May 2, 2025 • 19 mins
Step into the vibrant world of Wisconsin's craft beer scene as the Northwoods Beer Guy and friends explore the Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival in La Crosse. This on-location adventure captures the excitement of discovery as Mike and his crew of familiar podcast voices sample their way through dozens of unique offerings, delivering real-time reactions and expert ratings.
Wandering from booth to booth, the team encounters everything from pepper-infused pilsners that glow slightly green to dessert stouts garnished with marshmallows. They discover hidden gems like Skeleton Crew Brew's Salty Dog salted caramel porter and Marshon Cider's Snowed In Cinnamon that "tastes exactly like apple pie." Each encounter becomes a mini-masterclass in beer appreciation as they analyze flavor profiles, discuss brewing techniques, and rate each selection on their established scale.
The gang's excitement is palpable when they discover unexpected standouts like Turtle Stack's perfectly balanced Coconut Baltic Porter and North Pillar's surprisingly smooth double hazy IPA. Their candid reactions and friendly banter create an immersive experience that makes you feel like you're right there with them, sample glass in hand. Whether you're planning to attend next year's festival or simply looking to expand your craft beer knowledge, this episode provides both entertainment and education from true midwest beer enthusiasts who know how to appreciate everything from traditional styles to boundary-pushing experiments. Join the Northwoods Beer Guy for this festival tour and discover why Wisconsin's craft beer scene deserves your attention.
Thank you for listening to The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, comment or would like us to review your beer, please feel free to contact us at northbeerguy@gmail.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Welcome to the Northwoods BeerGuy Podcast.
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen,welcome back to the Northwoods
Beer Guy Podcast.
This is Mike, the NorthwoodsBeer Guy, and today we are
running around the Between theBluffs Beer, wine and Cheese
Fest in La Crosse, wisconsin.
So we are actually I'm joinedtoday by a lot of people that
you've heard on the podcast.
Bk is here, hello, jim is here,Toby's here, julie's here, my
(00:55):
wife Susie's here who am Iforgetting?
My wife Noelle's here.
We've got a number of peoplehere, so we're running around
there's.
I don't know how many differentbeer vendors are here, but they
all are set up and giving outsamples.
We've got, of course, beer,wine, which I probably will miss
, and we've got cheese and meatand all that kind of stuff too.
(01:16):
So the first booth that westopped at this morning was
Three Sheeps and we tried theirDark Matter, which is one of
their Barrel Society beers.
As you know, jim and I joinedthe Barrel Society this year
with them to give it a whirl, soit was pretty decent.
I mean definitely a higher ABV.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
There's not a handshake that you have to know
for that or anything like that.
Is there no?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I don't think so.
Then I just did try anothervariant of the Wolf and that's
actually really good.
So we're going to be runningaround today.
When we find a beer that'sreally good, we'll tell you
about it and we'll check back inafter a while.
So keep listening.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen.
So we are back.
We just tried at Great DaneBrewing.
We had a Tri-Pepper Pilsner andit's 5.5% AB abv, but it
(02:08):
definitely has a pepper and infact it's even a little green.
A little bit green, and you can, it is, isn't it?
When you look at it, that'skind of wild.
So when you try it, it uh, Idon't know if it's jalapeno or
what, but it's pretty sure it'sjalapeno because, yeah, it's got
a, definitely has a burn to itand gets your attention.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
So you don't see too many pepper beers, no, so I
guess like out of on our scale,what would it's got?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
a definitely has a burn to it, for sure, and it
gets your attention.
So you don't see too manypepper beers, no.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
So I guess, like on our scale, what would you give
this one?
Do you think?
Oh, I'm right out of the three?
It's past expectations.
It's a little funny that it's alittle green but I like it.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, I mean it's got like I said.
It does have a little bit moreheat than Hence the green.
Yep, there you go.
All right, so that was TriPepper Pills from the Great Dane
Brew Pub out of Wisconsin.
Hey, we just stopped at thePotosi booth and we had a.
(03:01):
Was it a milk stout?
It's a dessert stout, a dessertstout, and it was called Cow
Pie and it was actually prettyenjoyable.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I thought it definitely had a caramel kind of
a flavor to it Lots of caramelthat came through and it wasn't
a nitro, but it kind of has thatcreamy nitro taste to it.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, exactly.
So I'm surrounded by Brian's,so it's kind of funny.
So, Brian, my brewer brother,what did you think of the cow
pie?
I thought it was pretty good,Nice and smooth, Get a lot of
caramel.
I was going to say that's theone thing that BK and I were
talking about that youdefinitely get that caramel-type
flavor to it.
I think it was pretty decent.
(03:37):
You could definitely drink it.
I mean, it wasn't like realhigh ABV no, not high but it
definitely had a good flavor toit.
So what do you think, Brian?
Out of five, what would yougive that one?
I would probably give it a 3.4.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
3.4?
Yeah, I was in the 3.3.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I was going to say I'm in that 3.3, 3.4 as well.
I think we're all in agreement.
So if you're ever in the PotosiWisconsin area, stop in and
have a cow pie.
Yep, absolutely, it's betterthan I thought.
All right, we just stopped atthe Skeleton Crew Brew booth.
They're out of Onalaska,Wisconsin, and the first one I
(04:16):
tried was their blueberry creamale, which is pretty good.
I mean, it'd be one for like ahot day, you know if you're on a
boat or something.
I think it'd be decent.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
But the one we wanted to talk about is their salty
dog salted caramel porter andthis is one that we had a couple
years ago and I had it.
I said it was great andeverybody went over and had it
and it wasn't great.
It's like a weird keg mishap,we're not sure.
Yeah, the beauty of this one isyou get the caramel right away,
but it still has thatbitterness and a little bit of
bitterness that a porter shouldhave.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yep, I agree.
The first thing I noticed wasthe caramel.
Was the caramel?
Yep, I mean, at times you seebeers that list caramel in the
ingredients and you don't reallyget that flavor.
But boy, this one that was.
The first thing I got wascaramel and I thought it was
decent.
You know it's one of those.
Would I drink a six-pack in onesitting?
Maybe not, but you know what,for one of them and anybody
(05:09):
could drink it From an ABVperspective it's not super
strong.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
It Anybody could drink it.
From an ABV perspective, it'snot super strong.
It's like 5%, so you can have acouple of them and it's no big
deal.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Oh, exactly, we just had my brother step in.
Yes, oh, are you on air, anyway, but yeah.
So the Salty Dog, saltedCaramel Porter.
What kind of score do you givethat one?
I'd probably in the 3.4 range,3.5.
I'd agree.
I think it's like a 3.4.
It was actually better than Iwas expecting.
So I think, yeah, if you everbuy a skeleton crew in Onalaska,
(05:38):
wisconsin, stop in and havesome of their salty dog.
Absolutely You'll like it.
We just stopped at the newGlitterist booth and we're
trying their Barley Wine 24.
So I'm here with my brother.
From a brewer's perspective,what did you think of this one?
It's a little thin for me forbarley wine, barley wine, I want
(06:01):
a little bit more flavor.
Right, that's the one thing Inoticed was for barley wines.
They usually have more of abolder flavor, maybe something
like that.
And this it's not bad, and Idon't know.
I have to look it up and seewhat the ABV is on it, but it's
kind of.
It needs something, maybe.
Yeah.
So as far as score, what kindof a score do you think you'd
(06:24):
give this?
I would probably only do like a2.9.
2.9, I would say okay, becauseI was thinking like a 2.7.
I mean it's decent, I woulddrink a can of it.
But I because I was thinkinglike a 2.7.
I mean, it's decent, I woulddrink a can of it, but I think I
was expecting more.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I was expecting more.
That's a good way to put it.
Yeah, and the 24 is not howmany you've had.
That's the name, oh.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So we should have done this 23 beers ago.
Oh jeez, Dang it.
Where were?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
you at Brian.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I was having the amber, all right.
Well, we will be back shortly.
We just stopped at theMershan's Cider booth and, wow,
it's pretty crazy.
We just got the what's the nameof it?
The Snowed In Cinnamon and it's6% ABV and, oh my gosh, that is
actually really good.
It's like drinking apple pie.
Yeah, 100% tastes like applepie and that is really good.
We were just talking about whatif you warmed it up in the
(07:18):
winter?
You know, that might be aninteresting.
If we were, like you know,professional drinkers, we'd
already know, but it seemsnormal to us.
But no, this is actually reallygood, I'm impressed.
So I mean, what are yourthoughts, brian?
I actually really like it andI'm not a cider drinker at all
(07:41):
Normally ciders are.
I don't get the burn.
Oh, not peach.
Right, I feel like I'm going toget heartburn from it.
The peach are really good.
Oh, they did a really good job.
They did an awesome job.
Yeah, they did really well, Ithink.
What kind of score do you thinkon something like this?
I would give it a 3-3.
I was thinking 3-4, somewherein there.
This is really good because youget that it smells like apple
(08:02):
pie.
I hear you bragging about it.
The flavor it is good.
I'm not exactly sure wherethey're out of, but they did
good on this one.
They have three differentversions here.
They have an apple normal appleand the cinnamon, and then they
have a peach one.
So they do definitely have adifference.
(08:23):
He just said they're out ofStoughton, wisconsin.
So yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Marshawn Cider.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Definitely try the Snowed In Cinnamon.
All right, we just stopped atthe Al Ringling.
So yeah, so, marchand Cider,definitely try the Snowed In
Cinnamon.
All right, we just stopped atthe Al Ringling Brewing Stand.
They're out of Baraboo,wisconsin, which Baraboo is kind
of the headquarters of theRingling Brothers Circus,
correct, kind of weird, you know, being in Wisconsin and such,
and that's actually a brewerythat I have been to and they
(08:52):
have a lot of kind of they.
They got a pipe organ from likea circus there and a little old
lady was playing it the firsttime we were there.
It was pretty crazy.
I was just telling my brotherthat the bar and all the tables
in there they made out of thefloor of a bowling alley, out of
the lanes, because in thebasement, the building they're
in used to be an Elks Club andthere was a bowling alley in the
(09:13):
basement and they said it wastoo much To get it going again,
it was too much money, so theyused the wood and made tables
and the bar and all that out ofit.
So, anyway, so we tried.
What was the name of it?
It's a porter, it's a CocoCaliente Porter, coco Caliente
Porter.
And the first question the guyasked was well, would you like a
marshmallow in it?
How can you say no to amarshmallow?
(09:33):
I did, bk said no, but the restof us said well, yeah, so yeah,
it's actually.
I think it's fairly decent 6.4%.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
I went back and asked it's very smooth for that.
It lacks that porter bitterness.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
It doesn't have, like that toasted flavor.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Roasted malty.
Whatever it is, it's not there.
It's very smooth, Verychocolatey.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yes, I think it's pretty good.
I don't know if I'd drink morethan one or two of them, because
it might get a little bit muchon the sweet side a little bit,
but I think it's pretty good.
What do you think, Brian?
It's not bad For a porter.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I still want that porter bite at the end Right,
but it is smooth.
It's a pretty good beer.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
It's definitely one of those that it's unique.
I guess it just doesn't havethat porter bitterness.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Right Porters and Stouts should have the
bitterness, I agree.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
That's kind of their signature and this doesn't
really have that, but it is verygood.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Would I have another?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Maybe it's the marshmallow talking, but I'd
have another.
So for score, wise guys, whatdo you?
What do you think I would getmyself?
I would give it like a 3-1 okayI'm in the probably the 3-1 3-2
range.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
It's way better than average, but again, I still want
that roasted flavor.
I want that bitterness at theend yeah, I was gonna say a 3.0.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I do like it.
I think it's definitely unique.
It's a good beer.
It's a very good beer.
I just wish it had thatbitterness on the end.
Right, more of that signatureporter finish, you know.
But yeah, very good.
So, once again, baraboo,wisconsin, al Ringling Brewing.
All right, we just stopped atthe Top Link Goliath booth and
(11:15):
we have three different IPAs andthey're all in their All of the
Sioux variety, sioux variety.
So the one I got was their KingSioux, which is a double IPA,
but it almost reminds me more oflike a hazy where it's not real
hoppy per se or an imperial IP.
Yeah, I mean, but it's verygood.
Bk, you got the Cyber Sue andmy brother the mad scientist, he
(11:41):
got the Summer Sue.
So I guess let's start with theSummer one.
What do you think?
I mean it's almost more.
It reminds me of a.
You know, it's not hoppy at allhas a little bit of a.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I'm getting like a lemon type flavor, a little zest
of some sort.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Yeah, and just a little bit of piney.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
It's not super piney.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
That's the thing I noticed too was almost more of a
lemony or some kind of a zest,you know, and it's not bad, but
it's not like your normal IPAflavor it's very smooth.
Not much of a hot bite yeah, nobite at all.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So what would you say on a score?
On that, guys?
You know for what it is, I'dprobably go 3-1, 3-2.
I mean, I'm not a huge IPA fan,but that one surprised me.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
I was thinking 3-1.
I was going to go with a 3.0.
It was very good.
Oh sure, now the band kicks in.
Now the band kicks in.
So now let's go.
So, bk, you got the Cyber Zoo,and that one is Of the three.
It's like licking a pine tree.
It's definitely the happiest ofthe three, which kind of
surprises me, and the cleanestas far as looking through it.
(12:47):
Yeah, is the the you can't seethrough?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
it looks like a bad orange juice looks like a kind
of a thing I was gonna sayurinary tract infection.
Yeah, this is the here you go,doc.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You may want to look at that under a microscope.
But so on the cyber suit, whatare you guys thinking for a
score?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
it's.
It's exactly what I thought adouble ipa would be.
It's, it's, but it doesn'tlinger, which is good.
So I'm in that.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Three, probably three , two, category three one, three
, two, it's a good three two,yeah, I agree with you guys, I'm
right there, like I said, for adouble it's.
It's very good.
Definitely, if you're lookingfor that hot flavor, to get that
one, if you're an ipa person,this is where you go.
Yep, so now we go to the kingsue and, like I said to me, it
really it's more like a hazy.
It's very mellow flavor.
(13:30):
I think I was expecting this tobe the heaviest one of the
three, but it really isn't.
So I mean, is that what youguys would kind of say?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Yes, I mean, you know , I'm still in that three range,
right at a three three one.
I expected it to be more happy,but it really isn't.
It's smooth, it's the smoothestof the three really.
And so yeah, 3.1, 3.2, right inthat range.
They're all good IPAs.
Brian, what do you?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
think I'm gonna go like a 3.2 as well.
Like I said, I think all ofthese were decent.
If you like IPAs, that's kindof what Topland Goliath is known
for is IPAs and sours and youknow.
And they do some other stuff.
They've got some barrel-agedstuff, but they're really known
for their IPAs of pseudo-sue andall that.
I think they were all good.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I think if you're an enthusiast, you want the cyber,
if you want to get into it, thenyou're looking at the king or
the, I think the summer.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
If you're just getting into an IPA, I'd do the
summer Because it's very mellowto an IPA, I'd do the summer
because it's very mellow,absolutely, and you're not going
to get scared off by it.
Well, awesome.
So yeah, topping Goliath, andthey are out of Decorah, iowa,
which, the first time that youguys were going there and I got
the text from our dad and hesaid we're going to Fedora, his
(14:46):
phone changed it to Fedora,fedora, and I'm like where is
Fedora Anyway?
So yeah, topping Goliath, makesure to stop at the brewery.
It's big, it's a nice brewery.
Taproom is awesome.
They have a huge pseudo-suemade out of Legos in there and
it's pretty crazy.
And they've got food and allthat Very good.
(15:07):
Elk Mounds, elk Mounds, elkMounds yeah, it's very
impressive.
So if you get a chance, stop inand try it.
Otherwise, go to your store andlook up the Sue line S-U-E and
it's got dinosaurs on it andit'll be good, absolutely.
So we just stopped at theTurtle Stack Brewing booth and
they're in La Crosse, wisconsin,and BK.
(15:28):
You picked up their theirCoconut Baltic Porter.
Coconut Baltic Porter 7.3%.
That's 7.3%.
Wow.
So that one.
We've had a couple othercoconut beers today and it seems
like some of the times thecoconut is really overpowering
this one seems like it'sactually pretty good when I
first smelled it.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
I was really worried that it was going to be nothing
but coconut, but they let thatBalticic, that roasted
bitterness, get through there.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah, there's a really well blended beer.
Oh for sure, I agree with you,like I said, it's.
As far as for turtle stack, Ithink it's one of, probably one
of their better, yeah, you know,and they're a smaller brewery
and such, but I'll tell you whatthat's a good one in it for a
Baltic Porter.
Baltic, because we had we had aBaltic Porter earlier and it
was kind of eh, there was nobitterness, it was all sweet,
very thin, very sweet.
This one is more what you wouldexpect from a Baltic Porter.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
This one's got that nice dark head on it.
As far as the carbonation, it'sgot that coconut which I
thought was going to beoverpowering, but not.
It's more of an aromatic.
It's still sweet, but it's gotthat bitterness at the end of it
.
I agree.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
So, score-wise, what kind of score are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
I got to go probably about a 3.4, 3.5.
I mean, as far as the BalticPorter, this one's up there.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Yeah, I was going to go like a 3.2, 3.3, but I still
think it's very drinkable.
I really like that and it's got, like you said, it's got the
characteristics of a Balticporter, but then that coconut it
just kind of enhances that andit's not where it's overpowering
.
So they did a good job.
Well done, well done, turtleStack.
We just stopped at the NorthPillar Brewing Company booth and
(17:02):
I had got their Nightshade DarkLager.
I mean it was okay.
But BK and Brian, you guys gottheir.
What's the name of it?
It's Haus Sauce, haus Sauce,german spelling of house.
Yes, and it's a double hazy IPA, that beer is really good.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
They give the hops that are there, but I'm not a
brewmaster, so there's three ofthem.
I think it's Eldorado Citra.
For a second I thought it saidSbarro's, but that's pizza.
Then there's people in the way.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
But no, that is of the two that we tried.
That beer is really good.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
For a double hazy.
It is a little hazy.
It's actually clearer than Ithought it would be.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I can't say.
I remember very many doublehazy IPAs 7.3%, very smooth for
a higher alcohol.
That is a good beer you couldhave no problem drinking beer
Right very smooth.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Jim would not like it , however.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
The rest of us are no hot plate at all.
Right, right, that's impressive.
That's right up there with kindof one of the more surprising
beers of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
So far it's kind of surprising that a double hazy is
a little sweet.
Yeah, that's on the oddity.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, brian, score-wise, what are you
thinking?
I'm going to give it a 3-3.
A 3-3?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
The exact two numbers I was going to put on either
side of that decimal point too.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
This is a really good let's make it three for three.
I'll go three, three as well.
Like I said, I am impressedwith that.
They did a really good job.
I'm not exactly sure how manyNorth Pillar Brewing Company
beers we've ever had before.
That's the first time I'veheard of them.
I think this is the first yearthat they've been here and that
is a very good beer.
I'm impressed.
(18:47):
Awesome, good job.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
North Pillar Nice, well-blended beer, very good.
Thank you for listening to theNorthwoods Beer Guy podcast.
If you have a question, acomment or a beer you'd like us
to review, please feel free tosend us a message at
northwoodsbeerguy at gmailcom.
You can also find us onFacebook, twitter and Instagram.
If you're on untapped, look upNorthwoods Beer Guy and send a
friend request.
Until next week, I hope allyour campfires are warm and all
(19:16):
your beer is cold.
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Welcome to the Northwoods BeerGuy Podcast.
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen,welcome back to the Northwoods
Beer Guy Podcast.
This is Mike, the NorthwoodsBeer Guy, and today we are
running around the Between theBluffs Beer, wine and Cheese
Fest in La Crosse, wisconsin.
So we are actually I'm joinedtoday by a lot of people that
you've heard on the podcast.
Bk is here, hello, jim is here,Toby's here, julie's here, my
(00:55):
wife Susie's here who am Iforgetting?
My wife Noelle's here.
We've got a number of peoplehere, so we're running around
there's.
I don't know how many differentbeer vendors are here, but they
all are set up and giving outsamples.
We've got, of course, beer,wine, which I probably will miss
, and we've got cheese and meatand all that kind of stuff too.
(01:16):
So the first booth that westopped at this morning was
Three Sheeps and we tried theirDark Matter, which is one of
their Barrel Society beers.
As you know, jim and I joinedthe Barrel Society this year
with them to give it a whirl, soit was pretty decent.
I mean definitely a higher ABV.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
There's not a handshake that you have to know
for that or anything like that.
Is there no?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I don't think so.
Then I just did try anothervariant of the Wolf and that's
actually really good.
So we're going to be runningaround today.
When we find a beer that'sreally good, we'll tell you
about it and we'll check back inafter a while.
So keep listening.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen.
So we are back.
We just tried at Great DaneBrewing.
We had a Tri-Pepper Pilsner andit's 5.5% AB abv, but it
(02:08):
definitely has a pepper and infact it's even a little green.
A little bit green, and you can, it is, isn't it?
When you look at it, that'skind of wild.
So when you try it, it uh, Idon't know if it's jalapeno or
what, but it's pretty sure it'sjalapeno because, yeah, it's got
a, definitely has a burn to itand gets your attention.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
So you don't see too many pepper beers, no, so I
guess like out of on our scale,what would it's got?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
a definitely has a burn to it, for sure, and it
gets your attention.
So you don't see too manypepper beers, no.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
So I guess, like on our scale, what would you give
this one?
Do you think?
Oh, I'm right out of the three?
It's past expectations.
It's a little funny that it's alittle green but I like it.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, I mean it's got like I said.
It does have a little bit moreheat than Hence the green.
Yep, there you go.
All right, so that was TriPepper Pills from the Great Dane
Brew Pub out of Wisconsin.
Hey, we just stopped at thePotosi booth and we had a.
(03:01):
Was it a milk stout?
It's a dessert stout, a dessertstout, and it was called Cow
Pie and it was actually prettyenjoyable.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I thought it definitely had a caramel kind of
a flavor to it Lots of caramelthat came through and it wasn't
a nitro, but it kind of has thatcreamy nitro taste to it.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, exactly.
So I'm surrounded by Brian's,so it's kind of funny.
So, Brian, my brewer brother,what did you think of the cow
pie?
I thought it was pretty good,Nice and smooth, Get a lot of
caramel.
I was going to say that's theone thing that BK and I were
talking about that youdefinitely get that caramel-type
flavor to it.
I think it was pretty decent.
(03:37):
You could definitely drink it.
I mean, it wasn't like realhigh ABV no, not high but it
definitely had a good flavor toit.
So what do you think, Brian?
Out of five, what would yougive that one?
I would probably give it a 3.4.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
3.4?
Yeah, I was in the 3.3.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I was going to say I'm in that 3.3, 3.4 as well.
I think we're all in agreement.
So if you're ever in the PotosiWisconsin area, stop in and
have a cow pie.
Yep, absolutely, it's betterthan I thought.
All right, we just stopped atthe Skeleton Crew Brew booth.
They're out of Onalaska,Wisconsin, and the first one I
(04:16):
tried was their blueberry creamale, which is pretty good.
I mean, it'd be one for like ahot day, you know if you're on a
boat or something.
I think it'd be decent.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
But the one we wanted to talk about is their salty
dog salted caramel porter andthis is one that we had a couple
years ago and I had it.
I said it was great andeverybody went over and had it
and it wasn't great.
It's like a weird keg mishap,we're not sure.
Yeah, the beauty of this one isyou get the caramel right away,
but it still has thatbitterness and a little bit of
bitterness that a porter shouldhave.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yep, I agree.
The first thing I noticed wasthe caramel.
Was the caramel?
Yep, I mean, at times you seebeers that list caramel in the
ingredients and you don't reallyget that flavor.
But boy, this one that was.
The first thing I got wascaramel and I thought it was
decent.
You know it's one of those.
Would I drink a six-pack in onesitting?
Maybe not, but you know what,for one of them and anybody
(05:09):
could drink it From an ABVperspective it's not super
strong.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
It Anybody could drink it.
From an ABV perspective, it'snot super strong.
It's like 5%, so you can have acouple of them and it's no big
deal.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Oh, exactly, we just had my brother step in.
Yes, oh, are you on air, anyway, but yeah.
So the Salty Dog, saltedCaramel Porter.
What kind of score do you givethat one?
I'd probably in the 3.4 range,3.5.
I'd agree.
I think it's like a 3.4.
It was actually better than Iwas expecting.
So I think, yeah, if you everbuy a skeleton crew in Onalaska,
(05:38):
wisconsin, stop in and havesome of their salty dog.
Absolutely You'll like it.
We just stopped at the newGlitterist booth and we're
trying their Barley Wine 24.
So I'm here with my brother.
From a brewer's perspective,what did you think of this one?
It's a little thin for me forbarley wine, barley wine, I want
(06:01):
a little bit more flavor.
Right, that's the one thing Inoticed was for barley wines.
They usually have more of abolder flavor, maybe something
like that.
And this it's not bad, and Idon't know.
I have to look it up and seewhat the ABV is on it, but it's
kind of.
It needs something, maybe.
Yeah.
So as far as score, what kindof a score do you think you'd
(06:24):
give this?
I would probably only do like a2.9.
2.9, I would say okay, becauseI was thinking like a 2.7.
I mean it's decent, I woulddrink a can of it.
But I because I was thinkinglike a 2.7.
I mean, it's decent, I woulddrink a can of it, but I think I
was expecting more.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I was expecting more.
That's a good way to put it.
Yeah, and the 24 is not howmany you've had.
That's the name, oh.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So we should have done this 23 beers ago.
Oh jeez, Dang it.
Where were?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
you at Brian.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I was having the amber, all right.
Well, we will be back shortly.
We just stopped at theMershan's Cider booth and, wow,
it's pretty crazy.
We just got the what's the nameof it?
The Snowed In Cinnamon and it's6% ABV and, oh my gosh, that is
actually really good.
It's like drinking apple pie.
Yeah, 100% tastes like applepie and that is really good.
We were just talking about whatif you warmed it up in the
(07:18):
winter?
You know, that might be aninteresting.
If we were, like you know,professional drinkers, we'd
already know, but it seemsnormal to us.
But no, this is actually reallygood, I'm impressed.
So I mean, what are yourthoughts, brian?
I actually really like it andI'm not a cider drinker at all
(07:41):
Normally ciders are.
I don't get the burn.
Oh, not peach.
Right, I feel like I'm going toget heartburn from it.
The peach are really good.
Oh, they did a really good job.
They did an awesome job.
Yeah, they did really well, Ithink.
What kind of score do you thinkon something like this?
I would give it a 3-3.
I was thinking 3-4, somewherein there.
This is really good because youget that it smells like apple
(08:02):
pie.
I hear you bragging about it.
The flavor it is good.
I'm not exactly sure wherethey're out of, but they did
good on this one.
They have three differentversions here.
They have an apple normal appleand the cinnamon, and then they
have a peach one.
So they do definitely have adifference.
(08:23):
He just said they're out ofStoughton, wisconsin.
So yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Marshawn Cider.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Definitely try the Snowed In Cinnamon.
All right, we just stopped atthe Al Ringling.
So yeah, so, marchand Cider,definitely try the Snowed In
Cinnamon.
All right, we just stopped atthe Al Ringling Brewing Stand.
They're out of Baraboo,wisconsin, which Baraboo is kind
of the headquarters of theRingling Brothers Circus,
correct, kind of weird, you know, being in Wisconsin and such,
and that's actually a brewerythat I have been to and they
(08:52):
have a lot of kind of they.
They got a pipe organ from likea circus there and a little old
lady was playing it the firsttime we were there.
It was pretty crazy.
I was just telling my brotherthat the bar and all the tables
in there they made out of thefloor of a bowling alley, out of
the lanes, because in thebasement, the building they're
in used to be an Elks Club andthere was a bowling alley in the
(09:13):
basement and they said it wastoo much To get it going again,
it was too much money, so theyused the wood and made tables
and the bar and all that out ofit.
So, anyway, so we tried.
What was the name of it?
It's a porter, it's a CocoCaliente Porter, coco Caliente
Porter.
And the first question the guyasked was well, would you like a
marshmallow in it?
How can you say no to amarshmallow?
(09:33):
I did, bk said no, but the restof us said well, yeah, so yeah,
it's actually.
I think it's fairly decent 6.4%.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
I went back and asked it's very smooth for that.
It lacks that porter bitterness.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
It doesn't have, like that toasted flavor.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Roasted malty.
Whatever it is, it's not there.
It's very smooth, Verychocolatey.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yes, I think it's pretty good.
I don't know if I'd drink morethan one or two of them, because
it might get a little bit muchon the sweet side a little bit,
but I think it's pretty good.
What do you think, Brian?
It's not bad For a porter.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I still want that porter bite at the end Right,
but it is smooth.
It's a pretty good beer.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
It's definitely one of those that it's unique.
I guess it just doesn't havethat porter bitterness.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Right Porters and Stouts should have the
bitterness, I agree.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
That's kind of their signature and this doesn't
really have that, but it is verygood.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Would I have another?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Maybe it's the marshmallow talking, but I'd
have another.
So for score, wise guys, whatdo you?
What do you think I would getmyself?
I would give it like a 3-1 okayI'm in the probably the 3-1 3-2
range.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
It's way better than average, but again, I still want
that roasted flavor.
I want that bitterness at theend yeah, I was gonna say a 3.0.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I do like it.
I think it's definitely unique.
It's a good beer.
It's a very good beer.
I just wish it had thatbitterness on the end.
Right, more of that signatureporter finish, you know.
But yeah, very good.
So, once again, baraboo,wisconsin, al Ringling Brewing.
All right, we just stopped atthe Top Link Goliath booth and
(11:15):
we have three different IPAs andthey're all in their All of the
Sioux variety, sioux variety.
So the one I got was their KingSioux, which is a double IPA,
but it almost reminds me more oflike a hazy where it's not real
hoppy per se or an imperial IP.
Yeah, I mean, but it's verygood.
Bk, you got the Cyber Sue andmy brother the mad scientist, he
(11:41):
got the Summer Sue.
So I guess let's start with theSummer one.
What do you think?
I mean it's almost more.
It reminds me of a.
You know, it's not hoppy at allhas a little bit of a.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I'm getting like a lemon type flavor, a little zest
of some sort.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Yeah, and just a little bit of piney.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
It's not super piney.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
That's the thing I noticed too was almost more of a
lemony or some kind of a zest,you know, and it's not bad, but
it's not like your normal IPAflavor it's very smooth.
Not much of a hot bite yeah, nobite at all.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So what would you say on a score?
On that, guys?
You know for what it is, I'dprobably go 3-1, 3-2.
I mean, I'm not a huge IPA fan,but that one surprised me.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
I was thinking 3-1.
I was going to go with a 3.0.
It was very good.
Oh sure, now the band kicks in.
Now the band kicks in.
So now let's go.
So, bk, you got the Cyber Zoo,and that one is Of the three.
It's like licking a pine tree.
It's definitely the happiest ofthe three, which kind of
surprises me, and the cleanestas far as looking through it.
(12:47):
Yeah, is the the you can't seethrough?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
it looks like a bad orange juice looks like a kind
of a thing I was gonna sayurinary tract infection.
Yeah, this is the here you go,doc.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You may want to look at that under a microscope.
But so on the cyber suit, whatare you guys thinking for a
score?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
it's.
It's exactly what I thought adouble ipa would be.
It's, it's, but it doesn'tlinger, which is good.
So I'm in that.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Three, probably three , two, category three one, three
, two, it's a good three two,yeah, I agree with you guys, I'm
right there, like I said, for adouble it's.
It's very good.
Definitely, if you're lookingfor that hot flavor, to get that
one, if you're an ipa person,this is where you go.
Yep, so now we go to the kingsue and, like I said to me, it
really it's more like a hazy.
It's very mellow flavor.
(13:30):
I think I was expecting this tobe the heaviest one of the
three, but it really isn't.
So I mean, is that what youguys would kind of say?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Yes, I mean, you know , I'm still in that three range,
right at a three three one.
I expected it to be more happy,but it really isn't.
It's smooth, it's the smoothestof the three really.
And so yeah, 3.1, 3.2, right inthat range.
They're all good IPAs.
Brian, what do you?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
think I'm gonna go like a 3.2 as well.
Like I said, I think all ofthese were decent.
If you like IPAs, that's kindof what Topland Goliath is known
for is IPAs and sours and youknow.
And they do some other stuff.
They've got some barrel-agedstuff, but they're really known
for their IPAs of pseudo-sue andall that.
I think they were all good.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I think if you're an enthusiast, you want the cyber,
if you want to get into it, thenyou're looking at the king or
the, I think the summer.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
If you're just getting into an IPA, I'd do the
summer Because it's very mellowto an IPA, I'd do the summer
because it's very mellow,absolutely, and you're not going
to get scared off by it.
Well, awesome.
So yeah, topping Goliath, andthey are out of Decorah, iowa,
which, the first time that youguys were going there and I got
the text from our dad and hesaid we're going to Fedora, his
(14:46):
phone changed it to Fedora,fedora, and I'm like where is
Fedora Anyway?
So yeah, topping Goliath, makesure to stop at the brewery.
It's big, it's a nice brewery.
Taproom is awesome.
They have a huge pseudo-suemade out of Legos in there and
it's pretty crazy.
And they've got food and allthat Very good.
(15:07):
Elk Mounds, elk Mounds, elkMounds yeah, it's very
impressive.
So if you get a chance, stop inand try it.
Otherwise, go to your store andlook up the Sue line S-U-E and
it's got dinosaurs on it andit'll be good, absolutely.
So we just stopped at theTurtle Stack Brewing booth and
they're in La Crosse, wisconsin,and BK.
(15:28):
You picked up their theirCoconut Baltic Porter.
Coconut Baltic Porter 7.3%.
That's 7.3%.
Wow.
So that one.
We've had a couple othercoconut beers today and it seems
like some of the times thecoconut is really overpowering
this one seems like it'sactually pretty good when I
first smelled it.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
I was really worried that it was going to be nothing
but coconut, but they let thatBalticic, that roasted
bitterness, get through there.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah, there's a really well blended beer.
Oh for sure, I agree with you,like I said, it's.
As far as for turtle stack, Ithink it's one of, probably one
of their better, yeah, you know,and they're a smaller brewery
and such, but I'll tell you whatthat's a good one in it for a
Baltic Porter.
Baltic, because we had we had aBaltic Porter earlier and it
was kind of eh, there was nobitterness, it was all sweet,
very thin, very sweet.
This one is more what you wouldexpect from a Baltic Porter.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
This one's got that nice dark head on it.
As far as the carbonation, it'sgot that coconut which I
thought was going to beoverpowering, but not.
It's more of an aromatic.
It's still sweet, but it's gotthat bitterness at the end of it
.
I agree.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
So, score-wise, what kind of score are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
I got to go probably about a 3.4, 3.5.
I mean, as far as the BalticPorter, this one's up there.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Yeah, I was going to go like a 3.2, 3.3, but I still
think it's very drinkable.
I really like that and it's got, like you said, it's got the
characteristics of a Balticporter, but then that coconut it
just kind of enhances that andit's not where it's overpowering
.
So they did a good job.
Well done, well done, turtleStack.
We just stopped at the NorthPillar Brewing Company booth and
(17:02):
I had got their Nightshade DarkLager.
I mean it was okay.
But BK and Brian, you guys gottheir.
What's the name of it?
It's Haus Sauce, haus Sauce,german spelling of house.
Yes, and it's a double hazy IPA, that beer is really good.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
They give the hops that are there, but I'm not a
brewmaster, so there's three ofthem.
I think it's Eldorado Citra.
For a second I thought it saidSbarro's, but that's pizza.
Then there's people in the way.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
But no, that is of the two that we tried.
That beer is really good.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
For a double hazy.
It is a little hazy.
It's actually clearer than Ithought it would be.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I can't say.
I remember very many doublehazy IPAs 7.3%, very smooth for
a higher alcohol.
That is a good beer you couldhave no problem drinking beer
Right very smooth.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Jim would not like it , however.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
The rest of us are no hot plate at all.
Right, right, that's impressive.
That's right up there with kindof one of the more surprising
beers of the day.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
So far it's kind of surprising that a double hazy is
a little sweet.
Yeah, that's on the oddity.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, brian, score-wise, what are you
thinking?
I'm going to give it a 3-3.
A 3-3?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
The exact two numbers I was going to put on either
side of that decimal point too.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
This is a really good let's make it three for three.
I'll go three, three as well.
Like I said, I am impressedwith that.
They did a really good job.
I'm not exactly sure how manyNorth Pillar Brewing Company
beers we've ever had before.
That's the first time I'veheard of them.
I think this is the first yearthat they've been here and that
is a very good beer.
I'm impressed.
(18:47):
Awesome, good job.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
North Pillar Nice, well-blended beer, very good.
Thank you for listening to theNorthwoods Beer Guy podcast.
If you have a question, acomment or a beer you'd like us
to review, please feel free tosend us a message at
northwoodsbeerguy at gmailcom.
You can also find us onFacebook, twitter and Instagram.
If you're on untapped, look upNorthwoods Beer Guy and send a
friend request.
Until next week, I hope allyour campfires are warm and all
(19:16):
your beer is cold.
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