CS Booze Club.

[Victory Sabre]

@ LTD Brewing in Hopkins.

Nightfalls RIS. 11% ABV

Dark, very dark, with a thick head. Nice nose. somewhat sweet almost.

Taste: some hints of chocolate. you can also taste that it's very strong. nice choice.

7 out of 10.

[deadbody]

Leech Lake closed, in part because they had major issues with bottled stuff getting infected. Had at least a couple runs of it, unfortunate because on draught it was decent. Their porter was pretty good.

So just because everyone else is doing it.

3 Sheeps brewing company, Ewephoric. Chocolate Stout with Ginger. I like chocolate stouts, I love ginger. I love chocolate with pepper and ginger type flavors.

Pours nice and black, a bit thin, but decent head. Smell is not good, sort of like a burnt ginger smell. Taste is, well, like you rolled ginger in burnt food. Not good.

3/10.

[Victory Sabre]

I've got a feeling that's the case with the Loon one I got. Tasted terrible. I am going to trash the other 3 bottles.

[deadbody]

keep your eyes peeled for Surly Darkness. Hits stores this week. If you haven't had it, shit is amazing.

I'll try to remember to shoot you an invite next time I do low stakes poker and beer drinking. Gonna open a 5 year Darkness vertical with some friends. One more is always welcome.

[Victory Sabre]

It's suposed to hit the STC market next Tuesday, according to the good people at Westside Liquor. I'll be headed to the metro in 2 weeks to hit a few more brewpubs. Looking forward to it. Might have to hit Lucid the Saturday and remember how much I like the American Sky beers.

[Jester]

So Jester if you like Rum aged beers. Indeed in MN makes a imperial stout aged in rum barrels. I had a year old bottle a couple weeks ago and it was friggin amazing.

Sounds delicious. I hope to try it one day.

Wow! If "bad enough to be worth pouring an $18 beer down the drain" rates a 2, what would warrant a 1?

I'm not sure, actually. Maybe a Heineken? Maybe worse? I don't know that I've ever scored a beer a 1, though I considered it with that beer.

George Carlin had a great bit about that referring to women. It kinda relates to this, and it went something like this:

"I never fucked a “10, ” but one night I fucked five 2s. And I think that ought to count. It ought to go down in my record as a positive achievement. But here’s something I’m really proud of: I never fucked a 1. Well, I never got drunk enough. You have to be druuuuuuu-unk to fuck a 1!"

So just because everyone else is doing it.

Well, it is kinda what we do here.

I've got a feeling that's the case with the Loon one I got. Tasted terrible. I am going to trash the other 3 bottles.

Don't automatically assume that because one has gone bad, all have. I had a couple of Kilt Lifters a while back that were bad, but it was just those two, not the entire case or even six pack.

[Victory Sabre]

Golden from the Joseph Wolf Brewing Co. 8.5% ABV

Ok, first off the cork was a pain in the ass getting out. I had to really work at it, and finally had to find my wine opener to get it out.

It has a murky golden color, with a moderate head. The nose is hard to describe.

Taste - It has some fruit aftertones. It is fairly light in flavor, but refreshing. Not a bad way to end the day.

7 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Tip Up from Beaver Island Brewing - 7.3% ABV

This Winter Ale pours brown, and has a decent head, that didn't appear right away. The nose has spices in it. Can't tell which ones.

Taste - Well, interesting to say the least. There's a slight smoke to it. I also get some hops, but slight. I also get a pine needle taste as well, after it warmed up a bit.

7.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Pitchfork brewing Dunkelweizen on Bananas and Chocolate 5.7% ABV.

A nice chocolate brown . no head. there is hints of banana on the nose.

Taste: you get a delicious banana flavor, mixed with chocolate. this is so delicious. so damn delicious.

8 out of 10


I just wish I wore my #4 Jersey here. my Vikings #4.

[Victory Sabre]

Anutart Berliner Weisse ~ 4% ABV

Almost white, with minimal head. no nose

Taste - tart, fruity, refreshing. this is a light bodied beer, but packed with flavor. nice choice for a very warm November day here in Wisconsin.

7.5 out of 10.

If I'm not mistaken, my next beer will be my #400th unique beer of the year. it might be something I finally found in Wisconsin. Jester knows what it is. also good that Oliphant has a good game on, where my ikings #4 might be more appreciated.

[Victory Sabre]

Well, I screwed up. The Anutart was # 400. I screwed up even more, coming back into town, and stopping at Old Chicago for a beer, and not writing down the name of the 401st unique beer. I'll have to go back tomorrow and get it.

Ok, now to #402

Innis & Gunn Rum Aged - 6.8% ABV

Small amount of head, that dissipates fast. It is dark amber colored. I get delicious barrel notes in the nose.

Taste - Yep, a nice barrel aged beer. You can taste the boozy notes from the barrel in the flavor. It is fairly smooth, but you do get the hints of strong alcohol content in the flavor also. A delicios beer, and a good initiation to I&G.

7 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Keeping on the I&G kick\

I&G Original - 6.6% ABV

Golden colored, with minimal head. The nose has fruity tones to it.

Taste - Delicious. It has a hefe taste to it, at least to me. I also get a bit of honey in this beer. It's not too sweet, at least.

7 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Ok, back to more local beer, well, not really.

Sibling Rivalry from 4 Brothers Brewing

Ok, a bit of a background. 4 Brothers mixes beers. Last year I got one of their beers, and it was good. I even sent one to Jester, and he liked it. It was made blending 2 styles. This beer is blended from 3 styles - a red ale, blonde ale, and a brown ale.

Decent head, that dissipates farily quickly. Nice amber colored. The nose isn't there.

Taste - Holy crap! I get all 3 styles when I drink it, and it works well. One would think that the 3 styles would clash, but they don't. They compliment each other very well. I saw that they were planning on expanding to MN, when I researched them last year. I haven't seen them in central MN as of yet. I don't know if you can find them in the metro area (I got this one in Hudson), but if you can, get their beer. It is a delicious concept.

7.5 out of 10


EDIT - I checked their website, and still only in Wisconsin. Cross the river and get it.

[Victory Sabre]

Ok, this is probably stupid, but, here goes.

Kinney Creek Darka Doo - It looks like 8.1% ABV - the label is a bit worn, though it went from an ice filled cooler to my fridge.

Dark colored, with minimal head. The nose is hard to describe, but I do like it.

Taste - For a second, it was bland. Then flavor hit. Some hops, but not too much. I know that the MN Beer Advocate people do not like beers from this brewery, generally, but I do like this beer. Yes, the one of their beers as a firkin that was terrible, though the base was ok. I do like this beer. Now maybe it's due to having too many today, but this beer isn't bad.

6.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Smoove Opferator from Toppling Goliath Brewing

It pours like motor oil, and looks like it. It has minimal head. The nose is rich, and dark smelling.

Taste - Nice flavor. Got a boozy hint to it. Rich, and full flavor. Nice beer, and I want more from TG.

7.5 out of 10