It can be said that I'm ever in search of the best craft brewery and the best craft beer.
About five years ago on our weekly shopping trip to town I came across a pickup with a body wrap advertising a brewery. I asked the guy what's up with that and he told me they were opening a new craft brewery in the remodeled brick granary building.
WOO HOO! Finally a craft brewery that is only 15 miles from the farm.
And while the decor is top notch the same can't be said for the beer. After numerous visits my friends and I have come to the conclusion that the beer lacks carbonation making it barely drinkable.
Most recently, in the continuing craft beer quest, I hitched up the camper and headed into Iowa and Minnesota on a five day journey.
First stop was the Wise I Brewery in LeMars, Iowa, which turned out to be the best one of the entire trip.
What made it so good was the worthy selection of traditional beers, notwithstanding that they did have a couple of flavored added beers. I have a hard time understanding why brewers have to add fruit and other flavors to beer.
The traditional beers included an imperial stout and very respectable porter. So respectable that it certainly might require another trip there.
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Still in Iowa was the Breu Haus "coffee and brewery," which turned out to be a disappointment. At least so far as the beer was concerned.
The place seemed to be set up for specialty coffee and the beer selection was abysmal, as was the beer. Seemingly the brewing of beer was an afterthought to the brewing of coffee.
I did try the dark lager, but it was weak and lacking flavor.
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On into Worthington, Minnesota is the Forbidden Barrel Brewing Company.
They did have a reasonable selection of beers, however was disappointed that they hadn't brewed any dark beers recently and had to settle for a drinkable scottish ale.
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The journey in Minnesota continued to the small town of Madelia and the Lost Sanity Brewery.
While they did have a few flavored beers, I was able to find a very good black lager (Schwarzbier), which actually was good enough to have a few.
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The final brewery was the Locale Brewery in Mankato, Minnesota.
It was more of an upscale or modern decor brewery with mostly flavored beers.
While they did not have any porters or stouts I once again resorted to a black lager, which they called "Schwarzwald," a take on Schwarzbier I suppose.
While I much prefer porters and stouts it proved to be a very good lager.
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Interestingly I found no pilsners and the closest were a couple of Mexican "style" lagers.
All in all in the 650 mile tour the majority of breweries were good, albeit short on porters and stouts. I will note that in every instance I walked from where I was camping to the breweries (except in Mankato where Uber did the driving), with the furthest being over a mile distance. No sense in driving after having a few, eh?
I already have plans for my next craft beer brewery quest to head west in Nebraska and try a few places I haven't been to.
