LynLake Brewery Disco Jenga! Golden Kettle Sour

LynLake Brewery Disco Jenga! 5.2% ABV, 10 IBU. LynLake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, pale golden color, hefty offering of ivory froth atop.

In the nose: soft, fruity, slightly sour. Slowly increasing in magnitude.

In the mouth: light sourness, more soft, light bodied, and very mild. Other than that, nothing wrong with it. Session sour for sure. Light lactic sour, slight vinegar, everything is very minor in this one.
But, refreshing and drinkable. Starter sour.

All in all, not a bad stab at a kettle sour. I can see better things coming from this.

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #8: LynLake Brewery & .....

Dr. Z's Double IPA, with peppers and pineapple

Thursday, January 4. It's still furreeezing out there. I decided against plans that would have taken me farther away from home, dropping them in favor of not standing out in the cold waiting for buses. "What's all this about buses, Al?" someone, somewhere might be saying. "Where's your car?" Well, I made a decision not to overcome the traumas caused by car accidents in my youth, and that's why I get around by foot, bike, bus, and the help of my friends with automobiles. So, now you know.

On this day off, I decided the brewery of the day would be the one closest to where I live, LynLake Brewery at 2934 Lyndale Avenue, roughly nine city blocks away. I hadn't been there since October 16 of last year. Not high on the priority list, but we've already gone over the extenuating circumstances.

I got my empty growlers, walked on down, stepped in, showed the man my ID, and saw that the place was about as packed as can be. A record number of trivia teams this time, according to the Trivia Mafia host. I found an empty seat, squeezed in, and met the gaze of the friendly server. After checking the seasonals chalkboard, I decided to start with Dr. Z's, a Double IPA. I love those! When they're good. And I ignored the important words beneath:  WITH PINEAPPLE AND SERRANO PEPPER,  8.3% IBU: 65 SRM: 6. I drank it down, but I didn't love it. Pepper beers and I do not get along. It was not a bad beer, but I certainly wouldn't have another. And I don't know who among a crowd like this is going to make that leap.

Gutter Bum Double IPA. Not a fan of
the name. They still call their stout
Rubbish. Why?

I know people who live in this neighborhood who have sworn it off because they don't like this crowd. I have friends who have brewed here and don't like the crowd. I look around. Yeah, most of them don't live in this zip code, only a few of them are drinking anything other than the lightest of the lights on tap. This isn't, alas, where you'll go to knock elbows with fellow imbibers of fine ales and lagers. They don't look all that douche-y, but there is a general lack of diversity among them, perhaps a greater level of comfort and privilege. But, I'm projecting this, I don't come often enough to know better. I'm certainly not becoming best friends with any of this bridge & tunnel crowd.

In search of my next beer, I gazed upon the chalkboard and thought to myself, "this other Double IPA with an illustration of Rick from Rick & Morty called Gutter Bum, let's give this a try." This one's 8.6% ABV, 85 IBU, and I knew nothing else about it. But, hey, we're going to have another DIPA. I found more information somewhere: Citra, Amarillo, Summit, Zythos hops. And I liked it, quite a bit, but took no notes. Not just because it would look weird and out of place, but there just wasn't room for my elbows. I remember finding it vibrant, juicy, fresh, tropical and nicely hopped.

Hey, what if, I thought, what if I next had me one of that other Double IPA? What, three Double IPAs? That's crazy. What else could I have chosen? There was Disco Jenga, the golden kettle sour, but I wasn't feeling like it. (I did take a mini-growler home, though.) And a dortmunder. Don't want a lager. Raka Waka Pale Ale. Had it. A wild rice red ale? Maybe. Or maybe not.


So, the third double IPA it is! And I took notes on it when I brought it home. Here they are:

Take Off Double IPA. 9.2% ABV. 80 IBU.

To the eye: clear-ish, bright golden, steady head of ivory foam.

In the nose: bright, lively, citric, pithy, fierce, fantastic.

In the mouth: big, bright, bold. Tasty as heck. Simcoe? Cascade? I'd just be guessing all day, but it's got plenty of citrus, lots of bitterness, and tons of yum. This is pretty damn tasty. It's very much yum.

Deep tangerine aromas delivered up with warming esters in this light bodied IIPA. Crisp toasty malt and lingering resinous hop finish. Double Dry Hopped.

Looks like I liked it. Got 3 beers on this visit, picked up 2 growlers, gathered up my stuff and shuffled out the door, leaving the trivia players to their game. And out into the bitter cold I boldly go.

I'll be back to see what else LynLake is brewing, but not before I've re-visited every other brewery Minneapolis has to offer. Eight down, twenty-four to go.

Lynlake The Bachelor Barley-wine

Lynlake The Bachelor Barley-wine-style Ale. 8.6% ABV. 100 IBU. LynLake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

I've been sitting on this bottle for a couple of months, I think. Feels like as good enough of a night as any to crack it open and enjoy.

Clear, bright crimson color, solid, off-whitish head. Looks nice.

In the nose: rich and malty. Big hop flavors start the assault, Big fruit. Big everything. Plump and heavy. Powerfully complex. Some sweetness, much ripe fruitiness. Mmmm, lot of caramel malt flavors, a touch of toffee, altogether goodness.


In the mouth: Yum. It's got the barley-wine flavors right from the start, plump, richly malty, powerfully fruity, bitterness ably matched by malt, with alcohol revving up and ready to go. Tastes just like a barley-wine should and doesn't hold back. Mmmm, this hits it right where I want it to hit.

Lynlake Sirius Pale Ale

Lynlake Sirius Pale Ale. Lynlake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN. 5.7% ABV.

Clear, bright, golden/amber coloring, slim, soon-gone head.

In the nose: Citrus notes, grapefruit and lime, nicely hopped. Minor malt. Just right for a pale ale.

In the mouth: Good and bitter up front. Big, citrus blast from the hops, long on the palate. Each new meeting of ale and tongue is one full of delight and deliciousness. Really. Honestly, that's how I feel. It's damned tasty stuff. I'm going to keep on drinking it.

Pale Ale-ABV: 5.7% IBU:-35 SRM:5

LynLake Dougie Fresh

Dougie Fresh. Double India Pale Ale. 8.4% ABV. 77 IBU. Lynlake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, bright amber/crimson coloring, enormous ivory froth atop.

In the nose: ah! yes! fresh, floral, lively, beautifully hoppy. Citrus  and tropical notes aplenty.

In the mouth: Big bigness, big bitterness, largely fruity, slightly floral, absolutely lovely. Medium bodied, long hoppy finish. An absolute delight.

This one ranks up there with my favorite beers put out by this brewery. Go get some before it's gone.


Brewed with Centennial, Mosaic, Ekuanot and Summit hops. Succulent hop little hop bomb.

LynLake Brewery Windburn Red Ale

LynLake Windburn Imperial Red Ale. 6.8% ABV, 77 IBU.
LynLake Brewery, Minnepolis, MN.

Clear, deep crimson, large and lasting cream-toned head atop, leaving some lace.

In the nose: sweet malt, fruity hops, moderate bitterness. Fine and mellow.

In the mouth: Again, the bitterness is fairly mild, kept firmly in check by a firm malt content. Bitterness grows in time and blesses the palate with hoppitude, but never going too far. Good balance in this big-ish beer. Medium-bodied, full-flavored. Caramel malt flavor coming through and blending well with the fruit and the hops. Long-lasting hoppiness, lingering finish. Tasty one, here. I could drink this again and again. (In fact, I finished the whole growler in one sitting.)

Candy sweetness meets strong fruit and citrus hop flavor in this gorgeous ruby pint. The use of 100% Falconer's Flight 7 C's hops creates a complex bitterness. Inspired by the red cheeks of winter biking, here's to a hoppy spring.

That's odd, they didn't have this on last time I was there, and I've never actually seen it on tap before. It's not a left-over spring ale, or is it? Or just back by popular demand?

LynLake Bourbon Peach Treat

LynLake Brewery Bourbon Peach Treat. 10% ABV, 40 IBU. Lyn Lake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.
The first bottled beer I've brought home from these guys.

Highly hazed, burgundy hued, slim, soon-gone head.

In the nose: Smoke. Whiskey. Cherries. Tobacco. Much malt. Peach? Eh. Kind of messy, actually. Not quite coherent.

In the mouth: Here's that barley-wine I was looking for: sweet malt, minor hop bitterness, big, bold booze. A little bit smokey, good dose of fruit, delicious.

I'm going to read the label and figure this one out: "Bourbon Peach Treat Bourbon Barrel-aged English Barleywine-10% ABV. Smokey Treat, our English Barley Wine, aged in Old Forrester Bourbon Barrels. Intense chewy honey & caramel flavors beneath a Cherrywood smoked malt base. Fermentation derived aromas of stone fruit. All fooling around on a bed of peaches for a decadent dessert sipper. Release date: 4/26/17."

I'm getting a taste of the peach, but it's not too prominent, just a little taste. Just enough bourbon, just enough barley-wine, but not quite enough.  This is okay, but it's not quite ...good. And when I say good, I mean Good. Not great, not Good. "Okay."

Update: As we go forward, it's getting better and better....Is it because I'm getting drunker and drunker?

I bought this in May and opened it in July. Maybe I should have sat on it longer? Well, even if this was a little disappointing, I'll keep my eye on these guys and give them another chance.

LynLake Sultry Maiden Gose

LynLake Brewery Sultry Maiden Gose. 4.5% ABV, 42 IBU.

Lightly hazed, nearly crimson in color, lush, off-white head. Looking good, but definitely different from other goses I’ve seen.

In the nose: fruity. funky. odd. floral. something’s been added to this? hibiscus? pomegranate? You never know, these days. (Maybe I'm imagining it?)

In the mouth: tart, then sweet. Fruity, yes, but not fruit-infused, I don’t think. Salty. Smooth. Refreshing. Tasty. Something akin to chocolate malt is coming through. Am I imagining this, amidst the coriander and sea salt?

Tartness returns again with each new sip, goes down easy. It’s not as intensely puckering as some may want, but it’s got the tart and it’s individual. Special. Approachable. And I can dig it. Nice try.

LynLake Brewery Whittier Witbier

LynLake Whittier Witbier. 5.5% ABV, 18 IBU.

Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, pure white head that leaves quickly.

Aroma: spice and citrus fruit. Coriander and orange. Belgian yeast and wheat. Boom, boom, boom. It's got it where it counts.

In the mouth: Bright citrus fruit, light spice, smooth wheat malt. Delightfully spicy and full of Belgian white character. right on the nose. Pretty much nailed, this one. Good witbier, and I can drink it.

Minnesota Breweries One By One: #3: Lynlake Brewery, Minneapolis, with Rye Guy Saison

When we started this series of visiting the breweries of Minnesota, we (by that I mean I ), wondered whether I would start getting to the out-of-the-way places, or stay close to home. In episode two, we found that the weather kept me timid and only investigating the well-known spots not far from my own neighborhood. I had made plans on my next day off to venture outward, but the frigid temps cancelled that. A full day off on a Friday night, the whole day mine, and it's well below zero. I got out of the house, but only made it out to Town Hall, my second visit this year, drinking some damn fine beers, taking home one of last year's barrel-aged beers in a growler, and only stepping out further to get needed provisions. What a fun-filled Friday night. Oh, I am getting old...

I made more plans for my next day off, though canceling the visits that are not open on Sundays, and you know what? It's still 5 below for Christs sake. And I'd suffered through waiting on a bus this morning in 11 below. Damn it, it's cold. There is a distinct correlation between the temperature and a witch's tit. I am not spending my free time out of doors if I don't have to. I will stick to the places that I know that are close to the bus stops, and I will minimize my chances of freezing to death.

And that's where I decided to drop in on LynLake Brewery, which I haven't been to since October, ending the post with "I should come here more often." Well, three months later, it's time to pop my head back in and see what's what.  I've only taken home a handful of growlers before, and also wrote more in addition here.

I started with a little pale ale called Citra Queen. You can't go wrong with Citra.

Citra Queen

5.2% ABV. 45 IBU. Big citric happens, smooth, slightly bitter, and ever-so drinkable. Exactly what you want in a citra pale ale. Love it.

Nitro Sword Smith Baltic Porter

From there I dipped right into a beer I knew I wanted to like, and I did. One of the best I've had from them. A Baltic Porter on nitro called Sword Smith, 9.2% ABV and 42 IBU, smooth, supple, silky, full-bodied, rich and malty, and a true delight. Plenty of raisin and cocoa coming in the flavor, dark fruits, a little coffee and licorice, everything I want in a Baltic Porter. I wished I could take it home, but you know how it is with nitro. This is the second year they've made this beer, I was told.

Cask Tradesman Porter with coconut.

sideburns oat raisin stout on nitro.

For my 3rd beer there, I went with a cask offering, their Tradesman Porter, with coconut added. It had the coconut alright, really big with the coconut, and I could dig it. I'd had the Tradesman before, and this was a nice twist.

I finished off with a nitro offering of the Sideburns oat raisin stout, also highly satisfactory. Creamy and slightly sweet, notes of chocolate and coffee, smooth and satisfying. Nice stout. So. Four beers down, that's enough for a night, now time to pack up and head into the frozen tundra.

I took home a 750 ml growler, what they call "roadies", for reasons that escape me, of the Rye Guy Saison, 7.4% ABV., 14 IBU, "a wheat and rye heavy saison for the winter. Yeast derived notes of pepper, and spice along with an herbal and earthy hop presence. Sweet citrus aromas lead into a bubblegum fruity sweetness with a dry finish." I quote this and post it, after having already written my notes, and ...here they are.

Clear, chestnut coloring, dusky brown, slim dark head.

Slight sweetness in the nose, that Belgian bubblegum they talk about...rye malt spice just below. I like this nice, complex mix. Now, to taste....

In the mouth: again, it starts sweet and malty, turns Belgian funky, ends up dry. Lots of flavor coming through in this. Medium-bodied, with great flavors. Extraordinarily pleasant, expertly enriching.

Warm, malty, pleasing and satisfying....damn, I like this.

So, I'm left thinking what I thought before. This brewery is so close to me, there's no reason to only stop in every few months. They occupy an excellent piece of real estate that's bound to bring in a loyal following from the neighborhood, and are making some interesting choices in their offerings. A year and some months in, they have not produced anything for sale outside of the brewery, but it's still early for that. There's still time for them to find themselves and grow. And, hey, maybe they don't need that just yet. Maybe just serving up beers in the taproom is enough for now.

Lyn Lake TwoFold Double IPA

LynLake Brewery TwoFold Double IPA.

Clear, reddish amber color, vast, creamy, long-lasting head, looking good. Leaving lace.

Beautiful aromatics, pithy and potent. Tropical fruits with a dose of citric. Twist of lime meets grapefruit and mango. A little spicy, a little piney.

In the mouth, more of that deliciousness. Big time hop bitterness, with sweet malt swiftly behind. Fierce hop attacks spreads through the palate, leaving deliciousness in it's wake. Strong flavors, strong alcohol content, that goes just a bit beyond. I like this kind of DIPA. Isn't the smoothest, may not be the bitterest, but damn, is it interesting. And so tasty.

I like this one. Once again, I'm reminded to remember to visit these guys a little more often.

Lynlake Big Dill JSB (Japanese Special Bitter)

Notes from Tuesday, August 11, 4:04 A.M.:


There's this beer at the LynLake Brewery called Big Dill. They're calling it a JSB, or Japanese Special Bitter, because it uses the Sorachi Ace hop instead of traditional English hops. I liked it so much that I bought a mini-growler, or "roadie", as they call it, but I won't.

Appearance: clear, bronze-toned, with a rich, lush, creamy, off-white head.

Aroma: Oh. That's why they call it "Big Dill." It's Dill-icious, it's Dill-ightful, it's Dill-lovely. Vegetal, herbal, hardly any of the typical hop esters and aromatics. A little briny. And I kind of like it.

Taste: There's a slight bitterness gracing the palate. more of that odd dill flavor, then the stage is set for the malt to shine. Just a little bit of caramel and toffee, a touch of sweetness, and a whole lot of smooth. I've got to say that this is unlike any beer I've ever had. And I kind of dig it.

Lynlake Hop X Double IPA

One of the problems with trying to keep up with all new breweries in town is that, well, you can't. I stopped into LynLake Brewing today in order to, once more, buy a growler on a Sunday. And I saw several new beers since the last time I visited them, three months ago. Three months? They are so close, it's ridiculous how I can forget about them, while I worry about checking out all the others.

So, now, let's open a growlette, growlino, no, these guys call them "roadies" (don't ask me why) …of a "double IPA" called Hop X.

Appearance: clear, bright reddish hue, solid, lingering head.

Aroma: ah! Just right. Citrus-y, floral. Bright, beautiful, lovely. Exactly what I want up my nose.

Taste: scrumptious. Juicy and fruity, hoppy as it gets. Bittersweet, where the sweet overcomes the bitter. Bitter hop attack still stays on top, but never quits. Long, fruity, bittersweet finish. Medium body. Strong hop flavor. Lush malt. Delicious.

Here's what the menu says: a not quite double IPA using a wide array of hops that provide strong resinous character. Pilsner and deep caramel  malt balance out that intense hop flavor with a roasty backbone. The use of Belgian candy sugar gives an extra kick of alcohol warmth while lightening the body. It's some of that real sticky icky. SRM 10, IBU 100, 8% ABV.

Is it some of that real sticky icky? Is it? Not quite. Could be sticky, ickier. Really could be. But, as is, it's pretty damned tasty, so cheers to that.

Biking to Beer: Bigger, Longer, Stronger, Part Two---And So We Find Our Plans Thwarted

Even when it seems that spring is here and we're in the clear, we know here in Minnesota, deep down, that there's always a chance that winter can return, if only briefly. This threat may last until May, even. Prince had a song along those lines, "Sometimes It Snows In April." I't's kind of a bad song, but I still like that one.

Here is the rare example of when I use a photo swiped from someone else. But, hey, I figure, if they risked stealing my soul, by taking my picture without permission, then I can yank it off of Untapp'd for use here.

Add to this the definitive fact that I am terrible about navigating the change of the seasons, and the changing back again. I rarely check the weather reports, basing my comings and goings on a peek out the window. This Sunday, I had the notion of continuing my project of visiting and re-visiting the breweries of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bicycle, and once out the door, I felt the chill and the wind and began to amend my plan. I would not go to the most northerly brewery in the city (Insight), not when it's this cold.


So, I decided that my plan would include a first stop at Eastlake Craft Brewery, where I draw a paycheck, and have a few while using the Wi-Fi to publish the first in this series of posts. My third beer there while at work on that was a Stick Style IPA, my second was a Nicollet Mauler Black IPA on nitrogen, and the first was our latest beer, one I haven't posted about here, yet, the American Brown Ale called Mud In Your Eye. I like it quite a bit. Here's the official description.

and here's what it looks like:

I spent a good two hours there, writing, editing, doing internet things, eating, drinking, hearing soccer fans cheering behind me. Thought about what other breweries I'd try to visit.

A word about where I work: I'm digging it. I'm completely behind the beers, utterly thrilled that they're a product I can really endorse. I've been trying to remain neutral here, so I don't display a conflict of interest. I'm trying not to hype the place too much, so as not to seem biased. Plain truth is: I feel that we're putting out some of the best beers in town, and those interested in such things seriously need to get over here and drink them. Take some bottles home, fill a growler. Take a chance, it couldn't hurt. (See how I'm downplaying it, to keep up that appearance of neutrality?)

My old friend Steve Legas chatting up owner Ryan Pitman
while watching futbol on a Sunday afternoon.
Our bear mascot growls in the background.

It was finally time to get going to stop #2, further down Lake Street, about a mile and a half to the west, and a swift right turn on Lyndale Avenue to LynLake Brewery, a taproom I've visited a handful of times since they opened late last fall. Why haven't they appeared here yet, why haven't I taken a growler home for review? Because I thought they were too expensive. It turns out that I was wrong. When I thought that it read $19 for a fill, it really meant including deposit. And they've lowered those prices, and also offered the 750 ml option, the mini-growler. Which I love. (And truthfully, the prices have dropped a few bucks, because a lot of people thought like me, and no one was buying them.)

The bar, at LynLake, bicycle wheels hang above, in between lightbulbs, the brewery's way in back, tap handles in the foreground. 

LynLake occupies a space formerly home to an antique store (I still have some items around the home that I bought there), and before that a theater. The marquee remains (the antique store went as Theater Antiques), and they're using it to promote the brewery, naturally. I made it out to their opening night, though I wasn't on the invite list. Just bluffed my way in, although I did know people inside. Their head brewer, Joel Carlson, used to brew at Town Hall, and plenty of people I know from there were in attendance. My subsequent visits were late at night on Fridays, it turned out, and the place was jammed with Uptown types. And plenty who don't reside in the neighborhood, but like to play there on the weekends. (I believe that in New York City they call them "the bridge and tunnel crowd.")

I snapped a pic of this beer, Raka-Waka, a New Zealand Pale Ale, back in November, I remembering it being fresh, citrus-y, and flat-out delicious.

Some beers were good, some were okay, but there wasn't anything yet that really stood out. They remained due for further examination, but I've been taking my time. I believe I mentioned the hibernation earlier.

The view of the Lynlake Brewery marquee from the side, walking up Lyndale Avenue.

So, I return on a Sunday, when it's quiet and mellow. First beer I chose was a recommendation from the bartender, on sale for only five dollars, the Sideburns Oatmeal Raisin Stout on nitrogen, and it was everything you'd want. Just the right amount of roast and toast, creamy and semi-sweet. I've always been fond of oatmeal stouts and this one fit the bill entirely.

Sideburns Milk Stout (with oatmeal and raisins) on nitro, 6.2% ABV, 30 IBU. 

I moved on to the Take 6 IPA (named for Joel's favorite gospel vocal group? not sure…) dry-hopped with Dr. Rudi (a new hop from New Zealand  I'd never heard of), on cask. It went down just fine, but was not especially remarkable. I'm not especially taken with the cask conditioning presentation (I know, a shock and a sacrilege to some), but I'll try one out from time to time. Perhaps I should test another one on plain ol' CO2 to be sure what I really think of it.

Take 6 IPA on cask, 5.7% ABV, 77 IBU. 

Finally, I ordered a pint of the Tradesman Robust  Porter, which was as straight-up as you're going to get, dark, full-bodied and smooth.

Tradesman Robust Porter, 5.5% ABV, 40 IBU. 

And as I drank it down, I glanced out the window and watched the snow falling on Lyndale Avenue. And a part of my proud heart, formerly emboldened by the onset of spring, had shrunk a little, and fell back, still, but still not cowering. Contemplated my next move, while assessing the beers I'd drunk.

One of two chalkboards at LynLake Brewery.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the staff at LynLake, brewers, bartenders, and all of them, would like see the beers bust out of the comfort zone that they're in currently. Were the beers always so stuck in regular styles? Did they ever make anything off the beaten path? A little research shows that there has been a double IPA, a coconut milk stout, some smoked stuff, among others. Maybe I need to pay a little more attention, break out of my comfort zone, step in there more often. I say it myself quite a bit, that you can't judge a place on a single visit.

And I turned again to the window, and the snow that wouldn't stop, and decided that it was time to go home, and not stretch this adventure out, not in this weather. I biked home via the Greenway with one  hand in my coat pocket and the other on  the handlebars and brakes, alternating them to keep the warmth flowing. It never stopped, not at all, all night long. Sob. Sigh.

Maybe on my next day off, things will improve and I can begin this again. We hope. We can only hope. And dream of spring.