The five in-house fermenters are always full, creating a new batch of one of their great home beers like Maggie (an Imperial IPA) and Captain Fred (classic American lager). Right now he is working on a series of new Belgian-style beers. Among these new beers is the Flanders Ned Ale (Simpsons fans will get the joke). Also on tap this summer are a Cranberry Lambic and a Belgian ale he calls Monk's Sweat. Mark is a Brewmaster who, while at the top of his craft, isn't a guy with a huge ego. Quick to make a joke and quicker to laugh at someone else's, he is the kind of Brewmaster you actually want to have a beer with. To get a sense of his personality, check out his hilarious website, Sweet Mullets. On a recent "fact-finding" mission (okay, "beer-finding" mission), we had the opportunity to sit down with The Captain and try Flander's Ned Ale as well as five of the regular offerings. |
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History The Grumpy Troll is housed in an historic building in downtown Mount Horeb. Originally built in 1916 by the Mount Horeb Creamery and Cheese Company, the building was transformed into a restaurant and brewery in 1996. Originally called the Mount Horeb Pub and Brewery, it became The Grumpy Troll in 2000. Retiring from a life of flight, first piloting helicopters with the Army and then airliners for Northwestern, Mount Horeb native Doug Welshinger bought The Grumpy Troll and reopened on St. Patrick's Day of 2006. The Restaurant The smoke-free restaurant makes up the bulk of the business at The Grumpy Troll. They serve a great selection of American fare like steaks, pork chops and seafood. The have excellent sandwiches like their Reuben and Grumpy Troll burgers made with 100% Angus beef. They have a number of wraps, as well as awesome soup and salads. For the vegetarian there are a number of items. Our vegan president-of-sorts Michael loved the black bean burger and will One can't talk about the Grumpy Troll without mentioning their most famous offering -- Grumpy Chips are thick-cut potato chips warmed and served with a sprinkling of their own Parmesan cheese blend. Order them as an appetizer and the rest of the table will be singing your praises. The most expensive item on the menu is the 12-ounce ribeye, which is $18.95. Most menu items will set you back a lot less. The burgers, sandwiches, and wraps are around $8. A bowl of soup is $5.50 and comes with a corn muffin. Appetizers run from $5-8. Overall, the prices can't be beat for food this good. No wonder the restaurant is a favorite of locals and a destination for the many tourists who come to this "Troll Capital of the World." The Beer Brewmaster Mark "The Captain" Duchow is a native of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Starting as a keg washer, he worked his way to Assistant Brewmaster and then Head Brewmaster of the highly-respected Water Street Brewery in Milwaukee. He came to The Mount Horeb Pub and Brewery in 1998 and stayed until 2001, when he left to continue his craft in Iowa and then Houston. Welshinger was smart enough to coax Duchow back to the new Grumpy Troll in 2006. Upon his return, The Captain began the task of revamping all of The Grumpy Troll's beer selections. Only one Grumpy Troll beer, Trailside Wheat, was here before Mark returned. That one? Well, he created it when he was here the first time. |
The Grumpy Troll Restaurant & Brewery 105 South 2nd Street Mount Horeb, WI 53572 Phone: (608) 437-BREW (2739) Brewmaster Mark "The Captain" Duchow |
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Johnny "Blood" Red Coming out of the gate, the Roundtable headed right into one of Titletown's most popular house brews, Johnny "Blood" Red. This Irish Red Ale is named after Johnny "Blood" McNally, a Green Bay Packers halfback from 1929-33. Not quite as red as some Irish Reds, Johnny has more of a dark-peach complexion. It pours with a nice, thick, creamy head. Up front, the aroma has a distinctly fruity undertone. In terms of taste, it has a rather surprising malty flavor with just a touch of caramel. The Golding hops lend a nice counterbalance. This is not a rich, malty beer, nor is it overly hoppy. We thought Johnny was not an extremely lively beer, which we agreed isn't a bad thing. Titletown has plenty of really bold choices on its beer menu. For a simple Irish Red to compliment your meal, Johnny is one of those great "anytime" choices. English Ale The featured beer at Titletown right now is an ESB that brewmaster David Oldenburg has created. It comes from a rotating selection of unfiltered cask- conditioned English style "real ales" from the beer cellar housed in the top floor bar. Starting with Golden-Promise barley from Scotland, he has added English hops and English yeast. The beer is served from a hand-pumped beer engine at cellar temperature and with minimal carbonation. Poured from the pitcher, it appears a darker gold than the picture above shows. It poured with a thin soapy head due to the low carbonation, and released a heavier malt aroma and less aromatic bite than one would expect from a bitter. On first taste, we noticed some thin, fruity flavors which we didn't expect. This gave way to a nutty, bitter taste, which finished clean, leaving only a hint of an aftertaste that was both sweet and satisfying. Even though it's not as bitter as the ESBs that you would find in, well, England, this beer is a great American introduction to the world of bitters. Railyard Ale A regular offering, Railyard Ale is a Dusseldorf Altbier. Brewmaster David Olderburg says it marries the complexity of an ale to the smooth and clean palate of a lager. It pours a nice copper color with a good head that continuously replenishes. It has a slightly bitter, hoppy aroma with just the right amount of a smokey malt undertone. It has a good, roasted taste, and is just bold and hoppy enough. As with any good altbier, it doesn't confuse the tongue with too much complexity. With a clean, dry finish, it's not unlike many of the beers we've found during visits to Germany. A perfect beer for a crisp spring or autumn evening. Meditator Ahh, the meditator. This is one beer we've found damn hard to explain. A creation of David's, the Meditator is a Belgian Doppelbock. That is, a combination of two monastic beer styles, the German Doppelbock and the Belgian Strong Ale. This dark, ruby-colored beer is truly distinctive. It pours with a fine, caramel head that lasts a while. The first taste that hits your tongue is the good, peppery Belgian flavor. Then the sweet, roasted and chocolatey tastes of the malts of the Doppelbock side of the blend emerge. We found this to be an interesting marriage of two great beer styles, pulling out the best of each. A specialty beer, the Meditator hits at 7% ABV, the highest you'll find at Titletown. This is one we definitely wouldn't mind seeing perfected a bit and added to the list of regulars. Bridge Out Stout A favorite of the locals on these cold Wisconsin winter nights, this oatmeal stout is a meal unto itself. The Bridge Out Stout is poured using nitrogen. It has a gorgeous, deep-brown body with a full, thick, creamy head and a slightly nutty aroma. Uncomplicated, like an oatmeal stout should be, it offers tastes of coffee, cocoa, caramel and a hint of smoke. We hope you'll be able to try all of Titletown's selections, but if you can only try one, this is our choice. |
Our first-ever Featured Brewery is a place we at MidwestMicroBrews have found ourselves more than a few times: Titletown Brewing Company here in our hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin. History Housed in a depot originally built for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway in 1897, Titletown Brewing opened its doors in 1996. Very quickly, Titletown became a destination restaurant for tourists and locals alike. In the heart of downtown Green Bay, Titletown serves as an upscale smoke-free restaurant and microbrewery. Owners have made every effort to beautifully preserve the 100-year history of this city landmark. In December 1999, the depot was officially named to the National Register of Historic Places. The Restaurant Titletown has a wide range of classic American food, everything form burgers and wraps to some of the best pizzas in town. Not too hungry? Try one of their great appetizers like fresh beer-battered cheese curds, or have a cup of their Beer Cheese Soup which they make with one of their signature brews, 400 Honey Ale. While their food is great, the real attraction for us is the beer. The Beer Titletown's Brewmaster, David Oldenburg apprenticed at the Brewery for years, before taking the helm about a year and a half ago. Still a young man, he has already established himself as an accomplished brewmaster. Given a great amount of creative freedom from Titletown President Brent Weycker, David has created some amazing specialty beers, while maintaining the high quality of their signature brews. We visited David recently and took time to sample some of his best. It's a tough job we have, but somebody's gotta do it. |
Titletown Brewing Company Reviews |
We started off with the most popular beer at The Grumpy Troll: Captain Fred. An American lager, it pays homage to the legendary Captain Frederick Pabst, who was a pioneer of Wisconsin and American brewing. Captain Fred is The Grumpy Troll's version of that great American beer, Pabst. As it is poured, it delivers a nice, thick, creamy head. Unfiltered, like all of The Captain's beers, it has a beautiful golden hue and has a sweet, lightly hoppy aroma. Sharp, fresh, mildly yeasty and perfectly hopped, it finishes clean... oh, so clean. Captain Fred drinks like a better version of the light American lagers so many of us started our beer drinking existence with. This is the beer the hipsters drinking PBR at dive bars THINK they're drinking. Erik The Red Ale Like almost all American brewpubs, The Grumpy Troll offers a red ale. But Erik The Red stands apart from most of those by... well, by actually being good! Beyond good, to be more precise. Even unfiltered, Erik has greater clarity than reds, with a gorgeous ruby-brown color. Scents of fruit and spice blend with the sweet malty aroma. It hits the tongue with a floral, almost spring-like taste that quickly gives way to the sweet caramel and smoke flavor that stays in the mouth for a moment after swallowing. A red ale is usually one of the last beers we would order, but if they were all done this well, we might reconsider that. Curly Scotch Ale When breweries tell us they have a Scotch Ale they want us to review, they better be able to back that up. If there is one thing Grandpa McFlannigan taught is, it's how to tell a good scotch ale from the rest of the pack. The Captain's done such a splendid job with Curly that you'd think he grew up in the Highlands. With a nice, hard pour, Curly delivers a thick head that holds itself to the side of the glass. The aroma is both smoky and sweet. Using Fuggle hops and just a bit of peat moss, Curly has a rich, autumnal taste with a sweet, malty complexity. Finishing smooth and velvety, it leaves you with a just a whisper of smoked peat. If we could choose only one beer to have at The Grumpy Troll (and that would be a sad, sad thing), we would go with Curly. Spetsnaz Named after Russia's Special Forces, Spetsnaz was originally going to be a Russian Imperial Stout, but ended up being what The Captain calls an American Styled Stout. Like both Russia and America, Spetsnaz is a beer that is remarkably complex. Spetsnaz pours thick and black. You might think you're getting a Guinness--until you bring it to your nose and the chocolate, smoke and coffee aromas let you know you're holding something with much more. Full and rich Spetsnaz carried those aromas to the mouth, delivering a roasted taste that reminded us of a warm breakfast on a cold winter morning: freshly baked bread, sweet coffee and spices. Taking the silver at the 2007 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship, and the top prize at The Best of the Midwest this year, Spetsnaz is getting some well-deserved attention. If you're a fan of big, bold stouts, this is one you owe it to yourself to try. Maggie Much like her namesake, Margaret Thatcher, Maggie is a beer that can inspire like their beer hoppy, bitter and strong. She clocks in at 100 IBUs and 9% ABV. Like the former Prime Minister, Maggie is as British as they come, using ample amounts of British hops and malts. Maggie pours a creamy peach-brown color. Some IPAs' hops overwhelm the nose, but not Maggie's. The hops mingle well with the Munich malts, making each drink an adventure. Maggie first delivers tastes of juniper and spruce, then citrus and spice, all while maintaining a foundation of grain and hops. While definitely not a beer we would drink consistently over the course of an evening, if you've been drinking darker brews for a while, mix in a Maggie. It'll make you feel like your mouth just went though the car wash... in a good way. Maggie is clean and crisp and reminded us of the ales we've had in London. Flanders Red Ale Set to be released on April 22nd, Flanders is one of the new Belgian-style beers The Captain is trying out. Pouring with a relatively thin, soapy head, its color is actually more brown than red. Even from the smell, we knew we were going to be in for a very sour beer. Sour yes, but also absolutely delicious. At first it seemed a bit overwhelming, with flashes of grapefruit and lemon across the mouth, but after a few sips we began to notice the more complex fruity flavors within. Hints of concord grape and green apple blended with the sharpness and sweetness. Coming out at a perfect time, Flanders will be a great refreshing beer on a hot summer day. |
| Grumpy Troll Reviews |
For this, my first edition of "Notes from the Newbie," I thought I would take a brief moment to tell you a bit about myself, and why, at 25 years of age, I am a beer newbie. Six months ago my palate was quite different than it is today. A fan of screwdrivers, blue UV, and other flavored vodka drinks, I basically refused any drink that didn't have an umbrella. Last October, on an excursion out of the country, I drank what would become my first full pint of beer. This beer, which shall not be named, started me on the path of drinking only good, brewed beers, and I've not looked back since. Six months later I find myself here, pulled up to the bar at The Grumpy Troll, a brewery in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. The atmosphere of the dining area is friendly and welcoming, but we are upstairs, away from the public, about to be served the first of six brews we will be trying. The first up is "Captain Fred." This American lager is light in both taste and color. It smells "clean," if that makes sense, and goes down smooth, with a bit of a crispness to it. Unfortunately, it has a bitter aftertaste that, in my opinion, detracts from the pleasant taste I initially encountered. The next round served up was "Eric the Red." Unlike the "Captain Fred," this red ale has a slight bitterness upon the first tasting, with the aftertaste being sweet and quite pleasant. I find this to be quite an enjoyable brew, with the taste that remains leaving me wanting more. "Eric the Red" was followed by a Scotch ale called "Curly." Before even tasting I can smell a smoky aroma. It is in fact too smoky for my taste, and I find myself having a hard time finishing. If you are looking for a very strong, solid brew, perhaps give this a try. Otherwise, with so many brews to choose from here, I would wait on this one until you are ready for it. Next we tried "Spetsnaz." This is a dark, foamy stout that I find to be solid, yet smooth. A bit hoppy initially, it has an almost chocolaty aftertaste, with a hint of coffee. This is not a combination I would ever think could be successful, but it works well, and I found myself disappointed that we had to move on to the next brew. Then we sampled "Maggie." This is a brownish pale ale with a sweet smell. I find this to have a bright, somewhat fruity taste. Being someone who is not yet accustomed to brews with a lot of hops, this one is a bit strong for me. It does, however, leave a pleasant taste remaining. Finally, we finished off with a "Flanders Red Ale." This has a welcoming fruity scent. It is light going down, but the fruity undertones are too fruity. This is another that I would recommend trying if you are looking for something different in your beer. And so by day's end we had tried quite a variety of flavors, all of which are unique in their own way. If you are looking for just a good solid brew that will fit any occasion and leave you wanting more, I suggest trying "Eric the Red." Personally, however, I found the Spetsnaz to be my favorite. The chocolaty finish was certainly a unique touch that was unexpected but very welcome. So be bold, try something different. You'll be glad you did. Slainte! |
| Titletown Brewing Company 200 Dousman Street Green Bay, WI 54303 Brewmaster: David Oldenberg |
| Notes from the Newbie by Patrick |