Eastlake Kirby Pucker #23: Mescalita Sour Gose

Eastlake Kirby Pucker #23: Mescalita Sour Gose. With Agave, mezcal, & lime.
6 % ABV. Eastlake Craft Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, light golden coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: Funky, fruity, citric, salty. Did you want a sour ale margarita blend? That might be what we're in for here, minus the triple sec.

In the mouth: Spark of sour hits the palate at first, fresh and lively. Then, comes the pucker, salt and lime comes in line, and it all makes sense. Sharp, citrusy, fresh and refreshing. Hey, I like this one!

Sour Ale - lime, agave, sea salt and mezcal

Unmapped Schnitzendunkel

Unmapped  Schnitzendunkel.  Dunkel lager.
4.6 % ABV. 23 IBU. Unmapped Brewing, Minnetonka, MN.

Dark brown, very opaque, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweet malt, caramel and toffee. Brown sugar. Delightful.

In the mouth: More delicious malt, more caramel and toffee. Medium bodied, long lasting flavors. Moderate bitterness. Excellent balance. Tasty stuff.

This went down exceptionally easy.

Introducing our first collaboration with our very good friends at Lupulin Brewing (Big Lake, MN): Schnitzendunkel! This classic dark lager is deliciously malty with some hints of chocolate too. If you're looking for a dark beer that is also a summertime easy-drinker, you've found it! Prost!

Steel Toe Beltline Brown Ale

Steel Toe Beltline Brown Ale. 6.5 % ABV.
Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN.

Dark brown color, thoroughly opaque, slim beige head on top.

In the nose: Malty, nutty. Minor notes of coffee & cocoa. Slight bitterness.

In the mouth: Smooth, cool, dry. Medium bodied, and ever-so tasty. Touch of the sweet balance by bitter. Flat out delicious.

An American Brown Ale built to be balanced; with aromas of toasted nuts and malty caramel are countered by a subtle yet present floral hop aroma and present, yet refined bitterness. Comforting and familiar at its best, perfect for those cool fall days.  Fall Seasonal.

Color: Brown
Alcohol content by volume: 5.6%
International Bitterness Units: 30

Barrel Theory Dorothy Mantooth IPA

Barrel Theory Dorothy Mantooth IPA. IPA W/ Mosaic Hops. (New England -style, of course)
7.2 % ABV.  Barrel Theory Brewing, St. Paul, MN. Packaged 8/27/19. Purchased 9/1.

This beer has been around almost two years, since just after the brewery opened, and I'm finally getting some. Of course, I don't get there very often to pick up crowlers, but that's ...well, actually it is for a lack of trying. But it's not for a lack of thinking about trying. Where does thinking about trying get us, though? Nowhere, naturally. But I did something, I went there, and I got this, and now I will drink it!

Thoroughly hazed, pale golden color, thick and lustrous ivory head, holding infinite court above.

In the nose: All the hoppy delights are here. Citrus aplenty, with bits of berries and stone fruit, as well.

In the mouth: Citrus splash at the start. Big rush of bitterness, then calm and cool. Yeast at play. Medium bodied, fresh and refreshing. Long lasting hop delivery on the palate, keeping a strong residency through the finish. Flavors never quit. Just delicious. Nothing but. Crisp, clean, ending on a dry note. Just about right.

If you follow my writing here, you may have noted a lack of enthusiasm for the ubiquitous New England IPA style. But when it's done this well and this deliciously....what can I do but offer up high praise.

This all-Mosaic IPA is a saint.

Firetrucker Uptown IPA

Firetrucker Uptown IPA. Brewed and canned at Firetrucker Brewery in Ankeny, Iowa.
5.8 % ABV, 67 IBU.

At last, three weeks after my Des Moines trip, I'm dipping into the beers I brought back from Iowa.
What took me so long? Had to take care of the beers I'd been sitting on from before that, first.
And drink the first five of the six -packs, the first three of the 4-packs, etc.
 It's time, at last. Time to drink Iowa, and tell you about it. (and I'm still working on the posts about the trip, it's coming, soon.)

Certified hazy, utterly opaque, deep orange color, lush ivory head atop.

In the nose: citrus and pine, apple and stone...a lovely cornucopia. Nice and malty, too, touch of caramel. Grapefruit, orange, lemon and mango dominate. Lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Juicy, hoppy, delicious. Just enough malt. Medium bodied. Good blast of bitterness up front that takes it cool on the way out. This is a tasty one, indeed. That's why I brought it home. I knew I liked it, and I wanted to tell you, dear reader, about it. Next time you're in Iowa, and you want a good ol' IPA, don't hesitate.

This IPA has all the flavor and smooth drinkability you seek. While hoppy enough for any IPA connoisseur, our version is more citrusy than bitter. Mandarin orange flavors stand out and grapefruit lingers on the finish. Find a shady spot and enjoy! 

And from the can: "Citra based IPA with laid back bitterness."

Venn Brewing Northodox Citra-Forward NE IPA

Venn Brewing Northodox Citra-Forward NE IPA.
6.5 % ABV. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

I first had this beer a little over two months ago, the first pint for my birthday, as I biked from brewery to brewery. I wanted to bring some home, but leaving a crowler in my bike basket as I pedaled across the city wasn't the wisest idea. Too much bouncing around back there. On the next visit to the brewery, the beer was still on, but the crowlers were gone. Luckily, I found one at one of the handful of local liquor stores that carry these cans.

I've been sitting on it way too long, it's time to drink. As it says on the can: "Best in your mouth. Not in your cellar. Drink it while it's fresh, okay?" Filled on: "6/27." Hey, that's not that fresh. More reason to drink it now. And try not to beat myself up for sitting on it for nearly a month. It's not exactly cellaring. Just not acting fast enough.

Perhaps that's one reason that this is the first crowler of theirs that I've bought at a store. I know it's only going to be fresher at the source. Let's open it...

Damned cloudy, this. Dull orange. Lush ivory head, leaving lace. Looking good.

In the nose: Bright and lively hop aromatics. Pulsing with citrus and tropical tones.

In the mouth: Starts off sweet and fruity on the palate. Moderate to minor bitterness. Fairly smooth. Lots of citrusy flavors, without going overboard. Soft, even edging into "pillowy." (Who drinks pillows, though?) Lightish bodied, easily drunk. Hoppiness delivers, leaving bitterness behind. I wish it'd been invited, but I've made that opinion known, time after time. This is quite a nice interpretation of this style I'm not so keen on.

"Invented Out East. Brewed for the North. Our hazy IPA is teeming with Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops which, in the presence of restrained bitterness, lend lush flavors of fresh-squeezed citrus juice and marmalade." 

Wild Mind Forbidden Amrood

Wild Mind Forbidden Amrood. American Wild Ale conditioned on guava, grapefruit, and mint.
 750 ml bottle. 5.2% ABV. 5 IBU.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

Well, this is a first. I uncap the bottle of Wild Mind Artisanal Ale, and there's a cork inside. Classy, but wholly unnecessary and pointless.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim, soon-gone head.

In the nose: funky, fruity, sour. Nicely balanced, though sour completely covers any sweetness.

In the mouth: Whoa, huge tartness on the tongue. Powerful pucker. huge fruit, but well-tempered, never sweet, finishing dry. Light bodied, easy-drinking for the sour-heads out there. Guava and grapefruit give the tropical/citrus twang, with mint floating just below. Sweetness occasionally gets ahead of the sour for a bit, but never for long.
 Juicy fruit, mint and sour always doing a dance on the palate.

Another of the good old good ones from Wild Mind. Delicious.

Blend of foeder and barrel aged golden sour that underwent secondary fermentation with guava and grapefruit before being conditioned on mint leaves just before packaging. Forbidden Amrood has a nose of guava and soft mint with a strong grapefruit and tart citrus finish to blend to meld the melange of tropical flavors.

10 Barrel Brewing Company Crush Cucumber Sour

10 Barrel Brewing Company Crush Cucumber Sour. Berliner Weisse.
5 % ABV. 4 IBU.
10 Barrel Brewing, Bend, OR. (subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch)

I mentioned this beer before, without naming it. I wasn't ready to retire for the evening, but I wanted another beer, yet there was nothing in the fridge that I had had before. If I haven't had a beer before, I need to write about it, here. So, I broke my vow in favor of my thirst. And then I got another sample, so I have to write about the cucumber sour. And I will, too.

Partially cloudy/hazy, pale golden color, large, lace-leaving ivory head.

In the nose: Well, there's the cucumber. And here comes the sour. That's it, in the nutshell.

In the mouth: Crisp, tart, refreshing. Fruity, too, if you can say that about a cucumber. Cool, of course, as a. Juicy, if you can say that about a cuke. Fresh and easy-drinking. Not bad.

"Drink beer outside." it says on the label. Sorry, it's raining tonight, I'm staying in.

Once again 10 Barrel gets fresh! Tonya took her award winning Berliner Weisse and added loads of cucumber flavor. The aroma is undeniably cucumber. The flavor is like biting into a crisp baby cucumber fresh from the garden. Just when you have had enough the tartness acts as a pallet cleanser leaving you ready for the next sip. Eat Beer! 

21st Amendment Sparkale Sparkling Rose' Ale

21st Amendment Sparkale Sparkling Rose' Ale. Ale with apple, cranberry, peach, & cherry.
21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco/San Leandro, CA.

It continues. While the crowlers bought in St. Paul yesterday and the bottles and cans from my Iowa trip of two weeks ago wait their turn, I'm going through the beers that were in that fridge first, emptying that space of sample cans of styles I'm not crazy about. As stated in my previous post, because I have to, and that's all there is to it.

This one was sampled out to me quite some time ago, and the kegs were pitched to me week after week, even while they were put on sale, as summer wanes away. All the while, I never opened it up, No, no, no, I told them while the sample went upsampled. Was I wrong? Let's find out...

Clear, rose-y coloration, no head.

In the nose: Fruity, sweet. Yep, cherries and peaches and all the rest are here, fairly mild, though.

In the mouth: There's some spark, brisk carbonation, and there's a lot of sweet. Cornucopia of fruits in attendance, dropping juicy delights on the palate. Mild mouthfeel. Tart, light and refreshing. Ending dry. And utterly unfulfilling, for me. I'm sure plenty of people like it, but....

I don't buy beers just for me when I buy for a Acadia, my day job. (Night job, mostly.) I have to have something on tap for the people who don't want anything "too hoppy" or strong or malty, or barrel-aged or Belgian. And I make sure to have a few of those, because we want to keep them happy, too. But not this, brother, not this.

This overly sweet abomination makes me feel worse the more I drink.

Want to read some marketing bullcrap? Here you go: Like a sparkler crackling against the sky at dusk, our sparkling rosé ale is a refreshing pop of fruit and fizz with tart flavors and a crisp finish. Crafted with apple, cranberry, peach and cherries, this ale is a reminder of life’s simple pleasures. Open a can and enjoy. This is your moment to shine.

UFO Big Squeeze

UFO Big Squeeze. Beer. Grapefruit Juice. Shandy.
Harpoon Brewery, Massachusetts. 4.5 % ABV. 11 IBU.

Hey, guys, guess what? I'm still dedicated to reviewing every beer I come across. Even samples that I get that aren't really my thing. Still gonna review and post. Can't stop me. Even though I've got plenty of better beers calling my name, I've got to give some time to the grapefruit/ hefe weizen shandy. And away we go....

Cloudy, hazy, orange, slim head.

In the nose: Big grapefruit. Big soda. Not much beer.

In the mouth: Citrus bite up front, followed by a flood of grapefruit. All is light and smooth thereafter.  Refreshing and utterly insubstantial. Much more juice than beer, here. Not my cup of tea. Or glass of grapefruit juice mixed with beer and soda. And you know what I think about those.

It’s back! In 2014, we released our first UFO summer seasonal. In 2016, we retired it. And the people spoke. Loudly. And started a Facebook campaign to bring it back. Well, we are. But this time, it’s full time.

Steel Toe Doppelbock

Steel Toe Doppelbock.
8.3 % ABV. 35 IBU.
Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN.

Clear, rich amber/copper coloring, slim whitish head.

In the nose: Rich and (liquid-) bread-y. Sweet, and a bit boozy.

In the mouth: Caramel malt, a touch of toast. Campfire in a glass. Rich malt, exquisitely balanced. Little hops, just enough to do the trick.This one is not as dark, rich and full-bodied as I prefer a doppelbock to be, but, hey, I don't mind, it's a different take, and it is tasty.
And boozy.
And there ain't nothing wrong with that.


Doppelbock Lager

Color: Pale Gold
Alcohol content by volume: 8.3%
International Bitterness Units: 35
Bready rich malt backbone, caramel, toast.

Inbound / Revelation Electric Grenades TDH NE IPA

Inbound / Revelation Electric Grenades TDH NE IPA. (Triple Dry-hopped New England IPA.)
6.9 % ABV, 60 IBU.
Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, MN, in collaboration with Revelation Ale Works, Hallock, MN.

Crystal Clear. (Sure this is an "NE"?) Bright golden color. Slim, ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Lightly floral and fruity, citrus-y. On the whole, rather shy.

In the mouth: Grabs the palate with a brief slab of bitterness, then citrus-y goodness takes over. Juicy. Pithy. Moderate bitterness, smooth-going. Light bodied, easy-drinking. Crisp, refreshing, fairly delicate. I'd even call it elegant.
There are a lot of hops employed in this one, but they don't come across very strongly. I wouldn't call it a "hop bomb", let alone a grenade.

Ends on a dry note. And all the while, it's clean and tasty. Actually, increasingly tasty the more I drink.

Good beer and you can drink it, that's for sure.

A hop grenade brewed with Cashmere, Citra, Hallertau Ariana, Azacca, Amarillo, and Mandarina Bavaria hops. Brightened with dehydrated oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Brewed in collaboration with Revelation Ale Works.

Lift Bridge Jibe Talkin' Apricot Sour

Lift Bridge Jibe Talkin' Apricot Sour.
4.5 %  ABV. 13 IBU.
Lift Bridge Brewing, Stillwater, MN.

Lightly clouded, amber-hued, slim to none head.

In the nose: Very apricot-y, with a touch of tart.

In the mouth: Fresh, fruity, tart, refreshing. Light bodied, and easy-drinking. Simple, but highly likable, quite pleasurable. Not bad at all.

A tart & refreshing blonde ale with a hint of sweet apricot, perfect for groovin' down the river and finding your chill spot.

Lupulin Fun Pants Session Blonde Ale

Lupulin Fun Pants Session Blonde Ale.
5 % ABV. 15 IBU.
Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Begs a question. What other kind of blonde ale is there? Let's find out....

Clear, bright golden hue, large ivory head on top, looking good.

In the nose: Smooth, lightly hoppy, lightly everything. Little malt, little grain. Nice.

In the mouth: Mmm, malty, sweet, delicious. Low hop bitterness, very lean and light. Sweetness and fruity stays on top. Yum. Drinkable, of course. Tasty, ya sure, you betcha.

Mikkeller SD Citra Eyes New England-style India Pale Ale

Mikkeller SD Citra Eyes New England-style India Pale Ale. 7.7 % ABV. Mikkeller San Diego, California.

Fairly hazy, but far from chunky. Bright golden hue, slim white head, leaving lace and looking lovely.

In the nose: Aburst with citrus and a portion of pine. That's all you need, right there.

In the mouth: Blast of bitterness at the front, continues through the swallow, rests on the palate. Lots of citrusy character, pine on the side. Not too sweet, not too soft. This is the kind of NE IPA that I like. The one that's not like the others. This is exceptionally enjoyable. A little bit of tropical tastes chime in, a touch of mango, passionfruit, pineapple, but not too "pillowy" (gag, puke).

I'd drink this one again and again.

Papaya, melon, citrus, grapefruit & pomelo. Soft, creamy mouthfeel by way of oats and wheat.

Eastlake Mud In Your Eye Brown Ale

Eastlake Mud In Your Eye Multigrain Brown Ale.
5.5 % ABV. 33 IBU. Eastlake Craft Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Here's one I've had many times before, having been employed at the taproom when it was introduced.  I first mentioned it here during that time in this post.
I have a growler to review thanks to the Sample Man. Now, let's drink it.

Thoroughly brown, utterly opaque, able ring of brown foam on top.

In the nose: A little sweet, a little dry. Some toast, some roast. Nice and malty.

In the mouth: Full bodied. Smooth.  Minor hops. Malty. Nutty. Toasty. Tasty. Caramel malt with a touch of sweet, bit of bitter for balance. Quite likable. Just a solid brown ale. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.

Biscuity hazelnut races past licorice caramel on the copper cobblestone road of sweetness and leaves you in the dust. We use four different grains for a unique malt complexity of the American Brown style. The subtle floral hop presence from Willamette hops keeps the rubber side on the road. Here's mud in your eye.

Wild Mind Tinged Saison

Wild Mind Tinged Saison.
7.3 % ABV. 10 IBU.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

Crystal clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Tart, fruity, funky. Sharp, sweet. High citrus, some spice.

In the mouth: Even sharper, sweeter, citrus-ier. Lime looms large. A bit of floral, too, and a touch of the hops. Moderate/low bitterness. Lean body. Juicy, slightly sweet, ending dry. Swiftly finished and quite tasty. Crisp, refreshing, lemony, delightful.





Open-fermented rye saison that was blended with a small amount of foeder beer and then conditioned on marigold flowers. The yeast and rye malt bring a spice character which combines with the citrus and floral notes of the marigolds to create a complex saison with a lasting citrus finish.

Steel Toe Pacific Midwest Pale Ale

Dear friends, I have a confession to make. The last Steel Toe entry here in Ye Olde Nib was in June of last year. I thoroughly chastised myself in that post for taking nearly a year to revisit them. And after such self-flagellation, I went ahead and stayed away for over a year and two months. Not that I didn't consider it over and over again. Not that that counts. I can recount the reasons, but none of them are sufficient excuses. 

I've got to live up to the promise and stop in and see them more often, this time for sure, bike trail closures or no bike trail closures. I finally did so this past Thursday, and on this visit, there were several new-to-me (and the Nib) beers to try, and I took some of them home in growlers and bottles. Here's the first.

Steel Toe Pacific Midwest Pale Ale. 

Featuring El Dorado & Cashmere Hops, a Collaboration with Hollingberry. 

5.6 % ABV. 40 IBU. Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN. 

Fairly clear, bright golden color, solid slab of ivory foam on top. 

In the nose: bright, fresh, fruity. Citrus, melon, stone fruit and berries. Delightful and intriguing. 

In the mouth: Bursting with hoppiness, but beautifully balanced. Medium bodied. Lush malt. Crisp, smooth, and refreshing. Bitterness remains moderate, drinkability is running on the high side. Quite delicious. 

In collaboration with Randin (formerly of Steel Toe, formerly of Boneyard Brewing) now with Hollingbery & Son Hops in Yakima, WA, we bring you Pacific Midwest Pale Ale.

Our updated take on the modern American Pale Ale falls right in our favorite ABV wheelhouse, with some updated hops and processes that allow us to get maximum hop character while still maintaining a golden crystal clear appearance.

We scoured through our experience of ingredients and picked some of our favorites. Utilizing Simpsons Golden Promise malt, and featuring El Dorado ® & Cashmere hops.

The aroma is bright with ripe strawberry, pineapple, kiwi and a finishing lime zest character. Light body, but with enough light toast malt backbone to balance, it finishes crisp and dry. Supremely drinkable!

Aroma/Taste: Strawberry, pineapple, kiwi, lime

Color: Bright clear pale golden

Alcohol content by volume: 5.6%

International Bitterness Units: 40

Drastic Measures Ill Intent Double IPA

Hey, it's my first crowler from Drastic Measures, after having a 4-pack of cans. And it's another hazy double IPA. Not surprising, I do gravitate towards the hoppy stuff. But. My next beer from them should be something different. I hope.

Drastic Measures Ill Intent Double IPA.
8 % ABV. Drastic Measures Brewing, Wadena, MN.

All kinds of hazy (naturally), dull orange hue, thick and lush ivory head, leaving lace, looking luscious.

In the nose: Sweet, tropical, fruity. All hoppy, some malty.

In the mouth: Well, this has everything the hazy IPA lover wants, all the yeast, all the hops, all the fruity/juiciness, and just a little more booze. It's bright and buoyant. Galaxy and mosaic. Brimming with brightness. All the citric goodness, all on blast. Bright, juicy, orangey, lemony, yum, a, dum, dum. And it's got the haze...if you're into that thing....

Galaxy/mosaic

Let's face it, we live in some...interesting times. But when the world seems to be at it's worst, beer seems to taste the best - at least that's our take on it. And, there's never been a better time to be a beer geek than right now. Here at Drastic Measures we've been busy brewing the kind of beer we love, and we're pretty darn confident that you'll love it too!​ So when the world knocks you down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and grab a pint glass...or, drink it straight from the can. Hey, it's your beer!

Lupulin Fashion Mullet India Pale Ale

Lupulin Fashion Mullet India Pale Ale.
6.5 % ABV, 60 IBU.
Brewed by Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Bold citrus notes popping out. A little murky in the mix, but still a vibrant, hoppy IPA aroma.

In the mouth: Bursting with hoppy deliciousness from the start. Grapefruit, orange, and lemon. Gets to juicy, then dry, but never quite bitter.  Which I miss, but that's me. It almost gets to the bitter hoppy edge that I want to go to, but veers off into juicy/hazy land. It's a trip, and I can dig it.

I declare this not merely yum, but yum-a-dum-dum.

Lupulin keeps putting out tasty IPAs that I can't help but enjoy.

West Coast IPA with East Coast influences. Huge Simcoe and Citra punch. Hops: Columbus, Falconer Flight, Simcoe, Citra. Malts: Pale Ale, Carapils, Honey.