Mankato brewery Appreciation

Posted this yesterday, but in the wrong thread! Doh!

I'd like to add my opinion of Mad Butcher, it is a really nice citra focused IPA. My local bar did a blind taste test of 8-10 IPAs all from Minnesota. Mad Butcher won handily.

 

Last summer I was at a townie bar somewhere in the Brainerd Lakes area and all the taps were Bud, Coors Light and Miller Lite etc.... Anyway for whatever reason they had Mad Butcher on tap. They called it Trioical IPA. It was really good and obviously light years better than the other offerings there.

 

Maybe I'll revisit. To me that's the problem with breweries hitting market before they are ready. I tried haymaker when i first hit shelves and it was utter shite. Never went back since.

 

I've only had Mad Butcher on tap once, and I rather enjoyed it. But best IPA in Minnesota? Eh...... Love those *alternative facts* they are popping up everywhere!

 

Care to share where in this thread anyone said anything about it being the 'Best IPA in Minnesota'?

 

I'm paraphrasing, the OP suggested it was on the same level as any other IPA in the state. I don't think the OP would have started a thread for a brewery that makes an IPA that they think is average. My apologies for sensationalizing.

My point was, sure I agree it's a pretty dang good beer if my memory serves me correctly. But would I put it on the same level as Todd, or some of the IPAs from Sisyphus, Dangerous Man, Fulton (Grog, 300), Forager (Moon Hops, Hip Hops, Decent, Cloudy Daze, etc), Fair State, etc....I could go on but I think you get my point. To me, Mad Butcher is a really good beer, but doesn't crack my top 10, maybe my top 20 IPAs from Minnesota. Just my humble opinion.

 

The IPAs that Mad Butcher bested in the blind tasting at my local bar were: badger hill traitor ipa, castle danger ode, summit saga, surly furious, bent paddle bent hop, insight troll way, bauhaus sky five

I wish Fulton 300 had been included. But, as far as IPAs that are fairly readily available in six packs in distribution from MN, Mad Butcher is one of the better options.

 

I haven't had anything from Mankato in a long time. When I had haymaker, duly noted, and the porter I dreamt think they were anything special. Going to have to give mad butcher, mint stout and their pumpkin beer a shot, they all seem to get positive reviews.

 

Putting it in that context, I could see it. Throw in other offerings from Forager, Disgruntled and Junkyard and the story changes. But to your other point, those aren't readily available off the shelf in the twin cities.

 

Completely agree though I've only had forager stuff since I'm way down here in warm and balmy southern MN

 

I thought the Kato helles was very solid.

The mint stout is on tap here (North Sioux City, SD), and based on this, I'll give it a go.

Tnx!

 

I have not had Mad Butcher, but I am a fan of Leaf Raker. A very solid brown ale.

 

He's posting his own alternative facts... try to keep up!

 

But, everybody knows that the elite (the MN word of the year) IPAs are in 4 packs!

OK, wisecracks aside, I've only tried one Mankato beer (Original) and that was some years ago.

I'll try a few more of their beers soon...

 

Well lets not forget that Mad Butcher Prime is now out. The 2IPA version of mad Butcher. So now we can also look for that one also.

 

All of the Mankato brewery beers seem to leave me with a headache, mad butcher is tasty and they have definitely turned their products in the right direction over the last year or two, but they need a serious source of clean water. Other than the MN river that's only blocks away.

 

This a joke right?

 

On Mad Butcher, here's something that might surprise you.

I did a blind taste test (with assistance, of course) between Todd The Axeman, Ninja Vs. Unicorn, and Mad Butcher.

I picked Mad Butcher as my favorite. I was stunned. For sure a heavy gunner in the IPA league, and according to my palate, better than Todd and Ninja.

Their Organ Grinder is also really, really good. Crooked Rook and Mint Stout are both really awesome too.

 

I suspect after years of sitting quietly well below the top echelon of highly regarded breweries in MN, if they are now making beers to challenge the top ranks, it will be a bit of a slog for them to change their brand identity and recognition. Good for them, though.