Surly Lemonade Refreshing Ale

 Surly Lemonade Refreshing Ale. 

5.5 % ABV, Surly Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

And now it is time to drink a refreshing ale. A Surly Lemonade refreshing ale. 

It is clear, bright yellow, with a slim white head. 

In the nose:lemons. Lemony, lemony, lemony. Not too tart, not too sweet. 

In the mouth: it’s a lemonade beer. It’s lemony. It’s sweet and a little tart. They’ve got some lemons in here. And water. Probably malt, hops and yeast. Sugar? Quite possibly. 

Do you like lemons? You might like this beer. 

Do you like beer? Maybe you will …maybe you won’t. Personally, I don’t care to ever try this one again. I might not even finish the damned thing. Might change my mind when it’s 100° out, but, hey, that’s when I like IPAs the most.

Slightly tart with balanced sweetness, Surly Lemonade squeezes fresh flavor into every single drop. Bright, crisp, and lemony, this incredibly drinkable ale quenches and refreshes.

Invictus Gimme That Razz Raspberry Sour Ale

 

Invictus Gimme That Razz Raspberry Sour Ale.

4.4 % ABV, Invictus Brewing, Blaine, Minnesota. 

Crimson colored, vaguely opaque, slim pink ring.

In the nose: tart, berries, …that’s all you need. 

In the mouth: more of the same. Bright and tart, full and fruity. Medium bodied. Long, fruity fresh finish. 

Not too shabby of a raspberry sour. Go ahead and get some. 

Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

 Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA . 

8.3 % ABV, Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles, California. 

Fully ebon appearance, complete opacity, rich and lush, rocky, cocoa-toned foam. 

In the nose: bready, toasty, malty. Grassy hops lurk below. Spicy rye peeks through. 

In the mouth: silky smooth, malty and mellow. Hops are here, but slightly subdued. Rye malt is king in this. Nicely spicy and rich. There’s a lot going on here and it all comes together well. 

Full bodied, long malty finish, and no lack of hops. Lasting bitterness on the palate. Highly enjoyable. This does all the things it needs to do. Wish I had more than the one. Next time, I’ll know better. 

A unique twist on the Cascadian Dark Ale style.  Wookey Jack offers true hop aroma to rival most IPAs, with pungent citrus and herbal hop nuances, a hint of peppery rye and earthiness on the nose.  Big roasty malt flavors with balanced hop bitterness and spicy rye offer a full and complex texture with a refined bittered finish.  A truly different IPA for dark beer fans. 

Three Floyds Zombie Ice Undead Pale Ale

 Three Floyds Zombie Ice Undead Pale Ale. 

8.5% ABV,  55 IBU, Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana. 

Clear, golden hue, lasting layer of snowy foam. 

In the nose: big burst of citrus, bright and bold. Grapefruit, lemon, little bit of mango. 

In the mouth: rich malt, high hops, evident alcohol. Medium bodied, long finish. Never ending flavors. Ending nice and dry. Popping with hops. A fierce and terrible delight. 

This is can three from the variety pack. They came out along with six-packs of this one together a few weeks back. The Zombie Ice ran out in two days. I gobbled up up my first two cans in no time, and now wish I’d saved a Zombie Dust can to drink them side by side. I’ll probably get more of this before I get more of that. Unless another 3F DIPA comes out first. 

What I’m trying to say is that I’m glad this is a year round. I will return to this one.

Crafted with an unholy amount of citra hops, this Undead Double Pale Ale heralds the zombie evolution after the dust has settled from the apocalypse.

Elm Creek Outta Pocket West Coast IPA

 Elm Creek Outta Pocket West Coast IPA.

7.5 % ABV, Elm Creek Brewing, Champlin, Minnesota. 

And now for a West Coast IPA from a brewer known only for hazies. Let’s see how this works out. 

Hazy (big points docked!), deep orange hue, milky froth atop. 

In the nose: citrusy, tropical, slightly sweet, orange peel and passion fruit. 

In the mouth: soft, mild, too sweet. Hardly qualifies as a West Coast IPA. Barely distinguishable from any of their hazies. Lacking any crispness or hop attack of any kind. Lack of clarity disqualifies this as a West Coast IPA. 

Hop flavors linger on the palate, but there’s almost no bitterness, which is required in a West Coast. It tastes like any other hazy IPA and nothing like a West Coast.

Let’s go back a bit. This brewery arrived at the store where I work sometime last year and brought samples of their NE IPAs. They were good for that style. The fruited sours were also decent. And that’s what they kept bringing, time after time. One day, I teased the driver: don’t you have anything else but hazy IPAs and fruity sours? His response was, hey, if it ain’t broke, why fix it? I found this utterly nonsensical and shared the story on my Facebook page. Friends who get out to taprooms more than I told of the other styles they make well and the awards they’ve achieved. And yet they don’t release those. 

Months later, they released a kölsch, but I was never in the mood to pick up a 4-pack with my own money. 

Finally, a sample came my way, allegedly in my favorite style. 

But, it’s not. Not even close. It’s just another hazy, lacking any connection to the style. Boo!

A traditional West coast IPA brewed with Amarillo and Centennial. With aromas of orange pith on the nose, followed by a smooth mouth feel and flavors of Stone Fruits.  

I honestly don’t think they know what they are talking about. There’s nothing “traditional West Coast IPA” about this. 

Summit Saga Hazy IPA

 Summit Saga Hazy IPA.

? ABV, ? IBU. Summit Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

So, the other day I bought a Summit IPA variety pack and enjoyed a Saga IPA at home. Checked in on Untapped. Ed warned me about the hazy version and I said, “that’s got to be taproom only, they’ll never package it.” The next day I went to work and checked in five cases of this stuff. Shows what an idiot I am. Luckily, I somehow snagged a sample.

Lightly clouded, bright golden hue, milky white head, leaving some lace. 

In the nose: citrus zest, a pinch of pine, a twist of tropical. Maybe. Or am I imagining this? We still wonder if this is merely Saga Unfiltered. 

In the mouth: brief bitterness, despite big hop bite. Soft and smooth, with plenty of hop flavors. Grapefruit pith and orange rind aplenty. Not too protein rich, not overtly chock full of gauze, not threatening to choke the throat. Not getting into BlackStack’s  grill. 

You want a hazy? Here’s your hazy! I’ll wait and see how this works out. I don’t really think Summit drinkers want this. Did they ask for it? 

It’s still not what hazy fans want. Long hoppy flavors and appropriate bitterness, There’s a reason why I don’t hate this. They can’t hold back. I’ll always admire Summit. Their English IPA, way back in 1992, was the first beer I ever fell in love with. It was a different time. 

I will now taste this next to a Saga, un-hazy….  and, I still like it better. 

Fierce with flavor, worthy of the gods. Mythical hop haze with an epic soft finish. 

The above is taken from the box. No other information can be found. 

Bent Paddle Cold IPA

 Bent Paddle Cold IPA.

6% ABV, 35 IBU, Bent Paddle Brewing, Duluth, Minnesota. 

Part of the recent IPA Explorer Adventure Pack.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: ripe melon, passion fruit, pink grapefruit and orange. Citrusy meets tropical. 

In the mouth: soft and smooth. Low bitterness. Extraordinary drinkability. Light bodied. Refreshing and all that. Just a little juicy. Almost like an unhazy hazy. 

I mean, if you like Cold IPA, don’t let me stop you. Me, I can skip ‘em. 

Cold IPA explores the role yeast play in the IPA style. Fermented at cooler than normal temperatures, this IPA highlights the hop and malt profiles by providing a clean interplay between them with a reduced contribution of the yeast esters. Bright, crisp, and hop forward with Citra, El Dorado, and Strata leading the charge. This "new-ish" style pushes the boundaries of IPA! 

Revolution Soul Hero West Coast-style India Pale Ale

 Revolution Soul Hero West Coast-style India Pale Ale.

6.6% ABV, 40 IBU, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois. 

Last can from the latest League of Heroes variety pack. (That I’ve been sitting on too long.)

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: bursts of citrus and pine with a dose of tropical on the side. 

In the mouth: tidy little hop bite up front, just enough bitterness to please the palate. Clean, lean and popping with hops, dry, bitter, beautiful. Bright, shiny, just what I want from a West Coast. 

Style and substance harmonize in a West Coast-style IPA that's clear as a bell and expressive as a torch song. Grace notes of passionfruit, mango, and citrus share the spotlight with a bright, crisp, light body.

Surly Skeleton Tree Baltic Style Porter

 Surly Skeleton Tree Baltic Style Porter. 

7.2 % ANV, Surly Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Dark brown color, nearly opaque, slim brown head. 

In the nose: slightly sweet malty notes, creamy, caramel. Light roast. 

In the mouth: smooth, creamy, sweet, clean and balanced. Cocoa stands tall in the flavor, with coffee and nuts below. Low to no bitterness. Majorly malty. Medium bodied, definitely drinkable. But…I’ll have to file this under average, at best. 

Although I must admit I liked this better with can #1, months ago. It shouldn’t have fallen off so much after a mere five months. 

As the leaves fall and winter approaches, reach for the silky smooth chocolate notes and roasty flavor of this Baltic-style porter..

Dual Citizen This Must Be the Pale Pale Ale

 Dual Citizen This Must Be the Pale Pale Ale.

5.6% ABV, Dual Citizen, St. Paul, MN. 

Clear, amber hued, slim white head.

In the nose: mild, slightly citrusy. 

In the mouth: orange marmalade with a kiss of caramel. Moderate bitterness. Medium bodied. Easy drinking, pleasantly flavored. A perfectly acceptable pale ale. I don’t hate it. 

American Pale Ale with an orange hue and white head. Some citrus and light tropical notes in the aroma. Hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe.

Oliphant Lizardize Mariguanas Pale Ale

 Oliphant Lizardize Mariguanas Pale Ale.

5% ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin. 

When I first started using the app Untappd 12 years ago, my use was very casual. I didn’t always check in and rarely checked in twice to the same beer. A few years ago, I decided to change that and began to check and take a pic of nearly every single beer I had. This might explain why Oliphant Lizardize  Mariguanas IPA is my 4th most checked-in beer, 93 times from July 2017 to this past January. I was rather fond of it. Bought it whenever I saw it and frequently tapped it at Acadia. 

And it will stay at that number. The beer has been “reimagined “ as a pale ale, while keeping the name. I’ve had the first 3 cans already, it’s finally time for the notes. 

Lightly hazed, pale golden humus, lace-leaving cloud-white head. 

In the nose: floral and citrusy. Orange and lemon zest, grapefruit, a patch of pine. 

In the mouth: bitterness bites up front, but briefly. More than anything, it’s citrusy and smooth. Lighter bodied, clean malt mouthfeel, just about crispy. Flavors remain strong throughout. Hoppy, bitter taste doesn’t quit and is never too much. I liked it just fine.

Pale Ales are all well and good, but I like my IPAs. I understand why they want an APA and why they want to keep the name, but what’s my favorite Wisconsin IPA now, Oliphant? Will you please bring back Samurai Karate Guy, and please don’t reimagine it as a hazy.

A twist on a classic. This lighter, but equally refreshing and hopped ipa features, Citra, Wakatu, Amarillo, and Warrior hops!

Sisyphus Midnight Sun Imperial Porter w/Coconut & Vanilla

 Sisyphus Midnight Sun Imperial Porter w/Coconut & Vanilla. 

13.1% ABV,  40 IBU, Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It’s dark and deep and rich. Opaque. Small head. 

Nose: coconut and cocoa kicks it off. Creamy, lovely, s wet, luscious. 

Mouth: sweet and lovely. Slightly south of treacly. Beautifully balanced. Lush, rich, cocoa and cream. Smooth and delicious. The mood moves over me, the rich malt, vanilla & coconut, always in balance. Just enough and then some. It washes over deliciousness and leaves me swallowed in splendor. 

Bell’s Big Big Hearted IPA Imperial IPA

 Bell’s Big Big Hearted IPA Imperial IPA. 

9.5 % ABV, Bell’s Brewery, Comstock, MI.

From the Hearted 12-pack, where everything is Hearted, and this is the biggest one of all.

Bright golden hue, lightly hazed, slim white head, leaving lace. 

In the nose: a little bit floral, and then on comes the citrus, building in dankness. Some stone fruit, candied sweetness, a touch juicy, with plenty of bitterness upon the palate. This pleases me the way all good double IPAs do. Big bitterness, huge hoppiness, and the high alcohol is bringing on the good feels. 

Imperial style IPA. Citrus and berry hop aromas, balanced with a slight bitterness.

Lagunitas Woodshop Series Willettized Coffee Stout

 Lagunitas Woodshop Series Willettized Coffee Stout Aged in Rye oak barrels. 

13.1 % ABV. The Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, Calif., and Chicago, Ill.

Thorough blackness, absolute opacity, slim brown ring above. 

In the nose: rich coffee notes hit first, with whiskey right behind. Vanilla and cocoa mingle with espresso. 

In the mouth: dark malt flavors coat the palate, barrel flavors coming right behind. Richness abounds here, with high alcohol rising up to elevate the party. Charcoal checks hips with molasses, a hint of anise mixes it up with mocha. Whole lot going on here. Big, rich, delicious. And powerful. 

There’s a hell of a lot going on in this little bottle and I can fully dig it. 

Our friends over at Kentucky’s own Willett Distillery have one kind of barrel: wood. And they put two things in them: Bourbon and Rye. We were fortunate enough to get some of their Bourbon barrels, and we put our Imperial Stout in them. It’s a chocolatey, coffee-y, smoky, Bourbon-y beast of a barrel-aged thing. Word.

Falling Knife X Nouvelle Chill Factor West Coast Double IPA

 

Falling Knife X Nouvelle Chill Factor West Coast Double IPA. With estate grown Comet, Chinook, & Columbus Cryo hops and terpenes. Collaboration with Nouvelle Brewing of Robbinsdale, MN. 

8.4 % ABV, Falling Knife Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

I love a good West Coast IPA and adore a great double version? Will this be one?

Just about nearly clear, bright golden color, slim white ring of foam. 

In the nose: bold citrus notes, fresh, vibrant hop flavors abound. Like burying your face in pine needles.

In the mouth: bitterness tickles the palate, but doesn’t spank. Just a little juicy, but overall dry. Hop flavors, citrus and pine in abundance, continue to blaze a delicious path. Expertly drinkable, despite the …oh, here it comes…

Unfortunately, it lacks the crisp and the snap and the bitter smack I desire from both West Coast IPAs and DIPAs. Comes close, and, you know, I do enjoy it. 

West Coast Double IPA with Estate Grown Comet, Chinook & Columbus Cryo hops with Chinook and Southern Hemisphere Tropical Terpenes