All posts by Kat Magy

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.
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You’re Bringing What to my Party?!

By Kat Magy
Michael over at The Four Firkins suggested that Alaskan Brewing’s Winter Ale, Anchor Brewing’s Old Foghorn and North Coast Brewing’s Old Stock Ale might warm the soul a little bit more as we transition into chillier weather.

 

These are the only beers I will be accepting in the form of a Holiday Five-Pack this year.

 

Alaskan Winter Ale

From the Alaskan tasting notes, “Brewed in the style of an English Olde Ale, this ale balances the sweet heady aroma of spruce tips with the clean crisp finish of noble hops. Its malty richness is complemented by the warming sensation of alcohol.”

 Kat: In the light this beer appears to be a burnt orange. The aroma is really, really light. The first sip is light as well but then it explodes across your tongue. The flavor blossoms into something that is bread-y with a floral taste. I want to say it has a really warm, subtle fruit flavor beneath the roasted malt flavor. The aftertaste is something you could probably sink your teeth into. It leaves a tingling sensation in its wake.

Marcus: This has a nice, red color. That surprises me for a Winter Ale. It yields a very nice, traditional head. It smells boozy, but otherwise there’s not much else there. It has a very malty taste – you can start to feel the alcohol towards the end. It has a really pleasant aftertaste with just a hint of hops.

Anchor Brewing Old Foghorn

This Barleywine Style Ale is described by the brewery as, “Brewed based on traditional English barleywine methods. It is highly hopped, fermented with a true top-fermenting ale yeast, carbonated by a natural process called “bunging” to produce champagne-like bubbles, and dry-hopped with additional Cascade hops while it ages in our cellars. Made only from “first wort,” the rich first runnings of an all-malt mash, three mashes are required to produce just one barleywine brew.”

Kat: This beer is a very clear chestnut color. It has a cloyingly sweet nose with a sharp alcohol aroma that tends towards molasses. Carbonation explodes across the tongue with soft bubbles.  It tastes almost like a molasses cookie without the crunch and leaves a very, very dry finish.

Marcus: This beer is a dark red, rusty color. My first impression is that it’s hoppy and malty in a balanced way. A really good blend of the two – it opens up malty and ends bitter and hoppy. This is one of the few beers where the smell is consistent with the taste. And, frankly? It’s really good.

North Coast Old Stock Ale

As they tell it, “Like a fine port, Old Stock Ale is intended to be laid down. With an original gravity of over 1.100 and a generous hopping rate, Old Stock Ale is well-designed to round out and mellow with age. It’s brewed with classic Maris Otter malt and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, all imported from England.”

Kat: The color of this beer is a clear, deep reddish-brown. It has a very light smell that is mostly alcohol, bordering on harsh. I do get a slight hint of black licorice or anise, but that’s about as far as it goes. Upon first sip it’s sweet and then assaults you with yet more of that harsh, to be blunt, booze flavor. It sort of distracts from any other flavors that could accompany it. Only after I roll it across the tongue do I feel a drier, chewier beer.

Marcus: I’m going to call this “brown.” It has a very deep malty smell that isn’t terribly heavy or particularly indicative of anything. The taste is lighter than expected but it lingers for a while. It’s very malty, sweet and smooth. There isn’t a great deal of hop presence here, but that’s what differentiates the English Barleywine from the American Barleywine.

Our Preferences…

Strong Ales and Barleywines are probably Marcus’ favorite variety of beer (though Oktoberfest is most assuredly his favorite time of year). So, what will we load up in those Holiday Five-Packs?

Kat

1. Alaskan Winter Ale

2. Anchor Old Foghorn

3. North Coast Old Stock Ale

 

Marcus

1. Anchor Old Foghorn

2. North Coast Old Stock Ale

3. Alaskan Winter Ale

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You’re Bringing What to My Party?!

By Kat Magy

Just in case you haven’t yet, take a moment and pinch yourself so you remember that there is a wide world of beer outside of Our Great State.

Revolutionary, right?

Michael at The Four Firkins was so kind as to assist us in our release into the wild by having us range far and wide for a selection of Porters to help us properly adjust to the fall weather.  Because we all know the changing of seasons has nothing to do with the changing of light and temperatures and everything to do with how dark your beer is.

It’s just science, people.

Our line-up for today? Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter, Great Lakes Brewing’s Edmund Fitzgerald and Founders Brewing’s Porter.

Samuel Smith Taddy Porter

From the horse’s mouth, “Brewed with well water (the original well at the Old Brewery, sunk in 1758, is still in use, with the hard well water being drawn from 85 feet underground), malted barley, roasted malt, yeast and hops. Fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’. “

Kat: Upon first look, it’s dark brown with a reddish undertone. I’m finding that it has a nutty scent that has a really familiar feel. The first sip is bitter with a subtle hint of something that I would call fruity, sort of in the same way that you might find a fruity tone in a bit of really dark chocolate. This is the first time I’ve tasted a beer where I really understood the phrase “biscuity.” It really rolls across the palate.

Marcus: It’s very dark brown. The nose is not very strong but what is there smells really dark, with a pronounced roasted malty note. It doesn’t taste nearly as dark as it smells, which is always surprising to me. It’s definitely a brown porter with a medium body. There’s a somewhat nutty flavor, but it’s subtle. It has a clean finish in my opinion.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead but what Great Lakes gives up about the Edmund Fitzgerald is that it’s, “A complex, roasty porter with a bittersweet, chocolate-coffee taste and bold hop presence.”

Kat: This is a harder read – dark brown, maybe a hint of ruby red when held up to the light fixture. Yes, I really brought the beer that close to the light in order to be able to take a look at the color. Nose-wise, it has an extremely dry breadcrust smell that borders on sweet. Taste-wise, the most prominent flavor seems to be a burnt one that evolved into an extremely dry biscuit-coffee flavor. There is a bit more carbonation than expected. It really sneaks back into your nose and tingles on the tongue afterwards.

Marcus: This beer is a solid dark brown, for those members of the group who are not going to put their beer against a light fixture. It has a stronger malty smell which is complemented by a strong, but not overwhelming, dark roasted malt taste with just a hint of coffee. Clean finish.

Founders Porter

Succinctly named, this porter, “Pours silky black with a creamy tan head. The nose is sweet with strong chocolate and caramel malt presence. No absence of hops gives Founders’ robust porter the full flavor you deserve and expect. Cozy like velvet. It’s a lover, not a fighter.”

Kat: This beer is black as night. Surprisingly, I’m not getting a ton off the nose – it’s light and a little bit roasty. Everything about this beer is bitter, but in as a complete inverse from hoppy beers. The flavor I’m tasting the most is a sharp espresso that finishes strong but smooth.

Marcus: Since we have to give this one a color, I’ll say that it’s the darkest of the beers, with a darker head than the other two beers we poured tonight. Like other porters, the initial scent of this beer yields roasted malt undertones but I feel like there’s a mild hop note that sneaks in, too.  This beer is extremely flavor-forward with a hint of chocolate and an extremely bitter finish.

Our Preferences…

This round, you have to understand that the only way we’re showing up at your party is if you have a campfire and some Hudson’s Bay blankets on offer. And maybe a pot of chili on the stove. Because it can’t hurt to ask. Assuming you’ve met these standards, here’s what we’re bringing.

Kat
1. Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
2. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald
3. Founders Porter

Marcus
1. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald
2. Founders Porter
3. Samuel Smith Taddy Porter

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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You’re Bringing What to My Party?!

It seemed somewhat inappropriate to celebrate a month of Minnesota beer without ever stepping into a brewery to do some sampling. So we’ll wrap it up on this high note with a visit to Steel Toe Brewing in St. Louis Park. Plus, it’s good for us to get out of the house sometimes, right?  Right. 

An added incentive to visit: an inherited growler from my dad that needed filling. Because every time a growler goes empty, someone buys a case of Bud. You didn’t know that Old Wives’ Tale?  Me neither. But it sounded sort of scary in my head.

Jason believes in tasting beers in order of bitterness (low to high) and with the selection he has, I can’t say that I blame him for that judgement call.

Provider 

This beer is described as having a slightly sweet malt flavor and floral hop aroma. Unfiltered…

Kat: I think this has a very pastoral, grassy scent that carries through the first sip. It’s a radiant golden color and the unfiltered component looks really lovely in the light. I know beers aren’t brewed to be “pretty”, but this one is. The first taste shows me a very light beer with some decent bubbles. Nothing about it is overpowering – it’s a very mellow beer that builds at the back of your mouth over time. There’s some citrus brightness here, but I’m more encouraged by a really great malt-hop balance that makes this so easy to drink.

Marcus: I’m not getting a lot with the initial sniff on this. Extremely hazy, because it isn’t filtered which gives it a great golden color. The taste is extremely mild with a pretty clean finish. There’s a bit of flavor left behind but nothing remarkable. It feels sessionable for sure.  

Dissent 

Said to be bold and complex from a tremendous amount of roasted malts, yet smooth and rich from the addition of oats.

 

Kat: This beer has no secrets whatsoever. I’ve got a bit of a cold going on and I’m still on the border of being overpowered by the malty, roasted coffee scent. This beer is so thick that, even when held up to the window, no light passes through, which gives you an idea of just how dark its color is. It has a more bitter flavor than I was expecting, but when you think about the coffee aroma on the nose, it’s more fitting. It really sticks to the roof of your mouth after every sip. 

Marcus: I mean, it’s basically black when it comes to the color. You can’t really elaborate on that.  It has a really strong malty smell that borders on the edge of bitter and burnt. The beer tastes the same as it smells, but I would say that the nose is stronger than the actual flavor, strength-wise.  For as much as this beer should feel “heavy” when you drink it, I’m surprised by how much lighter the mouthfeel is.

 

Rainmaker 

Said to be brewed with caramel and dark roasted malts then doused with a torrent of hops. 

Kat: This beer is a deep amber red, bordering on maroon. I’ve been consistently overwhelmed by red ales over the course of my drinking lifetime, so I was looking forward to tasting this “double” version. It is so bitter, and so hoppy. After that first hoppy bite, the richer, roasted flavor rolls in. Kind of like a tag team. Exactly like a tag team.

 

Marcus: If you blindfolded me and told me to give this a whiff, I would tell you that it is an IPA because this beer is so hop-forward. Instead, you give it a whiff and see a red beer sitting in front of you. The expression of the hops’ bitterness is really great here – sometimes things can be too bitter and this beer doesn’t go there. The taste really stays with you.

 

Size 7 

What does Steel Toe have to say? “We take prodigious amounts of hops and add them any chance we get to this Northwest style IPA.” 

Kat: This has a buttery caramel color that is startlingly clear. For how hoppy I was expecting this beer to be, the hop aroma is much more…gentle. Sweet, almost. I think that means that they were just saving their attack for the main event. Once you’re drinking it, this beer is appropriately bitter and all hop. Personally, I seem to be feeling it the most in the back of my mouth.

Marcus: To me, this beer sits on the gold-orange border. The nose is a very floral hop scent.  Once you start drinking, the bitter flavor starts crashing over your palate and it really doesn’t stop once you’re done. You can taste the malt in here but not because it’s balanced, more in the sense that it’s a “contrasting color” to the hop flavor. It’s pretty bold in its intentions.

Our Preferences…

Well, if you want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God, we’re more than happy to give it to you.

There wasn’t a bad beer in the bunch and we’re refusing to play favorites. We would view the friend who offered us a pint of Dissent in the same way that we would regard the one offering us Rainmaker. Which is to say that we would like to meet these friends and down one together.

Cheers!

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You’re Bringing What to My Party?!

Yes, this month is about Minnesota, but to ignore Oktoberfest, would be to ignore the elephant in the room.

Oktoberfest beer is also known as Marzenbier. What does this mean? Well, for one, Marzen is the German word for March. Which is the month that this beer was historically brewed. Why brew beer during the month that comes in like a lion? Because in the old days they didn’t have refrigeration, and that meant that brewers were unable to actively practice their craft during the summer months.

Can I get an Amen for technological progress?

Today, that’s a non-issue for us, but it doesn’t diminish the enthusiasm we have for the special time of year known as Oktoberfest.

So, while we won’t be visiting Munich, I can tell you that we’re sojourning to Schell’s Brewing Co. in New Ulm, Summit Brewing Company in Saint Paul, and Lake Superior Brewing Company in Duluth to taste their interpretations of the beloved Marzenbier.

Schell’s Oktoberfest
Schell’s tells us that its Oktoberfest is, “Brewed with the perfect balance of Pale, Munich, and Cara Pils malt with Liberty and Perle hops to create a rich, smooth taste.”

Kat: This is a radiant, light orange. There is a really light head on the pour that fades quickly. The Nose is toasty. Sweet. Nothing too powerful. The first sip yields some club soda big-bubble-style effervescence that is a little bit intense. This seems to be a theme with the Schell’s beers I drink.  The actual flavor is sweet and extremely malt forward. The mouthfeel is much lighter than the taste alone would suggest. It lingers at the back of the palate initially but moves forward over time.

Marcus: This looks like a dirty gold to me. The nose is much more reminiscent of a lager than anything else, actually. Flavor-wise this is a much lighter beer than I would expect. It has a great malty taste that isn’t overpowering and a clean finish.

Summit Oktoberfest
Summit describes this Oktoberfest offering as, “Northern Brewer hops from Germany. Rich, toffee malt flavors up front with a clean hop finish.”

Kat: This has a richer, copper color to me. When I give it a good whiff it has a rich, grainy thing happening. It really blooms mid-palate for me. There’s a mild malt presentation that starts to get stronger towards the end and builds strength as you continue to sip.

Marcus: The color is not-so-gold anymore, it toes the border of light brown. This beer has a much fuller, darker malt scent. The taste is uniformly strong all the way through, without being too heavy. It’s malty-smooth. The taste really takes up residence on the back of your tongue.

Lake Superior Oktoberfest
Lake Superior describes this Oktoberfest quite succinctly as, “German hops float atop a rich caramel malt base.”

Kat: This is a legitimate, dark amber color. Like, you might trap some insects in here and fossilize them. It has a really heavy, dark malt scent that comes off as sweet. Mouthfeel-wise, I don’t want to declare this smooth, but there’s not a lot going on here. We hit one malty note briefly mid-sip and then it just vanishes. There is no aftertaste. It’s very simple.

Marcus: This is a golden brown. It smells much fuller than the other two beers – syrup-y is a good way to put it, actually. After taking in the scent, I’ll be honest – the flavor is really underwhelming comparatively. It’s smooth but the flavor profile falls a bit flat. There’s a slight flavor peak in the middle but that’s the whole show.

Our Preferences…
Apparently we’re trying to start some sort of streak because once again, we have consensus on the issue of what to bring to your party.

1. Summit Oktoberfest
2. Schell’s Oktoberfest
3. Lake Superior Oktoberfest

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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You’re Bringing What to My Party?!

Thank you so much for bearing with us through last week’s brief intermission!

This week we’re traveling across the state to Mankato Brewery in Mankato, Fulton Brewing in Minneapolis, and Flat Earth Brewing in Saint Paul.

I wouldn’t have thought to grab the Flat Earth bottle (honestly, I didn’t know this particular beer existed) until Ian at The Four Firkins pointed it out to me in the fridge and suggested it as The Hoppiest Grand Finale. How was I supposed to say no to that? The man knows what’s what.

What you may notice color-wise is that this week we’re tasting from dark to light, and least to most bitter. Por que? Because depending on what sort of tasting situation you find yourself in, it may make more sense to taste beers in order of ascending IBU.

For those members of the group who may not be familiar with the term IBU, it stands for International Bitterness Unit. What does the IBU tell us? How bitter a beer is. Bitterness in beer is obtained through hops. The hoppier the beer, the higher the IBU. And that’s what it’s all about.

Mankato Stickum
Mankato teaches us that Stickum is a Sticke-Altbier. It is described as being bitter, featuring malt and caramel flavors as well as “earthy-spicy hop” flavor and a “winey character.”

Kat: This has a beautiful deep red coloring, bordering on maroon. I’m tasting effervescence more than flavor. To the point where the aftertaste is just all fizz to me, too. The malt/hop balance here is just not doing it for me.

Marcus: I feel like there’s a sausage in here – it’s spicy. I can feel hops at the head but they don’t really seem to express themselves anywhere else. There’s a brief glimpse of malt here, but that’s it. The aftertaste leans a bit to the bitter side. Maybe that’s the definition of balance – a little bit of everything?

Mike: My nose doesn’t know what to make of this. It tastes spicy, but in the sense that it’s all you can taste. It finishes a little caramel. A little malty. Very acidic. There are no secrets here.

Fulton Sweet Child of Vine
Fulton explains that this beer is hopped during the boil and late-in-the-game during fermentation. Balanced by malt, it “will keep you coming back for more.”

Kat: I have always thought that this beer has a really pretty, light caramel color. The hop nose is very gentle. For some reason, it almost reminds me of Lemon Lift tea. What I really like is that the hop flavor slow-burns and continues to build as you continue to sip. It finishes easily.

Marcus: I’d call this a burnt orange. The smell of the hops is not as strong as the hop taste. But, once you get that first hit of hops, the flavor lingers pleasantly. I really love hoppy beers, so this is palatable. I could drink a few of them without getting tired of the flavor.

Mike: Orange. That’s what this is. The smell is not overpowering, which is good because while it has a dry hoppy flavor, it’s a fairly plain IPA. I enjoy it as much as the next person, but I don’t taste anything that distinguishes it from any other IPA I’ve had.

Flat Earth Northwest Passage
Flat Earth sings its own praises (and rightfully so) as having the hoppiest IPA in the Midwest with a whopping 115 IBU.

Kat: Color-wise, this is the lightest of the three with a reddish undertone. Give it a sniff and, Hello, hops! This beer has such a strong hop flavor, initially, and it just carries on – it rolls you over. There are definitely some bubbles that hit on the front of tongue. The flavor only intensifies with the aftertaste. Come prepared to commit to this one.

Marcus: Looks-wise, this is dark golden. For lack of a better description, it just smells like a hop pellet. I don’t want to say it starts subtle, because it’s already hoppy, but the hop flavor intensifies as you continue to wade your way through this one.

Mike: This one smells much stronger than Sweet Child of Vine. It has a very even flavor –  it doesn’t start stronger than it finishes. I feel like that’s somewhat rare in beers these days. There is a solid hop flavor throughout or to quote a meme (is that okay?), “Ermahgerd, is this beer strong or does my tolerance suck?” I really taste one note and one note only: HOPS.

Our Preferences…
Bizarrely enough, after a month of tasting, we finally all managed to agree. But just this once, so don’t get used to it. What are we bringing to your party?

1. Sweet Child of Vine
2. Northwest Passage
3. Stickum

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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ABR Post Mortem

You’re Bringing What to My Party?! is taking a break this week so that we
can wrap up the festivities of the Autumn Brew Review. But stay tuned
because come next Monday, we will be plunging directly back into the
heart of Minnesota Beer month.

Y’all,
I was ready to share my tasting notes from the Autumn Brew Review with you, and at some point between getting a pour of Surly Syx at around 4:50 and getting into a friend’s car, I ended up casting off my program containing my notes. We probably could have seen this one coming from a mile away, but hindsight is always 20/20.

I think next time, we’ll be testing the method of tearing pages out of the book and putting them in my purse. Thus eliminating the need to mind any booklets.

So, no tasting notes. But the good news is that while I accidentally ditched my program, I didn’t ditch my phone. So, we have something to work off of.

The order of events:

1. Bell’s Le Pianiste

2. Ommegang Biere d’Hougoumont

3. Tallgrass Velvet Rooster

4. Avery The Reverend

5. Widmer Old Embalmer

6. Bell’s Black Note (at the The Bulldog Uptown’s tap takeover)

In a Biere de Garde face-off, I would pick Ommegang’s Biere D’Hougoumont
over Bell’s Le Pianiste in an instant. They were both great brews, but I
think the Biere D’Hougoumont was probably helped by the extra 1%
ABV that Le Pianiste lacked while hitting the same IBU level. That
being said, I really didn’t notice the oak or the maple that the beer
was aged on. It was a nice idea, though.

TheTallgrass Velvet Rooster truly was the perfect beer for a hot summer
day. It had a great blend of crisp effervescence with a light citrus
touch. Nothing about it was overbearing and it went down frighteningly
easy. One friend remarked that they found it to have a mouthfeel that
was much lighter than the posted 8% ABV. This is a typical trait of
Belgian-Style Tripels.

I was kind of joking when I mentioned Elf in my description of Avery’s The Reverend. But after just one sip, the first words out of my mouth were, “Oh my god this is Buddy the Elf’s favorite beer.”
Describing it as having “a heart of candy sugar” was probably the
understatement of the year. It was practically syrup. Even after
trying to think about other aspects of the beer that were remarkable, I
keep coming back to SWEET.

It’s really a good thing that I ended up putting Widmer’s Old Embalmer at
the bottom of my tasting order because once we got to the booth, we
were informed that it wouldn’t be tapping until 4:00 PM. How was
it? I know that I got the first pour. We’ll call this one a lesson in
why breweries should never wait until the last hour of a festival to tap
specific beers.

Last, but not least, Bell’s Black Note. We did end up making it to the tap
takeover at The Bulldog Uptown and it was just a phenomenal time. I had
never attended a takeover before, so it was extremely cool to see all
of the Bell’s beers on parade. If you have yet to go to a takeover, I highly recommend it.

What to say about this beer…The bourbon barrel-infused scent was
unmistakable and incredibly strong. It’s very rare that I meet a beer I
would be happy to smell for an evening without ever drinking it.
That’s not the point of beer, after all. But if there ever was such a
thing, this is it. Black Note is alarmingly smooth and full bodied
(especially where chocolate/coffee notes are concerned), with flavors
continuing to bloom well after you have stopped sipping.

Cheers!

Kat
Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling
Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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A Guide to What is New at ABR

2012 has been a banner year for new breweries and expansion in Minnesota. Here’s a look at just a few of the new brewhouses that have popped up across the state and will be on parade at the Autumn Brew Review.

Badger Hill Brewing Company – Minnetonka, MN –  No. 25

While it was named through a rough translation of two brothers’ names in Old English, the first thing I think of when I hear the name “Badger Hill” is Brian Jacques’ Redwall series.

Anyone?

Given that it was one of my favorite series to read growing up, I’m hoping that the beers of Badger Hill will become fast favorites, as well. Based out of Minnetonka, MN, Badger Hill is wasting no time in bringing some of its favorite flavors to life. What will be pouring for us… an MSB (Minnesota Special Bitter) that is in the English Special Bitters style. This has a 5.7% ABV and a 47 IBU. It is also available in cask. It’s followed by Three Tree American Rye which is an American Rye with 5.2% ABV and 48 IBU.

Brainerd Lakes Brewing – Brainerd Lakes, MN – No. 12

I actually got to have my first Brainerd Lakes sample care of Zorbaz Crozz Lake in August. It’s one I’ll probably remember for a long while because when I asked about the First Pull IPA tap (I didn’t recognize it), a 40-year-old in a cream-colored sweater turned around and said, “It’s an IPA – that means India Pale Ale.”

Seriously, thank you for that educational tidbit sweater man.

And for those members of the group who missed it, all together now: IPA = India Pale Ale.

What will be pouring…First Pull IPA, which is styled as an American IPA with 6.75% ABV and 45 IBU; as well as One-Eyed Pike which is an American Wheat with 5.75% ABV and 18 IBU.

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub – Minneapolis, MN – No. 6

According to the website, Northbound will be opening its physical location in the next week or so. That being said, get out your eatin’ pants because if there is one thing that beer drinkers love more than putting back a pint, it’s tearing into a platter of meat.

Just call it the modern-day version of the Paleo Diet.

While it won’t have any savories on offer (it’s cool, we can start a support group, I would be so simpatico with a meat tasting), Northbound is bringing us Big Jim IPA, which is an American IPA weighing in at 7.2% ABV and 92 IBU, as well as Wild Rice Amber, which tips the scale at 6.6% ABV and 43 IBU. Does this mean that Barley John’s Wild Brunette has some friendly competition? Maybe.

Pour Decisions Brewing Co. – Roseville, MN – No. 2

With the most Minnesotan of all debuts at the State Fair, those of us who did not get a chance to make it to the Land of 10,000 beers now have a chance to get in on the action as Pour Decisions will be joining us for the Autumn Brew Review this year!

Pour Decisions will be serving its inaugural brew, Pubstitute, with a 2.9% ABV and 12 IBU as well as its Patersbier which is modeled after a Monk’s Daily Ale with a 5.7% ABV and 41 IBU.

Glewwe’s Castle Brewery – Prior Lake, MN – No. 51

One of the things that always drives me bats about beer festivals is that sober participants have to pay. Does that mean I live in fear of the day I become pregnant and thus a designated driver? Absolutely.

But back to the sober participants. Yes, they pay a reduced cost with the understanding that they will not have the variety that non-sober participants do. But, I mean, come on! Can anyone over the age of 10 really drink Root Beer for four hours straight? Absolutely not. Unless you plan on ending up in some sort of diabetic coma. So, I think it’s really inappropriate to expect these folks to.

Glewwe’s Castle Brewery to the rescue!

To cut the heaviness of the classic Root Beer, it will be offering great sippers, including Mushtown Cream Soda, Mary Ann’s Ginger Ale and Swamp Angel Voodoo Black Cherry.  And if, somehow, you haven’t gotten your fill of Root Beer, its classic Spring Lake Root Beer will be on offer, as well.

Like I’ve said before, if you’re at the ABR and see me, let’s grab a taster and do a proper cheers! I’d love to meet as many of you as possible.

Cheers, and see y’all tomorrow!

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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Autumn Brew Review – Five to Try

I remember my first Autumn Brew Review five years ago. What I really mean is that it was my first exposure to beer, that outside of some very basic better-than-average beer, was not Milwaukee’s Best. Beer that was not served on a piece of plywood covering a pool table, in a red solo cup or in a bro-filled bar.

I want you to close your eyes and imagine that.

Because it’s the beer drinker’s equivalent of being able to see in color for the first time. There were beers brewed with fruits and beers that tasted like coffee and beers that were sweet. Sour beers, session beers, beers that were the color of sunshine and beers the color of pumpernickel bread.

How far we have come since then.

I can comfortably say that at this year’s brew review, I don’t want to drink anything that I’ve consumed before. Not because I’m some sort of special snowflake, but precisely because the Twin Cities beer community has reached a point where we do have so many options. We don’t have to go far to drink good beer and we do not suffer for lack of variety.

So, for my Top 5 tasting choices (trying to narrow the number of beers on showcase at the Autumn Brew Review is somewhat of a joke), I decided to go with an all out-of-state lineup. We have an entire winter review dedicated to Minnesota breweries and their beers.

All beer descriptions are taken directly from the 2012 Autumn Brew Review Program.

Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY – Biere D’Hougoumont

Our limited edition Biere’d’Hougoumont is brewed with traditional French ale yeast, eight malts, French Strisselspalt hops and aged on white oak and hard maple wooden staves.
ABV: 7.3% IBU: 20 Style: Biere de Garde Serving Type: Draft

If I had to choose a favorite beer of the summer, it would have to be Ommegang’s Gnomegang. Partially because the keg at Devil’s Advocate blew immediately after we tasted it and came to the realization that we could drink no other, and partially because when we finally did find it at Grumpy’s it was served to us in pint glasses. Glory be. All of that talk about another beer aside, I’m never disappointed by Ommegang’s beers. Ever. And truly, I’ve never heard of Strisselspalt hops (my job here is not The Expert), so I definitely want in on that party. Plus, I’m a fan of oak. In wine, in beer, period.

Avery Brewing Company, Boulder, CO – Reverend

This beer is strong-willed, assertive, and pure of heart, a heart of candy sugar. It contains as many authentic imported Belgian specialty malts as the brewers could cram into our mash tun, and lots of Belgian dark candy sugar stirred into the brew kettle. A divinely complex and beautifully layered beer with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complemented by an underlying spiciness.
ABV: 10% IBU:– Style:– Serving Type: Draft

I want to say that my first introduction to Avery was a bottle of its White Rascal earlier this spring. Opposites attract, so Reverent was a logical second date. After running over the description, I’m not sure whether or not this is going to be a big-boned Belgian-arrangement or something so sweet that it will make me want to answer the phone saying, Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color? Truly, I can’t wait to take a whiff of this.

Bell’s Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI

Le Pianiste
The second in a three-part series of jazz-inspired interpretations on the French Biere de Garde style, Le Pianiste starts as a malt forward beer, combining biscuity, breadcrust notes with a light caramel flavor. Noticeably dry, the finish is crisp with a lively, refreshing acidity.
ABV: 5.8% IBU: 20 Style: Biere de Garde Serving Type: Draft

Black Note
One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. Aimed squarely at stout and bourbon afficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.  Will be tapped at 3 PM.
ABV: 11.5% IBU: — Style: Stout aged in bbls Serving Type: Draft

I know. I KNOW. I cheated! But here’s the reality: while Black Note is the beer I want to taste probably the most of all, it’s being tapped at…3:00 PM. While it is my intention to be mentally present and able to behave myself at 3:00 PM, we all know that it’s best not to make promises we may or may not actually be able to keep. Thus, I solemnly swear to you all that if I taste Black Note at the Autumn Brew Review (or at the Uptown Bulldog’s tap takeover), I will give you the rundown.

In the meantime, Le Pianiste. We’ll call this a lovely intermission because it’s only hitting 5.8% on the ABV scale, which relative to the rest of my top picks, is extremely light in comparison. Hell, after going through the rest of the program, it’s lighter than a significant number of the beers on offer. And I thought it would be nice to be able to contrast two beers in the Biere de Garde Style (the other being Ommegang’s Biere’d’Hougoumont). Sign me up. I could use a little bit of “refreshing acidity” in my life to cut through the other beers we’ll be sampling.

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Portland, OR – Old Embalmer ‘12

Old Embalmer Barleywine is great upon release, but true to its name, will have a perfect place in the cellar. Brewed with copious amounts of malts, this year’s version features Bravo hops that lend earthy and floral qualities for a brilliant balance & velvety finish.
ABV: 10.2% IBU: 75 Style: Barleywine Serving Type: Draft

Barleywine. Oh, barleywine. Can I confess for a moment? Barleywine had never passed my lips until last autumn. Now, we have a basement stash of it. Was it in the 90s this week? Yes. Does barleywine make me wish for winter? Also, yes. None of this matters, really. And for something that has nothing to do with the actual beer, it’s called Old Embalmer. I rarely pick beers for their names, but this is just too spooky not to.

Tallgrass Brewing Company, Manhattan, KS – Velvet Rooster

Our take on a Belgian-style Tripel. Clean and crisp, with subtle fruit notes and a touch of candy like sweetness. The beer has a Champagne-like effervescent that provides a crisp offset to its sweet finish.
ABV: 8.5% IBU: 33 Style: Belgian-Style Tripel Serving Type: Cans

Dear Surly, thank you for teaching us that good things can come out of cans. Fact: that I chose a can of something when I could choose a keg of something else may rank amongst my best decisions of the day, or the worst. The jury is still out, but I’m hoping that Tallgrass’ Canifesto (seriously) holds. From a general beverage perspective, I will openly confess that I have a deep and abiding love for champagne and club soda. I also love a good Tripel. So this just sounds like a treat.

Like I’ve said before, if you’re at ABR and see me, let’s grab a taster and do a proper cheers!
I’d love to meet as many of you as possible.

And until then, cheers!

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.