It twas a hot and humid weeknight when the boys made their way to the saintly city to try the Minnesota staple, Red Cow. It has been one of the Twin Cities “must try” burger spots for many years and we were going to test their reputation.

Given my affinity toward interesting burgers, I ordered The Barcelona. This burger, topped with manchego cheese, prosciutto, piquillo pepper and pepper aioli, sounded like a spicy, salty masterpiece. Our waitress agreed dubbing it her favorite burger on the menu.

Immediately, the quality of the meat stood out. The patty was flavor-packed with a slight char. The aioli provided a somewhat mild spice and the manchego cheese cut through with a little sweet that surprised me.

In concept,

the flavor profile of this burger was interesting and fun.

But in execution, I was slightly disappointed that no one flavor stood out. There is a fine line in having too much on a burger and it felt as if they were attempting to walk that line while trying something a little different. But it could have used just a little extra punch from the aioli or one more spice-themed topping.

The bun was an above average offering with some squish and a light crisp to the outside. I felt similarly about the fries - crispy and seasoned well but nothing noteworthy.

Overall, a solid burger but one that slightly disappointed due to the surrounding hype. Because my review curiously goes against the burger-connoisseur grain, a revisit and 2nd attempt should be scheduled to ensure my pallet wasn’t experiencing an “off” day.

"We’re back. Let me say it again for the people in the nosebleeds. WE’RE BACK.

After a 4 year hiatus, the boys are ready to dive back into the Twin Cities burger scene. So for the first stop on the reunion tour, we sauntered over to Gus Gus, an inconspicuous spot next to St. Thomas University. I could smell the food from where I parked half a block away and it had me all but running to get inside and put my order in.

The menu features only one burger, “The Cheeseburger,” but separates itself from other burgers with the addition of a mustard aioli. Everything about this burger screamed quality. With pickles and cheese, both made in-house, caramelized onions, and double smash patties, it’s like the chef took everything I wanted in a burger and created this beaut. The tart mustard aioli paired with the sweetness of the onion brought such a delish flavor to this burger.

But the highlight of this burger for me was the bun. It was airy to the point that I almost questioned its existence but was crisped enough on the outside to add texture. I’ve always said, for me, a bun can make or a break a burger and this bun made this burger and then some. The fries that accompanied the burger were crispy, seasoned well and they came in a healthy pile.

To cap off the night, a round Jell-O shots were ordered. A nod to our years as young stallions in our early 20’s.

Overall, “The Cheeseburger” is everything you expect from a chefy burger with a few additions. The one of a kind aioli and magnificent bun are what skyrocket this burger toward the top of my list of best in the Twin Cities. Don’t walk to this joint. Run!

The purpose of bros, beers, burgers and books is to first and foremost, promote our long-time friendship, but also to try a variety of different styles of burgers. The latter brought us to dine at 112 Eatery. A burger that's been recommended by plenty because of the quality and the fact it's

sandwiched between an english muffin rather than a traditional burger bun.

My thoughts as this burger was planted in from of me: "dat's one thicc a** patty." This single slice of meat fooled me into thinking I had ordered a double. Topped with only cheese and a side of pickles, The 112 Cheeseburger was simple which suggested that the chef is confident in his/her preparation. I was surprised at how much the english muffin changed the taste of the burger. Giving a dry contrast to the delectably juicy patty. The meat was tender and slightly charred on the outside offering an interesting flavor.

I coupled tonight's burger with a Fair State Roselle, a sour beer, because the "I'm drinking sours all year round" tour is still transpiring. My conclusion: it pairs good with everything. Two weeks later, I'm still confused at how the english muffin made me feel. Innovative? Creative? Slightly betrayed? Maybe I'm traditional, but give me buttery buns (noice!) and I'm happy. Serious props goes to one of our servers that vigorously described our cheese plate appetizer in great detail. It alone, was almost worth the price of admission.

Seemingly the only person in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area who hasn't visited The Blue Door Pub, I was elated to try this spot for a October QuadB tasting. In my excitement, I scooped the menu and had my burger order before I arrived. The Islander Blucy caught my eye and spoke to my love for things spicy with a combination of sweet.

This burger is visually striking.

Two large patties and pulled pork topped with what seemed like 5 servings of cheese and a chunky pineapple mango salsa forced me to dab my chin with a napkin from excessive drooling. For added fun, they topped this big guy with pepper jack, muenster and cream cheese with a habanero garlic aioli.

Combining all of these ingredients was creative and delicious. I had a hard time putting down my burger to use the bathroom. The beef patties were cooked to perfection and the cheese was warm and gooey. The bun was fairly standard but didn't take anything away from the overall taste. The fries were fresh cut and lightly seasoned. They weren't the best fries I've ever had but better than most.

I paired my meal with a Bent Paddle Wilderness Tuxedo sour because I am hanging on to summer as long as I can. It was sweet and tart which worked well with the flavor of the burger.

I really enjoyed this joint. Imaginative burgers done very well. I will be back. Very soon. Probably too soon by most people's standards.

The guys went a different route on their monthly meet up in July. We ventured to a brewery to savor their burger wares. It was Surly Brewing Company’s turn to host the bros for a feast. There was only option: the Surly Burger. It came with lettuce, cheese, pickles and a mystery “burger sauce.” The burger came out next to a large pile of french fries and the plate passed the eye test.

Can you say surprise double patty? They can. And they did.

Add on an enormous helping of pickles and cheese and you’ve got a recipe for a solid BBBB rating. The bun had a crisped outside and soft interior that reinforced that you can’t ignore the buns (get it?). The meat was mostly run of the mill with mild flavor and may have been cooked with haste. The crunchy pickles helped immensely. I tasted very little of this aforementioned burger sauce which made me tear up like I was watching the end of The Notebook. The fries were a pleasant surprise with a seasoning that if I knew it was that good, I’d ask for them to put about 13 more shakes of it on these babies.

And to drink, I went with a One Time Session Sour which had serious flavor that I really enjoyed. A sweet summer drink that you can only drink one or two of before it feels like you ate a pound of the sugariest candy on the market.

Overall, a good burger and fries but there are better options out there.

The young men of BBBB converged on the infamous Lyn 65 in an inconspicuous Richfield strip mall. The Lyn 65 Cheeseburger is widely considered one of the best in the Twin Cities. This peaked my interest. The option of having 3 patties on it solidified my attendance.

When the server placed this beautiful burger in front of me, my first thought was

I'm physically attracted to this burger.

The bun had a crispy shell with a soft interior. The patties were melt-in-your-mouth tender with a Dijonaise that added a tangy flavor without overpowering the overall taste. Top it off with house made pickles and you've ensured that I will come back for round 2. I love this burger. No, wait... that's not enough... I am infatuated with this burger. Yeah, that feels right.

For a drink, I had a scotch based cocktail called the Rusty Rose which was sweet and strong. Laslty, end your dinner with a 'whiskey bone luge' because that's what cool kids do.