CreeeeeekkkkkkkK!!!!!

Let me clear some of the dust off here. (sweep, sweep, sweep, *cough*).

Going to try and get back on the horse and revive my Beer of the Week. It’s been over a year and someone recently mentioned how they enjoyed those (someone read my stuff!) so I feel compelled to bring it back.

In just the last year, the craft beer scene, even in good old Minnesota, has changed dramatically. The rise of social media as a gathering place for craft beer aficionados and the continuing explosive growth in the number of breweries in MN (30 new ones in 2018 alone) means there are more local selections and the competition for my weekly picks are only getting tougher.

This last week for me saw the release of four great new beers at the taproom I work at (Bad Habit Brewing in St. Joseph, MN), a trip to the second oldest family held brewery in the US (Schell’s Brewing in New Ulm, MN), and an influx of hard-to-get beers from outside my local area which made my selection a challenging one. While I had the pleasure of drinking a lot from the Fargo/Moorhead area, specifically Junkyard and Drekker, who both make amazing beers that local beer geeks freak out over. My pick this week, however, goes across the other border into Wisconsin.

Picked up a can of The Brewing Projekt/Drekker collaboration Bounce Bounce Clap Clap milkshake IPA from a local rep who had muled in a few out of state gems. Both Drekker (Fargo, SD) and The Brewing Projekt out of Eau Claire, WI, are well known for hazy NEIPA’s and sours. My previous favorite from TBP was their Almond Boyz Stout (exactly like the candy bar). BBCC comes in a bright yellow 16 oz. tallboy with pink text and a dancing skeleton design harking back to the 1980’s punk and pop clashing sense of style/color.

Pours a muted reddish pink with a medium-high sparkling carbonation. The lemon and raspberry are very apparent in the aroma and smells very summery and delicious. The raspberry is dominant in the flavor with the lemon taking a supporting backseat with a gentle tartness that balances perfectly. Both fruits taste natural/pureed and not artificial or medicinal, which can happen with overdoing fruit additions.

The mouthfeel is a bit on the light side for a milkshake IPA but that is easily overlooked. It finishes very clean and crisp with a lingering, pleasant fruitiness that makes you want more (a lot more!). Very refreshing. It also hides 7% ABV well – coming off more like a shandy.

I guess I need to make an excuse to get the missus to take a trip to Wisconsin soon. Maybe a trip to Eau Claire by train or a stay in Stillwater/Hudson? Definitely will be keeping my eyes out for this one and get more if I have the chance.

Cheers!

ps. for some this beer/label reminds me of this…