Mankato Baltic Porter

Mankato Baltic Porter.

7.6 % ABV, 35 IBU. Mankato Brewing, Mankato, MN. 

Once more, we have the final can from a variety 12-pack. All the other beers in this package from Mankato Brewing have appeared here before. I bought the thing just to get to this one. And I'm glad for it. 

Deep and dark, full-on ebony, utterly opaque, with a rich brown ring of foam above. 

In the nose: Coffe and cocoa reign from above. Slight cinnamon and clove. Mostly malty. Very inviting, inherently promising. 

In the mouth: Smooth, sweet, and slightly bitter. Rich and malt-forward. Almost creamy. More coffee and chocolate, and a shimmer of dark fruit, to boot. Full-bodied, long, bittersweet finish. Absolutely delicious. 

More and more, I am happy and impressed by the breweries that don't chase the hype train, and continue to put out quality beers of a diverse range of styles. Sure, you've got sours and hazies, but where's your Baltic Porter, I ask? I'm glad I found this beer. 

Avast ya scurvy dogs, we'll swing ya from the yardarms if ye don't be wantin' a hardy porter for sailing through a dark winter. Baltic porters were brewed to withstand long voyages across the North Sea, and ye won't last a fortnight without this smoky, deep-layered malt brew and its pleasant acidic fruit flavor. Yo Ho!

Lupulin / Mankato Hero Hazy IPA

Lupulin / Mankato Hero Hazy IPA.
8.18 % ABV. 66 IBU.
Lupulin Brewing, in Collaboration with Mankato Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Ever-so hazy, bright golden hue, lasting ivory head. Looking good.

In the nose: Nice hoppy buzz in here, citrusy, lemon and orange.

In the mouth: Big blast of delightful hoppy bitterness upon the palate, a bit juicy and exactly tasty. Citrusy flavors abound. Light bodied, easy drinker, alcohol slowly being detected.
I'm enjoying this tremendously.

HERO Hazy IPA is all about friendship, awareness and never surrendering to the fight against cancer. So, become aware, get tested, and live longer. The inspiration behind this beer, is our late hero Jonathan Zierdt, close friend to Mankato Brewery founder and the brother to Lupulin Brewing co-founder who passed away in March. A portion of the proceeds and donations will go to the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund, a donor advised fund of the Mankato Area Foundation.

Mankato Rhuby Rhubarb Sour

Mankato Rhuby Rhubarb Sour. 5 % ABV. 10 IBU. Mankato Brewing, Mankato, MN.

Lightly hazed, pale crimson appearance, very rhubarb-y, slim head, soon gone.

In the nose: Starts shy, slowly unfolds. Yeah, there's rhubarb in there. And the promise of the sour.

In the mouth: Intense, a powerful pucker. A touch of sweet pops up from time to time, a flush of the rhubarb flavor, then sour takes over once more. Sour power cools off a bit, but never leaves the palate. Light-bodied, refreshing and easy-drinking. Can was consumed in no time.

Rhuby is a smooth tart who is 
delightfully sour, incredibly sassy, and tougher than anyone this side of the river.

It's a good beer, and...something tells me I should
trademark my catchphrase before it's too late.

I want to know more about this Rhuby. For one, why does she have a Skeletor tattoo?

Mankato Mad Butcher American India Pale Ale

Mankato Mad Butcher American India Pale Ale. 6.8 % ABV, 60 IBU, Juicy, Citrusy. Mankato Brewery, Mankato, MN.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hued, slim white head atop.

In the nose: A sweet burst of tropical notes and touch of citrus. Big pineapple and papaya.

In the mouth: Brace of bitterness starts it off, just a little juicy, then a lot. Medium bodied, good drinking. Bitter and sweet keeps it cookin'. All the citrusy goodness you're gonna get from Citra and Mosaic hops. It's a good one, and I'll pick it up whenever it's near.

An American Style IPA delivers ripe tropical fruit flavors, citrus zest, and a touch of honey from the malt. Deliberately unfiltered. 

Mankato 'Kato German-style Lager

Mankato 'Kato German-style Lager. 5.0 % ABV. 20 IBU. Mankato Brewing, Mankato, MN.

Clear, bright golden color, sturdy white head on top. '

In the nose: Light, slightly malty, clean. Cereal notes. Minimal hops.

In the mouth: Sweet maltiness hits the palate first. I don't mind it. It's clean, it's crisp, it's, as they say these days, crushable. Tasty helles, and you can sure as heck drink it.

Here's what they say on the can: "A crisp, refreshing German-style lager, as a nod the the classic beer from the old Mankato Brewing Company, Kato is a swift, easy-drinking, roundhouse kick to your palatte (they must mean "palate"). Kato is always alert and ready for action: the perfect anytime beer.

From the website: A Munich Helles Style Lager brewed in the German tradition, as a nod to the classic from the Mankato Brewing Company, that once brewed in our Key City. 
BEER FACTS:
Style: Munich Helles Lager
ALC: 5.0% by Vol
OG: 12.2° P
IBU: 18
Color: 3° STM, STRAW

Mankato Mint Stout

Mankato Mint Stout. Brewed and bottled by Mankato Brewing, LLC, North Mankato, MN.

Appearance: solid, dark brown body, nearly black, with a rich tan head above, starts big and slims down to a tight ring.

Aroma: mint aplenty, with chocolate swift at it's side. Espresso edges.

Taste: Bright, fresh, and refreshing mint at the front, followed by chocolate and other dark malts. Full-body, Long, minty finish. Delicious. Tasty, tasty stuff. It's a good mint stout and I can drink it. Why did it take me so long to get to know this beer?

PS: goes incredibly with ice cream.


Beer Facts: Holiday mint stout (HOLIDAY). Alc. 5.6%. OG 1. 060. IBU:34. Color: black.

Mankato Duly Noted Dry-hopped Pale Ale

Mankato Duly Noted American Pale Ale. Brewed and bottled by Mankato Brewing Company, North Mankato, MN. Alc. 5.4% by Vol. IBU: 40. OG: 1.046.

Appearance: clear, pale golden hue, slim white head.

Aroma: Bold citrus hop aromatics, seems like the C hops at work. Fresh, vibrant, leafy and green.

Taste: In the mouth, it's aborts with pungent, pithy citric hop character. Clean, lean, and easy-drinking. Bright, bold, sunny and just plain lovely. Now, here's an American Pale Ale. This is everything it ought to be and then some. unbelievably likable. All APAs should be this good.

There is no gobbledygook.

Mankato Ceres Summer Ale

Mankato Ceres Summer Ale. american wheat ale. 4.5% ABV. 24 IBU.

Clear, bright golden coloring, under a sizable, milky white head of lacing foam.

Aroma: cereal grains, minor hops, some malt sweetness. Grape Nuts meets Granola.

Taste: Wetness, lightness, and not much else. Cereal-y, for sure, very minimal malt, and exceedingly minimal flavor. It's a light one, an easy-drinker, a patio-pleaser, and definitely one for the in-laws and the poker buddies. Good for the dock or the boat or for cooking with what ever you want to do with it, but it's not for me. Clearly, they didn't think of me when they invented Ceres Summer Ale.

Well, that's okay, more for the rest of them.

"You will find this beer in your local bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in April and gone sometime in July.

Named for the Roman goddess of agriculture and grain, Mankato Brewery’s Ceres Summer Ale is a crisp take on an American Wheat Ale. The barley and wheat malts are complimented with lively hops and sweet orange peel, for a refreshing finish."

Honestly, I didn't encounter the wheat anywhere in this pint. Huh. What do you know about that?

Mankato Organ Grinder Amber Ale

Mankato Organ Grinder Amber Ale, Brewed and bottled by Mankato Brewing company, North Mankato, MN.

Clear and coppery-colored. Nice 1/4" off-white head.

Aroma: minor, mild, inoffensive, given off no particular properties, however.

Taste: A malty affair, all the way. Just a touch of hop bitterness on the palate, to combat unwanted sweetness. Mild fruitiness, some herbal notes here and there, a bit of mineral-y-ness. It's a fine amber, and you can drink it. Adequate. Not bad. Okay, for the style.

Mankato Haymaker IPA

Mankato Haymaker IPA.

Clear, crimson-colored, sturdy, 1/2" white head on top.

Aroma: Faint. Light citrus notes coming through. Lemon and grapefruit surely unfolding. Bitterness rises. I'm liking it more and more.

Taste: On the tongue, ah! That's the stuff, delivering a brace of hop bitterness. Citrus flavor grows and grows, matches the medium malt body. Crisp, refreshing, and ever-lastingly bitter.

Here's another label that does overkill with the references to the beer name: "With the hops and malt fighting for convention, Haymaker IPA won't back down. The rich, malty base provides the windup for the hops' crisp, bright citrus flavors. Fo toe-to-toe with this well balanced and devilishly drinkable IPA, and this double dry-hopped phenom will knock you out."

I could do without half of that. But I take all of the beer. I'll reach for it again some day.

Mankato Saffron Kilt Pale Ale

Mankato Saffron Kilt. Pale Ale. Brewed and bottled by Mankato Brewing Company, Mankato, MN.

Appearance: Clear amber color, flush white head, long-lasting.

Aroma: soft, malty, semi-sweet, rather indistinct.

Taste: minor hop presence makes a bow at first sip, softly fades, what's left is crisp, toasty malt, with slight caramel and toffee flavors. Medium bodied, and smooth and easy-drinking.

So the style is in tiny print, not in bold, below the name. They call it "pale ale", but it's firmly in a Scottish Ale tradition. Let's read more of the label and see what it says: The pipes and drums of the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band were the inspiration for Mankato Brewery's Saffron Lilt. The melody of this saffron colored ale starts with the same malt used in the finest Irish whiskeys, which harmonizes to the tune of the hops' spicy and citrus notes. Like the pipes and drums, these flavors combine in a fantastic rhythm, and finish with a great cutoff. Slainte."