Latest Reviews

Double Dry Hopped pseudoSue
Toppling Goliath
Spaceman
Brewfist
Modus Vivendi
Wild Beer Co.

Recent Articles

Outdoor Winter Tippling Tips
Stay safe from the pandemic and stay warm with these winter patio drinking tactics. Shameless
Craft brewer sellouts become as tone-deaf and underhanded as their new overlords. Great Taste Eve
Check out the burgeoning Madison beer scene the night before the best fest in country. Good Beer Makes Good Conversation
The effects of drinking beer worth talking about. The Beers of Walmart
The largest retailer in the world now has its own line of beers. archives »

Beer Reviews

Dankenstein IIPA

Other reviews for this beer:
Nigel Tanner		read it ›

Pearl Street Brewery
La Crosse, WI
USA
http://www.pearlstreetbrewery.com

Style: Imperial/Double IPA
ABV: 9.5%

Rings’s Rating:
   (Recommended)


Comments:
Continuing my tour of Wisconsin, I’m visiting LaCrosse—former home of G. Heileman and one of the U.S.’s largest Oktoberfest celebrations—and current home of City Brewing, a large contract company. It also is reported to have one of the largest bar and tavern populations per capita in the U.S., so I’m a big fan of the town.

Pearl Street Brewing is actually a craft brewer that moved into an expanded facility and started bottling beer several years ago after surviving nearly a decade pouring draft only.

I was kind of intrigued by their “Imperial” India Pale Ale, particularly as it poured a deep caramel pearl red color, hinting at the complex malt grain bill.

There was almost no head, save a few large bubbles that hung around a bit throughout the glass. The nose was herbal pine, as expected, but the profile is primarily malt based. There’s a big hop bite too, with a long dry finish, but not nearly what I’d expect from an IIPA. Personally, I appreciate the balance, even if unexpected.

Checking in at nearly 10 percent ABV, the maltiness and balance combine to make this a relatively drinkable beer and one would not suspect it to be as strong as it is, as the profile is that of a crunchy IPA.

It’s a solid effort, with only the flat appearance and slight medicinal notes holding it back in my view.


Reviewed by Rings on June 17, 2013.

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

Beer Dorks News

Want to know how healthy the craft beer industry is? As always, look to Portland. Craft pioneer Bridgeport announces sudden closure, adding to a growing list of PDX casualties. Did Anheuser-Busch Chicago offer their shit beer to Cody Parkey before his missed field goal? Because that may explain why he "accidentally" biffed it. Chicago now has the most breweries of any city in the country. Other things Chicago has the most of: murders, mobsters, and Ditkas. Trying to spin it positive, BA releases end of year graphic. Only 5% growth in the craft sector when nearly 1000 new breweries opened? That's a collapse waiting to happen. R.I.P. Tallgrass... another casualty as the regional/national craft beer market continues to get squeezed. Wait... Constellation Brands cut all of the Ballast Point and Funky Buddha sales staff? They merged it with their Corona/Modelo staff?? We're SHOCKED!!! Pizza Beer founder crying about failure of company, blames everyone else. Reminder, the beer tasted like vomit. Try having better ideas or making better products so you're not a failure. It's Bud Light so doesn't really matter, but we expect this beer to be sitting around for awhile. Indiana brewery to open with controversial beer names to "get the conversation going". Translation: taking advantage of serious issues for free publicity. Hundreds of amazing beers in Wisconsin and the Cubs took back the one everyone drinks just because it exists and people have heard of it. How fitting...