Borealis Fermentary Mumbling Mime

Borealis Fermentary Mumbling Mime. Ale brewed with spices. 8.5% ABV. 27 IBU. Knife River, MN.

Deep, dark brown color, vast cocoa-tinged head, very impressive.

In the nose: Malt, spice, dark fruit, a beautiful blend. Cocoa and cream, caramel and cola, with a dose of cinnamon and clove.

In the mouth: Sweetness and spice are on top here, it's large and in charge. All that from the nose bouncing on the palate, nicely spicy, malty, yum. Full bodied. Tasty. Smooth. Lots of anise in the flavor.

The Good King did not look kindly on the fact that the childrens' missing harvest licorice candy was found in his own court jester's quarters. Following a trial, the clown was given a lobotomy, and sentenced to hard labor, spading and drying peat to feed the castle's furnaces in the upcoming winter months.
Black,chocolate, and peat smoked malts. Star anise, licorice root, and four other spices give us The Mumbling Mime. A beautiful beer for any holiday occasion. Cheers!

Is it a crime to drink this in July? Then I am guilty.

Borealis Fermentery Rood Tart Red Ale

Borealis Fermentery Rood, tart red ale. Knife River, MN.


Clouded, dark amber. near-crimson closing, slim, soon-gone off-whitish head.

Aroma: some funky stuff, some wildness and weirdness, and a touch of something unpleasant. There's just a trace of plastic/band-aid that's killing the vibe, here.

In the mouth: Pow! There's the tart, the sour, the fruit. Oak barrels, wild yeast, wine touches and flourishes, but that odd undercurrent from the nose appears on the palate, too. Refreshing. Tasty. Malty. Bracingly tart and delicious. Except for that thing.....yeah, it's still there, lurking below, tainting everything else.

Too bad. It seems like an infection in this batch, or this bottle. Not sure why or how, but the overall effect of what this beer is trying to be is marred by this defect. As I drink further...it's still there.

Damn! I love these guys, and what they're trying to do, but sending out bad bottles makes it harder to love them more, man! It's not the first bad Borealis bottle that I've tried, either. Just sad to have an infected bottle from a brewery that I champion.

I want this to be so good, and it could be, too, but alas, something's gone wrong. Try to fix it, guys,  I'm rooting for you!

Reading the label: "For the winter season, we bring you the second in our tart series. Introducing Rood...." Wait, stop. Was it infected, or just old? No, the band-aid taste is not the product of age, but infection. I do wonder if I should stop shopping at that store, or do I need to shop there more?

Borealis Fermentery Sonne Berliner Weisse

I've declared a moritoriam on new beer purchases. Staring now. Unless they're drinking beers, not reviewin' beers. I have two many of those in the fridge, and some have been waiting too long. Like this one. What's kept me from opening it? Time, circumstance, mood. Well, the time is right, and so is the mood, and the circumstance is the right one. I'm taking down a bomber of a North Shore Berliner Weisse, starting right now.

Hazy, bright golden appearance, some head that settles down to nil in no time.

Sour and citrusy aromatics. A little funky, a little wild.

On the tongue and in the mouth, it's a fresh and zesty, tart and wheat-y affair. Crisp and refreshing. Medium bodied. Lactic sourness is the biggest presence on the palate. Tasty stuff.

If you're craving something sour and funky from the far-flung woods, there's no finer choice.

Here's the gobbledygook: "Here in the Northland, we look forward to the summer sun with great amounts of anticipation. For the summer, we give you Sonne, a tart, light and refreshing Berliner Weisse style wheat beer brewed in the sour mash tradition, The perfect way to bring in summer. Here comes the Sonne."

I knew I waited too long with this one!

Borealis Fermentery Vinegoblin Belgian-style Pale Ale

Borealis Fermentery Vinegoblin Belgian-style Pale Ale.

Appearance: lightly hazy, bright golden/amber hue, large and lasting ivory head. Looks beautiful.

Aroma: All bright citric, spicy  and floral hops, surrounded by Belgian yeast funk. In every way, the very mark of a Belgian pale ale. Enticing.

Taste: Fruity at first, plump with luscious Belgian malts, hop bitterness arriving on the Belgian right after. This delightful dance continues, sip after sip, gulp after gulp. Terrifically tasty. Yum. Ken, you did it again. This beats the pants off of most other Belgian pale ales out there by a long shot. Love this beer. Mmm, mmm.

Let's see what the brewery says about it. The label begins the same as all the others, then the copy specific to Vinegoblin: "Vinegoblin was a runner up name for my kitten that used to play amidst the hop vines here at the Borealis Fermentery. This beer is a subtly malty concoction that incorporates copious additions of both kettle and dry hops for the true hop lover among us. Chill before serving, pour into your favorite glass, and enjoy this ode to Humulus Lupulus."

Unfortunately, I can't pour it into my favorite Borealis Fermentery snifter, because I broke it, like a damned fool. Luckily, I have plenty more. But if I see another one, I'm buying it.

Brewed "710212" ….not sure what that means…are they missing a zero, and it was 7/10/2012?

No word on ABV, but I'd guess it to be 7 percent, maybe?

In case you missed it the first time, I like this beer. Go get some right now.

Borealis Fermentery White-Throated Wit

Borealis White-throated Wit, Belgian Style Wit Ale Brewed with Spices. Brewed and bottled by Borealis Fermentery, Knife River, MN.

Wits are great. I love wits. But, why do some people insist on calling them "vits"? It's a German thing to pronounce a "W" as a "V", but not a Belgian thing. How can I stop people from saying "vitbier"? I can't! It's so frustrating! Who says "vit"? And vhy???
(this pet peeve of mine is right up there with calling hefe weizens "heffs.")

Appearance: hazy, bright golden, thin white head.

Aroma: wild, Funky Belgian yeast character hits the nose first, light spices, with delicate floral and citrus notes.

Taste:  On the tongue, it's light and delightful. Smooth, wheat mouthfeel and texture, lemon and orange in the flavor, with doses of spice. Zippy. Zesty. Snappy. Lean and clean. Medium-bodied, long-lasting flavor. Refreshing? Yeah. No ABV given here, but it's probably 6% or below. And I like it.

"The song of the White Throated Sparrow is one of the first things we here in the Northland hear that lets us know that Winter is finally on it's way out. White Throated is brewed with kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, lending a mild, balanced tartness to a traditional witbier."

Borealis Raisin Liaison Saison

Borealis Fermentery Raisin Liaison Saison. Knife River, MN. Belgian-style Saison Ale. 1 pint, 9.4 fluid ounces.

At last, at last, Borealis is dropping by the Twin Cities and bringing their beers to us. I haven't been to the Duluth area since the All Pints North fest in 2012, and haven't had a chance to pour one of their beers into one of their glasses since I brought bottles back home in May of 2012. Another trip to Duluth is long overdue, but I don't need to make that journey, for now their beer is at Zipp's and a few other stores in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Enough blah, blah, blah, I'm ready to crack this open!

Appearance: dark amber/ hazy burgundy coloration, with a sizable, staying head of white froth. Looking great.

Aroma: Ah! Utterly lovely. A lot of yeasty notes in this nose, some citrus fruits, more dark ones. Minor hops, major malt. Creamy, rich, beautiful.

Taste: Smooth, mellow, and malt-tastic. Hops are very low, spices are felt, and dark fruits maintain a delicious presence. Perfect integration, magnificent melding. I'm not really getting what I would from a normal saison, the fruit additions transform it a bit.
 Saisons have been turned into a rather malleable style these days, a platform for tossing about other flavorings. I wouldn't have guessed this as a saison, more of a Belgian pale or, no, a strong dark, with the raisin additives.

Hey, you know what, maybe the label will make things clear….First paragraph is the same as all the others…then "Raisin Liaison is a Franco-Belgian-style Saison of "seasonal" ale that was served up to summer field hands to keep morale high and the work flowing. The traditional spiciness of a Saison with a hint of darker fruitiness imparted from our friends, and liaisons, the raisins."

No ABV listed. I'd guess it at 8.5 or 9%, maybe…maybe more? Higher than an average saison (6-7%), is what I'd assume.

What this is, though, is terrifically delicious. It makes me very happy. Mmm, smooth, malty, well-rounded, and all kinds of wonderful. Love it.

All Pints North!

Here's John Moore of Barley John's Brewpub, with his tie-dyed crew. His cardamom porter was one of the most unique brews at the fest. And I had more than a few occasions to talk to the ever-entertaining Mr. Moore.

Before the throngs are unleashed, Jason from Steel Toe (too many Jasons!) chats up members of Team Finnegans at the Surly booth.

Off to the right of the bandstand, a flank of food trucks and various vendors to keep our stomachs full.

While I'm stationed at the Harriet booth, I turned around to see my friends  Jason, Kat, Scott, and Angie in front of the Castle Danger booth. I didn't visit that booth, because I'd tried everything at the brewery the day before. That's what I told Jason, who informed me that they did have London Calling IPA, which wasn't at the brewery. And now, I don't remember if I tried it or not. That's what happens at these things.

Here's a peek at the grounds with the band stage in the background, and Lake Superior behind it. There were three bands, Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, Farewell Milwaukee, and Black Eyed Snakes, which was a surprise, since from what I know of the music of Low, I never would have guessed that Alan Sparhawk can rock.

Mere minutes after the crowd was let into the festival, this is the line for Surly. It's always like this, every festival, people have got to get their Surly!

My bosses for the day, Tanya and Jason Sowards of Harriet Brewing. Their attendance was a late decision, and some of the brewery staff and equipment were busy at the Beer Dabbler fest happening in St. Paul at the same time. We were pouring West Side on tap, and Wodan Weizen and Pils from growlers. I was filling in when giving them breaks, so when I was alone I got to field questions like: "Is the brewery named after your grandmother?"

Back in May, I visited Duluth for the first time in my life, as you'd know if you read the most recent Fitger's reviews back then. I took pictures along the way for a photo essay, but never posted them. Something went wrong, no need to explain.

I was up there again this weekend, the first full weekend I've taken off of work in quite some time, for the latest Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild festival, All Pints North at Bayfront Festival Park right on the shores of Lake Superior, in Duluth. My transportation and lodging were provided by my friends Jason and Angie, and the entrance fee was taken care of when I agreed to help Jason and Tanya Sowards of Harriet Brewing. So, there was a little bit of work involved, but a whole lot of fun.

Here's new Surly brewer Derek Almendinger at left, and delivery man Chad at right, as they prepare for the throngs who are yet to be unleashed on the festival grounds. Surly brought a number of interesting items, including a preview of Syx, their strongest beer yet, at 14 + %, a cask of Hell with peppers called Fiery Hell, Bandwagon, the IPA brewed just for the Twins Stadium, and one I missed, Bourbon Barrel Aged Schadenfreude.

The first day found us visiting Thirsty Pagan Brewing in Superior, Wisconsin, then going further north to the extremely small Castle Danger Brewing at Castle Danger Resorts, in the hamlet called Castle Danger, MN. There were four beers to choose from, and I decided to take home a growler of their stout, review coming soon.

That evening was an epic tasting among friends, hosted by Dean and Rita, where we didn't even get to half the bottles on hand before we'd all had our fill. That's where I pulled out the Westvleteren 12 whose review was posted shortly after. I closed Friday night out with a stop at Fitger's to see the brewers party wind down, saw some old friends, met some new ones.

For the event on Saturday, I really wanted to do a photo essay, as I've done before with other events. But, even though I had kept it charged all night, the battery power on my iPod kept failing and it kept turning off, until the power died completely. Add to that, I kept forgetting to snap photos of people, booths, beers, that really would have been important parts to the story.

Behold, the artwork for the poster, although a slightly different version. It was not cold at all on July 21,  it was around 95 degrees and many wished there was more shade available in the park. I was under a tent for much of it, so I didn't complain.

Here's a glimpse of the Borealis booth. For such a small upstart brewery, they went all out with the stained glass logo. I talked to brewer Ken for some time, and went back for a t-shirt and glass. In addition to the Speckled Ghost and Mon Cherries, which I'd had in bottles before, they also brought La Lune Belgian Golden Ale, and Raisin Liason Saison. I believe one of these won for Best Beer in a time, and I believe the won the booth display award. I look forward to finding bottles of those beers soon.

Eager fest-goers entering the park, with downtown Duluth in the background. Unlike other guild events that have been going on for many years, this one did not sell out, but give it a chance, I'm sure Duluthians will change on and become just as crazed about beer fests as we Twin Citians.

Enough apologies, though, I'm going to put up the photos, write the captions and give a glimpse of what we hope will be many more of the same. This might be an annual Duluth excursion for me. Maybe I'll maintain a record as spotless as Autumn Brew Review, which I've attended every year since 2002.

Someone read this post and mentioned that there were no pictures of me in this gallery. Well, I don't often take pictures of me. I should fix that. But, this was taken by Tanya, and I swiped it from the Harriet facebook page where she posted it. So, there you go, enjoy me in all my glory.

After 7pm, and the end of the festival, then came the after-parties. Ah, what fun, at Tycoon's, the Ratskeller, and beyond...

Borealis Mon Cherries

Borealis Fermentery Mon Cherries, Belgian Style Dubbel Ale Brewed with Cherries. Knife River, MN.

Dark brown coloring, slim darkish head.

Aroma: fruit covered in dark malt and chocolate. Even balance, not sweet, not sour, not too much of anything, just very on. But, it's staring to grow in richness. Increases in character as time goes on. Dates, raisins, etcetera. Very interesting.

Let's drink it already: dark malt meets funky Belgian yeast. Lots of wild crazy yeasty flavor playing with the fruit blended with dark ale. Sourness rises higher, rises above sweet malt.

I'm going to take a break, and read what they say on the label. "Mon Cherries is a Belgian style dubbel ale brewed with cherries and aged on oak. A wonderful compliment to any red meat dish, this beer can also be enjoyed with or in place of our favorite chocolate desserts.

Chill before serving, pour into your favorite glass and enjoy the decadence."

This is tasty stuff, very fulfilling. I haven't had a lot of cherry dubbels. Hell, I don't think I've ever had any. So, I really have nothing to compare it to, no other experience to gauge it by.

To judge this by itself, it's an exercise in balance, restraint, and true complexity. Funky Belgian texture, just short of tart fruit, dark malt that stays clear of too sweet. Chocolate and cherry grows larger while in the mouth. Yum. Nice. Almost perfect.

A Tale of Two Dubbels: Borealis Fermentery Speckled Ghost

Borealis Fermentery Speckled Ghost Belgian Style Abbey Ale, 750 ml, 1 pint, 9.5 fl oz. Brewed and bottled by Borealis Fermentery, P.O. Box 130, Knife River, MN, 55609.
ALC. by VOL. ???

My first taste of this was a day after hearing of the breweries existence (though they had been promoted a bit on mnbeer.com, weeks early,apparently on a day I forgot to visit the site), on tap at a coffee shop in West Duluth. Smitten with this brew, my friend and I vowed to find bottles for sale before we left the North Shore, and were successful.

Dark crimson coloring under a slim, cream-toned head, soon to disappear.

Aromatics: lovely. Sweet and spicy. Special B malts, and caramel malts, too? Some raisin, figs, toffee, vanilla, cream. A treat for the nose, a sumptuous olfactory delight.

Now, to drink the danged thing: Bam! It hits from the start, not meek or shy in the least, blasting dark fruit flavor, laced with spice. Pepper and plum aplenty. Juicy malt is the forward flavor, with spicy Belgian yeast added extra character. I have a word for this, and it is Yum.

Mighty fine consumability, also, …not too heavy, not too slight, juuust right. Hits all the right notes.

Not quite as dark, rich, and deep as I'd prefer a dubbel to be, but there's no quarreling with the taste, or the quality. Excellent stuff. There's the cherry version awaiting in the fridge, and I'll have to wait a bit for the others, I guess, (a wit and another wheat, their website says) but if they're as nice as this…keep 'em coming.

Let's look at the label gobbledygook: "At the Borealis Fermentery, our beers are craft brewed in small individual batches on Minnesota's beautiful North Shore using pure artesian water and the freshest ingredients available. Our beers are unfiltered and bottle conditioned. Please pour carefully decanting the beer into your glass while keeping the yeast on the bottom of the bottle.

Speckled ghost is an ode to the elusive trout. A Belgian style abbey ale that melds hop balance, sweetness, and a hint of maltiness.

Chill before serving, pour into your favorite glass, and enjoy this beer while dreaming of the perfect day wading in the river.

We hope you enjoy our handcrafted beer.

Enjoy responsibly, The Borealis Fermentery,
Big Lake, Big Beer."

I did enjoy it, but, damn it once again, a beer label tried to tell me what I should do while drinking it! (Shades of The Lost Abbey.) I did not think once of wading in a river, or about fish. I was re-watching this season's Mad Men, and also listening to Clifford Jordan's "Night of the Mark VII." And I'd do it again!