Bad Weather Duel City Belgian Double IPA

 Bad Weather Duel City Belgian Double IPA. The Belgian Battle. 2022. St. Paul / Minneapolis. Arbeiter v. Bad Weather. 

10.3% ABV. 75 IBU. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Clear, bright golden tone, small ivory head, leaving lace. 

In the nose: sweetness, funk, & fruit right out of the gate. Stone fruit with some citrus. Apricot and lemon. And plenty of Belgian twist. 

In the mouth: starts off highly hoppy, with a Belgian kick, reminiscent of a tripel. Lean bodied, deceptively drinkable. Bright, candified, bold, with the high ABV shining through. Clean, crisp, fruity, just sweet enough and bitter enough. It’s got all the goods.

Duel City - Belgian Double IPA

Collaboration w/Arbeiter Brewing Company

Menu Descriptors - White Grape, Clove, Citrus

4.0 SRM

10.3% ABV

75 IBU

Malt - Belgian Pilsner

Hops - New Zealand Waimea, German Hallertau Blanc

Yeast - Belgian Ale

Adjunct - Belgian Candi Syrup

Aroma’s of white grape, pine,clove, bubblegum, pineapple, and a hint of sweetness. Cracker malt flavor along with a white grape/citrus hop note. Medium bodied with a medium bitterness that finishes dry and slightly warming. Pours a hazy straw color with a rocky white head. 

Bad Weather Calamity Russian Imperial Stout

Bad Weather Calamity Russian Imperial Stout.

11.4 % ABV, 70 IBU. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, Mn. 

Thoroughly black, completely opaque, slim brown ring holds court above. 

In the nose: roasted malt, cocoa, coffee, caramel, ash, and a little anise. 

In the mouth: Rich, malty and bittersweet. Just the right balance here. Roasted malt meets chocolate with a hint of dark fruits. Bold, full bodied, long malty finish. There's a little heat here, and not a small amount of smoke. And a whole lot of chocolate. 

This one lays on the palate for the long haul, and I'm enjoying it. 

Bold and daring. This full-bodied imperial stout is for the fearless. Those who like it dark, roasted, and big on flavors. Settle in for a sweet yet bitter taste with notes of chocolate and dark fruit.

Bad Weather Tippin It Down ESB with Earl Grey Tea

Bad Weather Tippin It Down ESB with Earl Grey Tea. 5.1% alc. by vol. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN. "Pairs well with overcast days, cool breezy evenings, and cozy moments around a fireplace with friends."

Clear, rich amber color, slim, off-white head.

In the nose: Lightly sweet. Getting the tea right away, and it grows and grows. Soon enough, it's right up in there. Nice.

In the mouth: British malt comes through first, herbal, spicy, delicious. The tea flavor really shines in this. Light bodied and so drinkable, I'm done with the beer before I know it. And I liked it. And I'd have one again. But not too often, I like hops more than I like tea. But, that's just me.

A spot of tea for that rainy day? Nothin’ better than slurping a hot Earl Grey when the weather is frigid and wet, am I right chap? No? You would rather a pint of bitter to drown away that crummy day? Why not both?? Using our patented whirlpool technology (we threw tea into the whirlpool vessel), we have injected Tippin’ it Down ESB with REAL Earl Grey tea! Spicy, citrusy Earl Grey is lovingly steeped into chewy English malts to create the perfect beer for when it’s Tippin’ it Down out there...

Bad Weather Sun Pillar Belgian Blonde

Bad Weather Sun Pillar Belgian Blonde. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 5.1 % Alc. 17 IBU.
Pairs well with sunny spring days, hot mid-summer afternoons, crisp fall evenings, mild winter nights.

To the eye: Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Mild aromatics, with an undercurrent of bubblegum, light fruit, Belgian yeast, malt.

In the mouth: Moderate/light bitterness, sweet malt, and that unmistakable Belgian funk inside. Light bodied, smooth, easy drinker. More bubblegum/fruit from yeast, lightly spicy. Delicious. I like a Belgian blonde from time to time, and this is a nice one.

Subtle spicy yeast notes are accompanied by the sweetness of Belgian Pilsen malt and candi sugar. Bubble gum and clove permeate the soft aroma coming off a silky white tuft of foam.

Bad Weather Hopcromancer IPA

Bad Weather Hopcromancer IPA. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

"Beer for any season!" "Fresh beer, drink cold!"
"Pairs well with cool summer nights, warm late autumn days, winter BBQs, rainy spring mornings."
"Don't like the weather? CAN IT!"

7.0% ABV. 70 IBU. 12 fluid ounce can.

Hazed, crimson/amber coloration, beautiful ivory, lace-leaving head.

In the nose: fine and mellow, nicely hoppy. Floral and slightly citric. Starts out shy, but blossoms wth fruity associations. Gets plumper as we go. Tropical tones, too.

In the mouth: Mmm. Bright, zesty, fruit-laden, tangerine and melon, orange, lime, and pineapple. Blueberry? A touch. Much malt in this, just enough balance, just enough everything. A very tasty IPA. Hops bounce and trounce and step all over the palate. Just delightful.

From the label: "Biscuit like malt character with tons of juicy hops. Pineapple, citrus, melon and just a hint of pine envelope the aroma. Pours gold with a dense white foam."

Bad Weather Barrel-aged Cauld Weather Wee Heavy

Bad Weather Cauld Weather. Scottish Wee Heavy Aged in Whiskey and Port Barrels. 7.5% ABV.

Solid darkness in the glass, creamy tanned head. Looking great.

In the nose: Screams out whiskey. Rich. Sweet. Toffee, caramel. Molasses, vanilla. Rich and lovely.

In the mouth: Thick, rich, lush, sweet, beautiful. Toffee and caramel, The port barrel lurks below the whiskey, which is king here. So delicious. So, so tasty. Full-bodied, decadent, wonderful. I'm wishing I had a second bottle to save even longer. I'll look for one, and do that. I urge you to, too.

I'm still drinking and now the mingling. The port flavors are rising up and mixing with the whiskey. This is increasingly interesting, and I'm incredibly intrigued. Wow. Wee. And it's a drinker. Not too strong, not too rich, not too boozy and over-the-top. It's sumptuous, and mellow, and ...yeah. Do yourself a favor. Drink it now, or save a bottle and drink it later. But, either way, you'll be happy.

Minnesota Breweries One by One #19: Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, with Chinook SMaSH

Bad Weather Brewing, 414 W. 7th St., St. Paul

We've been to 18 breweries so far (me, and you, because you're along for the ride, of course), eight from my hometown of Minneapolis, and 10 from other, further -out communities, in this exploration of the breweries of Minnesota. And yet, we haven't stepped into any of the breweries in the next town over, St. Paul, capitol of the state, population just under 300, 000, county seat of Ramsey County, originally called Pig's Eye, after tavern owner Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant.  (Oh, why didn't they keep that name?) Sits on the East Bank of the Mississippi, across the river from Minneapolis, and only 62% of it's inhabitants are of the non-Hispanic Caucasoid race.

Birthplace of Charles "Sparky" Schulz of the funny papers, F. Scott Fitzgerald of the novels, and such well-known thespians as Loni Anderson, William Demarest (no, not just of "My Three Sons", but the films of Preston Sturges), and Al Franken's partner Tom Davis. Garrison Keillor, from my original hometown of Anoka, spins his folksy, small-town, down-home tales and sells Powdermilk Biscuits at the Fitzgerald Theater in "A Prairie Home Companion" on the radio. And it's a town I hardly ever visit, because, hey, we're Minneapolis, okay. You just stay on your side with your St. Paul ways and be all quaint and go to bed early. Whatever.

partial peek at the offerings on the chalkboard, in front
of fermenting tanks

But it's time that I drank their beer, and I decided to start with Bad Weather, because I knew they had a great taproom in their brand new brewery which opened last fall, that I hadn't visited yet. It was a day off, and they had a new beer on, so I went out to drink it.

Bad Weather started putting beers out in the market in 2013, brewed in the Lucid facility in Minnetonka. Their beers have only appeared here three times before, 2 of their 12 ounce bottles and one bomber. I have had a few others, including two that I ordered for Acadia last fall, the Hopcromancer and Firefly. (Never took notes on them, though. That seems to happen a lot.)

Half of my Galactic Tide Rye Porter.

So, I hopped on the Green Line light rail train at the West Bank Station and rode that all the way into downtown St. Paul for the first time ever. The directions I read told me to find a certain corner and take a certain bus for a certain length until I got to the spot. But this foreign burg is so confusing to me that when I soon found myself situated near E. 7th St. in the low digits I decided to just follow it until it turned into west 7th St. and eventually find the 414 address. That was a nice little walk.

It's an impressive space. Long bar, brewery behind it. Loads of table space, with a separate room adjoining. I cast my eyes on the chalkboards, spied an ale I'd heard of, and though the new one was already pouring, decided to start with Galactic Tide Rye Porter. Tasty stuff here, rich and roast-y, full bodied and smooth. 5%, 33 IBU, a classic easy-drinking English-style dark ale.

It's fun to find friends when taproom
travelling.

Bourbon barrel-aged Cauld Weather Wee Heavy.

I had barely started my pint when a familiar voice rung out from down the bar, my old friend Ed Jackson, himself a St. Paulite. When I see him on my side of the river, it's usually visiting me wherever I've been working, or at Minneapolis Town Hall brewery. For once, here we were having a drink together on his home turf. I moved down next his seat, and ordered my next glass, the Bourbon Barrel-aged Cauld Weather Scottish Wee Heavy, the new one tapped that afternoon. And it was nice. I didn't take notes during this drinking session, so I can't pretend to have a review of it in my head all ready to unspool for you, but it was pretty much what you'd want: hearty, slightly sweet, malty, boozy, just delightful.

fermenting tanks.

Cheers, Joe!

mash tun.

I was about to chose my third beer, the Coffee-Infused Ominous Double Brown Ale, equally delightful, when behind the bar came co-owner Joe Giambruno who said hello, and asked if I wanted my glass filled, for I'd be needing a tour beer, wouldn't I? Oh, I asked, there's a tour. Sure, he said, whenever you're ready. I informed Ed, and then along came another friend, Andy, brewer at Barley John's brewpub, and the four of us went back into the brewery where Joe gave us a peek at the goings on at their big, beautiful system, as well as their plans for expansion.

Belgian Pale Ale. 

I had a couple more on this visit, a tasty Belgian
Pale Ale, and a taste, but not a full glass, of the Sour Ominous, a kettle sour version of the double brown. It getting to the point of too much beer and time to go and head back to Minneapolis. I left with a better idea of Bad Weather, and was more impressed with their output. Nothing but good beers coming out of here, folks. I haven't been to all of the breweries and taprooms in St. Paul, by any means, but do yourself a favor, and get down here. I know I'll be back.

I wanted to get a shot of the awesome mural by label artist
Lucas Gluesenkamp, but Ed and Andy got in the way.

I took a growler home with me, as well, and the notes now follow:


S.M.aS.H. with Chinook I.P.A.


Clear, bold amber hue. slim beige head of foam.

Nice spicy aromatics, mellow citrus hop character. Altogether enticing.

Taste: big hop bitter attack at the front, then all is cool and easy. Smooth. Malty. Medium-bodied. Good drinking. Grassy/citrus-y Chinook hop attack continues sip after sip, getting brighter, bolder, citrus-ier (that's a word, right?) every single time.

I liked this one so much that I took the entire growler down in one afternoon session, not once growing tired of it.

Bad Weather Ominous MidWest Warmer Ale

Bad Weather Brewing Company Ominous Midwest Warmer. Alcohol 7.5% by volume. Proudly brewed in Minnesota, Est. 2013. Bad Weather Brewing Company, Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Bad weather is all we've got these days, so it seemed appropriate to tackle this one. Leaving me one from this brewery to try, if I can get my hands on it. (Nope, two: Firefly, the rye, and a blonde ale called Migration.) Without further ado, away we go, into the Ominous. I have had this one on tap at Acadia Cafe, but it didn't make a big impression on me. Perhaps the bottle will turn the tide?

Solid black body, with ruby highlights, and a roasted tan head above. Looks just fine.

Aroma: dark fruit, plums and raisins, slightly tannin-y, a touch of sweet, and a trickle of sour. Further sips in, more hoppy bittersweet notes clash just a bit with the chocolate malt tones. Mostly harmonious. Good depth, good flavors, without too much complexity. Just enough, perhaps, to make this an easy drinker, albeit with a slightly higher alcohol level.

Very nice wintry seasonal ale. Does the trick. I'll finish the 6-pack with no complaint.

Clouds grow dark, the winds pick up, a chill sets in--the weather is not looking good. Thankfully, our cold weather seasonal OMINOUS is the perfect beer for this situation. Warming from the inside out, it's a good reason to stay indoors. At 7.5% ABV, this Midwest Warmer has layers to stand up to the most frigid of winter nights or rain-soaked spring days. American, English, and British malts come together to satisfy the soul with rich, nutty roasted flavors. Dark candi sugar brings out  hints of dates, raisins, plum and chocolate, OMINOUS is a dark storm of a beer--big, intense and something to keep your eye on."dygook from the 6-pack carrier:  "

Bad Weather Schocko-Weizen Dunkel-weizen with cacao nibs

Bad Weather Schoko-Weizen Dunkelweizen with cocoa nibs. Storm cellar series #1. Brewed and bottled by Bad Weather Brewing Company, Minnetonka, MN. ABV 7.0% ABV.


Total blackness, under a full, 1/2 inch creamy tan, looking good from where I sit.

Aroma: chocolate and dark fruit notes come through first, spices, banana a little bit. Creamy, milky-ness, too…lactose in this? there's more than the straightforward dunkel weisse aromatics here. Something different is going on, an unusual yeast strain, maybe?

Taste: Chocolate hits the palate first, followed quickly by the wizen yeast character. There's banana, and spice, clove. Medium-bodied, full-flavored, and fairly unique. Plays rich on the tongue for a while, and ends on the dry side, with a lingering chocolate-y finish.

I'd like to see what they tell us on the label: "Schoko-weizen kicks off our limited edition Storm Cellar Series. We use classic Hefeweizen yeast to give this brew rich banana and clove flavors, with notes of toasted bread from the dark wheat. Schokolade is the German word for chocolate, so cacao nibs are added to give SCHOLO-WEIZEN it's rich, chocolately finish. A fitting style of beer to launch this limited series, Dunkelweizen was the first style of beer co-founder Joe ever brewed. Enjoy this one of a kind beer while it lasts…Prost!"

If this wasn't supposed to be so la-de-da, if it wasn't wax-dipped, in a big bottle, with a price tag of $9 or so, maybe I wouldn't be disappointed. It just doesn't deliver enough. Nothing wrong with it, nothing bad, just not good enough.

Bad Weather Windvane Minnesota Red Ale

Hey, guys, where are we in this Minnesota beer boom? Anyone know? Are we still at the spark or are we about to hit plateau? How will history tag 2013, the year that brought us 612 Brew, Dangerous Man , Enki, HammerHeart, and this one that I'm reviewing for the first time, Bad Weather? Did I miss anyone? Bang Brewing? Burning Brothers? Anyone else? Help me out here. {How could I have forgotten Bent Paddle in Duluth, finally sending cans down here, a place I really have to visit!}
While you guys scratch your noggins, I'll throw out these notes I wrote earlier tonight:


Hey, guess what, Bad Weather, the third brewing company making beer out of the Lucid facility, has bottles now, all right!

Bad Weather Brewing Company, Minnetonka, Minnesota. Windvane Minnesota Red Ale. Alc. 6% by Vol. So, not an Irish Ale? Not an American Red Ale. Just good ol' Minnesota Red Ale, which means??? I guess we'll find out, once I open the damned thing…

Appearance: Dark red, deep and murky,  slim, but tight, off-whitish head.

Aroma: malty stuff, some hops, fruity esters. Some bright citrusy hop character mixes in. This is a very nice meeting of malt and hops, good balance, none taking spotlight.

Taste: Huh. That's a hoppy red, all right. The harmonious marriage of malt and hops detected in the nose seeming like it's gong through a stormy stage as it rages in the mouth. (I swear to keep the weather related jokes to a minimum.)
Bit of a dry, copper-y feel in the flavor, as sweet malt is check in check by hops, but in the end I'm not feeling anything especially distinctive results.
Some fruit notes, apple, cherry, and it is tasty, for sure, …however, I'm still on the fence here. There's nothing to not recommend it, but on the other hand…eh.

There's no gobbledygook on the label, but there is on the 6-pack carrier. " Our flagship year-round release WINDVANE stands strong through all types of weather and is a great fit for all seasons. Pouring a deep brilliant red, this is your go-to beer. If you want something hoppy, you definitely have it. America hops give WINDANE a swift bitterness with piney, citrus and resinous flavors. If you want something with strong malt shoulders, you have that too. Roast malt layers add complexity and keeps the beer dry to showcase the hops."

Okay, sure, but still…eh.