Shandies, Fruit Smoothie IPAs, and a Whole Lotta Lager to Beat the Heat this Weekend

Junkyard Shake-O-Matic • Photo via Junkyard 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. 

Banana, mango, pineapple, and 90-degree temperatures.

It only takes a few words to set the tone as summer hits, hard. There are crisp and refreshing beers inspired by push-ups, rocket pops, milkshakes, and cocktails, plus an entire festival dedicated to the immortal lager. Elsewhere, we have new shandies, blonde ales, session IPAs, and, yes, there’s a beer with chocolate pudding and gummy worms too. And that’s just a two-ounce teaser of what’s included below.

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

Copper Trail Glacier’s Edge – White IPA made with wheat, offering grapefruit and mango flavors and soft bitterness. 6.1% ABV, 56 IBU.

HeadFlyer Heavy D – “The bigger, heavier cousin to our flagship juicy IPA,” HeadFlyer explains, Heavy D is a double dry-hopped double IPA made with Citra and El Dorado hops and an addition of Amarillo hops as well.

Modist Deviant Minds – To tap this Saturday, this beer launches nonprofit Deviant Minds, dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA community members in the hospitality and service industries in Minnesota. Inspired by the Palmona cocktail, the beer is a gose with grapefruit, key lime, sea salt, and blue agave nectar and was brewed by LGBTQIA+ identifying folx from multiple breweries and distilleries in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Pantown The Pollinator – Tapped on Wednesday, “This honey wheat beer has been brewed with honey malts, Woodruff, and locally sourced honey from Pantown Bee Co. Notes of honey on the nose to match the golden hue of the pour,” Pantown notes, giving it a gentle sweetness that balances with a bready backbone.

Pig Ate My Pizza & Talking Waters Heavily Meditated – A collaboration with Talking Waters (brewed at each brewery), this fruited Berliner Weisse was made with Kveik yeast, Buddha’s hand, calamansi, mango, and coconut. (Contains wheat and lactose also.) 7% ABV.

New beers available this week

22 Northmen Brewing Company

• B.A. Night Axe – A blended bourbon barrel-aged stout, “Decadent dark notes of coffee, toffee, and roast meld with the bourbon, vanilla, and cherry notes provided from the wood it’s cave-aged in,” the brewery says.
• Bush Era Pale Ale – An old-school pale ale at 6% ABV.
• Toast McOats – A dark beer with roast, toffee, and oat character. 5.5% ABV.
• Rye Pilsner – An Earth Rider collaboration brewed for Saturday’s MN Craft Lager Fest in Alexandria, described by co-brewers Earth Rider as, “The aroma is floral and spicy from the use of German hops and Rye Malt. Bready malt character comes through in the flavor, along with citrus and spicy notes from the Rye Malt and hops. It finishes dry and crisp, perfect for the hot weather that is soon upon us.” 5.6% ABV, 35 IBU. Also on tap, starting today, at Cedar Lounge in Superior.

608 Brewing Company

• Inquiring Minds: Mosaic + Riwaka – On tap (and in cans) today, this hazy IPA pours at 6.8% ABV and offers white grape, honeydew melon, and candied grapefruit-esque flavors with a creamy body and soft bitterness, the brewery says.
• Premium Lager – A light-bodied crisp and refreshing Helles-style lager. 5% ABV and available on draft and in 6-packs from the La Crosse brewery.

Alloy Brewing Company

• Raspberry Pineapple Earthshake IPA – In addition to the fruits in its name, this milkshake IPA features Mosaic, Callista, and Citra hops to add smooth and bright notes to the already fruit-forward flavor. 8.6% ABV, 40 IBU.

Alloy Raspberry Pineapple Earthshake IPA • Photo via Alloy Brewing

Big Wood Brewery

• Drevo – A Czech-style Pilsner.
• Hard Seltzer: Tangerine-Rosemary

Castle Danger Brewery

• Lake Mist – A medium-bodied New England-style, taproom exclusive IPA with tropical flavors including pineapple, papaya, and lemon.

Copper Trail Brewing Co.   

• Clouded Judgement – A new hazy IPA with a pillowy texture, hop bite, and sweet base. “This hazy comes with all of the dank, citrusy, and pineapple undertones you can handle using over 60 pounds of hops in the brew,” the brewery says. 7.4% ABV, 67 IBU.
• Glacier’s Edge – Top Flight selection.
• Retrospect – A big West Coast-style IPA at 6.6% ABV and 100 IBU, this true-to-style IPA uses a blend of Apollo, Southern Cross, and Mosaic hops for ample dankness complemented by pine, citrus, and tropical flavors.

Drekker Brewing

• Slang Du Jour – Black currant and plum set the tone for this “cobbler sour” also made with graham cracker, brown sugar, cinnamon, lactose, and vanilla beans. 7.7% ABV.

Dual Citizen Brewing Company

In addition to a weekend-only hard seltzer slushy lineup, Dual Citizen is serving:

• Hola, Beaches – The New England-style IPA is on tap now.
• Luck of the Loons – A Helles-style lager, back on tap at the brewery.

Duluth Cider

• Thin Mint Cider – A small batch of this Girl Scout cookie-inspired cider is on tap, starting today, in Duluth. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Girl Scouts organization as well.

Duluth Cider Thin Mint Cider • Photo via Duluth Cider

Earth Rider Brewery

• Rye Pilsner – A collaboration with 22 Northmen brewed for Saturday’s MN Craft Lager Fest in Alexandria, described by co-brewers Earth Rider as, “The aroma is floral and spicy from the use of German hops and Rye Malt. Bready malt character comes through in the flavor, along with citrus and spicy notes from the Rye Malt and hops. It finishes dry and crisp, perfect for the hot weather that is soon upon us.” 5.6% ABV, 35 IBU. Also on tap, starting today, at Cedar Lounge in Superior.

Fair State Brewing Cooperative

• Double Spirit Foul – Brewed for the first time since 2019 and on tap at the brewery now, Fair State describes this upscaled Spirit Foul double dry-hopped double IPA as, “A big ol’ glass of juice-forward juice, with just a hint of dankness rambling around in the background.” 8.5% ABV.

Foxhole Brewhouse   

• Foxyrita Gose – A margarita-inspired gose with lime zest. 4.1% ABV.

HeadFlyer Brewing

• Heavy D – Top Flight selection.

Junkyard Brewing Co.   

• Freshness Packet – “A double IPA brewed with a dynamic mixture of Cyro Blend, Mosaic, and Sultana hops. This IPA is bursting with the freshest flavors of citrusy tropical fruits, which is supported by a stable pine finish and accompanied by a soft bitterness,” the brewery says. 8.5% ABV.
• Killer Hibiscus – Back on tap and ruby red, this batch features a new ingredient: lemon zest. Overall, the 5.8% ABV offering offers a blend of berry and lemon notes with a fruity tartness and sweet malt base.
• Pineapple Seltzer – A 6.6% ABV tropical fruit flavored hard seltzer on tap now.
• Terminal Delight: Raspberry Orange    – A new “cream soda ale” made with raspberry, orange, and vanilla for a blend of tart and creamy sensation.
• Shake-O-Matic – A milkshake-style IPA with strawberry, vanilla, lactose, and Belma hops for additional strawberry-like flavors and minimal bitterness.

Lakes & Legends Brewing Company

• Mahalo Summer – A newly available 4% fruited Berliner Weisse ale.

Lakes & Legends Mahalo Summer • Photo via Lakes & Legends Brewing Company

Luce Line Brewing Co.

• Clearwater – A West Coast-style IPA with a clean, dry malt base and a “smooth bitterness” with earthy pine, gooseberry, and papaya notes. 6.9% ABV, 70 IBU.

Mineral Springs Brewery

• Sabra IPA – Named in honor of Owatonna historical figure Sabra (Whiting) Otteson, this hazy IPA uses the Sabro hop to provide sweet pineapple with a touch of coconut impressions. 5.6% ABV, 37 IBU.

Modist Brewing Co.

• Deviant Minds – Top Flight selection.

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub

• American Lager – A new beer for the return of regular operation at Northbound, released this Tuesday to kick off the brewpub’s return of happy hour specials this week.

Number 12 Cider

• Barrel 44 – Aged in bourbon barrels, this high ABV cider has notes of amaretto, caramel, and bourbon. 10.8% ABV.
• Helix Cider – “Crafted from a blend of five apple varieties–featuring one of MN’s finest, the Chestnut Crabapple,” Number 12 says, “This semi-dry cider offers notes of dates, honey, and toasted French oak.” 6.5% ABV.

Oliphant Brewing   

• Collaberal Damage – A West Coast-style IPA with Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe and, talus hops, and also a collaboration with The Brewing Projekt. Available in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans.
• S’More Talent – “Who needs a campfire when you have a 10% ABV imperial stout with marshmallow, cacao nibs, and graham crackers,” Oliphant asks. Available in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Pantown Brewing Company

• Orange Pushup – Inspired by the frozen treat of the same name, this beer offers juicy orange flavors and creamy vanilla.
• The Pollinator – Top Flight selection.

PawPrint Brewery

• Bird Dog – A sour ale at 4.5% ABV, 13 IBU.
• Walk the Dog – A lemon shady at 6% ABV, 14 IBU.

Pig Ate My Pizza Kitchen + Brewery

• Heavily Meditated – Top Flight selection.
• Pineapple Tangerine Pigasus – The brewpub’s blonde ale with added pineapple and tangerine. The final beer is balanced with a light bready malt sweetness, light hop-derived citrus and fruit tones, and extra citrus and juiciness from the added fruit. 5.1% ABV.

Portage Brewing Co.

• Coffeecake – The blonde ale is back on tap now.
• Blue When Ripe – A mildly tart blueberry and vanilla-forward beer that pours at 5% ABV.

Pryes Brewing Co.

• Featherlight – A taproom-only session IPA with fresh and juicy flavors of strawberry and passion fruit at only 4.1% ABV.

Revel Brewing

• Muddy Mississippi Rye – “It’s a brown ale with a slight sweetness that accentuates the nutty, toasted malt characteristics,” Revel says. 6.6% ABV.

Rustech Brewing Co.

• Arcadian Sour – A 5.4% ABV, 15 IBU strawberry lemonade sour ale.
• Pog Patch – Back on tap, this sour ale is made with passion fruit, orange, and guava. 5.4% ABV, 15 IBU.

Schell’s Brewery

• American Pale Ale – A new 5.0% ABV, 50 IBU American pale ale brewed in Schell’s Pilot Batch series.

Starry Eyed Brewing Co.

• Galactic Lindy – Tapped in May at the Little Falls brewery.

Talking Waters Brewing Co.

• Heavily Meditated – A collaboration with Pig Ate My Pizza, this imperial fruited sour was made with Kveik yeast and then conditioned on Buddha’s hand, calamansi, mango, and coconut. 8% ABV. A similar batch was also brewed at Pig Ate My Pizza and is on tap there.

Tin Whiskers Brewing Company

• Into the Sabro – “Brewed with Sabro, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria hops for juicy notes of coconut, mandarin oranges, and pineapple,” the brewery says. On tap now and coming to liquor stores later this month.
• Rocket Pop Dream State – Like the frozen treats, this cream ale features flavors of raspberry, lime, and cherry. 5.5% ABV, 14 IBU.
• Scary Books – A blonde ale with added chocolate pudding, sandwich cookies, and gummy worms. In the brewery’s own words, “This one’s all about the surprises, starting out with big notes of chocolate and cookies with a subtle gummy sweetness, but finishing refreshingly crisp and clean.”
• Strawberry Wheatstone Bridge – On tap at the Saint Paul brewery now and coming to liquor stores in cans later this month.

Urban Forage Winery and Ciderhouse

• Ghost of Citrus Past – Currently on tap.

Waconia Brewing Company

• Chunka Chunka PB Love – Available today, this peanut butter beer adds chocolate and banana for a seamless combination of flavors. 6.3% ABV, 22 IBU.

Wild Mind Ales

• Cellar Swears: Azacca! – A funky and tart blended spontaneously fermented ale that was dry-hopped with Azacca for notes of mango and pear. 5.2% ABV.
• Cellar Swears: Galaxy and Motueka! – Another blended, dry-hopped, and spontaneously fermented offering, this batch is tart and funky, with the added dry-hopped addition of both Galaxy and Motueka hops. 5.4% ABV.

Wooden Hill Brewing Company

• Hops For A Cure – “A clean fermented wheat-forward malt bill with apricot puree and Citra and Galaxy dry hops,” the brewery explains. 5.8% ABV with a portion of proceeds to benefit Soar Leadership Council of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund.
• Mango Strut – The 4.5% ABV kettle sour with mango, for sweet but also tart flavors, is back on tap now.

Beers just announced

Bent Brewstillery

• A Glitch in the Matrix – A new dank double dry-hopped, double hazy IPA. Made with a blend of Citra, Kahoatu, and Moutere hops, this new beer taps next Friday and features a creamy body with tropical fruit character, notable dank tones, and a strong finish, Bent promises.
• Temporal Sunshine – The second in a double beer release next Friday, Temporal Sunshine is a hazy fruited sour beer with pineapple, lemon, and vanilla.

Boom Island Brewing Company

• Cuvée de Boom – The featured beer at Boom Days, which returns at the Minnetonka-based brewery on July 9-10. The unique unhopped beer “consists of a hybrid of Belgian blond ale and Pinot Grigio,” Boom Island explains, and also “undergoes a parallel fermentation with both an ale strain and a Champagne yeast strain.” It will be served on tap and sold in 750-milliliter bottles (limited) beginning on July 9.

Dual Citizen Brewing Company

• Essential Industry –A dry-hopped Pilsner-style lager will be sold in 12-ounce cans beginning mid-month.
• Le Petite Biere – Returning to the taproom in mid-June, the brewery says.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Later this month, two new cocktail-inspired Firestone Walker offerings will hit shelves nationwide:

• Mezcalita Dreaming – Inspired by the Mezcalita drink, this beer was brewed with agave, chile peppers, flaked corn, and sea salt, then aged (mostly) in mezcal barrels—a portion was aged in orange bitters barrels and blended before fresh lime zest was added.
• Tequila Barrel Sunrise – If the name doesn’t give it away, this beer builds from a base of Helldorado blonde barleywine, which was aged in Extra Añejo tequila barrels, and blended with set aside portions aged in cherry and orange bitters barrels. The finished product also uses orange zest and hibiscus, resulting in a beer version of the Tequila Sunrise cocktail.

Founders Brewing Co.

• KBS Espresso – Returning in November as part of the Barrel-Aged Series, this KBS variant offers dark, roasted espresso flavors to the original. 12.0% ABV.

Waconia Brewing Company

• Naked Blonde – To tap next Tuesday, June 8.
• Raspberry Blonde – To tap next Friday, June 11.

White Claw Hard Seltzer

• Iced Tea – Four new flavors of iced tea-flavored hard seltzer are now available: Lemon, Mango, Peach, and Raspberry.

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