Author: Mag

News from SW MN

Some of this is a repeat from earlier news shared by the gang at Brau Bros. (that did not get posted on MN) and some of this is new.

Here’s what’s going down in Southwest MN, We’re just about ready to start hop harvest! Early hops, like Centennial and Hallertaur are just about ready to pick. Later hops, like Cascade and Sterling are anywhere from flowering to decent size cone. We’ll have enough to start brewing this year’s Fresh Hop in the next week or two. This year we anticipate a large enough yield to bottle and distribute the wet hop ale! It won’t be much, probably under 2000 cases. It will be called…drum roll…Hundred Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale. Literally, it’s about 100 yards from the hopyard to the brew kettle. We pick our hops minutes before they are introduced to wort or beer. Not sure what final IBU will be; I’m not even sure we’ll test them this year. However, the plan is to use up to 100lbs of fresh hops per batch! (unless we get tired of picking them).

Barley is swatted and is resting in windrows right now in the barley patch. After a few dry days, it will be combined, cleaned, and ready for malting. As always, our two-row barley is malted and blended into all Brau Brothers Beers. Not sure if we’ll have time to do an estate beer this year. Hopefully next year we’ll have more time on our hands. The experimental barley patch has been a huge success, and we look forward to expanding its footprint and our usage of locally grown raw materials.

Now to the big news, the Brau Family is growing! Daniel Stavig has agreed to join us here at the brewery and will be brewing full-time here in Lucan! We’ve been extremely behind for months, and we found a sucker – I mean motivated individual – to join the team. Many of you know Dan from the Four Firkins, and are well aware of his knowledge and genuine interest in beer and brewing. We’re excited to bring his experience with unique styles to the brewery, and hope to expand our pilot- and R&D- brewing in an effort to create new and exciting beers and experiment with funky brewing techniques. Fresh eyes and ideas are always a positive! I suppose we’ll have to change to Lucan Minnesota, Population 222.

 Finally, this is a great time to come out and visit. If you haven’t already been out to see the brewery, just give a call or send an email mary@braubeer.com and schedule your tour. No hired tour guides, no script, and no hourly schedules. Just a personal, guided tour through the brewery and hopyard.

Take care, and thanks for supporting the brewery!

Dustin

How Now Brau Crowd

‘Zup?  Here’s an update from Dustin Brau of Brau Bros.

Very quickly, this is what’s going on in Lucan,

I apologize for resending the Rubus Black info, but quite a few ISP’s kicked it back to me last time so I will include it.  Feedback on the beer has been terrific; this is a recipe we will definitely save for future brewing.  When not using locally grown malt, I like maris otter as a base malt.  It’s fun and easy to build body with it.  I’ve got Iowa’s Rubus set to ship, Wisconsin’s is on its way, and South Dakota already has theirs.  Time to start thinking about what to do next in the 750’s.  Any ideas??

I’ve got a pretty good idea of what this year’s Fresh Hop Ale is going to be.  We’ll be patient this year, and wait for the Cascade’s to mature, which means fantastic dry hopping.  Remember, we grow all of our hops right on premises for the fresh hop ale.  Literally, we take them about a hundred yards from the bines to the brew house.  From picking to brewing, we can usually make it in about a half hour.  Folks, they don’t get any fresher than that!  Waiting for Cascade means the beer will probably be brewed in a month or two, and will release when a proper dry hopping is achieved. 

With lupulin on the Centennials, we’re getting anxious to start picking hops.  This is a great time to come out and visit us here at the brewery!  The barley is starting to turn, the hops actually look like hops, and the beer tastes mighty good.  If you haven’t been out, it’s a great day trip.  We do not schedule tank-looking-at tours.  When you come out to visit us, someone from the family will personally show you around, from hopyard to taps.  You’ll see the full circle of life for beer.  Tours are free; however we do ask for a $3/person donation which all goes to local Lions Clubs for community projects.  Just give a call or send an email and let us know when you can make it.  They are all done by appointment, and you’d be surprised how many we do drop-in.  Don’t be afraid of Lucan, it’s not like deliverance down here.

Old 56, The Truck, is coming along slowly but surely.  As is usually the case, if I say it will be ready to roll by spring, you’re looking at late fall.  Who knows, maybe we’ll pull that iron out of the fire and hammer it out soon.  Thankfully, things have been extremely busy around here, and we’re struggling mightily to fill out our beer orders.  Good challenges, for sure.

Take care,

Dustin

Entrepreneur of the Year!

Can it be?  Are the rumors true?  Did Omar Ansari, proprietor of Surly Brewing and all around nice guy win Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year?  Sure looks like it.  Congratulations Omar!  Well deserved.  More news to come.

*****Update*****

Omar won EoY in the Consumer Products category in the Upper Midwest Category (MN, WI and the Dakotas).  This makes him eligible to compete for the national awards, which will be handed out in November.

A Note From Soon-To-Be-Festive Lucan, MN

Dearest MNBeer Readers,

Please enjoy this breviloquent note from our esteemed brethren in idyllic Lucan.

Hey Everyone,
 
All kinds of stuff going on here!  BrauFest kicks off tonight, with Beer Dinner at the BrauHaus, Lion’s BBQ at the park, and hopefully some homebrew to pass round the campfire.  I talked to Ken from the BrauHaus last night; he has only 4 or 5 spots left for the beer dinner.  Signup at 507.747.2796 if you’re interested.
 
Also, the Beer Guys were out to visit us in Lucan!  All I can say is, what terrific ambassadors for beer.  Check it out here: www.beerguystv.com it’s always fun to see someone else’s perspective on the brewery and the town. 
 
We had a couple nice ladies stop out for a tour the other day.  Had we known they were famous writers, we’d have given them the good tour!  http://nanbec.blogspot.com  We really appreciate it when someone’s willing to take a chance and make the drive out to Lucan, often times not knowing what to expect. 
 
Rubus Black, Blackberry Imperial Porter will be on tap at the brewery this weekend!  It checks in at 8.9%ABV, and has just a hint of chocolate and blackberry.  It’s big, thick, malty, and tasty.  Definitely different than anything we’ve done before.  As soon as we get our act together, we’ll bottle it and send it out to the market.  If I have time today, we may have another unreleased beer on Saturday as well.  You have to show up to try it…
 
Old 56’s battery is struggling to hold a charge.  Be ready to push if you want a ride! 
 
Here’s to a safe and fun weekend!
 
Dustin