Minnesota "NE style" IPA's

I've tried Summit's Phazer, Insight's Surging from the East, and Modist's Dream Yard.

Here's my take:
Of these, Summit's is least hazy, and more west-coast like in taste and bittering; a very good IPA on its own if it were not "hinting" at being an NE-style (they don't actually say that outright).
Modist's has good aroma and flavor and is the least bitter of the three, but the appearance is not particularly attractive.
Insight's is similar to the Modist in aroma and flavor, hazy with better color / appearance but also much more bittering, not as bitter as the Summit but in that direction.

If I can get to a bar and/or back to the Summit tap room while this beer is still on, I'll try it again so I can do a "proper" (by my standards) review. Of the other two, I'll have my second of those perhaps tomorrow. Right now, Modist is very slightly ahead.

 

Wasn't too impressed with Dream Yard. Had it at Modist last weekend I think.....

 

Are any of these beers like Lagunitas Born Yesterday. Not wet hopped but, similar taste profile.

 

Beer J is similar.

 

Forager is finally doing an all Citra hazy DIPA... Taproom tonight; crowlers on Friday.

"Regal Hops, 100% Citra Double IPA. Our base 5 grain IIPA with loads and loads of citra from Whirlpool to the brite tank. Brewed to honor the 8 dragons which shed light on our taproom, and their thirst for more Citra Hops. 8%abv. SC member come in and fill your growlers today starting at 4pm. 250 crowlers will be released friday."

 

I really wish they would move away from Dijon mustard DIPAs. It looks like a glass of baby shit.

 

I get what you're saying, but part of the problem is they just don't have enough time for their IPAs. This almost certainly would clear up a little bit with some time. But they keep running out of beer, so stuff has to go on maybe a little sooner than they would like.

 

Black Stack brewing will release Local 755 New England Citra IPA, Galaxy IPA and three other NE IPA's in the coming weeks. They have worked on it for 9 months with various hops. They are spectacular!

 

I've been following BlackStack's updates via Facebook for a few weeks now. They keep saying they are opening "soon", "soon", "soon". Excited for them to open, but they need to pick a damn date already... haha.

 

They did and it's today. Four beer on tap.

 

I disagree - I think the brewers at Forager know exactly what they are doing, and they aren't releasing beer before it's ready. They know the current fad is hazy turbid juicy IPAs and they are delivering exactly that. Some people may not appreciate the "mustard" hazy look but there are tons of beer geeks that would literally trip over themselves running to get this. Forager is just giving people what they want, and doing it very well might I add.

 

It's today! I'll be there in a few hours.

 

Suffice it to say we're pretty much in agreement. They're doing a great job.

 

I would hit that. Hard.

 

I was specifically told by my server the last time I was there that they put a keg of Decent on before it was ready because they needed beer on tap. She advised me to not order it and I should have listened. It was awful. I've seen nothing but good things otherwise about that beer.

 

That doesn't speak well of them, IMO.

 

Argh, getting tired of hearing about this. Need to find a way to get this in my hands.

 

Wow, I wouldn't have expected that out of their brewers, it must have been a management/ownership decision. At any rate, that is disappointing. If they keep making really good beer, I see an expansion in their future business plans (if it's not already).

 

I get what you're saying, but they're in a super difficult position. They have people who aren't BAs coming in for their beer and get upset when there isn't a single Forager beer on tap. To these people, a beer that is a little green is better than nothing. To you, a green beer may be worse than nothing. Unfortunately, you can't always please everyone.

FWIW, I had that batch of Decent the night it went on and still liked it.