Destihl Syncopathic Apricot

Destihl Syncopathic Apricot. 6% ABV. 8 IBU. Brewed and canned by Destihl Brewery, Normal, IL.

Clear, golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: tart, fruity, sour, funky, fresh.

In the mouth: Very tart 'n' sour, fruity. Some apricot, but not too much. Little stone fruit sweetness, but just a little. Refreshingly tart. Light bodied. Ever so nice. Delightful.

Dry-hopped sour ale with apricot

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #10: Modist & Mango Milkshake IPA

#10. Modist Brewing Company. North Loop / Downtown Minneapolis. A few blocks from the light rail. I gave myself enough time to get one or two and hop back on and get to work on time. I picked Modist because they had released a new beer. The last time I wrote about a beer of this "style", I said the following: I will not agonize over this stuff any longer. The next time I encounter a "milkshake IPA", I'll either skip it or keep my mouth shut.

And now I go back on my word. I sat at the bar and asked my friendly server for the Mango Milkshake IPA, and inquired about crowlers. Nope, they sold out of all 250 of them in 25 minutes. Of course. Then, beer in my possession, I took these notes: "lightly bitter, creamy, & fruity at once. Sweet 'n' smooth, too. Every now and then, you remember it's a beer. And then you wish it were more of one."

Yep. I still don't like 'em. I can drink them, but only as long as I forget that I don't like them. I had time for a second and had a Deviation 009, which I wrote about here. This is more my style. This is beer-y beer, not smoothie beer.

Back to the light-rail, and away I went. Ten down, twenty-two to go.

Oliphant Xuul Doppelbock Lager

Oliphant Xuul Doppelbock Lager.

It's another one of those. An Oliphant beer they've been making for years, and I can't believe I've never taken one home in growler/crowler form. According to Untappd, I've never even tried it. Never? Ever? Doppelbock is a style I enjoy, so I can't imagine not choosing this one, in favor of so many others. Could it just be that it was never there when I was? Some evidence will arise to prove to the contrary, perhaps. It still boggles the mind. Maybe I sampled Jason's, just for instance, and went forward with a Gobias or a Gaer Bear, or Ancient Bone Saber of Whomakalukulus, or whatever.

Wait. I know. I was there with my crap phone with no internet/data/whatever and couldn't check into untappd. Or just didn't want to. I must have at least tasted it once before. Not doing so makes no sense!

Enough. The time has come to drink!

Xuul Doppelbock. 8% Alc./Vol.

Clear, rich, caramel brown, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nicely balanced, low bitterness. Nothing but nice.

In the mouth: Sweet and smooth. Sleek and supple. Big caramel malt. Tasty as heck. Clean and lovely. Personally, I like it. It is, and I know this hasn't caught on yet but I still keep trying, ....yum-a-dum-dum!

For a long time I thought that Xuul referred
to the demon from "Ghostbusters." No,
that's Zuul. I don't know what Xuul is, or
who these characters are. 

 two stoopid dogs flashes quickly on the screen. it's been over 10 years since syndication. the room flashes green. invasion; it has begun

Barrel Theory Pullover Starter Jacket IPA

You know what highly hyped up new brewery I haven't talked about yet? Whose only appearance so far has been a coaster or two in the background collage, and a couple of mentions here and there? Yep, Barrel Theory in St. Paul. Been dragging my feet on putting out a report based on my three visits so far, for far too long. My last visit was when I bought two crowlers, for the very first time. I'll save the other one for when I write them up, but let's look at this one, first.

Here we have Pullover Starter Jacket, IPA with El Dorado, Columbus and Mosaic. 7.2% Alcohol by Volume. Canned on 12/28/2017, purchased on 12/31. One of 3 IPAs available in crowlers that day, out of the, what, six they had on tap.

Heavily hazed (it's the craze), golden-hued, lush ivory head, looking very nice.

In the nose: bright fruit notes, some papaya, pineapple, citrus tones, too. Just a touch of sweet in there to mingle with the bitter. Tropical takes the crown, though.

In the mouth: Big, beautiful, bountiful bitterness hits the lips first and foremost. One gulp begs another. Nice. Growing bitterness pleases this palate. Malt is crisp, clean, lean and slightly sweet. Yeasty goodness rounds it out. More citrus flavors pop out, some lemon and lime to match the tropical tones. Increasingly delightful. It has all the hoppy delights I require.

Is this a "NE IPA"? What does the brewery call it? Can't find any other info than what was on the crowler label. Maybe they're all NE IPAs?

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #9: Clockwerks Brewing / Minnesota Breweries One by One #92 w/ Cyr Strong

I woke up bright and early this afternoon with clarity of vision and alertness of mind, one thought bursting forth to send me in a fruitful direction: I must adhere to that acronym of the engineers at Lockheed in the 1960's. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

You see, when I launched this project, I had a few untold rules. First, I must write them in order. Second, I have to finish the Minnesota Breweries One by One report if I hadn't done that already. There are 11 un-written-up brewery reports for the city of Minneapolis, out of the 32. I had to correct that before I put them into this project. So, I bumped them around in the order if I hadn't written them up. That changed when last week, once again, I hadn't given myself enough time and was on the way to The Freehouse, thinking of the seven block walk from Washington Avenue and how freaking cold it was, and it dawned on me: Clockwerks is only blocks from the light rail station, go there!

But, I haven't written them up! But, who cares! Combine them! But, but, but? I'd get things done a lot faster if I wasn't always fighting the voices in my head. (Which is something I stole from the draft of the report that I started last July. Good. Got that out of my system.)

Boho Rye Pilsner from Feb. 2017.

I will do it all. Maybe I will combine them. Even cut and paste. But I don't need to tell you that. Keep It Simple, Stupid. It was the third stop of four on Sunday, October 16, 2016. The place was in transition before a grand opening several weeks away. Elements of their "steampunk" theme seemed to be strewn about, and the beer wasn't bad, but wasn't particularly inspired, either. Tried the Alt and the ESB. The session beer angle is one that will excite very few, but everyone has to go with their passions in this business.

And I will skip entirely the bit about the tap handles. A year and some later, they're over that. Not worth noting now. I figured it was best to give this place time to find themselves before passing judgement.

Skip ahead to trying them out a few months later, February, 2017. The beers seemed to be in a better place. I had the Baltic Porter was quite keen on it. It turns out that the owners had hired a brewer, and that was my friend Dan Banks, who had previously helmed the brewing operations at Day Block. The Boho Rye Pilsner was quite nice, as well. I definitely needed to keep these guys in rotation and continue to monitor their progress.

At this point, I'll again adhere to the principles of KISS and share with you the notes on the growler of Cyr Strong Belgian Strong Golden Ale that Dan gave me at my birthday party last June, and complete omit the hand-wringing over publishing comments or criticisms, or lack thereof, when addressing a beer brewed by a friend. And given to you. For your birthday. Gonna skip that. Not waste your time. KISS.

9.2% ABV. Clear, dark amber coloring, solid ivory head slims down to a tight ring.

In the nose: The Belgian thing is going right off the bat: sweet, fruity, funky, yeast and malt characteristics at swim in this aroma. It's the oddness that I love in the Belgian-style beers. Wild, weird, and wonderful.

In the mouth: Rich malty sweetness grips the palate, meshed with an instant warmth. Pepper-y heat spices up the tongue a tad. Flavors grows and grows. Medium-bodied, light malty finish. It's a good one.

You can't get that one at the taproom now, that was from last summer. They'll bring it back, I'm sure.

(Looking at Untappd, it seems that I took the empty growler and filled it up with their Kolsch, but never took notes, just drank it down, which is quite unlike me. I normally write up every beer I have at home. Took a pic, though. Must have been a thirsty night.)

Another thing I'll cut out: the notes on the samples that salesmen dropped off and Dan filled for me.
I took notes on all of them. Alt. Oktoberfest. Boho Rye. I like them all, they tasted like they should taste. And that crisp, slightly spicy, bread-y Boho Rye found it's way on the tap lines at Acadia for a while, and will probably return.

And we can cut directly to Friday, January 5, stepping into Clockworks to check them off this list, and make it to work on time. Lonny's behind the bar and they have the 1st Anniversary Baltic Porter on tap. It's exactly what I want. 9.4% ABV. Cocoa and toffee, dark fruit, espresso, rich malt, and yet smooth and tasty. Just where I want a Baltic Porter to be, and so satisfying. Most definitely my

Baltic Porter 2018. 

favorite Clockwerks beer to date.

I felt that I had enough time for a second, so
I moved on to a Black Pearl. Foreign Export Stout, another favorite style. Smooth and substantial, that's how my notes read. 6.9% ABV, 44 IBU. Another nice one.

It's also one of their guest brews, a recipe provided by a home brewer. This is something they've done from the start, dedicating one of their taps to a home-brew recipe brought in by a friend, family member, home-brew enthusiast, what-have-you. Remember,  Broken Clock is the collective in NE without a taproom and Clockwerks is the steam-punk-theme downtown brewery with the home-brew recipe beer rotating on tap. That's how you tell the two "clock" breweries apart. Now, how you tell Inbound, Indeed, and Insight apart, that I can't help you with.

I like this place. It's a nice spot, you can play pool, games, there are events, DJs, art shows, charcuterie, cheese, Heggie's pizza, and some good beer. You don't have to go there with a monocle or gears in your top hat, but I bet they'd like it if you did. Go check them out.

As for me, it's 9 down, 22 to go.

There's Dan minding the bar.

Hop Blast Wonder. Hey, they do IPAs!

Baltic Porter 2017.

100% ClockWerks tap handles, accept no substitutes.

Town Hall Double Milk Stout

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Double Milk Stout. 8.4% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

To they eye: Dark, deep, full, rich, cocoa-tinged head. Looking very nice.

In the nose: Ah, sweetness! Much cocoa in this, and I'm getting the cream. Little bit of roast, and it's nice, very ....wait, I said that twice already. Very right on....how's that? Right on, it is.

In the mouth: Full body. Rich, sweet, smooth, very tasty. Yeah, all right. Low bitterness, big ...but not too big, sweetness. Very high in the chocolate department. Nice. Damn. Too many nices! But, it is, it is, it is.

I like the double in this stout, and I don't mind the milk. It's a hearty one, and it's going down smooth.

An imperial version of Snow Doubt (the base beer for Three Hour Tour).

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #8: LynLake Brewery & .....

Dr. Z's Double IPA, with peppers and pineapple

Thursday, January 4. It's still furreeezing out there. I decided against plans that would have taken me farther away from home, dropping them in favor of not standing out in the cold waiting for buses. "What's all this about buses, Al?" someone, somewhere might be saying. "Where's your car?" Well, I made a decision not to overcome the traumas caused by car accidents in my youth, and that's why I get around by foot, bike, bus, and the help of my friends with automobiles. So, now you know.

On this day off, I decided the brewery of the day would be the one closest to where I live, LynLake Brewery at 2934 Lyndale Avenue, roughly nine city blocks away. I hadn't been there since October 16 of last year. Not high on the priority list, but we've already gone over the extenuating circumstances.

I got my empty growlers, walked on down, stepped in, showed the man my ID, and saw that the place was about as packed as can be. A record number of trivia teams this time, according to the Trivia Mafia host. I found an empty seat, squeezed in, and met the gaze of the friendly server. After checking the seasonals chalkboard, I decided to start with Dr. Z's, a Double IPA. I love those! When they're good. And I ignored the important words beneath:  WITH PINEAPPLE AND SERRANO PEPPER,  8.3% IBU: 65 SRM: 6. I drank it down, but I didn't love it. Pepper beers and I do not get along. It was not a bad beer, but I certainly wouldn't have another. And I don't know who among a crowd like this is going to make that leap.

Gutter Bum Double IPA. Not a fan of
the name. They still call their stout
Rubbish. Why?

I know people who live in this neighborhood who have sworn it off because they don't like this crowd. I have friends who have brewed here and don't like the crowd. I look around. Yeah, most of them don't live in this zip code, only a few of them are drinking anything other than the lightest of the lights on tap. This isn't, alas, where you'll go to knock elbows with fellow imbibers of fine ales and lagers. They don't look all that douche-y, but there is a general lack of diversity among them, perhaps a greater level of comfort and privilege. But, I'm projecting this, I don't come often enough to know better. I'm certainly not becoming best friends with any of this bridge & tunnel crowd.

In search of my next beer, I gazed upon the chalkboard and thought to myself, "this other Double IPA with an illustration of Rick from Rick & Morty called Gutter Bum, let's give this a try." This one's 8.6% ABV, 85 IBU, and I knew nothing else about it. But, hey, we're going to have another DIPA. I found more information somewhere: Citra, Amarillo, Summit, Zythos hops. And I liked it, quite a bit, but took no notes. Not just because it would look weird and out of place, but there just wasn't room for my elbows. I remember finding it vibrant, juicy, fresh, tropical and nicely hopped.

Hey, what if, I thought, what if I next had me one of that other Double IPA? What, three Double IPAs? That's crazy. What else could I have chosen? There was Disco Jenga, the golden kettle sour, but I wasn't feeling like it. (I did take a mini-growler home, though.) And a dortmunder. Don't want a lager. Raka Waka Pale Ale. Had it. A wild rice red ale? Maybe. Or maybe not.


So, the third double IPA it is! And I took notes on it when I brought it home. Here they are:

Take Off Double IPA. 9.2% ABV. 80 IBU.

To the eye: clear-ish, bright golden, steady head of ivory foam.

In the nose: bright, lively, citric, pithy, fierce, fantastic.

In the mouth: big, bright, bold. Tasty as heck. Simcoe? Cascade? I'd just be guessing all day, but it's got plenty of citrus, lots of bitterness, and tons of yum. This is pretty damn tasty. It's very much yum.

Deep tangerine aromas delivered up with warming esters in this light bodied IIPA. Crisp toasty malt and lingering resinous hop finish. Double Dry Hopped.

Looks like I liked it. Got 3 beers on this visit, picked up 2 growlers, gathered up my stuff and shuffled out the door, leaving the trivia players to their game. And out into the bitter cold I boldly go.

I'll be back to see what else LynLake is brewing, but not before I've re-visited every other brewery Minneapolis has to offer. Eight down, twenty-four to go.

Victory Sour Monkey

Victory Sour Monkey. 9.5% ABV. Brett-fermented tripel ale. Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA.

Clear, bright golden color, slim, but lasting, ivory head above.

In the nose: Wild, funky, sour, a touch of vinegar. The right touch. A funkified Belgian golden ale? I'm in.

In the mouth: A sharp, acidic smack at the front, followed by fruit, spice, and deliciousness. Very lemony. Fantastically fun. Brettanomyces going to work on the classic Golden Monkey. Fresh, zesty, wild, and crazy. Medium/light bodied, long sour-ish finish. Very nice.

This one was sitting in my fridge for way too long. I'd look at it and think: "I bet that's good." And then pick something else to drink. Damn it. Why? Why didn't I drink it right away?
Live and learn.

Sour Monkey puts a tastefully tart twist on our Golden Monkey’s sweet, fruity essence. A sharp, citrus-laden tang makes this brew a Monkey all its own!
Composition
Malt: Pilsner
Hops: Tettnang Tettnang
ABV: 9.5%
Flavor
Aroma is very varied with lemon, sour, and mild brettanomyces notes. Flavor follows with a tart acidity. Not dry as it finishes with a malty grain flavor.
Availability
Available year round in 12 oz bottles.

Blake's Hard Cider Grizzly Pear

I don't mind if you skip this post. "What do I care about ciders?" you're asking, of course. Well, I'm saying it, too, but I have to try them out at least. Other people like ciders, so it's my job to at least know something about them. And I have them in my fridge, and I need to drink them. Why not post about it? It would not hurt me at all if you don't read this. I promise. Especially since, if you're not reading this, well, you're not reading this.

So. Blake's Hard Cider of Michigan, and their Grizzly Pear, "made with pears, not bears." Infused with elderflower. 5% ABV.

Clear, bright golden coloring, no head, active carbonation.

In the nose: Sweet at first, apple-y, then dry. There was some pear in there, too. Crisp, lean, refreshing, delightful. I'm getting the pear a bit more, now. But none of the grizzly. And the elderflower? None sure where that comes in.

This is quite nice. I certainly wouldn't turn one down.

Our first pear hard cider, Grizzly melds soft notes of pear & prickly pear cactus balanced with a sharp apple finish with a hint of elderflower. No bears were harmed in the making of this product.

Bad Weather Tippin It Down ESB with Earl Grey Tea

Bad Weather Tippin It Down ESB with Earl Grey Tea. 5.1% alc. by vol. Bad Weather Brewing, St. Paul, MN. "Pairs well with overcast days, cool breezy evenings, and cozy moments around a fireplace with friends."

Clear, rich amber color, slim, off-white head.

In the nose: Lightly sweet. Getting the tea right away, and it grows and grows. Soon enough, it's right up in there. Nice.

In the mouth: British malt comes through first, herbal, spicy, delicious. The tea flavor really shines in this. Light bodied and so drinkable, I'm done with the beer before I know it. And I liked it. And I'd have one again. But not too often, I like hops more than I like tea. But, that's just me.

A spot of tea for that rainy day? Nothin’ better than slurping a hot Earl Grey when the weather is frigid and wet, am I right chap? No? You would rather a pint of bitter to drown away that crummy day? Why not both?? Using our patented whirlpool technology (we threw tea into the whirlpool vessel), we have injected Tippin’ it Down ESB with REAL Earl Grey tea! Spicy, citrusy Earl Grey is lovingly steeped into chewy English malts to create the perfect beer for when it’s Tippin’ it Down out there...

Wild Mind Lost Shoreline Porter

Wild Mind Lost Shoreline Porter. 6.5% ABV. American porter with coconut. Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

To the eye: nice and brown, this one. Full, blossoming roasted tan head above. Looking good.

In the nose: Slightly sweet, nutty, toasty...oh, here it comes, the coconut. Starts small, but builds up. Some cocoa notes add to the dark malt mix.

In the mouth: Starts with a nice amount of bitterness and large amount of dark malt. In no time flat, along comes the coconut. And it's pretty nice, not too much, not too little, just right. Long lasting finish, full body. Tasty. And not bad at all. Good stuff. Go out there and drink it.

Wild Mind Artisan Ales specializes in wild, sour, farmhouse, and rustic ales that are created using barrel aging, blending, and our own wild Minnesota yeast. The Lost Shoreline is a robust, complex porter brewed with dry, unsweetened coconut flakes. A heavy malt add rich chocolate flavors to the sweetness of the coconut to provide the delicious, tropical escape you've been looking for — without even leaving Minnesota.

Ale Asylum Dr. Vennum IPA

Ale Asylum Dr. Vennum IPA.  Ale Asylum Brewery, Madison, WI. "All natural unfiltered ales and lagers brewed with passion and best enjoyed that way. 6.9% Alc. by Vol.

I don't know what's going on with this label. Looks like it's based on an old album cover, but doctor is a snake-woman with boobs, of course. All cold-blooded, egg-laying reptile women have boobs.

Clear, bright golden color, beautiful ivory head, looking good.

In the nose: assertive hop flavors, bold citrus and pine.

In the mouth: Nice hop attack at the start, big bitterness. A little rough at first, then nice and smooth, hanging in for the long haul. Tropical fruit notes bump up against the citrus. Lightish bodied, long bitter finish. This is my kind of IPA. Go out and drink one.

Ask your doctor if Vennum is right for you (it is). Side effects include hints of mango and pineapple washing over your palate like a cool breeze on a warm summer day. Dr. Vennum is available in 12 oz. can 6-packs in Minnesota through March of 2018.

Oliphant Boatman Forever Dry Stout

Oliphant Boatman Forever Dry Stout. 4.9% Alc./Vol.      Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Solid blackness, slim whitish head.

In the nose: roast, richness, tobacco, anise, more. Big cocoa and caramel, too. Charcoal and toffee. Very nice.

In the mouth: Nice roast, big malt, not a trace of bitter or sweet, ending ultimately dry. Right on, right on. Just about a perfect dry stout. Medium bodied, mostly malty, and utterly satisfying.

Hey, everyone. Stouts don't need to be flavored or barrel-aged to be good. You don't need to break the rules all the time. Put out a good, drinkable dry stout, and it will be appreciated. As I do now with this. Damn, Boatman, you have come to my rescue. Little bit of sweet, touch of caramel, then comes the dry.
This one is just about perfect. Yes! Thank you, Boatman! Boatman Forever!

Inbound BrewCo Kolsch

Inbound Kolsch. 4.3%. 22 IBU. Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, light, bright golden color, large ivory head, looking very nice.

In the nose: floral, fruity, apple and pear aplenty.

In the mouth: lightness and fruit, apple and pear again, nice and easy hop bitterness, lean malt body. Perfect for the style. Bitter-enough, malty enough, light enough. Just right on. Easy drinking, light, and tasty. I like a good kolsch, and this one is one. Delightful and drinkable. I like it.

German style, refreshing lightness. Bright honey and grain malt notes. Crisp hop balance from subtle lemon-herbal and floral aromas.

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #7: Day Block Brewing & Imperial Milk Stout

And it's Wednesday, January 3, 2018. It's still below zero. It will be all week. Where can I go that's on the way to work to continue this project, and perhaps has a good one, to boot? Hey, why not Day Block Brewing, over in the Day Block Building, 1105 Washington Avenue S?

So, I get off the light rail train a little ahead of my usual stop, US Bank Stadium Station, walk a few blocks over to Washington Ave., then a few blocks to the East, and here we are. I haven't been here since April of last year; a return visit is due.

Wyatt served me up a nitro Imperial Milk Stout, a creamy, silky smooth sipper that came with a punch, at 9.5%. Full-bodied, rich and chocolatey, hanging heavy on the cocoa side, but not revealing too much of the lactose. Fine with me. Very fine with me.

Like any good brewpub, there's always new stuff coming on, but also a lot of standards that stick around. Not just for the loyal regulars, but for the Vikings fans and others coming in before and after a USBank Stadium event. One beer I have not yet tried at DBBC is "Stadium Blonde", which I'm sure is there for the purple clad people insisting on a Miller Lite, or some such.

There were still a few other beers I hadn't tried that are definitely not for that crowd, like Mexican Hot Chocolate and Blackberry Rye. Wyatt gave me samples of each. Not for me, but not that it mattered. It was time to go. This was a one and done. Time to bundle up, get out in that below zero street, hop on the next #7 (or 22), and off to work. Seven down, 25 to go.

Mpls Breweries Day by Day #6: Sisyphus & Jim Beam Me Up Imperial Stout

In the effort for this project, I saw 5 Minneapolis breweries in a row, and on the sixth day, I rested. No, that's a lie, I definitely did not rest. Sunday, December 31 was a visit to a brewery in St. Paul and one in Wisconsin. You've seen a little of the one, and will soon see more of the other. At the end of those voyages, more sharing of special bottles at a friend's place, to ring in the new year. Happy Calendar Ending Day, everyone!

And on the seventh day, I kind of rested. No work. Went nowhere, spent no money. Ate the food I had, drank the beer on hand. Since I'm trying to see 32 breweries in the window of 37 days, and since I can foresee making two such visits on one day, clearly I can take a couple of days off from the project.

And on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, I began again, stopping into one of my favorites, Sisyphus, 712 Ontario Avenue inside the Dunwoody campus, my second visit in a week, for their latest beer that I cannot get in a crowler, on a quick stop before getting on track to getting to work. It wasn't the sort of beer you can just guzzle. It's called Jim Beam Me Up, and it's a Beam barrel-aged Imperial Stout, and it's every
thing I want.

I've rarely been there in the afternoon, and my seat neighbor asked if I was a Dunwoody student. Nope, just a beer lover. There are some Sisyphus beers I haven't written about here, because they can't be crowlered. This is the project for which I break my rules and take those notes. I got there at 4:24 and knew I had less than 20 minutes before I could race to the next bus and try to catch a light rail train, in a mad effort to make it to work on time. I was a little late. The world didn't end, but I don't want to be late, nonetheless. And this was not a beer to chug down, rather one to enjoy at leisure. Which I couldn't do.

My notes read: Jim Beam Me Up, Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout, 11.5%.
 "Big. Thick. Viscous. Vanilla, cherry, molasses, anise. Big-boned and burly, but hanging tight to the sweet side. Rich and malty. I could take it a touch drier, but I still like it."

And here's what they say:

We're giving this beer all she's got captain! Better "Jim Beam Me Up" Our latest barrel aged beer release! This imperial stout was aged in a Jim Beam barrel, and the robust aroma lets you know before you even taste it.
Tons of vanilla and roast notes, that follow you as you take your first sip. The taste finishes with a nice rich cracker/bread note that rounds out the beer. Come in from the Minnesota cold and warm up with one of these!

Mpls Breweries Day by Day #5: Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery & Tropic Hop IPA

Bourbon-barrel-aged barley-wine? Oh, yeah!

Saturday, December 30. Day #5. So. Cold. Once more, I'm sticking to same route, and taking a slight diversion, to keep me out of the chill. Only a little bit out of the way, a hop, skip, and a jump, to Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery at 1430 Washington Avenue. Of all the breweries I've ever written about here in the Nib, they are the least under-served. My last visit was on December 23. I've written about more than 120 of their beers here, (and more than 250 of them on BeerAdvocate) so there are plenty of ways to hear my opinions. Long story short: I like this place, and I love their beers. This certainly won't be the only time I stop in this month, but this visit will mark as the one I count for this project. Once the temperature gets above zero, maybe into the double digits, I'll plan trips to those far-flung breweries of NorthEast Minneapolis. But I'll always keep stopping in here.

Coconut Barley-wine? Yep.

Looking at the beer list, I see good ol' Twisted Trace, the Buffalo Trace bourbon barrel-aged barley-wine, which I wrote about almost 5 years ago here. So delicious. I had enough time for a second beer, and really wanted to  have a glass of the  fruited version of their Quadrupel, Foolish Angel, called Blueberry Angel. Too late! Curse you, lying menu! So, I chose it's replacement, the coconut version of Twisted Reality, the barley-wine that Twisted Trace is based on. It's strange, I can't find it listed on
Untappd or BA. Am I the only one who tried it, or maybe no one else wants to create the listing? No matter. It was what it was, and it was interesting, even tasty, but I wouldn't elect to toss one back very often.

Then it came time to choose my growlers and wanted to get a Double Milk Stout, especially since I realized that 3 of the first 4 beers were IPAs. But, no, I lose out again, the growlers are gone. I have to go with my second choice, an IPA. Boo hoo, poor me. And here it is:

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Tropic Hop IPA. 5.9% ABV.

Tropical hop IPA? Mmm, hmmm!

Clear, bright golden toned, with a touch of tangerine, and a great, wide, lasting ivory head.

In the nose: more brightness and freshness, tropical fruits a ton, lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Starts mild on the palate, but builds the hop bitterness. Some malty sweetness keeps hold in the center. Fruity hop flavors grow, more tropical, more pineapple, papaya. Delicious. Light bodied, lean malt, low bitterness, ending dry. Tasty, tasty, tasty.

When I read that it was unfiltered, I imagined the horror of an NE IPA coming from Town Hall. This unfiltered beer is still clear, and is not a thick, dense glass of orange juice. Seeing that at MTHB....I shudder to think of it.

(Self-correction: Town Hall has done a version of the NE-style IPA, though it certainly wasn't as orange juice-y as many others. I wrote about it here.)

Unfiltered IPA brewed with New Zealand hop Pacifica

Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day #4: Rock Bottom Wicked Elf

Day #4 of Minneapolis Breweries Day by Day. It's freezing out. It's below freezing. It's in the teens below zero! Arrrgggh! I want to spend as little time as I can outside. And so the plan today is to leave a little early, jump off the bus on Hennepin and 9th Street, have a beer here, just to say I did it, and get back on track to get to work. It's Friday, December 29, and I'm stepping into Rock Bottom Brewing at 800 Lasalle Avenue. That's the street address, I'm going in the Hennepin Entrance.

So, I'm looking over the wide range of beers and it's easy to decide what I'll order, the biggest, Belgian-est beer they got.

Rock Bottom Wicked Elf Belgian Strong Dark Ale. 8.1% ABV. 35 IBU.

Here are the notes I took: "Rich & malty, fruity, warming, slightly vinous, lightly tannin-y" (yes, that's a word." That was good enough. It was satisfactory, but not especially special. Not a bad beer, and I could drink it.

If you don't have time to make it over to Fulton, Inbound, or Modist, if you just happen to be there, if you're hanging out with people who aren't that picky. by all means have a beer here. They ain't bad. And they ain't great. It's up to you.

As for me, I'll probably pass this place by for the most part. And that's 5 down, 27 to go.

Brewed in the tradition of a Biere de Noel, our amber-colored, Belgian-inspired strong ale is smooth and warming for the holidays.

Oliphant LadyPugs Pale Ale

I hadn't been to Oliphant in over two months, something that grieved me deeply, dearly. I keep track of their new beers through facebook posts, yearning to taste all the new ones, plotting and planning and cajoling and conniving for friends to help me with return trips, and came up empty.

Because of this, I can't offer up the chalkboard illustration of this beer. It had long ago left the taps, but I was able to get a crowler of this one, Ladypugs. And I can't find the chalkboard illustration among anyone else's pictures on Untappd. I should look further. It might be on the Facebook for Oliphant, or in the Google reviews, or Yelp, even. Someone has to have them, someone, somewhere. There must be a record, a catalog of all the chalkboard illustrations of Jeremy Hughes. That coffee table book must be coming soon, right. It must.

Ladypugs pale ale, with Chinook and Cascade hops, 4% ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Very clouded, highly pale ale, nice 1/2" of ivory froth atop.

In the nose: floral, honey-ish, citric, fruity, lovely.

In the mouth: citrus-y deliciousness. Lean body, long hoppy finish. A perfectly easy-drinking, simple, citrus-y, hoppy-enough pale ale. Good beer and you can drink it. No fuss, no muss. Nothing wrong with it. You need to have regular ol' beers like this. Pale ales rule, y'all. Screw "session IPAs", bring on the pale ale, all the time. Delicious, delightful.

Junkyard Experimental Motueka India Pale Ale

Junkyard Experimental IPA Motueka. 6% ABV. IBU:? Moorhead, MN.

Highly hazed, thick orange tone, big head, chalk white. Looking nice, leaving lace.

In the nose: Bright and citrusy hop flavors at play. Lemon, tangerine, pineapple.

In the mouth: Intense hop character jumps on board the palate, spilling citrusy goodness. Medium body, long hoppy finish. Bitterness is lighter in this one. But none the less enjoyable.

I'm still not 100% sure about the Motueka hop, though I've had ales with many of them, just haven't nailed it. This IPA is bursting with big citrus-y flavors, mild bitterness, is utterly quenchably delicious.

Damn fine IPA, perfect for any hop-head.