November 13th, 2008 beckel
Today we have the last of the New Glarus brews I was able to bring back from Wisconsin, at least I still have two left to enjoy. Hop Hearty is a solid IPA dry hopped with Cascade and East Kent Golding and my favorite New Glarus yet. When not poured gently this beer produces a number of inches of almost white head, most of which settles rather quickly aside from about one inch that lasts for a few minutes. Color is a nice mostly red amber color that is transparent when held to light but quite dark in hue. You can tell what the dry hopping did to this beers aroma immediately, many scents are present including some orange like citrus, sweet malt, and a nice balance of hop bitterness with barely any alcohol present. Drinking this beer fills you mouth with hops, as I sip this beer the citrus tastes more like grapefruit and the malt becomes more pronounced still finishing with a nice little bitter kick. Though this beer is 6.2% ABV it like all other New Glarus brews I have had, is remarkably drinkable with a light body and smooth mouthfeel. Though this beer certainly has very nice hop contributions the simple malt balance should make this beer a bit more approachable to those who are intimidated by the concept of IPAs, not to take away from the marvelous hop flavors of this beer. Once again another delightful ale from the land of New Glarus, Wisconsin. I wish I could purchase this beer more often but until the day they change their minds and distribute to their neighbors in Minnesota, I guess I will have to convince my roommate he needs beer on Sundays more often. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | 1 Comment »
October 21st, 2008 beckel
Stone Brewing from Escondido, California has a very good reputation that precedes it for making flavorful beers that have nothing to hide, and with such a bad ass logo they couldn’t hide if they wanted to. As one of the breweries I was hoping to find in Wisconsin I was glad to be able to purchase their India Pale Ale even though it was the only beer of theirs available at the store, I always appreciate a good IPA. This beer pours a rather transparent copper orange color with some sediment present. Produces about an inch and a half of frothy white head that lasts for a few minutes. Wonderful sweet floral hop aroma hits the nose, followed by sweet orange scents and finally a tad of bitterness and alcohol. Flavor however starts off with some nice hop bitterness that transitions into a sweet floral flavor, leaving your mouth with a smooth sweet balance of floral hops, sweet malt and some hop bitterness. With a 6.9% ABV this brew does a wonderful job covering its alcohol content with a mix of floral and bitter flavors, with malt playing a rather neutral role simply sweetening the beer a bit and adding to its marvelous balance. Now I’m jealous and want to travel to a state where I can get more Stone! This is one damn good beer, a bit on the floral side but full of hoppy goodness none the less, good thing I got a six-pack. Mouthfeel is medium and the body is a light medium. If you are used to flavorful beers you will likely find this beer quite drinkable. This beer is undoubtedly brewed for those who love hops and will certainly be enjoyed by anyone who prefers a quality IPA. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | 1 Comment »
October 20th, 2008 beckel
Today I get to write about a brewery that I have wanted to pursue since I first read about them over a year ago, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery from Milton, Delaware. From their year round brews such as their 60 Minute IPA that we have today, to some of their more elusive “Occasional Rarities” I have read and heard nothing but praise for Dogfish Head and the love, passion, and creativity they put into all of their beer. Though while in Wisconsin I was only able to find 2 varieties of their beer I was still very content and can’t wait to crack into my first bottle. Thanks to our absurd alcohol distribution system and the numerous difficulties for smaller craft breweries when it comes to getting their beers around the country, Dogfish Head is not available in our fine state of Minnesota. Maybe someday but until then I will have to manage to be content. Pours an incredibly transparent slightly reddish copper color with about a half an inch of white head that lasts for a few minutes. Aroma is robust and hoppy, I detect light almost brandy like aromas that mix in ever so nicely. If I could only describe the satisfied smile on my face after taking a few sips of this beer. The hop profile of this beer is immense, it is no doubt that hops are added regularly during the 60 minute boil of this beers wort. What is so wonderful about this beer is how smooth and balanced it is while still being almost only hoppy. Nice bitterness comes first I am thinking I am noticing some of the Warrior hops, but then comes a gentler citrus like hop flavor that still includes a wonderful bitter hint. Mouthfeel is medium but body is light making this beer very drinkable if you are used to a hoppy beer. With a 6% ABV I could see myself easily drinking far too many of these and not noticing, though I would almost expect it to be a stronger beer with its wonderfully complex hop flavors. Drinking this beer makes me more and more excited at the opportunity to someday drink their 90 and 120 Minute versions because I am sure they will be able to balance their respective contents marvelously if the 60 Minute is any example. Though this beer is unquestionably designed for hop fans and will almost certainly quench the thirst of any beer geek, I think someone who isn’t accustomed to so much hop flavor my also be able to appreciate this brew if they were to give it a chance because of its interesting balance. Not exactly for the wary but if you like a good artisan beer this is a wonderful choice and like any IPAÂ would go marvelously with a nice spicy dish. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | 8 Comments »
September 15th, 2008 beckel
I don’t know much about Full Sail brewing other than that they are located in Hood River, Oregon but a friend of mine has had only good things to say so I thought I should give them a chance. Upon reading the bottle it appears they are employee owned which always deserves some extra credit in my book. While almost picking up their normal IPA I came across a bottle of the Prodigal Sun on the shelf and couldn’t bring myself to put it down. Part of their Brewmaster’s Reserve series of unique beers I am sure to be satisfied. Upon opening this beer I am already happy, immense hop aroma is notable even before I bring my nose to the glass. After the few inches of off white frothy head evaporate you can really smell this beer. Wonderful sweet and bitter hop aromas overwhelm the nose with a few citrus hints sneaking in. The color of this beer is delightful, a bright orange with hints of red and a good amount transparency. The flavor of this beer is pretty nice, quite bitter and hoppy with only a little malt sweetness and a bit tangy of an aftertaste. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium but its body isn’t too thick. At 6.2% ABV this beer certainly isn’t overpowering but the bitterness doesn’t hide the alcohol content either. Some of the citrus and floral notes of this beer do a nice job of trying to balance the bitter hop content but they aren’t able to overpower it. This would be a lovely beer to drink with a meal, be it simple steak and potatoes or something rather spicy and full flavored, the hop flavor of this beer would do a nice job rounding off most meals, not to mention compliment any spices present. This bottle was a somewhat pricey in comparison to their 6-packs but it is certainly full flavored and not bad. I would suggest this beer to those who are into an IPA that doesn’t hide where it is coming from and don’t mind bitterness. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | No Comments »
July 30th, 2008 beckel
I was informed that the Town Hall Brewery of Minneapolis was releasing a beer made with only warrior hops so I thought it was damn time I made my way over there. Drinking a single hopped beer is a great way to learn about a particular hop and what it can do to the aroma, flavor and even body of a beer. The Warrior Double dry pours a nice light copper color that is somewhat transparent. Smell is heavy on the hops, somewhat sweet but largely bitter aroma. Body is medium light. This beer has an insane hop profile, quite bitter but with a twisted tangy flavor that is almost like a citrus. This is a very interesting flavored beer and hop variety. Over all a darn good beer coming in at 5.5% ABV and definitely worth trying particularly if you adore hops. Drink it while its still around. 
While I was at it I figured I should sample some of their Masala Mama IPA that was cask aged. This beer cascades immensely from a lovely hazy orange color to a nice amber red that is barely transparent. Aroma is slightly hoppy but smooth sweet malt is more predominate. Mouthfeel is light. The flavor of this beer is surprisingly sweet. Slight bitterness is present initially but overpowered by immense flavorful malt sweetness with a slight hint of caramel. Head is thick, persistent and off white. Not what I was expecting, but still a good beer. It will be interesting to try their normal IPA sometime to compare. If you like a sweet smooth IPA this is for you.
Lastly I ordered some of their Cow Tipper a seasonal coming in at 5.7% ABV. Light copper in color quite transparent. Smells strongly like a pilsner, heavy malt scent. Head is relatively large but fades quickly. Light mouthfeel and very drinkable. Tastes of full flavored pilsner malts, very nice flavor balance particularly seeing as I tend to not prefer pilsners. Quite carbonated. If you like a pilsner with a bit more flavor this is a grand choice, likely perfect on a hot summer day like we’ve been having as of late. Give Town Hall some love and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer, Minnesota Beer | 1 Comment »
July 13th, 2008 beckel
Boulevard Brewing is an interesting and rather large, craft brewery out of Kansas City, Missouri. They make some decent beers so when I saw a few of their big bottles, called the smokestack series, I thought I should give one a try. The Double-Wide IPA pours a very nice roasted red color with a good amount of somewhat tan head that is rather light in body. Aroma is a decent mix of malt and hops, somewhat bitter and a tad bit of fermented fruit. Mouthfeel is pretty light and the flavor is very intense. Bitter hop flavors are all over, almost a little much. The malt flavor adds a hint of sweetness but is not able to balance the bitter. This beer is classified as an IPA, but with 8.5% ABV one may be inclined to categorize it as a imperial IPA. Over all this is a decent Imperial IPA, but i feel it has much more potential if they could manage to balance it a bit better. If your looking for a strong bitter beer that should be available around most of the Midwest this is a reasonable choice. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | No Comments »
July 3rd, 2008 beckel
Previously I have had the opportunity to try a couple of beers from Tyranena Brewing, all from their “extreme” line if you will which they call Brewers Gone Wild. Perhaps I was introduced to this company with a bit of a bias because big beers are what I love. None the less after my first sip of Tyranena’s Bitter Woman IPA I know my bias is not without reason. Brewed in Lake Mills, Wisconsin this beer pours a delightfully red amber color, when brought to light it is more transparent, but still very nicely colored amber. Head is modest and white, but may erupt if you do not pour carefully. Scent is intense , incredibly hop filled but not bitter. Flavor, where to start with the flavor. Initially this beer is almost sweet, but somewhat bitter as hops are certainly present. Flavor is very smooth and malty in the end which makes the flavor of this beer all the more interesting. Mouthfeel is light. Simply this is a must try beer. It is much more malty than I would typically expect (and prefer) in an IPA, but the flavor profiles are simply amazing. This is a well balanced beer, with the 5.75% ABV barely noticeable with the malty finish. I am excited to drink more of this beer with a variety of foods because I think the flavor will come out nicely in a variety of ways depending on your current palate. If you like India Pale Ales at all, or perhaps more so if you would like an IPA with more of an intense malt profile you really need to try this beer. Over all very flavorful and impressive for a year round beer. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | No Comments »
June 23rd, 2008 beckel
Oh Surly how I do love you. I have to start this post with a bit of full disclosure. This beer given to me the day of my twentieth birthday was the beginning of my love for American craft beer. It is brewed by the innovative Surly Brewing Company in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Not to be confused by Surly bikes another grand company that started in the state of Minnesota. Furious is an IPA that represents what an American IPA should be in my opinion. Pours a deep hazy red color that starts to fade to a slight orange tint in bright light. Plentiful slightly tan head. Smells strongly of hops with a bit of bitterness but very well balanced. Tastes strongly of hops, particularly the cascade variety. Which is to be expected with its 99 IBUs and 6.2% ABV. Very full flavored and certainly a bit bitter for those not used to the heavy hop punch, overall incredibly well balanced with a nice malt undertone on the front of the palate that helps ward off the bitterness in the end. Mouthfeel is quite smooth and makes this a very refreshing beer for anytime of the year. I whole heartedly encourage everyone to try this beer because it may show you flavors you have never enjoyed before, particularly if you care for a hoppy beer. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer, Minnesota Beer | 1 Comment »
June 13th, 2008 beckel
Yesterday was the 1st day that the liquor stores were willing to accept my money. So without further ado we shall discuss the wonderful IPA from Bells, Two Hearted Ale from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Pours a nice slightly hazy apricot color with a solid very white head. Smells slightly fruity with a touch of bitterness present. Slight fruit taste is present but finishes a bit bitter, very nice hoppy flavors. Smooth light mouthfeel. This is one of my favorite beers it is simple and well balanced but still manages to pack a good punch with its hop filled flavor and 7% ABV. Perhaps not the kind of beer you want to drink too many of too quickly but this beer hits my palate just right. Would taste even better with some nice spicy food. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Posted in Beer | No Comments »