Weekly Duluth Beer Roundup for June 15, 2014

Since the my last post regarding the Duluth Craft Beer Scene received was mostly positive, I will continue doing these Roundup posts every week if I'm able to do so. This week was a busy one for me and I'm still in the process of getting everything unpacked and set up from my move a couple weeks back. Between work and all of that, I was only able to venture out to one brewpub this week and that was Thirsty Pagan Brewing over in Superior, WI.

Since I was last there they have added a ton of seasonal beers to their lineup. Around September of last year it was around maybe 3-4 seasonals but this time around I counted 9 and a couple of which caught my eye to the point where I just had to try it out.

Thirsty Pagan Rauchbier (5.5% ABV) - Finally, a Rauchbier (smoked beer) that is locally made and it has been a long time since I've had a good Rauchbier. It starts out with a solid smoked malt flavor followed up with some mild but nice hoppiness before ending with some lightly toasted barley. Definitely lighter in terms of appearance, body and even a little bit in the flavor than what I'm used to seeing in Rauchbiers but I would still highly recommend checking this out!

Thirsty Pagan India Pale Lager (6.7% ABV) - It's nice to see that the IPL-style is starting to gain traction amongst the craft beer crowd. This starts out with a nice citrus and piney hop profile with a solid pale malt base and a bitter resiny aftertaste. I usually see IPLs come out around the springtime so this makes for a very nice seasonal.

Thirsty Pagan The Patriot (4.8% ABV) - A Pilsner made with All-American malts and hops, hence it's name. This has a nice floral hop profile backed up by a Pilsner malt base with a hint of oakiness thanks to the hops used in this beer. The light body and relatively mild carbonation give this a nice crisp and clean finish.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Hopefully I will have inspired some of you to go out and try these beers out if you get the chance.

Cheers!

- Nick

Lift Bridge Getaway Pilsner Review

Name: Lift Bridge Getaway Pilsner

Style: Pilsner

ABV: 5.25%

Lift Bridge Brewing just released a brand new summer seasonal beer called Getaway Pilsner. Unlike same beers I've had from them (and have not reviewed yet,) this comes in a 16 oz. Tallboy can as opposed to the 12 oz. bottle which I'm used to seeing from this brewery; Although I have seen their Farm Girl Saison in 16 oz. cans as well.

Since it is Memorial Day weekend and only a few more weeks until the official start of summer, what better time to look at this beer than now. Hey, in the event you are out for a summer picnic or a day at the beach, you want to make sure you bring good beer!

Getaway Pilsner pours a pale yellow color with a foamy white head. The visible carbonation is quite mild and the lacing is pretty soapy in appearance. 

The nose starts off with a Pilsner & Pale Maltiness upfront with some floral hops, yeasts and a light grassy/earthy scent. A little maltier smelling and definitely more of a hop kick than most Pilsners I'm used to having.

Likewise the flavor is also pretty Pilsner/Pale malt forward but the floral hoppiness is a lot more prevalent here. In addition to that, there is a nice yeast profile in here and the earthy qualities are quite tame as well. As for the aftertaste, it's quite dry with just a hint of floral hops and Pilsner malts.

The palate as a whole is light; Both in terms of carbonation and overall weight. In other words, it's the way a summer seasonal should feel: light and crisp.

I found Getaway Pilsner to be quite good. I think the floral hoppiness in particular will help draw in people who are not normally fan of traditional Pilsner beers. At the same time, I can also see this beer being a great and sessionable beer during the hot summer months. Be sure to check this out if you get the chance!

Lift Bridge Getaway Pilsner - 8.25/10