Widmer Brothers W'10 Pitch Black IPA

I've heard a few rumblings about this emerging style of beer dubbed the "Black IPA" on the interwebs and was eager to give it a try. I stumbled across this new creation by Widmer at Cashwise in Baxter. This brew is deep ruby, nearly black, but definitely more black than your run of the mill India Pale Ale. There is an interesting blend of dark roast and fresh hop grassiness in the aroma that carries into the flavor. The hops carry through into the finish and leaves a lingering character that definitely personifies the IPA side of the beer. While I'm not particularly thrilled with the combination of roast and hops, it's definitely interesting and worth trying. It's a good detour from the traditional American IPA, but I'll definitely go back to it's lighter cousin for my go-to beer. This is an extremely drinkable beer and I will have no problem finishing off this six pack. I probably won't go back for that second six pack, but I wouldn't think twice about trying any other brewery's take on the Black IPA style. 5.5/6

Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra

Ok, here he goes again with his beer-related ADD. When will this ever end?

I know I said I was going to keep it local, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to post something about this beer. On a recent trip to Duluth, I swung over to the Wisconsin side to pick up a few beers I just can't get here in MN. One of which was from a very well known (in the craft beer world, anyway) brewery in Milton Delware that goes by the name Dogfish Head. The name originates from a local landmark rather than the actual fish. The chosen brew tonight is the Raison D'Extra.

A quick look on the Dogfish Head website is quite shocking as this flavor-packed brown ale weighs in at a whopping 18% ABV. It does have a rather strong character, but I didn't expect it to weigh in this big. You can definitely tell there are "boatloads of big 'ol raisins" in the tasty brew. Thick and almost chewy, this is definitely a sippin' beer. Behind the raisins, you can fine a myriad of rich caramel and toffee with a helping of mild molasses. Sip this as a dessert or pair with something substantial like steak and caramelized onions. While this is a very interesting beer and i'm glad I tried it, I'm also glad that I bought this as a single bottle. Get a six-pack and share with friends. 2/6

Getting back into this whole blogging thing

It's been quite a while since my initial post to this blog, but my recent experience being a guest blogger on a friend's blog got me fired up again. I'll start off slow, but hope to make a few visits to local bars, resturants, and post a few notes on my beer adventures.

I came up with an idea for rating a beer while being a guest blogger that I thought I'd incorporate here. It's based on both the lack of stores that sell single bottles in the area and my tendency to accumulate portions of six packs in the fridge over a period of time. From now on, I will be rating on a 0-6 scale, based on how many bottles in a six-pack I would get through before I get bored and it gets banished to the back of the fridge. If a beer is rated a 1/6, that means I'll get through one of them and loose interest quickly. A 6/6 is something I'd probably need to get back to the liquor store and get another six pack ASAP.

So, sit back, relax, grab a beer and enjoy my random ramblings of beer in and around the city of Baxter, MN.