Magic 78 in Minneapolis and no Attack

During a conference, in Minneapolis MN, from 5/18 – 5/21/19. Brought some good beers to share.

Started out 5/18 at the Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 S Washington Ave
[brewer]     |       [brand]  |       [style]         | [ABV] | (score on 0-10)
New Holland   |   Dragon's Milk reserve raspberry hibiscus   |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |   11   |   9.2 (beer #10,794)
Insight    |   Sunken City   |   Ale, Saison   |   [7.8]   |   7.5

Then to the Stray Dog, 401 E Hennepin Ave. Really nice place with a Belgian beer selection that us quite good. After some beef marrow, tried one of those Ultimate burgers, no meat – amazing.
Bent Paddle   |   Cherry Pomegranate    |   Lager, Pilsner, Fruit   |   [5.0]   |   7.5
Verhaeghe, Brouwerij   |   Duchesse de Bourgogne   |   Ale, Belgian Flanders Red   |   [6.0   |   8.8
Orval   |   Orval Trappist   |   Ale, Belgian Trappist   |   [6.9]   |   9.5

Next day met up with someone I used to work with and his son, started out walking the Town Hall brewpub (it was an Uber day)

[brewer]     |       [brand]  |       [style]         | [ABV] | (score on 0-10)
Town Hall   |   Quadruple Vine   |   Ale, Belgian Quadrupel Style   |   [10.2]   |   8.9
Town Hall   |   West Bank   |   Ale, Pale, American   |      |   7.6
Town Hall   |   Ol’ Blarney   |   Ale, Red, Irish   |      |   7
Town Hall   |   Weizenbock   |   Lager, Bock, Weizenbock   |      |   7.7
Town Hall   |   Sterling Red Lager   |   Lager, Red   |      |   6.5
Town Hall   |   Aces Copper Pale Ale   |   Ale, Pale, American   |      |   7.5
Town Hall   |   Masala Mama   |   Ale, IPA, English   |   [6.4]   |   8.7

Then to Indeed at 711 NE 15th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55413, where there was an event with live music.

Indeed    |   Lucy    |   Ale, Sour   |      |   7.2
Indeed    |   Day Tripper   |   Ale, Pale, Classic   |   [5.4]   |   7.5
Indeed    |   B side Pils   |   Lager, Pilsner, German Pils   |   [5.1]   |   8.5
Indeed    |   Total Banger    |   Ale, IPA, American, Double   |   [8.3]   |   8.8

A short walk at Dangerous Man where I once again extolled the virtues of yeast.
Dangerous Man   |   Raspberry coconut Sherbet Barleywine   |   Ale, Barleywine, Fruit   |   [9.9]   |   9.2
Dangerous Man   |   Dangerous one    |   Ale, IPA, Session   |   [5.1]   |   7.8

Dangerous Man   |   Kölsch style   |   Kölsch Style   |      |   8
Dangerous Man   |   Lemons Almond Frangipane   |   Ale, Golden   |   [4.1]   |   7
Dangerous Man   |   Cherry Milkshake    |   Ale, IPA, Milkshake, Fruit    |   [6.7]   |   7
Dangerous Man   |   Coconut chocolate chipotle milk Stout aged wild turkey barrels   |   Ale, Stout, Milk, Spiced   |      |   8.5

Finished up at Fulton, 414 N 6th Ave, with some

Fulton    |   War and Peace w/coffee   |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |   [9.5]   |   9.6
Fulton    |   Lonely Blonde   |   Ale, Blonde, American   |      |   8

I went and had a light dinner back at Town Hall.

Town Hall   |   Manhattan reserve grand cru   |   Ale, IPA, English   |   [6.4]   |   9.7

On the 19th met up with someone I used to work with, and stopped at The Local in downtown Minneapolis.
Finnigans   |   Cluster Truck   |   Ale, Amber, English   |      |   6.8
Finnigans   |   Dead Irish poet   |   Ale, Stout, Irish   |      |   7.5

From here we made what would be a great decision, some folks we chatted with on the way to Dangerous Man said Boom Island was rocking Belgian-style beers. They were. Jim was a great host.

Boom Island   |   Brimstone Tripel    |   Ale, Belgian Tripel Style   |   [9.5]   |   8
Boom Island   |   Django Hop Bier   |   Ale, Belgian IPA style   |   [6.0]   |   8.5
Boom Island   |   Hoodoo Dubbel   |   Ale, Belgian Dubbel Style   |   [8.5]   |   7.8

Boom Island   |   Kriek   |   Ale, Belgian Kriek Lambic style   |   [4.8]   |   8.8
Boom Island   |   Lemon Drop    |   Ale, Belgian White Style   |  [5.5]    |   7.6
Boom Island   |   Omen-Quad   |   Ale, Belgian Quadrupel Style   |   [10.2]   |   8.8
Boom Island   |   Witness   |   Ale, Belgian White style   |   [5.0]   |   8

Then back to Fulton
Fulton    |   BlackBerry Wit   |   Ale, Belgian White style   |   [5.0]   |   7
Fulton    |   War and Peace aged on Jameson’s    |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |   [9.5]   |   9.5

Fulton    |   Patience #14   |   Ale, Barleywine, American   |   [10.8]   |   8.6

A quick stop at Dangerous Man again
Dangerous    |   Belgian Golden Strong    |   Ale, Belgian Golden Style   |   [9.5]   |   8

Went to a meeting that evening, and chatted with a few friends at good ol’
Rockbottoms   |   Winterfell Dark Ale   |   Ale, Dark   |   [6.0]   |   7.7
Rockbottoms   |   No worries Imperial IPA   |   Ale, IPA, Imperial   |   [9.0]   |   8.1

Next day 5/20/19 we started at Surly, which was no mean feat as UMN was graduating that day. When we got there we mentioned to Chris our bartender that it could be a real shit-show in here in maybe 2 hours. We shared the following:

[brewer]     |    [brand]  |       [style]         | [ABV] | (score on 0-10)
Surly   |   Pentagram barrel aged   |   Ale, Sour / Wild, Dark   |   [7.0]   |   8.5
Surly   |   Dark phase   |   Ale, Stout, Sweet (London)   |   [4.9]   |   8.5
Surly   |   Cynic   |   Ale, Belgian Pale style   |   [6.5]   |   8
Surly   |   Osmotar’s Forest Mild   |   Ale, Mild, Finnish   |   4.3   |   8.3

On the rare bottle list what to my wondering eyes should appear, but an Oatwine (Barleywine variant) the likes of which I have never tried.
Surly   |   Eight Oat Wine style ale   |   Ale, Oatwine   |   [12.0]   |   10.2
Surly    |   Darkness    |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |   [11.5]   |   9.8

Surely    |   The good doctor freak nasty    |   Ale, Stout, Sour   |      |   9.2
Surly    |   Darkness barrel aged    |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |   [12]   |   9.8

Also left Chris with some New England beer from Treehouse.

Then over to Barrel Theory where Claire got a surprise of some more New England beer (Treehouse again)

Barrel Theory WITH pig ate my pizza   |   Simpler Times    |   Gose, fruit   |      |   8
Barrel Theory   |   Flames of Anor   |   Ale, Stout, Imperial   |   [11.5]   |   10
Barrel Theory   |   Brewers tricks    |   Ale, IPA, Double   |      |   8
Barrel Theory   |   Boat Shoes   |   Ale, IPA, Double   |   [7.5]   |   7.5
Barrel Theory   |   Chazz Michael Michaels   |   Ale, IPA, Double   |      |   8.2

Barrel Theory   |   Midwestern Exotic   |   Gose, fruit   |      |   7.7
Barrel Theory   |   Li’l Sebastian    |   Lager, Wheat, Berliner Weisse, fruit   |      |   7.6
Barrel Theory   |   Gavin’ a good time    |   Ale, IPA, Double   |   8.2   |   8
Barrel Theory   |   Rage Quit   |   Lager, Pilsner   |      |   8

Went to the Bulldog in Lowertown for
Wheatstone Bridge   |   Tin whiskey brewing    |      |   5.4   |   8
Miller   |   Hamms premium lager   |   Lager, Golden   |      |   6
Indeed   |   Wooden Soul Cherry Dust   |   Ale, Amber   |      |   8.2

Lunch on May 21 at Bus Stop Burgers (soon to be brewing)
Pyres   |   Raspberry Sour   |   Ale, Sour, Fruit   |   46   |   7.8

Thence to Day Block
Day Block   |   Mississippico Vienna Lager   |   Lager, Vienna, Amber   |  | 5.8   | 
Day Block   |   Missing Letters   |   Lager, Mexican   |   [5]   |   6.5
Day Block   |   Stadium Blonde   |   Ale, Blonde, American   |   [4.4]   |   7.6

A bacon with beer flight?! Sure
Day Block   |   Franks Red Ale   |   Ale, Red   |   [5.4]   |   8.4
Day Block   |   Citra Pale Ale   |   Ale, Pale, American   |   [5.5]   |   7.8
Day Block   |   Nitro Imperial Milk Stout    |   Ale, Stout, Milk, Imperial   |   [10.9]   |   8.8
Day Block   |   Leonard Day   |   Ale, IPA, American   |   [7.5]   |   8


Met up with my friends and ventured first to Lake Monster in a torrential downpour
Lake Monster at 550 Vandalia St #160, St Paul, MN = a Pizza bus TOO!

Lake Monster    |   True Story Pale Ale    |   Ale, Pale, English   |   [5.0]   |   7.5
Lake Monster    |   Apple Cranberry Sour   |   Ale, Sour, Fruit   |      | 
Lake Monster    |   Imperial Oatmeal Stout    |   Ale, Stout, Imperial   |   [9.3]   |   8.2
Lake Monster    |   Last Fathom Wild Rice Lager   |   Lager, German Dark, Dunkel   |   [5.5]   |   8.2
Lake Monster   |   Murmur Milk Stout   |   Ale, Stout, Milk   |   [6.0]   |   8.1

Where the manager was given a book about – Lake Monsters!

… and BlackStack 550 Vandalia St #160, St Paul, MN
BlackStack   |   Local 755   |   Ale, IPA, New England    |   [6.6[   |   9

BlackStack w/Portage   |   Midnight Marauders   |   Ale, Stout, Spice   |   [10.0]   |   9.5
BlackStack   |   Spare Parts    |   Lager, Black   |   [5.1]   |   7.8
BlackStack   |   Parallel Parking    |   Ale, Wheat, Berliner Weisse   |   [4.5]   |   9  (beer #10,872)

78 beers and no one attacked us!

So You Pollute How Much…?

Fermentation is an amazing natural process, whereby microscopic single-cell organisms consume carbohydrates, and in the process the filth they emit as waste products is ethanol. Humans consume this filth - at least as far as we are looking at it - in beer.

Now breweries may not realize this, but they are actually chemical production plants, with ethanol emissions as a pollutant. Ethanol is an organic compound, in the category of VOC (volatile organic compounds). VOCs are regulated as pollutants because they contribute to the formation of ozone at ground level.

There’s not a lot of VOCs emitted from brewing, measured in pounds per gallon, and of course many nano- or micro-breweries will hardly have any emissions. If we look at AB-INBEV, their global (2017) production was reportedly 357 million barrels of beer! If we assume (which is not correct, but just for the sake of argument) they can and bottle 50%, with average ABV of 4.5%, they emit 2,766 tons of ethanol per year!

We set up a spreadsheet that calculates your emissions based on gallons of beers canned or bottled. A future version will have kegging as well.

So anyway, keep a copy of the spreadsheet, fill in your numbers if you want (“wow, we released 0.016 tons!”). It’s a good bit of data to have handy for an audit by a government agency (EPA or state), or in case there’s a complaint of potential “air pollution” from your business. If you need help, just contact us.

Harmonious Hops

The little “quiet Corner” of Connecticut has a lot going for it. One event we look forward to is the Harmonies and Hops festival. Sure, its no Shelton Brothers or Boston Belgian Beer Fest but it’s a fun time. This year we helped set-up and break-down, which went very quickly.

First stopped in at Maury’s Pub for a beer before the event needed help setting up.
Single Cut   |   Jenny Said   |   Ale, IPA, Double New England   |      |   7.5  [beer 10,764]

Also tried the "yeast trick" before the event began...

Then onto the fest for some good beers
[brewer]     |       [brand]  |       [style]         | [ABV] | (score on 0-10)
Boroughs   |   Patient X   |   Kölsch Style   |   5.5   |   6.5
Boroughs   |   Peachus   |   Ale, IPA, New England    |      |   7.8
Boroughs   |   Pretty Little Lies   |   Ale, Cream   |      |   7

Boroughs   |   Cornucopia    |   Ale, Saison   |      |   8
McNard   |   Oddly Simple Irish farm style    |   Ale, Farmhouse, American   |      |   6
McNard   |   Lemon Imperial Shandy   |   Ale, Fruit   |      |   8.5
Black Pond    |   Talking in cursive   |   Ale, IPA, Sour, brett   |      |   8.4
Boulevard    |   Space Camper Cosmic IPA   |   Ale, IPA, English   |   5.9   |   7
Willimantic Brewpub   |   Anniversary Amber   |   Ale, Amber, American   |   5.7   |   7.8
Centerline    |   Pond View Porter   |   Ale, Porter   |   7.2   |   7.5
No worries    |   What’s goin’ on    |   Ale, IPA, American, Session   |      |   7

Quiet Corner    |   Woody Barrelson   |   Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial   |      |   8.5
Quiet Corner    |   It’s a ferkin’ real ale   |   Ale, Bitter   |      |   8.5
Bear Hands   |   Honing Darkness   |   Ale, Belgian Stout style   |   6   |   7.5
Revival   |   Hamr Oceanic State Pale Ale   |   Ale, Pale, American   |      |   8.2
Zok's Homebrew   |   Straight Lambic   |   Ale, Belgian Lambic Style   |   5   |   10
Dburgatory Fermentationists   |   Tree on a bender    |   Ale, Stout, Other   |   9.7   |   10.1*
                                                                                          *Yes, a 10.1 / 10./0

Zok   |   Kriek    |   Ale, Belgian Kriek Lambic style   |      |   9.5
Bear   |   Unwillingly Witty   |   Ale, Wheat, American   |      |   7
Quiet Corner   |   Hipsters ruin everything    |   Ale, Stout, Golden   |      |   7.2
Boroughs   |   Brown town funk   |   Ale, Brown, American   |   5.5   |   6.5
Centerline    |   Pie eyed dough boy   |   Ale, IPA, New England    |      |   8.2
Centerline    |   Fo realz raspberry’s    |   Ale, Sour, Fruit   |   4.2   |   7.6    [beer 10,789]

Afterwards a stop in to Black Pond brews for a small after event party. Good Job!

A Tale of Six Barleywines

First of all, I have to try and keep blog posts brief. I do admire those who do a lot of blogging, but I do work for a living and have other interests. So this and many future postings will be briefer, as I would rather get multiple articles out there each month, as opposed to one opus magnum biannually. Or is that semi-annually?

Barleywine. My favorite style. BJCP Style Guidelines say:

17D. English Barleywine. Overall Impression: A showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavors. Chewy and rich in body, with warming alcohol and a pleasant fruity or hoppy interest. When aged, it can take on port-like flavors. A wintertime sipper.

22C. American Barleywine. Overall Impression: A well-hopped American interpretation of the richest and strongest of the English ales. The hop character should be evident throughout, but does not have to be unbalanced. The alcohol strength and hop bitterness often combine to leave a very long finish.

But as we shall read, a Barleywine is a difficult style to brew...

Treehouse  - Tree of Life – 2019 - American Barleywine [6.5 / 10.0; beer 10,639]

Couldn’t wait, but reminds me more of a Belgian strong dark ale; weak flavor; thin mouthfeel; no hops; nice raisin aroma but way off stylistically.

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot – 2019 - American Barleywine [6.5/10.0; beer 10,640]

Hops were too strong, and rich original flavor and mouthfeel is gone. Slightly harsh which may mellow with age. Is this the same Barleywine I’ve had for a decade or more?

Untitled Art & Horus – Barleywine  - 2018 - English Barleywine with coconut and coffee [7.5/10.0; beer 10,641]

Light roasty coffee aroma with a sweetish rough coffee taste; notes of coconut. Full, smooth mouthfeel with a coarse head. Granted it’s a Barleywine variant, but a good sipper.

Weyerbacher - Blithering Idiot - 2012  - English Barleywine [7.5/10.0; beer 10,643]

Caramel and barley aroma, faint sour snap (last aging year to be drinkable?). Boozy and full bodied, foamy head.

Black Pond – Now that I’ve stood up... – 2019 - American Barleywine [8.8/10.0, beer 10,662]

Good body nice and full, slightly harsh as it’s a new barleywine, boozy hint in the finish, creamy head.

Perennial Artisan Ales – Vermillion – 2017 - American Barleywine [9.7/10.0, beer 10,791]

Raisin plum aroma with a full barley taste, faint sugary finish with a syrupy mouthfeel.