The following comes from an email sent by Brr Fest committee. Should be another excellent time in Coralville!
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Category: Reviews
The Six-Pack Project
This past week I received a tweet from fellow beer blogger @BryanDRoth at This Is Why I’m Drunk. He was interested in setting up a beer blogging collaboration from beer bloggers in different states to come up with their ultimate 6 pack of beer that “best represents you state”. After much thinking I think I finally come up with my Ultimate Iowa Brewed Six pack, however @BryanDRoth has some rules to follow:
1. Pick a six-pack of beers that best represents your state and/or state’s beer culture.
2. Beer must be made in your state, but “gypsy” brewers are acceptable, so long as that beer is brewed with an in-state brewery and sold in your state.
3. Any size bottle or can is acceptable to include.
4. Current seasonal offerings are fine, but try to keep selections to year-round brews as much as possible. No out-of-season brews preferred.
So, with that being said, I had to disqualify many of the fantastic up-and-coming breweries and their beers and this is also the reason why you won’t see Kentucky Brunch or Mornin’ Delight from Toppling Goliath on the list. So, a tip of the cap to 515, Exile, Big Grove (Loving their Double IPA right now), and anyone else I forgot to mention. I wanted year round availability, (even though Sue and Sosus can be hard to come by), for someone traveling through the state to get their hands on, so here’s what I went with:
Toppling Goliath pseudoSue
This was a no-brainer, it might be my favorite beer in the world actually. Although hard to come by at times, it has become the best beer brewed Iowa, without question. The demand is high and once it hits the shelves it’s come in a matter of minutes.
Brewed and bottled in Decorah, IA, this beer is starting to get national recognition, as it should. An American pale ale coming in at 5.8% and 50 IBUs, I would be hard pressed to find a better pale ale in America and a better use of the wonderful citra hop. Zombie Dust comes to mind, and I might be a little biased here, but I think Sue is a bit better than the Dust. Not only is this beer amazing, but the folks at Toppling Goliath are some of nicest people I’ve ever met in the business.
Food pairing of choice: A holiday ham would do or some nice steak tacos would go well.
Toppling Goliath Sosus
Single hopped Imperial IPA from Toppling Goliath using only mosiac hops. You get everything you want from an Imperial IPA; citrus, dankness, resinous pine, and then a bit of malt to make it shine. Another home run from Toppling Goliath.
This beer comes in at 8% ABV and 100 IBUs. This is a very easy drinker for a double IPA, but you need to be careful as it can sneak up on you quickly as it doesn’t take long for a bottle or two of this to disappear rather quickly. Check out more from Toppling Goliath at www.tgbrews.com.
Food pairing of choice: Some BBQ ribs would do nicely here; sauce on the side.
Great River Redband Stout
Brewed and canned in Davenport, IA, Redband Stout still stands atop as my favorite coffee stout brewed in Iowa. There are a few stouts to choose from in this great state, and, not including Imperials or barrel-aged, I think this is the go-to. It seems to be increasingly difficult just to get a regular, everyday drinking stout, but Great River comes through and makes this fantastic coffee stout hard to resist.
Redband comes in at 6% ABV and packs a huge coffee punch. The perfect breakfast beer to accompany your bacon and eggs or even your leftover cold pizza. This is the style of beer that I really enjoy during the Iowa fall/winter months. Need more info on Great River, check them out here: www.greatriverbrewery.com
Food pairing of choice: Breakfast burritos
Madhouse Hopburst IPA
Yes, I know, another IPA on the list. But I can leave it off because it is a fantastic brew. Brewed in Newton, IA (Madhouse is planning a move to Des Moines), this beer uses a “hopbursting” technique where they add most of the hops to the boil late in the process to achieve maximum hop presence.
Checking in at 7.2% this IPA is the definition of a balanced IPA. The hop presence hits you in the face but doesn’t overwhelm you and then the malt does exactly as it should and balances everything perfectly. A well-crafted brew by the folks at Madhouse. Check them out here: www.madhousebeer.com.
Food pairing of choice: Spicy chicken wings (Korean wings from Big Grove Brewery in Solon, IA)
Millstream John’s Generation White Ale
Wanted to get some variety of style into the 6 pack and this beer does the trick. A past, I believe, GABF gold medal winner in the white ale category this beer is perfect for any season. You get the breadiness that you get from most wits but the orange/citrus and coriander are really prominent in this brew. Wonderfully refreshing and easy to drink, stop in at Millstream Brewery in the Amana Colonies and have it on tap!
This beer comes in at 5.2% and as said above, is very drinkable. The brewery is only a 20-25 minute drive from Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, so if visiting, make the trip over and try their beer fresh on tap. The oldest brewer in Iowa is also makes a fine root beer and has recently started a barrel-aging program. Check out more from Millstream here: www.millstreambrewing.com.
Food pairing of choice: Shrimp cocktail or some seared scallops.
Backpocket Wooden Nickel Scottish Ale
This semi-new brewery in Coralville is not only serving up some suds but makes some damn fine wood-fired pizzas as well. I picked their wooden nickel because I think they really nail the Scottish style with their rendition. Scottish style ales aren’t as mainstream as IPAs, sours, or barrel-aged brews but they do have their place and Backpocket makes a delicious one.
Coming in at 5.7%, this beer would go perfectly with one of their house made pizzas. The malt and nuttiness really stands out in this beer. You can find six packs throughout Eastern Iowa or if in the area, just check out the brewery, gets some beer cheese and then order a pie. Good stuff.
Food pairing of choice: One of Backpocket’s pizzas or a roasted chicken with some roasted mushrooms would be terrific!
**Narrowing down this field was very hard to do. I had some many different beers in my six-pack but after careful consideration and trying to go with some different styles this is what I came up with. There are some many great places to stop and try beers out throughout Iowa, and although I’m not as familiar with the western part of the state I know once you hit Davenport on your way to Des Moines you won’t have trouble finding a place to stop. All the beers listed above plus shoutouts to Johns Grocery, Benz Beverage Depot, Big Grove Brewery, 515 Brewery, Confluence, Exile, Court Avenue Brewery, Reds Alehouse, Johncy’s Liquor Store, and many more.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Does my list come close to yours? I would love any feedback to start discussion on this topic. Beer culture in Iowa continues to change for the positive and the places above are reasons for that. Cheers!
Other Bloggers Picks
“Domestic”
- Alabama by Blake at The Southern Committee
- Alaska by William at Drinking on the Last Frontier
- California by Max at The Beginner’s Brew
- Connecticut by Kristen at Now Beer This!
- Colorado by Eric from Sheppy’s Blog
- Delaware by Ed of Dogs of Beer
- Florida by Gerard from Beer in Florida
- Illinois by Grant of Hop Brained (focus on Chicago) and Jeremy ofSubBeerBia (outside Chicago/downstate)
- Indiana by Rebecca of Bake and Brew
- Kentucky by Tom and Carla of Hoperatives
- Louisiana by Nora of NOLA Beer Blog
- Maryland by Oliver of Literature and Libation and Douglas of Baltimore Bistros and Beer
- Massachusetts by Heather of HeatherVandy.com
- Maine by James at Insurance Guy Beer Blog
- Michigan by Mark (guest post)
- Minnesota by Paige of Alcohol by Volume
- Montana by Ryan of Montana Beer Finder
- New Jersey by Ryan from Mould’s Beer Blog and by Vin at Bier Battered
- New York by Lacey of Once Upon A Stein
- North Carolina by Bryan from This Is Why I’m Drunk (and where to buy your NC beer)
- Ohio by Tom from Queen City Drinks
- Oregon by Chris at I Think About Beer
- Eastern Pennsylvania by Justin from Justin’s Brew Review and Western Pennsylvania by Bill from Pittsburgh Beer Snob
- South Carolina by Nick from Drink. Blog. Repeat.
- South Dakota by Eric from Sheppy’s Blog
- Tennessee by Charles from Swen’s Brew Blog
- Vermont by Tom at The A Position
- Virginia/DC by Scott from Beerbecue
“Imported”
- Belgian 101 by Chris at I Think About Beer
- Bolivia by Kyle at The Brewolero
- British Columbia by Matt at Great Canadian Beer Snob
- Italy by Matt of Birra Pioneer
- Lithuania by Lars at Larsblog
Beer Review #113: Founders Harvest Ale
It’s the time of the year when fresh hop beers starting making their way to the shelves. If you aren’t familiar with what a fresh hop beer is, here’s a quick little breakdown.
Fresh hop — sometimes called “wet” hop — beers only happen once a year, when hops are harvested in late August well into September.
Most of those hops are dried, which preserves them so brewers can use them throughout the year. But increasingly, a percentage of hops never make it to the drying kilns. These hops go directly from bines to brew kettle — sometimes within just hours — to become the main attraction in fresh hop beers. (Incidentally, bines are different from vines. Bines wrap themselves around a support, while vines use tendrils or other means to cling to supports.)
If I could recommend one for you to try this year, I would go with Founders Harvest Ale. Easily one of my favorite fresh hop beers and one I would like to keep stocked well into November.
A nice medium white head to go along with the golden/orange color. Fantastic aroma of grapefruit, orange, and pine. Not as big of a malt backing as some IPAs (which I prefer) but there is a subtle existence there. Grapefruit and orange start out in the flavor profile, followed by minimal sweetness from the malts and then the wonderful resinous pine flavor smacks you in the mouth. Here’s what the brewery had to say about their beer:
This liquid dream pours a hazy golden orange straw color with a large puffy white two-finger head. First sip of this beer rewards with a super juicy hop presence bursting with fresh orange and lemon citrus then continues to introduce toasted malt undertones.
REVIEW
STYLE: IPA
ABV: 7.6%
PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA
POUR: Golden/orange pour with a medium white head.
AROMA: Grapefruit, orange, lemon, and pine.
TASTE: Lots of citrus fruit, a bit of sweetness and then the hops take over.
Ratebeer.com rating: 99
Beeradvocate rating: 95
Overall: A
My recommendation: Fresh Hop beers are meant to be drank fresh. If you’re an IPA fan this is a must have and you have to get it soon! Terrific brew!
A Trip(s) to Big Grove Brewery; Solon, IA
A 10 minute drive from the Baron’s house in Mount Vernon lies the newest endeavor 
from the Swift family (Red’s Alehouse, Blackstone, etc) in Solon, IA, Big Grove Brewery. I’ve been there numerous times now as it has become my destination of choice. Take a right off of Highway 1 on main street in Solon and you will see Big Grove. Usually packed and the bartenders constantly draining the tap lines with wonderful beer, this place has become a hotbed really quick.
On my visits I’ve tried and enjoyed most of the beer that Big Grove makes on site. They also have a terrific lineup of guest taps featuring some the best craft breweries in the country. I’ve enjoyed their wheat, ipa, porter, and their Dirty Little Secret which is an American strong ale with a bit of raspberry; all very good. They are constantly brewing new beers so check out their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Grove-Brewery/623843234297773
I also usually end up drinking a few Toppling Goliath pseduoSue’s which they’ve had on tap on multiple occasions.
As far as food goes, this might be one of the best restaurants around. I’ve enjoyed and would order again the following:
*Deviled Eggs – yes deviled eggs.
*Korean style wings and regular buffalo – the Korean wings pack some subtle heat but are so flavorful and go well with an IPA.
*Potted Pig – liked a whipped pork pate – so good with mustard and pickles (and of course beer)
*Burger – juicy and delicious
*Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich – my go to. I alway order extra housemade pickles. This is the best chicken sandwich you will ever eat.
*Pulled pork sandwich – sweet with some heat. Awesome sandwich. 
*Tator Tot Casserole – Amazing!
Mac and cheese – some of the best I’ve had. My kids love it as well.
The menu constantly changes with the seasons as they try do stay local and fresh which is greatly appreciated.
Bottom line: This place is a must try. The best thing going around the area.
A Trip to 515 Brewery; Clive, IA
I finally made it! After months and months of trying to find a time to get to Des Moines, my wife and I finally made it! Upon returning from a trip to Kansas City to visit some friends we made a little detour so we could hit up 515 Brewery (http://515brewing.com/). Here’s more about how the brewery came to be from their website:
Ryan’s and Brandon’s wives would tell you that it was a fabulous plan that went horribly wrong. Our wives wanted to spend more time together and plotted to have us, Ryan and Brandon, become friends — the common denominator, brewing beer. Little did they realize that bringing us together and then adding Bailey and Dave to the mix would snowball our little home-brewing hobby into an actual brewing business. Now, hundreds of gallons of beer later, we’re starting our beer adventure and can’t wait to take you along with us.
Upon entering the brewery there are a ton of seats and I noticed a lady (the beer 
broad @beer_broad) dishing up some suds to a couple who had 3 kids in there and watching the Bears/Lions game. So for my wife and I, that was definitely a positive, being able to have some good brews, watch football, and have the kids with (as long as they’re not too rowdy or loud) is nice, though we try to leave the kids at home. The Beer Broad was super friendly while I ordered a flight of four of their beers. I was happy to see they had a pumpkin brew on tap as well (not on untappd.com as of this writing though 😦
I went for whatever has been talking about when referring to this brewery and that is the OJ IPA, their Dart Dodger, Lil’ Tart, and the pumpkin. The Lil’ Tart was refreshing, the pumpkin was perfect for the fall weather, and the Dart Dodger was an excellent IPA. I don’t want to sound like everyone else, but that OJ IPA is just a really special brew. So damn refreshing, so easy to drink, I would love to be able to grab a sixer of this at my local liquor store and go to town on it. Perfect for any weather, hot or cold, this is just a really tremendous beer; one of the best in Iowa in my opinion. After the sampler I went back for another OJ and grab a sweet glass to take home as 
a souvenir. They do not have food or growlers (yet) but you can bring in your own grub to eat while you enjoy an OJ or any of their other brews.
My wife got some good pictures, (do I see an Imperial Stout in the works? YES!) and we both talked about how enjoyable it would be to have a great little brewery to be able to go to for a leisurely brew or two; so take note Des Moines area, 515 is legit, so get out and support them. Awesome brew, awesome people!
**I need another OJ ASAP**
Beer Review #112: Crooked Stave Hop Savant
I was really excited to see Crooked Stave beers make their way into Iowa since I’ve been really digging saisons lately. I hope everyone was able to get a few bottles from this brewery. I grabbed mine at Hy-Vee in Marion and noticed they only had the Hop Savant.
This is a 100% brettanomyces, oak fermented, dry-hopped pale ale. The brewery used citra, mosaic, and Simcoe. It’s great to see breweries using more brett as I’m starting to become a brett junky. With the addition of these hops I had high hopes.
A beautiful orange pour with heavy thick white head. Tons of lacing on my glass that sticks throughout the whole drinking of the brew. A lot coming off the nose. Lemon really sticks out followed by citrus of grapefruit and bit of sweet pineapple along with the funk that great farmhouse ales bring. Flavor is much in the same! Not as creamy as I would have thought initially but wonderfully refreshing! Really enjoying this brew!
I really wish I could get my hands on more their products and hope they continue to bring their beer to the great state of Iowa for us to enjoy.
REVIEW
STYLE: Sour/Wild Ale
ABV: 6.7%
PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA
POUR: Murky Orange with a huge white head.
AROMA: A lot of lemon with some funk.
TASTE: Citrus, brett, funk.
Ratebeer.com rating: 99
Beeradvocate raing: 91
Overall: B+
My recommendation: It you are into farmhouse/saison/wild ales you want to try this brew. Very good stuff from Crooked Stave!
Sneak Peek at Tallgrass Brewing’s Zombie Monkey!
Really looking forward to trying this beer! Coming soon to Iowa!
From craftcans.com:
A Post-Apocalyptic Porter from Tallgrass Brewing Co.
Tallgrass Brewing Company is fearless when it comes to branding their beers, like Buffalo Sweat, Ethos, Velvet Rooster, and 8-Bit Pale Ale. Their newest beer is no exception and embraces the zombie-mania sweeping the country.
Zombie Monkie: A Post-Apocalyptic Robust Porter, the latest seasonal offering from the Midwest brewery, will begin rolling out to selected markets the week of September 23rd.
The new beer will be equipped with the world’s first textured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can. This feature ensures that drinkers keep a steady grip on the beer as they flee from infected primates.
The new beer will be equipped with the world’s firsttextured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can
While the name of the beer and the design of the can are all about the undead, what’s inside the can is completely alive with character.
“We have been talking about brewing a porter since we started the brewery in 2007, but it had to be something special and this is it,” said Tallgrass Founder, Jeff Gill.
Zombie Monkie is brewed with a chocolatey combination of roasted and kilned malts. This gives the beer a full body with lots of chocolate and espresso-like flavors. Bravo, Willamette, and Nugget hops add hints of floral and citrus to finish off this complex porter.
“I dreamed this beer into existence,” said Tallgrass Brewmaster, Andrew Hood. “I dreamed I was drinking a beer in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The beer was dark and delicious, the kind you want for the end of days. It was also interesting and robust, which is good, because it might be your last. That’s Zombie Monkie, the perfect beer for toasting the end of humanity.”
Sneak Peek at Tallgrass Brewing's Zombie Monkey!
Really looking forward to trying this beer! Coming soon to Iowa!
From craftcans.com:
A Post-Apocalyptic Porter from Tallgrass Brewing Co.
Tallgrass Brewing Company is fearless when it comes to branding their beers, like Buffalo Sweat, Ethos, Velvet Rooster, and 8-Bit Pale Ale. Their newest beer is no exception and embraces the zombie-mania sweeping the country.
Zombie Monkie: A Post-Apocalyptic Robust Porter, the latest seasonal offering from the Midwest brewery, will begin rolling out to selected markets the week of September 23rd.
The new beer will be equipped with the world’s first textured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can. This feature ensures that drinkers keep a steady grip on the beer as they flee from infected primates.
The new beer will be equipped with the world’s firsttextured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can
While the name of the beer and the design of the can are all about the undead, what’s inside the can is completely alive with character.
“We have been talking about brewing a porter since we started the brewery in 2007, but it had to be something special and this is it,” said Tallgrass Founder, Jeff Gill.
Zombie Monkie is brewed with a chocolatey combination of roasted and kilned malts. This gives the beer a full body with lots of chocolate and espresso-like flavors. Bravo, Willamette, and Nugget hops add hints of floral and citrus to finish off this complex porter.
“I dreamed this beer into existence,” said Tallgrass Brewmaster, Andrew Hood. “I dreamed I was drinking a beer in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The beer was dark and delicious, the kind you want for the end of days. It was also interesting and robust, which is good, because it might be your last. That’s Zombie Monkie, the perfect beer for toasting the end of humanity.”
Beer and Food Pairing: Stone Enjoy By 9-13-13 and Shrimp Ceviche
Thanks to the recommendation from Marc Morehouse I have now found the perfect mexican restaurant. El Perico in Marion, IA serves some great homemade mexican food. My favorite thing on the menu, their shrimp ceviche. Now, I understand ceviche is relatively easy to make. Just chop up a bunch of seafood or fish and let it soak in citrus juices for a few hours to cook it. But El Perico does it better than I can, and better than anywhere else I’ve ever had it.
My wife and I decided to grab El Perico for some takeout food, you know it’s good when you make a 20 minute drive for takeout, and I thought it would be great to pair the ceviche with a brew.
I bought a shit load of Enjoy By from Stone so I went with it knowing that IPAs usually pair well with spicier foods. This ceviche had lime and orange juice as well as jalapeno, which went perfectly with the IPA. The malts come out from the IPA and the citrus from the hops really shines through. If you are in the CR/Iowa City area, El Perico does ceviche right, and an IPA goes excellent with it! If you want a great homemade IPA recipe, I’m a big fan of the Beeroness and her blog, check it out here: http://thebeeroness.com/2012/08/21/ipa-ceviche/
Beer Review #111: Mikkeller Sort Gul Black IPA
Mikkeller beers are usually a very adventurous brewery to buy from. Very cool artwork on the labels that usually don’t tell you much about the beer but for some reason I always go for it. Their beer usually costs a bit more but I have yet to be absolutely disappointed in any that I’ve tried.
My most recent Mikkeller purchase was their black IPA, Sort Gul. I was drawn by the awesome artwork on the label and then seeing black IPA made it a no-brainer.
Dark mahogany pour with a nice thick tan head. Toasted malt aroma with dark chocolate and then the hoppy pine aroma as well. Huge lacing on the glass. On the first sip you get the roasted malt flavor and then the citrus from the hops comes through. Not overpowering, great mix with the roasted malts. Very drinkable beer.
I get that the price tag on Mikkeller beers can be a bit hefty, but they sure a fun brewery to try. This was a very good black IPA. I would go back to this one without any hesitation.
REVIEW
STYLE: Black IPA
ABV: 7.3%
PURCHASED AT: John’s Grocery; Iowa City, IA
POUR: Medium sized tan head, dark black pour.
AROMA: Roasted malts, piney hops.
TASTE: Roasted malt flavor balance nicely by the hops.
Ratebeer.com rating: 98
Beeradvocate raing: 88
Overall: B+
My recommendation: Give it a shot. If you’ve had Black Top from New Glarus you will definitely enjoy this brew.
