Beer of the Weekend #493: Bitter Neighbor
The beer tonight is another black IPA from Minnesota: Bitter Neighbor, brewed by the Third Street Brewhouse of Cold Spring, Minnesota.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is deep, muddy brown — not black, as the brewery claims. Two fingers of thickish, slightly buttery, light tan head left a thick froth around the edge and a thin and spotted skim.
Smell: Very reminiscent of Scotch Ale. Toasted malts, caramel, toffee, dark cherry licorice, and an aroma of smoked peat that mingles with the licorice. Except for maybe a hint of resin, there are no signs of the IPA influence.
Taste: The taste offers teasing hints of citrus and pine resin, and delivers an adequate bitterness. But after one sip I could care less about the lack of IPA qualities. This is good stuff. Toasted, roasted, and smoked malts (which no doubt contributes to the peat-like quality), caramel, toffee, molasses, and dark cherry licorice. It also has a nice, earthy bitterness. For whatever reason, it makes me think of the pub in An American Werewolf in London.
Drinkability: Screw the style guide — this is good stuff! I am pretty sure this would assuage any bitter neighbor.
Fun facts about Bitter Neighbor:
-Style: Black IPA.
-Price: $1.99/bottle at Zipp’s Liquors on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. (You are a life-saver, price sticker!)
-Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Third Street webpage says, “Suggested food pairings would include spicy foods and curries. Smoked meats and blue cheeses. Spiced and sweeter desserts are beautiful adjuncts for this beer.”
-Nerdiness from the Third Street website:
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is deep, muddy brown — not black, as the brewery claims. Two fingers of thickish, slightly buttery, light tan head left a thick froth around the edge and a thin and spotted skim.
Smell: Very reminiscent of Scotch Ale. Toasted malts, caramel, toffee, dark cherry licorice, and an aroma of smoked peat that mingles with the licorice. Except for maybe a hint of resin, there are no signs of the IPA influence.
Taste: The taste offers teasing hints of citrus and pine resin, and delivers an adequate bitterness. But after one sip I could care less about the lack of IPA qualities. This is good stuff. Toasted, roasted, and smoked malts (which no doubt contributes to the peat-like quality), caramel, toffee, molasses, and dark cherry licorice. It also has a nice, earthy bitterness. For whatever reason, it makes me think of the pub in An American Werewolf in London.
Drinkability: Screw the style guide — this is good stuff! I am pretty sure this would assuage any bitter neighbor.
Fun facts about Bitter Neighbor:
-Style: Black IPA.
-Price: $1.99/bottle at Zipp’s Liquors on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. (You are a life-saver, price sticker!)
-Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Third Street webpage says, “Suggested food pairings would include spicy foods and curries. Smoked meats and blue cheeses. Spiced and sweeter desserts are beautiful adjuncts for this beer.”
-Nerdiness from the Third Street website:
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. You can pick where you live, but you can't pick your neighbors. That is, until now, When you pick up a glass filled with frothy, dark-colored Bitter Neighbor Black IPA, it won't leave a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, it's quite good. (Sorry. We can't help you with the family part.)
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
