Barrel Theory Beer Company

Went for my first visit this afternoon, they had tapped out of both of the berliners this week and Rain Drops was gone last night. Tear Drops was really good a true NE style IPA with great juiciness, very turbid and a solid mouth feel. The real standouts for me were the Drop Tops west coast IPA and Java Oats coffee stout though.

Overall definitely live up to all the hype even with a limited tap selection and the taproom itself is really nice will definitely be back even though it's a little bit of a trek from the north burbs.

 

Agree i like Rain Drops better. This one was much thicker and drier and had a tad more bitterness on the finish, much more Mosaic in the mix. Edit.... Still delicious.

 

I've been in a couple times and thought the beers ranged from very good to great. Haven't had all of them... didn't try Batch 1 or the triple IPA. It seems to me though that if a different brewery opened up and for the first few weeks (and who knows no long?) only had 4-6 beers available at any given time, they would get ragged on. I know that they're not open today but, per the website, you have your choice between 3 IPAs and a coffee 'stout'. I hope they're planning on expanding offerings but maybe they're intention is just to rotate frequently and not expand the offerings. Either way, I'll continue to visit based on how good they were out of the gate.

 

They are opened today cause The St Paul Saints 5-10pm. They want to have 8-10 brews on tap, they just sold out of 3 in the last couple of days. Its a popular place, they do have a new Berliner coming out very soon.

 

I would also expect the choices to expand once they have a chance to start putting out some barrel-aged offerings. Can't exactly start pouring those Week #1.

 

I checked their social media/website before I went on Sunday so I knew to only expect the 4 choices and the bartender said they were pleasantly surprised how much people loved the Berliners and they will be putting a new one on tap this week plus hopefully another beer too and eventually have a constantly rotating wider line up of beers.

 

I think Purple Lamborghini is next up for the berliners.

 

Does anybody know if they have brewed any lagers?

 

No. Not yet at least

 

Shoot! If I would have known they were open yesterday, I would have stopped in for one.

 

Probably opened tonight also,cause home saints game. Also tapping new BW Purple Lamborghini for those interested.

 

I was there Sunday, and the bartender said they have a bunch of stuff in tanks. Not sure if a lager is in one of those tanks, but it could be I suppose.

 

A new and small brewery with limited tank space, it would make little sense to occupy a conditioning tank with a Lager for weeks, when the IPA's and Berliners are flying out the door.

 

I don't like Purple Lamborghini as much as the previous two berliners, but it's still solid. It's one of the prettiest beers I've ever had.

 

I think it's actually a black licorice kvass. At least it might be.

 

Anyone hear chatter at the brewery about when to-go options will be ready? Website says 750ml and 64oz will be available in the future, but not yet (I definitely get why).

I'll be driving from Duluth to Chicago on august 6th and I've got several empty 750mL growlers. I decided to take the long way and check out BT. Hoping they are ready to fill at that point, but I understand if they aren't.

Cheers and thanks

 

They wont be filling empty growlers. When they are ready to fill it will be there own as far as i know.

 

Per a tweet today, 750 growlers available 'in a week or two'. I know they've got lots of their own branded swing tops sitting there ready to be filled but it would be a big fail to not fill outside growlers. I realize that this is a often debated topic and breweries are free to do as they wish but, since the laws have changed, there is no legitimate reason to not fill. Places will say its about the integrity of the product and not wanting to possibly fill a dirty growler or saving time by having them pre filled but its all bunk. Id respect a place that was just honest about it and said we can make more money that way.

 

I asked about growlers a couple weeks ago and was told they'd be pre-filling growlers to preserve the quality of the growler for longer.

 

How does pre-filling preserve the quality longer?