Young's Double Chocolate Stout

So, here I am, looking at old reviews, and shaking my head. This one that I will next share with you will be edited, and you will have no idea how many exclamation points were in the original. In hindsight, even though the letters are not capitalized, it seems like shouting. Somehow, I had no idea while I was writing it, but it does show enthusiasm, which I had in spades for Young's Double Chocolate Stout, and still do, of course.

Young's was one of my favorite English ale breweries way back when, and it's sad to see them absorbed by Wells, with only the brands and beers remaining, though not all of them. It doesn't hold a candle to the current crop of barley-wines, but, boy, did I use to love Young's Old Nick and it's devilish   label, as well as the naughty sounding Dirty Dick's. Their Oatmeal Stout went down my gullet quite often, as well. All three of those are gone, but thank heavens Double Chocolate Stout is still around.

And so, here is my April, 2003 notes with an untold amount of exclamation marks excised:


Color is a solid black, with a large, lush, lovely brown head.

Aroma: soft and creamy, with a subdued cocoa content, sweet and mild.
 On the palate, however, things take a change for the decidedly better.

Niiiiiice, oh, so, nice, with substantial chocolate feeling, although it doesn't actually come in strong at first. At the end of the swallow, there it is, that real chocolate essence. WOW! Ever so tasty, and I'm not even such a chocolate nut, but you've got to give it up, there it is, and it tastes great.

Hops are minimal, here, and malt is king. Texture is smooth, and taste is sublime.

Fully integrated, perfectly balanced, this is one excellent stout, with an inpsired addition of flavor.

The delicious flavor never ever ends after the bottle empties, but the flavor lingers long after.

(By the way, these old notes were written from a bottle, which I preferred over the nitro-can, which was recently released, and I noted that (taken out from this version, with the exclamations) in my original review. The can is what I have now, though, and I am no longer opposed to it, but do still prefer this one without the nitrogen. Also, I thought it would look cool to photograph in mid-cascade.)

Wells Banana Bread Beer

Wells Banana Bread Beer. Alc. by Vol. 5.2%. Malt beverage brewed with bananas and banana flavor added. Looking at notes from my first taste of this, back in March, 2008:


Pour it into a standard pint glass and the aroma of bananas leaps out at you. Clear amber-y color, creamy, off-white, merengue type of head.

Sweet aromatics, all banana & malt. Smells a bit like circus peanuts, a little plastic. But they swear they use real bananas, so I'll believe them.

Taste: Bready malt meets faint banana flavor, light bodied, easy-drinking. Flavor remains with every sip, right up at the front of the tongue, kind of a banana cream pie feel to it.

But all in all, a solid ale. Light in hops, clean, smooth, and slightly sweet. I'm liking this. You drink a few of 'em. And it's oh, so, banana-y...a nice novelty that could turn out to be a regular treat!

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery MPLS

MPLS. Minnesota Pale Lager Style. Not "Minneapolis", nor "Mipples", say it with us, "Em Pe El Es." A hoppy lager. 6.1% ABV. "...amply hopped with Nelson Sauvin..."
And now we're going to drink it.

But first we pour it.

Clear, deep amber/caramel coloring, with a big beautiful, blooming white head, with a rocky terrain, leaving lace.

Aroma: Large and out loud, spicy and floral, a little citric…no, a lot. But, it's a wonderful, lively blend.

Taste: Hops climb on board, and spread around, clamber over the crisp, biscuity, tasty, toasty malt. Spicy stuff, and fruity, too. Little sweet, too, but not too-too. Quaffably delicious. Here's a beer you can drink, doggone it, and give you plenty of body and spicy hops. Mmmm, hmmm.

Stone Ruination Ale 10th Anniversary

Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary Ale, 10.8% ALC./VOL., Ruining palates for ten years, brewed and bottled by the Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA.

Lightly hazed, golden apricot hue, with a slim, white, dotted head. Looks good.

Aroma: Everything you want in a double IPA and more. Blasts the senses with pine, citrus, and tropical fruits. Bright, bitter, fierce, and furious. Juicy, fresh, deep, and rereshing. Alcohol is felt, but quickly forgiven. We know this will be a challenge, but the beautiful smack of hops makes us forget what's to come. Ah, scrumptious!

Gonna read the vast, voluminous copy on the side of the bottle. blah, blah, blah…pat yourselves on the back, puff yourself up…blah, blah, blah…mmm, hmmm, hmmm….lots of informative history of the origins of the double IPA style…but, without a mention of what makes this different from regular Ruination. Why not? No one knows. (Well, I do, now that I've checked the website. Alcohol raised up 3%, hop additions doubled. 110 IBUs? Damn, but it did feel like it!)

I keep drinking, and I keep thinking, damn, this is delicious. Also, incredibly bitter, but so consumable for the hop head with a tolerance for higher alcohol.  It's the ne plus ultra of Ruination, while still being able to slip past the lips and go all the way down the gullet. All the usual suspect flavors at play, all the resiney, piney, grapefruit, lemon, and pineapple.

My first Ruination was 10 years ago, mere months after it was released. I didn't know this until Greg Koch told me when I met him for the first time. In my entry for Ruination Ale, I told the story of how it "ruined" me. It was one of the first double IPAs I had ever had, but definitely not the first. In the intervening 10 years, there has been so much done with palate rippers and booze bombs in the name of hop delivery, it's easy to forget how far we've come, and what a leader this beer really was.

Millstream Hop2 Double IPA

Millstream Hop(2) Double IPA, Amana, Iowa. No information given, but this on the side of the bottle carrier….um, no, it's too long. Maybe I'll scan it. Oh, and we learn that it is 7.5% ABV. So, let's open it up and find out what's inside.

Deep burgundy coloration, rich, creamy off[white head above.

Aromatics: complexity abounds, rich, malty, pungent. Hops are present, but muddied and indistinct. There are no typical hop aromatics associations at play. Instead there is chocolate, dark fruit, plum and fig and cherry, and oak.

Taste: Hip hops hit at first, a blast of bitterness, then up rises sweet malt to smother it and coat it in chocolate and caramel. I can taste it some on the tongue, but it goes nowhere. Sweet subsumes all.

This really doesn't feel like a double IPA at all. Alcohol is high, yes, but, hops aren't as pronounced as they ought to be, and malt mucks it up. I'm happy to entertain varying and contrasting interpretations of this still very new style, but this one doesn't thrill me at all. I'll finish my 4-pack and forget about it. About $11 down the drain, and here's hoping they improve it some if they try this again.

Third Street BrewHouse Bitter Neighbor Black IPA

Someone asked me recently about Third Street BrewHouse, before I ever tried their wares, before they released anything, this question: "Do you think they have anything to do with Cold Spring Brewery?", in that they are in the city of Cold Spring, Minnesota. I said something along the lines of, "they'd have to be, no one would ever take on that poisonous association." Cold Spring Brewing has been long known as one of the nation's worst breweries, at least when it comes to the online internet beer geek reviewers, (a subspecies I belong to, naturally). They were once the makers of the Gluek line of crummy brews, and finally lost all vestiges of that brand a few years ago.

Well, I was right. Cold Spring created this new brand, built an entirely new brewery, and hired very competent hands (Horace Cunningham, formerly of Summit). Perhaps the hand-drawn lettering and rough pencil artwork is meant to suggest honesty, raw integrity, deep-down craftsmanship? Maybe so.

Well, let's find out what they're all about, with some Bitter Neighbor Black IPA India Pale Ale. Careful perusers of this blog will know of my constant struggle with the still very new sort-of-style. We're teeter-tottering between the well-mashed and the utterly imbalanced. I need to research my own notes to find out just how this pseudo style has fared, good (in my opinion) versus not so good.

Let's crack this and find out…

6.5% ABV.
Appearance: Fully black, no light escapes, unless you really, really try, nice cocoa/tan head, tight 1/4" , lasting long.

Aroma: cocoa and cream, and a faint whiff of grassy hops. Smooth and balanced.

Taste: No real threat from hops at the start, fairly mild, but there. Pleasant on the palate, then the malt comes in, again, very well-mannered, not brash or brusque and rude in any fashion, just knocking on the door and taking it's shoes off. Well comported body, medium, with a lightly hoppy, chocolatey finish. Toasty, just-a-little-bit-bitter malty flavor.

Taking a break now to read the label. "The Story. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. You can pick where you live, but you can't pick your neighbors. That is, until now. When you pick up a glass filled with frothy, dark-colored bitter neighbor black IPA, it won't leave a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, it's quite good. (Sorry, we can't help you with the family part.)
Malts: Pale, caramel, Munich, Roasted Black. Hops: German & US (Magnum, Hersbrucker, Amarillo, Cascade.)

(Quick note about that copy. Breweries should never describe their beers as "nice" or "good." Just tell us how you made it and what flavors we might find, let us make the judgement about how nice and good it is.)

I've downed a few of these already, without taking notes, just drinking. And it drinks well. But considering what they expect that we get from this, and comparing this against others in this loosely collected category, I find Bitter Neighbor lacking. For one, not bitter enough. Hardly enough hops or bitterness to warrant calling it any kind of an IPA. Black it is, though, and actually quite tasty, and consumable, indeed.

If we just want to rave about beers that aren't bad coming out of a brewery known for awful crap, then we can do that. If we want to talk about something memorable, we can't do it here.

By the way, if this was just called a porter, I might not have said a lot of these words.

New Holland Rye Hatter

New Holland Rye Hatter Rye P.A. New Holland Brewing, Holland, MI.

Dark amber to crimson, under a solid, lasting half inch head, brilliant white, slow to leave.

Aroma: bready malt hits first, with the spice of rye, minor fruit notes coming in next. Pumpernickel in a glass.

Taste: malt comes across smooth yet spicy, complex textures and meaty mouthfeel. It's a mouthful, rich, mucho malty, and fully flavorful. Hops aren't felt as highly, however; you know deep down it's an IPA, and the hops are tasted, but it's subsumed by the rye. Nonetheless, what it is, is delicious. Yum, diddly um-dum-yum. Very tasty.

And the hops are rising, the bitterness is growing, and matches well with the spicy rye malt. I'm liking this more and more. Mmm, mmm.

What does the bottle tell us? " Rye leads spiciness to the caramel-malt base, while creating a creamy texture. Dry-hopping  contributes a fresh citrus finish. Pairings: Blue cheese, blackened seafood, herb-roasted poultry."

I'm having it with Hunan Chicken and chicken-fried rice. It works just fine. But, mmm, I could sure go for some herb-roasted seafood, too. Or blackened poultry?

Brau Brothers Hop Session Super Pale Ale

Here's another new one from li'l ol' Lucan, MN, Brau Brothers Hop Session Super Pale Ale. Alc. 4.2% by vol.

Label is the most expressive and creative from BB yet. Nice design.

Crystal clear, pale golden color, quarter inch milky white head, leaving lace.

Aroma: pineapple and mango with grapefruit on the side, lemon spritz and orange peel. Fresh, vibrant, and alive. Lordy, that's lovely.

Taste: lean, clean, and fresh as the morning dew. Exquisitely consumable, with a light body, and very minor, crisp malt presence. Gigantic bitterness that camps out, then lives on the palate. Thin mouthfeel, but the unrelenting hoppiness overcompensates for that, and the ease of consumption makes this truly remarkable.

At only 4.2%, it's easily sessional, and does not skimp on the hops. The only problem with that is that the increased hop bill brought the price way up. I may feel like tossing back one after another without a care, but at $11 a 6-pack, that is a bit hard to justify.

Dave's BrewFarm Schwarzenheimer

Schwarzenheimer. Dave's BrewFarm. Growler purchased about 12 days ago, held up terrifically.

Appearance: solid black, under a hefty cap of cocoa-tan head. Looks great.

Aromatics: big roasted malt, minor hops, a little bit of cocoa and coffee. Nice.

Taste: full bodied, full flavored, rich, warm, malty, chocolatey, and, let us not forget, yum. Delicious.

I didn't have a lot to say about this one, kept the notes really simple. But, despite that, it is an impressive brew, a Schwarzbier, or black lager, that feels more like a Baltic Porter. Deep, rich, but smooth and supple. Like it lots!

From the Farmer man: "7.9% ABV, 'The Black Pils'. Pilsm Carafa III and Dark Munich malts with Perle and Sterling hops create a dark , crisp, refreshing taste sensation. Don't let the color fool you!"

New Holland Black Hatter

New Holland Black Hatter Black I.P.A. IPA brewed with black malts which add dark, roasted flavors. Dry-hopped Centennial finish. Pairings: aged cheddars, arugula in vinaigrette, portabello stir-fry.

Damn, I had that for dinner last night!

This hatter is cool customer, a Dapper Dan, with a dark fedora, looking the bad guy.  He's Dangerous Dan McFoo, orneriest dude west of the Pecos. Or, at least, it looks like him…
 Okay, let's open it up.

solid black, huge head, light cocoa-tan head, loads of lace. Looking good.

fragrant, floral, and piney hop aromatics, …not much beyond.

Taste: Grassy hops dominate the palate from the start. It's big up front and then takes a back seat. Dark malts are there, not as roasty as promised/hinted at on the label, but they definitely provide a dry finish to the affair. Some chocolate going on, some coffee. Medium-bodied, fully-flavored, not as rich or full as I'd like, but…but, I don't know what to expect from a beer like this, like these hybrids. The hops don't continue after the initial sip, and the malt component makes me think it's a new and different beer than it started out as.

I'm not loving this one. It doesn't stand out, the hops and malt don't blend, they stand apart, and it makes no sense. In the end it feels more like a hoppy porter than a black IPA. Maybe I don't really know what's wrong; more than anything else it comes off lifeless and unremarkable.

Is it old, is that it? There's no way to tell.

Or is it just me? Well, as always, mileage may vary.

21st Amendment Back in Black Black IPA

21st Amendment Back in Black Black IPA. American IPA brewed with rich dark malts. 6.85 ABV. 65 IBU.

Fully black, big, booming cocoa-tan head, leaving lace.

Aroma: hops are up front in this one, leading the charge, plenty of pine, with fruity fringes. Very nice. Perfect for a pale ale or an IPA, but the color's wrong, isn't it?

Taste: Mmm. Medium-bodied, short finish, easy drinking…and a mash-up of hops and malt. I've stated my disdain for many examples of this style, but I've got to keep trying them to see how they shake out. Hops are on top, shine brightly, but don't overpower the malts. Just a touch of roast, not enough to mistake it for a porter. More would make it much more of a clash. As it is, a nice blend.
Terrific balance, good consumability.

This one goes into the win column for the black IPA sweepstakes. It's a good beer, and you can drink it.

Indeed Day Tripper Pale Ale

Indeed Brewng Company , Minneapolis, MN. Day Tripper Pale Ale, 5.4 % ALC./VOL., 45 IBU. 750 ml bottle, bottled on Aug 02, 2012, drunk early in the morning, Aug 04, 2012.

Today, I had an appointment to sample beers from Indeed Brewing, one of our newest breweries in the city, with Tom, one of the owners. He was running a little behind and came in at 8, four hours late, with the excuse of a 36-hour brew day. I forgot to mention that's too many hours in a day, but I let it slide. Tom looked familiar and he finally revealed that he worked as a server at Town Hall Brewery, where he knew me as a bar stool warmer. My reputation gets around. Tom gets extra points for saying he'd be "honored" to have Indeed on tap at the Blue Nile. Well, that's all well and good, but how are the beers?

Tom brought two with him, two cans of the summer seasonal, Shenanigans Summer Ale, brewed with honey and wheat, which I poured for all in attendance (he arrived in the middle of a Summit Abbey Ale cask tapping.) Everyone was pleased with this happy, hoppy drinker. The other one, in a 750 ml bottle, I kept for myself in order to do this review. But I don't think I'll every go very long without finding more of this one, once it hits the shelves in cans. It will be a hit.

I will share the graphics for the can, and the logo, which very different from this drab, brown paper label. But free-sample-getters can't always be choosers.

Beautiful glittering golden hue, slightly hazed, under a full flush of white foam. 

Aroma: fresh, zesty, brimming with hops, bubbling over with citrus and pine, a vibrant, pithy nose, plumb with lemon and grapefruit. 

Taste: Here's where it's getting good. We start with a slap of hops and a tickle of malt, and it never, ever quits. A fierce blast that tempers some in time, with malt succulent, soft, and supple, keeping the ground level, delivering a modicum of sweetness, providing a minimum of balance. Good and hoppy this one (though not out of bounds), and a remarkable drinker. Certainly a sessioner, with the continuing reward of hoppy goodness on the tongue.

Medium bodied, with a long, hoppy finish. The bitterness is high, and ever-present, and coupled with the malt flavor, it provide deliciousness. This is such an excellent pale ale, I'm finding it almost perfect. There's not a thing lacking, not a bit wrong, nothing to dishonor this ale. Like I said, these guys will have a hit on their hands.

I didn't take notes on the Shenanigans, and I have yet to try the third beer, an American Black Ale, called Midnight Ryder, but it seems very promising. The head brewer spent many years under Mike Hoops at Town Hall and won GABF awards for his brews there. The location (the center of NorthEast Minneapolis, 711 15th Avenue Northeast), the look, the style, the attitude, and most importantly, the beer itself will make this one a success. 

Next up: an open house next Wednesday, followed by the grand opening of their taproom (making them the first Minnesota brewery to open with kegs, cans, bottles, and a taproom all at once) next Friday (which I won't be able to attend, especially if I end up going to the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, WI next weekend), and their first tapping at Icehouse the following Wednesday, and general tappings at other bars the week after. Let's just say I'm going to try figure where they will work into our schedule, because I'm expecting great things from Indeed!

Dave's BrewFarm Simcoe Single Hop Saison

Simcoe Single Hop Saison, Dave's BrewFarm, 6.9% ABV.

Brilliant golden appearance, lightly hazed, with a tight ring of white foam atop.

Earthy, malty nose, fruity and sweet. Apricot, apple and pear. Belgian yeast is funking things up in this. Bright and beautiful.

Taste: Zing! An instant blast of hops, well-matched with malt, covered up in yeast. A three-pronged attack. Hops jump, then fade, malt takes over, and it's an intriguing mix. Becomes sour in the middle, then returns to sweet. More citrus fruit qualities emerge, more than the other fruits mentioned above.

The malt component is pale and lean, allowing the hops and yeast to shine, and it's it's combination I've never encountered. The hops are shining brighter now, and the body remains light, pale, smooth. An ever-evolving ale, this.

One thing about Simcoe hops. I have a friend who hates them, because they remind her of the byproduct of feline urinary elimination. Or, in other words, cat pee. She won't drink Surly Furious, for instance, because of the Simcoe among the four hops involved. Hyper-sensitive, you could say. In this showcased of a saison, the yeast must tame that part of the beast. Just a guess, though.

So what's the Farmer say? "Pale, Rye and Ashburne Mild malts, and hopped with three additions of Simcoe hops. Fermented with French Saison yeast."

Schmaltz Brewing He'Brew Hop Manna IPA

There are still some left overs from my Hop Heads Only Event of one month ago, and this, the first regular/ single IPA from Schmaltz Brewing is one of them. Still a few left to go, though.For now, this is what we're looking at, the Hop Manna.


Hazy, amber/golden appearance, slim, but staying layer of white foam.

Aroma: moderate levels of pine and citrus fruit, nice array of bitterness, pleasing for any hop-head.

Taste: Juicy fruit hits first, followed by bitter hops, and it never stops. A full-on assault of hop bitterness, balanced with judicious tier of malt, but fruit and hops are king here. Stays long on the palate, never finishing, keeping camp on the tastebuds. Ends fairly dry.
Excellent consumability. A cornucopia of West Coast hops deliver the lemon and lime and orange peel, and grapefruit pith.

I like this one. An IPA every hop-head should enjoy, with a torrent of bitter hoppy flavor, never flagging. Well done, Schmaltz, another feather in your yarmulke.

Dave's BrewFarm Matacabras Blonde

Matacabras Blonde. Dave's BrewFarm. Growler purchased one week ago. Man, I am behind, (there are two more after this!), so let's get going!

Appearance: hazy plum red, slim, but lasting white head.

Aromatics: Soft fruit, spicy rye malt, minor hops, distinct Belgian yeast-iness. A trace of fruity funk.

Taste: Malt hits first, spicy and bready, followed by yeast. Alcohol swiftly follows. Rises higher and higher, overcomes the malt. Mouthfeel isn't as full and rich as the normal Matacabras, hops aren't felt at all. The paler malt must leave more room for the booze to shine. But it's not so big that it's a threat, just a little louder than normal.

Here's what the Farmer man says about this experiment: "8.5% ABV, A paler version of the original Matacabras. This equally tempestuous brew has robust American hops and rye to make this ale an experience to savor."

Actually, I can't recall if it was an experiment or a mistake. Though it tastes fine, I wouldn't choose it over regular Mata, if the two were side by side. Now, what if I had never had reg-Mat to compare it to, what about that? What would have happened then? I'd find it too "hot" as the kids say these days. And find it lacking the malty charms of reg-Mat…original-Mata…ur-Mat…Mata-prime…
It also shows the importance of a well-crafted recipe. When one ingredient is missing or replaced, it doesn't feel quite right, and you would need to make some more switches in order to find a better integration.

Nonetheless, even mistake beers from the BrewFarm end up being good beers…if not exactly perfect.

Castle Danger George Hunter Stout

Castle Danger George Hunter Stout. 8% ABV. If I read the promo materials correctly, Mr. Hunter was a brewer relation to the owners/brewers of Castle Danger. More into if I find it.

Bought nine days ago, at Castle Danger Brewery, in Castle Danger Resorts, Castle Danger, Minnesota. I hope this held up. Of course it did. But, man, I've been slow this week. On the other hand, it's hard to sit down with a brew after work when you get home at 4 am.

We rolled in sometime after, I don't know, 5-ish, and there was a steady stream of samplers and growlers buyers at this tiny, tiny brewery in a shack that you have to really hunt for to find. My second attempt at visiting, for the first, back in May, we were about 4 1/2 hours early. Right on time this time, and I picked a brew I didn't think I'd find on another visit.

Although I haven't taken the opportunity to re-review
George Hunter after that initial taste 7 years ago, I
thought I'd share how it looks in 2019.

It's a dark one, with a tight, slimmed cocoa-brown ring of foam. Just about fully black, mostly opaque.

Aroma: molasses, licorice, maple, some cocoa and cream. Very nice.

Taste: Full flavor, rich mouthfeel, deep and resonant. All that in the nose return to the mouth, with more cocoa and some coffee, just a hint. Richly textured, while still remarkably consumable. Even, I say, while the alcohol rises just a little. This rests within the category of American Stout, I'd say, without needing to go over into Imperial or Foreign Export, despite the higher alcohol.

Needless to say, I like this quite a bit, and will finish this growler with relish. And mayo.

Lucid Dyno Pale Ale

Lucid Dyno Pale Ale. Lucid Brewing, Minnetonka, MN.

Clear and golden hued, with a tight, slim white head.

Aroma: lightly hoppy, some citrus fruit, minor bitterness, not much else.

Taste: some hop bitterness hits up front, and lingers on the palate, with a toasty, tidy citrus fruity flavor the key component. Only slightly sweet, ultimately ending dry and bitter. Soft malt presence, light but there. "Graham cracker crust." I've heard it said before, and now I'm finally saying it.

All in all, Dyno is a drinker, and it does what a pale ale should do, bringing taste without too much fuss. Pass on around, drink it down, on to the next one, while we solved all the world's problems over a chess game, or a cribbage board, or whatever's handy.

I like it. It's beer, and you can drink it.

Dave's BrewFarm Saison Rhu

Dave's BrewFarm Saison Rhu. Wilson, Wisconsin.

clouded amber/ to golden  hue, solid white head, hits the right marks.

Aroma: fruit and sweet malt. A bit vegetal, a small amount funky. Incredibly intriguing. I really don't know what to say.

Taste: Bam! Fruit hits first, and it is unique. If it wasn't called "saison rhu", I might be scratching my head about it, but, yeah, rhubarb, without the intense tartness. Fruit, sweetness, minor bitterness, …damned tasty, though.

Another absolutely unique BrewFarm creation. Light malt body, low hops, some kind of funkiness, and plenty of fruit and vegetable flavor, with requisite tartness. Utterly enjoyable. Not a tiny bit cloying, ends lightly, drying. Mmmm.

Let's look at what Farmer Dave says: " 6.0 % ABV. Pils, Caramel 20 and Dingemans Biscuit malts, Santium and Vanguard hops, fermented with a blend of Belgian saison and Biere de Garde yeasts and a late addition of rhubarb puree. Crisp with a hint o rhubarb in the nose and finish."

Surly Syx (6th Anniversary Strong Ale)

Surly Syx. I don't know how to do umlauts over the y. I don't know why I should. Except that it's metal!

Before I crack the crown, and drink it up, a word about the label. It's the latest from Michael Berglund, who did last year's Darkness as well as other artistic efforts throughout the past annum. I was moved by his recent revelation that this demon character was derived from a wooden work of a friend of his who had recently succumbed to suicide. A beautiful act, to immortalize his art in another work, and what better commemoration than a Surly bottle?

Appearance: clear tangerine. with a thick snowy white head, dotted, and leaving lace. Looks great.

Aroma: fruit aplenty, mango, tangerine, apricot, orange, lime…all kinds of citrus. And the looming presence of alcohol.

Taste: Mmmm, fruit and booze, that's the first impression. You can't have this much ABV (15% is what's reported) without it making it's mark. Flavor rises higher, as well as the alcohol feel. More of the same, the tropical fruit, the citrus, a tingle of pine. And there's some woodiness covering it all, but don't expect me to pick them all out of the honeycomb.

Flavor increases in complexity, there's more and more coming through. And, all the while comes the boom-biddy-boom-boom. Shammalamma ding-dong. Boom, shackalackalaca.

What's more, this is really what we should expect from Surly. It's a one-off anniversary brew that defies categories, but it is so remarkably delicious that it only underscores Surly's ability to craft brews such as these with the greatest of ease.

After six years, this is the beer Surly should be making. It follows no clear precedent. It adopts no formulas, falls in line with nothing. And it is so goddamn tasty.
Aging isn't a question for a brew this big and boozy. Definitely put some away for a little mellowing. It's a special brew, let's slowly savor to enjoy what six years has brought us.

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...