An agreement of taste between rival states: Wisconsin edition

With the first beer review since fall break, we wanted to switch it up a little. We decided to try some beers from several craft breweries in Caden’s home state of Wisconsin, in the River Falls and Somerset area.

As always, we got to taste a wide range of unique styles of beer. However, this time, we debuted Caden’s new “seating arrangement.” If you are over 21 and want to expand your palate with some fine Wisconsin brews, give any of the following five beers a swig.

The Unforgiven – Amber Ale (5.5%)

Starting off with Caden’s personal all-time favorite, we have Rush River Brewing’s Unforgiven.

This beverage from River Falls offers a robust and warm sensation while also providing a grainy and malty flavor. For the aftertaste, we noticed notes of caramel and toffee on the back.

We all agreed that this is a perfect year-round beer that is an automatic go-to for all to enjoy. If you are looking for a low-carbonated beer that will keep you warm this fall, we, especially Caden, recommend The Unforgiven.

Gear Ratio – Hazy Pale Ale (5.8%)

Our second beer comes from The Garage Bikes & Brews, also located in River Falls. The hazy pale ale had a heavy citrus smell on the nose and large amounts of hops.

To our surprise, we did not taste substantial amounts of hops in the beer. It had some bitterness in the aftertaste, but it was heavier on the citrus flavor.

While we believed it was more bitter than The Unforgiven, we concluded that this was one of the best transition beers for those interested in trying more Ipas.

Special Favorite Lager – American Lager (5%)

Next up, we have a fantastic lager from Oliphant Brewing in Somerset, where Caden used to work. The Special Favorite Lager had an herbal and grainy aroma while still having a remarkable bready taste.

There were also heavy notes of cream or vanilla in the beer, which were akin to a cream ale. Despite the cream notes found in the beer, it was not a thicker consistency compared to a beer like Guinness. To summarize, if you are someone who enjoys lagers, we’d put this one up against any other. Caden also said they have some great IPAs that pair well together in case anyone is over in Somerset; it’s worth the trip.

Brain Fog – Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA (8.5%)

Returning to River Falls, we have a heavy hitter from Swinging Bridge Brewing Company.

Brain Fog had a slight citrus note on the smell, but the tanginess that overpowered most of the citrus gave away that this truly was a dry-hopped IPA.

The citrus note came right back on the front when we first tasted it, then there was a smooth transition to a moderate bitterness on the back end for the aftertaste.

Comparing it to Bad Habit’s Aggressive American double IPA, this was a friendlier option for those looking to get into IPAs.

Swinger Fest – Märzen (5.3%)

Finally, we have Swinging Bridge Brewing Company’s Märzen. It had a weaker smell than our other beers, but there was still a darker, more malty smell off the nose.

Swinger Fest had an earthy and grainy taste that helped complement its roasted, warm feel. We noticed that this solid Märzen had a savory tanginess on the back but was a beer that went down easily.

If you’re ever in Wisconsin looking for a solid German-style beer, you might also want to pencil in some time to take a swing by Swinging Bridge.

In case you could not already tell, Wisconsin is home to lots of fantastic beers for all to enjoy.