Crisp and refreshing. Deliciously hoppy. Medium bodied, moderate bitterness, fresh and zesty. 

Giganticbery is a collaboration beer with long-time friends Hollingbery and Son Hops and Gigantic Brewing Company that brings the best of the west coast and the Midwest together in one awesome IPA. Giganticbery has yeast-driven aromas of white grape and fruit salad, then a generous dry-hop addition contributes watermelon, pineapple, and tropical notes to the juicy deliciousness. 

Wooden Ship Lost in the Waves Pale Ale

 Wooden Ship Lost in the Waves Pale Ale.

6.7% ABV. Wooden Ship Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

I don’t do crowlers much these days. Paying $8-12 for something I have to consume in one sitting is something I try to avoid. But I had some free pint tokens burning a hole in my pocket, and little cash. So, how do I leave a decent tip? Buy a crowler and tip on that. And although they had an enticing array available, I bought the beer closest to an IPA, cause that’s how I roll. 

All hazy, for some reason. Dull yellow color. Slim white head.

In the nose: soft and citrusy. Some small sweetness.

In the mouth: lime and grapefruit taking command, lemon and orange on the side. Crisp and snappy. Clean and balanced. Well drinkable. Smooth, medium bodied, refreshing. Not too shabby there.

I do wish it were crisper still, cleaner yet, and, dare I dream, clearer?

A pale ale made with Cascade and Centennial hops

BlackStack Tech Decks IPA

 BlackStack Tech Decks IPA.

7% ABV. BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Clouded, pale yellow color, short but steady layer of milky white foam.

In the nose: sweet tropical notes hit first, pineapple and papaya, a pinch of mango, with citrus on the side.

In the mouth: more sweet hoppiness hits the lips, with a cap of bitterness along for the ride. Light bodied, faint finish, long lasting fruity flavors. Bright and shiny. Not too much fuzz this time, so I’m enjoying it a little. 

Not really sure what the name means and the crap on the back confuses me more: 

Handed down as tradition from those before us. Comfortably familiar portions of finger picked Strata, Citra Cryo, Cashmere, Mosaic & Idaho 7 Cryo. Come shred with us.

Venn Opulessence Cinnamon Maple Latte. Imperial Stout with Cinnamon, Coffe, & Maple.

Venn Opulessence Cinnamon Maple Latte. Imperial Stout with Cinnamon, Coffee, & Maple. 

12 % ABV. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Editors’s Note: These notes are eight months old. Never mind why I’m so late to publish them. This was a beer you could have tried last fall, and maybe will again. I unearth it now to further demonstrate the imagination and skill happening at Venn.

Utter and thorough blackness, complete and total opacity, large and lasting ring of rich, brown foam.

In the nose: Maple is king, here. And that's from afar. I haven't gone in for a proper snootful, yet. Lets' go: coffee is large, too, but maple is larger. Cinnamon hasn't shown up yet. So far, so yum.

In the mouth: Here's where cinnamon takes over, leading the charge. Coffee and maple are behind. Spice in control here. Other stout flavors remain hidden, so far. Rich, full, complex, and terrifically tasty. Big and beefy. high alcohol is starting to roar. Incredible flavors keep unfolding. 

This is just another reason why I keeping considering Venn Brewing among my favorites and one of the best breweries in Minneapolis. 

Imperial Stout with Coffee, Cinnamon, & Maple

Arbeiter Apple Brandy Barrel Roggen Stickum

 Arbeiter Apple Brandy Barrel Roggen Stickum. Barrel aged Sticke Alt Ale.

8.5 % ABV, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

This crowler has been sitting in the fridge for far too long, over 3 months, since their anniversary celebration. Time to take it down, at long last. I enjoyed it several times at the taproom, and now it’s time to tell you why I like it so.

Dark brown color, thoroughly opaque, under a slim ring of cocoa-tinged foam.

In the nose: brandy barrel blasts big, right from the start. Sweet malt, caramel and toffee, with the brandy feel, rich and deep and sharp, running through. 

In the mouth:  sweet fruit, dark malts, a slight tartness, all coming around and turning dry, in the end. Flavors of raisins, dates, cola, mingle with cinnamon, clove, cocoa, and all the alcohol from the brandy barrel. Apple brandy, no less. Full bodied, with a long, malty, smooth delicious finish. Big, beautiful, and yum a dum dum. 

The last time I had this was during Craft Beer Conference Week. They brought a keg back on top to show off what great heights they’ve achieved. After CBC was over, Arbeiter released some data to show which of their beers sold best, or worse, while the pros were visiting. All of their lagers topped the list, and this one was at the bottom. You missed out, brewers, and brewer adjacent people, and you all have terrible taste in beer!

Fair State a light in dark places when all other lights go out pale ale

 Fair State a light in dark places when all other lights go out pale ale.Collaboration with Burial Beer and Yakima Chief Hops. 5.4 % ABV. Fair State Brewing, Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN.

Slightly clouded, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: bold citrus notes, pungent lime and lemon, with a slice of grapefruit. 

In the mouth: citrus strikes again. Vibrant, hoppy, grassy, light bodied and easy drinking. Spills superfluosly off the tongue. Crisp, clean, lightly bitter and definitely delightful.

I like to drink beers that are normal and not expensive. Let’s hear it for them. 

A pale ale in an IPA world, brewed in collaboration with Burial Beer (Asheville, NC) and YCH. Heavily featuring HBC 630, an experimental hop variety that brings notes of berries, peaches, and a nebulous “candy” aromatic. Paired with an American classic in Simcoe Cryo, this beer pops with fruity notes, while managing to maintain the crisp, snappy sensibility that only pale ales can truly embody.

Bent Paddle Cosmic Lounge Hazy India Pale Ale

 

Bent Paddle Cosmic Lounge Hazy India Pale Ale.

6.3% ABV, 32 IBU. Bent Paddle Brewing, Duluth, MN. It’s so hazy! And it’s a dull yellow hue, with a small white head. 

In the nose: all the soft and the citrus and the yeast. I’m not too crazy about the hazies.

In the mouth: soft and smooth and citrusy, with little bitterness. Murky. Slightly sugary sweet, loads of yeast proteins. Medium bodied. Long, yeasty finish. Does not contain many of the things I desire in an IPA, therefore an excellent example of this style.

If you love hazies for the very reasons that I hate them, this is right up your alley. Don’t let me stop you from drinking it. 

Come Sip With Us under the Stars! Cosmic Lounge Hazy IPA pulls inspiration from the heavens and connects the astral dots to complete this newly iconic style. The ethereal haze swirls with Strata, Citra, and Sultana hops, creating a dank, passionfruit, citrus circus.

Outstate Brewing Blue Northern Light Lager

 Outstate Brewing Blue Northern Light Lager. 

4% ABV, 10 IBU. Outstate Brewing, Fergus Falls, MN.

Back in August of last year, when my niece’s wedding ended unexpectedly early, my family convened at my brother Ken’s house. Now, Ken’s taste in beer doesn’t go much farther than Michelob Golden Draft Light, so when he said “I’ve got a beer for you”, I didn’t know what was coming my way. He handed me a can of Outstate’s Hazy IPA and told me that his son Shawn brewed it. I knew that Shawn was an award-winning homebrewer, but had no idea that he’d gone professional. I haven’t seen my nephew in many years. He likes to stay up in Fergus Falls. It is a three hour drive.

And someday I’ll get up there and drink his beers and have a reunion. Today, I am reviewing my first of his beers thanks to my brother Wayne finding them at a store up North when he went camping with his family. Thanks, Wayne.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim ivory head atop.

In the nose: clean, lightly hopped, slightly floral, minor malt, touch of grain. 

In the mouth: clean and crisp, smooth and slightly malty. Exquisitely light of body. Tasty enough. Definitely a beer Ken would like.

This is the first beer of six, from a mixed pack. I’m starting light and moving up.

Experience greater in a light lager. Clean and clear like the skies of outstate Minnesota, this full flavored lager shines from an all-malt grain bill, and finishes with a touch of citrus from a late addition of Amarillo hops. Light, Crisp, Refreshing, Malty, Clean 

Hammerheart Thor’s Fury Returns Imperial Hot Pepper Porter

 Hammerheart Thor’s Fury Returns Imperial Hot Pepper Porter.

10.7% ABV. Hammerheart Brewing, Lino Lakes, MN. 

I wasn’t sure if I was going to actually drink this. I am historically not crazy about pepper beers, although I did like the original Thor’s (Though, importantly, Ive never had Thor’s Fury.) When Nate dropped this off at the store, he suggested we sell it as singles, being so extreme that many may not want to drink four of them. And so we did. And I will drink it, and chase it with Malört, because I have a streak of masochism.

Strictly Stygian hue, complete opacity, ringed with a rich brown head.

In the nose: cocoa and molasses, sweet and malty. Dark and creamy, with an increasing, encroaching heat. 

In the mouth: Bam! Wow! Water....! Punishing peppers attack the senses. Sweet, then heat, then bitter, for I went for the Malört. Seriously, though, I’m going to need some water. 

Pull the glass back up to the lips again, and the fury is unleashed again. Intense attack on the palate, unrelenting heat, with the sweet, malty imperial porter holding down the fort. I wish I could taste more of it, but the peppers consume all. 

Will I finish the Fury? I hope so. The water helps. The Malört? Hell, no, what was I thinking? Yuck! 

Luckily, it mellows some further into the glass...nope, spoke too soon, it most certainly does not? Or am I hardening, becoming inured? Nope, definitely not. 

Thor’s Fury Returns is the second iteration of Thor’s Fury. For this iteration, we let dehydrated Brown Moruga Scorpion and Pimenta da Neyde peppers soak in a batch of regular Thor’s Porter. Both peppers have natural chocolate and Smokey notes. These peppers we’re grown in collaboration with “Pepper Steve”. Original artwork by Austin Lunn.

St. Feuillien Nine Strong Blonde Ale.

 St. Feuillien Nine Strong Blonde Ale.

9% ABV. Brasserie St. Feuillien, le Roeulx, Belgium. 

Clear, brilliant golden hue, lush, thick layer of cloud-white head atop.

In the nose: sweet fruits, sweet malt, plenty of Belgian yeast character. Banana and citrus, touch of spice. 

Looks so good, smells so good, now it’s time to taste. So, in the mouth: smooth, but slightly sharp. Highly hopped, with a mild bitterness. Juicy malt, turning dry at the end. Citrus and tropical notes on the palate. Alcohol starts it’s rise. It blends well with the deliciousness. 

Hey, guess what, I liked it. 10/10 would drink again. 

Junkyard Coachgun Midwest style IPA Original Recipe

 Junkyard Coachgun Midwest style IPA Original Recipe.

6.5% ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN.

Junkyard made a non-hazy IPA? Have they? Or did they? From 2013, it returns. Lets drink it. 

Hazy (I guess they didn’t, or couldn’t), dark golden/amber hue, slim white head.

In the nose: some minor sweetness starts it off, a bit malty. Slight citrus. A bit quiet.

In the mouth: This is all over the place. Funky, Slightly citrusy, malty sweet, with indiscernible hoppiness. The parts do not make a perfect whole. Honey Malt? Huh. Caramel-y sweetness? A bit too much. Never thought I would say it, but I’ll take any old boring NE IPA over this tangled mess any day. 

Barely bitter. Lacking IPA character. Not refreshing, hardly drinkable....very disappointed.

Perfectly balanced IPA with a pleasant citrus/pinneapple hop flavor

Schell’s Cave-aged Barrel-aged Dark Lager Series

 Schell’s Cave-aged Barrel-aged Dark Lager Series. Limited edition. Slowly aged in wooden barrels. 

Dark brown color, nearly black, almost opaque, under a brief brown head.

10.89% ABV. August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN. 

In the nose: dark malts. Cocoa and coffee. Caramel, maple, brown sugar, smoke. Vanilla and oak. Whole lot going on here. 

In the mouth: deep, dark, wonderfully complex. Smooth, dark, malty brew wrapped up in barrel flavors. Dark fruit covered in cocoa, espresso, Earth. Wood transforms all, mellows, blends and cool, while piling on richness and deliciousness. So very good. 

I bought a single bottle of this, like a damned fool. I could have had as many as I wanted, but I waited too long. Make that mistake no more, I tell myself, and hope that I listen. 

Inspired by our roots in the days before refrigeration, our Cave-Aged Barrel-Aged lager is released each fall after spending time aging in the historic caves deep below our brewery. High in alcohol content with hints of sweet caramel, oak, and vanilla.

21st Amendment Brew Free or Die Tropical IPA

21st Amendment Brew Free or Die Tropical IPA.

6.8% ABV, 55 IBU. 21st Amendment Brewery, San Leandro, CA. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slather of milky white foam adorning the top. 

In the nose: Sweet, tropical notes, pineapple and papaya, dominate the bouquet, with a slice of citrus on the side. 

In the mouth: slightly bitter at first, mightily hoppy, with the blend of citrusy and tropical hop notes at play on the palate. Light bodied and easy drinking, hop bitterness lays long into the finish. 

Good IPA, and you can drink it. 

Brew Free! or Die Tropical IPA takes you on a vacation in the can and pint glass. Part of our Brew Free! line-up of IPAs, our tropical version is a bit lighter in color and lower in bitterness with tropical forward hops and a splash of tropical flavor. Refreshing and approachable.

Goose Island Turbo Juice DDH DIPA

 Goose Island Turbo Juice DDH DIPA.

8% ABV, Goose Island Beer, Chicago, IL.

Clouded, bright golden hue, large, lace leaving ivory head.

In the nose: soft, fuzzy, and on the citrus quotient. 

In the mouth: blasts of citrus, lemon, lime, orange, a touch of grapefruit. Touch of tropical, bit of grape, all soft and smooth. Low bitterness (i.e. I don’t like it.) It’s so thoroughly DDH ‘d that I can’t get the DIPA. The booze is coming on, if not the bitterness.

DDH DIPA - Citra, El Dorado, Vic Secret and Galaxy hops. 

St. Feuillien Quadruple Ale

 St. Feuillien Quadruple Ale. 

11% ABV.  Brasserie. St. Feuillien, le Roeulx, Belgium.

Dark burgundy hue, fully opaque, rich, full cream toned head.

In the nose: dark fruit, dates, raisins, plum, grapes, mixed with cocoa and caramel and toffee. Wonderful sweetness. 

In the mouth: malty sweet, with a slight bitterness. Richness of malt, great complexity with appropriate balance. All of the flavors in aroma return to the palate. Flat out delicious. Big, deep, delicious. If you’re a fan of quadruples (and who isn’t?), you have to love this. If you are and don’t, what’s wrong with you?

This one hits all the right notes for the style. Absolutely yum a dum dum.

Have I ever told you how much I love European beer descriptions?

St-Feuillien Quadruple is a very dark and dense beer. She is noticeably alcoholic. She dis- tinguishes herself by a complex and finely caramelized aroma and with shades of Madeira wine and candied fruit and an intense touch of fermentation esters (banana type). A slight hoppy smell (English style) completes the whole. The mouth is long with a powerful body built on the density and generous apparent extract. The bitterness is present but sweet and blends harmoniously with the malty structure. The selection of special malts raises the chocolate side with the nuances of coconut. The saturation is average.

Equilibrium/ BlackStack Stacked Science Double India Pale Ale

 

Equilibrium/ BlackStack Stacked Science Double India Pale Ale.

8.5 % ABV. 

This is my first beer from Equilibrium of Middletown, NY. I’ve never tried them before because they seem to all be NE IPAs and are all too expensive. This one, a collaboration with BlackStack, is an NE DIPA and cost me nothing. And so I will drink it.

All clouded up, bright golden hue, milky white head.

In the nose: soft and fuzzy, citrus and stone fruit, bold and hoppy. 

In the mouth: slightly sweet, a touch tart, with a melange of fruity, hoppy flavors a swim among the murk. An amorphous blend of citrus and stone fruit, with a hint of the tropical. High ABV lurks below the surface, waiting it’s time to strike. Fuzziness hits the head, and wraps the senses in gauze. 

This is tasty enough stuff, but it’s also nothing special, really. It’s the same old sameness.

The It reminds of that Tolstoy quote, how all hoppy NE hazy double IPAs are alike, but every un-hazy IPA is hoppy in it’s own way. 

You know what I’m talking about. 

We blended in 2-row, Flaked oats, White wheat, and Flaked wheat as the foundation for a Citra Incognito, Citra Lupomax, and Idaho 7 whirlpool before a big dry hop of Mosaic, Strata, Eclipse, and Galaxy. 

 The haze is dense and you’ll notice aromas of bright orange peel and tropical nectar leading into flavors of Valencia orange, earthy mango popsicle, lemon poundcake, and mixed melon. This is all stacked on top of our #EQjuice finish, a touch of hop saturated bitterness, and the perception of citrus zest throughout the palate wave.

“Earthy mango popsicle “....I never would have thought of that in a million years.

Wabasha Kölsch of the Wild

 Wabasha Kölsch of the Wild.

4.8% ABV, 19 IBU. Wabasha Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

A Kölsch should never look like this. This beer 
Shouldn’t have left the brewery.

Clear, amber-ish hue, slim white head. (Wrong color/ look entirely)

In the nose: soft, mild, lightly fruity. 

In the mouth: I wish I were able to say “crisp” or “clean”, but it is neither. Light, yes, and yet, not light enough. Too much malt, too much body, and all the wrong flavors. Too grainy, many off flavors. Unpleasant. Hardly resembles a Kölsch in the slightest. Not enjoyable in the slightest. 

This might be a drain pour.why should I suffer? I shouldn’t. Down you go.

Light in body with a crisp clean finish (formerly Road Closure).

I keep giving Wabasha the benefit of the doubt and they Continue to disappoint. I knew they’ve made some decent beers, but I can’t seem to find them. 

Toppling Goliath Pineapple Papaya Fandango

 Toppling Goliath Pineapple Papaya Fandango. Kettle sour beer with a Pineapple & Papaya.

5.1% ABV. Toppling Goliath Brewing, Deborah, IO.

Hey, look, I’m having me a Toppling Goliath, what do know about that? I don’t do TG much because all of their IPAs are hazy and always sell for $18+ a 4-pack. And I rarely do their fruited sours because it’s not my favorite style and those go for $24 a 4-pack. Well, I have one now.mThanks, Dave.

Clear, bright golden/ amber hue, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and sour, together at last, with appropriate fruit piping in.

In the mouth: big pucker at the start, swallowed up by candied sweetness. More papaya than pineapple. And more sweet than sour.Light bodied, lingering tartness. 

This is the sort of thing where a smaller pour, 10 ounces, 6, 4, would have been fine. But I will finish all 16 because that is my vow. If only I weren’t on this mad quest to turn out so many blog posts, I would’ve put it away to share with others some future day. 

Conjure up warm-weather vibes with this kettle sour. Tropical papaya and fresh-squeezed pineapple juice will transport your taste buds to a tropical wonderland. Sweet, tart, and then sweet again.

Revolution Apollo Hero Hazy India Pale Ale

 

Revolution Apollo Hero Hazy India Pale Ale.

7.4 % ABV, 65 IBU, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: hoppy and fruity, some citrus, some tropical, a bit of sweetness.

In the mouth: smooth and soft, with minor bitterness. Tangerine and papaya, with a pinch of pineapple, and just a dash of grapefruit. Pretty mellow stuff.

If you like your hazies, this one is not too shabby, there. 

A shining champion arrives with a bright spectrum of complementary hops, guided by the dank, resinous Apollo. Complex hop expression lands in a soft, smooth body and finishes with a refreshing bite.

Oliphant Bourbon Barrel aged Märzen

 Oliphant Bourbon Barrel aged Märzen.

6.5% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Well, this is a first for me. Who Barrel ages a märzen? These guys do. Let’s drink it up and see how it is...

Clear, but dark, rich mahogany hue, slim white head.

In the nose: caramel, toffee, maple,  vanilla, oak. Leather, tobacco. All the barrel flavors are here.

In the mouth: they’re back on the palate, all the sweetness and richness. Big old malty business wrapped up in the bourbon flavors, a marzen lurking below. I can get a hint of it, holding down the bourbon barrel fort. Tasty stuff.  I’m a sucker for the bourbon, so this one just gets me. 

More Brewing Shadows: West Coast Style India Pale Ale

 

More Brewing Shadows: West Coast Style India Pale Ale. Citra, Simcoe, Columbus.

6.7% ABV. More Brewing, Huntley, IL

Clear, bright golden hue, slim, milky white head.

In the nose: all the citrus and pine in it’s proper place, classic combo of West Coast hops. Grapefruit and orange, lemon and lime, with appropriate grassy notes.

In the mouth: juicy at the front, and plenty hoppy, with bitterness for days. A panoply of citrus and pine flavors, ending brittle and dry. Just the way I like them. Medium bodied, long hoppy finish, easily consumed.

Nice one, More.

Inspired by the early days of the midwestern emo music scene, this classic West Coast IPA has a dynamic blend of Citra, Columbus, and Simcoe that really showcases a bold and electric hop profile. Pensive woody resin has subtle jolt of citrus pulp quickly fades into an herbaceous ensemble that’s incredibly snappy and clean. Bold and ambitious, this IPA is a solid addition in a long lineage of stellar West-Coasts.

Lagunitas Unrefined Shugga Strong Ale brewed with Whole Cane Sugar

 Lagunitas Unrefined Shugga Strong Ale brewed with Whole Cane Sugar.

10% ABV. Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma, CA & Chicago, IL.

Clear, caramel brown color, large and lasting creamy white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty. Cocoa and cream, caramel and toffee. 

In the mouth: comes on with a richness, sweet, robust, big and malty. Some dark fruit notes pop up, a bit of vinous-ness. Caramel and toffee, with a trace of cocoa and coffee. Hops peek through a bit, but booze becomes the shining star. Full-bodied, but a long, malty finish. Excellent nightcap. Nightly-night. 

The Holidaze came early this year … Shugga’s back with a fancy upgrade! We’ve upped the ante on our fan-fav seasonal sweet release with the addition of Whole Cane Sugar. All the rich, winterly-warming flavors you know and love mingle for a delightfully unrefined experience. How sweet is that?

Goose Island Devil Baby Imperial IPA

 

Goose Island Devil Baby Imperial IPA.

8.5% ABV. Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL. 

This one came from a Goose Island Imperial IPA Variety 12-Pack, originally retailing at $49.99. Fifty bucks for a 12-pack? Who’s gonna pay that? Well, they are all 16 ounce cans of double IPA, that’s kind of the going rate, right. Yeah, but that’s for small breweries. Goose has all that A-B money behind them, surely they can do better?

And then the price was cut in half and I couldn’t resist. You definitely don’t find $2 double IPA anywhere.

Also, I can’t resist devil babies. So evil and cute.

Clear, bright golden hue, small, but lasting white head.

In the nose: plump with fruity notes, citrus, stone, a bit of tropical. A mellifluous melange of hoppy delights.

In the mouth: juicy, hoppy, strong, with plenty of bitterness on the palate. A big mess of deliciousness going down in this one. Bitter, juicy, dank, spilling over with grapefruit, orange, apricot, and increasingly prominent alcohol. 

I like this. Good double IPA and you can drink it.

Combines Citra, Chinook and Simcoe for a huge grapefuit citrus aroma and a dangerously dank finish.

56 Brewing Hop Girl Summer West Coast IPA

 

56 Brewing Hop Girl Summer West Coast IPA.

6.1% ABV, 60 IBU. 56 Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Hmm, a West Coast IPA from a local brewery that mainly does hazies. We’ll see about that...

Clear, bright golden color, large and lasting ivory head, looking good.

In the nose: citrus and pine, dank, bold, bursting with hops. Nice.

In the mouth: big hoppy, bitter bite from the get-go. Just a little bit juicy, then dry and hoppy all the way. Orange and grapefruit, lemon and lime, grass and pine, with unrelenting bitterness. Medium bodied, long, hoppy finish. 

I’ve got nothing to complain about here. Gives me all the goods.

We all gonna summer the summer out of this summer. Hop Girl Summer for all!

Hop Girl Summer lands somewhere between a West Coast & American IPA. Brewed with Simcoe & Centennial hops, your first sips will be piney with a touch of that dankness we love so much. Finishing with grapefruit brightness reminds you why we power through long, frigid winters. So we can Hop Girl Summer. 

Dogfish Head Utopias Barrel aged World Wide Stout

 

Dogfish Head Utopias Barrel aged World Wide Stout.

17.3% ABV, 70 IBU. Dogfish Head Brewing, Milton, DE.

I have not had the experience of drinking Samuel Adams Utopias, the strongest beer known to man. I have World Wide Stout, and it’s variants, a time or two. How do they taste together?

Strictly Stygian, utterly opaque, under a slim brown head.

In the nose: molasses, brown sugar, anise hit the senses first. Along comes rum, char, smoke, whiskey & more. An imperial stout lurks below. 

In the mouth: richness abounds. Enormous malt flavors, complexity and depth. Cocoa and coffee combine with the barrel. Alcohol strength and character adds many dimensions, head is starting to swim already. WWS was formidable stuff already. This is powerful, indeed. 

The experience of drinking Utopias is often described as ritualistic. Rare and often rumored about in the darkest corners of the beer community, this variety of World Wide Stout is dark, rich, roasty, and complex. 

Released: March, 2021.

Russian River Pliny the Younger Double IPA

 Russian River Pliny the Younger Double IPA .

The bottle was brought back to Minnesota by my
sister, Lynn in March. That growler once held the 
Younger and traveled from California to
Minneapolis by the good grace of my trading
parter’s sister back in 2005 (the first year they
made it.) Let’s hear it for sisters!

10.25% ABV, 90 IBU. Russian River Brewing, San Marcos, CA. Bottled on 3/22/22.

And now I will drink this beer for the second time ever, and also review it a second time, with seventeen years between the notes.

In 2005, I was beer trading with a Californian who sent this beer in a growler via his sister, who just so happened to be visiting Minneapolis and took it straight from the airport to the Blue Nile, where I was tending bar. As strange as this may seem, I couldn’t get people together to drink this with me and drank the whole growler by myself. Seventeen years later, the growler is still with me. I will share those notes below.

These days, the Younger comes in bottles, but I still haven’t tasted again in all that time. Because it’s still only sold once a year at the brewery, and I no longer trade, especially for beers I’ve already had. 

So, it came to pass that in late March of this year, my sister Lynn sent me a text telling me that she and her husband had merely gone out for pizza and beer and they wound up in a bottle line. Where were they, I wondered. She sent a picture of the Russian River sign. You’re at the Pliny the Younger release? I need one! They were in wine country on a whim, and the only thing open with food nearby just happened to be Russian River. Imagine that. I still haven’t been. 

And now I have one. And it’s two months later, so I should drink it. And I’ll write new notes and share the old ones. And I wish I’d asked her to pick up some coasters....or glassware...no, the beer is enough....let’s drink....

Clear, as God intended, bright golden hue, small white head atop. 

In the nose: absolute perfection. Brilliant blend of citrus and pine, the dank and the resinous, grapefruit and tangerine. Essential distillation of hophead heaven.

In the mouth: packing a punch from sip number one, the palate is gripped by the powerful pull of this amazing ale. Orange and grapefruit meets apricot and peach, with a whole lot of sticky icky in the texture. Hop attack never relents, bitterness doesn’t quit. Just a little juicy, but ending dry. The lips lick and the tongue calls out for more. The back of the throat beckons, too, for more of this lustrous ichor. 

This is Double IPA in its ideal form. I’m glad to be able to have Steel Toe Sticker Fight whenever I want and Surly Abrasive once a year, for they come closest, but this is the O.G., the standard bearer. 

2005 notes: once poured from the growler, the brew slipped over the lip of the pint, and I had to suck up some...pre-inspection, I'm wowed by this beer! Holy dribble cup, Batman!

Clear golden/ pale peach appearance, with an excellent cup of lacey, snow -white froth on top. Very attractive IPA, so far.

Nose is all pine, hints of pineapple and other tropical fruit, pineapple, peach, apricot, banana, lemon...braces of bitterness, but all of it pleasing to the hophead. Just heavenly!

Taste: all those good things and more, the tropical and citric fruit blaze over the palate, bright and luscious, hoppy, bitter, but overwhelmingly pleasant and tasty...the extra liquor doesn't click in right away, but makes itself felt eventually...11%?? Hooo, daddy!

There's enough malt here that it's not a raw hop blitzkrieg overpowering anything else in the brew, but hops are king here, as if there were ever any doubt. Damn, Zam-Bam-A-Lam!! this is a true killer-diller, not for the weak of heart or palate!

much thanks to Axisjones for the growler!

De Halve Maan Brugse Zot Belgian Ale

 I will now have this beer for the fifth time, and review it for the second. The first time was over fifteen years ago, in January of 2007, and I must’ve got a bad bottle. Or was in a bad mood, or something. I certainly wasn’t new to Belgian beers then. I was so dissatisfied that I gave it a 3 out of 5 on BeerAdvocate, a whopping 18% below the average. I felt that it needed a fairer review, and bought a $20 4-pack (which was only $18 a few weeks earlier), and, yes, I do wish the store sold more beers as singles. But, I enjoyed the first 3 bottles so much that I knew I had to do right by Brugse Zot .

De Halve Maan Brugse Zot Belgian Ale. 

6% ABV. 23 IBU. Brouwerij de Halve Maan, Vlanderen, Belgium. 

I’ve always like the label on this one. The jester looks like he’s doing a version of R. Crumb’s “Keep on Truckin “ dance. 

Clear, bright golden/ amber coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: sweetish Belgian malt and yeast character floods the nostrils. Blend of citrus and stone fruit notes, with orange mingling with apricot and peach. Lovely.

In the mouth: from the start, the palate is grabbed by a mix of sweet and tart, a spritz of hops to match a raft of malt, and an indescribable essence that is a component of many delicious Belgian ales. Light bodied, delicate, easy drinking, smooth and delightful. 

A tasty treat that all Belgian beer fans should get to know. 

Brugse Zot is a goldenblond beer with a rich froth and a fruity flavouring. The beer is brewed with four different kinds of malt and two aromatic varieties of hop which give the beer its unique taste.

With an alcochol degrees proof of 6 % Vol it is a well balanced, easy drinking beer with character.

Brugse Zot is a natural beer born out of a selection of only the best ingredients. Thanks to the refermentation in the bottle, the beer has a longer natural life.