Robin Shepard
Pumpkin beers are among the most polarizing beers of fall. These gourd-based brews divide drinkers into two camps, lovers and haters, and (like current politics) few moderates in between. 3 Sheeps Brewing of Sheboygan has taken its highly regarded barrel-aged Belgian quadruple called Veneration and spiced it up. Introduced via a small batch last year, Pumpkin Spice Veneration has now hit Madison store shelves for 2021 in four-packs of 12-ounce cans ($16-$18). Brewery owner and brewmaster Grant Pauly takes Veneration (made with figs and molasses and aged for nine months in Heaven Hill rye whisky barrels) and adds pumpkin spices. “It took a little time to get the flavors where we wanted them, so they wouldn’t be too heavy with clove and pumpkin,” says Pauly. This beer is a full-bodied, big, boozy, pumpkin beer. The underlying fruitiness of the quad blends well with the pumpkin spices, but it's the rye whiskey undertones together with the cinnamon and cloves that really creates this beer’s spicy dryness and sweet warmth. This is a spooky strong beer that will sneak up on you at 12 percent ABV. I suggest holding onto some of Pumpkin Spice Veneration to accompany upcoming holiday meals as dessert in a glass.
As fall sets in with shorter days and longer nights, Dark Skies from Door County Brewing in Baileys Harbor is among my top picks for the season. I got an early taste of it at the Thirsty Troll Brew Fest in Mount Horeb on Sept. 11 and then rushed out to buy a six-pack (when it hit Madison shelves about a week later). It has deep black color — like a starless night — but don’t let misperceptions over dark beers being heavy and strong prevent you from enjoying this one. It’s much lighter in body and strength than its appearance suggests. At 5.2 percent ABV, it has a medium body and nicely balanced flavors and is easy to drink. It shares characteristics of German schwarzbiers and Czech dark lagers known for smooth chocolate maltiness, with hints of light toasty toffee notes. Its name is an homage to Door County’s Newport State Park, one of the few designated “dark sky parks” in the country that attract stargazers looking for prime views of the cosmos.
Hoppy bragging rights go to Raised Grain Brewing for Lonesome Citra IPA. The beer was crowned the best IPA in the state at the fifth annual Wisconsin IPA Fest held August 28 at Third Space Brewing in Milwaukee. More than 50 breweries competed, some bringing multiple entries, to be ranked by their fellow brewers and a handful of special guest judges (including me). Lonesome Citra is part of Raised Grain’s Lonesome Hazy IPA series that features single hop recipes. This hazy IPA is bursting with juicy orange and tangerine flavor and it is worth the attention it has been getting. Within days after winning the 2021 title, the beer sold out in the Waukesha taproom. But don’t despair, the brewery’s Nick Reistad says it’s back on the brew schedule. Watch for it later in the month in four-packs of 16-ounce cans ($11-$13).
The newest beer from Giant Jones Brewing is a Belgian dubbel. The brewery already makes a number of Belgian styles including a golden strong, a tripel and its American-Belgo Double IPA. Brewmaster Jessica Jones also intends to add a dark strong in early 2022. “We are such a niche brewery anyway, and people are crazy for Belgians,” says Jones. Like all of the brewery’s beers, the dubbel is certified organic. Jones makes it with Munich malts and Belgian candi sugar for those expected dubbel characteristics of rich dark fruitiness and warm sweetness. It is fermented with a yeast strain used by Belgium’s Rochefort Brewery. At around 8 percent ABV, it fits well among the big beers that this small brewery loves to make. Look for its official release around Oct. 21 in the taproom ($6/glass) and in local stores in 500 mL bottles ($6-$8).
Robin Shepard
Group Text emerged as a star from a flight at Hop Haus-Fitchburg.
In a recent four-beer flight at Fitchburg’s Hop Haus Brewing Company, Group Text Champion emerged from the sample tray with its lighter, sessionable qualities. This pale ale features Citra hops and sweet orange peel. The added orange amps up the tropical sweetness. It has a dry, crisp finish and at 5.9 percent ABV it’s good on its own or with a meal. Group Text Champion emerged from pilot batches that brewmaster and owner Phil Hoechst was using to develop a light-bodied hoppy beer for next summer, one that will complement the brewery’s year-round Yardwork Crushable IPA. “People are looking for beers of around 5 percent that play well with outdoor activities like camping, boating and golfing,” he says. “They want something that’s refreshing, crisp, and with hop flavor that isn’t bitter.” Group Text Champion is available for $6/glass or $13/crowler at both the Fitchburg and Verona locations.
