The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 7: Throwin' down in Madtown

I've said it before, but the length of a drive or number of miles traversed is directly proportional to my need for a beer. It's all about the anticipation. When we travel, beer is usually the end result because our destination is typically a brewery. The drive from our hotel in Minneapolis to Ale Asylum in Madison, WI, to meet Deuane and Carolyn (hereafter referred to collectively as D&C) was one of the longest of the trip. Every ten miles or so, I could feel my thirst gain strength. Unfortunately, I lack patience when driving (one could even substitute "driving" with "in general") but I digress. I'm always trying to make good time, because, you know, we're all gonna die soon, right? Might as well cram in as much shit as you can before you croak. That's my philosophy, anyway... which is why quantity almost always trumps quality when we travel for beer. I just can't help myself, because I never know if or when I'll be back to a specific place.

So, Day 7 of the Great Taste Caper found us on a lengthy four-hour drive to our ultimate destination, Madison, WI, home of Great Taste of the Midwest. To quote Clark W. Griswold, "Getting there is half the fun." Ain't that the truth. We'd had an amazing run of great beers, memorable breweries, and interesting, friendly folks along the way. To be honest, I was glad we'd be in one spot for a few days. On Thursday and Friday, we'd explore the craft beer landscape of Madison (one of our favorite beer cities in the country) before spending pretty much all day Saturday at the festival and in a post-Great Taste haze that always seems inescapable. This would be my third Great Taste, while Brewslut would chalk up her fifth attendance. She's no amateur, that's for sure! But before I get too far down that rabbit hole, let's stay put on Thursday and our descent into "Madtown," as the locals call it.

Outside Ale Asylum's tasting room in Madison, WI.

Our first stop of the day was Ale Asylum. Despite being in Madison on two previous occasions, I'd never been to this brewery. Six years ago when we attended the festival, John Trogner (one of my employers) asked me to take some beer to his friend, who happened to be Ale Asylum's brewmaster. Sadly, we couldn't get to the brewery during regular hours of operation, so we gave the beer to one of the packaging guys working at the production facility in the early morning. I'd had a few of their beers before, the most notable being Ambergeddon, a hoppy red ale reminiscent of (and inspired by, from what I've heard) Nugget Nectar. It was time to change that.

Unfortunately, we were running about an hour or so behind. D&C's flight was on time, and the airport is only a short Uber ride away, so they arrived like fifteen minutes after their flight hit the ground; one of the rare instances of an airline running on schedule. I wasn't sure what to expect when we arrived, but we were greeted by a very modern, corporate-looking building. Turns out Ale Asylum settled into its new digs back in 2012, shortly after we'd last visited. Regardless, I was happy to be there to cross another brewery off of the long list.

Ale Asylum likes the color orange. Cool, because so do I!

D&C (and Zeke, Pleeps' bald-headed, feathered drinkin' pal) were already working on a sampler flight, and D had finished his first beer. Dr. Vennum, a seasonal IPA, appeared to be the winner of the bunch, so that's what I started with. Copious amounts of Mosaic and Denali hops lend notes of mango and pineapple. This had a beefed up Session IPA kind of vibe with a bright tropical aroma and refreshing finish. Overall, it was a great way to begin the day, and it certainly quenched my thirst, which had built up quite considerably over the last four hours.

I spotted a bourbon barrel-aged Barleywine on tap, so naturally I had to have it. Why do they need to be so strong? (Sorry for the rhetorical question.) I'll rarely leave a brewery without sampling a BBA Barleywine when one is available. At 10.4% ABV, this one was intensely malty (though not too sweet) with a nice bourbon bite and some cooling vanilla notes in the finish. I like my barleywines thick and chewy, and this one didn't disappoint. Pleeps agrees!

Pour Travelers represent!

The combination of those two beers definitely packed a solid punch, especially given how early in the day it was. Since D&C had been there for a while already, we decided to pack up shop after two beers and head over to Karben4, which was only about two miles away. Although this place screams science geek on the exterior, they also seem to embrace a whimsical child-like fantasy element, which is more than apparent in some of their beer names. So I guess you could merge the two and call it science fiction.

Outside Karben4 in Madison, WI.

Case in point, the first beer I ordered: Dragon Flute. The little D&D kid inside of me lit up when I saw this beer on the list. Then I read the beer description:

Magic. Adventure. Mayhem. Fluffy bunny hugs. Bluffy hunt fugs. Sunshine farts on a skittle tart. German and English malts stalk one another in the K4 thunderdome, whilst Mosaic and Centennial hops willfully participate in the bloody sugarlust. Two malts enter, one beer leaves. It doesn't take a team of rocket appliances to comprehend that this beer kicks ass. 

OK, where do I even begin? Not only is this one of the funniest beer write-ups I'd ever encountered, they also throw in a Ricky-ism ("rocket appliances," anyone?) which sealed the deal. Plus anytime someone uses or utters the word "fart," the 9-year-old in me chuckles.

Drinkin' beers, beers, beers...

Up next was the "double hopped" version of Karben4's flagship beer, Fantasy Factory. They apparently took Fantasy Factory and gave it "a week-long second dry hop bath" for an additional dose of tropical fruit flavor character. I found it to be a bit more heavy on the citrus fruit and resin rather than bright, sweet tropical fruits, but it was pretty tasty overall. 

Wisconsin is shaped like Homestar Runner's head.

Another beer on the list piqued my interest, so I inquired with our friendly bar staff (I can't remember her name, but she was fun). "So what's this Training Wheels business?" I may or may not have said. She probably responded with "a tequila barrel-aged Marzen?" Whaaaaaaaat?! There's a first time for everything, I guess. Anytime I encounter some whacked-out hybrid beer style conjured up by some LSD-gobbling brewer, I have to try it. This was one of those times. An Oktoberfest aged in tequila barrels, you say? This brought me back to a hideous shot I once concocted for some friends back in my amateur bar tending days called "Fat Ho on a Bike." Its ingredients? Tequila. Amaretto. Cola. That's it. And you know what? It tasted like a burnt bike tire. Seriously! While this beer didn't taste like the aforementioned chubby slut straddling a two-wheeler, it was still pretty weird. Part woody, part tart with some odd notes of green apple and citrus, this beer had a mild liquor tang that only could cut through with tequila. Not the greatest barrel-aged beer I've had, but I at least could appreciate the experimentation.

Obligatory "Pleeps with a coaster" pic.

After an enjoyable visit to Karben4, Carolyn required a quick nap, so we dropped her off at the ranch while the three of us headed to nearby Funk Factory. I was excited to check this place out, as they brew sour beers exclusively. The brewery actually refers to itself as a "Geuzeria," which I thought was clever albeit quite appropriate. Here's its simple, straight-to-the-point brewery mission statement: "Funk Factory is focused on exploring the traditional production of Lambic and Lambic-derived products such as Geuze."

First on the chopping block was Cherry Meerts. I must admit that I'd never crossed paths with something called "Meerts" before, so I was curious about its origins. Originally, I thought it was just a name created by the brewery, but further investigation led me to the correct conclusion. "Meerts" is actually a near-extinct beer style that falls under the "lambic" umbrella. Meerts (or meertsbier) is a low alcohol table beer traditionally made from the second runnings of a lambic's turbid mash. There is very little information online about this obscure beer style, but if you feel so inclined, you can dig into Funk Factory's blog for additional details.

Funk Factory's Cherry Meerts.

To paraphrase Ricky, once my brain compartments got learnt, this beer turned out to be what I'd anticipated: the little brother of a lambic. Light and tart with a dominant cherry character, this beer provided a refreshing pucker. I was sold. I'd wager that a taste of Meerts could convert non-believers and serve as a gateway to more complex lambics and similar Belgian styles.

Speaking of Meerts, Funk Factory has probably a dozen or more variations on this theme. Deuane ordered a pour of Arnold Palmer Meerts. Based on the cocktail of the same name, this beer was created to capture the flavors of this popular iced tea-lemonade hybrid. After three months of fermentation in French oak foeders, the base beer was steeped on a Nilgiri iced tea blend (from the Nilgiri region of India) as well as lemon myrtle (a plant) and fresh lemon zest. Wow! I can honestly say that I never tasted a beer quite like this before. This is the reason we travel for beer.

Up next was a Black Raspberry version of Foeder Saison. Fermented with a blend of saison yeast strains, cultured microbes, and the spontaneous yeast and bacteria reside in one of Funk Factory's French oak foeders, this saison was aged on spent black raspberries previously used to make a beer called Framzwart. The result is a complex beer with high acidity, deep color, and an intense fruity character.

Inside the Funk Factory Geuzeria.

By now, we were all sold on this place and decided to keep things in motion. Braambes En Vlier (Dutch for "blackberry and elderberry"), another intensely fruited sour, was next on the agenda. This collaboration with Forager Brewing Company of Rochester, MN, started as a spontaneous beer consisting of three different vintages of another beer called Méthode Traditionnelle. A portion was transferred to a barrel and refermented on wild blackberries and wild elderberries harvested in the woods of Minnesota. Three years in the making, Braambes En Vlier emerged, a sweet-tart, berry-forward red plum-colored beer that was quite delicious.

After a few sours, it was time to switch gears and move to something on the hoppy end of the spectrum. Eventually, I'll start craving hops. There's no way around it. Enter Dare Mighty Things, a "guest can" from The Brewing Projekt of Eau Claire, WI. A group of people at the table next to us seemed to be enjoying a can of this very much, so I asked about it. They praised the beer and gave the Citra hopped version a high recommendation (there were also cans of a Mosaic version available). So Citra is was. Hopped exclusively with Citra, this NE-style IPA was a truly exemplary interpretation of the style and stand-out of all hazy IPAs I've encountered over the last few years. It's amazing what one single hop variety can do. We liked this so much that we bought 4-packs of both the Citra and Mosaic to enjoy later.

Speaking of hazy NE-style IPAs in cans, we also purchased a pounder of something called Hazy DIPA (Version 2) from Untitled Art, a brewery based out of Waunakee, WI. This beer was pretty solid, but not quite as enjoyable as Dare Mighty Things. With that said, I really like the look of the Untitled Art cans. Their logo artwork is abstract but quite colorful and vibrant. I wouldn't mind trying some more of their beers, but they are only available in Wisconsin. Next time.

After a memorable first visit to Funk Factory (more on them later), we circled back to our headquarters to pick up Carolyn and head over to The Old Fashioned for dinner. (My apologies for the lack of photos from here on out.) This place is a Wisconsin institution. With its tag line "Where Wisconsin is King," it's no wonder why this place is a local favorite and always packed like sardines. Speaking of fish, Deuane and I have frequently opined about the pickled herring served at this fine establishment, which happens to also be one of my very favorite beer bars in the country. The tap selection is a well-curated, veritable "Who's Who" of the Wisconsin brewing scene. Since I prefer to drink local when traveling, it's a win-win. Sadly, they were experiencing some construction and, as a result, were forced to offer a down-sized menu. So, no pickled herring this time. Never fear, though, because the food here is excellent. I can't even recall what I had for dinner, but I'm pretty sure it was some kind of awesome salad. I know I had a bowl of killer corn and potato chowder, which was a very good decision. They change their menu frequently and always features locally sourced meats, cheeses, produce, and specialties from small Wisconsin producers.

Looking over the diverse and expansive tap list, I spotted a beer from Three Sheeps on draft called Fresh Coast, a tropical fruit-forward pale ale. Earlier in the trip, I had debated making the drive up to Sheboygan from Milwaukee to visit Three Sheeps. However, I found that not much else was in that area beer-wise, and it would take a decent chunk away from our planned time in Minneapolis. So we abandoned the notion of trying to squeeze it in. Frankly, I just wanted to go there for the name of the place. If it was Three Goats, I just might have made the drive!

The only thing that sucks about visiting The Old Fashioned during Great Taste weekend is that it's so packed. We finished up our dinners and cleared out. I would have loved to stay longer, but it was pretty loud and crowded, and the construction didn't help either. One of the bathrooms was out of order, so it was like waiting in the dude's line at a Dream Theater concert. Hopefully next time they'll have the pickled herring!

Things were pretty busy over at our next stop, The Cooper's Tavern, which was just up the street from The Old Fashioned. We'd have to get used to it, though. Tonight would serve as a dry run of things to come the following day, when thousands of beer geeks would descend onto Madison like a gaggle of geese touching down for a rest during its southward migration for the winter. The tap list was pretty sweet, as would be the case everywhere we went due to the festival taking place in a few days. In addition to two tried and true favorites - Toppling Goliath's Pseudo Sue and Strawberry Rhubarb from New Glarus - we also shared the new 4 Giants IPA from Founders, a citrusy, resiny Frankenstein recipe based on four of Founders' best Double IPAs - Sleeper Cell, Grease Monkey, 10K, and Double Trouble. Potent, that sucker was! After that lot, by now we were all pretty tired, so we decided to head back to the house and pack it in. 

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Back at the homestead, D&C crashed but Brewslut and I managed to crack open a few cans, including an IPA called Troll Way from Insight Brewing, a brewery with which I was unfamiliar. This one had a dry West Coast vibe that I enjoyed. The hop character was perhaps a bit muted but it was pretty enjoyable, especially since I found a 4-pack of fresh pounder cans for only $6.99. We also opened a can of the Mosaic hopped version Dare Mighty Things from The Brewing Projekt, which we'd recently procured at Funk Factory. This was tasty, but didn't come close to the Citra hopped version, in my opinion. some hop varieties are just hard to beat, and Citra is high up on the ladder.

And with that, bedtime. Stay tuned for more scenes from Madtown as we inch closer to the main event! Until then...

The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 6: Twinning (Part II)

We were anxious to get back to Surly and really dig in to this craft beer lovers' playground. Where do I even begin? Perhaps the entrance to the brewery would be a suitable place to start.

Looks like a brewery to me!

As I mentioned in our last episode, we swung by on the previous evening for a sneak peek. While checking out the gift shop, I started chatting with one of the tour guides and he ended up giving me a token for a free draft in the tasting room. This would come in handy in a few minutes. Since it was now daylight, I was pretty camera happy during our visit on this particular day. The facility itself is pretty impressive to say the least. Surly definitely did its homework when constructing this amusement park of a brewery (as you will see in the forthcoming photos).

In the lobby.

It was still pretty early in the day (somewhere around 11 a.m., give or take) so we decided to park ourselves at the bar for a bit and enjoy our breakfast. Once we got situated, I glanced up at the beer board and noticed at least three beers that weren't available about 12 hours ago. One of them was a 2016 vintage of Barrel-Aged Darkness. Jackpot! I tend to experience this type of luck from time to time. For example, the first time we visited Three Floyds, we discovered they'd just put a keg of fresh Dreadnaught on tap only minutes before we arrived. There was no doubt in my mind that this beer wasn't going into my belly. I politely asked the bartender if I could use my token on any draft beer, and he confirmed my assumption. So, not only was this easily one of the best beers of the entire trip, I also didn't even have to pay for it! To quote Charlie Sheen: "Winning!" This massive Russian Imperial Stout delivers waves of chocolate, cherry, dark fruit, coffee, and toffee candy. A three-month nap in Rye Whiskey barrels from High West (a distillery in Park City, Utah) lends a distinct whiskey character with notes of spicy oak and vanilla. This was simply one of those rare times when you just stumble into a magical situation.

Don't fear the Darkness, Pleeps.

While I savored by BA Darkness, Brewslut was enjoying something completely on the opposite of the beer spectrum. She liked the sound of Lime Lager, a twist on the classic lager style. Brewed with lime juice, lime zest, and sea salt, this refreshing, thirst-quencher of a summer beer really hits the spot. She loved this beer so much, she ordered two of them during our visit! I must admit, this beer was pretty damn awesome. I typically stray from these "beach beers" unless I'm really (stress really) in the mood for one. This one may have been the best Mexican-influenced lager I ever had; a true lawnmower beer if I ever had one. Perhaps that's why Brewslut was so taken with it; after all, she cuts the grass. (Don't judge me... I do the laundry and cook).

Up next was Furious. You knew it was coming, folks. Going to Surly and not getting some fresh Furious on tap is like going to Belgium on a beer trip and not visiting Cantillon. This is a true hop lover's beer. Perhaps not as aggressive by today's standards compared to some outrageously hoppy beer that have followed in its wake, this beer still delivers. I hadn't had it in a while, so it was quite as amazing as when I first had it, but it was still a pleasure to be enjoying this beer directly from the source.

Curious George? More like Furious Pleeps!

Furious is a lovely fire-hued beer boasting intense notes of pine and grapefruit backed with toffee and caramel sweetness. The malt bill of this classic IPA incorporates Golden Promise, which is used extensively by premium whisky distilleries such as The Macallan (Rush fans may have heard about this particular distilled spirit). This malt variety provides the canvas on which Furious' hop character truly shines. Four American hop varieties are added at a rate of more than three pounds per barrel. It's just of the pioneering "hop bomb" beers from a decade ago when these types of beers were all the rage. Personally, I'd take one of these over a hazy juice bomb any day. But what do I know? Maybe I should grow a handlebar mustache and start wearing a monocle and I'll change my tune. Fuck that shit... I'm not buying into that hoodwink. I guess I'll stick with my old school mentality.  

Look at all them bottles!

While we enjoyed our beers, we decided to take a leisurely stroll around the premises. Below are some photos of Surly's impressive facility, tasting rooms, and adjacent areas where customers can kick back with friends and enjoy some serious suds, grub, and good times.

A loft area overlooks the brewhouse so customers can experience the brewing process first-hand:

The extensive second floor area features large spaces for overflow traffic and special events:

Secondary bar in the upstairs loft area:

Don't forget about the merch! The gift shop was a pretty nice sized space and includes everything you could possibly want emblazoned with Surly's logo. I bought a black Pentagram T-shirt, a zip hoody, and a patch for Brewslut. She got a sweet purple football-style T-shirt that's right up her alley.

There's also plenty of room to chill outside, although the main view is of a decommissioned factory of some kind. (I'll bet Deuane knows what it is.)

They even have rad sculptures scattered about the outside area. Yes, I used the term "rad." You got a problem with that?

I'd imagine this would be a haven for beer geek weddings. Check out this sweet pop tent affair on the grounds of the brewery.

The partially enclosed, seasonal patio loft on the second floor is attached to the pizza restaurant (yes, Surly has its own pizza joint complete with a separate bar and pizza ovens) and overlooks the ample outside seating area. Outside, they have human-sized Jenga, Connect Four and other fun games, plus fire pits and more. You can also just stroll around with your beer. No open container laws here!

After soaking in the Surly experience, we headed down the street to Urban Growler. Open since 2014, Urban Growler has the distinction of being the first woman-owned microbrewery in Minnesota. The two ladies decided to leave their successful, steady income careers in lieu of following their dream to open a brewery. In addition to year-round and seasonal specialty beers, Urban Growler also features beers from its Plow to Pint series, which focuses on local ingredients and the farmers that produce them, and the Hayloft series of experimental beers brewed in small batches.

After a quick perusal of the beer menu, I honed in on one of its flagship beers called Kentucky Uncommon. Popular before prohibition, the style known as Kentucky Common all but disappeared over the years. Urban Growler aims to breath life back into this obscure beer style. Kentucky Common takes a bourbon recipe and modifies it for beer. Rather than distilling the mash and making bourbon, Urban Growler boils it and add hops... and its own twist, of course. This copper-colored, moderately hopped ale reminded me of a cream ale in body but with more toasty malt notes. It was pleasant and easy to drink. You can read a bit more about the style and its history on - where else? - the official Wiki page.

As soon as I read the description for Sticky Rice, I knew I had to have a pour. Based on the type of rice served in Thai restaurants, this wheat beer is brewed with Jasmine rice, ginger, fresh mango, and organic coconut. Notes of coconut and mango dominate the aroma, while the ginger character builds up through to the finish. The jasmine rice helps to soften the body of this refreshing, slightly sweet beer. I must admit that this was one of the most memorable beers of the trip. Although Brewslut wasn't digging it, I thought it was a very forward-thinking, well-executed beer. Kudos to Urban Growler for coming up with this totally unique recipe!

With two of its more off-kilter signature beers under my belt, I figured I'd explore more familiar territory. Enter Golden Hammer, a well-balanced IPA that blends the drier, hop-forward West Coast style with an East Coast maltiness on top of a smooth, round mouthfeel reminiscent of the new school hazy IPAs of New England. This was enjoyable but not as memorable as the others.

Meanwhile, we were enjoying a great selection of music that was heavy on Rush, especially deep cuts. Of course, I had to ask the bartender who picked the music for the tasting room. Apparently, one of the younger bartender guys working this particular day was a Rush fan and was playing the Pandora Rush Radio channel, which mixed in a variety of Rush tunes with similar songs from the same era - the 70s and 80s. Additionally, we had a quick conversation with two cool older guys, on of whom was wearing an Amoeba Records shirt. More on these gents in a few shakes. Great beer, awesome music and good company... not much else you could ask for! They even have an awesome cow painting! See?

How now?

All in all, we really enjoyed our visit to Urban Growler. I could have stayed a bit longer, but we were running right on schedule, so we decided to move along. We arrived at Dual Citizen a few minutes before they were schedule to open for the day. There were about four or five other people waiting to get in. Sounds like St. Paul produces some thirsty citizens. Thankfully, Urban Growler provided a nice buffer so we only had to wait a minute or two for Dual Citizen to open its doors. Perfect timing, I'd say. 

Founded on simple principles and the concept of following their collective gut rather than current trends, Dual Citizen seems to have a pretty good grasp of its identity. I wasn't sure what the brewery's name implied, but once I visited their web site, I found that it referred to the divide between the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) and that, despite which side of the river you're from, you're a "dual citizen" (i.e. cut from the same ilk). Living near Harrisburg where the East Shore vs. West Shore mentality still comes into play from time to time, I could relate to this concept. The brewery's mission is simple but commendable: 

Dual Citizen is a community-focused brewhouse born from a few simple beliefs. An understanding that substance beats trends. A recognition that community roots run the deepest. The understanding that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.

Above all, I've found that craft beer is about unity. If often said that one of my favorite aspects of beer travel is the people you meet along the way. It seems like Dual Citizen shares my perspective on this and even acknowledges it on paper.

OK, now I'm just rambling on. Let's get to the beer, shall we?

We saddled up at the bar and perused the beer list. I spotted a beer called Market, which was described as an "American Rauchbier" rather than the traditional German style I'm used to seeing. Not sure what makes it "American"... perhaps the types of hops or smoked malt used. Rauchbiers are traditionally not hoppy or bitter at all. The focus is almost entirely on the smoked malt flavor and aroma. Either way, I ordered it. I had the luxury of polishing this off by myself, as Brewslut isn't fond of smoked beers. This one fell kind of in the middle of the road for me. It was lightly smoked with an mild herbal hop presence. Enjoyable but not overly memorable.

As we were working on our pours, the two older gents we met briefly at Urban Growler walked in and sat next to us at the bar. Turns out the guy with the Amoeba shirt on is really into music and has a huge vinyl collection. Sound familiar? This turned into a great conversation, because the other guy was a teacher, so he and Brewslut talked shop while me and his chum chatted beer and music. Plus he tipped me off to a great record shop in Madison! After our beer, it was time to hit the dusty trail and head to our next destination.

I don't recall if BlackStack was on my initial itinerary or not, but somehow we ended up there, either as a result of a recommendation from someone we'd met along the way, or perhaps James and/or Dean, or perhaps it was on my list and I'd forgotten. Either way, we were here and it was beer o'clock!

Brewslut went with the "hazy, brah!" beer this time and ordered a pour of Local 755, a NE-style IPA. This soft, juicy and refreshing IPA is a specialty of the brewery, apparently. With minimal bitterness and a pungent, tropical fruit-forward hop nose, this IPA was pretty solid overall.

I opted for a German-style Kellerbier named Sprockets! Fans of early 90's era SNL will surely recognize the word "Sprockets." Images of a bespectacled Mike Myers with slicked back hair and wearing black leotards entered my mind, which made me chuckle and think, "Zis is zhe time on Sprockets ven ve DANCE!"

Cue the ridiculous, over-exaggerated avant garde dance moves.

Aaaah, gotta love Dieter! Now that I got that out of my system... the term "kellerbier" translates to "cellar beer," which refers to the temperature at which it is lagered. It's also traditionally unfiltered and unpasteurized, so there is a slight haze to the beer. I enjoy the style very much, and this one was quite tasty.

The cafeteria-meets-library vibe of BlackStack Brewing.

I also absolutely loved the atmosphere here. After ordering our beers, we parked our butts on a cozy couch in the back corner of the room. This tasting room area offers a sprawling, open floor plan with lots of cool seating options. It almost has a kind of high school cafeteria/college library vibe with lots of mismatched tables and chairs that screamed retro-modern. Lots of plants too. Big, green, tropical plants with rubbery leaves. The space kind of took me back to our visit to Weasel Boy Brewing in Zanesville, OH, during Drinksgiving #3, though not as grandma's-basement-like. Definitely reminiscent of it, though. They also boast a huge wall of board games, cards, and other activities geared toward helping customers pass the time. We decided to pass the time by asking each other questions from one of the Trivial Pursuit card boxes I grabbed from the game shelf.

I could have hung out here much longer, but we had places to go and people to see. So the drink train was off to yet another brewery. Bad Weather, to be exact. 

The brewery's name takes its inspiration from the unpredictable weather in Minnesota. Being from PA, I can relate. When someone asks me, "How's the weather?" I typically respond with, "Ask me again in ten minutes." With more of an emphasis on seasonally rotating beers, the brewery aims to produce beers that are "untethered and unpredictable."

View from our table at Bad Weather.

I settled on The Hopcromancer, an IPA featuring notes of tropical fruit and sweet caramel. Check out this D&D-inspired beer description:

"Few know of the bitter forces that lay hidden in the pages of the Hopcronomicon. Fewer still can read its cryptic and citrusy recipes. Those who can are driven mad by alpha acids. For it was written by those who live in the shadows of our fermenters. They wait in slumber for their time to return and consume the world. They wish to return us to the black beyond the pale... ale.."

Overall, not bad but also not terribly memorable. Meanwhile, I wandered outside to check out the surroundings and decided to get some sweet potato fries to nosh during our visit. Gotta love food trucks. Snack time, anytime.

This mural reminded me of the "Upside Down" in Stranger Things.

Brewslut went outside her typical wheelhouse and opted for Hitched, a Belgian White IPA brewed with 252 pounds of grapefruit as well as wheat and oats for a bready, silky malt character. The Belgian yeast strain elicits hints of spice and clove. The name "Hitched" refers to Bad Weather's head brewer's recent nuptials. I don't think Brewslut was digging this one too much, as it was a little heavy on the Belgian yeast and spicy side rather than the hop side. I wasn't really sold on it either.

This turned out to be a quick one-and-done stop for us. Our beers were fine, but they didn't suck us into the vortex of multiple pours. So, it was off to the next place. 

Things were hoppin' at Barrel Theory when we arrived. Situated in the bustling downtown St. Paul section of Lowertown near Mears Park, Barrel Theory is the kind of place I'd likely hang out after work... you know, if I didn't already work at a brewery.

We arrived at the end of the typical work day, so parking was at a premium. We ended up having to park a few blocks away and cut through the park. Upon our entry, we discovered that the brewery was hosting a fundraiser event for a local cat rescue or shelter. The place was packed, and we had to order our beers at the bar and stand in the hallway between the main room and patio, using a barrel as a tabletop for our drinks. However, we finally secured two bar seats way back in the corner of the main room. There were a lot of folks wearing cat-themed outfits and costumes, and it felt more like a sci-fi convention than a brewery tasting room. Still, I'm down with the community outreach, especially when it involves animals.

Similar to Dangerous Man's tap list, Barrel Theory's was also heavy on sours and IPAs. Fine with us! We both opted for lower ABV fruit beers this time around, and we were both extremely pleased with our selections. Agua Fresca, a Berliner Weisse brewed with mango, passion fruit, lemon, and lime was up first. This little guy packed a nice tart punch among the juicy tropical mango flavor and zesty twist of lemon lime in the finish. Overall, this was a very well-done Berliner!

Up next was Tiki Dream, a collaboration with Dangerous Man for the In Cahoots Block Party, which sounds pretty cool. Brewed with mango, passionfruit, lime, pineapple, and coconut, this was another tasty tropical treat that was a winner in our book.

Decisions... decisions... decisions.

Since we enjoyed our beers so much, I decided to explore one of the available IPAs. I had to look no further than a DIPA named Shooter McGavin. This cloudy DIPA is hopped exclusively with Citra with a big smack of ripe grapefruit and tangerine. There was no way I was leaving without getting a pour of this beer. Thankfully, it did NOT taste like pieces of shit I eat for breakfast. Um... I mean... uh... never mind.

Pleeps prefers to fling poo rather than eat it.

We reconvened with James and Dean over at Flat Earth, another place I was really looking forward to visit. The environment and surroundings here are really conducive to kicking back and drinking with some friends. Think of hanging out in an old abandoned prison or huge factory. I equate it to ruined remnants of a castle with urban graffiti. Something like that. Actually, a bit of research revealed that Flat Earth had acquired several abandoned buildings that had once housed Hamm's Brewery. Established in 1865, Hamm's eventually became St. Paul's flagship brewery. After being traded to Stroh's (traded... what is this, baseball?), the brewery continued to operate until it closed in 1997 and ended a 137-year St. Paul brewing tradition.

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about:

As it would happen, we decided to sit inside at a table near the bar area. I opened with Northwest Passage IPA, which according to Flat Earth is "the hoppiest IPA in the Midwest at 115 IBU." The beer's name refers to the once virtually impassable route through Canada that has become a secret submarine route. The beer itself is brewed with Canadian-grown malted barley and four American hops that are not divulged in the beer description. At 115 IBUs, which suggests bitterness beyond the threshold of the human palate, I didn't find it very tongue-numbing. Perhaps I was getting burned out, as it had been a long day for sure. Unfortunately, this beer didn't do much for me, I'm afraid.

My next beer is the reason I even know about this place. For those of you readers who also enjoy the music of Rush (that's short for the greatest band in the history of recorded music), then you certainly are familiar with Cygnus X-1, the 10+ minute epic ditty from a little album called A Farewell to Kings. The beer (and the song) are named after a black hole, which is a fitting name for a dark beer. Based on an old English porter recipe, Flat Earth chucked in some rye malt, and Cygnus X-1 was born. Overall, it's a pretty solid example of a porter, with hints of chocolate, biscuit, and a smidgen of smoke that finishes pretty dry.

James and Dean were up for one more, so I perused the beer list again and landed on Angry Planet. In hindsight, I probably should have started with this instead of Northwest Passage, as this is merely a pale ale. Brewed with organic American malted barley, Cascade hops and a hefty dry-hop addition, this interpretation of a classic American pale ale suggests citrus fruit and lightly toasted bread with a balanced grapefruit and caramel malt finish. Think old school pale ale a la Sierra Nevada and you get the picture. By the time I got to the bottom of the glass, it was time once again to part ways with the the Twin Cities' own Dynamic Duo. Dean was kind enough to gift us with a bottle of Surly Pentagram, which was unexpected, as he'd already given us a generous "welcome bag" the previous day. I was especially thankful, as I'd been eyeing up a Satanic-looking black T-shirt in Surly's gift shop with the Pentagram beer logo. I typically won't buy merch unless I'd tried the beer, so I now felt OK buying the shirt since I'd be having the beer in the very near future. Thanks buddy!

Unfortunately, the novelty of the Rush reference didn't do much to elevate Flat Earth's beer for me. I was a bit underwhelmed with the beers overall. Nothing was "bad" per se, but they just didn't stand head-to-head with many of the other beers we had in the Twin Cities. Still, the place was super cool, and I love their brewery logo.

We decided to head back to Surly for our third visit in the span of 48 hours. We figured we didn't know when we'd be back in the area, given that it's about an 18-hour drive and and all. I capped off an excellent day with a pour of Overrated, a West Cost-style IPA. After checking out the write-up for this beer, I felt compelled to share it with you verbatim:

It’s been said, “It’s easier to brew an extremely hoppy beer than an extremely balanced beer.” And you know us, we are always looking for the easy way out, so we jumped on the West Coast IPA Bandwagon and brewed this dry and hoppy ale. “Surly’s a little bit of a one-trick pony, they just brew gimmick beers,” and maybe we are OVERRATED, but at the end of the day, it’s just a beer. If you like it, great, so do we. If you only liked us when we were small, then leave this one on the shelf. Let one of the fanboys grab it.

That's pretty fuckin' epic, if you ask me... and ballsy too. Good for them! I'd be hard-pressed to find a brewery of Surly's size to call out a disgruntled customer (aka hipster douchebag) on one of its beer labels. So props to Surly for that. Oddly enough, it was probably my least favorite of the beers I tried at Surly. Still, a mediocre beer from Surly is better than half of the beers out there.

Since we'd spent a lot of time downstairs at the bar, we decided to chill on the second floor in the pizza restaurant. Yup. Surly has its own pizza joint, complete with a separate bar. After our pizza and single beer, it was time to stick a fork in us. By now, we were both pretty tired and agitated, and we quickly realized we had a 4-hour drive to Madison ahead of us the next morning. And with that, we retired to our hotel for some much needed sack time.

Up next, join us for a few days in Madison leading up to the main event! Stay tuned for more beer-soaked travels as we continue on our Great Taste Caper. Until then...

The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 5: Twinning (Part I)

Driving into the Twin Cities, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I'd been wanting to visit Minneapolis (and its twin brother, St. Paul) for close to a decade after first being introduced to Surly by Deuane and later having Town Hall's excellent Masala Mama IPA back in my Growlin' at the Moon days (a cool growler exchange program started by a long-time user of BeerAdvocate.com). So, it was a "bucket list" kind of day for me. I knew I'd get there some day. Well, that "some day" was today.

Rolling into Minneapolis on a Tuesday morning has its share of setbacks... at least from a beer traveler's point of view. Case in point being that the majority of breweries have extremely limited hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and in some cases Thursdays). Many are only open for four or five hours. Lucky for us, I planned in advance. There's nothing worse than being in a city for the first time and sitting in the car or your hotel trying to figure out what to do. I might not be good at planning for my future, or my retirement, but I can plan the shit out of a beer trip!

Outside Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery.

Thankfully, Town Hall isn't one of those breweries that are open only a handful of hours per week. Since they operate as a brewpub (i.e. they have a real food menu), they are open 7 days a week. So it was a no-brainer to start the day at a place that opens at 11 a.m. It was either that, or check out two or three record stores and a coffee shop, and I knew Brewslut wanted nothing to do with that alternate agenda (save for the coffee, of course).

When we arrived, I was excited to see the aforementioned Masala Mama on the beer engine. As soon as I saw that, I didn't even look at the rest of the menu. I needed to get some in my gullet STAT! I even ordered a full 20-ounce imperial pint pour, much to the surprise of my traveling partner. Brewslut too. I hadn't had this beer in such a long time, so I wasn't even sure exactly how good or bad it would be. Memories can play tricks on you like that.

Pleeps savoring his first whiff of Masala Mama.

A decade ago, this beer was the shit. Since then, it has dropped significantly down the latter of trendy "must-have" beers in lieu of huge hop bombs and later those damn newfangled New England-style IPAs to the point that nobody really talks about it much anymore save for some homers. But you know what? This beer still delivers! Quite frankly, I'd take this beer over 95% of the hazy juice bombs out there on the market today. This beer is like a blueprint of everything I love about the IPA style: sticky citrus and resiny hop flavors, a fragrant aroma, balanced malt support, and a wave of hop bitterness in the finish. And since it was cask conditioned, the body was pitch perfect with a silky, smooth texture. I mean, I crushed all 20 ounces pretty quickly, although I tried not to, as I wanted to savor the moment.

They have plenty of other beers besides Masala Mama. See?

Meanwhile, Brewslut was working on a small pour of Pitstop Cherry Lager, which was nicely done. Lakefront also makes a cherry lager, so perhaps Wisconsinites love cherries in their lager. The cherry flavor (courtesy of Michigan-grown Balaton cherries) was pretty dominant and authentic. Balatons are excellent for achieving that sweet-tart cherry pie character in beer. We used them at Tröegs in our Mad Elf Grand Cru, and I must say that it was an improvement over the standard version. I just like that nice, round tartness Balatons bring to the table.

I got a meeting at Town Hall at 12:30.

So, what do you order after polishing off a tasty 20-ounce IPA first thing in the morning? A barrel-aged Barleywine, of course. Enter Barley Vine, an American-style Barleywine aged in red wine barrels. Sadly, I couldn't find any additional information about this one on-line. Apparently, I was so enthralled that I forgot to check it in on Untappd. Hey, I'd been waiting many years to get here, so I was enjoying our visit sans iPhone. Our bartender was also friendly and chatty, and happily answered all of my questions.

Pleeps is more than familiar with vines.

After the barleywine, it was time to pack it in. We got Brewslut a patch for her ever-expanding beer satchel-turned-backpack. She's way behind on sewing on her patches, and it became kind of a joke while we were on the trip. I tried to find a patch at every brewery, and would often buy her one when she balked just because I believe that if you're going to collect patches, then you should get one everywhere you visit. Before we said goodbye to Town Hall, in what was becoming commonplace for this trip, our bartender at Town Hall tipped us off to a new brewery that had opened recently called Pryes (pronounced "prize"). Turns out they were close by and opened an hour earlier than the next place on our agenda. So, after a quick coffee and record store detour, we were off.

Exterior of Pryes' modern taproom.

We arrived at Pryes to find a garage-style brewery similar to ones we've encountered on the West Coast. This one was quite a bit more modern and inviting than your typical garage-turned-taproom, though. Handcrafted details can be found everywhere throughout the space. The wooden bar, tables and benches are constructed of black walnut and maple inlaid with brass. Aesthetically, the place comes across as a small airport hangar. Hanging from the ceiling glow dozens of caged Edison bulbs and two industrial-style chandeliers. It's a pretty sweet space, to say the least.

The beer menu looked promising and weighed heavily on hoppy and sour offerings, so we opted to share a sampler flight to test the waters. Here's the skinny:

• Summer IPA - New England style Session IPA hopped with El Dorado, Eureka and Mosaic for waves of tropical notes.
• Miraculum - Citrus-forward IPA dry-hopped with more than 50 pounds of hops.
• Pineapple Sour - Sweet and sour ale brewed with lactobacillus and pineapple with mango added to bolster the juiciness.
• Imperial IPA - Grapefruit and citrus-forward DIPA with a hint of pine and alcohol warmth.

There's a Pryes every time for Pleeps!

Nothing bowled us over, but the flight inspired us to stay a while and get a half pour of something else. We agreed that the pineapple sour was our favorite of the lot. This led to Brewslut ordering a pour of the Raspberry Sour Ale. Similar to the pineapple sour, the beer opens with lots of sweet-tart flavor (this time, it's berry at the forefront) and a hint of tannins. Overall, we enjoyed the pineapple sour more than this one. I went with the Northern Pale Ale, brewed with malts from three different continents. It was a tad too sweet and non-descript overall, but not bad by any means. 

Tap handles at Pryes.

While we were enjoying our beers, I glanced beyond where Brewslut was sitting and noticed a curved, narrow lane covered with AstroTurf towards the back of the room. It was reminiscent of a bowling alley. Turns out it is one of only a handful of "feather bowling" lanes in the United States (one of three, according to the bartender). The game is apparently a cross between Bocce ball, curling, and bowling. Sadly, I didn't get to play, but Pryes hosts a league at the brewery where feather bowling aficionados from Minnesota congregate to compete against one another in this obscure game. The wooden balls used in the sport closely resemble wheels of cheese, which were likely used in Belgium, where the sport originated. Below are some pics I snapped of the feather bowling lane:

Pryes was pretty solid for being one of the new kids in town, but we had to split and head over to our next stop. We were off to Steel Toe, where we met up with a pair of beer friends, James and Dean, both of whom live in Minneapolis. We originally met them through a mutual friend (thanks Dick Doc) way back during our Brass Rail Deli days when Brewslut worked there, and we'd gather twice a week to share beers. They'd also been to a few previous Ffej of Julys (my annual epic backyard bash), so it was cool to hang with some familiar peeps so far away from home. We arrived first, followed by James, and finally Dean about half an hour later. Dean even brought us a "welcome package" as it was our first time visiting his city. Gotta love that Minnesota hospitality!

Exterior of Steel Toe's Taproom.

I started off small, with a half pour of Size 4, session IPA with notes of candied citrus and tropical fruit. Right off the bat, I could tell this place was legit. Turns out that Steel Toe (according to James and Dean) is the place where all the brewers and brewery industry peeps in town gather to drink. It has the reputation as being the "brewers' brewery." High praise, indeed. Once I had a few beers, I could see why this place is so revered by the local brewing community. Brewslut opted for the Peach Mango Tart. Released under Steel Toe's "Brewer's Evolution" series (a journey through new interpretations of classic beer styles), this ever-changing lineup primarily features limited taproom exclusive releases. Tart with plenty of peach aroma, this also boasted a zesty lemon note with some tropical sweetness and a fair bit of pucker in the finish.

Since we were joined by our friends, I wasn't too camera happy here, so sorry for the lack of pictures. Up next was Dawn Juan, a strong dark ale infused with Dogwood Coffee. I'll always reach for a coffee beer when visiting a brewery, and seldom leave without at least trying it. Listed as an "occasional release," this coffee-infused strong black ale touts a dominant coffee aroma with traces of dark chocolate, black cherry, and roasted malt. This was very well done, and I enjoyed the dark fruit note of the strong ale that usually isn't present in a stout or porter.

After that enjoyable jolt of roasty, malty goodness, I reverted back to hops and upgraded from Size 4 to Size 7, Steel Toe's core IPA offering. This Pacific Northwest-style IPA offers a huge smack of zesty orange peel and a dry but clean bitter finish. With the first sip, I was transported back to Hood River, Oregon, and I knew that Steel Toe was legit. On the way out, I met one of the brewers and made sure to share a can of Nimble Giant with him. This place was definitely one of the stand-out breweries of these two days, and that's saying a lot!

Outside Modist Brewing Co.

Our quartet continued onward to Modist, a hip brewery with a modern flair that, while it didn't scream hipster, was definitely very SOHO in its presentation. James and Dean promised us great beer would be had, and they were correct. One of the bartenders heard that we were visiting from PA, and he was quick to profess his love for Tired Hands, one of our suburban Philly faves. As a matter of fact, he went on to inform us that the new brewery's modus operandi was modeled after Tired Hands forward-thinking beers, soft yet flavorful IPAs, and delicately complex flavor profiles.

Beer aside, perhaps the most curious (and praise-worthy) aspect of the brewery is its mission of drastically reducing its water use. Modist's brewery utilizes the region's first mash filter, a device which allows the brewery to brew using a fraction of the water and energy of a traditional brewing system. Pretty cool, eh? You can read more about this on their blog if you feel so inclined.

I kicked things off with Shook Mango, an IPA brewed with milk sugar, vanilla bean, tons of mango, and lots of Citra and Azacca hops. To say this beer was tropical fruit-forward would be an understatement. It was like a tidal wave hit Hawaii and swept Carmen Miranda off her surfboard. This beer looks like something you'd drink for breakfast or after a yoga session. I think there might have even been some mango pulp. This was a thick-ass beer for sure! It tasted pretty damn good too.

I dig the subway tile at Modist.

Brewslut enjoyed her pour of Foeder Sour 2, a sour ale brewed with a combination of wheat and malted barley, then fermented in an American oak foeder with pineapple, mango, and passionfruit. I concurred. This was indeed a nicely done sour. Plus it's always cool to see breweries embracing wood. Heh heh... wood.

Another beer I tried that would be suitable for breakfast was First Call, a cold press coffee lager.
Inspired by cafe con leche (Spanish for "coffee with milk"), this light-bodied lager is infused with Two Cousins Espresso from Wesley Andrews and bursting with coffee flavor and aroma.

By this time, we were pretty famished (drinking can do that to you), so I decided to take a stroll outside and check out the food truck. Then, this:

Thankfully, The Curious Goat didn't actually serve goat.

I know, right? A few minutes later, I was scarfing down some amazing potato and corn tacos from The Curious Goat food truck. Hot damn, these were tasty! Brewslut was equally impressed and even exclaimed her chicken nachos were the greatest thing ever. High praise indeed, as she loves her nachos.

Before we left, our server brought us a pour of the then-unreleased Lemongrab, a pink lemonade IPA brewed in collaboration with Dangerous Man (more on them next). This was given to us straight off the fermenter! To mimic the flavors found in pink lemonade, the brewers utilized lemons, raspberries, and Citra hops. This was really tasty and it was cool to get to try a beer that hadn't been officially released yet. It was also a nice way for us to end our visit at Modist. Overall, I really liked the vibe of this place. It reminded me of Modern Times with a hint of Tired Hands. It seems like they have their finger on the pulse of the Minnesota beer community, so I suppose the city is their oyster. I'd love to try some of their canned releases (wink wink, nudge nudge, guys).

Group photo! (l to r) me, Brewslut, James, & Dean. Photo by Pleeps.

James and Dean had to get back to their regular lives, so we regressed to our usual trio formation (don't forget about Pleeps) and headed to our next destination. If Modist was slightly hipster, then the walls of Dangerous Man were dripping with Moroccan beard oil. When we arrived, it was pretty much elbow to asshole (or perhaps suspenders to handlebar moustache would be more appropriate). The bar was a few people deep, and we quickly realized that this was the trendy brewery of Minneapolis. (Turns out the brewery's reputation stretches outside Minnesota, but more on that when we get to the actual festival in a few days.) We scoped out the medium-sized tasting room for open seating, and found a little alcove with an 8-person table tucked in the back of the room. A lone young lady and older couple were occupying the table when we approached. The single woman mentioned she was waiting for friends, so we grabbed two unoccupied seats and said we'd move if her friends arrived while we were still there. After a minute or two, the older couple skedaddled and we assumed control their seats. The young lady's party never grew beyond four people, so we had plenty of room to enjoy our beers.

This is a dangerous place...

Speaking of which, the beer list was packed with sours and hazy IPAs. I'd been getting hazed out, so we both opted for a sour this time. I spotted the word "peach" on the board, so I ordered the Peach Citra Sour. Although I couldn't find any details about this beer, I assume it's a sour ale brewed with peaches and dry-hopped with Citra. Mission accomplished. This beer was well-done and hit the spot, although I must admit I was a bit distracted by the boomy crowd noise and people watching.

At Dangerous Man, your name is PEACHES!

Brewslut went with something called Sour Delores #7 - Righteous Babe, which sounded like an experimental one-off beer. After doing a bit of research, it seems like this may have been re-released under the name Watermelon sour, as the notes for this beer are identical to Sour Delores: "sweet candy-like watermelon with a sour twist."

This was a whirlwind of a stop and we decided it was too hectic to stay for seconds. Since we had some extra time and were in the vicinity, we decided to swing by Surly just to scope it out before our "actual" scheduled visit the following day. (We would end up visiting Surly three times in a 48-hour span, but more on those visits later.) This would be a quick one-and-done visit just to survey the lay of the land. Besides, why wouldn't we want to visit multiple times? It's not like Minneapolis is two towns over from Annville. The proverbial "when in Rome" syndrome at work, indeed.

Rock sculpture outside Surly.

For my first beer from the source, I decided to explore uncharted terrain. Enter Rocket Surgery, a juicy, hazy IPA brimming with Citra and Denali hops for a blast of tropical fruit flavor. I was saving my pour of Furious (Surly's famous IPA) for tomorrow. The name of this beer struck me as a "Rickyism" (rocket appliances, anyone?) and seemed like a fun amalgamation of "rocket science" and "brain surgery." This was a solid stab at a NE-style IPA, although I'd take Furious or Abrasive over this any day. Still, it was great to finally be sitting at the bar at Surly. See?

Surly from the source + me = happy face!

I felt like I had reached a new plateau in my craft beer fandom. Minneapolis as a destination is the farthest we have driven to acquire beer from the source (at least with me in the driver's seat) so I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment as we sat and savored our beers. I'd often agree with my buddy the Professor that "the point of a journey is not to arrive," but in this case, I'd felt we did, in fact, "arrive." So, cross Surly off the ol' bucket list, folks!

See you tomorrow, Surly. I'm comin' for YOU, Furious!

We had time for one final stop, so we headed over to Fair State, where we closed out our first day in Minnesota in style. Fair State defines itself as a "Brewing Cooperative" rather than just a brewery. Check out this cool little bio:

We started a brewery because we love great beer. We made it a cooperative because we believe that when people come together, amazing things can happen. We share stories, come up with new ideas, and start to see the world a little differently. At Fair State Co-op, we’re brewing community.

Cooperation is key at Fair State Brewing.

Similar to MobCraft in its community-driven business model, Fair State differs in that it actually encourages fans to "buy in" to the brewery and become member-owners. That's a concept any would-be brewery owner should be able to embrace. And aside from this cool angle, the beer is pretty freakin' awesome too!

We settled in for what we thought would be one, maybe two beers each. Yeah, that didn't happen. We plopped down at the bar and in no time we were immersed in conversation with our jovial young bartender who'd only been working there for a very short time. He mentioned how Fair State was his favorite local brewery, which drove him to want to work there. I could relate, as the same thing happened with me and Tröegs.

Entrance of Fair State Brewing Cooperative.

The tap list was varied and forward-thinking, with plenty of interesting-sounding beers. The first one to garner my attention was the Smoked Apricot Sour. Smokey and sour might not sound like a winning combination, but trust me, it works. Throw in some fruit (in this case, apricots) and you've got a nice little complex beer. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with Fair State's house mixed culture, this slightly tart ale features moderate wood smoke and a hint of apricot.

Pahlay'Ahlay, a tropical fruit-forward pale ale, was up next. Brewed with flaked oats and wheat, and hopped with Citra, Simcoe, and Denali, this one definitely brought the tropics to the palate. Think lots of citrus with some juicy mango and pineapple notes and you get a pretty good picture of what this beer brings to the table. At only 5% ABV, this sucker is pretty sessionable to boot!

I had to try the Pils, and this one was a pretty solid interpretation of a German-style pilsner; dry and crisp with a grassy hop aroma courtesy of generous additions of Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. This is THE classic pilsner hop, folks. I love when a pilsner has a notable sulfur component, which is typically the result of the lager yeast. This one delivered and did not disappoint.

View from our bar seats at Fair State.

The bartender said the Hefeweizen was a winner, so he gave us a sample. I usually don't gravitate to this particular style, but since he plunked one down in front of me, who am I to turn it away? This is a pretty traditional Bavarian-style wheat beer. Pale and spritzy with hints of banana, clove, and vanilla from the yeast. According to the beer's description, "No bananas were harmed in the brewing of this beer." Pleeps was happy to hear that!

I also couldn't leave without trying the Lichtenhainer. You don't come across this beer style very often. If you hate smoked beers, stay away. Don't care for sours? This may not be your cup of tea either. Me? I love 'em both so sign me up! I first stumbled across this antiquated hybrid of a beer back during our Drinksgiving trip to Charleston, SC, when we visited Westbrook. Oddly enough, it was also the first time I'd heard of another long-lost beer style called Gose that, since then, has spread like wildfire through the beer scene. Much like the American IPA before it, every brewery has to include a Gose in its portfolio these days. While the Lichtenhainer hasn't gained even a small percentage of the traction as Gose has, it is an interesting style that packs a lot of flavor for a small beer. This particular one is 100% barrel-fermented and brewed with 100% beechwood and oak smoked malt. I always appreciate seeing this style get some love from small breweries. It's an acquired taste, but next time you're out and about and see one on tap, get at least a small 4 or 5-ounce pour and give it a shot. The style is pretty rare, kind of like finding a dinosaur bone in your backyard.

Whatchu lookin' at, Pleeps?

We finished up our visit with Duluth Coffee Co. Vienna Lager. I seldom see lagers with coffee, but coffee is a flavor from which any beer style could likely benefit. The standard Vienna Lager is Free State's flagship malty beer, featuring Vienna, Munich, and Black malt. The coffee, a Mexican Finca Santa Marta cold press, comes courtesy of, as the name implies, Duluth Coffee Company.

All in all, this was an enjoyable visit and end to a pretty full day of brewery hopping. By this time, we were pretty beat and needed some rest, as we had another full day ahead of us. Since I'm into music, somebody told us we should visit Prince's studio while we were in Minneapolis. Sorry. Way too many breweries to hit.

Back at the hotel, we cracked a can of Citronic Pale Ale gifted to us by the fine folks at Bare Hands Brewing. As the name implies, this is a Citra-drenched pale ale with lots of orange and grapefruit character. It was a fine way to cap off our inaugural visit to Minneapolis. Stay tuned for Day 6 (part 2 of "Twinning") as we infiltrate the "other" city... St. Paul. Until then...