September 5, 2025 • 31 mins
Wisconsin's craft beer scene takes center stage as we embark on a 12-beer tasting adventure at Pal's Brew Pub in Wisconsin Dells. Joined by my brother Brian (the mad scientist), my dad Dave, and Uncle Larry, we dive into flights spanning traditional styles and boundary-pushing flavors.
The standout surprise? A garlic-infused pickle beer that completely redefines what pickle beer can be. While most pickle beers on the market offer a one-dimensional experience, the subtle garlic note in Pal's Big Pickle creates a complex, satisfying flavor profile that earned unanimous praise from our tasting panel.
Close behind was their Jalapeno Cream Ale, delivering perfect pepper flavor without overwhelming heat. As Brian (our resident brewer) explains, creating balanced pepper beers is surprisingly difficult – too often brewers either under-flavor or create something painfully spicy. Pal's nails the perfect middle ground with fresh jalapeno character that quickly dissipates.
Not every offering hit the mark. The Boysenberry fruit beer lacked the sweetness we expected, the Barrel Bent Imperial Stout needed more aging time to develop true barrel character, and the Pineapple Express left us searching for actual pineapple flavor. This reinforced our brewing philosophy: if you name a beer after a flavor, that flavor should be prominently featured.
Beyond tasting notes, we share brewing insights throughout – how honey integrates during the brewing process, why jalapeno beers can sometimes be spicier than ghost pepper varieties, and the crucial difference between English and American porter styles.
Whether you're planning a Wisconsin Dells visit or simply love exploring regional craft beer, this episode offers both entertainment and education. Which would you try first – the garlic pickle beer or the perfectly balanced jalapeno cream ale?
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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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Welcome to the Northwoods BeerGuy Podcast.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, andwelcome back to the Northwoods
Beer Guy Podcast.
This is Mike B, northwoods BeerGuy, and this week we are
actually down in the WisconsinDells area, or I should say over
in the Wisconsin Dells area,and I am joined today by my
(00:45):
brother, the mad scientist,brian.
How's it going?
Oh, pretty good, that's good,and we're also here with my
uncle, larry.
How are you doing?
Good, and, of course, dad, it'sme, it's you.
There you go.
Today we are at Pal's Is thatthe name?
Yeah, yeah, pals Brew Pub, palsBrew Pub, and we decided we
(01:06):
were going to check out abrewery and they were pretty
close to where we're staying.
So we actually have 12 beersthat we're going to be trying.
We've never tried any beersfrom this brewery before, so
it'll be interesting to give ita whirl.
It looks kind of like there arequite a few different styles
that we'll be trying.
Yeah, the first one we have isBoysen Berries.
(01:26):
It's a fruit beer.
It's 5.8% ABV and 18 IBUs.
Okay, it looks kind of likepurpley, wouldn't you say?
Yeah, it's definitely purple incolor.
It looks like a fruit is sour.
But it's not a sour, it's afruit beer.
(01:46):
But it's not bad.
I was expecting it to besweeter.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
It's got a little tartness onit, but it's kind of dry on the
finish and then when you look atit, I thought it was going to
be thicker, almost like theslushy.
You know what I'm saying.
Like a lot of us in the soursare like that, really big, yeah,
(02:07):
yeah, where this isn't likethat, it's hard to say for me.
I guess, if I taste a lot ofthe boysenberry, I guess I don't
really know what a boysenberryis supposed to taste like.
But no, I don't either.
It's.
It's interesting.
I don't think I could drink awhole pint of it, right?
So, score-wise, what would yougive the Probably fairly low for
(02:30):
me?
I'm thinking I'd say 1.9.
Okay, larry, what did you thinkof it?
I'd go probably a 2.
What's up?
It just wasn't one of myfavorite ones, right?
It was a little tart for mytaste, so I'm going with a 1.8.
Okay, listen, I'm going to golike a 2 as well.
(02:50):
It was just, it's not bad, butI was expecting more fruity.
When I think fruity beers, Ithink a little sweeter,
typically, yeah, and, like Isaid, this one was not quite
there, so not bad.
I mean, if you're into thatkind of thing you probably like
it.
But it just really was kind ofnot my, not my cup of tea.
So the next one now this oneI'm kind of interested in.
(03:19):
This is their barrel bentimperial stout.
This one is 10.7 percent abv.
I never remember right.
It said it was aged for threemonths in a barrel.
It it's uh, that one'sinteresting.
I like that one.
It's real definitely.
It reminds me of a coffee spout.
It does have that kind of a anaroma, a little bit of maybe a
bourbon kind of very faint aroma.
That way, for 10.7 it drinkspretty smoothly.
Yes, I don't get any barrel.
(03:41):
No, I thought the aroma mighthave been no bourbon of any kind
.
Yeah, because they never didsay that it was bourbon, you
know, they just said aged barrel.
So again, we don't know what,if it was just, you know,
american oak barrels or if itwas actually a used barrel.
So I don't mind that.
(04:07):
Score-wise for the barrel bentI'd probably go I'm gonna say
like a 2.7.
I think it's a little betterthan average.
Drinks very smooth for 10.7%.
I do enjoy that.
Maybe if it had a little bitmore flavor to it.
I think it would be a littlemore, you know, a little score a
little higher.
Yeah, I was close.
I was gonna say a 2.9.
It is very good.
I wish it would have had alittle bit of the vanilla, like
(04:28):
from the barrel, coming through,yep, but it just wasn't aged
long enough to get to that point.
Yeah, ed, what did you think ofit?
I thought it was pretty good.
I'm pretty sure it was a 2.7.
Okay, larry, yeah, okay, larry,yeah, I'd probably go 2.7.
I guess it had a little moreflavor than I thought it would
for only being aged for threemonths.
(04:49):
Right, that was the one thingthat I thought.
I was like well, that's notvery long, you know, and who
knows, like I said, maybe ifthey'd have left it longer you'd
have picked up more of thatvanilla.
Yeah, you would have got someof the vanilla, but if it is
actually a coffee stout, youprobably wouldn't have caught
any vanilla on it, right?
Well, I picked up on the coffee.
(05:09):
Yes, it tasted like it wasbrewed like a coffee stout.
Yeah, yep, and then youwouldn't get the vanilla because
it's just overpowered, right?
Yeah, coffee would tend to dothat.
So all right.
So the third one and we're kindof rifling through these.
We got 12 of them.
So the next one we got isAlmost Red Mild.
(05:30):
It's a red ale, 5.5% ABV and 30IBUs.
So is this going to be, when itsays like a red ale and it says
other, I don't know what, thatif there's other varieties of
red ale, I suppose, like Englishand things like that, yeah, I'm
not sure why they have authoron there because and look on, on
(05:51):
tap is ready, it has its owncategory.
So it's that's not, it's a good, pretty good flavor.
I thought, yeah, I was likethat's a pretty good beer,
pretty refreshing, you know,almost red.
Yeah, I like that one.
It's a real wonky, seem like ithad a decent amount of flavor
for a red ale, because a lot oftimes red ales are kind of
(06:12):
lacking.
You know, it seems like redales and brown ales are kind of
the same way, unless you addsome kind of adjunct to it.
But this one seemed pretty good.
I did like the flavor on thatone.
Yeah, I did too.
I'd probably do a 2.8 on thatone.
2.8?
Okay, yeah, that one I liked, Ithink.
I hate to say it, I'm going togo with a 2.9.
(06:33):
I'm going to score it higherthan the Barrel-Aged one.
I think that one, flavor-wise,was pretty good.
I agree on that.
I think a guy could drink apint of that easy.
Yeah, exactly, I'd go 2.8.
I thought it was a pretty goodflavor.
Like I said, typically that'salways been the knock for me
anyway on red ales is they don'thave a whole lot of flavor with
(06:54):
that and they did a pretty goodjob.
Yep, all right.
So the last one in Brian'sflight is the Chris Lager.
It's an American lager, 5.7%ABV and 18 IBUs.
So I'm guessing we're going tosee if this was a lawnmower beer
(07:15):
or how it would be described.
It's very, very light, kind ofyour normal Pilsner lager color.
After the first three, there'snot a whole lot going on there.
As far as Flavor-wise, oh, Imean, that's, it's your standard
American lager, right, it'snice and clean.
Yep, you can drink a bunch ofthem.
Yep, like I said, this would beone that if it was ice cold and
(07:37):
you got done mowing lawn, youcould crack one and you'd be
totally, totally fine.
You could have a couple whileyou're mowing.
Yeah, if you've got a cupholder on your mower, you can
have a cup holder while you'remowing.
That's why they have cupholders on riders.
That is true.
I give you that because myrider does have a cup holder.
It usually seems like it'seither so dusty it would be full
of mud eventually, or it'dslosh all over and I wouldn't
(07:58):
get nothing of it to drink.
Alright, so of the first four, Iguess what would you say was
your favorite of those four?
On the ones I had, I probablyliked the barrel one the best.
Okay, larry, I liked the red.
Okay, the red is my favoritetoo.
(08:18):
Yeah, honestly, I think I wouldgo with the red first.
The barrel one would be mysecond.
I knew it was close, but I dothink the red was the winner on
that one.
The only one I kind of reallydidn't care too much for was the
boysenberry.
It was a little bit kind ofnondescript.
Maybe if we knew what aboysenberry was supposed to
(08:41):
taste, that would help.
But it's hard to keep a bunchof fresh boysenberries, you know
, on the bar for you to tastethat in a piece of beer.
So, all right.
So the next one.
I want to pass your ears down.
We'll take Larry's next.
Okay, actually, hang around.
I think that's yours as well.
Oh, mine, this is mine, yeah,but I think she mixed them up,
(09:04):
oh, and she handed them.
Okay.
So we're going to start Now.
The first thing I notice in thesecond flight is they're all
very light colored.
Yeah, they all look very muchthe same.
So the first beer that we haveon this one is the honey wheat.
It's a honey beer 5.9% ABV, 23IBUs.
Now, I can't remember, brian,if we talked about this before.
(09:26):
But so when you're brewing thehoney beer, are they just
dumping like raw honey?
Yep, that's what's happening.
After you get it into the boil,after you shut the heat off,
then you add the honey in at theend, okay, and then it just
dissolves the honey.
Yep, dissolves it, and then itadds more and does the sugars in
(09:49):
the honey.
Is that what the yeast thenconverts, or do you have to add
sugar to it?
No, most of your sugar comesfrom the malt.
When you do the mash, okay,honey will probably add a little
, but it's more for flavor, okay, now.
Now, as the listeners know, I'mnot a huge honey beer.
Now, I like meads, but yournormal honey beers got kind of a
(10:12):
weird taste for me for somereason.
But this one I didn't think wastoo bad.
I mean it still was a good beer.
I was impressed with it.
I mean it had a little bit ofthat kind of different flavor of
the honey puts in it, butoverall it was probably one of
the better honey beers that I'vehad.
So, score-wise, what I wouldhave to give that one?
(10:34):
Probably a 2, probably a 2.7.
Okay, that's exactly what I wasthinking.
I was going to go with a 2.7.
Again, like I said, forwhatever reason, I have this
thing about honeybeers likehoneyweisses and things like
that just have a weird taste toit.
But this one wasn't too bad, soI'm going to go a 2.7 as well.
I think if you had a full pintof it you'd get sort of sick of
(10:56):
the honey.
Oh, sure, I was going to golike a 2.6.
And that could be.
You know, maybe that's what itis, but I don't know.
What are you what?
I'd go 2.5.
I mean it was all right, butyeah, there was nothing there
that really wowed me, right, and, like I said, whenever I have,
you know, I keep referring tohoneyweiss because I'm thinking
of limey's honeyweiss and itjust has a weird taste.
(11:18):
Yeah, I always think.
So I don't know, this one wasbetter than that.
All right, so let's move on tobeer number two.
On this one, this is the Jerrylight.
All right, so we are back.
We had a spotted a crack in thetaster glass so we thought
better just drinking it, becauseyou never know our luck, we'd
get no sure the glass orsomething.
(11:40):
So luckily the bartender wasvery nice and and swap, didn't
swap, and gave us a new one andsuch.
So all right, so we're back tothe Jerry light cream ale 4.8%
ABV and 17 IBU.
So for a cream ale, I'm guessingit's gonna be pretty mellow,
you know, pretty mild.
Do you think they'd be creamier?
(12:00):
But yeah, now do we talk, Ithink you and I talked about
before now.
In a cream ale they don'tactually use cream, right?
No, I'm not sure how it came,how they originally came up with
the name cream ale.
Yeah, no, there is no cream, nolactose or anything in it.
Okay, so it's just lightergrains, I'm guessing.
Yeah, lighter grains, the one Ido use some biscuit malt in it.
(12:24):
Okay, it's all lakes andlighter malts.
So, taste-wise, the finish wasvery smooth.
The initial taste had a littlebit of a different taste to it.
I thought it tasted like what Ithought it would.
Did it.
Yeah, okay, it's just aboutlike what ours is.
Okay, all right, so that's goodto know.
(12:46):
Well, there you go.
Yeah, because I'm looking attheir menu board here for the
beers and they must beheadquartered out of Nebraska, I
think, is what it said.
Okay, because you see behindall the names and it has, I
think, somewhere in Nebraska.
I think it said so, this mustbe kind of a franchise type
(13:12):
thing.
So yeah, but score wise.
On the cream ale without theglass, what did you think of it?
I would do probably a 2.8.
Okay, I was gonna go with 2.5,I think.
I mean it was a decent creamale, don't get me wrong, but I
think it was.
For me it was kind of average.
What do you guys think?
I think it's 2.5 is right inthere, where it should be big.
Kick the flavor after you takethat initial step down, right,
(13:35):
yep, that was my thought too.
I'd go a 2.8.
I thought it was actually agood beer, good, okay, nice.
So now this one you said wastheir beer of the day.
Is that what you said?
This is their Pineapple Express.
So it's another fruit beer.
So we're going to see if it'smore fruity than the, the
boysenberry, 5.9% ABV and 13IBUs.
(13:57):
It smells like an IPA.
It's more kind of that aroma toit.
The citrusy yeah yeah, verycitrusy smell, but you don't
have the hot bite, you know,from that bitterness.
No, I kind of like that one.
I don't mind it.
But I don't really tastepineapple.
I was expecting more of apineapple-y flavor.
Yeah, I was getting more citrus.
(14:18):
Yep, I'd agree with that.
Actually it's hoppier than Ithought it would be, at only 13
IBUs.
On the aftertaste I'm gettingmore of a hoppy kind of bite to
it.
Well, after you drank it, youknow and here again I hate to be
a stickler on that kind ofthing, but when the name is
pineapple and you can't tastepineapple, that gets back into
(14:39):
that.
If it's on the can, it shouldbe in the can kind of thing.
It's still.
It's a good beer but, like Isaid, I feel like it's almost
more of an IPA style than afruit beer.
So if they'd have said IPA, I'dhave probably rated it higher
than what I'm going to, but it'sstill decent.
So what do you think there,brian, for a rating, I would say
(15:00):
it's average.
I'd say 2.5.
Yep, I'm right there with you,but I'm actually going to go to
a 2.4 because of the falseadvertising protocol.
You know, I was expectingpineapple.
I thought we were going to havea pineapple note to it and I
just didn't pick that up.
And again, not that that'sterrible, but that's what I was
expecting and that's, I think, alot of people that would buy it
(15:22):
.
They'd be thinking the samething.
That's why I'd go a 2-3.
2-3, okay, I was thinking a 2-4, and then everybody's like,
okay, yeah, and again, it was arefreshing, good flavor, but to
me it had more characteristicsof IPA, I thought you know.
And no pineapple.
So all right.
So the last one that we have onthis flight is knobs IPA
(15:45):
American IPA, 7%, 55 IBU.
Maybe it'll taste likepineapple?
Yeah, wouldn't we be like waita minute?
Yeah, wouldn't we be like waita minute?
No, we don't.
It tastes like pineapple.
It has a different aroma to it.
Yeah, I can't tell what.
Yeah, you have to make sure yousmell it, because it's got
(16:08):
almost a sweeter aroma to it.
And I can't tell what hops theyused in it.
I'd almost think that was thepineapple one.
Right, that's what I'mwondering.
I'm wondering if she maybemessed up the glasses.
Yeah, that's got a that hasmore of a pineapple.
Mm-hmm, I think you got the twoof them, don't you think?
I agree, I think the glasseswere mixed.
Oh, that one is.
(16:29):
No, that tastes like glass.
Oh, okay, okay, well, that'skind of weird.
Yeah, it is Because this onehas more of a fruity flavor to
it.
It has like a fruity smell toit.
Yeah, it has like a sweet smell.
You know for what?
55 IBUs.
I didn't think I was very happytasting it at all, not at all.
Man, score-wise, this is kindof tough.
(16:50):
This one's confusing.
Yeah, I'm going to go 2.4 onthat.
2.4?
Cut that man.
It wasn't bad, but it justthere's no bitterness, there's
no.
No, not that hot bite, right.
And we've had American IPAs andthey at least have a little bit
.
Yeah, you know, I mean theydon't have to be over-the-top
(17:10):
bitter, but they at least have alittle bit of a flavor, like
you'd expect.
Yeah, score-wise, I think I'mgoing to do a 2.
I'll go 2.5 on this one.
I don't mind it.
But again, like I said, Ithought it was a different beer.
I thought that might have beenthe pineapple one.
So, yeah, 2.5 for me, 2.3 forme.
(17:32):
I didn't care for it, I'll go2.5.
So, of those four, what wouldyou think if you had to pick a
winner?
That makes it tough when youget a couple.
Yeah, well, they were all.
I don't want to say nondescript, but they were all not like
really right.
I'd probably pick the cream ale.
(17:53):
Yeah, I think so too.
Honestly, I was like I don'tknow if the honey or the,
honestly, that last IPA, becauseat least it had flavor pretty
minimal, but huh, all right,well, larry, we might as well
break into yours.
Oh, let's do it.
And so the first one we got.
I'm actually pretty, prettyinterested to try this one.
(18:15):
This is their jalapeno creamale, 5.4% ABV, 13 IBUs, and it
says it's a chili.
Yeah, but I mean it's.
I'm sure it's a pepper beer,yeah, and I'm sure is there
beans in it?
Yeah, now, hopefully it's notlike that Hormel chili beer.
Oh, whatever that one was, comeon, that was good.
(18:36):
Yeah, oh, you can smell thejalapeno in there.
There's not a lot of heat there.
You can get the flavor.
Yeah, very good flavor.
I think I like jalapeno beer.
It's not like the first onethat I made, when I put
(18:58):
jalapenos in and I put muchjalapeno in and it has a little
bite to it warms up Again.
The hottest beer I've ever hadwas a jalapeno ale and I've had
ghost pepper beers.
I've had habanero beers, youknow any kind of chilies they
make beer out of.
I've had I have not had like aghost pepper.
No, I had ghost pepper, notlike Carolina Reaper, but I like
a ghost pepper.
No, I haven't had ghost pepper,not like Carolina Reaper, but
I've had ghost pepper and thehottest one to this day is still
(19:21):
a jalapeno ale.
And we were going down to oh, Ithink it was when Callie was in
Peoria and we stopped at thisbrewery and the brewer was there
and his buddy and his buddy waslike huge into peppers, so
those two would brew pepperbeers together.
(19:42):
So I was talking to him and I'dasked him.
I said you know?
I said why is it?
And I told him I had all thesebeers that had these different
peppers in it and the hottestone is jalapeno ale and I go,
why is it?
And he goes.
Jalapenos are tough.
He goes because some of themare real hot, some of them
aren't.
He goes and you got to use moretypically than you'd use, like
(20:02):
for ghost peppers or whatever.
You know what I mean, becauseyou don't want it to be as spicy
, but he goes.
Yeah, it's, it's tart, and hegoes.
They we've had some, but theythemselves have had some really
hot jalapeno ales and I'm likeit's just crazy because you
would think you would be theother way around.
These are pretty bad.
Now, this one, I thought thearoma was really good, the
(20:23):
flavor, I mean you get thatpepper flavor.
I like he went away reallyquick.
You got that fresh pepperflavor.
Yeah, exactly, score wise, Ithink I'm going like a 3.2 on
that.
I really like that.
Yep, I was going to do a 3.1.
I'd go a 3.2.
(20:44):
I thought it was really good.
Pepper goes a good, solid 3.
Yeah, that's one of those thatsurprised me so far.
That's the biggest surprise oneI think that we've had here at
Pat's.
All right, so surprise one Ithink that we've had here at
Pat's, so alright.
So the next one we have is theirChameleon Hazy IPA and it says
it's a triple New England.
It says and it's 6.2 ABV and 29IBUs.
(21:08):
Now, if it is a triple IPA,that seems pretty low for, yeah,
triple IP ipa typically, yeah,up in that area.
It's not real hot either.
I like that.
That's a good plate.
Definitely hazy, that's for sure.
It looks just the shade, almostlike pineapple juice.
Yeah, and consistency, you'rereally stuck on that pineapple
(21:29):
thing.
I am.
I am.
They promised me pineapple.
That's not bad but, like I said, I don't get any hot bite.
Really, taste-wise, I mean, itdefinitely is a hazy.
Yeah, it really definitelyreminded me of that.
Yeah, that's a good beer.
That's a decent beer.
I mean, good representation ofa hazy IPA.
(21:50):
Yeah, that's the one thing withhazy IPAs Could have been a
little more citrus flavor to it.
A lot of times they have almosta sweeter citrusy flavor.
This one was good.
I didn't mind it.
Score-wise, what I would do?
A 3.1.
(22:10):
I was going to say a 3.
I thought I could drink it andit wouldn't get burned out from
the hop.
You know too much of a hopflavor.
I was impressed.
That was good.
What do you guys think?
Yeah, I thought it was good.
I'd probably go on 2.7 on it.
I was gonna go 2.9, 2.9, yeah,yeah, that was good.
(22:32):
Last two have been so far.
Larry's flights been more solidthan our two.
You're saying we didn't pick it.
What did you give that one.
I gave that a 3.0.
So now we're down to our lasttwo.
The bigger pickle yeah.
The next one is the big pickle.
I bet they better have picklein it.
Yeah, this is a cream ale 5.2%ABV and 15 IBUs.
(22:57):
We've got a real good picklebeer at home in the fridge.
It's better.
It has pickle in it, but itdoesn't taste real.
You've made a pickle beer before.
Right, aroma-wise it's better.
Well, you can taste it rightaway.
I've done a straight pickle aleand I've also done jalapeno
pickle ales.
It tastes like what?
Oh, so you, it tastes likegarlic.
(23:19):
That tastes like garlic.
Like garlic, yeah, that's whatit is.
That's what it is.
That's not bad.
I don't know.
Now, when you make a pickle beer, do you just dump pickle juice
in it, or is it in the brewingprocess?
You're not actually puttingpickles in it, are you?
Yes, you do In the fermenter.
Well, that's right.
After the primary fermentationis done usually a couple days,
(23:43):
two to three days before I'mgoing to keg it I'll add in
sliced up pickles.
I'll put them in a Molson bagand drop the Molson bags in
there, sliced up pickles, andthen dump the pickle juice out
of the jars in there with it,okay.
So I just often wonder that ifyou actually you know they put
pickles or they just dumpflavoring in, you know, I don't
(24:06):
know what they do the bigcompanies, when they're doing
100 barrels, they probably useflavoring.
Then Okay, but yeah, with aone-barrel system you can get by
with actual pickles.
Okay, I totally think that was agarlic pickle.
Yeah, I agree, I tasted garlic.
I think so too.
I'll give him credit.
That's a pretty.
That's a very nice change.
(24:28):
Yeah, I like that.
Okay, boys, we're down to ourlast one.
So what do we score that one?
Oh, I don't think we scored it.
No, oh, I don't think we scoredit.
No, not yet.
Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.
What would you score it?
I'd do a 3.0.
Yeah, I'd do the same.
Same with me.
Yeah, a good sour 3.
Like I said, most of the picklebeers, I've had some that I had
(24:57):
one that tasted like cucumbermore than pickle, and then we've
had Distal.
They have a good pickle, apretty good pickle.
So theirs is a sour, and thenthey had a spicy pickle.
That was actually pretty spicy.
If this actually was like agarlic pickle, that was a good
touch to put in there.
That's what I was going to say.
This is definitely.
If that was a garlic pickleflavor, I think it was that's
way different than most of theother ones.
It was a good change.
That was very well done.
Alright, now we'll go on to thelast one of our flights here.
(25:21):
This is the English Brown Porter.
It's an English Porter, 4.7%ABV and 23 IBUs.
Typically, I think your EnglishBrowns are kind of lower ABV.
Typically, if I remember right,that definitely has that malty
smell.
Yeah, coffee, you brought thatcoffee taste in.
I like that.
I mean it definitely has that.
(25:42):
You get more coffee thananything I would.
With it.
Being a porter, I wish it was alittle bit more bitter on the
backside.
No, it's not, but that's stillgood beer.
Do you think, is it becauseit's an English porter, that it
might be that little less bitter?
Do you think it's possible?
I don't think I've ever made anEnglish porter.
(26:04):
I think I've done every otherkind of porter Right.
But you're right, I always havethat bite on the backside.
That's one thing on the podcastthat I did recently with Jim
that we had a porter, and hesaid the exact same thing that
when you drink a porter hereally likes that kind of
bitterness on the finish andthat one didn't really have it
(26:25):
either.
But I'm like that one wouldhave held its own in a porter
class, this one.
In a normal porter class it'dbe mid-pack, maybe a little
lower.
It honestly reminds me more ofan English Mild Sure in a porter
.
Yeah, that's what it reminds meof.
Yeah, because I mean the flavorwas pretty mellow, yeah, and
(26:47):
stuff like that.
So I don't know, I guess,score-wise, what are you
thinking?
It's a good beer, but I'mprobably going to have to give
it like a 2.9.
Okay, it's a good beer, but I'mprobably gonna have to give it
like a 2.9.
Okay, I was gonna go a 2.7 forkind of the same reason that you
just said, because I think thatwhen I drink a porter I want
kind of that little more of aharsh not a harsh but a, you
(27:09):
know, the stronger malt flavorand then that little bit of
bitterness at the end.
And again, I don't know if it'sbecause it's an English porter
or what, but it's still a verygood flavor.
And yeah, I went 2.7.
And would it be my first choice?
Maybe not, but I wouldn't turnit away.
If somebody said, hey, I'll buyyou one, I'd say, okay, no
problem.
(27:29):
If they would have been calledit an English Mild, I'd have
been like, oh my God, that'sawesome, right, how do you give
it a 3.2?
Sure, but being a porter, Ijust can't do that.
Larry, what do you think?
I'd go a 2.5.
Okay, I'm not real huge, I'mnot coffee tasting beer, right,
and this one did have kind of acoffee taste to 2.6.
(27:51):
2.6?
Okay, it's a little bit betterthan half.
So, boy, larry's flight's goingto be difficult for a whole
different reason than mine was.
Mine was difficult becausethere really wasn't a whole lot
of flavor, and Larry's all hadflavor.
Right, all had flavor.
So what do you think?
For me it'll be a toss-upbetween the jalapeno and the big
(28:12):
pickle.
Okay, I like the big pickle.
Of course I like pickle beer.
I was going to say the jalapeno.
I think it's 1A and 1B.
Yeah, 1a and 1B, I could goeither of them, because the
thing that I still say I reallylike about the pickle beer was,
(28:33):
I think it's garlic flavor in it.
That is really unique, Ithought for most pickle beers.
But then that jalapeno ale wasreally good.
So if we're going to get anotherdrink here I don't know which
one to get, because right nowit's like dang.
They're both pretty good Also.
Well, I mean, overall, I'mthinking those two are kind of
(28:54):
the cream of the crop, the creamof the crop, you know, jalapeno
cream ale, but I think theywere probably the top two and I
do think that, well, I shouldn'tsay that, because then all of
Larry's probably finished aheadof the.
I was going to say how did theycompare to the red?
Well, I kind of like the flavoron these two more than the red.
(29:17):
Yeah, I think I would have tosay that too.
Yeah, that was my opinion.
So what did you think?
We don't even need to talkabout that column.
No, my claim is that that onewas kind of in.
That was a little not muchgoing on, exactly.
So what were your impressions ofPal's Brewing?
All the beers were really goodand the food that's been coming
(29:37):
out looks amazing.
Yeah, but that's too bad.
We already ate.
Yeah, we ate before we got here.
We were smart to eat before wegot here.
Were we really smart, though?
Technically not.
Yeah, larry and I decided tosplit a 50-ounce Bloody Mary
that came out with man.
What was it?
Two burgers, chicken tenders,chicken tenders, chicken tenders
(29:58):
, wings, mini corn dogs, wings,wings All kinds of veggies,
cheese oh my gosh, it was agreat.
It was a meal in itself.
It was the craziest thing I'veever seen.
So, yeah, maybe we weren't thesmartest thing, but whatever Got
our primed pump.
I mean our pump primed yeah,that too, well, cool.
(30:20):
Well, yeah, guys, thanks forsaying you'd want to stop over
here and try these beers,because this is the first time
we've ever had any beers frompals.
So definitely, if you're in theWisconsin Dells area, I'd say
stop by, you know, and try them.
They've got a number ofdifferent beers, not a whole lot
of dark beers, but it couldjust be that it's this time of
year, you know, because in someplaces it seems like that's more
(30:41):
of a seasonal thing, right, butI would definitely try the
jalapeno cream ale or the pickle, if you're into a pickle beer,
because it's definitely a prettyunique flavor.
Well, cool, man, thanks forbeing a part of it, you guys.
And like we always say, hope,your campfire is always warm and
your beer is always cold, seeya.
Thank you for listening to theNorthwoods Beer Guy podcast.
(31:01):
If you have a question, acomment or a beer you'd like us
to review.
Please feel free to send us amessage 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
(31:28):
your beer is cold.
Grab a beer and pull up a chair.
Welcome to the Northwoods BeerGuy Podcast.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, andwelcome back to the Northwoods
Beer Guy Podcast.
This is Mike B, northwoods BeerGuy, and this week we are
actually down in the WisconsinDells area, or I should say over
in the Wisconsin Dells area,and I am joined today by my
(00:45):
brother, the mad scientist,brian.
How's it going?
Oh, pretty good, that's good,and we're also here with my
uncle, larry.
How are you doing?
Good, and, of course, dad, it'sme, it's you.
There you go.
Today we are at Pal's Is thatthe name?
Yeah, yeah, pals Brew Pub, palsBrew Pub, and we decided we
(01:06):
were going to check out abrewery and they were pretty
close to where we're staying.
So we actually have 12 beersthat we're going to be trying.
We've never tried any beersfrom this brewery before, so
it'll be interesting to give ita whirl.
It looks kind of like there arequite a few different styles
that we'll be trying.
Yeah, the first one we have isBoysen Berries.
(01:26):
It's a fruit beer.
It's 5.8% ABV and 18 IBUs.
Okay, it looks kind of likepurpley, wouldn't you say?
Yeah, it's definitely purple incolor.
It looks like a fruit is sour.
But it's not a sour, it's afruit beer.
(01:46):
But it's not bad.
I was expecting it to besweeter.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
It's got a little tartness onit, but it's kind of dry on the
finish and then when you look atit, I thought it was going to
be thicker, almost like theslushy.
You know what I'm saying.
Like a lot of us in the soursare like that, really big, yeah,
(02:07):
yeah, where this isn't likethat, it's hard to say for me.
I guess, if I taste a lot ofthe boysenberry, I guess I don't
really know what a boysenberryis supposed to taste like.
But no, I don't either.
It's.
It's interesting.
I don't think I could drink awhole pint of it, right?
So, score-wise, what would yougive the Probably fairly low for
(02:30):
me?
I'm thinking I'd say 1.9.
Okay, larry, what did you thinkof it?
I'd go probably a 2.
What's up?
It just wasn't one of myfavorite ones, right?
It was a little tart for mytaste, so I'm going with a 1.8.
Okay, listen, I'm going to golike a 2 as well.
(02:50):
It was just, it's not bad, butI was expecting more fruity.
When I think fruity beers, Ithink a little sweeter,
typically, yeah, and, like Isaid, this one was not quite
there, so not bad.
I mean, if you're into thatkind of thing you probably like
it.
But it just really was kind ofnot my, not my cup of tea.
So the next one now this oneI'm kind of interested in.
(03:19):
This is their barrel bentimperial stout.
This one is 10.7 percent abv.
I never remember right.
It said it was aged for threemonths in a barrel.
It it's uh, that one'sinteresting.
I like that one.
It's real definitely.
It reminds me of a coffee spout.
It does have that kind of a anaroma, a little bit of maybe a
bourbon kind of very faint aroma.
That way, for 10.7 it drinkspretty smoothly.
Yes, I don't get any barrel.
(03:41):
No, I thought the aroma mighthave been no bourbon of any kind
.
Yeah, because they never didsay that it was bourbon, you
know, they just said aged barrel.
So again, we don't know what,if it was just, you know,
american oak barrels or if itwas actually a used barrel.
So I don't mind that.
(04:07):
Score-wise for the barrel bentI'd probably go I'm gonna say
like a 2.7.
I think it's a little betterthan average.
Drinks very smooth for 10.7%.
I do enjoy that.
Maybe if it had a little bitmore flavor to it.
I think it would be a littlemore, you know, a little score a
little higher.
Yeah, I was close.
I was gonna say a 2.9.
It is very good.
I wish it would have had alittle bit of the vanilla, like
(04:28):
from the barrel, coming through,yep, but it just wasn't aged
long enough to get to that point.
Yeah, ed, what did you think ofit?
I thought it was pretty good.
I'm pretty sure it was a 2.7.
Okay, larry, yeah, okay, larry,yeah, I'd probably go 2.7.
I guess it had a little moreflavor than I thought it would
for only being aged for threemonths.
(04:49):
Right, that was the one thingthat I thought.
I was like well, that's notvery long, you know, and who
knows, like I said, maybe ifthey'd have left it longer you'd
have picked up more of thatvanilla.
Yeah, you would have got someof the vanilla, but if it is
actually a coffee stout, youprobably wouldn't have caught
any vanilla on it, right?
Well, I picked up on the coffee.
(05:09):
Yes, it tasted like it wasbrewed like a coffee stout.
Yeah, yep, and then youwouldn't get the vanilla because
it's just overpowered, right?
Yeah, coffee would tend to dothat.
So all right.
So the third one and we're kindof rifling through these.
We got 12 of them.
So the next one we got isAlmost Red Mild.
(05:30):
It's a red ale, 5.5% ABV and 30IBUs.
So is this going to be, when itsays like a red ale and it says
other, I don't know what, thatif there's other varieties of
red ale, I suppose, like Englishand things like that, yeah, I'm
not sure why they have authoron there because and look on, on
(05:51):
tap is ready, it has its owncategory.
So it's that's not, it's a good, pretty good flavor.
I thought, yeah, I was likethat's a pretty good beer,
pretty refreshing, you know,almost red.
Yeah, I like that one.
It's a real wonky, seem like ithad a decent amount of flavor
for a red ale, because a lot oftimes red ales are kind of
(06:12):
lacking.
You know, it seems like redales and brown ales are kind of
the same way, unless you addsome kind of adjunct to it.
But this one seemed pretty good.
I did like the flavor on thatone.
Yeah, I did too.
I'd probably do a 2.8 on thatone.
2.8?
Okay, yeah, that one I liked, Ithink.
I hate to say it, I'm going togo with a 2.9.
(06:33):
I'm going to score it higherthan the Barrel-Aged one.
I think that one, flavor-wise,was pretty good.
I agree on that.
I think a guy could drink apint of that easy.
Yeah, exactly, I'd go 2.8.
I thought it was a pretty goodflavor.
Like I said, typically that'salways been the knock for me
anyway on red ales is they don'thave a whole lot of flavor with
(06:54):
that and they did a pretty goodjob.
Yep, all right.
So the last one in Brian'sflight is the Chris Lager.
It's an American lager, 5.7%ABV and 18 IBUs.
So I'm guessing we're going tosee if this was a lawnmower beer
(07:15):
or how it would be described.
It's very, very light, kind ofyour normal Pilsner lager color.
After the first three, there'snot a whole lot going on there.
As far as Flavor-wise, oh, Imean, that's, it's your standard
American lager, right, it'snice and clean.
Yep, you can drink a bunch ofthem.
Yep, like I said, this would beone that if it was ice cold and
(07:37):
you got done mowing lawn, youcould crack one and you'd be
totally, totally fine.
You could have a couple whileyou're mowing.
Yeah, if you've got a cupholder on your mower, you can
have a cup holder while you'remowing.
That's why they have cupholders on riders.
That is true.
I give you that because myrider does have a cup holder.
It usually seems like it'seither so dusty it would be full
of mud eventually, or it'dslosh all over and I wouldn't
(07:58):
get nothing of it to drink.
Alright, so of the first four, Iguess what would you say was
your favorite of those four?
On the ones I had, I probablyliked the barrel one the best.
Okay, larry, I liked the red.
Okay, the red is my favoritetoo.
(08:18):
Yeah, honestly, I think I wouldgo with the red first.
The barrel one would be mysecond.
I knew it was close, but I dothink the red was the winner on
that one.
The only one I kind of reallydidn't care too much for was the
boysenberry.
It was a little bit kind ofnondescript.
Maybe if we knew what aboysenberry was supposed to
(08:41):
taste, that would help.
But it's hard to keep a bunchof fresh boysenberries, you know
, on the bar for you to tastethat in a piece of beer.
So, all right.
So the next one.
I want to pass your ears down.
We'll take Larry's next.
Okay, actually, hang around.
I think that's yours as well.
Oh, mine, this is mine, yeah,but I think she mixed them up,
(09:04):
oh, and she handed them.
Okay.
So we're going to start Now.
The first thing I notice in thesecond flight is they're all
very light colored.
Yeah, they all look very muchthe same.
So the first beer that we haveon this one is the honey wheat.
It's a honey beer 5.9% ABV, 23IBUs.
Now, I can't remember, brian,if we talked about this before.
(09:26):
But so when you're brewing thehoney beer, are they just
dumping like raw honey?
Yep, that's what's happening.
After you get it into the boil,after you shut the heat off,
then you add the honey in at theend, okay, and then it just
dissolves the honey.
Yep, dissolves it, and then itadds more and does the sugars in
(09:49):
the honey.
Is that what the yeast thenconverts, or do you have to add
sugar to it?
No, most of your sugar comesfrom the malt.
When you do the mash, okay,honey will probably add a little
, but it's more for flavor, okay, now.
Now, as the listeners know, I'mnot a huge honey beer.
Now, I like meads, but yournormal honey beers got kind of a
(10:12):
weird taste for me for somereason.
But this one I didn't think wastoo bad.
I mean it still was a good beer.
I was impressed with it.
I mean it had a little bit ofthat kind of different flavor of
the honey puts in it, butoverall it was probably one of
the better honey beers that I'vehad.
So, score-wise, what I wouldhave to give that one?
(10:34):
Probably a 2, probably a 2.7.
Okay, that's exactly what I wasthinking.
I was going to go with a 2.7.
Again, like I said, forwhatever reason, I have this
thing about honeybeers likehoneyweisses and things like
that just have a weird taste toit.
But this one wasn't too bad, soI'm going to go a 2.7 as well.
I think if you had a full pintof it you'd get sort of sick of
(10:56):
the honey.
Oh, sure, I was going to golike a 2.6.
And that could be.
You know, maybe that's what itis, but I don't know.
What are you what?
I'd go 2.5.
I mean it was all right, butyeah, there was nothing there
that really wowed me, right, and, like I said, whenever I have,
you know, I keep referring tohoneyweiss because I'm thinking
of limey's honeyweiss and itjust has a weird taste.
(11:18):
Yeah, I always think.
So I don't know, this one wasbetter than that.
All right, so let's move on tobeer number two.
On this one, this is the Jerrylight.
All right, so we are back.
We had a spotted a crack in thetaster glass so we thought
better just drinking it, becauseyou never know our luck, we'd
get no sure the glass orsomething.
(11:40):
So luckily the bartender wasvery nice and and swap, didn't
swap, and gave us a new one andsuch.
So all right, so we're back tothe Jerry light cream ale 4.8%
ABV and 17 IBU.
So for a cream ale, I'm guessingit's gonna be pretty mellow,
you know, pretty mild.
Do you think they'd be creamier?
(12:00):
But yeah, now do we talk, Ithink you and I talked about
before now.
In a cream ale they don'tactually use cream, right?
No, I'm not sure how it came,how they originally came up with
the name cream ale.
Yeah, no, there is no cream, nolactose or anything in it.
Okay, so it's just lightergrains, I'm guessing.
Yeah, lighter grains, the one Ido use some biscuit malt in it.
(12:24):
Okay, it's all lakes andlighter malts.
So, taste-wise, the finish wasvery smooth.
The initial taste had a littlebit of a different taste to it.
I thought it tasted like what Ithought it would.
Did it.
Yeah, okay, it's just aboutlike what ours is.
Okay, all right, so that's goodto know.
(12:46):
Well, there you go.
Yeah, because I'm looking attheir menu board here for the
beers and they must beheadquartered out of Nebraska, I
think, is what it said.
Okay, because you see behindall the names and it has, I
think, somewhere in Nebraska.
I think it said so, this mustbe kind of a franchise type
(13:12):
thing.
So yeah, but score wise.
On the cream ale without theglass, what did you think of it?
I would do probably a 2.8.
Okay, I was gonna go with 2.5,I think.
I mean it was a decent creamale, don't get me wrong, but I
think it was.
For me it was kind of average.
What do you guys think?
I think it's 2.5 is right inthere, where it should be big.
Kick the flavor after you takethat initial step down, right,
(13:35):
yep, that was my thought too.
I'd go a 2.8.
I thought it was actually agood beer, good, okay, nice.
So now this one you said wastheir beer of the day.
Is that what you said?
This is their Pineapple Express.
So it's another fruit beer.
So we're going to see if it'smore fruity than the, the
boysenberry, 5.9% ABV and 13IBUs.
(13:57):
It smells like an IPA.
It's more kind of that aroma toit.
The citrusy yeah yeah, verycitrusy smell, but you don't
have the hot bite, you know,from that bitterness.
No, I kind of like that one.
I don't mind it.
But I don't really tastepineapple.
I was expecting more of apineapple-y flavor.
Yeah, I was getting more citrus.
(14:18):
Yep, I'd agree with that.
Actually it's hoppier than Ithought it would be, at only 13
IBUs.
On the aftertaste I'm gettingmore of a hoppy kind of bite to
it.
Well, after you drank it, youknow and here again I hate to be
a stickler on that kind ofthing, but when the name is
pineapple and you can't tastepineapple, that gets back into
(14:39):
that.
If it's on the can, it shouldbe in the can kind of thing.
It's still.
It's a good beer but, like Isaid, I feel like it's almost
more of an IPA style than afruit beer.
So if they'd have said IPA, I'dhave probably rated it higher
than what I'm going to, but it'sstill decent.
So what do you think there,brian, for a rating, I would say
(15:00):
it's average.
I'd say 2.5.
Yep, I'm right there with you,but I'm actually going to go to
a 2.4 because of the falseadvertising protocol.
You know, I was expectingpineapple.
I thought we were going to havea pineapple note to it and I
just didn't pick that up.
And again, not that that'sterrible, but that's what I was
expecting and that's, I think, alot of people that would buy it
(15:22):
.
They'd be thinking the samething.
That's why I'd go a 2-3.
2-3, okay, I was thinking a 2-4, and then everybody's like,
okay, yeah, and again, it was arefreshing, good flavor, but to
me it had more characteristicsof IPA, I thought you know.
And no pineapple.
So all right.
So the last one that we have onthis flight is knobs IPA
(15:45):
American IPA, 7%, 55 IBU.
Maybe it'll taste likepineapple?
Yeah, wouldn't we be like waita minute?
Yeah, wouldn't we be like waita minute?
No, we don't.
It tastes like pineapple.
It has a different aroma to it.
Yeah, I can't tell what.
Yeah, you have to make sure yousmell it, because it's got
(16:08):
almost a sweeter aroma to it.
And I can't tell what hops theyused in it.
I'd almost think that was thepineapple one.
Right, that's what I'mwondering.
I'm wondering if she maybemessed up the glasses.
Yeah, that's got a that hasmore of a pineapple.
Mm-hmm, I think you got the twoof them, don't you think?
I agree, I think the glasseswere mixed.
Oh, that one is.
(16:29):
No, that tastes like glass.
Oh, okay, okay, well, that'skind of weird.
Yeah, it is Because this onehas more of a fruity flavor to
it.
It has like a fruity smell toit.
Yeah, it has like a sweet smell.
You know for what?
55 IBUs.
I didn't think I was very happytasting it at all, not at all.
Man, score-wise, this is kindof tough.
(16:50):
This one's confusing.
Yeah, I'm going to go 2.4 onthat.
2.4?
Cut that man.
It wasn't bad, but it justthere's no bitterness, there's
no.
No, not that hot bite, right.
And we've had American IPAs andthey at least have a little bit
.
Yeah, you know, I mean theydon't have to be over-the-top
(17:10):
bitter, but they at least have alittle bit of a flavor, like
you'd expect.
Yeah, score-wise, I think I'mgoing to do a 2.
I'll go 2.5 on this one.
I don't mind it.
But again, like I said, Ithought it was a different beer.
I thought that might have beenthe pineapple one.
So, yeah, 2.5 for me, 2.3 forme.
(17:32):
I didn't care for it, I'll go2.5.
So, of those four, what wouldyou think if you had to pick a
winner?
That makes it tough when youget a couple.
Yeah, well, they were all.
I don't want to say nondescript, but they were all not like
really right.
I'd probably pick the cream ale.
(17:53):
Yeah, I think so too.
Honestly, I was like I don'tknow if the honey or the,
honestly, that last IPA, becauseat least it had flavor pretty
minimal, but huh, all right,well, larry, we might as well
break into yours.
Oh, let's do it.
And so the first one we got.
I'm actually pretty, prettyinterested to try this one.
(18:15):
This is their jalapeno creamale, 5.4% ABV, 13 IBUs, and it
says it's a chili.
Yeah, but I mean it's.
I'm sure it's a pepper beer,yeah, and I'm sure is there
beans in it?
Yeah, now, hopefully it's notlike that Hormel chili beer.
Oh, whatever that one was, comeon, that was good.
(18:36):
Yeah, oh, you can smell thejalapeno in there.
There's not a lot of heat there.
You can get the flavor.
Yeah, very good flavor.
I think I like jalapeno beer.
It's not like the first onethat I made, when I put
(18:58):
jalapenos in and I put muchjalapeno in and it has a little
bite to it warms up Again.
The hottest beer I've ever hadwas a jalapeno ale and I've had
ghost pepper beers.
I've had habanero beers, youknow any kind of chilies they
make beer out of.
I've had I have not had like aghost pepper.
No, I had ghost pepper, notlike Carolina Reaper, but I like
a ghost pepper.
No, I haven't had ghost pepper,not like Carolina Reaper, but
I've had ghost pepper and thehottest one to this day is still
(19:21):
a jalapeno ale.
And we were going down to oh, Ithink it was when Callie was in
Peoria and we stopped at thisbrewery and the brewer was there
and his buddy and his buddy waslike huge into peppers, so
those two would brew pepperbeers together.
(19:42):
So I was talking to him and I'dasked him.
I said you know?
I said why is it?
And I told him I had all thesebeers that had these different
peppers in it and the hottestone is jalapeno ale and I go,
why is it?
And he goes.
Jalapenos are tough.
He goes because some of themare real hot, some of them
aren't.
He goes and you got to use moretypically than you'd use, like
(20:02):
for ghost peppers or whatever.
You know what I mean, becauseyou don't want it to be as spicy
, but he goes.
Yeah, it's, it's tart, and hegoes.
They we've had some, but theythemselves have had some really
hot jalapeno ales and I'm likeit's just crazy because you
would think you would be theother way around.
These are pretty bad.
Now, this one, I thought thearoma was really good, the
(20:23):
flavor, I mean you get thatpepper flavor.
I like he went away reallyquick.
You got that fresh pepperflavor.
Yeah, exactly, score wise, Ithink I'm going like a 3.2 on
that.
I really like that.
Yep, I was going to do a 3.1.
I'd go a 3.2.
(20:44):
I thought it was really good.
Pepper goes a good, solid 3.
Yeah, that's one of those thatsurprised me so far.
That's the biggest surprise oneI think that we've had here at
Pat's.
All right, so surprise one Ithink that we've had here at
Pat's, so alright.
So the next one we have is theirChameleon Hazy IPA and it says
it's a triple New England.
It says and it's 6.2 ABV and 29IBUs.
(21:08):
Now, if it is a triple IPA,that seems pretty low for, yeah,
triple IP ipa typically, yeah,up in that area.
It's not real hot either.
I like that.
That's a good plate.
Definitely hazy, that's for sure.
It looks just the shade, almostlike pineapple juice.
Yeah, and consistency, you'rereally stuck on that pineapple
(21:29):
thing.
I am.
I am.
They promised me pineapple.
That's not bad but, like I said, I don't get any hot bite.
Really, taste-wise, I mean, itdefinitely is a hazy.
Yeah, it really definitelyreminded me of that.
Yeah, that's a good beer.
That's a decent beer.
I mean, good representation ofa hazy IPA.
(21:50):
Yeah, that's the one thing withhazy IPAs Could have been a
little more citrus flavor to it.
A lot of times they have almosta sweeter citrusy flavor.
This one was good.
I didn't mind it.
Score-wise, what I would do?
A 3.1.
(22:10):
I was going to say a 3.
I thought I could drink it andit wouldn't get burned out from
the hop.
You know too much of a hopflavor.
I was impressed.
That was good.
What do you guys think?
Yeah, I thought it was good.
I'd probably go on 2.7 on it.
I was gonna go 2.9, 2.9, yeah,yeah, that was good.
(22:32):
Last two have been so far.
Larry's flights been more solidthan our two.
You're saying we didn't pick it.
What did you give that one.
I gave that a 3.0.
So now we're down to our lasttwo.
The bigger pickle yeah.
The next one is the big pickle.
I bet they better have picklein it.
Yeah, this is a cream ale 5.2%ABV and 15 IBUs.
(22:57):
We've got a real good picklebeer at home in the fridge.
It's better.
It has pickle in it, but itdoesn't taste real.
You've made a pickle beer before.
Right, aroma-wise it's better.
Well, you can taste it rightaway.
I've done a straight pickle aleand I've also done jalapeno
pickle ales.
It tastes like what?
Oh, so you, it tastes likegarlic.
(23:19):
That tastes like garlic.
Like garlic, yeah, that's whatit is.
That's what it is.
That's not bad.
I don't know.
Now, when you make a pickle beer, do you just dump pickle juice
in it, or is it in the brewingprocess?
You're not actually puttingpickles in it, are you?
Yes, you do In the fermenter.
Well, that's right.
After the primary fermentationis done usually a couple days,
(23:43):
two to three days before I'mgoing to keg it I'll add in
sliced up pickles.
I'll put them in a Molson bagand drop the Molson bags in
there, sliced up pickles, andthen dump the pickle juice out
of the jars in there with it,okay.
So I just often wonder that ifyou actually you know they put
pickles or they just dumpflavoring in, you know, I don't
(24:06):
know what they do the bigcompanies, when they're doing
100 barrels, they probably useflavoring.
Then Okay, but yeah, with aone-barrel system you can get by
with actual pickles.
Okay, I totally think that was agarlic pickle.
Yeah, I agree, I tasted garlic.
I think so too.
I'll give him credit.
That's a pretty.
That's a very nice change.
(24:28):
Yeah, I like that.
Okay, boys, we're down to ourlast one.
So what do we score that one?
Oh, I don't think we scored it.
No, oh, I don't think we scoredit.
No, not yet.
Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.
What would you score it?
I'd do a 3.0.
Yeah, I'd do the same.
Same with me.
Yeah, a good sour 3.
Like I said, most of the picklebeers, I've had some that I had
(24:57):
one that tasted like cucumbermore than pickle, and then we've
had Distal.
They have a good pickle, apretty good pickle.
So theirs is a sour, and thenthey had a spicy pickle.
That was actually pretty spicy.
If this actually was like agarlic pickle, that was a good
touch to put in there.
That's what I was going to say.
This is definitely.
If that was a garlic pickleflavor, I think it was that's
way different than most of theother ones.
It was a good change.
That was very well done.
Alright, now we'll go on to thelast one of our flights here.
(25:21):
This is the English Brown Porter.
It's an English Porter, 4.7%ABV and 23 IBUs.
Typically, I think your EnglishBrowns are kind of lower ABV.
Typically, if I remember right,that definitely has that malty
smell.
Yeah, coffee, you brought thatcoffee taste in.
I like that.
I mean it definitely has that.
(25:42):
You get more coffee thananything I would.
With it.
Being a porter, I wish it was alittle bit more bitter on the
backside.
No, it's not, but that's stillgood beer.
Do you think, is it becauseit's an English porter, that it
might be that little less bitter?
Do you think it's possible?
I don't think I've ever made anEnglish porter.
(26:04):
I think I've done every otherkind of porter Right.
But you're right, I always havethat bite on the backside.
That's one thing on the podcastthat I did recently with Jim
that we had a porter, and hesaid the exact same thing that
when you drink a porter hereally likes that kind of
bitterness on the finish andthat one didn't really have it
(26:25):
either.
But I'm like that one wouldhave held its own in a porter
class, this one.
In a normal porter class it'dbe mid-pack, maybe a little
lower.
It honestly reminds me more ofan English Mild Sure in a porter
.
Yeah, that's what it reminds meof.
Yeah, because I mean the flavorwas pretty mellow, yeah, and
(26:47):
stuff like that.
So I don't know, I guess,score-wise, what are you
thinking?
It's a good beer, but I'mprobably going to have to give
it like a 2.9.
Okay, it's a good beer, but I'mprobably gonna have to give it
like a 2.9.
Okay, I was gonna go a 2.7 forkind of the same reason that you
just said, because I think thatwhen I drink a porter I want
kind of that little more of aharsh not a harsh but a, you
(27:09):
know, the stronger malt flavorand then that little bit of
bitterness at the end.
And again, I don't know if it'sbecause it's an English porter
or what, but it's still a verygood flavor.
And yeah, I went 2.7.
And would it be my first choice?
Maybe not, but I wouldn't turnit away.
If somebody said, hey, I'll buyyou one, I'd say, okay, no
problem.
(27:29):
If they would have been calledit an English Mild, I'd have
been like, oh my God, that'sawesome, right, how do you give
it a 3.2?
Sure, but being a porter, Ijust can't do that.
Larry, what do you think?
I'd go a 2.5.
Okay, I'm not real huge, I'mnot coffee tasting beer, right,
and this one did have kind of acoffee taste to 2.6.
(27:51):
2.6?
Okay, it's a little bit betterthan half.
So, boy, larry's flight's goingto be difficult for a whole
different reason than mine was.
Mine was difficult becausethere really wasn't a whole lot
of flavor, and Larry's all hadflavor.
Right, all had flavor.
So what do you think?
For me it'll be a toss-upbetween the jalapeno and the big
(28:12):
pickle.
Okay, I like the big pickle.
Of course I like pickle beer.
I was going to say the jalapeno.
I think it's 1A and 1B.
Yeah, 1a and 1B, I could goeither of them, because the
thing that I still say I reallylike about the pickle beer was,
(28:33):
I think it's garlic flavor in it.
That is really unique, Ithought for most pickle beers.
But then that jalapeno ale wasreally good.
So if we're going to get anotherdrink here I don't know which
one to get, because right nowit's like dang.
They're both pretty good Also.
Well, I mean, overall, I'mthinking those two are kind of
(28:54):
the cream of the crop, the creamof the crop, you know, jalapeno
cream ale, but I think theywere probably the top two and I
do think that, well, I shouldn'tsay that, because then all of
Larry's probably finished aheadof the.
I was going to say how did theycompare to the red?
Well, I kind of like the flavoron these two more than the red.
(29:17):
Yeah, I think I would have tosay that too.
Yeah, that was my opinion.
So what did you think?
We don't even need to talkabout that column.
No, my claim is that that onewas kind of in.
That was a little not muchgoing on, exactly.
So what were your impressions ofPal's Brewing?
All the beers were really goodand the food that's been coming
(29:37):
out looks amazing.
Yeah, but that's too bad.
We already ate.
Yeah, we ate before we got here.
We were smart to eat before wegot here.
Were we really smart, though?
Technically not.
Yeah, larry and I decided tosplit a 50-ounce Bloody Mary
that came out with man.
What was it?
Two burgers, chicken tenders,chicken tenders, chicken tenders
(29:58):
, wings, mini corn dogs, wings,wings All kinds of veggies,
cheese oh my gosh, it was agreat.
It was a meal in itself.
It was the craziest thing I'veever seen.
So, yeah, maybe we weren't thesmartest thing, but whatever Got
our primed pump.
I mean our pump primed yeah,that too, well, cool.
(30:20):
Well, yeah, guys, thanks forsaying you'd want to stop over
here and try these beers,because this is the first time
we've ever had any beers frompals.
So definitely, if you're in theWisconsin Dells area, I'd say
stop by, you know, and try them.
They've got a number ofdifferent beers, not a whole lot
of dark beers, but it couldjust be that it's this time of
year, you know, because in someplaces it seems like that's more
(30:41):
of a seasonal thing, right, butI would definitely try the
jalapeno cream ale or the pickle, if you're into a pickle beer,
because it's definitely a prettyunique flavor.
Well, cool, man, thanks forbeing a part of it, you guys.
And like we always say, hope,your campfire is always warm and
your beer is always cold, seeya.
Thank you for listening to theNorthwoods Beer Guy podcast.
(31:01):
If you have a question, acomment or a beer you'd like us
to review.
Please feel free to send us amessage 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
(31:28):
your beer is cold.
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