Robin Shepard
1840 is known for the shape of its 500 mL bottles as well as the beers within.
Milwaukee’s 1840 Brewing Company has been gradually increasing distribution into Madison over the pandemic months; beers now arrive every one to three weeks. The brewery is known in part for its packaging in 500 mL “medicine bottles” — but the beers inside are also worthy. Among current offerings is Köldisch. This IPA is hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Strata then fermented with a kölsch yeast at cold temperatures to brighten the juiciness of the hops. Nelson Sauvin lends white wine character, which blends well with the subtle fruitiness of the kölsch yeast. It is moderately strong at 6.8 percent ABV but the crisp tropical sweetness makes it seem lighter.
Another 1840 beer expected to land on Madison shelves by the third week of December is Sword Ceremony. The brewery collaborated with Drekker Brewing Company of Fargo, North Dakota, to make a big 10.7 percent ABV triple IPA. (The two breweries worked out recipe details over Skype.) It features three different types of Citra hops that create lots of juicy tropical flavor in this hazy IPA. Brewery staff from Drekker will be in Milwaukee later this month for the release party (details on Facebook). The beer’s name is a nod to Drekker’s Nordic theme; a sword ceremony is among Viking wedding rituals. 1840 Brewing’s 500 mL bottles sell for $6-$10.
Madison’s Young Blood Beer Company, which opened in May 2020, has developed a following for its wide-ranging rotation of hoppy and sour beers, like the recently released hazy IPA called Code Name: Anti-Colin Robinson. (The name is a reference to a vampire in the FX comedy What We Do in the Shadows).
However, there’s also a sweet side to head brewer Kyle Gregorash, who just released a Scotch ale called Hell Bent on Leather. This dark amber ale is soft, smooth and well-balanced with hints of toffee and roastedness. It appeared on draft in the brewery’s King Street taproom last month, while four-packs of 16-ounce cans for ($14-$16) will hit shelves in early December. As with all Young Blood beers, batches are small so if you want it, buy it as soon as you see it. The brewery also recently fired up its new 10-barrel brewing system in a space it’s developing on Madison’s east side, giving it more ability to turn out packaged beers for off-site distribution.
Green Bay’s Hinterland Brewery is out with a gluten-free beer called Saving Gracie, a hazy IPA brewed with millet and buckwheat instead of barley. The beer has been in development for a couple of years but has not been packaged for distribution until this fall. The hop bill includes Galaxy and Lemondrop; these give it crisp orange and grapefruit flavor. This beer will appeal whether or not you are looking for gluten-free, and that was intentional, says brewery owner Bill Tressler, who chose the hazy IPA as a style people could get excited about. He named the beer for his daughter, who has health challenges associated with consuming gluten. Saving Gracie finishes at 5.1 percent ABV and 40 IBUs and is sold in six-packs of 12-ounce cans ($10).
As a tribute to Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot Major Durwood “Hawk” Jones, Karben4 Brewing has added a new beer to its ongoing lineup. Hawk Jones Session IPA is named after the Madison-based F-16 pilot who died in December 2020 when his plane crashed during a training flight in Hiawatha National Park in Michigan’s upper peninsula. Hawk was Jones’ call-sign used when he was in the air. Over the years the Karben4 taproom has been a gathering spot for Wisconsin Air National Guard pilots and crew. Jones and his wife, Corinne, were regular visitors to the brewery. Last March, members of the local air guard unit approached Karben4 brewmaster Ryan Koga about making a beer to serve at the pilot’s memorial service. Corinne even came to the brewery to take part in brew day. “We’ve really gotten to know a lot of the air guard pilots and crew,” says Koga, who admires their training “to keep their skills sharp and ready at a moment’s notice.”
This is a medium-bodied beer mildly bittered with Centennial and Mosaic hops. It has an inviting malty balance and at 4.5 percent ABV it's a session-style ale. After the beer is more established, Koga plans to offer some of the proceeds to an appropriate memorial fund. Hawk Jones Session IPA is now part of Karben4’s regular offerings in six-packs of 12-ounce cans ($10).
