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A house band, wax-dipped bombers, and six barrel-aged beers later, we walked away surprised by what truly stood out—and what didn’t. We lined up a spectrum: a 5.1% blueberry pastry sour from 608 Brewing, a Russian imperial stout from Bad Weather, two heavy hitters from Barrel Theory (including a Blanton’s-aged collab), and a pair from Forager culminating in a five-thread English-style barleywine. Along the way we challenged labels against the glass, debated whether exotic adjuncts matter if you can’t taste them, and unpacked why some barrels sing while others barely whisper.

The pastry sour proved sweeter than expected, with blueberry and vanilla riding over a very light barrel note. Calamity looked the part but felt restrained on flavor, sparking a discussion about IBUs, roast, and what age can take away. Barrel Theory’s Cursed Visions returned the depth we were craving—thick, chocolate-forward, and polished—while Eternal Frost showcased how 19-year Old Fitzgerald barrels can deliver silk without the burn. From there, Forager’s Nuts promised coconut, roasted nuts, and five origins of vanilla bean “caviar,” yet the adjuncts stayed in the background. Then Romp changed the narrative: a blend of five barleywines aged across Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, George Dickel, and Rock Filter barrels, layered with dried fruit, caramel, leathery oak, and holiday spice. It was cohesive, warming, and our top scorer by a clear margin.

We also pulled back the curtain on process and context—how collabs could better explain who brings what, why Minnesota’s distribution laws separate Forager and Humble Forager, and how English-style barleywine can be a smoother entry point than its American counterpart. If you love barrel-aged beer, you’ll get tasting notes you can trust, respectful critique for rising programs, and a short list of bottles worth hunting down—starting with Romp.

Enjoy the pour? Follow the show, share this episode with a fellow beer nerd, and drop a rating or review to help more listeners find us. Tell us your favorite barrel-aged release this season and what you want us to try next.

Thank you for listening to The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, comment or would like us to review your beer, please feel free to contact us at northbeerguy@gmail.com.

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Ever balanced a flight so big it looks like a train car? We headed to Al Ringling Brewing in Baraboo, Wisconsin, home of circus lore and a taproom built with reclaimed bowling-lane wood, to sample all sixteen taps and rank them from easy sippers to bold experiments. Between the historic pipe organ and the clink of glassware, we dug into what makes each pour work: clean lagers, nuanced ales, and a few curveballs that sparked friendly debate.

We start with approachable classics like Ringling Original, the malty-smooth Hannaford Red, and a pine-forward West Coast IPA that proves IBUs don’t always match perceived bitterness. Cocoa Caliente, an American porter with chocolate and a hint of cinnamon warmth, emerges as an early favorite. From there, we explore a crisp Czech pilsner, a banana-and-wheat hefeweizen, and an English porter that leans roasty and dry. The blonde ale adds a touch of tang, showing how small deviations can make a familiar style feel new.

Curiosity ramps up with a juicy New England IPA, a chai tea–infused blonde that delivers real spice aroma without heaviness, and a tropical hazy loaded with passionfruit, orange, and guava. Then comes the wildcard stretch: a trio of hard seltzers where fruit punch steals the show, a salty-tart pineapple lime gose that divides the table, and Gherkin, a cucumber pilsner that’s surprisingly refreshing when cold. Along the way we talk scoring, palate fatigue, and why sequence matters when tasting across sixteen different profiles.

If you’re planning a visit to Baraboo, consider this your guide to what to order first and what to save for last. Hit play for our honest ratings, favorite picks, and the stories behind a brewery that blends circus history with modern craft. If you enjoy the ride, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us.

Thank you for listening to The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, comment or would like us to review your beer, please feel free to contact us at northbeerguy@gmail.com.

You can also find us on Facebook, YouTube, X (Twitter), Instagram and Tik Tok.

If you are on Untappd, look up NorthwoodsBeerGuy and send a friend request.

Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts, or you can click on our RSS feed as well.

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Think stout has to be dark, heavy, and bitter? We crack open a lineup that challenges the stereotype—white stouts that drink silky and bright, classic nitro smoothness, and a surprise brandy barrel lager that channels a Wisconsin old fashioned.

We start with a final Oktoberfest check-in before diving into lower-ABV stouts, explaining what makes a white stout different and why the flavor cues—vanilla, coffee, white chocolate—can show up without the inky pour. Leinenkugel’s White Mocha Stout and Whole Hog’s Casper White Stout lead the way with balanced vanilla and mocha notes on a pale canvas, proving you can have stout character without the burnt finish. Along the way, we compare nitro vs CO2 mouthfeel using Left Hand’s Milk Stout Nitro and talk about how nitrogen transforms texture into that pillowy, pub-like cascade.

Local love continues with Stone Arch’s Vanilla Oatmeal Stout and Moon Ridge’s Below the Dam, where we weigh expectations vs reality on vanilla, roast, and carbonation. Then comes The Brewing Projekt’s Cow Cow Caramel Macchiato, a salted caramel-forward treat beer that dazzles in aroma and demands slow sipping. For a finale, we pop Lakefront’s Barrel-Aged Holiday Spice Lager—brandy barrel-aged with cinnamon, clove, orange zest, and honey—for a ruby-amber, season-ready sipper that’s smooth, warming, and impeccably balanced.

If you’re stout-curious or just want a fresh angle on winter beers, you’ll leave with a shopping list: start with Casper for your first white stout, keep Leinie’s White Mocha in the fridge, save Cow Cow for dessert, and share that Lakefront holiday lager on a cold night. Got a beer we should try next or a barrel-aged gem we can’t miss? Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and email us at Northwoodsbeerguy at gmail.com with your picks and hot takes.

Thank you for listening to The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, comment or would like us to review your beer, please feel free to contact us at northbeerguy@gmail.com.

You can also find us on Facebook, YouTube, X (Twitter), Instagram and Tik Tok.

If you are on Untappd, look up NorthwoodsBeerGuy and send a friend request.

Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts, or you can click on our RSS feed as well.