Tip-Up
Beaver Island Brewing Co.

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From:
Beaver Island Brewing Co.
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 12.43%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 20, 2021
Added:
Nov 22, 2015
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
Our Tip-Up winter ale is brewed with a touch of smoked German Beechwood smoked malt, the first locally grown and pelletized hops, and a late kettle addition of young Minnesota spruce tips. Our hope is to encompass the joys of MN winters; a warming fire, the scent of conifers, and a satisfying day on the lake waiting for the big one to hit our line.

Malts: British Pale Ale, German Beechwood Smoked, Brown, Carafa
Hops: Centennial and Cascade (RF Doering Farms – Clear Lake, MN)
OG: 1.075
IBU: 34
SRM: 16.5
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by woemad:
Photo of woemad
Reviewed by woemad from Washington

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
16oz can courtesy of Victory_Sabre1973. The stamp on the bottom would seem to indicate it was canned in February on an illegible date.

Poured a dark russet color, with a big, sudsy beige head. Lots of lace. Took on a slightly rubyish but very opaque color when held up to light.

Slightly sprucy and very smoky in the nose. The smoked Beechwood seems to be the dominant partner, at least in the nose.

The spruce and smoked malts are the dominant players in the taste, but neither is particularly strong. No hop flavor to speak of. Finish is oddly of a slightly sour nature.

Medium bodied. Coating, sticky and slightly prickly mouthfeel.

Things don't seem tobquite come together with this. Perhaps it's due to age, but I'm not particularly enjoying this admittedly unusual beer.
Jan 27, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of chum_husk
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota

3.94/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12oz can, dated

Very bitter and filled with spruce and pine tree flavor. There is some good hop presence that complement the added flavors very well. Tons of variety of hop (citrus, the above-mentioned spruce and pine, spice, pepper) with a smoked toffee malt that simply rules and goes with this style and hop profile like eggs and bacon.

Loved it; piney goodness
Feb 20, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by MonkeyPilates from Minnesota

Jan 12, 2021
 
Rated: 4.01 by evanschaaf from Minnesota

Dec 31, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.81/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz can. Unreadable canning date stamping on can bottom.
Clear, amber brown colored body. Thin white head settles back to active island and ring. Leaves behind just a few small spots of lacing.
Aroma of smoked malt, with just a touch of hops and spruce.
Taste is a fine mix of smoked malts and spruce tips. Some spicy hops join in. Slightly bitter.
A little more than medium mouth feel. Very good carbonation.
A beer that is a reminder of the experience of winter drinking in front of a evergreen log fire.
Dec 20, 2019
Photo of deleted_user_1239096
Reviewed by deleted_user_1239096

4.34/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
One of the better red ales I've had. Not as bitter as some, has a nice feel, carbonation and after finish on the tongue. Light head and very refreshing, highly recommended.
Dec 05, 2019
Photo of Niceandbadass
Reviewed by Niceandbadass

4.27/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Great beer!!

Always looking for a beer that includes spruce tips. Most are underwhelming or are in ales. This winter ale proves differently. Great smoke flavor/smell. Spruce tips come out on the finish. Wonderful mouth feel, carbonation, and lacing. Finish is rich and leaves you desiring the next sip.

NICE AND BADASS!
Nov 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.6 by adosen01 from Minnesota

Jan 26, 2019
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

3.76/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I opened the can I immediately got the smokiness and Mailliard. The beer is 45 degrees and served in a pint glass. Smoked malts are not my favorite in beers. The beer is 45 degrees and served in a pint glass. The pour on the beer produced a one finger ivory head with good retention. The head dissipated slowly leaving lacing on the glass. The color of the beer SRM 15 a deep copper color with dark amber hues. Excellent clarity of the beer with effervescent floating from the bottom of the glass.

The initial aromas of the beer are smokiness, Mailliard, and roasty malts. Next, I get pine, resin oranges, baking spices, and toffee. Lastly, I get earthiness, yeasty, caramel, floral, herbal, and wood.

I get smokiness, pine trees, fire, and Mailliard. Next, I taste roasted malts, toasted malts, oranges, toffee, and caramel. Lastly, earthiness, wood, herbal, oranges, baking spice, and floral.

The mouthfeel of the beer is dry.

The body of the beer is medium, medium carbonation, and a medium finish.

Okay, this beer is loaded with smoke, fire, and Mailliard. The beer is an interesting take on a winter warmer. I am not a fan of this beer.
Jan 09, 2019
Photo of mothman
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
On tap. Khaki tan head. Copper color. Tastes more like an imperial red than a winter warmer. A lot of hops and grapefruit citrus. Dank and weedy. Sticky. Not a fan of this as a winter warmer.
Dec 09, 2018
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

3.96/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a really nice drinking beer. A touch of smoke and a touch of juniper compliments the malty nature of the beer. Does not look that impressive but overall the beer suits winter weather.
Dec 09, 2018
 
Rated: 2.65 by Demi from Minnesota

Dec 08, 2018
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.79/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tap at Hungry Jack Lodge - Gunflint Trail.

Poured out a dark, dark brown color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It smelled of spruce, caramel and toffee. Sweet caramel flavor with a piney/sprucey bite.
Jan 02, 2018
Photo of Victory_Sabre1973
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

3.72/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This beer pours a lighter brown color. The head is tan, and 2 finger. Retention is quite good. Some lacing on the glass.
The nose is a bit malty.
Taste - is quite interesting. It has a lot of flavors mixed in. There's a bit of smoke, some chocolate notes.
Feel is fairly full bodied.
Not a bad beer at all.
Dec 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.84 by ipeters1017 from Wisconsin

Dec 11, 2017
Photo of ZAP
Reviewed by ZAP from Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
L-Burgandy colored...nice lacing

S-Unique...Leather...earthy....cat pee..

T-Light smokiness...some milk chocolate...leather...musty...medicinal hints as well.

F-Medium bodied...a little dry bitterness on the long finish.

O-This just does not come together for me. No noticeable impression from the spruce tips. Musty, cat pee impressions too strong. I give them credit for trying this but it is a fail in my book. This review comes on the heels of my glowing review of their ofest before everyone else found it. I just cannot go to bat for this one. It's not drain pour and it grows on me a little as I drink it but there is something definitely awry.
Nov 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3.88 by sparx1100 from Minnesota

Oct 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by sgttibbs from Minnesota

Nov 22, 2015
Tip-Up from Beaver Island Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 18 ratings