Pick 6 Poems: Wisconsin/Colorado Cousins

I got a 6 pack of beer brewed in two great beer states – Wisconsin and Colorado.  

Pick 6 Winner: Octopi’s Hop Rocket  

I’ve always thought of Colorado and Wisconsin as kindred spirits — or cousin states. Both states appreciate the great outdoors and have an affinity for great beer. I’m pretty sure if I didn’t live in one, I’d reside in the other.

I split this 6 pack right down the middle. 3 Wisconsin beers and 3 Colorado. Here are the drunk slurred word poems these great beer states inspired.

One Barrel Brewing – Fanny Pack – 6.5% – IPA

One Barrel’s Fanny Pack is a throwback IPA, before the excotic hops, haziness, or any of the other trends. And it shows. It has a strong piney, resin flavor, with zesty, riney, citrus notes, and a short spicey kick at the end, that finishes semi-dry. It reminds me of IPA classics, like Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale or a more piney Bell’s Two Hearted.

‘I wandered through the Great Forest 
of fragrant pine ancient oak 
it was there I happened upon a ghost 
in my lucid dream he offered this toast  
“to the IPAs we love the most”’

Epic – S.O.B. (Son of a Baptist) – 8% – Coffee Stout

I’m just gonna come right out and say it. This might be one of the best coffee stouts I’ve ever had.

Here’s what Epic says:

“…its flavor profile was designed to highlight the complex and often unique flavors of small batch coffees. Instead of sourcing a coffee that would play well in a beer we sought out creative and innovative roasters, then asked them which beans they’re passionate about. Each resulting release of Son of a Baptist is widely different depending on the coffee selected. Some are fruity and sweet with notes of jam and chocolate, others are rich and earthy with a big roasted finish.”  

I can’t recall which release the one I had was, but I’d put money on it being in the earthy, roasted finish. But there were hints of sweet cocoa as well. This stout reminded me of Founder’s Breakfast Stout, but definitely with more chocolate, toffee flavor. It was perfect.

‘4 am 
black coffee  
stouts 
mumbling along  
to our favorite songs 
giving the occasional shout.’  

Epic – Los Locos – 4.8% – Adjunct Lager

This is another one of my favorites from Epic. It’s the very definition of the perfect beach beer.

Epic describes it as a “crazy idea: brew a Mexican-Style Lager with corn, natural lime juice and just a hint of salt.”

You get all that’s advertised. There’s a refreshing bite from the lime that pairs well with the saltiness, and then there’s a corn/grainy sweetness. Like I said, a must have on the beach.

‘All of life seems 
like a search  
that permanent summer 
the holy church 
of sunny beach slumber 
beer in hand 
feet in warm sand 
that’s the promised land.’  

Octopi Brewing – Hop Rocket – 6.5% – IPA

Oh man, you can taste the juicy mosaic hop flavor right away. There are nice notes of refreshing tropical fruits, like mango and pineapple, grapefruit, and almost very little to no bitterness. It finishes on the back end with a subtly sweet caramel malt. A must try for someone looking for a flavor-packed beer but isn’t too keen on bitter IPAs.

‘Hop Rocket’s  
got it 
a top five favorite 
the flavor its 
sunshine in can 
juice best enjoyed by the  
ocean.’  

New Belgium – Tartastic Rasberry Lime Ale – 4.2% – Berliner Weiss

Looks like they change up their Tartastic series up every so often. The new iteration is a Lemon Ginger sour, which to me, doesn’t sound as appealing as the Raspberry Lime.

But as for this, I noticed little sour or tart lime flavor. The sweet raspberry dominates, and with the stronger caramel malts, it kind of gives it that Raspberry Lipton Ice Tea flavor. Not as tart as I was expecting for both a Berliner Weiss and something with tartastic in the name. Not bad by any means, just not what I was expecting.

‘prairie storm 
rolling in  
thoughts of thunder 
and of sin  
electric clouds  
black and shroud 
prairie banshees  
rave at the barnyard dances.’  

Octopi Brewing  – Galaxy – 5.5% – IPA

This was a dank IPA, with some more juicy notes of pineapple and tropical fruits. It had more bitterness than the Hop Rocket, and finished more dry than juicy, with a stronger toasted malt background. Still, a solid IPA. I love Octopi so far.

‘I love my friendos 
this, till the  
endo.’

—

(Want me to write about your beer? Click here.  
Curious about what the hell a pick 6 poem is? Click here.)