Indeed Cal-Ida West Coast Style IPA

Indeed Cal-Ida West Coast Style IPA. 

7 % ABV, 60 IBU. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Cal for California, Ida for Idaho-7 hops, I think.

To the eye: Clear, bright golden hue, large, looming ivory cap atop. 

In the nose: Gorgeous. Citric and floral meet. Vibrant grapefruit, orange and lemon/lime. Expressive hoppiness. 

In the mouth: Starts out juicy, pungent, bitter, dank. Better be some bitterness, or it's no West Coast IPA. Crisp, clean, bursting with hop bitterness, citrusy, dank goodness overflowing. Medium bodied, long hoppy finish. This one's got the goods. Could be a little drier, a little bit more bitter, just a touch brittle. But, we're nearly there, almost all the way to West Coast IPA perfection. We don't get there very often. Too many have lost the path. The old ways have nearly been forgotten, in the devotion to the fuzz and the fog, the sweet and the ...choke...pillowy. (Blech!) Let's hear it for real IPAs!

Thanks, Indeed! I knew you could do it! 

Indeed The Queen Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Stout

Indeed The Queen Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Stout.

Canned: 2/06/20. 10.5% ABV, 55 IBU, Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Thoroughly black, utterly opaque, slim brown head.

In the nose: big cocoa and espresso. Deep and dark. Charcoal, molasses and more. Touch of vanilla. Barrel-aging effects are coming in. 

In the mouth: thick, rich, viscous. Massive mouthfeel. Some sweetness, just enough bitter, huge malt. Usual suspects at play in this RIS, all the richness and decadence, wrapped up in the whiskey barrel. All the depth is being plumbed, without going too far overboard. 

Yum, I must say, a dum dum. 

An Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels for 7 months, this beer pours pitch black with a creamy tan head. The aroma is a marriage of whiskey, oak, dark malts, vanilla and raisins, backed by an inviting mouthfeel full of smooth whiskey, dark chocolate, oak and vanilla flavors.

Indeed Pistachio Cream Ale

Indeed Pistachio Cream Ale.
5.5 % ABV. 15 IBU.
Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

This is not my kind of beer. I don't really drink cream ales. And, pistachio? Well, I do enjoy them, and I've really gotten into that new Ben & Jerry's flavor. But does that flavor belong in a beer? Huh, does it? Well, I bought it, so let's find out...

Clear, bright golden color, slimmest ivory head.

In the nose: Nutty and sweet, from the start. It's definitely as advertised. There it is, in a beer.

In the mouth: You know, it's tasty! Nutty and sweet, but well-balanced. Light bodied, easy drinking, refreshing...and pistachio! Creamy, smooth and very flavorful. I like it!
(If in small doses.)

This is a beer that I scoffed at when I first heard of it, but it works. It's not the sort of thing I drink, so I'll be socking the rest of the cans away for tasting parties, and such.

Indeed Sarah Jane's Maple Sticks

Indeed Sarah Jane's Maple Sticks.
Dessert-style stout brewed with vanilla,
maple & almond flavors,
cinnamon & lactose.
10 % ABV. 50 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Fully ebony appearance, complete opacity, large, rich, cocoa brown head, lasting long and leaving lace.

In the nose: Pow! Sweetness is pouring out of this one, big, fat maple oozing out. Molasses. Slick and syrupy. Decadence.

In the mouth: Powerful rich and luxurious sweetness rolls out onto the palate.
Hop bitterness is swallowed up by sweet, luscious malty goodness, deep and delicious. Vanilla's popping up now, but no trace of cinnamon yet, ...no, wait, here it comes.
Full-bodied, long malty finish. Never-ending flavors.

Big, chocolate malt body, finished off with sweet flavoring, maple on top, cinnamon, vanilla & more rushing in from the sides.  A masterful creation. Perfect little nightcap.

A Northeast Minneapolis staple for the sweet tooth set, now with 100% more beer! We collaborated with a Northeast Minneapolis neighbor—Sarah Jane’s Bakery— to capture the essence of their classic Maple Stick in pastry stout form. A staff favorite!

I've stated in several previous posts my distaste for the "pasty stout" designation. One Indeed representative told me about this one, and I insisted we forego any talk of pastry stouts. I notice on the label it's called Dessert-style, but once I downed a can, I can only think that if anything is a pastry stout, it's this. I've never been to Sarah Jane's or had their Maple Sticks, but I'm certainly down to try one now. See if they're as good as this.

Indeed Strange Charm Bourbon Barrel Aged

Indeed Strange Charm Bourbon Barrel Aged.
Bourbon Barrel-aged Ale with ginger, honey & orange peel.
8.5 % ABV. 15 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Thoroughly opaque, Burgundy hued, slim beige head.

In the nose: Orange and ginger blend hits first. Malt forward, rising alcohol.

In the mouth: Bigness and richness, exploding on the palate. Popping with orange, ginger, lime, and sweet malt flavors. Not to mention booze.
It's tasting a bit like a beer old-fashioned. Rich and delicious. Bourbon covers everything in a warm, glowing, warming glow.
This is strange. And it is charming.
It's giving me a pleasant feeling, and I declare it yum-a-dum-dum.

Bourbon-barrel aged Strong Ale with ginger, honey and orange peel.

Indeed Taiga IPA

Indeed Taiga IPA with fresh hops.
7 % ABV. 60 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, dark amber/ nearly crimson-colored, ample ivory froth atop.

In the nose: fresh, vibrant, dank. Most dank. Scattered seeds on the forest floor. Citrus and pine, backed with malty aromatics. Caramel malt, behind the pine.

In the mouth: Big splash of bitterness at the start, lush, spicy malt mingles in. Medium bodied, easy drinking. touch of sweet, slice of fruit, all malt on the way out. Citrus and pine all the way, simply delicious.

There's not a lot of extra information on this one, not on the can label, or anywhere on their website. No matter. It's a good IPA and you can drink it.

Indeed Wooden Soul Liliko'i Passion Fruit Wild Ale

Indeed Wooden Soul Liliko'i Passion Fruit Wild Ale.
Wood Barrel Aged Ale brewed with passion fruit.
Can conditioned. 8.5 % ABV.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Thoroughly opaque, dull orange hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Intense tart, wild and wooly, big fresh fruit notes, to boot.

In the mouth: Powerful pucker, minimal hops, juicy tropical fruit on the palate. Medium bodied, and sour as you want it to be. Along comes a touch of sweet to meet the sour. Plenty of barrel complexity fills it out. This one is damned delicious.

I've yet to find a Wooden Soul I didn't like. Maybe there's one out there that I haven't tried that would fit that bill, but I doubt it.

Say aloha to Liliko’i, a wood barrel-aged passion fruit wild ale. Luau ready with notes of tropical fruit and citrus, Liliko’i pours a sunset golden orange. Take a sip and an eruption of passion fruit juiciness intertwines with a funky tartness on the palate. Catch the island vibes with Wooden Soul: Liliko’i.

Indeed Old Breed Bourbon Barrel-aged Barley Wine

Indeed Old Breed Bourbon Barrel-aged Barley Wine.
9.9 % ABV. 50 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Murky mahogany, burnt umber, short-lived brownish head.

In the nose: Glorious. Vanilla, cherry, tobacco, & leather. Rich, magnificent malt, all covered up in whiskey. I'm a natural born sucker for it.

In the mouth: caramel & toffee. Deep malt flavors, brandy, rum, raisins, and all those whiskey associations. Plum delicious. Full bodied, full flavored, right on in every aspect.

The flavors are generous and incredible, then in walks the booze, right on time. Here comes that wonderfully warm feeling, coating the senses, coaxing the brain.

A luxurious nightcap, well-equipped to send me off to slumberland.

Indeed Hop Dab IPA

Indeed Hop Dab IPA. 7.2 % ABV. 55 IBU. Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Heavily hazed, bright golden color, prodigious, lace-leaving, ivory head. Looking great.

In the nose: floral, at first, then fruity, sweet. Citrus and tropical notes, for sure, some stone fruit. A cornucopia. Arrestingly lovely.

In the mouth: Fresh, lush, and exceptionally smooth. Bursts of grapefruit and orange greet each new sip. Blasts of bitterness pounce upon the palate. This appears to have everything I want in an India Pale Ale. Lean on the malt body, light/medium and refreshingly drinkable.

It's the classic combo of Mosaic and Citra bringing the fruity hop bouquet in this, matched with Equanaut, all delivered in a form I can't quite comprehend. There should be a tutorial video out there somewhere demonstrating what went on in the process of brewing this beer. The description I'll leave below hints at it. Whatever they had to do, it's damned delicious.

Yeah, this is nice. I would drink this over and over again. Got to get me another can, or a keg, or something.

Inspired by concentrates in the recreational world, this IPA leans on various forms of hop concentrates. Mosaic, Citra and Equanot hop oils in the kettle for a crisp and clean flavor profile and a blend of hop aromatics on the finished side along with a healthy dose of hop pellets providing a bouquet of aromatics!

"The recreational world"? Just say "pot", you guys!

Indeed Mexican Honey Light Lager

Indeed Mexican Honey Light Lager. 5.2 % ABV. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright golden color, vast ivory head.

In the nose: a little bit of sweetness, a whole lot of lightness. Some cereal malt touches, a bit of floral, and a whiff of fruit.

In the mouth: Degrees of sweet honey, malt, light fruit, and a brief bitterness. Citrus notes on board the palate, turning dry in the end. Light bodied, and flavorful. I'm not normally one for the light lagers, or the honey lagers, but damned if this isn't tasty. It's a good one, and you can surely drink it.




Meet Mexican Honey Light, a lighter kind of buzz. This bright and clean cerveza is brewed with orange blossom honey straight from orange groves south of the border, Amarillo hops and a twist of citrus. Our new, more sessionable spin on Mexican Honey is refreshingly crushable and brewed to take it easy, anytime, anywhere.

Indeed Dogwood Neon Espresso Imperial Stout Ale with Coffee and Vanilla Added

Indeed / Dogwood Neon Espresso Imperial Stout Ale with Coffee and Vanilla Added. "This can looks a little different. The beer inside is, too. Brewed for fun, it's just a quick run. Now you see it, now you drink it." Rum Barrel-aged King Ale.

I found this as a single in a local store, having heard nothing of it. It was a little more than I like to pay for a single 12 oz. can, about six bucks. But it's my kind of beer, so I had to have it. Now, we will drink it.

10.5 % ABV. 55 IBU. Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Total darkness, rich and bleak, full roasty brown head on top, looking amazing.

In the nose: creamy, chocolatey, coffee-y. Nutty.

In the mouth: Strong. Malty. Intense. Fierce. Powerful. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Wow. Tasty. Delicious. Full bodied. Incredible. Damnit, this is yum, a dum, dum.

Indeed High and Dry Brut IPA

Indeed High and Dry Brut IPA. 5.6 % ABV. 20 IBU. Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazed, dull yellow, slim ivory head.

In the nose: soft and citrusy. Lemony and floral. Touch of pepper? I kind of like this.

In the mouth: Hoppy and dry. No juicy up in here. Downright brittle, it is. Clean and lean. Light bodied, zippy finish. It's here and it's gone, and it leaves one wanting. This is a fine interpretation of a pointless style. The more I try the Brut IPA, the more I wonder what is the point of this. Why? I'm not getting bitter, I'm not getting sweet or juicy, just ...what is it? Who wants it?

There ain't nothing wrong with this, but, man, once again, something that's called an IPA is missing what makes a great IPA.

Oh, what am I complaining about? It's alright.

A newly emerging style of IPA from San Francisco, a "Brut" IPA (referencing the very dry, sparkling wine) is an IPA where every last bit of sugar is fermented from the use of an enzyme added during the brewing process. Due to this lack of residual sugars that would normally act as a backbone to support bitterness in hop forward beers, a Brut's focus is on high quaffability, low bitterness and massive aromatics. Our Brut IPA is a highly drinkable ale with a boisterous blend of fruit forward hops including El Dorado, Belma, and Calypso. A simplistic and clean pilsner malt bill paves the way for this aromatic adventure into the hop fields. If you tend to shy away from the big bad IPAs, a Brut is great way to experience the glory of hops!

Indeed Wooden Soul: Patch Work Sour Red Ale with Mixed Berries

Indeed Wooden Soul: Patch Work Sour Red Ale with Mixed Berries. Wood barrel aged Ale brewed with Blackberries, Raspberries, and Blueberries. Bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN. 7.5 % ABV.

Deep, plummy/reddish-brown color, slim, soon-gone head.

In the nose: Fruity and tart. Jammy. All the berries are up in the nose.

In the mouth: Intense puckering from the start. Blackberries are in the lead. Raspberries peek out. Blueberries, I see you, too. Bursting with fruit and sour. Oak barrel complexities fill it out. Sticks around for a stretch on the palate.

Tasty, tasty stuff. Another fine one in the Wooden Soul line. Keep 'em comin'.

Follow your nose! A melange of fruity perfumes wafts your way, intoxicating with the aromas of blackberry, raspberry leaf, and dusty lemon. Deep red and slightly hazy, with a purple hue, Patchwork plucks you up with perky tartness and handfuls of berry flavor. With this mixed berry sour red ale, the pickings easy. 

I get it. "Patch" is where you pick your berries. Good pun. Yeah....

Indeed Wooden Soul La Peche Mode

Indeed Wooden Soul La Peche Mode. Bottle Conditioned. 7.8 % ABV. Brett Saison with Peach. Bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Looking hazy, with an exceptionally peach-ish hue, and the slightest of head on it.

In the nose: Tart hits the nose first, deep, wild, and funky, followed by fruit. Hitting all the right notes.

In the mouth: Sourness is most fierce, from the very start. Non-stop pucker. Medium bodied. Quite drinkable, for the sour-heads out there. And I am one, from time to time. This is the good stuff.

Sour, sour, sour. Peach, peach, peach. This, I dig. Go get it.

Indeed Stir Crazy porter

Indeed Stir Crazy Porter. 6.5% ABV, 40 IBU. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Stir Crazy Porter began it’s life as a Winter Ale brewed with pulverized raisins and brown sugar in early 2013. I originally reviewed it from a pint off of a keg at my old place of work, The Blue Nile, way back then. This year is the first time that the word “porter “ appears prominently in the label. Also, the raisins and brown sugar are gone. And the owl has lost his toque. So, it’s time for a re-review, I think.

Dark brown body, creamy tan head, leaving a little lace.

In the nose: cocoa, malty, coffee Just slightly sweet. Delightful.

In the mouth: Full-bodied, robust, satisfying. A malty mouthful. Flavors of chocolate, dark fruits, and coffee swim about the palate, ending nice and dry. This is a truly well-made robust porter, without any frills. Just solid goodness. We need more of this, not less.

Some may disagree with the above statement. I've already heard comments such as: I've already got the two that I like, what do I want this for?

Indeed Wooden Soul Blue Blood

Indeed Wooden Soul Blue Blood. Brett Saison with blueberry and blood orange. Wood barrel aged ale with blueberry and blood orange peel. (I'm merely copying the label, not repeating for the sake of repetition.) Bottled by Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN. Bottle conditioned. 8.5% ABV.

Bright crimson color, throughly opaque, pinkish head on it. Very inviting.

In the nose: Fruit and tart, sweet and sour, plump and pithy. Devastatingly complex and arousing. Can't stop liking this.

In the mouth: Big sour followed by big sweet. Fierce fruit, intense pucker, citrus notes follow the blueberry. Tasty, tasty tart in this barrel-aged brett saison. Just enough funk in the trunk.

I'm not 100% down with this one. It's not a perfect blend. Are blueberries unsuited for the sour saison? It's good, but not quite perfect. I'm going to look at the label and see if that helps me understand it:
"A juiced up saison brewed with multiple Brett strains, Blue Blood is refermented on fresh blood oranges and blueberries. Pouring a hazy, translucent plum color, Blue Blood greets you with pronounced notes of blood orange, passion fruit, and a hint of clove. With a dry, tart and fruity finish, it's a bitter citrus sensation."

Wood-aged Brett Saison with blood orange & blueberry. Aged 5-6 months.

Okay, now I'm getting it. The bitter, the fruit, the sour....there's a lot going on. And I can dig it. Good sour fruit saison, and....you can drink it. Go do it!

Indeed Flavorwave IPA

Indeed Flavorwave IPA. 6.2% ABV, 70 IBU. Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, MN.

Ever-so slightly hazy, bright golden hued, lovely ivory head holding down the fort.

In the nose: Bold pine and brash citrus. A slice of tropical fruit notes, a splash of tangerine, grapefruit.

In the mouth: Bitterness breaks through from the start, crashing hard on the palate. Fruity flavors follow, citrus, tropical, pine. Bitter, fruity, a little juicy, then ending nice and dry. Moderate malt, not enough to get in the way of the hops, and that's the way that I like it. Lightish bodied and easy-drinking, for hop-heads like me.

The blend of hops in the flavor is what really makes this one for me. Indeed crafted a fine one, here, and I'll reach for it with something approaching regularity.

A juicy and tropical IPA exploding with notes of pineapple and dank citrus. A blend of Denali, Citra, Mosaic, Centennial, and El Dorado hops give this beer a whirlpool of flavors sure to send your taste buds on a ride while remaining approachable. Flavorwave pours a sunlit golden color with a respectable amount of natural haze.

Indeed Mexican Honey Light

Indeed Mexican Honey Light. 5.2% ABV. 10 IBU. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

A lighter version of Mexican Honey Imperial Lager. 5% vs. 8%.

Clear, bright golden hue, lasting, lacey ivory head.


In the nose: Sweet honey notes match up with cereal/grains. Minimal hop presence. Pleasant.

In the mouth: Sweet, malty, clean and smooth. Light and delightful. It's a good ol' drinkable honey lager. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.

New creation being tested.

Indeed Strawberry Fields

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to...

Indeed Strawberry Fields Sour Ale. 5.7% ABV. 18 IBU. Brewed and canned by Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

This beer was originally released in the summer of 2016 in a very small batch, with a limited release. I was able to get one small keg that vanished in no time, but not before I took down some notes, which you can see here.

At last, their latest beer named for a Beatles song (Day Tripper, Lucy (In the Sky with Diamonds), the New Belgium collaboration beer Come Together), is available in cans. And my brother-in-law Pete can stop pestering me about it.

Utterly opaque, rosy-reddish toned, with a nicely pinkish head. Looking' pretty.

In the nose: touch of sour with tons of sweet fruit. Getting sweeter and fruitier as we go, but never too much.

In the mouth: Pow! Puckeration. Mmm, intense sourness, matched with bright, lovely fruitiness. An incredible combination. Sweet, sour, sweet, sour, all the live-long day. It works very well. It's strawberry, and it's sour---what? Yeah, it works, and it's good. Non-stop pucker, long fruity/sour flavors. And great drinking for that sour-head in your life. Tasty stuff, Indeed.

You want strawberry? You want fields? Forever, maybe? You got 'em.

Jam-packed with juicy goodness, Strawberry Fields Ale is back. Originally created as part of New Belgium Brewing's "Beers with Vrienden" collaboration series, this Strawberry Kettle Sour found a permanent patch at Indeed. An addition of Lactobacillus provides a tart backdrop for playful notes of strawberry to kiss you right on the mouth. Light and crisp with a dry finish, you'll want to drink Strawberry Fields forever.

Indeed First Draft IPA

Indeed First Draft IPA 2.0. Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 6.4% ABV, 70 IBU.

Growler filled Thursday 1/25 at Indeed Taproom, drinking it the AM of February 1. I'm sure it held up for a week.

I'm going to blather on for a bit about one of my obsessions, and it won't be Benjamin J. Grimm, aka The Thing of Marvel's Fantastic Four. No, something more directly related to this blog, and that is my beer glass collection. I am about to open an IPA from Indeed, but I have no IPA glasses with the Indeed logo. I have two "IPA glasses",  (what's the name for them? I thought they were called 'spiegelau', but that's the manufacturer) one branded for Surly Todd the Axe-Man, and one for Town Hall Masala Mama. (Used to have a Sierra Nevada, but it broke, alas.) Should I use one of those, when I have other Indeed-branded glasses, a shaker pint, a Belgian-style tulip/snifter, and a "teku" that is really designed for a sour beer? You know, they do have Indeed logo IPA glasses. Should I get one and add to the already too large collection? Do I need every style of glass for every brewery? What's wrong with the shaker pint? Oh, they just look better in the other glass!

So, I'm going to try out the sour ale "teku" style just for fun, see how it looks, if it helps the aroma, etc. Of course, it will, who am I kidding. But I had to hear from all sides, of course. Now that the panel has concluded it's discussions, it's time to drink!

Big snow-white head, clear, golden-toned. Looking great.

In the nose: fresh, lively, vibrant, alive with citrus, berries, pine. Beautiful, ripe and fruity.

In the mouth: a cornucopia upon the palate. Blueberry, lime, grass, pine, starting fruity, turning bitter. Lean bodied, crisp, light malt. We've got the classic combo of Mosaic and Citra, that old standby Simcoe, and that new one, Denali, which doubles down on the citrus and pine. Wonderfully consumable, this, with a non-stop bitter hop delivery. I enjoyed the heck out of it.

This one is called First Draft 2.0 because they plan on tinkering with it some more until they've perfected some kind of final version to be their year-round India Pale Ale. Getting close, guys, not too shabby.