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.

Fulton HefeWheaties is Available Today

By on August 26, 2015in general beer

hefewheaties

Soooo…. we’re guessing you’ve heard a bit about Fulton’s American Hefeweizen, HefeWheaties. Although no Wheaties were harmed in the crafting of said beer, the beer (just like Wheaties) is composed primarily of wheat. The fine folks at Fulton describe it as an easygoing 4.7% ABV with citrus notes courtesy of Rakau, Galaxy, Mandarina Bavaria, and Sorachi Ace hops.

And today you can try it in Fulton’s taproom starting at 3pm, while supplies last. Fulton will be selling 16 oz. cans of said beer for $5. And just so we’re clear, those full cans are for consumption at the brewery only, due to state law. If you’re a can collector, you can certainly bring your empties home though…

In mid- to late-September you’ll find this beer in retail locations in the greater Twin Cities metro. It’s a relatively small run, and will likely sell out quickly. You won’t find this beer outside of Minnesota, on draft at Fulton’s taproom or any other outlet or in growlers. Just cans, man.

 

Surly Rhubarb Farmhouse Ale at Chipotle Cultivate Festival Saturday

By on August 21, 2015in beer events, breweries, Surly Brewing Co.
Cultivate

Brewer at Surly Brewing Jerrod Johnson and Chipotle’s Manager of National Events Scott Robinson

No doubt you’ve heard that Chipotle’s Cultivate Festival is returning to Loring Park on Saturday. And once again, they’ve teamed up with our friends from Surly Brewing Company to brew an exclusive seasonal offering for the event.

In addition to celebrating all things good (i.e. food, music, beer and ideas), the event will include the “Cultivate Farmnouse Ale,” a Saison brewed with Minnesota barley and rhubarb. If you’d like to try it, we suggest you hit up the Cultivate festival on Saturday between 11am and 7pm. Otherwise you’ll be out of luck.

“For festival goers, Cultivate celebrates great local artisans in both food and drink. The talents of Head Brewer Todd Haug and his team at Surly perfectly exemplify that for the great city of Minneapolis,” said Scott Robinson, manager of national events for Chipotle. “The Farmhouse Ale was so well received last year that we tapped Todd’s team to create another unique beer that appeals to craft beer fans and highlights the great ingredients of Minneapolis.”

This year’s beer includes traditional Belgian malts, Slovenian hops, Minnesota rhubarb and barley grown and malted in Minnesota. We’re told to expect spicy clove notes thanks to the yeast and a rounded malt backbone to offset the tartness of the rhubarb. Wanna’ try it? You’ll be able to grab this beer as well as other great craft beers and wines from nearly a dozen local breweries and wineries in the Tasting Hall.

The event is free and you’ll have the opportunity to check out cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs, live music, local food and other interactive fun. Check it out. To learn more about the the 2015 Cultivate Minneapolis Festival, visit http://chipotlecultivate.com/cities/minneapolis/.

rhubarb

Return to the Land of 10,000 Beers

By on August 20, 2015in breweries, brewpubs

State Fair FlightFoot longs. The Dairy Barn. Ye Old Mill. People watching. Seed art. Yard sticks. Fleet Farm t-shirts. Motley Crue and Whitesnake blaring in the Midway. Things on sticks… sometimes ridiculous things on sticks, in fact. Deep-fried everything. More people watching. Aaah, the Minnesota State Fair.

Oh, and beer. Local beer. The important stuff.

The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is bringing the Land of 10,000 Beers back to the Fair for another run, and we couldn’t be happier. Run, don’t walk to the Agriculture/Horticulture Building when the Minnesota State Fair opens next Thursday. Nearly 200 beers from 54 breweries await you. And for the first time this year, you’ll find 10 brewpubs represented at the Fair, thanks to a new Minnesota law that allows them to pour at the State Fair.

Once again fairgoers will have the option to choose from various flights of beer representing the Minnesota craft beer scene. For $10 you’ll get four (5 oz.) samples. Flights include Belgian & “Sweeter” beers, Lighter, Darker and Hoppier as well as a Minnesota Mix and Brewpub flight. We’ll take one of each, please!

“The Minnesota craft beer scene continues to flourish with the addition of new breweries and brewpubs and the creation of exciting and various styles of beers produced by the state’s brewers,” says Dan Schwarz, president of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “The State Fair is an ideal spot to celebrate and discover craft beer to support what is being made and poured here in Minnesota.”

If you’ve never visited the Fair, perhaps this is your year. If you’ve never visited the Land of 10,000 Beers, please don’t miss it. Be sure to sample some beer, check out some educational programs and chat with a brewer or two.

 Other Highlights & Changes

  • Daily education programs — includes presentations ranging in topics from the brewing process, to the history of beer art to beer tourism and more. Programs are 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends. The full schedule will be posted at mncraftbrew.org next week.
  • Brew-cation Destination Wall  — helps visitors map out a tour to taste Minnesota craft beer.
  • Breweriana display — chronicles the history and culture of beer in Minnesota.
  • Art Gallery — features local artists’ beer-inspired art.
  • Brewing Process — posters teach attendees about how different styles of beer are brewed.
  • Pay by card — For the first time, beer flights and merchandise can be purchased with credit/debit cards.
  • Advanced purchase — Visitors can fly to their flights by purchasing beers in advance online and then accessing the express lane at the exhibit: http://www.tempotickets.com/10000beers

StateFairEhxibit2012-9

 

Red Cow “Cowlaboration” No. 2 with Lift Bridge

By on August 20, 2015in bars/restaurants, breweries, Lift Bridge, Red Cow

cowlaborationWe love collaborations. Hell, we’re even down for “cowlaborations,” provided that the brewers keep our bovine friends out of the mash tun. (In a bun, of course, is just fine.) In any case, here’s just such a cowlaboration: Red Cow and Lift Bridge Brewing Co., are teaming up for a special beer release this weekend, the second beer in Red Cow’s Cowlaboration Series – Red Rye IPA.

Those of you playing along at home may recall the previous Cowlaboration, a session Red IPA brewed in conjunction with Odell.

The beer comes as a colla… er cowlaborative  effort from the Lift Bridge brewers, Red Cow owner Luke Shimp and Red Cow’s go-to beer guy, Grant Fabel. We’re told we should expect a beer with “a slight spice and peppery nose, rustic earthiness, undertones of citrus (grapefruit) hops and fresh cut pine with a light caramel and toast notes, yet not sweet. It’s soft on the palate, medium dry finish with light zest, and color is a rich amber-copper, reddish hue with an ivory head.”

Thirsty? The folks at Red Cow suggest that it will cut through sweet foods and accentuate the heat profile with spicy offerings. They like it paired with the 60/40 Burger, the Brooklyn (double patty in-house ground meat w/bone marrow, white American & crispy leeks) and Ahi Crisps. Gah. Thanks. Now I’m hungry, too.

If you want to get your hands on this beer, visit Red Cow’s North Loop location this Sunday (August 23rd) during Open Streets Downtown Minneapolis celebration. Red Cow will host a beer and cocktail garden in a nearby parking lot on the corner of 1st Ave. and Washington, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with food, yard games, DJ music and of course, tasty cold beer. In addition to the new Red Rye IPA, Red Cow will also serve up 60/40 sliders, Double Barrel (two patties), Chips-n-French Onion Dip sliders, cocktails, Lift Bridge Farm Girl, Lift Bridge Hop Dish and Odell Easy Street Wheat. All beers will be available for $5. For more details, visit www.redcowmn.com.

 

More Nobel Star Beers from Schell’s on the Horizon

By on August 16, 2015in August Schell Brewing Co., breweries

Schell's Apparent Horizon

To be frank, I’ve really been digging the Noble Star series of beers from August Schell. From the first offering to the very latest, I’ve really enjoyed the various takes on Berliner Weisse beers. So if you’re like me, you’re curious as to what’s next. We hid in the bushes outside of Jace Marti’s home with out paparazzi friends and ambushed him, begging for answers, TMZ-style. Here’s what we learned….

The next beer in the series will be called Apparent Horizon. It’s another experimental take on a Berliner Weisse brewed with 35% rye malt. This beer will be a slightly stronger “Vollbier” (full beer) strength Berliner Weisse. After a mixed primary fermentation with yeast and lactobacillus, the beer was transferred to one of Schell’s 1936 Cypress Works lagering tanks. Then a culture of brettanomyces was pitched into the beer for a long, slow (9 month) secondary fermentation.

Jace says that the resulting beer is a complex, spicy version of a Berliner Weisse, featuring a moderate, but balanced acidity with notes of lemons and cider. He says that the rye lends a spicy dryness with an aroma not unlike sourdough and pumpernickel.

Deets:

11˚P OG, 5.1% ABV, 5 IBU, 0.75% Total Acidity
Malts: Pilsner, Wheat, Rye, Cararye
Batch Size: 60 bbls
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft

Schell's Orbital Drift

Further down the road you’ll see the next beer, Orbital Drift. With this beer, Schell’s brewed a traditional strentth Berliner Weisse, but substituted out all of the pale malts with darker malts to give the beer a reddish-orange hue and more of a malty backbone – atypical for a Berliner Weisse. We’ll learn more details about this beer as it continues to develop. Suffice to say that we’ll be curious to taste it when it’s ready.