Catching Up on MN Craft Beer

I was back home in Minneapolis for a wedding last weekend and had my work cut out for me. I'd once grumbled over the slow growth of the Minnesota craft beer scene, though there was no lack of good beer, as I watched the east and west coasts bubble with new breweries. No more.

Over my four nights I only scratched the surface of new brews, mostly catching up on the recent, but not brand new, breweries. While I had my fill of Surly, Lift Bridge, and Steel Toe, I couldn't get my hands on a pint of Badger Hill or Boom Island. Alas. Next time.

Anyways, here are the highlights from my trip. Damn there was a lot of good beer.

Irish Coffee Stout
Lift Bridge Brewery
Milk / Sweet Stout | 8.00% ABV

4.1/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Split a bottle with a friend, though I wouldn't have minded having it all to myself. So it's a decent strong milk stout by itself, but the coffee and whisky add delicously mild complements to the smooth, roasty stout. Most coffee stout don't show so much restraint, often taking over the beer. Likewise with the whisky barrel character, I didn't even taste it until the beer started to warm up. Once obvious, I was tasting a smooth, spicy vanilla. Not on the thick side for the strength, though a great sipper. Glad I got to try this beer.


SYX
Surly Brewing Company
American Strong Ale | 14.50% ABV

4.1/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Yup, that's a strong beer. Oddly, there was a clear sour funk when the beer was fresh off the tap and faded as it warmed. It tasted like a younger sourness, and, I suspect, could make this beer really interesting in a couple years.

This is a thick, fruity beer with a dry funky edge. I get apricot, marmalade, and tangerine up front and then a more toasty fresh oak barrel kick and wood astringency (not too much, just a touch). It's understandably thick for the strength, and well-balanced by the hops. It's a very good beer as is, but I think in a 12-24 months it could be great.


Sommer Vice
Steel Toe Brewing
Hefeweizen | 5.00% ABV

4/5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a pint at Republic on 7 Corners. Huh, reminds me of the old Summit Hefe (which I really enjoyed), as it's a crisp, spicy wheat beer with no fruity character. The clove almost tastes singed, and the dry toasty wheat and barley provide a great balance to the phenol spices. It's eas-drinking and quite refreshing on a hot day.


Lost Trout
Third Street Brewhouse
American Brown Ale | 4.90% ABV

3.95/5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I don't often take notice of brown ale, but this has big cocoa and roasted barley flavors without too thick a body, like so many American browns. It's not sweet and fruity like an English, but also not as bitter as many craft browns. It's just a smooth, clean mix of dark grains that's appropriate in any weather. Check it out. Another fine beer from Third Street. It's great to see the folks in Cold Springs making solid beer.

Steel Toe Brewing Beer Reviewed

Steel Toe Brewing was a major highlight while I was back in Minneapolis over the holidays. I'd first found their Size 7 IPA on tap at Muddy Waters and immediately wanted to find the rest of their new offerings. Luckily, the fine folks at the Four Firkins had bombers of all four ales. Thanks Alvey.

Provider
American Blonde Ale | 5.00% ABV

4.1/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bomber at the Four Firkins for $5. I should have bought another. It's a simple, but very tasty and well-made blonde ale that borders on the lighter side of a pale ale. The aroma is a mix of lightly toasted pale malt and mild, floral tangerine hops. These carry through to the flavor, where the gentle, floral hops character picks up, reminding me of a for subtle Surly Bitter Brewer. It's smooth, very drinkable and finished with a little kick of pale malt grain instead of hops. Wow, this is a great session beer.


Rainmaker
American Amber / Red Ale | 6.50% ABV

4.15/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Off the bat, it reminds me a bit of Furious, as a big, red, and tasty beer with a huge hops character. Of course, it's plenty different when you get down to the details. Foremost, the Rainmaker has a strong floral component. You could also say it's a touch darker, though both are more red than your average IPA, or close to a double IPA or red ale. The aroma has a piney, pungent kick over the floral undertones. The flavor balances fruity citrus tangerine and grapefruit on top of mild spice, pine and the floral. The body is more drinkable for a double red, but that's fine by me. I'll take another.


Dissent
Foreign / Export Stout | 7.00% ABV

4.1/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cracked open a bottle for dessert. Poured pitch black with a short tan head from my bomber. Mmm, nice chocolate aroma with a fresh coffee background. The flavor has a tasty, clean dry cocoa roast with a bready malt undertone. Hops come in for a big dry bitter finish that's a little more American stout/double stout. This is an awesome stout, just don't expect something on the sweet side like Lion or Dragon stouts.


Size 7
American IPA | 7.00% ABV

4/5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a pint at Muddy Waters on Lyndale. This is a classic American IPA like you'd expect to find in Denver, Boston, or of course, Minneapolis. I liked that it wasn't too thick, there was just enough clean malt to let the hops stand up and shine. The character was rich with floral fruit, lots of citrus, but nothing too biting. It was a big, but smooth bitterness in the finish. I'd like to try this side-by-side with Masala Mama, this is an IPA I'll be happy to see around town.