Hop & Barrel 5th Triple IPA

 Hop & Barrel 5th Triple IPA.

10% Alc./Vol. 85 IBU. Triple India Pale Ale, Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Clouded, bright golden hue, lasting white head, leaving some lace. 

In the nose: Fruity, spicy, floral. Citrus and pine. Dank. Pungent. 

In the mouth: Boom! Hop Bomb! Aggressive, potent, powerful. Just juicy enough, but quickly turning to the dry side. Resiny, oily, flush with happiness. All the citrus, a touch of the pine, much of the green. High alcohol rises up to match the depth and the power of the alpha acids. 

Yow. Big bitterness and big booze make a damned good beer. A decadent little treat. I'll be back for more.

The first beer in our Brew Like A Girl series, crafted by women from start to finish, is a massive triple IPA.

Hop & Barrel Big Mik's Favorite Coffee Stout

Hop & Barrel Big Mik's Favorite Coffee Stout.
5.8 % ABV.  30 IBU.
Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Full blackness, truly opaque, slim brown head atop.

In the nose: Intense coffee bean aromatics, earthy, nutty, semi-dry. Arresting, rewarding.

In the mouth: Coffee and dark malt flavors dominate the palate. A touch sweet at times, but clean and dry in the end. Slightly fruity and nutty, with a bitter, roasty flavor that never flags. Full bodied, with an long malty finish.

I love a good coffee stout, and this is one of them.

 I'm looking for more information online, and coming up short, so let's scan the can: "Big Mike's. Through the mists of time in ancient Hudson, WI, comes the legend of Big Mid, a giant among men who worships stout ale and coffee. So naturally he took his beefy hands and smashed them together creating Big Mik's Coffee Stout. This robust, smooth coffee laden beer goes perfect with eggs and bacon or whatever you have laying around for breakfast."

Hop & Barrel Hudson Haze Hazy India Pale Ale

Hop & Barrel Hudson Haze Hazy India Pale Ale. 6.4 % ABV. 28 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Clouded & hazed, dull orange appearance, large ivory head of foam on top.

In the nose: Highly hopped, bouncing with citrus and pine. Nice.

In the mouth: Hop bitterness smacks the palate from the start, tongue's getting spanked by bright, citrusy. Getting the yeasty flavor in there, too. Medium body, a touch of the juicy before turning good and dry.

Hey, this can't be a Hazy IPA, because I actually like it.

Haze Brah. Columbus, Galaxy, Vic Secret, Simcoe.
A beer made from the heart of Hudson, Wisconsin, for the palettes {sic} of trendsetters everywhere. Here's to you who know what's best for the rest of us. Centuries for trying to make the clearest beer possible and all of the sudden YOU people want to drink orange juice beer. Well...here you go. Drink up, Trendy McTrendFace.

I am so proud of them for putting that on their label.

Hop & Barrel Ridiculous Idiots Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Hop & Barrel Ridiculous Idiots Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. 11 % ABV. 54 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Full-on blackness, deep and impenetrable, rich brown head atop, large, then lessening.

In the nose: Ah, yes Cocoa, coffee. Rum, molasses. Char, tobacco. It's all happening. All the imperial, all the barrel.

In the mouth: Thick, rich, plump, and delicious. All the massive malt. Some roast and toast, a lot of chocolate and sweetness, but plenty of balance. Ends shy of sweetness. Much residual sugar, but so much flavor and taste, all is in good use, here.

Booze comes rolling in, and is welcomed. This is my little nightcap. It pounds on the walls, but offers certain comforts, too. The coffee, chocolate, molasses kind. Very tasty this. I'm highly satisfied with the contents of this can. Hey, let's go back to Wisconsin and get some more! Who's with me? Road trip!

Here's the deal: Brian and Justin are ridiculous and kind of idiots, at least according to Justin's wife. So in honor of ridiculous idiots everywhere this barrel aged masterpiece starts with a complex base beer that has enough residual body to hold up to a long barrel aging process. The result is a boozy, pleasingly warm, yet goes-down-easy imperial stout. Cheers to ridiculous idiots everywhere!

Hop & Barrel Minnesconsin Lager

Hop & Barrel Minnesconsin Lager. 5.2 % ABV, Helles Lager, Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Hop & Barrel Brewing sits in the border town of Hudson, Wisconsin, just a hop and a swim across the St. Croix river from Minnesota. There are many Minnesota roots in this Wisconsin brewery. Therefore, the name of this beer and this hideous / beautiful label from DWitt. What's not to love?

Crystal clear, bright gold, slim white head.

In the nose: floral, light hops, slight cereal.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, light-bodied, and exceptionally refreshing. Just a touch of grainy malt flavor lingers on in the finish, after floating on the palate. This is tasty stuff, indeed. Considerably quaffable.

If light, thirst quenchable, yet flavorful lagers are your thing, go get it. Good helles and you can drink it.



Because Winnesconsin was taken. Made with Briess Synergy Malt, Saphir hops and our house lager yeast strain.

This crisp and easy sipping Helles lager is an ode to the shaky, but oft friendly, bi-state relationship between our two transmogrified bordering states. We aren't always simpatico, but we make it work. Synergy malt is what binds us together. Raise a glass to your friends and enemies alike!

Hop & Barrel Space Force Double IPA

Hop & Barrel Space Force Double IPA. 8.8% ABV, 62 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Clear, bright golden/amber color, big ivory foam, leaving lace and looking fine.

In the nose: Hops come on strong in this one, resiny, piney, a whole bunch of bitter. Citric fruit and a touch of floral. Quite nice. Blistering raw, and, I'll say it: dank.

In the mouth: Bigger and bolder once on board the palate. Juicy, hoppy, bitter, then drying dry towards the end. Scant malt, prominent hops, just the way we like it. Tasty as heck. Bright, citrusy, delicious, with alcohol strength creeping through. Yow! This is my kind of Double IPA. And that's my favorite kind.

This is actually the 8th can I've consumed. Once more, I've waited to write notes on the last one. It's just how I do. And I liked them all more than the last. That means I like this one best of all. When in Wisconsin, go get yourself some.

DDH DIPA with Galaxy and some other hops and stuff.

And from the label: "Any brewery can make a Double Dry-hopped Double India Pale Ale, but not every  brewery can craft one so elite it's fit to hold the monkey: "Space Force." A myriad of classified hops make this beer taste like it comes from another galaxy. Malty sweet, pleasantly strong, and bitter enough to know you're drinking beer, not fruit juice. The only full-flavored DDH DIPA that can live up to it's namesake." 

A bold claim. I like their moxie.

Hop & Barrel Crooked Grin India Pale Ale

Hop & Barrel Crooked Grin India Pale Ale. 6.66% ABV, 54 IBU. Brewed and packaged by Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Clear, amber hued, slim white head takes the top.

In the nose: Lightly spicy and herbal, mild fruit, nice and cool. Very promising.

In the mouth: Pop, pop, pow! Hops jump on board the palate with exuberance and alacrity. Bitterness swims amid the senses, coating the tongue and sliding down the throat. Packed with citrus and pine. Good and gritty, but not too aggressive. Of course, this comes from a hop-head, inured to the stuff. All the classic West Coast hops are in this one, malt is muted, great IPA flavor stays at the fore.

A tasty can of IPA here. This is my fifth, I saved the last to take notes on, as I often do. I like forward to H & B crossing the border and coming down here.

Classic West Coast style IPA. Citrus and pine. Hopped with simcoe, columbus, amarillo, and centennial.

And from the can: Yeah, yeah, keep your hat on, we've got your damn IPA right here. Ever get that tilt in your brim and twinkle in your dimple? Simcoe, Columbus, Amarillo, and Centennial will do the to a guy or gal. This thing's got enough citrus and pine for a wilderness retreat. And, yeah, dude, we went West Coast style.

Hop & Barrel Chad's Pale Ale

Hop & Barrel Chad's Pale Ale. 5% ABV, 42 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, Wisconsin.

Slightly hazed, bright golden hued, slim white head.

In the nose: Big citrus, bold grapefruit, touches of lemon and orange. Pungent and lively.

In the mouth: Pops with hops. Dazzling citrus flavors. Lean bodied, smooth mouthfeel. Deliciously drinkable, definitely downable. Mosaic hops deliver all manner of fruity associations. Once the citrus mellows out, the berries drop in.

I saved the last of my 4-pack to take the notes, once again. Now, I wish I had more. Go get some for yourself and go ahead and drink it.

Chad's Pale Ale: pale ale with 100% mosaic. Named after our dear brewer, Chadbro.

"A wise man once told Chad he only needed to use a few pounds of hops for a calicoes pale ale. Chad chuckled, stroked his beard back into place, and simply said, "hold my beer." A craft beer of gargantuan flavor is the result of being wiser than the wise man. Dry hopped at rates that would make a hop farmer blush, Refreshing, citrusy, juicy. Don't be a wise ass, drink yourself a Chad's Pale Ale." 

Hop & Barrel Lactose Panda Chocolate Milk Stout --the can

Hop & Barrel Lactose Panda Chocolate Milk Stout --the can. 6.1% ABV. (So says the website can reads 5.5%.) 30 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

A little bit ago, my friend Brian Priefer announced online, in the social medias, the he'd just finished canning some beer. I begged, cajoled, and wheedled him (those are all real words) to drop off a sample for me on his way home. When he did so, it was this one, which I'd already reviewed based on a crowler brought back from the brewery. If I only knew they were canning it, I'd have bought a different crowler.

So, I asks Brian, I asks him, is this any different from that? And he says: it's the version I'm happy with, so that does it, I'm reviewing this one. And patiently awaiting delivery of the other two.


Obsidian-tinged, richly roasted & toasted brown cocoa-brown head on top, leaving lace, looking lovely.

In the nose: soft, smooth, semi-sweet, velvet-y and chocolatey. Very enticing.

In the mouth: Mmmm, warm dark malt sensations, more chocolate, cream, yummy. Yep, that's a technical term, they teach it down at the beer drinking school. Medium bodied, caramel malt meets chocolate, with lactose delivering the smooth. Sweet, but beautifully balanced. Creamy, luscious, rich, and delicious. I like this loads.

You can't get it here yet. Got to go to Wisconsin for it. It'll be worth the trip, though.

An easy drinking milk stout. Layers of milk chocolate and light caramel with a subtle roast backbone make this stout suitable for any reason in any season.

There's more on the label: "Know the one thing pandas dig more than pandas dig more than bamboo? Chocolate milk. True Story! The lactose addition in this rich, creamy stout gives it layers upon layers of chocolate character, making it decadent and sippable, at once. A lack of Lactose Pandas in our fridges makes us sad pandas."

Hop & Barrel Lactose Panda Milk Stout

Hop & Barrel Lactose Panda Milk Stout. 6.1% ABV. 30 IBU.
Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, Wisconsin.


I often gripe about lactose in beers, especially IPAs, but you'll never hear me complaining about milk stouts. Somehow they just work better that way. Milkiness goes best with chocolate malt flavors, rather than hops. Let's drink it and find out if it works in this one.

Solid blackness, slim brown head.

In the nose: Creamy malt, light roast, coffee and cocoa.



In the mouth: More creamy, more smooth. Medium bodied, easy drinker, nothing but tasty. Chocolate and coffee plays it light. Sweetish, but ending dry. Very nice.

This is the third of the three crowlers I brought back from Hop & Barrel two weeks ago. I feel like I didn't choose the beers that would most appeal to me. I'm looking forward to tasting a few more and get a better sense of what they're capable of out there in Hudson town.

Our Taproom Manager Eryka made us put the word "Panda" in a beer name. Her first choice was Lactating Panda, so... Hope you're happy, Eryka. 

Hop & Barrel Hudson Fog Hazy IPA

Hop & Barrel Hudson Fog Hazy IPA. 6% ABV. 28 IBU. Hop & Barrel Brewing Company, Hudson, WI. In that good ol' Wisconsin 32 ounce crowler. Filled 3/15. Purchased 3/25. Consumed 4/1.

Lightly hazed, golden-hued, with a strong, ivory-toned head. Looks fine, unless you're one of those fools for whom it can't be hazy enough. Give me tropicana or give me death! Boo.

In the nose: Sweet tropical notes tickle the nostrils first, pineapple, mango, passionfruit. Low bitterness.

In the mouth: Creamy, smooth, fruity, hoppy. Low bitterness. Lush and lightly malty. Easy drinking. Delightful. This seems to fit the requirements of those who favor the "NE"-style of IPA. And even smoother and creamier. I'm not a fan of the lactose in the IPA. Nope, not for me. If it's for you, go on ahead.

Realizing that this isn't in my favorite style, I wish I'd brought back a crowler of the "regular" IPA, the Crooked Grin, which I sampled on site and was thoroughly happy with. Next time, next time.


Kinda hazy IPA. More lactose than a cup of milk. Hopped with Citra, Vic Secret, and Galaxy Hops. 

Hop & Barrel Mango Me Happy Blonde Ale

Hop & Barrel Brewing opened in downtown Hudson, Wisconsin last December, and I've been aching to check them out ever since. I've already missed out on several beers over these few months.

One of the owners is my friend Brian Priefer, formerly a brewer at Inbound in Minneapolis, and before that American Sky, also of Hudson. I finally made it down there with my pal Jason last Sunday, and brought some crowlers home with me, after doing sample flights. Here's the first of the crowlers.

Mango Me Happy Blonde Ale. Blonde Ale infused with mango. 5% ABV, 24 IBU.

To the eye: clear, bright golden, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet, fruity, light bitterness at first. Nice. Delightful.

In the mouth: more sweetness, much malt, beautiful hoppiness. Utterly lovely. Mango reveals itself over the blonde ale and the malt base. It's tasty stuff and the drinkability is a non-issue. Crush-ability is off the charts.

Why did I pick this one, when I'm not that huge a lover of blonde ales? Well, I like all the beers, you know, I like to give them all a chance. There's more fun to come, as I check in on the others.

Jason and I sat at one of those barrel tables in the front room off of Main Street of Hudson, WI, and each had a flight of four. There was a larger room off to the side of the bar area, and it was full of people buying cactuses, because that's a thing, now. I didn't spend too much time in there. wWhen Brian arrived we got a tour of the brewing facilities. They're ready to go, these guys, set to unleash several styles of beers in cans at each side of the St. Croix, with illustrations by one of my faves, DWitt. Coming in a few weeks. Can't wait to get my mitts on those, but first, coming soon, those notes on the other crowlers.