Random Sips in the Western Gateway

Beers at Exile Brewing. Left, an Oktoberfest Märzen. Exile nails it for what I expect of the style. Malty, smidgen of hops. 5.1% ABV. Jesus On A Forklift, center, a 12.5% ABV imperial rye stout. Robust, with some appropriate barrel-aged funk. To quote Worf, "A warrior's drink!" Right, an American IPA. I'd call this a West Coast style: dry, hoppy, but not much malt. 7.2% ABV.

Oh, the places I'll go for a beer under five bucks! Such as to Ritual Cafe for a reasonably priced bottle of Negra Modelo, left. Next door at Proof I stepped up to a proper Iowa beer. And West O from Okoboji, center, never disappoints. Finishing the evening at Americana with a draft of Calm Before The Storm, right, from Ballast Point Brewing. An exemplary coffee cream ale!