Belt’s Beer Garden: Being Modest...er, Modist

Today I was able to try a new brewery that I’ve been itching to try - Modest Brewing. But, before I get to the beer, a quick note.

With COVID-19 wreaking havoc across the globe and the US, I (along with so many others) have already lost my full-time job for at least two weeks and many breweries/restaurants/bars have already shut down which makes getting new beers a bit more difficult.

With all that happening, and more challenging times likely ahead, I will do my best to continue Belt’s Beer Garden for as long as I can. And to help keep it going for a bit longer, I will only be reviewing one beer per week.

But while we’re all in quarantine we might as well drink, so without further ado...here we go.

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Over the past few years Minnesota has really been climbing the ranks when it comes to craft beer. It wasn’t long ago that Surly was one of the only highly sought-after breweries from the state but that all has changed.

And Minneapolis’s Modist Brewing is one of those must-have breweries.

Opened a few years back, in 2016, they let their head brewer do things a little different. Instead of working within the confines of a style, he starts with a flavor and experience in mind and then works backwards to achieve his goal.

Despite still only being available in and around the Twin Cities, I was able to get a can of their Dreamyard, a New England IPA. This hazy brew was made with flaked oats and wheat and brewed with Citra and Denali hops. A four-pack of 16-ounce cans costs $13 and each of those cans has a solid 7.1% ABV.

Dreamyard poured a bright and hazy golden straw color with just under two fingers of dense, offwhite head topping it off. The thick foam slowly dissipates, lacing the entirety of the glass as it does so.

On the nose, there is a plethora of juicy and sugary-sweet flavors. Candied lemon (like Lemonheads), stone fruit, grapefruit, and papaya lead the way. The grist sits quietly in the background, adding just a light touch of flaked oats and wheat.

My first sip starts with the tiniest hum of carbonation that quickly fizzles out and allows the beer’s flavors to flow across my tongue.

The flakes wheat and oats actually hit first with some cereal-like graininess and a bit of bready sweetness. However, the hops aren’t quiet for long and very quickly there is a prickle of bitterness followed by a swelling of citrus.

Pineapple, peach, and apricot are the first to appear, the pineapple adding a light acidity to the brew. Slowly that sugary sweet lemon flavor begins to creep forward with some notes of pithy grapefruit peel as well.

Towards the end, the hops impart some grassy notes that brings an oily resinous feeling with it and coats my tongue for a little while after everything else is gone. Outside of that resin, the brew ends cleanly and with very little dryness.

It’s not as juicy as some New England IPAs but it’s certainly easy enough to drink and only has that little twinge of hoppy bitterness early on. Dreamyard was a nice introduction to Modist Brewing for me and I know I’ll be looking for more of their stuff if/when I’m in Minnesota.