Oliphant The Fart Side Pale Ale

Oliphant The Fart Side Pale Ale. 5 % Alc./Vol. Brewed by Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

It's a riff on Gary Larson's The Far Side, And Beer Nerds, apparently, and, vegetables, I guess. Oh, yes, and farts, too. Not 100% sure if I fully get it, but that's alright. Let's drink the beer.

Highly hazed. Dull orange coloring, solid white head.

In the nose: Bright citrus and pine notes. Nicely fruity. All the big citrus-y notes, orange, lemon, tangerine.

In the mouth: Big hoppiness from the start, met with caramel malt, and a dose of chocolate. Lot of malt going on here, with citra hops shining above. Nice mix of fruity hops, sweet, dark malts.

It's a good beer. And you can drink it. But it's not a very good beer, and I'm not crazy about it. It's just...okay. The disparate parts don't hang together very well. But, they do hang. And you can drink it.

Sorry, when I try a beer from a favorite brewery and I don't love it, it's a bit difficult. I don't want to knock it, so I find it hard to, you know, tell the truth. And like I said, I don't want to knock it, so...

I wish I could get technical information about the ingredients in this beer from the website, but all I get is this:

the fart side

i met dean ween in a dream last night. i was in a perpetually long line at target. at one point he jumped up from the crowd and shouted at the crowd that he is dean ween of ween. i raised my hand up and said “hi dean ween” we connected a solid high five, and became fast friends. before giving up on the long line, i asked dean for a guitar tip i could relay to matt. he said that esp guitars are great for shredding. you can play all types of metal on them. then i drove across the hudson bridge and a bunch of cars were hanging of of it.

 pale ale w/citra hops. 5% abv

P.S. I've never had a dream about Ween, but, well, you should read this, if you haven't.

Hammerheart Draugr New England-style Black India Pale Ale

Hammerheart Draugr New England-style Black India Pale Ale.  7.9% ABV, 80 IBU. Hammerheart Brewing, Lino Lakes, MN. Bottled 11-8-18.

Thick blackness, utterly impenetrable, rich cocoa-tinged head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Grassy, citrusy, slightly tropical-y, while just about covered up in dark malt flavors, too. Interesting, and exceptionally likable.


In the mouth: Clean and smooth, then opening up to greater complexities. A touch of smoke, which some consider de riguer for a Hammerheart brew, and further echoes of cocoa and espresso. It's like hops and ash in the same glass. Roast-toasty, with a touch of anise next to the ash. Nice.

Hey, if it's an NE-style, where's the haze, brah? I'm sure somebody's saying that, somewhere, someway, but I don't care.

I like this one. It's not for everyone, but it's for me.

Was it worth the $10.99 I paid for it? Definitely.

Black or Cascadian IPA using New-England IPA methods...you can't see the haze, but the effect is the same. We are pretty excited about this one. The art for this beer was illustrated by Jordain Kinnander...the Draugr is a featured creature in his book BEINGS OF YGGDRASIL: ANCIENT CREATURES from GERMANY and SCANDINAVIA. An excerpt from the book: "The Draugr was an Old Norse word for the corpse of a deceased person, which was reanimated after death...A Draugr came into being typically by either a curse from a sorcerer, or person with knowledge of forbidden magic, or out of a strong urge by the spirit of the deceased to seek revenge on those who wronged him in life."

Inbound Abbey Single Ale

Inbound Abbey Single Ale. 5 % ABV, 35 IBU. Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, MN.

Lightly cloudy, bright golden hued, slim white head.

In the nose: A cornucopia of fruity malt flavors, from fermentation: apricot, orange, peach. Belgian funky yeast apparent. Floral. Little hit of spice. Quite nice.

In the mouth: Lean bodied. Moderate hopping. Belgian flavor all over the place. Nicely spicely.  And beautifully fruity. Has it all going on, Belgian single-wise, this is. Sweetness, spice, fruit notes, and excellently drinkable. Good Belgian pale ale and you know what you can do with it.

Light and sweet malts offer a pale color and grainy palate to this spicy and floral Belgian-style Ale.

Venn Blood Orange IPA

Venn Batch 117 Blood Orange IPA. 6.3 % ABV, 20 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Cloudy, light orange hue, slim ivory head.

In the nose: Orange and other citrus fruit notes. Minor hops, meager malt, but appealing enough.

In the mouth: Bright, fruity, bursting with citrus flavors. Light hop bitterness. Lean malt profile. Quite an easy drinker. Blood orange flavor gets bigger as we go, but I think it could be bigger, still. Let's call this one subtle. Even, delicate. But definitely delicious. Quite nice.

You know what else it is, though? It's a good beer and you can drink it.

A juicy, fruit-forward IPA infused with actual blood oranges.

Malts: Domestic Pale, Malted Oats, Caramel 10

Hops: Citra, Amarillo (United States)

Yeast: American Ale

And: Blood Orange

Sisyphus Tilt! Pale Ale

Sisyphus Tilt! Pale Ale. 5.8 % ABV, 30 IBU. Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

In the nose: Big citrus. Grapefruit, lime and tangerine. Slightly sweet, leaning into a touch of tart.

In the mouth: Juicy, lightly bitter, and once more, a slight taste of tartness. Little bit of sweet fruitiness in there. Light-bodied, and expertly drinkable. Just like a pale ale should be. Smooth malt mouthfeel. Quite tasty. This is one for the bumpers.

American Pale Ale brewed with heavy dose of oats. Hopped with Centennial, Amarillo and Simcoe. Hazy, juicy and sessionable. 

Vander Mill Vandy Session Cider

Vander Mill Vandy Session Cider. 4.2 % ABV. 4.0 Brix. Produced and canned by Vander Mill, Grand Rapids, MI.

Clear, bright golden color, slim/no head.

In the nose: bright, green apples tones, notes of pear.

In the mouth: Crisp. Apple-y. Sweet, but not overly so. Fruit flavors last long on the palate. Light bodied and easy-drinking.

Vandy is the answer to the old adage of an Apple A Day. It's a cider that blends the crisp and clean flavor of fermented apples with the fresh harvest of those just pressed. At 4.3% ABV, this is an everyday go-to cider. 

BlackStack Summer's Over Australian Summer IPA

BlackStack Summer's Over Australian Summer IPA. 7.3 % ABV. BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Somehow, this one got past me. Of course, Summer's been Over for months now, and we are in the grim, cold times. Found it on special at the local shop. And it's definitely well past time I got around to the notes, this being can #4, the first three consumed with pleasure, but no note-taking.

Hazy (of course!), dull orange color, large and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: floral and fruity, bright citrus. Touch of honey, lingering dryness. Quite nice.

In the mouth: Citrus fruit blast. Brisk bitterness. Fresh 'n' zesty. Tropical fruit notes hit up against citrus and hop bitterness blazes. Tasty tango Increasingly delicious.

One more in a long string of satisfying India Pale Ales from BlackStack.

Days in the sun and nights in the rain. Summer is over. Simple and plain. We made a beer that's good for the pain. This one is made with all summer hops from Australia. As far as we know, the last lot we'll ever be able to get of it. We're not sad it's gone, that's just smoke in our eyes. Let's raise a tall glass to short days.

Goose Island Old Man Grumpy Pale Ale

Goose Island Old Man Grumpy Pale Ale. 5.8% ABV. 44 IBU. Goose Island Brewing, Chicago, IL, and wherever else Budweiser wants to brew it.

I am an old man, and often quite grumpy. Is this the beer for me?

Clear, bright orange hue, large ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Bold, piney, resinous. Citrus notes mixed with caramel malt tones.

In the mouth: Bigger and bolder on the palate. One might call it "dank", if one wishes. Rather rich with hoppy goodness, and plenty of malt, to boot. Juicy, tropical, citric, just a touch. Fruity and bitter to beat the band. Chocolate and caramel flavors lay in deep in the malt profile. Quite complex, and easily drinkable. Good pale ale and you can drink it.

Inspired by our grouchy-yet-gifted brewmaster, Old Man Grumpy is a deliciously drinkable pale ale sure to lift anyone’s spirits.

This lighter-bodied ale is dry hopped with Huell Melon and Mosaic hops that give the beer a tropical flavor profile of pineapple followed by pine hop characteristics.  It has subtle malt sweetness, balanced bitterness with a clean finish.

Cheer up.  Drink Up.

Style: Dry Hopped American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 44
Color: Golden
Hops: Cascade, Chinook, Huell Melon, Mosaic

Malts: 2-Row, Caramel 40, Special Pale

Excelsior Minnehahop IPA India Pale Ale

Excelsior Minnehahop IPA India Pale Ale. 5.9 % Alc/vol. 55 IBU. Excelsior Brewing, Excelsior, MN.

Hazy, dark, murky orange, prodigious creamy head drifts down to a slim ring.

In the nose: funky, dank, resinous. Fresh hoppiness.

In the mouth: More dank, more delicious. Medium bodied, long lasting hoppy flavor. Hits juicy once in a while, but sticks with the dry. Sticky-icky. I like this one. It's a bit of a mess, but I like it, all the same. I wouldn't drink it by the 6-er, but once in a while, sure.


A crisp dry IPA chock full of Citra, Amarillo and Sorachi Ace hops. 
Our newest IPA is named after The Minnehaha Steam Boat that was salvaged from the bottom of the lake in 1979 and restored in 1996. You can now cruise the lake on the Minnehaha all summer long with the help of 100's of volunteers that maintain the boat every year.

Ska Brewing MoSka Mule Ale with Ginger & Lime

Ska Brewing Moska Mule Ale with Ginger & Lime. 6 % ABV, 7 IBU. Ska Brewing, Durango, CO.

Clear, bright golden, slim white head.

In the nose: Lime starts it off. Quite limey. Then, ginger comes on board. Nice. Now, we have it.

In the mouth: Boom! There it is. Powerful stuff. Tart and spicy. Ginger and lime doing the trick. Light bodied, easy drinker...if you like those flavors. This would be a one and done, for me. One of those gimmick brews that I can't imagine having more than one of, lacking in hops, malt, and other beer-y flavors that I demand from my ales.

To tell the truth, I'm not sure if I can finish this one. I'll try, though, I will most certainly try.

Update: I couldn't do it. Tossed some juice in there, just to give it something.

Brewed to celebrate our 23rd Anniversary! Based on the traditional Moscow Mule cocktail, this refreshing ale is lightly soured yet finishes clean with delicate notes of ginger. Lime peel & citrusy hops balance the light tartness while delivering great hop flavor without bitterness.

Oliphant Supertalentfragilistic Imperial Stout with coffee, sea salt, & chipotle peppers

Oliphant Supertalentfragilistic Imperial Stout with coffee, sea salt, & chipotle peppers. 9 Percent Alc./Vol. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin.

It's been a few months since I've made the trip to Somerset and stocked up on some Oliphant beers. I miss them so, and yearn to return. But, luckily, I don't have to cross the St. Croix to get their stuff. More and more of their beers are being crowlered with new, amazing Jeremy Hughes artwork and being taken over the border to find a place on local shelves. It's only a handful of stores, though, so you've got to get out there. This can was purchased at 1010 Washington in Minneapolis, which is located guess where. Zipp's. Stinson, Minnehaha Lake, Elevated and a few others...very convenient, but it's not the same as going to the source.

Solid ebony, under a slim brown ring of foam.

In the nose: Cocoa, coffee, cream, and then the peppery heat. Cinnamon? Quite a mix going on, here.

In the mouth: An explosion of flavors, starting with the big malts and bursting out with the peppery heat. Typical coffee/cocoa, rich malt aplenty, then the chipotle makes a big splash on the palate. The heat and the sweet are keeping perfect time, here, with the spice at an extra edge on it.

Big malt, smooth chocolatey/coffee flavors, all smothered by the chipotle. And I don't mind it.

supertalentfragilistic

next up in a series of never ending madtness. this is the flavor of a parking lot full of bargain hunters and the lonely, joining collective hive minds. savings equals power, power equals hunger, hunger equals thirst. you can almost hear them buzzing with dealzzzzzz.

russian imperial stout w/ coffee, chipotle peppers, & sea salt. 9% abv

Surly Abrasive Ale 2018

This is my first time reviewing Surly's Abrasive Ale Double IPA from a can.

Back in January of 2011, almost eight years ago, I did a post where I used the notes that I had taken from the beer's original incarnation as 16 Grit, from a growler. If you read that old post, I tell the story of the origin of the beer, which I won't go into in this post.

So, Abrasive is back. I've got a keg at Acadia waiting to go on, and have already gone through a 4-pack at home. I received a package from Surly the other day with 2 cans and a press release attached to a sanding disc. 16 Grit, of course. What a fine opportunity to at last review Abrasive Ale from a can? And away we go, note ahoy!

Surly Abrasive Ale 2018. 9.2 % ABV. Bitternes: High AF. (when, oh, when, will this stupid "AF" thing go away?)Hops: So. Much. Citra. Surly Brewing Company, Minneapolis/Brooklyn Center, MN.

Clear, deep amber color, bright ivory head.

In the nose: Dank. Resinous. Slightly sweet. Piney, citric, deep. Candyish. Stone fruit, tropical. Tangerine, grapefruit, guava. But, it's all citra. Nothing but nice.

In the mouth: Big blasts of bitterness hits it off, fierce and formidable juicy hop flavor burst on the palate. Bold citrus and stone fruit flavors. Juicy, intense, brash, and tasty. Oh, yeah, and AF. (Sigh.)
Oh, so delicious, and oh, so, smooth. Good old oat malts keeping it nice and easy.

Abrasive Ale is a poorly named beer, because there's nothing really abrasive about it. Easy-drinking imperial IPA as you're going to get.

A MASSIVE DOSE OF CITRA HOPS LAUNCH OUR LEGENDARY DOUBLE IPA (MINNESOTA’S FIRST, AND A NOD TO OUR ABRASIVES FACTORY ORIGIN) INTO THE HOPHEAD STRATOSPHERE.

We brewed this beer originally at the end of 2008 as a farewell to growler sales. As usual, we underestimated the demand for the first Double IPA in Minnesota. We brewed the beer again in the spring and released it as a draft only beer. It was originally called 16 Grit, a size of abrasive grit used at the old abrasives factory that houses the original Surly brewery in Brooklyn Center.

Boom Island Biere de Garde Belgian Farmhouse Ale

Boom Island Biere de Garde Belgian Farmhouse Ale. 6.8% ABV. 18 IBU.
Boom Island Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark Burgundy hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweet and malty. Dark fruits. Figs and plums. A bit of raisin, stone fruit. Much more. Copious amounts of flavors, here.

In the mouth: Lush, malty, delicious. Quite rich, fruity, ultimately ending dry. Medium bodied, long malty finish. Belgian yeast at play. Little bit o' spice. Sweet, tasty, ever-so nice.

Hey, I like this one.

Mikkeller Raspberry Blush

Mikkeller Raspberry Blush. Berliner Style Weisse Beer Brewed with Raspberries & Coffee. 4 % ABV. Mikkeller Brewing, San Diego, CA.

Bright red, opaque, slim pinkish head.

In then nose: Tart and fruity. Very raspberry. Complexities about, but nothing too deep.

In the mouth: Big tart, big fruit, and then the coffee comes in and weirds it up. What's it there for? Fruity, sour, and...coffee? It turns it dry, and adds...something, but...huh.

I don't often say this, but ... I can't imagine why this was brewed, and I'm curious how other people like it. Do they? If you just want the sour, and don't mind the coffee, I guess, but it just gets in the way, and doesn't really contribute anything. Except a sense of ... I don't know. If you just want the raspberry, the coffee really messes with the flavors.

I'm confused. I'll pass on this one from here on out.

Ale Asylum 12 oz. Curl Premium Pilsner

Ale Asylum 12 oz. Curl Premium Pilsner. 5.2 % ABV. Ale Asylum Brewing, Madison, WI. "Wisconsin's favorite workout."

Clear, bright golden color, bright fluffy white head.

In the nose: floral, grainy, lightly hoppy. Nice.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, light bodied, exquisitely drinkable. Neat little buzz from hops, smooth malt. Good and tasty.

Not much more to say than that. If you're looking for a easy-drinking pilsner, look no further.

Clean, crisp, smooth, and supremely drinkable like a Pilsner oughta be. 12 oz. Curl will be available year round starting February 2018 both packaged and on tap throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. 

Stillwater Artisan Extra Extra Double Brut India Pale Ale

Stillwater Extra Extra Double Brut India Pale Ale. 8 % All. by Vol. Brewed and canned for Stillwater Artisanal by Dorchester Brewing, Boston, MA.

Hazy. Bold golden. Slim white head.

In the nose: Lightly fruity, dry, some odd Belgian-esque yeasty funk. Citrus zest. Interesting. Intriguing.

In the mouth: Boom! Big juicy hops, rich malt, full-on flavors. Booze hangs high right from the start. A little too sharp for my taste. Not enough hop bitterness, kind of a mess. This isn't especially pleasant. I wish I liked it, I do. But, I don't.

Alas, can't win them all.

Venn Batch 116 El Dorado Session IPA

Venn El Dorado Session IPA. Batch 116. 4.8 % ABV. 30 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Beautiful blend of citrus and tropical fruit notes. Grapefruit, passion, pineapple, lemon. Sightly sweet.

In the mouth: A brief blast of bitterness, then all is juicy/fruity. Lean bodied, slight finish, and just a touch bitter. Smooth, nearly creamy, and ending on a bit of a dry note. Quite likable.

What if I didn't like assertively hoppy, smack-you-up IPAs? Then, maybe, I'd drink a ton of this.






Lemon zest, lime zest, grapefruit zest.
A New England style session IPA featuring El Dorado hops.

Malts: White Wheat, Domestic Pale, Flaked Oats.
Hops: El Dorado.
Yeast: American Ale.

Summit Dark Infusion Coffee Milk Stout

I have a confession to make. I received samples of this many weeks ago, but I gave one away to a friend, and I drank one without taking notes thinking that I'd written about it when it was an Unchained Series beer, so why do it again? Why? Why not? It's a new name, it's a new label, it's a new can, it's all new, even if it's the same beer. Seems like it is. Read my notes here.

So I asked my Summit man to get me more so that I can post about it again, and that's what I'm doing now, okay? Everyone cool with that?

Summit Dark Infusion Coffee Milk Stout. Our smoothest, boldest brew, back by popular demand. 8.5 % ABV, 40 IBU. Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

Solid blackness, utter darkness, terrifically opaque, with a creamy brown head on top, leaving lace.

In the nose: Cream. Cola. Nuts aplenty. Toffee, coffee, malty goodness. A little toasty-toasty, and oh, my goodness, such a lot of nice-ness. Delightful.

In the mouth: Such sweetness, much malt, with abundant roast. Plentiful coffee, and massive malt, mixed with cream and such substantial smooth. Many layer of deliciousness. No fooling. Treats upon treats. Delish, upon delish. I would turn to this again and again.

A rich, full-bodied imperial milk stout with sweet, roasted notes from six different specialty malts, Dark Infusion features kettle additions of lactose for additional sweetness and body. Balanced by Pilgrim and Fuggle hops from the U.K., Dark Infusion is made even bolder and more complex with the infusion of smooth, cold-brewed coffee. Complemented by coffee rather than overpowered, traces of caramel, graham cracker and dark chocolate round out this highly anticipated and limited beer.

Surly Mortal Sun American Porter

Another Surly sample pack came out for the final season of the year, the Frost Pack, as they call it. There are two new beers, besides two stand-by year-rounds (Furious and X-tra Citra). The first of these I've already sampled already, the Liquid Stardust IPA, and now on to Surly Mortal Sun American Porter.

Surly has never made a traditonal, straight-up porter in it's entire history. A terrific lineup of stouts, brown ales, and hybrids to be sure, but never this classic beer style.

True fact: the first time I tried Bender, I was in the presence of Omar and Todd at the original factory. Omar called it an American Brown Ale, but Todd corrected him by saying it was an Oatmeal Brown Porter. Brown Porter is the lighter-bodied cousin to the better known Robust Porter. Maybe the use of oatmeal as well as Belgian malt made it less traditional. Nonetheless, I've always called that beer an Oatmeal Brown Ale, while Surly stuck to the appellation applied by Omar. (And I can't stop alliterating!)

So, the first porter in nearly 13 years? Sure. Let's drink it.

Surly Mortal Sun American Porter. 5.5 % ABV. IBU: Moderate. Surly Brewing Company, Twin Cities, MN.

Suitably dark brown, nearly black coloration, entirely opaque, voluminous cocoa-tinged head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Soft, caramel-toned, traces of cola, toffee, nuts. Minor notes of coffee & cocoa. Much malt. Semi-sweet.

In the mouth: Floods the palate with warmth. Cool malt enchantment. Light roast, with all those flavors noted from the nose arriving on the tongue. Ends just a little dry. Medium-bodied, and excellently quaffable, for those of us who enjoy indulging in a session on the dark side. Nicely hoppy at the end. (Making for a more American style, versus traditionally British-style.) Quite tasty, too.

Overall, I like this. I would buy a case of it, turn to it for comfort when there is nothing but dreary darkness and such outside. It's snowing outside as I write this. Ugh. Winter Wonderland, my ass.

The ancients feared the long winter nights meant a dying sun. For us, these dark nights call for a dark beer, brewed with roasted malts and a pop of citrusy, dry-hop flavor.

PORTER
COLOR
Dark Brown

HOPS
Willamette
MALT
Two Row
Medium Crystal
Munich Light 1
Munich Dark 2
Chocolate
Acidulated
Carafoam
Beech Smoked
Flaked Oats
OG
12.5
YEAST
English Ale
IBU
Moderate
ABV
5.5%
SURLY MN USA

Hop & Barrel Minnesconsin Lager

Hop & Barrel Minnesconsin Lager. 5.2 % ABV, Helles Lager, Hop & Barrel Brewing, Hudson, WI.

Hop & Barrel Brewing sits in the border town of Hudson, Wisconsin, just a hop and a swim across the St. Croix river from Minnesota. There are many Minnesota roots in this Wisconsin brewery. Therefore, the name of this beer and this hideous / beautiful label from DWitt. What's not to love?

Crystal clear, bright gold, slim white head.

In the nose: floral, light hops, slight cereal.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, light-bodied, and exceptionally refreshing. Just a touch of grainy malt flavor lingers on in the finish, after floating on the palate. This is tasty stuff, indeed. Considerably quaffable.

If light, thirst quenchable, yet flavorful lagers are your thing, go get it. Good helles and you can drink it.



Because Winnesconsin was taken. Made with Briess Synergy Malt, Saphir hops and our house lager yeast strain.

This crisp and easy sipping Helles lager is an ode to the shaky, but oft friendly, bi-state relationship between our two transmogrified bordering states. We aren't always simpatico, but we make it work. Synergy malt is what binds us together. Raise a glass to your friends and enemies alike!