Author: Ryan Tuenge

Winterfest 2019 Preview

By on January 21, 2019in beer events, breweries, brewpubs

It’s that time of year again. Dust off your best outfit and prepare for some of the biggest and most unique beers being made in town. The Union Depot will once again play host to Winterfest, which is the premier beer event and a fantastic showcase of food and beverage featuring only local breweries and restaurants. It’s fitting that the state capital (St. Paul)  is home to the premier Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild event.

The event was held at the Minnesota History Center for years, but the number of breweries has grown exponentially so it moved to the Union Depot a number of years ago. Food has been disappearing from beer festivals over the years to try and keep ticket prices down, but the food at Winterfest is usually very good and worth the bump in ticket prices.
Here are five beers that I’m looking forward to trying at this year’s event:
Ice Cream Social from Barrel Theory Beer Company – This Imperial Stout with strawberry, vanilla, cacao, and marshmallow was aged in Willet bourbon barrels. I don’t suppose this will last very long so you might want to put this near the top of your list.
Brave Woman Scottish Ale from Little Thistle Brewing – Steve Finnie knows his Scottish Ales, and I expect this to be one of my favorite beers at the festival. Named after his great, great grandmother who saved the lives of 15 fishermen in a storm, this beer promises notes of caramel, toffee, and chocolate. It boasts a modest 5% ABV which is always welcome at a festival that features so many heavy beers.
Twelve Parsecs from Junkyard Brewing – Lemonade meets IPA. Flavors of summer are here to save us from this bitter cold weather, and I’m excited to taste and smell those Ekuanot Cryo-Hops that they used at the end of the brewing process.
Munich-Style Dunkel from Steel Toe Brewing – Michael Wagner has been tinkering in the brewery over in St. Louis Park for a couple years now, and the results have been great so far. I’m excited to try out his version of this classic style which is very hard to anywhere these days.
#1225 Cherry Ale from Hoops Brewing – If there’s one thing that Dave and his crew are great at, it’s fruit beers. An unapologetic beer that is supposed to taste like cherry pie, just like your grandmother used to make. Door County cherries are the star of the show and will come through in both the flavor and the aroma.
Cheers!

A Wave of Flavor from Indeed Brewing

By on September 17, 2018in general beer, Indeed Brewing Co., new beer

Indeed Brewing has never apologized for their love of hops and for the first time ever they are releasing a year-round IPA called Flavorwave. The can looks straight out of an 80s surfer movie and the contents beg for a day at the beach with palm trees underneath blue skies.

First there was Day Tripper, an IPA disguised as an American Pale Ale and one of two flagship beers (Midnight Ryder being the other) released by the brewery back in 2012. Then came their first IPA (a spring seasonal) called Let it Ride which was a big hit among local beer enthusiasts. Let it Roll followed as a fall seasonal (discontinued) and last year Peach Bum IPA debuted as the summer seasonal.

Flavorwave is a rather aromatic IPA with a moderate bitterness that smells of pineapple, guava, and mandarin oranges. Tropical fruits and citrus peel come through in the flavor and the finish is very crisp and clean compared to many IPAs on the market. This would pair well with spicy coconut shrimp over rice and should be a regular offering in your refrigerator.

Overall it’s a fantastic option, especially in the modern age of Milkshake and NE Style IPAs—which are frankly exhausting at this point.

Cheers!

Fair State and Askov Finlayson team up against Climate Change

By on May 7, 2018in Beer Ingredients, Fair State Brewing, general beer, hops, new beer

Fair State Brewing and Askov Finlayson have teamed up in the fight against climate change with a beer they are calling Keep the North Cold. Askov Finlayson is an apparel company that is known for their commitment to the environment through their “Give 110%” business model.

“Celebrating the North means protecting it, too,” said Askov Finlayson VP of Environmental Impact & Policy Adam Fetcher. “Conventional farming is a big contributor to climate change, which threatens our winters and our best outdoor traditions. We’re proud to support scientists and advocates working to create a future where perennial crops fill our fields and our planet can stay healthy. And partnering with our forward-thinking friends at Fair State has been a blast.”

This Golden Ale utilizes locally grown Kernza (from various farms across Minnesota) which is a perennial grain that produces a large root system up to 10 feet deep in the soil. This root system absorbs a ton of carbon and is known to feed large populations of people where it’s grown around the globe. The Cascade and Chinook hops that were used to make this beer were grown locally at Mighty Axe Farms up in Foley, Minnesota.

The beer itself is a lawnmower beer featuring a light body and earthy undertones from the Kernza. This would make for a great fishing beer or out in the backyard by the grill with friends. Pair it up with some grilled halibut and a citrus salad on a warm summer day. You won’t regret that decision…

Indeed and Steel Toe Collaborate for an Old Favorite in Flock Together Series

By on April 3, 2018in food pairing, general beer, Indeed Brewing Co., MN, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing

You know that Black & Tan you used to order? Well two local breweries have collaborated to bring you a local version with the order reversed. A Tan & Black. Indeed Brewing out of Northeast and Steel Toe from St. Louis Park got together and made two beers with the intention that you’ll order them together in the same glass. The Indeed version is a Wood-Aged Blonde Ale and the Steel Toe beer is a Wood-Aged Rye Bock.

Both beers utilize English malts and were aged on honeycomb spirals from Black Swan Cooperage out of Park Rapids, Minnesota. The Blonde will feature notes of bread, honey, and oak while the Bock will add some chocolate, caramel, and wood flavors.

So why did they switch it from a Black & Tan to a Tan & Black? “I’ve always liked Steel Toe,” says Indeed Lead Brewer Dan Stavig, describing how the collaboration formed. “Michael Wagner (Steel Toe Brewer) and I struck on an idea that sounded unique to us: two different beers made at separate breweries, but designed to be blended together.”

Indeed has always been on top of collaborations and frequently joins forces with local and national breweries (Dangerous, Man, Schell’s, Hoops Brewing, Northbound Smokehouse, New Belgium, and more) to bring special beers to life. Steel Toe on the other hand has been rather quiet on that front with only a couple of collaborations under their belt. Sticky Bubbler with Surly last year for the Red Stag Block Party and a version of Sticker Fight with Boneyard Brewing out of Bend, Oregon.

You can get yourself a Tan & Black at Bunny’s Bar and Grill in St. Louis Park (pair it up with their wings) starting on April, 10th and at Pizza Luce in Roseville (try it with the Italian Sausage Parmigiana) on April, 12th.

Cheers!

Fair State Mirror Universe Review

By on March 14, 2018in Fair State Brewing, general beer, new beer, tap rooms

Haze is all the craze right now and Fair State Brewing seems to be embracing (sorry Niko) this trend. Their collaboration with Modern Times out of San Diego called Spirit Foul was a hit so it’s no wonder they’re going forward with this popular IPA style. Throw in a Star Trek reference and you have my attention. Here are my thoughts on Mirror Universe.

Like all hazy IPAs this looks like grapefruit juice in a fancy glass. Pineapple and papaya come through in the nose and in the flavor but the level of bitterness is very low. This feels like a mouthful of juice, similar to drinking a mimosa. Overall a nice version of the style and very similar to Spirit Foul which is still their best hazy IPA.

Modist is still the local darling when it comes to this style, but don’t sleep on Fair State. They seem to do everything pretty damn well. Grab a four pack of Mirror Universe if you don’t believe me.

Cheers!