I'm back in Minnesota for the holidays and have a lot of catching up to do on 2011's new breweries in the state. On the way back from the airport, I swung by St. Paul's Wine Thief and Ale Jail, which has a great craft beer boutique section that will Minneapolis beer lovers of the Four Firkins. Among other fancy beers, I picked up both offerings from Rollingstone, MN's Olvalde Farm & Brewing Company: Ode To A Russian Shipwright and The Auroch's Horn.
Not many breweries brew beers honoring Peter the Great, and even few name Belgian ales after extinct wild cattle (wiki auroch), but Olvalde is far from your average midwestern brewery.
The Auroch's Horn
Olvalde Farm & Brewing Company
Belgian Strong Pale Ale | 10.00% ABV
3.95/5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
The beer doesn't quite jump out of the glass, but it's an impressive US-made Belgian. For the strength, it seems a touch muted, but there's a wonderful mix of soft pale malt and spicy Belgian yeast. Hops add a mild citrus undertone and balance to sweet, toasty grains. Check this out, it's a great example of a subtle Belgian ale.
Ode To A Russian Shipwright
Olvalde Farm & Brewing Company
American Porter
4.15/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
An imperial stout porter? Well it certainly doesn't taste like your average imperial stout. For a strong, dark beer, it's a little lighter in body and dials back the big roast. Instead, there's a more interesting mix of cocoa and mild mocha with the spicy rye and herbal spruce. Nothing's overpowering, and nothing's normal - I like that. My only complaint is that I'm pulling a little rubber phenol out of the beer, but it's a minor knock on an otherwise awesome beer. Go find this and enjoy.
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