Got Beer?

I should ask, since it IS this weekend....

Anyone going to Autumn Brew Review this year? I'll be there with a couple friends, sporting LTD Gear (go figure! ) 85~ breweries, all MN. Back Channel just confirmed they are in, a last minute addition.

Nada. Watching hockey takes precedence! Wish they would move it back to September. Although it was always brutal when it was hot out.

I’d like to but I’m sitting this year’s out. The (even likely small) potential of having my 3 year out of school for two weeks over a beer festival isn’t a trade off I’m willing to take this year. Our son’s daycare is so strict about quarantines

Ditto.

:good2: Kudos to you guys for thinking about the safety of others!

Falling Knife has made it two years and they released a fun one for their party -- Screaming for Vengeance which is a 17.7% super imperial stout which was aged nine months in a Heaven Hill barrel and then another nine months in Casanova's Eagle Rare barrel. I did not get one in their lottery (I think the only sold 40 bottles), but got down to the tasting room for a 3 oz pour which made me wish they made more. It was decadent.

I also tried their Tree of Woe, which is a big wee heavy, maple syrup barrel aged. It's very sweet. I think it'd go great with some desserts.

I wish that was the main driver. No one would be happy at my house if we had to have a three year old home from school for two weeks. He would drive us crazy from being out of his routine and trying to manage work commitments (or catch up from extended time out) would be extremely painful. It’s just not worth it.

Ditto again lol

Braemar had Lupulin's Campfire Munchies on tap, so I had one after my round on Sunday. Was a great beer, and a great way to probably end my golf season this year.

I am not a big stout porter guy, but there are a few I have really liked.

Waconia's Peanut Butter Porter and Lupulin's Lateralus with Coconut and Cocoa being 2 favorites this time of year. Now I can add Lupulin's Campfire Munchies!

So I guess when it's flavored, I like them, when it's not... I'd rather have an IPA. Haha.

Proof of vaccination is required. According to the site, a recent test is not good enough. And, no kids allowed (the ones not allowed to be vaccinated at this point, anyway, for the most part).

Did the St. Cloud brewery tour before the game today. Back Shed was pretty cool, really nice space, and the beers I had were really solid.

Pantown was decent, nothing too crazy to write home about, but nothing terrible.

Beaver Island I was pretty underwhelmed by.

I’ve heard good things about Back Shed.

My neighbor cracked open a 2020 Darkness tonight. I remember being really disappointed in it last year but a year of aging has done wonders for it.

Autumn Brew Review:

Perfect weather for it. Friends and I bought the early-entry tickets, which worked out nicely, since we could hit the breweries that we thought would have massive lines later on (more on that in a moment). Most of the breweries brought something special, and that is what we were hoping for. Some just brought their normal stuff, and unless we hadn't had the brewery before, we skipped those.

The fest also had a designated area for Uber/cabs/Lyft, which made it quite easy when leaving. Hopefully the fest gets back up to the size that it used to be. I think only about 85~ breweries were there this year, instead of the usual 120~.

About the lines: there were none. Even the "special tapping at Xpm" things never had a backup. I don't know if it's because they scaled back the number of tickets sold, or if not as many people decided to buy tickets, or people stayed away because of the Vax Proof requirement, etc. In the end, it was a blast, and I'm looking forward to it next year.

I hope they get some positive feedback if the crowd size felt good. I do feel like the size of the fest got too big in recent years and it’s more fun with the smaller crowd. Either way I’m planning on going next year

The one year I’ve been to the Rare Beer Festival they only sold 750 tickets and it never felt crowded at all.

I meant size as in number of breweries. I wish Forager and LTD were there this year. among others. LTD I get, they pulled off 2 block parties within 30ish days of each other, which was a monumental task for them.

I do think the craft beer crowd has balanced itself a bit, also. People are choosier, and not trying to hit EVERY fest/release/etc. It's an expensive hobby, if you let it come to that.

Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA. I swear the aroma and after sip taste are reminiscent of another certain plant not called hops.

Slap Shot wrote:

Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA. I swear the aroma and after sip taste are reminiscent of another certain plant not called hops.

I would concur with that opinion. There are some "dank" IPAs out there, that are similar.

We stopped at Copper Trail in Alexandria last week. They've got several good brews there!

The Rube wrote:

Slap Shot wrote:

Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA. I swear the aroma and after sip taste are reminiscent of another certain plant not called hops.

I would concur with that opinion. There are some "dank" IPAs out there, that are similar.

New Belgium made a beer called The Hemperor for a few years and are still making what they call HPAs or at least with that idea in mind. It’s not an accident. I have a good friend who’s a long time NB employee...there will be some big news coming from them soon.

Dark Horse has "Smells Like A Safety Meeting." FDA would not let them call it "Smells Like Weed."

Lupulin's Straight Hash Homie is another. Gets bonus points for the reference with the name.

That one is dank as all hell.

For those of you who are Facebook friends me you will know that I have a part time job as a tour guide. I take people on food, beer, sightseeing tours of the Twin Cities.

This Saturday I am taking a bachelorette party to the following breweries that I have never been to. If any of you have, I would appreciate any insights.

1. Wooden HIll Brewing (Edina)

2. Boom Island Brewing (Minnetonka)

3. Unmapped Brewing (Minnetonka)

Thanks in advance!

1 and 3 suck for beer. Wooden does have excellent food, though. 2 is okay for beer, they have been improving since they have decided they cannot live on Belgians alone.

What would you like to know? Boom Island has a nice space and they tend to be more Belgian influenced in their styles so you'll see a few styles you don't see many other places (Dubbels, Tripels, maybe a Lambic). Belgian beers are well known for having very distinct flavor profiles because of the yeasts they use to make them.

I personally find Belgian beers very hit and miss because of funkiness I get in the flavors. I wasn't a huge fan of much they had there (and neither was my non beer geek wife) but if they have their Cuvee on tap (Cuvee de Boom) that would be one to try because it's beer made in part with white wine grapes that give it a unique flavor.

I can't speak personally to Unmapped or Wooden Hill because I don't know that I've had a beer from either of them. I know the beer geek community frequently pans Unmapped but I couldn't tell you why...and a Bachelorette party probably wouldn't care what they think anyways.

Unmapped doesn't suck at all.

You're so much more concise than me.

Unmapped got three strikes from me. Visited 3 times, and nada.

Wooden Hill, had a couple beers from them...their "stout" was a black ale. Couldn't even categorize the beer correctly.

Boom, nice space, and what Dave said is correct.

I've tried 2 from Unmapped and enjoyed both. Meh.

Drinking a bottle of Dangerous Man's Double Blackberry Lassi. It's a Imperial Dark Sour blackberries and vanilla beans aged in Eagle Rare barrels.

There's a lot going on in this beer and in some ways it's more going on than what you'd normally get in a barrel aged sour. When you smell the beer it smacks you with a very heavy bourbon flavor. The blackberry hits you in the face but the blend of the vanilla and the barrel really blend well together. My wife is not a fan of many beers aged in a bourbon or whiskey barrel and she enjoyed this even though I think the barrel characteristics have become much more pronounced as it warms.

I'm glad I picked this up...it's nice to find a BA Sour that's not from Indeed or Starkeller once in awhile.

Well, you HAVE been out of country for a while... :poke:

And you've gotten a bit full... :poke:

Just going by what I've experienced.

That's why you're so full - you've experienced too much.

A sample (2oz) = a full pour for a rating.

Maybe you should get out of your house once in a while!

Maybe you should get over yourself. Just saying.

Don't pay attention to me. I'm a rube. Thought that was clear. It's like Bill Hicks and marketing. No joke here. There is no payoff line. What you see is what you get.

A 2 oz shot of beer is not worth arguing about, in my opinion.

Unmapped gets incredibly loud and difficult to have a conversation in. Their best beers are drinkable, some others are not as much, in my opinion.

Boom Island's new space is much better, and yes the beers can be very hit and miss but are unique.

Wooden Hill - I went once. Beer was fine. Haven't felt compelled to go back.

For that area, I'd suggest what I am sure any other regular on this thread would;

Back Channel in Mound - Great space, on the lake, outstanding beer, yard games, a food truck. What more can you ask for

Steel Toe in St Louis park - A good all-around brewery. Nothing amazing, but never had a bad beer there either. Just good, solid beers.

But that's not what you asked... sorry.

In other news, I have been to Chanhassen Brewing twice. I'd compare it to Wayzata Brew Works, no... I am not kidding. Awful both times. Yet the parking lot is packed both times.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. This is a private tour and the locations were picked by the clients so we didn't have a say in the matter. I was just looking for any kind of information you had.

I believe Boom Island used to be down in N Mpls. I know we went to that location once on a tour and no one liked it. At that time they had a very narrow range of beer styles and for the general non beer geeks that we cater to you need to have a wider variety. Based on their website it looks like they have a wider variety now.

Yes they were right off 94 and Broadway

Which would make sense since Boom Island is the area just south of there (it was actually an island in the past when booms were used to split up the log flows down the river, hence the name)

Boom Island moved due to the violence/crime in the area (that happened after dark). IIRC, Someone got shot in the head, and BI said "That's enough" and moved to the 'burbs.

Note: Brass Foundry was supposed to be in Boom's current space, but there were some complications at the last moment. Depending on who you talk to, either the city added some stuff, or Brass was simply not prepared to meet the requirements in the first place (BF is contract brewing, currently).

Went to Luce Line tonight and since I wasn't driving I fully sampled:

Oktoberfest: B-

Great Passage Stout: A

Cuyana Hard Tail: B

Foggy Bottom: B+

I need to get back there. It’s pretty close to my house and they are making good beer

I do like the location. Guarantee lots of people who like beer in that immediate area (for those that don't know, it's smack dab in the center of a light industrial area). Haven't been there, only drove by, and looks like a nice space, especially the patio. Your grades are about what I have heard, and that is good news.

The only negative is parking although at most you'll have to walk 50-100 meters.

Truth. I work about 1/2 mile from there.

Darkness Eve at Stub and Herbs today, though no idea what the tap lineup is.

https://www.taphunter.com/location/stub-and-herbs/6331184171974656

As of now:

Founders CBS 2019

KBS Cinnamon, Vanilla, Cocoa

Goose Island 2018 BC

2019 GI BC Cafe De Olla

Lightbridge Barrel aged Vanilla bean Silhouette

MODIST BARREL AGED (CACAO/VANILLA) 32 TEETH

ODELL WHISKEY BARREL AGED LUGENE

Surly Barrel Aged Darkness 2014, 2017-2019

Barrel Aged Mole Darkness

2021 Darkness

15

13

Pentagram

Toppling Morning Delight

Bent Paddle 2019 Double shot double black