JAN 23, 2025 | FEATURES | By Megan Burich and Izzy Roe
Dear readers,
Here at Beer for Babes, we hope everyone’s winter break was restful and rejuvenating. Much to our dismay, Megan is abroad for Block 5, so we decided to rip a beer for our babe before she left for Italy. This Beer for Babes takes place in the lovely state of Wisconsin. For our readers under 21, bring an adult here, and you can drink underage if they claim you as their child. This edition took place at Earth Rider Brewery in Superior, Wis., and contains a special guest: Izzy’s father, Rob Roe. Why were we in Wisconsin? Megan followed Izzy home for the first half of the holidays, cosplaying as her significant other.
Each of us chose a distinct beer from their beer list. We started with Megan’s choice: the Tap Shack, a Caribbean-style lager (5% ABV). Megan thought this beer would be a simple, easy-to-get-down beverage for our first drink of the evening, especially after excessive drinking the previous nights. This beer was simple and smooth, with a faint hint of lime. Was the lime even in the room while making this beer? Unclear.
Overall, the Tap Shack was underwhelming compared to what we expected from a classic lager. We were mostly intrigued by the fact that it was ‘Caribbean-style,’ as we had only heard of Mexican-style lagers. Spoiler alert: they taste very similar. It paired well with losing every pull tab (IYKYK), making the loss more bearable.
Next up was Izzy’s choice: the Stoney Point IPA (6.5% ABV), named after a famous surfing spot on Lake Superior. If you are confused by the concept of surfing on a lake, Megan feels the same. It’s terrifying what Lake Superior can do, to be honest, but Izzy had been planning on dipping in the almost freezing waters over New Year’s. The chug on this one was honestly not bad, as it was probably fueled by Megan’s attempt to impress her future in-laws (Izzy’s dad). This beer was a super yummy, refreshing, tropical IPA. It did not feel too heavy, and it was surprisingly not burpy, much to Rob’s dismay.
This beer paired well with weird South Dakota stories from Izzy’s cousin, who told us he gets a dill pickle in his Kona Big Wave at the bar (this may just be him). However, we supported the idea and liked his description: “It’s like a reward for finishing my beer.” This beer ended on a depressing note as Megan knocked over and spilled half of it. So much for impressing the in-laws!
Lastly, we drank Rob’s pick: a Vienna-style lager named “1332’,” (5.2% ABV), named for the deepest point in Lake Superior. Izzy and Megan were slightly nervous about this darker beer but pleasantly surprised. The lager was remarkably light on the stomach for how dark it looked, and the malt notes did not overpower its flavors. Belchability was high, and as we drank on, Rob did not like how the beer was sitting. He described the second half of this beer as “stale.” However, it got us drunk enough to buy 24 mystery beers for $20, which is not bad compared to Weber’s prices for quality beer.
To conclude, we loved this place and its beer. This brewery embodied what Tony’s wants to be, with boats and surfboards hanging from the ceiling and a random man performing live music in the corner. It felt like a truly local place and less pretentious than most breweries we have been to. It also helped that the beers were around $7 for a pint, compared to prices of $10 in Colorado. Overall, the Midwest just does beer best.
Stay tuned for some exciting guests coming up, as Megan will be on a short hiatus for the next two articles (or she’ll write one from Italy, who knows). See ya!