Broken Clock Minnesota Vixen Juicy IPA

 

Broken Clock Minnesota Vixen Juicy IPA .

6.7% ABV, 48 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. 

Hazy, bright golden hue, large and long-lasting ivory head.

In the nose: big citrus, bright and bold. Orange, grapefruit, lemon. Blissful barrage. 

In the mouth: juicy from the get-go. More bold hoppiness, with minor bitterness. It’s “not too hoppy”, as is appropriate for a beer made in collaboration (or just in honor of? ) a local women’s football team. You don’t want it to be too bitter and turn off many of the crowd that wants to enjoy it. Mild and easygoing, while flush with flavor. Not too shabby there.

This is not the freshest example of this that one can find. It is perhaps the oldest version ever. It was bequeathed to me, after having hung around for seven months for reasons too tedious to go into. But I feel that it hasn’t suffered over time. Probably better fresher, but not too bad right now. 

This double dry hopped NE IPA brewed in collaboration with Minnesota Vixen Football team features flavors and aromas of melon, tropical fruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, coconut, stone fruit, and mint.  The Minnesota Vixen strive to provide a unique opportunity for female and non-binary athletes to play full-contact football at a highly competitive level with other women’s teams from across the country. Established in 1999, the Vixen are the longest continuously operating women’s tackle football team in the nation. The team plays full contact, tackle football following NCAA rules. www.mnvixen.com. 

Broken Clock Dankasaurus Rex Triple Dry-Hopped NE IPA

Broken Clock Dankasaurus Rex Triple Dry-Hopped NE IPA. 

6.5 % ABV, 55 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. 

Why did I knowingly break my ban on the "NE IPA" or "the hazies" once more? Because it has a hipster dinosaur on it, that's why. Duh. 

All fuzzed out and hazed-up, dull orange coloration, slim chalk-white head. 

In the nose: Enticing hop aromas abound. Citrus and pine aplenty. Highly likable.

In the mouth: Fresh and zesty hop flavors pound the palate from minute one. Slightly tart and beautifully bitter. Grapefruit and lemon galore, with a pinch of passionfruit and pineapple. Slightly juicy, but ultimately smooth, ending on a dry note. Clean malt flavors. Exceptional drinkability. 

I enjoyed this one, but one thing: could use a little more dank.

This prehistoric beast has been outlawed since the cretaceous for being the life of the party. Dankasaurus Rex is a triple dry hopped NE IPA featuring Censored, Citivia, and Evergreen hops. Harmoniously brewed to bring out dank, tropical, and fruit flavors and aromas. This is one you’ll not want to pass on.

Broken Clock Home Improvement Double IPA

Broken Clock Home Improvement Double IPA.

8.5% ABV, Broken Clock Brewing Collective, Minneapolis, MN.

Slightly clouded, dark crimson hue, large white head. 

In the nose: sweetness & fruit. Happiness, but low bitterness. A cornucopia of fruity sensations, but playing it rather cool, nonetheless. 

In the mouth: Cool, calm, slightly bitter, slightly sweet. Big fruit, bold and hoppy. Juicy to an extreme. As a double IPA, I like the boldness. Big time juicy/fruity. Rich, redolent, lush, delicious. Rich and malty, yet rich and hoppy. I like that combo. I like it a lot. 

Ever so tasty. Full of the citrus, the full-on fruit, the dank, and the resinous. All the goodies. The dankest. And I can dig it. 

Broken Clock That Salty Quaker Sea Salt and Caramel Oatmeal Stout

Broken Clock That Salty Quaker Sea Salt and Caramel Oatmeal Stout.

6.8% ABV, 30 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. 

The label illustration riffs on the Morton's salt label, combined with Quaker Oats. Clever, I get it... except that  I can't get what's raining on him (caramels?) or what he's holding (some kind of salt shaker?)...

Thoroughly black, completely opaque, slim brownish head. 

In the nose: Dark malts, caramel, smooth and creamy. Picking up the salted caramel. 

In the mouth: Seas salt is foremost on the palate as we kick it off. And it hangs in there for a long spell. Caramel is just beneath it. We get some of the roast of an oatmeal stout, but the salt is dominant. Medium bodied, long, malty finish, easily consumable, but...this time, there's a but...it doesn't deliver the delights of an oatmeal stout, strays too far from caramel flavors, too taken over by the salt. I get what they were trying to do, but it doesn't work. 

Ah, well, win some, lose some. 

This Oatmeal stout has a generous amounts of flaked oats and caramel malt. Has chocolate, caramel, and burnt toffee flavor and aroma. Salt added to the boil adds an interesting twist to the finish.

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Sweater Weather Porter

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Sweater Weather Porter.

6.3 % ABV, 44 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. 

I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I bought this crowler for the cute little duckies on the label, with their adorable little sweaters. No, I'm going to tell you the truth and tell you that I bought it in order to drink an honest-to-goodness porter, no coconut, no coffee, no nuts, no fruit, no marshmallows, no fudge. Let's see how it tastes. 

Dark brown, nearly opaque, slim, cocoa-toned head on top. 

In the nose: soft, bittersweet, caramel and cocoa, with a touch of espresso. 

In the mouth: Smooth stuff, so far. Caramel malt, cocoa, brown sugar, a touch of hops for balance. Roasty malts take over the flavor. Medium bodied, and expertly drinkable. Lingering bitterness on the palate rides just above the roast. Quite tasty. I wanted a solid, no-nonsense porter, and I got one. 

This American Brown Porter has dark chocolate and toffee flavors with a solid hop backbone.

Is it a "hop backbone"? Don't we say "malt backbone" for a reason? Huh. I've never heard "hop backbone". Well...huh. Okay. No, really. I think that's wrong. 

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Fat Lou IPA

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Fat Lou IPA .

6.7 %, 74 IBU. Broken Clock, Minneapolis, MN. 

Clear (whoever heard of such a thing?), bright amber color, lace-leaving ivory froth atop. 

In the nose: Citrus and spice and everything nice, and a pinch of pine. Very promising.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, and fully loaded with hops. Moderate bitterness. Plenty of citrus-y flavors, popping with grapefruit, tangerine,  lemon. Add a touch of stone fruit. Light in body and easy in drinking. 

This is quite a nice India Pale Ale. 

And to think I just tried it for the kitty cat on the label. 

This IPA is Puuurfect for those late summer evenings. Notes of Pine grapefruit, tangerine, and passion fruit. Tons of fat hops used throughout the boil to give it a nice bitter dank finish. Meow

Broken Clock Forbidden Hugs NE IPA

Broken Clock Forbidden Hugs NE IPA.
6.6 % ABV. 45 IBU.
Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

Hazy as all get-out, bright golden hue, slim, but staying, ivory head.

In the nose: soft, shy, lightly fruity...

In the mouth: Little bit of bitterness at the start, citrus splashes on the palate. Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit. Light-bodied, lean, and tasty. Bitterness remains, soft, juicy, and supple keeps on keeping on. I like this one a lot, more than I can say for many NE IPAs.

A hazy, juicy IPA with the aroma of a hopped up IPA, but without the harsh bite. Loaded with local hops from Mighty Axe hops, the beer has aromas and flavors of citrus, melon, tropical fruit, and fruit pebbles.

Broken Clock Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout

Broken Clock Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout.
10 % ABV. 71 IBU.
Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

This malt beverage was produced by Broken Clock Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. Brewed to support justice and equality for people of color.

Concentrated blackness in the color, complete opacity, rich brown head above. Looking very good.

In the nose: Coffee hits first, rich and earthy, deep and dirty. Alarmingly large roast. Some cocoa below.

In the mouth: Coffee, again, is king. So much is dwarfs all else. Big malt is below, and chocolate notes, too, but there's not dispute about what flavor remains in charge. Bright, bold, brash, and beautiful....so much malty, coffee goodness just popping on the palate.

Yes, Black is Beautiful. Everyone knows that it is. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. "But, no! All colors are beautiful!" Well, teal is terrific, and pink is pretty, and vermillion is very nice, but now is the time to say it loud and proud, as if it's never been time, it's always been time, and for fuck's sake, will always be time to remind everyone of the fact.

This beer, though, is also beautiful. It's everything you want to be!

Also, Black Lives Matter, as if you didn't know.

We started with an amazing base recipe developed by our friends at Weathered Souls Brewing Company and added Mocha Java cold brew from Gus Dean Coffee. It’s Big, Bold, Roasty, and full of flavor. Notes of dark chocolate and coffee are prevalent, with hints of berry.

Inbound / Broken Clock Shot Clock Hazy American Pale Ale

Inbound / Broken Clock Shot Clock Hazy American Pale Ale.

4.7 % ABV. 38 IBU. Inbound BrewCo., Minnepolis, MN.

Highly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Citrus notes aplenty. Nicely hopped. Yeast galore.

In the mouth: A whole mess of hoppy goodness at play on the palate. Juicy, citrusy, fresh and refreshing. Medium-bodied. Low bitterness. Easy drinking. Quite tasty.

Brewed in collaboration with Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Shot Clock is a gorgeously juicy, hazy American Pale Ale made with a soft malt bill plus light-profile rice and corn adjuncts. It’s hopped with Cashmere and Idaho #7 hops in the boil, and finally triple dry hopped with fruity, tropical Idaho #7 and Hallertau Ariana hops.

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Law & Porter Special Chocolate Unit Ancho Chili Edition

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Law & Porter Special Chocolate Unit. 6.8% ABV, 46 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

Solid darkness, slim light brown-ish head rings above.

In the nose: Slight sweetness, bittersweet espresso notes, traces of cocoa. Dark. malts.

In the mouth: Bitter and sweet take the stage together, chocolate steals the show. Medium bodied, rich and full on the palate. Smooth and malty, nice and chocolatey, with a little heat popping out in the end. Not from an addition, like peppers, I assume, just alcohol heat? Anyway, all in all, it's a tasty one.

(Note: For reasons that no one can understand, I never bothered to read the sticker on the label. The skull & cross-peppers warning that this was the Ancho Chili Edition. I looked it up, and couldn't find any note about there being peppers in the beer. Until I realized I forgot to look up "Ancho Chili Edition." You'd think I'd notice a skull & cross-peppers. Going blind, I think.)

This porter has dark chocolate and toffee flavors with a solid hop backbone expected from this style.

Hop Backbone? That's a new one.

Broken Clock Spartakus League Hefe Weizen

Broken Clock Spartakus League Hefe Weizen. (I have no idea what that name means.) 4.6% ABV. 14 IBU. Broken Clock Cooperative Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Classic clove and banana notes hit from the first, with slight floral and fruit, too.

In the mouth: Light-bodied, smooth, slightly sweet. All the classic hefe weizen flavors are here. Nicely spicy, just enough sweet and fruity. And definitely drinkable. Good one.

This traditional German wheat beer features banana and clove in the flavor and aroma. It is crisp, mildly spicy, and finishes semi-dry.

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Minute Man New England IPA

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Minute Man New England IPA. 6.8% ABV. 45 IBU. Minneapolis, MN. Canned on 4/18. Purchased: 4/30. Consumed: last night.

Another one of those New England hazy IPAs everyone's so into now, eh? Well, okay, I guess, if I have to....

And it's the first Broken Clock beer I've bought in a store. Why is that significant? I didn't know they were selling in stores. Good for them.

Highly hazy, golden hue, big white head.

In the nose: ah, lovely! Pure hoppiness. Piney, resinous, citrusy. Right on.

In the mouth: vanilla, cream, pineapple. Leafy green. Nice, low-laying bitterness on the palate. And juicy. Did I forget to mention juicy? All the things, the juice, the fruit, the haze and the soft. Ending dry and just a little bitter.

I like this. It's pretty danged good.

Maybe I'm turning the corner on this "Hazy, juicy, NE"-IPA stuff. Maybe. Anything's possible.

A hazy, juicy IPA with the aroma of a hopped up IPA, but without the harsh bite. Loaded with hops with citrus and tropical fruit flavors.

Broken Clock Nordic Night Winter Porter / MN Breweries One by One #120

Broken Clock Nordic Night Winter Porter. 6.3% ABV, 46 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

To the eye: Dark brown color, with ruby highlight, under a solid cocoa-tinged slice of foam.

In the nose: Some sweetness, a little fruit, a touch of spice, but altogether a malty affair. There's an interesting blend of spices here, mingling with the cocoa, caramel, & coffee underneath.

In the mouth: Warm and flavorful from the first sip. Medium bodied, long malty finish. Nice integration of flavors, well balanced. Great iteration of a spiced wintry porter. I haven't had one of those in a while, and they can be a refreshing change of pace.

Official word from the brewery: Chocolate and spice aroma with strong dark chocolate and toffee flavors intermingled with spices, including nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon. 

This will be the seventh beer I've tried from this brewery, thanks to samples. And I've decided to make this post also Minnesota Breweries One by One # 120, because I paid them a visit back on Saturday, September 16, in between my first taste of Head Flyer and my first time at the new 56 brewing facility.

Broken Clock is at 3134 California Street in NE Minneapolis, occupying the same space as 56 before them, and NorthGate before that. Their operations are hindered in the same way as those others due to their lack of proper rest room facilities, which prohibits them from running a taproom on premises. Occasionally they are allowed certain "pint nights" when they may serve sixteen ounces to customers, as long as they've rented out a Biffy, or any other brand of portable water closet.

I'd first heard of Broken Clock through the promotions of my friend Dale Thomas, one of the directors of this collective. At the time, there was some confusion between this upcoming brewery and another with a similar-sounding name, Clockwerks. In hindsight, we can surely have two "Clock" breweries, just as we have three that start with "In-" and two that start with "North", despite occasional lawsuits.

As stated above, I got to try their beers through samples and have had two of their beers on tap at Acadia, where I'm in charge of ordering. I like supporting the plucky upstarts and these guys are as plucky as any of them. It helps, also, if the beer is quality stuff, and it is.

This was stop number three for me on the 16th of September, after a fight and some at Headflyer and a pint at Bauhaus to stop and figure out how to get there. It wasn't hard at all, since I'd been there before last October, when I stopped in at 56 Brewing at that location. You do have to look for it, though. This was not one of those aforementioned pint nights, just a regular tastings and growlers/crowler sales. They would let you drink your crowler on premise, if you wished, using

Clocks are not only in the logo at Broken Clock.

plastic cups that they provide. There wasn't anything on at the time that I hadn't had yet, or hadn't reviewed here before, so I sampled them again while talking to the brewers who were manning the taps. Took home a Sundial IPA in a crowler, but chose to save it for later, rather than consuming all 750 milliliters there at the picnic table. I would have needed a friend to help me out with that.

I was up-to-date with Broken Clock at that time, but when I check Untappd, it seems that I've missed out on an Imperial Stout called RISe', and a Spruce ESB. I like what they're doing here, and it seems like they're using a home-brewer's sense of experimentation and achieving professional results.

So, it looks like I need to get out there again and keep with their new products. I can't always expect to stay on top of the scene by waiting for breweries to bring me samples. I mean, that would be great, of course. And is it that much to ask, really? (Dear readers: this is one of those statements that I make from time to time that is meant to be read tongue in cheek.)

Never mind, I'll check in on Broken Clock very soon.  Nice beers, all around. Keep 'em coming guys.

Broken Clock Pocket Watch Pecan Brown

Broken Clock Pocket Watch Pecan Brown Ale. 6.5% ABV. 23 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, crimson/brownish coloring, nice cocoa-tinged head atop.

In the nose: sweet, nutty, malty, balanced, and enticing, to be sure. Right on.

In the mouth: On comes the malty sweetness, here comes the nutty flavor, and it's wonderfully textured and terrifically tasty. Some caramel, some cocoa, but never too much Just enough bitterness to keep it in check. Perfect balance. Long, malty/dry finish. Altogether excellent. Very nice.

I have every reason to be skeptical of brewing operations that begin with home brewers with no other experience. They have worked before, many times, but there's still the chance that they won't. Always that chance. And it's not happening here. I think this is the sixth offering I've sampled from these guys and they've all been solid. I hope to visit the brewery soon and get a few more tastes. Maybe they'll get their taproom before too long and I can while away some time with a pint or two.

Biscuity, nutty, carmely brown ale brewed with brown sugar and praline pecans from Midwest Northern Nut. Inspired by Jeremy Gharineh #16

Broken Clock Stand Up Stout Sweet Stout

Broken Clock Cooperative Stand-Up Stout. Last of the samples. 5.6% ABV.

Fully black, rich brown, creamy head on top.

In the nose: malty sweet, dusted with cocoa, nice and roasty. Very nice.

In the mouth: Slight sweetness here, too, cocoa and coffee in the flavor. Medium bodied, easy-drinking, light finish. Tasty, smooth, and sessionable. I like this. Good sweet stout, and you can drink it.

This sweet stout has notes of caramel, chocolate, coffee, toffee and wild berries; lightly hopped with East Kent Golding hops and has a slightly smoky finish. Inspired by Will Hubbard #3 *contains lactose 

Broken Clock Sundial Citrus IPA

Broken Clock Sundial Citrus IPA. 6% ABV. 83 IBU. bottled on 7/5/17.

Another Broken Clock sample bottle, the brewery whose name reminds me of either the saying that a broken clock is always right twice (which would be worrisome), or the opening lyrics of a Tom Waits song. But it's actually a different meaning. That's  when the clock is broken and time can stand still and cannot control us and we are not constrained to schedules and such. Which can actually explain those lines from "Rain Dogs." Whoa.

Clear, amber/auburn hued, lush white head, lasts long.

In the nose: nice and fruity, bright, pineapple and papaya, lemon and orange. Nice.

In the mouth: Smooth, malty, touches of caramel, but little hop bitterness. It's there, but fairly mild. It's certainly doesn't look or taste like anything labeled "Citrus IPA." for that, I'd expect less malt, especially caramel malts, and more spotlight on a citrus hop charcter. This is a fine beer as is, a decent IPA, but doesn't really deliver what's promised in the name.

Those minor quibbles aside, I'd happily drink another.

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Community Kolsch

Community Kolsch. Broken Clock. Minneapolis, MN. 5% ABV, 28 IBU.

Several weeks ago, I told you all to stay tuned to the next in the series of Broken Clock samples, and, man, can I procrastinate. So, I finally got around to it, and it was worth the wait.


Slightly hazed, bright golden color, slim white head atop.

In the nose: Right on the money. Apple and pear. Delicate. Light. Fruity. Small bitterness. Delightful.

In the mouth: Little bit of hop bitterness, then fresh and lightly fruity and refreshing as it gets. Light bodied, lean, crisp, delicious. Yum, I say. This tastes exactly like a true and good kolsch should.

I've said it before, and I say it again: this style of beer is one that I feel should be done very well or not at all, and shouldn't be subject to experimentation and interpretation. The last beer from Broken Clock, out of all the samples I'd been sent, was the "coffee kolsch" and I desperately wanted to learn that they could make a real and true one. And they have, and they do, and I doff my hat to them for this.

I have two more Broken Clock samples left to go. I hope I like them as much as I like this one.

Broken Clock 2Brew Coffee Kolsch

I've reviewed a couple of American versions of the German light ale style from Koln called kolsch recently, and now here's one from a new Minneapolis brewery with a home brewing theme. It's also the second Minneapolis brewery working on a collective model. I still haven't been to this brewery which took over the space that 56 Brewing was in, haven't visited the taproom, but I do have samples from the brewery, and now I'll share the notes on the second bottle I opened.

Broken Clock Coffee Kolsch. AKA 2 : Brew. 5% ABV. 28 IBU. Bottled on 5/31.

Clear, lightish amber coloring, small white head.

In the nose: Hey, there's coffee in there. And some fruity esters beneath.

In the mouth: Coffee tastes dominate the flavor profile here. Gritty, earthy, yet smooth. Little touch of hops. Light-bodied, long malty finish. None of the qualities of a kolsch really show themselves, outside of light body and high drinkability.

Here's the thing. There are some styles I think shouldn't be messed, tinkered, and toyed around with. Make it pure, don't screw it up. Kolsch is one of those for me, also hefe weizens and pilsners. But now we this trend of adding coffee flavors to lighter bodied beer style, like lagers, golden ales, lagers and the like. I'm a little torn by this, but I'd really want to know how they'd make a true kolsch, that's what I'd like to judge them against. I can't say I'm against the coffee-ing of a kolsch if I like it being done to others styles, but when you say "kolsch", I don't want different flavors, I want the light, delicate subtle fruit and hops.

That said, not a bad beer in the slightest. Got two more in the sample selection, stayed tuned Bitter Ones.

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Lavender Uprising IPA

The new local breweries won't stop, it seems. Two grand openings (or is it three?) and a soft one this weekend, and not long ago another new one in NorthEast Minneapolis. This one, Broken Clock Cooperative, has taken over the space formerly used by 56 Brewing, and will not be able to have a taproom, without certain changes to the building. My opportunities to visit and have a pint or three will be just as limited as they were for 56. Like 56, they will be open for samples and growler sales, and maybe some day soon I'll make it out there on a day off of work. But, I don't have to wait to try the beer, thanks to the Sample Man, who hooked me up with four sample bottles. Let's get to the first one right off, a lavender IPA.

Broken Clock Lavender Uprising. 7.5% ABV. 89 IBU.

Lightly hazed, bright golden, solid snow-white head atop.

In the nose: soft, floral, slightly sweet. Light bitterness.

In the mouth: More bitterness jumps on board the palate, matched swiftly by the lavender flavor. What? Yeah. Okay. Huh. And the bitterness grows, and we know it's an IPA, and that lavender never leaves. Interesting. Intriguing, even. Not really what I want to drink, but not bad in the slightest.

Huh. It's a curiosity, but does not deliver the sort of satisfaction I desire. I can't see this being a "regular IPA", and every brewery needs it's regular IPA.

Editor's note: I originally wrote these notes a few weeks ago, hence the untimely comments about brewery openings. I think I was going to do all of the Broken Clock beers in one post, but I've changed my mind about that.