Dangerous Man Meyer Lemon Orange Gose • Photo via Dangerous Man Brewing

Dangerous Man Meyer Lemon Orange Gose • Photo via Dangerous Man Brewing

Welcome to Beer Dabbler’s Freshies, our weekly rundown on the newest beers hitting the store shelves and taproom coolers in Minnesota from your favorite local and national breweries. 

The light, effervescent, and bubbly drinks of New Year’s continue into this week with new crispy boiz, sparkling ciders, and citrus sours hitting taps as we work our way through the heart of Minnesota winter with an eye toward warming temperatures and eased bar and restaurant restrictions.

There are new brand calendars available, plans for a dark beer celebration, and a collaboration beer between two Minnesota-based union breweries. From gose to lager to imperial stout, this week is packed full of flavors from border cities in North Dakota and Wisconsin to Minnesota’s core.

 

 

Each week, the Beer Dabbler team highlights five of the most tantalizing new beers that we’re most excited to try.

Bricksworth Beer Kraftwerk – A 5.1% ABV German-style Keller Pils brewed at the Burnsville brewpub. “The first of many crispy boiz to be coming out of these hallowed halls. Pilsner Malt & Hersbrucker Hops combine in this slightly young version of Pils for a smooth mouthfeel & beautifully rounded bitterness with just the right amount of snap,” says the brewery.

Inbound Rum Barrel-Aged Contains Bees – A limited-edition version of Inbound’s creamy peanut butter honey blonde ale. “The beer took on the warming honey characteristics of rum and the toastiness of oak barrels,” the brewery says: “Warm honey, creamy peanut butter, and beachy rum.” 5.2% ABV, 15 IBU and available since Wednesday in Crowlers only.

Mineral Springs Luverne’s Concertina Pilsner – “Luverne Wanous, member of the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame, has entertained local and global fans with his concertina since 1952. MSB’s first pilsner pays tribute to Luverne’s legacy. We’re confident it hits all the right notes,” says the brewery. 5.9% ABV, 38 IBU

Montgomery Wendigo – A barrel-aged cherry-smoked imperial stout from Montgomery Brewing. Made available in Crowlers at the brewery on December 21.

Number 12 Cider Legacy – A dry and bubbly cider made for New Year’s. Made with heirloom apples, it’s slightly tart with hints of yellow mango, Number 12 says.

New beers available this week

608 Brewing Alphaburst Hazy Triple IPA • Photo via 608 Brewing

608 Brewing Alphaburst Hazy Triple IPA • Photo via 608 Brewing

608 Brewing Company

  • Alphaburst – A hazy triple IPA featuring a blend of Nelson, Citra, and Mosaic hops. Available on draft and in 4-packs directly from the La Crosse brewery. 9.1% ABV.

Bricksworth Beer

  • Kraftwerk – Top Flight selection.

Dangerous Man Brewing Company

  • Meyer Lemon Orange Gose – A new gose conditioned on Meyer lemon and Cara Cara orange puree, plus sea salt and coriander.

Drekker Brewing

  • Braaaaaaaains Blue/Pom/Plum – A new jammy beer made with blueberry, pomegranate, plum, lactose, and vanilla beers “for a deep, rich, sweet and tart flavor,” Drekker says.
  • Long Haired Freaky People – Single-hopped with Vic Secret, this beer offers citrus, pineapple, passionfruit, and stonefruit flavors with a balanced bitterness, the brewery says. 8.2% ABV.
  • Slang du Jour: Blackberry Cobbler – This new series release was back with blackberry, granola, brown sugar, sinnamon, lactose, and vanilla beans.
  • Thor Is My Co-Pilot – The 8.0% ABV lactose double IPA is back for a limited time, this beer is “Hopped with CTZ, Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic to be all kinds of hoppy and bitter with just a little sweetness to balance it out,” Drekker says.
  • Whisper Scream – A IPA made with Takau, Mosaic, and Wimea hops that pair with the citrusy notes derived from Kveik yeast.

Eastlake Craft Brewery   

  • The Raccoon and the Bear – A hoppy American amber ale with added fir tips and cedar shavings for woody notes to complement the citrus and pine notes from its hop profile. 6.2% ABV, 30 IBU.

Fair State Brewing Cooperative

  • Big Doinks – The dank West Coast-style IPA returned this week. “Big Doinks is a love letter to the West Coast IPAs of yore,” the brewery says, with a clear pour and dank and piney flavors derived from the use of Columbus Cryo hops.
  • Buh. Bye. – A taproom exclusive triple-hopped double IPA that tapped on New Year’s Eve.
  • Union Lager – A collaboration of union breweries Fair State and Schell’s, this Dortmunder lager pours at 5.3% ABV with lightly malty and bready notes, plus restrained grass and moderate hop bitterness on the tongue.

Fargo Brewing Company

  • Cinnabuster – A coffee cake stout.

Giesenbräu Bier Co.   

  • Bourbon Barrel Aged Nový Praha Med – The Russian imperial stout with honey is back, with this edition aged in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels. Available from the brewery and in 750-milliliter bottles.

Inbound BeerCo

  • Rum Barrel Aged Contains Bees – Top Flight selection.

Soapy Joe's Car Wash
Lupine Brewing

  • Blackberry Hard Seltzer – A new 5.5% ABV gluten-free seltzer. Lupine says new flavors will come in 2021.

Lupulin Brewing Company   

  • Coffee Shop Assault Vehicle – “We worked with Paradise Roasters to source green coffee beans, which we aged in a bourbon barrel. After aging, the beans were roasted and then infused into the beer along with a heavy dose of cacao nibs,” Lupulin says, which imparts notes of vanilla and wood in addition to the coffee and chocolate flavors from the base beer. 9% ABV.

Mankato Brewery

  • Apple DVJ – A limited red ale with a hint of sweet apple. Sold in Crowlers and growlers.
  • Blood Orange Mad Butcher – Blood orange adds extra citrus flavor to this variant of Mankato’s flagship IPA.

Maple Island Brewing Co.

  • Welcome to the Freakshow – Released in limited supply just before the holidays.

Mineral Springs Brewery

  • Luverne’s Concertina Pilsner – Top Flight selection.
  • Ringmaker Rye – 6.6% ABV, 74 IBU

Modist Brewing Co.

  • Bite Size – Bite Size is back and a little bit bigger. This version of the stout brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla beans has more of everything: chocolate and alcohol. Available at the taproom on Saturday and at liquor stores next Tuesday.
  • Noise Floor – A double dry-hopped cream IPA made with milk sugar, plus Citra, Sabro, and Nelson Sauvin hops. Available from Modist beginning on Saturday and, for the first time, hitting liquor stores next week.

Montgomery Brewing Company

  • Grootslang – A barrel-aged imperial stout.
  • Manticore – A barrel-aged dunkel.
  • Wendigo – A barrel-aged cherry-smoked imperial stout.

Number 12 Cider

  • Legacy – Top Flight selection.

OMNI Brewing Co.

  • New England IPA – At the time of writing Freshies this week the name for a new hazy-style IPA has yet to be formally announced, as OMNI is taking Will Ferrell-inspired name suggestions over social media all week long before it comes out.
  • Omnipotent – The winter seasonal Scotch ale/wee heavy is back in rotation at OMNI.
  • Snow Ryemoval – A smooth rye lager.

 

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Spiral Brewery   

  • Chocolate Cherry Bottoms Porter – “This full-bodied porter is complemented with dry chocolate and a tart cherry bite,” Spiral says. 6.8% ABV and available exclusively from the brewery.
  • Toboggan Club – A wheaty dunkelweizen with clove and chocolate notes. 5.0% ABV and sold in 4-packs at liquor stores.

Stacked Deck Brewing Company

  • Zubuzz – A New England IPA made with El Dorado and Sabro hops giving it notes of tropical fruit, pear, watermelon, stone fruit, and tangerine. Available in 16-ounce 4-packs and Crowlers for curbside pickup or free home delivery (within 10 miles of the brewery and a minimum order of $40). 6.3% ABV.

Stone Brewing

  • Sublimely Self-Righteous – A black IPA that was last available in 2007, this is one of Stone’s more in-demand retired beers. “It pours black with a surprising punch of bitterness balanced by smooth malty character,” Stone says, with piney and orange-raspberry hop character complemented by notes of coffee and chocolate. 8.7% ABV, 90 IBU and sold in both 12-ounce bottle 6-packs and in 22-ounce bottles.

Talking Waters Brewing Co.

  • Heavyweights – A 9.0% ABV imperial stout inspired by Oreo cookies.

Tin Whiskers Brewing Company   

  • Fruity Stay Puffed – A rice cereal treat bar-inspired beer, but this batch was also infused with extra fruit flavors, adding vibrant character to the beer’s marshmallow and vanilla recipe. 5.4% ABV.
  • S’mores Oatmeal Stout – “We followed Hamilton ‘Ham’ Porter’s recipe from Sandlot perfectly, and the result is a malty oatmeal stout heaping with flavors of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers,” the brewery says.

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.   

  • Dragon Fandango – A new fruited kettle sour will be sold in cans in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Venn Brewing Company

  • Blackberry IPL – An Indian pale lager infused with blackberries and hopped with Mosaic, Warrior, and Belma hops. 6.2% ABV, 50 IBU.

Wooden Hill Brewing Company

  • Raspberry Mojito – A new limited batch hard seltzer flavor. 5.5% ABV.

Beers just announced

Bad Weather Brewing Company

  • Dark Mild – Coming soon in 2021.
  • Vienna Lager – Coming soon in 2021.
Badger Hill F5 Blackberry • Photo via Badger Hill Brewing Company

Badger Hill F5 Blackberry • Photo via Badger Hill Brewing Company

Badger Hill Brewing Company   

  • F5 Blackberry    – A mildly tart kettle sour made with blackberries. This will be the brewery’s first canned kettle sour, hitting liquor stores within the next month.
  • West Coast IPA – It’s not even brewed yet, but Badger Hill’s Ariel Keeton and a team of female brewers from across Minnesota will team up on Feb. 5 to brew a West Coast IPA projected to be available on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021.

Bell’s Brewery   

  • Hopslam – Hopslam will be sold in bottles this year, hitting shelves later this month nationwide. The brewery is also hosting a free virtual release party.

Dangerous Man Brewing Company   

  • Imperial Peanut Butter Porter w/ Chocolate & Marshmallow – Available in 750-milliliter bottles next Thursday, Jan. 14.

Fair State Brewing Cooperative   

  • Hey, Remember Stouts? – An oatmeal stout scheduled for Jan. 21.
  • Sastrugi – A double dry-hopped hazy IPA made in collaboration with Burial Beer is coming on Jan. 14.
  • Standard Fun Balls – Barrel-aged stout and barleywine blend. Available Jan. 14.
  • Wut Pina Colada – A new smoothie seltzer will debut on the 21st.

Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Cleveland-based Great Lakes announced its 2021 brand calendar. Expect the following, plus a few surprises throughout the year:

  • Bierwolf Dunkelweizen – Available in 4-pack cans this month.
  • Chillwave Double IPA – This double IPA returns in March as part of the seasonal Imperial IPA series, which will release different DIPAs every few months in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans.
  • Christmas Ale – Still available at many stores from the 2020 season, this annual holiday ale returns in November.
  • Conway’s Irish Ale – To be sold in 6 – and 12-packs beginning this month.
  • Crushworthy Lo-Cal Citrus Wheat – A brand new year-round 105 calorie session beer that the brewery describes as “A light-bodied wheat beer bursting with real citrus peel and purée.” To debut in March.
  • Dank Demon Imperial IPA – This Imperial IPA series beer will debut in November.
  • Lake Erie Monster Imperial IPA – A special series beer to be available in May.
  • Lemon Hefeweizen – A limited release last year, this returns as a seasonal offering in May in 12 – and 16-ounce cans.
  • Mexican Lager with Lime – A seasonal March beer to be sold in cans.
  • Nosferatu Imperial Red IPA – The annual fall seasonal will be sold as part of the Imperial IPA series this year, beginning in August.
  • Ohio City Oatmeal Stout – An October seasonal.
  • Oktoberfest – Back this August.
  • Tidal Fury Imperial Hazy IPA – A brand new double IPA recipe to make its debut in June.
  • Tropical IPA – A new year-round IPA that will be introduced in August.

OMNI Brewing Co.

More than 10 barrel-aged and dark beers will be the center of OMNI’s Hibernation party, scheduled for Jan. 29-30. Details are pending pandemic-related regulations, but the beers will include:

  • 2020 Super Scotch
  • Barrel-Aged Léon – Imperial stout.
  • Barrel-Aged Maple Snowprint
  • Barrel-Aged Omnipotent
  • Barrel-Aged Raspberry Cacao Léon
  • Maple Super Scotch – Wee heavy
  • Theo – Imperial stout.
  • Unite! – OMNI’s first-anniversary beer, a Russian imperial stout.
  • Vanilla Barrel-Aged Léon

OMNI also announced the following non-Hibernation-specific beers:

  • Double Raspberry Malt Shop – A new milkshake IPA to be available at the taproom on the week of January 18.
  • Snowprint – The doppelbock is returning very soon.
  • Superior Siege Weapon – The brewery’s first barleywine debuts later this month.

Have a new beer we should know about? Send the details to newbeer@beerdabbler.com for inclusion in Freshies.