If you haven’t been over to Kramarczuk’s in Northeast Minneapolis, I recommend you go as quickly as you can.
It’s a fantastic little neighborhood sausage maker, bakery and restaurant all wrapped into one. They’ve been making some of the best sausages this side of the Mississippi since 1954, and have truly made a name for themselves as a Minneapolis landmark. This last weekend, several of us got together for a little spring cook-out, and my friend tossed Kramarczuk’s andouille and curried brats on the grill. It was seriously some of the best stuff I’ve ever had. And paired with two incredible IPA’s and a nice imperial stout, you couldn’t really ask for a better evening. Here’s the rundown on the beers:
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
This is a fantastic and unique blend of a Belgian IPA/Tripel from Brasserie d’Achouffe. Pours with a big yeasty head, with all kinds of champagne-like carbonation escaping from the beautiful lemonade colored beer below. The hops are certainly there in the nose, but the yeast also plays a nice role, kind of like each knows their place in the symphony. Some apple and pear notes come through as well.
Taste is magnificent. Unlike the nose, which trends more to the IPA side, you get more of the sweet malty tripel effect combined with some of the yeast and alcohol. A spicy finish that keeps you coming back for more. Really one of the more complex and well-balanced beers I’ve had in a long time. I’m hoping Alvey at the Four Firkins still has some of this in stock.
Rating: A
Southern Tier Oak-Aged Unearthly Imperial IPA
As if Houblon Chouffe didn’t impress me, along comes Southern Tier with its enormously complex Oak-Aged Unearthly Imperial IPA.
My wine conoisseur friend, who has one of the more finely tuned palates I know of, couldn’t get over how well the oakiness came through like a fine wine. Not too much, but perfectly balanced with the combination of piney hops and caramel malt.
Pours with a great amber coloring, not a big head but you still get a great nose of the oak and hops. Taste is extraordinary, just so much going on. At once you get the big malt backbone, some caramel, maybe a little vanilla. Then the oak coats your mouth as the bittering hops come back in full force. Very thick and dense mouthfeel, something you just want to savor for hours.
Rating: A
Boulevard Smokestack Series Imperial Stout
One of Boulevard’s offerings in their Smokestack Series, and I’d have to say probably not my favorite of the bunch.
Pours with a jet black coloring, not much head, but a chocolately aroma mixed with possibly some licorice or molasses. A smoky quality in the taste, which I didn’t pick up in the nose. The sweet malt balances the bittering hops, but you do get a somewhat dry finish. Mouthfeel was a little thin, considering the style. But a decent imperial stout, nonetheless. I’d like to try it on its own sometime, instead of following a couple other big beers.
Rating: B
April 9, 2009 at 11:38 am
Have you scored the Boulevard bourbon quad yet?
April 9, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Sweet. I’ve been looking for the premier sausage place here. I got one in Duluth but this sounds much better.
April 9, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Haven’t seen the bourbon quad…if I recall, I think it already came and went around here, sold out quickly.
April 9, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It’s great stuff Stu, I may never buy brats from the grocery store again.
April 10, 2009 at 4:22 am
[...] with a tasting menu starting(!) at $85 per person (hat tip: @sarah_mn), The Captain’s Chair features a Kramarczuk’s sausage and beer roundup featuring Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel, Southern Tier Oak-Aged Unearthly Imperial IPA, and [...]
April 10, 2009 at 10:24 am
That’s interesting, I’ve never paired sausages/brats with any beer this big or complex, I’m going to have to try it this weekend. The Boulevard Smokestack series has been interesting. There have been some amazing offerings, like the saison brett; and there have been a couple which were good but didn’t stand out among others in that style. Overall, it’s really cool that they’re making something other than their solid but standard offerings. Supposedly, this is something that Summit is going to start doing as well.
April 10, 2009 at 10:40 am
Their Smokestack is a phenomenal series, I’ve loved most of their stuff. The imperial stout was good, but I think my palate was a little fried by the time we got to it, which is why I’d like to try it on its own some day.
I’d love it if Summit came out with a series like that, it would put them in a whole new realm, in my opinion.