Tag: midwest

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Midwestern Brewery # 3 – Pulpit Rock Brewing Company


Last April stop is in Iowa and Pulpit Rock Brewing founded by four alumni from Luther College who have converted an old dairy facility into a brewery.

Here is what I would choose from their rotating tap list:

Heavy Lifter Lager – “Classic pale, golden lager. Biscuity notes and an aromatic aroma.”

Decorah’s Sweetheart – “One part Vic Secret, two parts Citra, all parts Party Starter.”

Glass To Mouth IPA – “2/3 Citra, 1/3 Mosaic, 100% delicious! Grain-to-glass, glass-to-mouth.”

Clarion ESB – “Fancy-speak for “loud & clear,” this English-style pale ale is a delicious balance of malt & hops and pours a copper/amber hue.”

Colombian Pour-Over Porter – “This special Pour-Over variant is infused with beans that are initially picked as ripe purple cherries (Castillo) by farmers in the Jambalo region of Columbia.”

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Midwestern Brewery # 2 – Big Rip Brewing


The Big Rip Brewing Company is a growing 4bbl brewery that opened in May 2013 in North Kansas City. They have an eclectic list of beers which made choosing hard to do but after deliberation, here is what I would put into an initial taster tray…

Satine Raspberry Gluten Free
Zelda’s Vanilla Cream Ale
Franklin Road Coffee Porter
T.H.I.C. Amber Ale
Delta 88 IPA

That covers a wide gamut of styles I think.

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Midwestern Brewery # 1 – Zipline Brewing


Our first stop in the middle of the U.S. is in Lincoln, Nebraska and Zipline Brewing founded by the trio of Marcus Powers, Tom Wilmoth, and James Gallentine in 2012. As is evidenced by their name, they are aiming at adventurers.

Here are the beers that I would sample….

Copper Alt – “A hybrid style between an ale and a lager, this bronze-hued brew goes down easy with subtle nuances of chocolate and hazelnut.” 2015 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal Winner!

German-Style KÖLSCH – “A refreshing ale that drinks like a lager, our German-style Kölsch pours straw yellow with hints of honey malt character and a smooth, crisp finish.”

IRA – “IRA brings together the alluring red hue and malty body of a red ale with all the citrus, grapefruit, and piney hoppiness you’d expect from an American IPA.”

Alpha Modern – “This contemporary IPA explodes with smooth and juicy hops, ushering in a new age of alpha.”

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Iowa Brewery # 2 – Okoboji Brewing Company

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The second stop in Iowa is Okoboji Brewing Company. And these are the beers that caught my eye from their brewhouse in Spirit Lake off of Highway 71.

Boji Beach Golden Rye Ale

“Light golden in color, crisp, smooth and dry with slight bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt. This beer will be well received by American Lager fans even as an ale. The rye adds a bit of spicyness and some bakery qualities which enhance the complexity of this beer.”

Midwest Charm Farmhouse Ale, with Ginger

“Traditionally brewed seasonally in the barn and other farmhouse buildings, thus the name. This style almost died out due to the perception of being a “regular person’s beer” but was revived by craft and home brewers with the love of its diversified flavors. Cloudy amber color with some spicyness and earthy flavors from the yeast. This semi-dry, medium bitterness beer has been revitalized because of “regular people” loving great beer.”
 

They also have an adjacent homebrew shop so that Iowa home brewers have a spot to find their ingredients and equipment!

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Local hops

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More hops for the midwest! I love seeing small, local, boutique operations and that extends to beer ingredients. Simple Earth Hops “is a new 1/4 acre hopyard located at Greenspirit Farm CSA in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. The hopyard was founded with the idea of providing a much needed agricultural product for local craft brewers. Simple Earth Hops was established to demonstrate that local farmers can produce a consistent, sustainable supply of ultra high quality hops by working directly with local craft brewers while still maintaining a focus on ecology, the land and the people involved.”

Here is a partial list of the hop varities that they will grow:
cascade, eroica, liberty, Mt. Hood and perle.