Author: ryan

Ryan Anderson (that's me!) is the editor & founder of MNBeer. Much has changed since the fall of 2005 and I'm proud to have been a part of it all. Sometime I'll tell you about my grand theory that links craft brewing to punk rock. Just ask.

Bent Paddle Trampled Golden Ale

On the heels of their 6th anniversary, our friends at Bent Paddle has released Trampled American Golden Ale, a collaboration with Duluth-based band Trampled by Turtles. The beer is (not surprisingly) golden in color, with a “not-too-sweet” malt profile with a hit of fresh hop flavor on the end.

“The band was looking for something lower in alcohol content but full of flavor – a beer you could enjoy while you were at a concert.” says Bent Paddle Co-Founder Karen Tonnis. At 4.6% abv, this beer should be a great match for doing just that.

Aside from retail release, you’ll find some temporary distribution of this beer during upcoming Trampled by Turtles shows as well.

  • May 17 | Special Beer Release Event @ Kelly’s Bar in Red Wing, MN (a bar made famous by the Trampled by Turtles Kelly’s Bar song)
  • June 13-16 | Events Surrounding the Blue Ox Music Festival Show in Eau Claire, WI
  • July 6 | Trampled by Turtles Headlining Concert @ Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, MN
  • July 23 – 25 | Events Surrounding the Red Rocks Amphitheater Concert in Morrison, CO
  • August 29 | Events Surrounding the Sister Cities Smokeout Show in Moorhead, MN
  • September 21 | Trampled by Turtles + Avett Brothers Concert @ Treasure Island Casino

    in Red Wing, MN

Fair State Mixed Culture

We’re about a month out from a very cool event organized by out friends at Fair State, Mixed Culture. if you’ve never experienced Mixed Culture, strap on your beer drinking cap (?) and head to Fair State on Saturday, June 15th for a variety of rare beers from some of Fair State’s favorite breweries, with offerings ranging from sour beers to pale ales, lagers and ciders. We’re told that most of the offerings are not normally available in Minnesota, so you may not want to miss out!

Mixed Culture is broken up into sampling sessions – 1-4pm and 6-9pm. Tickets run $55 and can be purchased here. There are also early access passes available for those of you who want an extra hour to sample. Early access for the first session is sold out, but as I write this, early access to the evening session are still available here for $65.

Tickets include admission, unlimited samples during your session and a sweet Mixed Culture glass.

Minnesota BBQ Co. will be on site all day and selling smoked meats, classic sides, and all the fixings.

Guest Breweries:

Bottle Logic Brewing | Anaheim, CA
⁣⁣Burial Beer Co.⁣ | Raleigh, NC
⁣⁣Earth Rider Brewery⁣ | Superior, MN
Firestone Walker Barrelworks⁣ | Paso Robles, CA
⁣⁣Forest and Main Brewing Company⁣ | Ambler, PA
Fonta Flora Brewery⁣ | Morganton, NC
⁣⁣Forager Brewery ⁣| Rochester, MN
Funk Factory Geuzeria ⁣| Madison, WI
Grimm Artisanal Ales ⁣| NYC
Half Acre Beer Company⁣ | Chicago, IL
Interboro Spirits and Ales⁣ | NYC
Industrial Arts Brewing Company⁣ | Garnerville, NY
Kings County Brewers Collective⁣ | NYC
Live Oak Brewing Company⁣ | Austin, TX
Other Half Brewing Company⁣ | NYC
Surly Brewing Co.⁣ | Minneapolis, MN
Sociable Ciderwerks ⁣| Minneapolis, MN
Threes Brewing ⁣| NYC
Urban Artifact ⁣| Cincinnati, OH

 

Blessing of the Maibock

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery is bring back their oldest tradition this Saturday at 5pm – the Blessing of the Maibock. Reverend Aron Kramer returns yet again to bless the Maibock at Town Hall and usher in spring. This is an awesome event and we think you should go! Bonus: free maibock!

Details

Saturday, May 4, 5 p.m. blessing, following by free maibock until 6 p.m.

Bent Brewstillery’s Cocktail Room Push

Our friends at Bent Brewstillery are making a final push to change a law that prohibits them from having a Cocktail Room. Current law prohibits businesses from owning both a Brewer’s Taproom License and a Micro-Distiller’s Cocktail Room License.

According to a recent email, they’ve reached the end of their run at changing the law this year and need as much personal support as they can get before March 24th. If you’re interested in learning more, please take a look at some information on their website: www.bentbrewstillery.com/advocacy/

If you’d like to lend a hand, please contact your state representatives now! Follow this link if you need help contacting your state representatives: www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts/

Be sure to let them know that you support SF158 (Senate) or HF347 (House). Be sure to include your address so that they are aware that you are a constituent!

Updates!

Well hello there dear reader… you’re still out there, right? It’s 2019 and if you’ve found your way to this site, there’s a good chance that you’re amped about Minnesota craft beer. We’re right there with you! 11 years ago it was a “challenge” to drink only Minnesota-made beer for the year. Today it’s practically a reality.

In 2019, we plan to keep up our “feverish” schedule of posts. 😉 Right now I’m working on a database to organize the breweries, combining breweries and brewpubs into one listing. For those who care to understand the difference between the two, we promise to add the business model to the database. We’re also planning to bring our brewery map back. …and hopefully keep on top of every brewery opening (and sadly, closing) in Minnesota.

Finally, our hearts go out to Portage Brewing Company in Walker. If you haven’t heard, a fire caused massive damage to their building. Given the time that it takes to build a brewery, one can only guess that they have a long road ahead of them. No doubt there will be options to help support them in the future – if you’d like to get a jump on things, there’s a silent auction and benefit Sunday at Chase on the Lake in Walker.

Be good to each other beer nerds,

Ryan