Surly Brewing Co. (Brooklyn Center, MN)

Much like many nano and microbreweries, Surly is located amid a small industrial complex, with a portion of the brewery devoted to a taproom and gift shop. Do not let the spartan exterior fool you though, there are some seriously creative beers being made here. Once you pull around the back of the complex and park, and then walk up to the metal facade, the feeling of a faceless building that sits next to a screw manufacturer quickly evaporates as you see groups of smiling faces with full pints in their hands.

Despite having an in-your-face brand that is bent on exuding an attitude of “shut up, and drink a full pint of beer”, there are no employees here with pretentious airs. Although I was a bit disappointed that they only do full 8-16oz pours of their eight available beers in the taproom, I do have to say, Surly might be one of the few breweries in the country where you can enjoy a full glass of 10% abv beer, as well as several wild and sour ales for only $5.

After explaining to the bartender that I had never visited before, he quickly grabbed a glass and poured me a Furious, one of Surly’s American India Pale Ales, and said, “you have to have the Furious then to start with.” Furious uses mostly West Coast, high alpha hops, however isn’t as big as I expected, and is highly hopped beer that won’t put you on your ass. It is also available in cans, and is one of their year-round options.

My second pour was Misanthrope, a Belgian saison aged in white wine barrels inoculated with brettanomyces (wild yeast). It is extremely tart and fruity, and true to a saison, quite dry and finishes very crisp. The beer paired well with the ahi fish tacos I purchased from the outside food truck, a rotating fixture available each evening while the taproom is open.

Several other brett options were available, from another Belgian aged in red wine barrels, to a Brett IPA collaboration with 3 Floyds of Indiana. I expect big things, and big beers, to come of Surly, and absolutely recommend it as a place to explore new beers, as well as kick back for a casual beer or light dinner after work.

Fat Head’s (North Olmsted, OH)

I don’t know what it is with these no-name towns on the outskirts of major cities, but I think that’s the beginning of a formula for great brewpubs: be in the middle of nowhere, but within driving distance of a well-known city + have a great name + a penchant for the ridiculous + an obsession with quality = absurdly good beers.

Fat Head’s is brewed in both PA and OH, and this particular brewery and saloon is located just outside of Cleveland in North Olmsted, OH. The exterior (and even interior) is no different than your typical sports pub, but once you start reviewing the chalk board of taps and reading their respective descriptions in the menu, you quickly develop tunnel vision (or rather, tunnel “taste”) for a wide variety of extremely well-made beers.

I’ve always thought that the mark of a great brewery is one that can handily make a standard and seemingly simple beer like a bitter or pilsner, as well as create complex fruit, aged and other distinctly unique brews. Fat Head’s does the former, latter, and everything in between in droves.

Their Head Hunter IPA has gained accolades at several international beer festivals, but outside of being a classical example of the style, this beer packs an amazing punch of fruity/resiny hops that will surprise even the most jaded of hop heads. The tried and true hops of Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade dominate this ale, with just enough added sweetness and body to allow for the hops to shine through. The lighter body masks that fact that this is a pretty big beer at 7.4% abv. An absolute must try if you visit Fat Head’s.

Duke of Lager, a self-described German Fest Bier, begins with a touch of honey-flavored malt, and finishes dry to make this a great summer beer to enjoy on a hot day.

The Bumbleberry Honey Blueberry Ale is another good summer drinking beer. It tastes of a light lager with a hint of blueberry, dowsed with a dollop of honey, without the cloying or artificial flavor of most commercially brewed blueberry beers.

I saved the heavy Bourbon Barrel Aged Battle Axe Baltic Porter for my final Fat Head, and am glad I did. This is an absolute palate wrecker (and delight), which begins with a big waft of Bourbon, which is also noticeable in the flavor, along with other common whiskey barrel-aged flavors such as vanilla and oak. The beer has a alcohol hotness to it, but is nice, as it reminds you of a snifter of a hearty, quaffable whiskey, but is also balanced with plenty of dark chocolate and roasty coffee notes.

There were no less than eighteen Fat Head’s taps available, not to mention a treasure trove of other craft brews from across the nation. Both widely recognizable brands such as Stone and Troegs could be enjoyed, as well as beer-cult rarities such as 3 Floyds Gumballhead, one of the first American Wheat Wines.

Fat Head’s is one of those brewing rarities that enjoys both commercial success (they now brew in both Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and have won multiple International awards) as well as a distinguishing itself as a unique and distinctly local saloon.