I'll be honest about this, if there were any decent form of public transportation in MN or a willing designated driver, we wouldn't have touched our bikes. This was a journey of necessity, that necessity being the need to drink Minneapolis's best beer. So on a recent, unseasonably warm Saturday, I set out with a couple friends from deep within the suburbs to East and West banks of the University of MN campus. We were able to take bike trails nearly the entire distance and followed the Mississippi most of the way.
We first hit up Stub and Herb's, taking advantage of their $1.50 off pints for happy hour. A couple highlights were the Leiney's Big Eddy Imperial Stout - beer that has the audacity to be big, delicious, and made by a brewery partially owner by Miller - and Surly Mild, a full-flavored English ale with only 4.2% abv.
Surly Mild
B+ / 3.95
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5
Basically and big-flavored beer with great drinkability. The aroma is pretty subtle, with toffee and roasted-caramel malts. That same caramel makes up the main flavor, with lighter caramel and toffee around it. As it fades into the aftertaste, the malt continues to develop turns into a creamier candy flavor. If I wasn't on a mission to try other new beers, I'd be ordering a second and third pint. Just like Surly's Bitter Brewer, it makes a lot of flavor out of a litter grain and then develops as you drink it.
Later, we made our way to Town Hall Brewery, home of the infamous Masala Mama IPA. There was an interesting Dr Irish Stout on tap brewed with potatoes. I basically tasted like a fine stout, a big step up from Guinness, but there was mild potato taste that might not be for everyone.
Pot Of Gold Potato Stout
B+ / 3.8
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4
Served on nitro, this beer is pitch black with a creamy light tan head that leaves thick lacing. The aroma gives off a hint of mashed baked white potatoes complete with skin mixed with burnt malt. The flavor is fairly mellow, but slowly develops from the cold coffee, potato note, cocoa, black malt to dry, herbal hops. Yum. There are a few better dry stouts (Sly Fox's and Victory's) come to mind, but none are as interesting as this. Definitely worth a try.
After a good long while of enjoying the sun and fine beer, we realized the sun would be dropping soon, so we scrambled over the the Acadia Cafe for one last round. I had a goblet of Rogue Ales' Charlie 1981 Ale, an American Strong Ale (think Arrogant Bastard) made in honor of homebrewing and craft beer pioneer Charlie Papazian.
Charlie 1981
A- / 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4
JLS Release #33, Charlie 2008 on-tap at the Acadia Cafe. Served in a Duvel tulip. I'm not sure where this review is supposed to be, so hopefully this is good enough.
This beer is just big on everything and immediately reminds me of Arrogant Bastard. The grains are a touch rough with rich caramel, toffee, and biscuit flavors. Big piney hops rock the bitterness with slightly earthy and citrus flavors. Medium body and carbonation. Very tasty and fairly drinkable. A must-order if you see it on tap.
All in all, there were 4 hours of biking and 4 hours of great beer. What more can you ask for out of a Saturday?
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