Top 10 New Breweries Visited in 2018

I know, I know... it's already April! But each year, we visit a lot of breweries, many of which are first-time visits for us. Following in last year's footsteps, we thought we'd continue to offer a year-end review of some of our favorites. Here’s a list of our Top 10 “new-to-us” breweries we had the pleasure of visiting in 2018. How did we come to the final list? While we’ve utilized no specific equation in determining the final Top 10 list, we did take the following into consideration: beer quality, atmosphere, service, gut instinct, and general awesomeness. With that said, we present to you the Pour Travelers’ Top 10 New Breweries Visited in 2018 (in alphabetical order):

1. Abolitionist Ale Works - Charles Town, WV - First visited March 2018

This visit marked only the second brewery we've ever visited in the state of West Virginia. Deuane had raved about it prior to our trip, so I was anxious to check it out. It obviously didn't disappoint! Upon perusing the beer menu, I quickly realized there was much to try. In lieu of worn-out, pedestrian beer styles, Abolitionist offers a handful of varied farmhouse-style and wild ales, Belgian styles, and barrel-aged treats. My first experience with Pale the Funky (Black & Blue), a wine barrel-aged farmhouse ale with Brett and finished with blackberries and blueberries, sucked me into the vortex. Let's Gose, a straight-up German-style tart wheat beer was on point and delicious.

Beverly Farmhouse Ale, a wild ale brewed with local cascade hops and fermented with wild WV yeast then keg conditioned with pear juice, really intrigued me on paper, so I tried it. It delivered! This was one of those rare beers where I swear I could taste the stuff floating around in the WV air. Shenandoah Saison, the house Saison, ain't no slouch either. This variation was aged for eight months in a wine barrel with local plums. You could really taste the plum skins in this one!

But my favorite of all was perhaps West by Quad. This Belgian-style Quad aged in French oak bourbon barrels was strong and alluring. The bourbon character wasn't overly boozy, but instead offered a nice, round vanilla-chocolate flavor. I really enjoyed this one!

2. The Answer - Richmond, VA - First visited October 2018

When we went to Richmond, I thought The Veil was going to take the cake. Turns out I was wrong. It doesn't happen often, but this time my projections were a bit off. The Answer kicked our freakin' ass! Not only do they pour some of the finest stouts I've ever put in my face, they also served the most amazing ice cream sandwiches of all time. I mean, EPIC ice cream sandwiches. Like, think of the "be all, end all" ice cream sandwich you've had in your lifetime. Then multiply that by like 47. But we're not talking about ice cream sandwiches; we're talking about beer. The Answer seems to do everything right. Aside from the stouts, they also had some delicious, well-crafted IPAs that exploded with tropical fruit. Tart fruit beers? Check. They even do signature frozen "beer slushies" that you should at least try once for the novelty of it. The food - heavy on the Asian flair - is pretty bangin' too. This place was so awesome, that we visited twice in two days. So that's gotta tell you something!

3. Chestnut Hill - Philadelphia, PA - First visited April 2018

Chestnut Hill's brewery is situated in a delightful little market tucked away from the main street called Market at the Fairway. Our visit occurred shortly after the brewery's first anniversary. I know this because we had it's One Year Anniversary Ale - yes, that was the name of the beer - on tap during our visit. But the beer of the day had to be Motra, a fantastic West Coast-style IPA hopped with Mosaic and Citra. The body, texture and appearance of this beer was textbook West Coast IPA. I commented to Brewslut that it reminded me of a Pizza Port IPA; not a particular IPA, but rather a dead ringer for something that might have been brewed by Pizza Port. I've since gone on record and professed that Pizza Port makes the best West Coast-style IPAs in the country, and lord knows I've had quite a lot of them over the years (thanks to many trips to San Diego). Motra, in my opinion, is one of the finest Wet Coast IPAs I've had to date - not only on the East Coast, but outside of San Diego! For that reason alone, Chestnut Hill made the cut. The brewery and adjacent market are both downright cute, too!

4. Funk Factory - Madison, WI - First visited August 2018

Focused on exploring the traditional production of Lambic and Lambic-derived beers, Funk Factory actually refers to itself as a "Geuzeria." The first beer to serenade me on our first of three visits over two days was Cherry Meerts. I typically get sucked into anything with cherry in it, so this was the perfect place for me to start. If you're not familiar, "Meerts" is a near-extinct beer style that falls under the "lambic" umbrella; a low alcohol table beer traditionally made from the second runnings of a lambic's turbid mash. Funk Factory has a dozen or so variations on this theme. The Arnold Palmer Meerts (named after the popular iced tea-lemonade hybrid) was one of the most unique beers I've ever tasted. I was also able to try both the Peach and Lemongrass Ginger Kombucha variations of Meerts, which were equally as tasty as the others. In an increasingly over-saturated craft beer market, it is important to stand out as much as possible. Well folks, Funk Factory has definitely carved out its own little niche.

5. Lucky Hare - Hector, NY - First visited April 2018

I feel I needed to include at least one brewery from our insanely fun trip to the Fingerlakes with a group that usually isn't in tow with us for beer treks. Several things contributed to Lucky Hare making the cut: the staff, my company, the dog-friendly atmosphere, and of course the beer. There may have been a few new places we'd visited with better beer, but like a good stew it takes more than one ingredient to stand out. Plus the first beer I tried was named Ned Ryerson, a rye IPA brewed with local NY hops and named after an annoying character in the classic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. Pop culture reference for the win! Their two "falcon" beers, Falcon Punch and Millennial Falcon (nice Star Wars reference there) proved to be a great pair of IPAs to try side by side. The former is a lovely golden-bodied East Coast IPA with a citrusy kick, while the latter is a hazy, softer though imperial version of Falcon Punch. Uppers and Downers, a dark lager with coffee, sealed the deal and proved a great "after dinner" beer following the hop assault from my earlier beers.

6. Masthead - Cleveland, OH - First visited August 2018

The first stop of our Great Taste Caper '18 set the bar extremely high. Yes indeed, Masthead set the tone for the rest of the trip, and I used it as the benchmark for all of the other breweries we visited during the week-long excursion. It appeared to me that this place was just crushing it; the beers were amazing, the place was packed, the atmosphere was on-point, and the staff knew what they were talking about. We even bumped into a guy who recognized the Selin's Grove logo on my shirt, and we got to talking. This always elevates the experience for me (unless the person is a douchebag, which obviously detracts from my enjoyment). Thankfully this guy was cool. The first beer of the trip, Ten Minute DIPA, wowed me from the first sip. I'm pretty jaded when it comes to IPAs, but this sucker delivered. We closed out with Raspberry Espresso Torte, a thick, luscious Imperial Stout brewed with raspberries, locally roasted Six Shooter coffee, and lactose. This served as the proverbial icing on the cake of an amazing visit to Masthead and a well-deserved first stop of our Great Taste Caper '18.

7. One Trick Pony - Lansing, IL - First visited August 2018

Conversely with Masthead, One Trick Pony was our last brewery of the Great Taste Caper '18. Things got off to a very nice start with my first beer, Georgia Grande, a Hefeweizen-style ale infused with fresh ginger root and peaches. I seldom gravitate to a hefe (especially for my initial beer... you know, first impressions...) but this beer was refreshingly tart with a ton of juicy peach character and a subtle spicy note in the finish. Leathercoated Mind, an IPA hopped with El Dorado and Mosaic, brought on the tropical fruit and a bit of summer melon, and I soon found myself wanting to extend our visit despite the grueling 9-hour drive we had in store for us the following day. Well, I'm glad I decided to get one more beer, because I saved the best for last. Enter Cocoa Butter Kisses. I simply had to have it. I mean, there was no way an Imperial Stout aged in Buffalo Trace barrels brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, and cocoa wasn't going into my belly. Fucking hell, this beer was amazing! It was one of the most well-executed imperial stouts I've ever had in my life. The ingredients were perfectly balanced. The bourbon warmth was present but not boozy or overbearing. And it was soooo insanely drinkable. I wanted to bathe in it. I can go on and on, but you get the picture. For this beer alone, One Trick Pony made the grade.

8. MobCraft - Milwaukee, WI - First visited August 2018

When we first stepped into MobCraft, touted as "the world's first crowdsourced brewery," I knew we'd be back for a second visit the following day. I loved the concept of this brewery, not to mention the board was chock-full of some 20-odd tempting beers; so many that I simply couldn't try everything I wanted to try in one sitting. After my first sampler flight, I knew we had a winner. Batshit Crazy, a coffee brown ale, was memorable not only for its awesome name but also for its intense coffee flavor and supple mouthfeel. Our bartender during our first visit was awesome. I always appreciate a talkative and attentive server who is happy to answer questions. Turns out I had a lot during our visit. Two beers really wowed me the following day. The first, Nuance, is a Farmhouse Ale brewed in collaboration with 1840 Brewing Company. This beer was fermented and aged in fresh wine barrels for four months, conditioned with Brettanomyces Bruxelles and blended with apricots and peaches. Can you say "Yum?!" The other, Sour Support, is a barrel-aged blended sour with raspberries and ginger. Damn, another beer with ginger for the win. This place was definitely worth of dual visits.

9. Surly - Minneapolis, MN - First visited August 2018

I mean, DUH! We visited Surley three times over the span of 48 hours, so that should tell you something. This place had been on my "brewery bucket list" since I had my first sip of Furious back in the day. I was so excited to finally have this beer fresh from the source. But even more amazing was experiencing vintage 2017 Darkness on tap. Children, this was a near-religious experience for me! Pleeps still dreams about this more than 9 months later. Brewslut couldn't get enough of the Lime Lager. She seldom orders the same beer twice in one visit, but this beer was an exception to her rule. Surly is like the Twin Cities' version of Disneyland, except instead of an annoying mouse and his chums, you have some of the best beer brewed on the planet. Everything about Surly's facility screams "destination brewery," from its world-class beers to modern facility, to its food and landscape. If I lived in the Twin Cities, this would definitely serve as my "happy place." (Feel free to refer back to my previous blog, which includes tons of pictures.) We'll be back, Surly... I'm not sure when, but we will be back!

10. Wolf's Ridge - Columbus, OH - First visited November 2018

So many great things happened at Wolf's Ridge during our visit. I sampled "seacuterie" (essentially charcuterie for pescetarians) for the first time. Yes folks, they had me at pickled herring. I learned what a "puncheon" is. What is it? It's basically a really big wine barrel that holds one-third of a "tun," which is the English unit of liquid volume used for measuring wine, oil, or honey. I also enjoyed my favorite beer of the Great Taste Caper '18: Terre Du Sauvage Green, an otherworldly farmhouse-style saison fermented and conditioned in oak with a mixed culture of Brettanomyces and saison yeast. Dry-hopping with whole cone Ekuanot hops elicits delicate ripe melon and a punch of citrusy lemon-lime notes. Tart and complex yet fruity with zesty citrus and juicy tropical fruit, this beer was an absolute joy to drink. All in all, this place is a diamond in the rough. The beer, the food, the service, the vibe... all A+.

Once again, this year's list proved to be a difficult undertaking. Here are a few "honorable mentions" that came oh-so-close to making the final ten.

The Bottlehouse - Lakewood, OH - First visited August 2018

Everything here was killer! Vox Maris, a blended strong ale with dark candi syrup and sour cherries aged in bourbon barrels, proved tart and amazingly complex, and was far and away my favorite.  Pina Sour, a sour pineapple saison aged in wine barrels with Brettanomyces, was another stand-out. I'm also glad we worked up our appetite for a late-night snack, because the cheese plate we devoured was one of the best we've ever encountered.

Lakefront - Milwaukee, WI - First visited August 2018

It pains me that Lakefront didn't make it, because I had wanted to visit for soooo long! Still, this brewery is an institution and craft beer pioneer, so needless to say it was a pleasure to visit such an historic brewery. The tour at Lakefront is one of the most fun you'll ever take - you better prepare to sing, too - and the people here are just genuinely nice and friendly. I mean, it is Wisconsin! From its classic Lakefront Pils and most decorated beer, Eastside Dark (a Bavarian dark lager) to more experimental beers from its Beer in Progress Series, Lakefront is no joke. I mean, they've been in business since 1987, so they must be doing something right. Hooray for the old guard!

Root Down - Phoenixville, PA - First visited January 2018

What do you get when you combine craft beer with 90's hip hop, graffiti, and cheesy vintage kung fu movies? A pretty dope-ass brewery, yo! Root Down is housed in an old Hires root beer factory, so the place is huge. With an awesome roster of IPAs including Flux, Flying Guillotine, and its flagship GABF gold metal-winning Bine, Root Down also boasts a solid Keller Pils (not easy to brew) that I enjoyed during our visit. I mean, you know a place is legit when they win Midsize Brewpub & Brewer of the year at GABF, which they did in 2018. Yup. Good things are a-brewin' at Root Down!

Town Hall - Minneapolis, MN - First visited August 2018

Another one that just missed the final list, Town Hall is another one of the old guard that keeps all the new kids on their toes. Masala Mama on cask is still a force to be reckoned with, and it was one of my Top 5 beers of the Great Taste Caper '18. That alone was worth my long-awaited visit. The fact that they are located in the same town as Surly blows my mind. I mean, a world-class brewery AND Brewpub a few miles from each other? Damn, son!

Urban Growler - St. Paul, MN - First visited August 2018

Urban Growler, the first woman-owned microbrewery in Minnesota, churns out some fresh-faced, forward-thinking beers. In addition to year-round and seasonal specialty beers, its Plow to Pint series focuses on local ingredients and farmers, and the Hayloft series features experimental, small-batch beers. Two beers I sampled turned out to be two of the most memorable beers of our Great Taste Caper '18. Kentucky Common, a toasty copper-colored ale, takes a bourbon recipe and modifies it for beer. Sticky Rice, a wheat beer brewed with Jasmine rice, ginger, fresh mango, and organic coconut, is based on the type of rice served in Thai restaurants. The latter was easily one of the most unique beers I'd ever tried, so kudos to Urban Growler for that!

Väsen - Richmond, VA - First visited October 2018

This Scandinavian-inspired brewery is making its mark with unique sours, fruit beers, and Belgian-esque ales. A Smoked Blood Peach Sour? Um, yes please (even though I'd never heard of a blood peach). The Barrel-Aged Grapefruit Tripel, an Abbey-style ale aged for 4 months in Chardonnay barrels with grapefruit, was a complex flavor explosion of subtle fruitiness, citrus, white grape, clove and black pepper. Väsen really stood out from the usual Richmond suspects and turned out to be one of the most memorable visits of our weekend.

So, just how many "new-to-us" breweries did we visit in 2018?

110.

Not too shabby, eh? This total includes the new Yards facility as well as different locations for Hardywood, Hofbrauhaus, and Hardywood.

I'd say see you in 2019 but we're already four months deep! Until next time...

The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Days 9, 10 & 11: With every caper comes its conclusion

On the morning of the festival, we discussed our game plan and decided to park near Funk Factory, which is a short mile-or-so walk to the festival grounds. It was actually a nice, leisurely stroll along a creek. Since Funk Factory opened pretty early, we decided to pre-game and grab a quick beer before heading over to drink for five hours. Nothing like prolonging an already lengthy beer drinking session, right? I was happy to see Peach Meerts on tap when we arrived. Actually, strike that. I wasn't happy to see it, because I'd decided not to get a beer. But saying "no" to a peach beer is a tough thing for me to do. It's like that last piece of pizza sitting on the plate, looking up at you as if to say, "Go ahead. What's another few hundred calories?" So I was sucked into the vortex of Peach Meerts. After one or two sips, I realized I'd made a sound decision. Plus these beers are only around 4% ABV, so it's kind of like drinking flavored water anyway.

After our beers, it was time to hightail it over to the festival grounds. We were blessed with some pretty amazing weather, I must say. It was sunny and warm; maybe even a little too warm, depending on who you ask. It was perhaps a little sweatilicious (even I had my button-down shirt completely open for some sweet convertible-like breeze action). Pleeps chilled out in my breast pocket for the duration of the festival, which kind of turned into having a little devil on my shoulder for the entire day. Readers of our blog most certainly are well aware of Pleeps' penchant for imperial stouts. Every time we rolled up to a tent and saw a barrel-aged stout, it was almost as if he used some kind of telekinetic monkey mojo and placed the beer into my hands.

Great Taste of the Midwest!

If you happen to follow me on Untappd, then you were probably pretty jealous if you saw some of my check-ins during the festival. Brewslut signed out an internet hotspot (which we lovingly refer to as the "Wi-fi Machine"), so we had no issues whatsoever logging our beers, save for the occasional "user error" of forgetting to check something in. I'd say I checked in 75% of the beers I sampled. Typically, I won't check in beers at a festival, but with the hot spot in our possession, it was relatively an easy task to accomplish.

Some brewery highlights included personal favorites Short's, Odd Side, Right Brain, New Holland, and The Livery mixed in with new discoveries from this trip such as Steel Toe and Dangerous Man. One of the stand-out beers of the festival was Church Salad, a 7% ABV sour ale brewed with lactose from Pulpit Rock, a brewery out of and Iowa new find for us. Meant to mimic a dessert some folks call "ambrosia" (I grew up calling it "heaven"), this liquid marshmallow salad like grandma used to make also includes toasted walnuts, coconut, and freshly-pressed pineapple juice. This was a staple dessert at my house (it still is), and this beer was a home run! Kudos to Pulpit Rock for bringing this treat to life in beer form!

Last time was Santa... this time, it's the King!

We were all pretty much in agreement that Iowa's Big Grove Brewing Company was the find of the festival. Their beers were top-notch, their reps were true brewery ambassadors and catered to the beer geek demographic. You could tell they are the hungry, new kids on the block. Between Pulpit Rock and Big Grove, it seems a trip to Iowa in the near future is in order!

I'd normally go into much more detail about our drinking escapades, but as you can probably imagine beer festivals of this magnitude are virtual whirlwinds that encapsulate your mind and body and whisk you away to a distant land where hops grow on trees, rivers flow deep and wide with IPAs, and mountains of malted barley scrape the green-tinted sky. Damn, that was pretty poetic. Thanks Penn State English program. Who am I kidding? I was a B student. In all honesty, you simply have to attend Great Taste and soak everything in to understand what it's all about.

As if we needed anything else to drink after the fest, we felt obliged to stop in at Funk Factory again for a post-festival beer. And again, it was another variation on a common theme for the win: Lemongrass Ginger Kombucha Meerts. Suffice to say, I don't really have much of a recollection of our post-festival visit to Funk Factory. I was experiencing the aforementioned "post-Great Taste haze." With that said, this was easily the best shape I've ever been in after the festival. Instead of going back to our room to take a nap (only to wake up at 1:30 a.m. in dire need of sustenance), we actually walked back to the car, had our postscript beer, and went back to the homestead for dinner and - believe it or not - more beers! Once we got back to the house, we decided to stay in for the evening. We ordered Chinese food and cracked open a few of the beers we'd picked up along the trip. Here's a quick recap of what we enjoyed after our Asian delicacies: 

• Grain Belt Nordeast by August Schell Brewing Company 
• Citronic Pale Ale by Bare Hands Brewery
• Fresh Coast by 3 Sheeps Brewing Company 
• Cherry Gose by The Sour Note Brewing 
• Banshee Cutter by Insight Brewing Company 

With the exception of Grain Belt Nordeast, we had already tried all four of the other beers earlier on the trip. This particular beer was actually left in the refrigerator (perhaps by a previous guest), so we decided to have a go. Being an American light amber lager in a clear bottle, I didn't have very high expectations. Despite the beer being lackluster as anticipated, I did learn that August Schell was established in 1860 and late beer critic Michael Jackson once called its brewery in New Ulm, NM, the "most beautiful brewery in America." So they have that going for them, as well as a long brewing history. They might want to reconsider the clear bottles, though.

After that lot, it was time for some well-deserved slumber.

The next morning, we packed up and had our last meal in Madison before making the short southward drive to New Glarus, WI for our requisite stop at one of my personal favorite breweries in the United States - New Glarus. But first, breakfast! We opted to call an audible and rather than paying a visit to our beloved Glarner Stube, we decided to eat at the equally awesome New Glarus Hotel for a true, authentic Swiss breakfast.

New Glarus, WI... it's like visiting Switzerland.

Although it is renowned for its amazing brunch buffet, the majority of the items were not Ffejetarian-friendly, so Brewslut and I each opted for a traditional Swiss dish called a Rösti. This starchy, carb-heavy dish consists mainly of potatoes and cheese and can best be described as a large fritter. Originally a breakfast dish commonly eaten by farmers, it is now extremely popular throughout Switzerland and other parts of the world, namely New Glarus, WI. If your looking for something with which to adequately line your gut prior to drinking beer, then look no further than the Rösti. After this filling breakfast treat, it was off to the brewery.

Between the festival and the great selection we experienced at Off Broadway, we'd already had our share of New Glarus beers. Regardless, it's always a true pleasure to witness the grandeur of this elegant brewery. Reminiscent of a Swiss castle nestled in a quaint small town amid the Alpine mountains, the brewery is truly a sight to behold. The beer is world class, too. If you've never had a beer from New Glarus, well, they pretty much do justice to every style. A fresh, lively, hop-forward pale ale? Check. That'd be Moon Man. Fruit beers? Can't go wrong with any of 'em. Wisconsin Belgian Red. Raspberry Tart. Serendipity. Strawberry Rhubarb. They are all works of art bursting with the most amazing, authentic fruit flavor you will ever experience. It's R&D sour and barrel-aged beers are some of the best I've ever tasted. As a matter of fact, at a Team D(r)INK tasting shortly after we returned from this very trip, we opened a R&D Kriek as well as a 2015 Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic Bio and I (as well as my man Jamberg) liked the New Glarus more. The Thumbprint Series has produced dozens of experimental batches (some more memorable than others) including everything from smoked beers and sour brown ales to beers that defy categorization (Enigma, anyone?) to one of the best Berliner Weissbiers I've ever had. Even its Spotted Cow, a light farmhouse-style table beer, is the best-selling draft beer in all of Wisconsin (or at least is was from 2007 to 2012). Not craft beer, either. I'm talking beer PERIOD. More than any Bud-Miller-Coors product. Now that's a testament to the quality of New Glarus' beers... as well as the drinking temperament of Wisconsinites.

OK, enough gushing. I love New Glarus. You get the picture. Let's move on, shall we?

Obviously, the brewery was beginning to fill up quickly with folks in town for the festival. We arrived a few minutes after official opening time and had to park in the overflow lot. A constant string of cars were filing into the lot as we made our way to the brewery's entrance. Here are a few pics of the main entrance. 

Impressive, right? We headed up the stairs to the patio area where they sell beer tokens. You can opt for a flight and keep the glass, or pay for a large pour of a single beer in either a standard or upgraded glass. Since we already have about four or five of the taster glasses, we decided to splurge on a single pour of two more limited beers and share them: R&D Kriek and Strawberry Rhubarb. We've already discussed these two beers in previous "Great Taste Caper" episodes, so I'll spare you further praise. I will say that the R&D Kriek direct from the source was one of the highlights of the entire trip. So there you have it.

Pleeps wore his wristband like a sash.

With beer in hand, we basically just enjoyed the surroundings and each others' company. Below are some additional photographs that illustrate the impressive facility. The first three shots are of the "ruins," which are meant to mimic fallen turrets and eroded castle walls. There is a separate bar in this area where you can sample some of the rare beers offered by New Glarus.  

Since we don't get to visit too often (the last time was six years ago), we took a quick stroll around the self-guided tour path. Here are some additional photos from inside the brewing facility:

After finishing our beers, we headed to the beer store on the ground level to claim each of our respective hauls to tote back to PA. At our house, we're not allowed to drink the last Tart or Red bottle until we know we're going to be visiting the brewery again. So we made sure to stock up adequately. I was pleased to see they are now canning Moon Man and Spotted Cow, and we made sure to snag a 12-pack of the former. They also now bottle Tart and Red in 12-ounce bottles, which is decidedly more convenient than the previous 750mL, wax-dipped bottles (and cheaper too). I also picked up a sixer of the Coffee Stout, which I'd never had before. Oh, and some Berliner Weisse. And a few of the R&D sours. And Cran-bic. And Serendipity. And Strawberry Rhubarb. We probably bought way too much, but you never know how long it will be until we return. One thing is for sure... it won't be another six years! 

Just two women hanging out at New Glarus.

We said farewell to New Glarus and hit the rocky road. The destination? Nearby Monroe, WI, for a visit to a tiny new brewery called Bullquarian Brewhouse. D&C decided they wanted to do some exploring, so we decided to tag along. Might as well add a few more breweries to the list, I thought. We were planning to meet Nathan and his wife, Tiffany, later that evening, and had a pretty lengthy drive to Illinois, so these would be relatively quick stops in the grand scheme of things. 

Described as a "nano brewery," Bullquarian employs a 2-bbl brewhouse and serves up homemade pizza for eats. We were just drinking today, but I did partake in some free popcorn (I usually like something small to nosh on while enjoying beer). They also feature live music, as the owner/brewer is a drummer in a local blues band. He was a nice guy, and we talked a bit about music and our travels. He also does a Sunday vinyl day, and another older guy was in there spinning the first Van Halen record. So they get bonus points for embracing one of my other passions (two, actually, if you count live music).

The beer here was pretty much as I'd expected: decent local beer. Still, it was nice to see a Rauchbier on tap, which was the first beer I sampled. Smoke Ryeder is brewed with three different varieties of smoked malt, flaked rye, and Belgian sugar to elicit a smokey flavor with a faint sweetness and hint of spicy jerky. It wasn't bad; maybe a tad sweet for the style, but otherwise enjoyable. Brewslut ordered a small pour of Anser, a kettle-soured gose with a hint of coriander, citrus fruit, and a pinch of salt.

We were also passing around a pour of a German-style schwarzbier, or dark lager, called Erv's Dark. Both Deuane and I enjoyed this one, which features hints of chocolate, sweet malt, and roast. Brewslut isn't a huge fan of the style, so Deuane and I had the lion's share. Carolyn was working on a sampler flight while we hung out at a round table and poked around the small tasting room.

Some interesting tap handles at Bullquarian. I like the giraffe!

Since we were in town and only about a block away from Minhas, the second oldest brewery in the United States, we felt obliged to stop in for a quick visit. Oddly enough, the oldest brewery in the country is like 30 miles from my hometown and I've never been there. At least we made it to the second oldest one. To be honest, this place was pretty much what I expected it to be - an old school brewery with antiquated recipes whose claim to fame is the fact that they remained open for so long. Still, it's worth a visit, right?

We didn't really have time for a full brewery tour, so opted for a sampler flight, which included as many samples as you can drink in twenty minutes. There were 40-odd beers available. Do the math. I interpreted this as a challenge. While I of course didn't get near to trying all of them, I did some damage. It was kind of like speed dating, only with beer. Here's the low-down:

• 1845 Pils - "old world" pilsner style beer with thin mouthfeel and very mild floral hop character. 
• Over the Barrel Apple Ale - Easily my favorite of the lot. Tasted like a sweet apple cider with a faint dryness in the finish. 
• Imperial Jack DIPA - contract brewed for Rhinelander Brewing. Old school malty DIPA with floral and herbal notes. 
• Lazy Mutt Farmhouse Ale - unfiltered, light-bodied farmhouse ale brewed with Minhas' proprietary ale yeast strain. 
• Thirsty Miner American IPA - another contract brewed IPA that touts "big hop flavors and aromas." Kind of generic, as expected. 
• Huber Bock - sweet, malty German-style bock with lots of caramel a faint floral note. 
• Rhinelander - a pretty non-descript export lager (think light pilsner style)

Overall, nothing was what I would describe as great craft beer. But it was a cool experience, the people were nice, and in addition to the 20-minute "speed drinking" session, the $10 price tag also  included a take-home glass, a mixed 6-pack of beer, and some small swag items. Of course, they had a few beer brands that carried a price tag of around $7.00 per case! That's cheaper than Lionshead! Since we had a time limit, I wasn't able to snap any pictures here. And again, quantity trumps quality. We secured our parting gifts, said goodbye to D&C and shipped off to meet up with Nathan in Illinois once again; only this time, his new wife Tiffany would be joining us.

We were extremely hungry when we arrived at our first stop, 350 Brewing in Tinley Park, IL. We were hoping to only hit Hailstorm (a favorite of ours from a previous Drinksgiving trip) but it turns out they weren't hosting a food truck on this particular Sunday. In light of this, Nathan suggested this newish brewery about a mile away from Hailstorm. Fine by me! 

Outside 350 Brewing Co. in Tinley Park, IL.

On the outside, the brewery is reminiscent of any number of breweries we've encountered in shopping plazas situated next to Chinese take-out restaurants, nail salons, and pharmacies. Inside, the place is pretty punk rock and immediately reminded me of Fall Brewing Co. in San Diego, another brewery with a DIY vibe. When we arrived, Nathan and Tiffany had already secured a table and were enjoying some beers and appetizers. Nathan is a recent newlywed, so this was the first time meeting Tiffany. She's new to the whole "beer thing" (especially to the extent in which the rest of us are ensconced), but she's eager and willing to try anything put in front of her.

In order to get to Hailstorm in time, we were limited to a single beer. After quickly perusing the menu, I opted for Shake City - Peaches & Cream, a milkshake IPA presumably brewed with lactose and peaches. Yes, again with the peaches, I'm afraid. This was pretty tasty overall, although I find some milkshake IPAs to be a bit chalky in the mouthfeel. I don't mind the viscosity or chewiness, but sometimes the grittiness pushes the bitterness over the edge. Still, this was pretty well balanced with hops and sweetness, and the peach flavor was apparent. And with that, it was time to move on. 

Inside 350 Brewing.

We first visited Hailstorm on our Drinksgiving 2015 jaunt. Unfortunately, you can't read about it because it was during my hiatus. Coincidentally, Nathan was in tow with us back then too. I recall being wowed by not only the quality of their barrel-aged beers, but also the sheer number of these beers available on tap and in bottles. Seemed like a pretty mature barrel-aging program for a brewery who'd only been open a year-and-a-half when we visited. It seems like they're still focusing on barrel-aged beers, but have also jumped on the IPA bandwagon, as this time they had a few hazy IPAs and a new style I've seen gaining some traction: Brut IPA.

Wall of wood at Hailstorm Brewing.

We planted ourselves at the corner of the bar. The bartender was attentive and chatty, and came across as a bona fide beer geek. It's always nice to have a server who knows what they're talking about. I ordered a pour of Blast!, a NE-style pale ale brewed in collaboration with The Open Bottle, a craft brew shop and taproom in Tinley Park. Yes, I know... another hazy, hoppy beer. This one features Mosaic and Citra hops, and additions of lactose, vanilla, and blueberries sweetens the pot. According to Hailstorm, this one "pairs well with barbecues, bald eagles, and freedom." I think that pairing would be more appropriate with a light American adjunct lager, but what do I know. 'Murica!

Brewslut opted for the Guava Gose, which we shared. At least I think we did. I have no recollection of this beer, unfortunately. Meanwhile, I noticed a beer on the chalkboard called Hopsecco, so I inquired about it. Turns out it's one of those newfangled Brut IPAs that have been popping up. Based on current trends, I anticipate this becoming the trendy style in 2019. We'll see. At any rate, this beer is a collaboration with Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company based in New Lenox, IL. Ultra-dry and low on bitterness, this double dry-hopped IPA boasts a white wine-like hop character by way of Hallertau Blanc, Callista (a new one for me), and Vic Secret hops. A massive amount of Sauvignon Blanc grape juice lends to the ambiance. I wasn't too jazzed about this one, unfortunately. I was expecting a much more highly carbonated beer akin to Champagne, which it didn't deliver. The white grape flavor was apparent, but I didn't feel it was overly dry either. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing how this infant style progresses over the next year or so. You can likely expect to see Brut IPAs popping up at breweries across the country in 2019.

It's fitting to end a meal with dessert, and sometimes it's appropriate to conclude a drinking session with a liquid dessert. Enter Awesome Brownie. Yet another collaboration (this one with Flesk Brewing out of Barrington, IL), this is a lower ABV stout brewed with chocolate and vanilla. This was probably my favorite of the four beers, but none of them matched the memory of our first experience at Hailstorm. Still, it was good to get back after a few years to catch up. Hopefully next time they will have more barrel-aged beers ripe for the pickings!

Nathan twisted our collective arm into going to one final brewery about 20 miles away in nearby Lansing, IL. Since we were already going that way, we figured why not? The brewery, One Trick Pony, may have been the unsung hero of the trip, in all honesty. With a name like One Trick Pony, I wasn't expecting much. I mean, the name itself implies that you can really do only one thing well. Naturally, I was thinking in beer styles. Turns out they do justice to all kinds of beer!

First off, I love their little no-nonsense elevator pitch:

Our beer won't make you strong or handsome, but if you appreciate craft beer and want to meet some guys that are happy to make it, serve it, and probably drink it with you.

OK, so grammatically it's a sentence fragment. But the sentiment promises no pretenses. This place was a perfect example of a no-frills brewery with rag-tag regulars and straight-up awesome beer. (Sorry for all the hyphenated phrases in that last sentence.) The vibe of the place reminded me immediately of Marshall, MI's roadhouse-style Dark Horse Brewing, one of our favorites.

It took every ounce of restraint not to bust out some Rush!

Things got off to a very nice start with my first beer, Georgia Grande. Brewed with pilsner malt and  White Wheat (the latter for a hint of haze) this Hefeweizen-style ale is infused with fresh ginger root and peaches. Overall, this was a refreshingly tart, light wheat beer rounded out by juicy peach flesh and a hint of spicy clove. Ginger can be a finicky ingredient to use in brewing, but the ginger character was just right and played off the juiciness of the peaches nicely. Well done!

Up next was Leathercoated Mind, an IPA hopped with El Dorado and Mosaic. Heavy dry-hopping draws out lots of tropical fruit and a bit of summer melon. Again, this was another winner and I soon found myself wanting to stay longer despite the grueling 9-hour drive we had in store for us the following day. Well, I'm glad I decided to get one more beer, because I saved the best for last.

One trick pony? More like MANY tricks pony!

I spotted a delicious sounding barrel-aged stout on the menu called Cocoa Butter Kisses. I simply had to have it. People, let me tell you: I've had a lot of stouts over the years. A LOT. This one was right up my alley. There was absolutely no way an Imperial Stout aged in Buffalo Trace barrels clocking in at 11.8% ABV brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, and cocoa wasn't going into my belly. Fucking hell, this beer was amazing! It was one of the most well-executed imperial stouts I've ever had in my life. The ingredients were perfectly balanced. The bourbon warmth was present but not boozy or overbearing. Velvety. Luscious. Bursting with flavor. So insanely drinkable, I wanted to bathe in it. I can go on and on, but you get the picture. After that amazing beer, it was time to say goodbye to our friends and start the long journey home. (Actually, a relatively short drive to our hotel followed by a long journey home the following day.)

Finishing up at One Trick Pony.

Monday serves as a sort of postscript to the trip. We did manage to fit in one last stop at one of my personal favorite spots: The Beer Engine. We decided at the 11th hour to skip brunch after spending the night in Cleveland on our first official day of the trip because it was about 10 miles or so in the opposite direction as where we were headed. So, it served instead as our lunch destination for Monday.

Since we still had a solid six-hour drive ahead of us, we decided to limit ourselves to one beer each and share them. Turns out the Beer Engine (historically Buckeye Brewing's de facto tap room) has pretty much ceased all brewing activity, unfortunately. I always enjoyed at least one of Buckeye's beers on tap during our visits to the Beer Engine. Sadly, there weren't any Buckeye beers on tap save for an anniversary barleywine that had been on for quite some time. As disappointing as this was to me, I was pleased to find a beer from Jackie O's on tap, something called Who Cooks for You. Turns out it is a double dry-hopped hazy Pale Ale. Brewslut opted for LazerSnake by Three Floyds, described as an "old-fashioned" IPA. In my opinion, the Jackie O's beer was much better. I'm not sure what hop combo FFF used in this beer, but I wasn't digging it. Over the last few years, I kind of fell off the FFF train. Eight years ago, I thought they were the best thing ever. Fast forward to present day, and I'm not sure. It's kind of like they don't give a shit anymore. Our last visit was so forgettable that we decided to skip it this time around. Since I hate to end on a downer, I'll go on record and say that this Jackie O's beer has piqued my interest in visiting the brewery again. It's simply been far too long since we were there. Plus Brad (the head brewer) is awesome!

In case you weren't keeping track, I've decided to include some statistics from the trip. Perhaps I'll continue to do this for all of our trips. We'll see. 

Total # Days: 11

Total # Beer Bars: 8

Total # breweries: 44

Total # beers (minus GTOTM samples): 197

So there you have it. All in all, it was a pretty memorable trip. We finally got to Minneapolis. It was a blast. Not sure there is much left to say about this epic beer trip. One thing's for sure... it won't take me another six years to get back to Great Taste of the Midwest. That you can count on! Until next time... 

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...