Robin Shepard
Superior’s Earth Rider Brewery just started self-distributing a handful of its beers to Madison and Milwaukee in recent weeks. Among Earth Rider brews to watch for are Superior Pale Ale, Caribou Lake IPA, Raspbecrush raspberry sour and North Tower Stout. The latter recently captured a bronze medal in the 2018 World Beer Cup.
What is it? North Tower Stout from Earth Rider Brewery.
Style: The oatmeal stout has a modest malty flavor with hints of smooth caramel and chocolate. With the characteristic dark black color of a stout, this is a medium-bodied beer with some softness from an addition of oats to the grist. These stouts commonly range in strength from 4 to 6 percent ABV.
Background: Earth Rider Brewery got its start in 2017 in Superior’s North Tower Avenue neighborhood (inspiring the name of this stout). The brewery is located on the southern edge of the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior in the old Leamon Mercantile Building, constructed in 1890. Next door is the Cedar Lounge, also a building from the early 1900s that serves as the brewery’s taproom. Earth Rider founder Tim Nelson also helped start the well-known Fitger’s Brewhouse in Duluth. Nelson hired veteran Fitger’s brewer Frank Kaszuba to oversee Earth Rider’s brewery operations.
Earth Rider has an advantage being located on the shores of the largest freshwater lake in North America. As with many breweries in the area, Earth Rider brews with water that comes from Lake Superior; that is, Superior city water, which is drawn from Lake Superior. Water is a key, if often underrated, ingredient in beer. Lake Superior water is soft, which means brewers do not have to get rid of such minerals as calcium and magnesium that are often found in hard water and that alter the taste of beer.
Soft water is especially helpful when making lagers, but is a great platform when making any style of beer. It also means that a brewery doesn’t have to spend money to remove minerals from the water. “It’s great water to work with, very high quality and it makes outstanding-tasting beer," says Kaszuba.
North Tower Stout was among the brewery’s first beers and is available year-round. Its local popularity and award-winning pedigree made it a logical beer for the brewery’s Madison introduction. “Craft is doing really well in Madison. People are looking for different flavors,” says Kaszuba. “There also the allure of the north and beer coming down from there that adds to the draw of our beers in Madison.”
Releasing North Tower Stout in Madison right now also points to the increased popularity of stout around Saint Patrick’s Day. North Tower, as an oatmeal stout, offers a little more body than a beer like Guinness, which makes it a good choice for those looking for something sweet, malty, hardy and suited for Wisconsin’s cool March weather.
North Tower Stout is balanced and clean, made with Irish Stout malt, roasted barley and chocolate malts. Kaszuba adds German Perle hops for some balance; however, this beer’s focus remains on the semi-sweet dark malts.
North Tower Stout finishes at 6.5 percent ABV and 28 IBUs. It is sold in six-packs of 12-ounce cans for around $10. Earth Rider’s beers turned up at this year’s Isthmus Beer and Cheese Festival where a bigger, bolder version of North Tower Stout aged in cognac barrels was a 2019 fest favorite.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light roasted chocolate maltiness.
- Appearance: Black color with a modest bubbly brown head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied with subtle softness.
- Taste: The sweetness of the Irish and chocolate malts are up front. Those malts also offer light dark-fruitiness and a touch of roasted coffee in the background.
- Finish/Aftertaste: There is a pleasant semi-sweet chocolate maltiness, yet it remains clean and balanced.
Glassware: The oatmeal stout has English origins and for that reason the nonic pint lends a bit of tradition. However, the tulip pint made famous by Guinness will focus the chocolate aroma just a bit more while its shapely body shows off the jet black color.
Pairs well with: Sweet meats and stews, as well as battered fish.
The Verdict: This is an oatmeal stout with malty accents of chocolate and coffee, and perhaps a little more sweetness than many others in the style. While the malt character is up front, there’s also a light hint of herbal pine from the Perle hops. The oats give it a touch of softness. While sweet, it is not cloying. It finishes clean without any lingering or sticky aftertaste. I like it because it just a solid stout, with clean malty sweetness. It was a welcome addition to my recent St. Patrick’s Day beer list. This is a well-made example of the style and a beer worthy of attention from stout drinkers.
