Insight Fathom Double Oat Stout

 Insight Fathom Double Oat Stout.

8.2 % ABV. Insight Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Another Insight beer with a label by my old friend, Mark Rivard, and this one is especially impressive. Can't wait to see what's next. 

Absolute ebony appearance, fully opaque, rich brown head. 

In the nose: Malty, rich, and semi-sweet. 

In the mouth: More rich, more sweet, but well-balanced. Smooth and nearly creamy. Full-bodied, but compellingly drinkable. Flavors of chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, and cream. Increasingly delightful. 

Winter Limited Double Oat Stout brewed with loads of flaked and malted oats, nine different malts, and a touch of vanilla. This malty-chocolate double oat stout has a beautifully layered, dark, rich, creamy flavor.

Sisyphus OPA (2) with Grapefruit

Sisyphus OPA (2) with Grapefruit.
6.2 % ABV. 62 IBU.
Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly hazy, bright golden, small ivory head above.

In the nose: Grapefruit looms large in this one, other citrus notes lurk below. Fiercely hoppy. Nice.

Inn the mouth: Big and juicy, robust hop bite, intense bitterness, then nothing but smooth, crisp, clean, and flavorful. Super clean. Light and malty. This is a good pale ale and you can drink it. With grapefruit.

This beer is  best consumed by the light of the grapefruit moon:

612 The Outfit Oatmeal Porter

612 The Outfit Oatmeal Porter. 6.5% ABV, 22 IBU, 612 Brew, Minneapolis, MN.

612 Brew is a brewery that has only appeared here a few times. I've reviewed one of their cans before, and talked about the taproom once. Never took home a growler. Just never felt compelled. I've been back to the taproom, and liked it a little better that time, but I've been slow to publish those notes. This can arrived thanks to the Sample Man.

Total blackness, slim brown head. Altogether opaque.

In the nose: Nicely roasted malt, cocoa and espresso. Just right.

In the mouth: Sweetness hits first, rich and malty, bittersweet. More coffee and chocolate notes on the palate. Smooth stuff. Full body, but quite drinkable. Further notes of cherry vanilla. Very satisfying. A perfectly competent oatmeal porter that I'm liking quite a bit.

Our friends from the Outfit owe us big time. This English Porter is brewed with oatmeal which contributes to the rich and velvety texture of this winter seasonal beer. Patagonian caramel malts provide a wonderful toasted marshmallow flavor in the malt profile while the Nobel hops provide just the right about of bitterness and balance. So, if you’ve got friends like us, be sure to buy them this beer as Payback… and root for the bad guy.

Hoo boy. I have no idea what most of that means. I don't know who their friends from the Outfit are, but they've got to check their spelling. Unless there's a thing called "Nobel" hops that I've never heard of.

Correction: they've got "Noble" spelled right on the can, just not wherever the copy I swiped from Untappd came from. I still know nothing about the Outfit or the Payback or the friends like them, or rooting for the bad guy. It's okay, though, no big deal. I'll let it slide.

Sisyphus OPA2

Sisyphus OPA2. American version of Oatmeal Pale Ale. 7.2% ABV. 60 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

In the eye: Lightly hazy, bright orange coloring, sizable and staying slab of ivory foam above.

In the nose: Soft, and lightly hoppy. Subtle and likable.

In the mouth: Pop! There go the hops! Nice, bright and bubbly attack of the bitterness, followed by nothing but smooth. Silky smooth oat malt mouthfeel runs this one, and it is damned tasty. Citrus and tropical fruit notes continue to play on the palate.

This went down so easy, and tasted so good I was a little taken aback. Like, it was too good or something. Don't neglect this one, go down there and drink some.

Bent Paddle Valve Jockey #1: Oatmeal IPA

Here's an example of how I could have saved myself eleven bucks. Two weeks ago, I hosted the local release of the first in Bent Paddle's new brewer's series, Valve Jockey, at Acadia Cafe. Brewer Neil Caron was there, as well as BPBC reps, and the fine beer-minded folks who had the good sense to come on down. And I could have taken a moment over the next 8 days to pour myself a pint and compose some notes, but as has previously been stated, I don't always do that for beers on tap where I  work. Or other bars, for that matter.

So, off to the store to find a bottle. (Eleven bucks?)And you know what, I also need to find a bottle of Climate Generation Black IPA, which we had on tap before and after the Oatmeal IPA. Why did it stay on tap longer than than the other? Is it, I suspect, because IPA drinkers are really racist? Oh, no, I didn't!

Okay, bad joke. I've stated over and over my indifference to the "black IPA". But I protest too much. Some of my best friends are black IPAs. Black ales matter, folks.

Onward to the beer.....

Bent Paddle Valve Jockey #1: Oatmeal IPA (aka Oatneil), 7.2% ABV, 80 IBU.

Clear, golden colored, fresh, ivory head atop.

In the nose: bright, citrus-y, hint of tropical, a little bitter, a little sweet.

In the mouth: Yeah! That's right. Big flash of bitterness, bold citrus flavors, with a trickle of astringency creeping down the throat. Medium body, smooth and tasty. Hop flavor never quits. Malt flavors are a joy on the tongue. Flat out delicious and definitely drinkable. This bomber is going down in no time flat. Damn good IPA, and, yes, you can drink it.

Wild Mind Race Dog Wild Oat Pale Ale

Did I need to buy one of these new Wild Mind growlers and add to my vast collection? No. But I wanted it. Ten bucks? When I could have kept bringing in other growlers and getting them filled, if I remembered to bring a cap along? Someone else's growler that fits into my growler carrier and isn't such an awkward, inconvenient shape? Yeah, but I wanted it. So, I've got it. So. Anyway...here's a beer I brought home Thursday night and took notes on this morning (my schedule, you know. I'd be lying if I said "last night".)

Wild Mind Race Dog. Wild Oat Pale Ale. 6% ABV.

Crystal clear, bright golden coloring, big white head. Looking good.

In the nose: soft, sumptuous, brimming with tropical fruit flavors. Sweet, fruity, nice. Just delightful.

In the mouth: yum! Delicious. Sweet, pineapple and guava. Bitterness is sufficient, but never too high. Super smooth mouthfeel. All those flavors from the nose are popping back on the palate. Beautifully hoppy. Exquisitely executed.
I can finish this one up in no time.

From the website: Race Dog  | Wild Oat Pale Ale,  6.0%ABV, 50IBUs

A pale ale brewed with our native wild yeast, oats, and hopped heavily with mosaic hops. Notes of peach, pineapple, citrus, and blueberry.