Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake MN

It's Friday, and we really needed to get out of the house for a while. Plan A was to head up to Beer Club Brewing, about 45 minutes away in Mora MN. We stopped by there a while back on the way home from the US Hockey Hall of Fame and had a great time. But as it happens, they're installing new brewing equipment this week, so their taproom is closed until next Friday.

Plan B: Three Twenty Brewing is only a bit further away in Pine City MN. We haven't been there yet. We planned on taking Moose along, and they're dog-friendly, but only on the patio. Since the temperature was barely above zero today, we decided to pass for now.

Ditto Plan C: Garphish Brewing in Bethel MN.

So we decided on Lupulin Brewing. It's in Big Lake MN and in the wrong direction, but we knew they have good beers and they allow dogs inside.

Moose patiently waiting for his beer

They had a bunch of beers this time that they didn't have last time we were here, which is always fun. A couple flights were in order.

Ten new beers, plus one for Moose. And they were all Real Good Beers, with four of the ten making the Beer Me! Hall of Fame and another just barely missing the cut.

The Dapper Donkey Triple IPA (11% abv) was remarkably clean for such a highly-hopped beer. Whole lotta hop flavor, but nowhere near as bitter as the flavor would have you believe.

Winter IPA (6.7% abv) is surprising because it's a "Wheat IPA". Hazy, sure, but clean, bready, and hoppy, without the slick mouthfeel that is so inexplicably popular anymore. This is what New England IPA wishes it tasted like.

The Wee Heavy (8.8% abv) is a spectacular brilliant garnet beauty. Thick and smooth with lots of caramel malt, but not overly sweet. Very nicely balanced.

Rylee's Amber Ale (6% abv) is a smoked ale. I love me some smoked beer, and this one does not disappoint. Rich smoked malt all the way through, and just enough sweetness for balance.

The Scottish Pub Ale (5% abv) is a fizzy-yet-smooth drinker. Lots of darkish caramel malt. Sweet but not too sweet. Maybe a hint of smoke, although I don't know if it actually contains smoked malt. Real good beer.

The best laid plans went astray yet again, but we had a bunch of good beers and Moose made some new friends. SUCCESS!

Some of Lupulin's brewhouse, as seen from the bar