And so, on a Wednesday afternoon in late July, I did venture forth and see the taproom, or tasting room, as they call it, at Wild Mind Artisan Ales for the first time since February. I chose the occasion of a glass giveaway, and I arrived several hours too late. They only had 40 to give away, but I underestimated the desire for such things. At the reservations table, a new normal must for every brewery these days, I was informed that they had reservation for 40 right at opening at 4 pm.
Getting a free glass is the last thing I need. My glassware collection is overwhelming and unwieldy. However, I do not have an appropriate Wild Mind glass, currently, and wish that I had one. (I used to have a nice one, but it went the way of all things, alas.)I do have one, of sorts, but it is not appropriate. You can see it below.
I will not use it for a blog post pic again. On the other hand, the ones they were giving out were in the can-shape style, which is also not appropriate for proper presentation, and do not feature their logo anywhere. Cool designs, though. But, I don't need them.
(Further note about that glass. It is from their anniversary party from last year. Wild Mind is just one of many local breweries that has not been able to do anniversary parties, expressed their regret and moved on with their lives. There are other companies that can't reign in their enthusiasm and call on crowds to convene, despite the danger. What the hell is wrong with them? Just a little sacfrice, hold back your passion for partying, for the good of everyone...or, just fuck it, right? Because nothing's more important than appeasing your ego? Arrrghh! Rant over.)
I did not have a reservation, I told the attendant. Because I did not feel that I needed one. Making a reservation for a bar or taproom goes against my very core beliefs. Most of the spaces on the patio were accounted for, due to the rush of folks who came out for their glasses. "You really should have made a reservation," he scolded me, before offering the farthest away spot indoors. Several tables were left open in the middle of the floor, reserved for someone who never arrived during the duration of my stay (about an hour and a half). Only one person sat there, a guy who arrived solo and just wanted a beer and some crowlers to go. I think he avoided the man at the reservation stand. Went around him while he was distracted. I should have tried that.
So, you read the large list on the wall, wait in a line, order from one bartender, and pick your drink up from the other one on the far side of the bar. I know that sounds like it makes sense, but I don't get why it's necessary. Is it to keep the two bartenders far apart from each other?
Get the customers to move apart?
What is the difference between that and just bringing it back closer to where you ordered it?
In these trying, uncertain, ...what are the other clichés?...times that we are navigating (we are always "navigating", you notice that?), places like Wild Mind are doing their best to keep us all safe and distanced and trying to flatten that curve. Meanwhile, other bars that did not do a lick of due diligence have caused the Mayor of Minneapolis to ban all bars at bars, starting this Saturday, 8/1. You can get something at your reserved table, but you can't sit at a bar and be served by a bartender.
Wild Mind had already socked away their stools, but this new emergency decree had operators thinking that they couldn't serve a beer to a customer from the bar at all. I've only been to one other taproom since then, and they were serving customers from the bar to then take away to their table, but chairs were put away. It felt so weird not sitting at the bar. The last time I was there I sat at the bar, with chairs spaced apart.
Meanwhile, are the ones who had unmasked bartenders and unchecked crowds doing anything to help us get back on track and bring down transmission? I should do an informal check around my neighborhood, and see how much social distancing is going on, how much they check reservations, etc. Get on board, fellas, and help us kick this thing. The other day I saw one bar not doing a thing to follow the rules (it seemed, from through the window) and across the street another bar following the letter of the law.
Back to the beers, I chose for my first one the very one whose review you'll see below, the saison called Warpship. I liked it better from the crowler than I did in the plastic cup. For beer two, I picked the Acai and Blue Agave version of the Fruited IPA line they're calling Punk Tacos. I've had the Black Currant version before, and will soon open and review a crowler of the Blueberry rendition. This one was sweet and funky, and not an IPA. I had one more. Three is plenty, when I have a 5-mile ride to get back home, and I chose a big one, a delicious, 13 % Barleywine called The Great Decay. Didn't taste right in the plastic cup, but still was pretty damned tasty. (Do the guidelines dictate plastic? It's seems a matter of personal interpretation. The current count in my experience is 7 glass to 4 plastic. Will probably chance as I check more out.) Anywho, if I ever see that one again in crowler or bottle form, I'll have more to say about it.
Wild Mind Warpship Saison.
5.5 % ABV.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales,
Minneapolis, MN.
Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.
In the nose: Fruit blast at first, citrus and stone. Lemon and apricot, peach and tangerine. Lightly spiced. Lively. Lovely.
In the mouth: Again, the fruit factor splashes upon the palate, right there with Belgian yeast. Starts out fruity, slightly sweet, just a touch bitter and spicy, turning dry in the end. Medium bodied, clean, easy drinking, refreshing. Authentic flavors of Belgian saison continue on the palate. Citrus and stone fruit taste go on and on, with a trickle of spice right behind.
One of the better locally produced saisons I've tasted in quite a while. Yum, as is often said, a dum dum.
Open-fermented Saison made with our house yeast culture. Deep notes of apricot and peach.
