Winter brews with the boys: the Duluth beer trip begins

At the end of last semester, we just knew we had to kick off this semester with something big. Why not a beer review trip over winter break? As a couple of Johnnies that can’t get enough of the outdoors, we knew we had to pick a unique location. We unanimously agreed that Duluth was the place to go.

Thankfully, this trip did in fact make it out of the group chat, and nobody slipped on ice while we hiked some trails (it was close). We may have accidentally reviewed too many beers, so this will be a two parter! Enjoy our first four stops this week, and the final four in next week’s edition.

If you’re over 21 and find yourself in the Duluth area, take some time to stop at a brewery or two.

Thirsty Pagan Brewing, Superior, WI – 8.5/10

Thirsty Pagan Brewing stands out as a staple of Superior’s craft brewing industry. They began brewing beer on a 2-barrel system in 1996 and became a brewpub in 1996. In 2013, they grew their capacity to brew beer by purchasing a 7-barrel system and never looked back. Their simplistic aesthetic, quality beer, and remarkable pizza made this brewery an excellent first-stop.

Lawn Chair – Cream Ale (6.0%)

A refreshing cream ale with a bready nose that carried into the initial taste of the beer. The Lawn Chair finished with sweeter cream notes and ended up being a pleasant and easy drinker.

Burntwood Black – Dark Ale (5.5%)

While Burntwood Black is a dark ale, it ended up being an inviting beer that didn’t have a lot of bitterness. There was coffee on the nose and a subtle coffee flavor with stronger chocolate notes. If you’re looking for a beer that’s like Guiness for a cold day, grab a Burntwood Black.

Derailed Ale – American Pale Ale (5.6%)

The Derailed Ale started out with a fruity nose that’s similar to a lot of sour beers, but still had some hops present. To our surprise, it ended up being a smooth drinker that wasn’t high in bitterness typically found in a lot of hops. Derailed was a fruitier tasting pale ale that also would serve as a good introduction for those wanting to get into hoppy beers.

Winter Warmer – Double Stout (9.0%)

If you enjoy drinking stouts and are at Thirsty Pagan, this one is for you! On the nose, there was a great combination of burnt grains and coffee. The chili peppers used in this stout help bring out a unique bitterness that comes across as peppered and earthy. For a non-barrel aged stout, this was a home run.

Warrior Brewing Company, Duluth, MN – 9.3/10

In the heart of the brewery district in Duluth lies a brewery called Warrior Brewing Company. Warrior Brewing is veteran owned, and their beer is veteran brewed. You can walk in and see relics of years of service in the military. You instantly know their mission of brewing beer to support veterans and first responders is alive and well. Warrior was one of the most unique breweries we visited on this trip, and it set the bar high for the rest of the day.

Templar – Pale Ale (4.7%)

Templar was a solid pale ale. We couldn’t think of a reason why someone wouldn’t enjoy this beer. It had a fresh, graining nose and beginning taste that transitioned into a yeasty aftertaste.

Cherry – Lager (4.7%)

Warrior Brewing put a unique spin on their lager. Unlike many lagers, the bready notes were dialed back and replaced with notes of sweet honey and cherry. This beer stood out as a yet another easy, light and fruity drinker that almost anyone can enjoy.

Samurai – Red IPA (6.0%)

Samurai is a great middle ground between IPA drinkers and amber ale drinkers. This Red IPA had a note of toasted grain on the nose. For taste, it had a slight burnt component on the front and had the sense of warmness found in a lot of ambers but transitioned to the hoppy taste found in a lot of IPAs for the after taste.

Valkyrie – Golden Honey Ale (5.5%)

Valkyrie was the friendliest and most inviting beer at Warrior Brewing. If lighter beers or cream ales are your beer of choice, Valkyrie is a great choice for you. The honey came through the front and the bready and creamy notes found in cream ales came in on the back.

Barbarian – Imperial Stout (12.0%)

Warrior Brewing’s award-winning flagship beer. Barbarian was dark and burnt on the nose and had coffee from start to finish on the taste with hints of dark chocolate. For how dark and heavy the Barbarian is, it was a surprisingly easy drinker.

Barrel Aged Barbarian – Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (12.0%)

We’re not done with barrel aged stouts yet! This version of the Barbarian had notes of caramel and vanilla on the nose. However, the creamy and dark chocolate notes really came through, especially the aftertaste. Both versions of the Barbarian are a must try, we definitely were not disappointed.

Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, MN – 9.0/10

Down the road from Warrior Brewing Co., we stopped at Ursa Minor Brewing Company. We immediately noticed that this place had an urban hipster vibe. If you are a pizza lover, make sure to order yourself a pizza (You can’t go wrong with any of them).

Mermaid Slurs – Imperial Sour (9.0%)

Unlike most sours we’ve encountered, Mermaid Slurs didn’t have a very strong nose. There was some fruit on the nose, but it carried a remarkable cherry flavor that was tart. If you like lighter, sweeter beers, sours or watermelon jolly ranchers, give it a try!

Ursa Minor Cream Ale – Cream Ale (5.0%)

Ursa Minor had a unique spin for their cream ale. It was earthy and grainy on the nose, but it lacked the strong, creamy taste that we were used to seeing in the cream ales we’ve reviewed. We agreed that it appeared to have a combination of traits from both cream ales and golden ales.

Irish You Well – Irish Stout (5.0%)

The Irish You Well had a toasted coffee smell. There was a strong coffee taste on the front but switched to heavy amounts of cream on the back while carrying a rich consistency all the way through. We loved this one.

Equanimity – Irish Red Ale (5.6%)

We were happy to find Ursa Minor’s all-day drinker. It’s a good choice for amber ale drinkers or anyone that just wants to have a smooth beer. No surprises here, smelled and tasted like a red ale, but it was very solid all around.

Galactic Face Slap – Hazy IPA (6.8%)

The Galactic Face Slap had a stronger hoppy smell since it’s a hazy IPA. We were a little skeptical that this one was going to be a little bitter, but it ended up being a smooth IPA with a creamy front.

Hefeweizen – German Wheat Beer (5.3%)

A piece of advice for our readers, you always have to try the hefeweizen if you see one in a brewery. It had a smooth smell that came across as bready and had strong notes of banana as well. The banana smell carried into the first taste and then transitioned into that grainy, wheat aftertaste that we were looking for.

Bear Hop – American IPA (6.8%)

Bear hop was fairly similar to the Galactic Face Slap. Hoppy tastes and smells were present from beginning to end. We’ll keep this one simple, if you like hops, give it a try!

Bearista – Coffee Stout (6.0%)

Like every other coffee beer, strong coffee and espresso came out on the smell. We also noticed some caramel. If you’re a coffee drinker, or even someone who likes a sweet treat occasionally, Bearista is a must try. It’s the perfect beer for a Duluth winter!

Wild State Ciders, Duluth, MN – 8.7/10

Founded in 2019, Wild State Ciders believes that ciders with no artificial additives, flavors and concentrates are the best. The brewery experiments with other natural flavors to create a delicious palate in every cider. If you are a fan of ciders, head on over to the Park Craft District and treat yourself.

Classic Dry (6.9%)

The Classic Dry lived up to its name. It had a very classic dry apple smell, and great flavor. There was some tartness, but it wasn’t anything over the line.

Raspberry Hibiscus (6.5%)

This was a cider that we were interested in trying. We got some weak hibiscus and raspberry scents on the nose, but not much. The flavor initially came across like a hibiscus tea and finished with the raspberry. It was sweet but not overly sugary.

Juicy Pear (5.6%)

Juicy Pear smelled just like the Classic Dry, with a prominent apple scent. The pear came across on the back end of the flavor and rounded out the cider well.

Hazy Pink Pineapple (6.0%)

The Hazy Pink Pineapple had a very subtle nose, but there was a hint of a pineapple note mixed in with the apple. When we tried it, we found that it tasted like grapefruit and pink lemonade on the front end, with the pineapple rounding it out on the back. It was a solid cider and very unique.

Imperial Hazy Honeycrisp (8.0%)

This cider also smelled similar to the Classic Dry, however more subtle. It was dry on the back end, but it was still sweet with plenty of honey. The sweetness was smooth, and brough out some other fruity notes such as pear.

Tart Cherry (10.1%)

Tart Cherry is a cider aged 6 months in bourbon barrels, and you can smell the distinct scent of the cherry wood. The flavor has a lot of dark cherry that balances well with the apples. If anybody has had the Pommeau from Milk & Honey, it was similar to that with cherry.

Duluth People’s Cider (5.6%)

The Duluth People’s Cider is made with apples grown in Duluth backyards and donated to Wild State. This cider also smelled like a classic apple cider, with a tart and dry flavor. It was more complex than the classic dry, with more complexity, similar to Milk & Honey’s Heirloom but better.

Honeyberry (6.9%)

Honeyberry is made with local honeyberries grown at Farm Lola, just 30 minutes from Duluth. The flavor was very subtle but there were notes of berry and greens. It was a great blend of dry, tart and sweet.

Rosemary Plum (6.0%)

This was another cider that we were all intrigued by. The rosemary was heavy on the nose, while the plum came through on the palate. The front end of the taste carried the plum, while the cider ended with a more oily, rosemary flavor.

Apple Pie (6.0%)

With our experience with apple pie shots at Sal’s, we were very excited to see how this cider would compare. The smell was perfect, a great blend of apple and cinnamon. The apple came across strong on the palate, with the cinnamon lingering in the aftertaste. It was tarter than an apple pie shot, but a great bonfire drink nonetheless.