New Brewery -- Somewhere in Middle America

New is kind of a relative term in my eyes.  So when I say I found a new brewery -- please don't ridicule me if you knew about it a month ago.  Also, for the next few days ... please remember that I do not live in Nebraska.  Just visiting and doing my best to stay hydrated.


According to their blog, Zipline Brewing Company first started pouring beer in their current location in Lincoln, Nebraska in November 2012.  As of today, they have a nice size taproom full of cozy seating options with limited hours (Thursday/Friday 3-8pm and Saturday 1-8pm) and their beers are on tap at a handful of bars and restaurants in and around Lincoln.  The crew just recently started bottling their brews for distribution and again, according to their blog, the first few bottles should be hitting the shelves sometime this summer.

Anyway, my mom told me about this brewery a few months ago because she works with someone involved with the brewery.  But it seems like every time I come to visit, we're always rushing around trying to see everyone and there's never any time to go out exploring.  However, thanks to my daughter who fell asleep in the car on the way home from visiting her great-grandmother - we had a little time to do some extra driving today.  And we found it...99% without using the interwebs.  Not bad.  As we approached the building, 1) my daughter woke up and 2) we realized there were not many cars around.  <They better not be closed!!!>  I parked the car and watched a guy walk in the front door.  Sweet.  Wait here kids -- mommy's going to go see if she can get some beer!  In I walk and there are 2 dudes sitting at a picnic-style table.  No beers in front of them.  I ask if they're open and of course, they are not.  I ask if I could possibly (I might have said pretty please) buy a growler.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

A few minutes later, mommy comes skipping out of the brewery on a hellaciously windy day with a growler full of beer.  Both my mom and two year old daughter laughed.  Then my daughter pointed at the growler and said "mommy's beer" -- definitely a proud parenting moment in my book.

Copper Alt (5.2% ABV)
Zipline Brewing Company
Lincoln, Nebraska

The Copper Alt is a crowd pleasing brew...meaning that both my mom and dad (who have very different beer tastes) enjoyed it and we had no problem finishing off the growler in an afternoon.  The brewer describes it as a unique ale/lager hybrid.  If I had to compare it to something, I'm going to go with a nuttier and slightly sweeter Newcastle.  The nut flavor was obvious and the chocolate flavor was a bit more subtle.  It is a very drinkable beer.

Recommendations: put down the can of Bud Light and tell your friends to meet you here for happy hour this Friday afternoon.  Check out their website or Facebook page to double check the tap room hours (subject to change) then stop by one day and have a brew or five.  And once you see it on the shelves around town, please pick one or two up and mail them to my house.