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.

National Brett Day Celebration at Surly

By on September 18, 2017in Surly Brewing Co.

There’s a National ______ Day for everything, now, isn’t there? Today is no exception – our friends at Surly Brewing Co. are going Brett-wild (look what I did there) in celebration with a very limited special food and beer menu.

The brewery and kitchen teams have gone all-out for some serious Brett-a-mania today in the Beer Hall. Stop in and check out a variety of food and drinks spiked with Brettanomyces including:

  • Brett Poppers
  • Brett Cracklins’
  • Responsibly-Raised Freshwater Brett Filets
  • Bretteast IPA
  • Beef Brettskit
  • Firkins of Brett-Aged Brett Fermented on Brett
  • A variety of meats and cheeses slathered in our house-made, small-batch Brett Sauce

“We love brett and want to marry it,” says Surly Head Brewer Jerrod Johnson. “But apparently you can’t marry a yeast strain. I thought this was America. I guess I was wrong.”

In addition to the Beer Hall, charitable coordinator Mary Brettske has launced a special one-day project: Surly Gives a Brett, a charitable arm focused entirely on raising brett awareness. Events include:

  • Brettanomyces 5K/Fun Run
  • Brett ‘n Bikes Trail Ride
  • Mississippi Headwaters Cleanup (with Brett)
  • Let’s Throw Some Brett in a Lake Just to See What Happens
  • Can You Build a House with Brett? Let’s Find Out Together Without the Cops.

Festivities conclude with tonight’s Lighting of the Brett in the Beer Garden.

“At sundown, we invite everyone on social media and various internet forums who has celebrated Surly’s use of brett to gather with us by the Brett Pit as we consecrate the spent Brettanomyces with a cleansing fire and somber ceremony. We’ll also do some fireworks and shit.”

For more details, please visit http://surlybrewing.com/news/surly-celebrates-national-brett-day/

Menus below:

#theresnosuchthingasnationalbrettday

Autumn Brew Review Saturday

By on September 15, 2017in general beer

A classic.

…and there are still tickets. You should go. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild consistently puts on some of the best festivals in the state. Not so long ago, this festival would sell out immediately, so if you’re riding the fence, the time to get tickets is right fucking now. As per usual, Autumn Brew Review is an awesome showcase of local beers as well as out-of-state breweries. A ridiculous amount of work goes into making this event happen each year. I think it shows.

Some festival hints:

  • Get the app. Guild events are using an app for their programs these days. This cuts down on paper waste, and with the sheer number of breweries in the state, paper booklets start to get heavy. Plus, it’s just one more thing to carry around, drop or leave in the port-a-potty. That being said, put your stupid phone away. Make some mental notes about what you want to taste and then go for it. While you’re at it, strike up conversations with your fellow beer lovers. Meet new people! Who knows, Charlie Brown, you may even meet the little red-headed girl (woman?).
  • Step away from the booth. 1. Get in line. If there’s no line, proceed directly to the fine folks who are pouring beer. 2. Pick a beer. This won’t be a life-changing decision, so don’t waste a lot of time. You can always come back. 3. Step away. Not two feet, not 10 feet. Move away from the tent and enjoy your beer. It’s frustrating for other festival-goers to get in what looks like a line only to find that it’s a group of jackasses who didn’t have the common sense to move away from the tent.
  • Don’t drink it all. You’ll thank me later. You don’t have to try every beer, and there is certainly no shame in dumping a beer. There will be a beer that you won’t like. Find a dump bucket and get rid of it – no sense in “taking one for the team.”
  • Eat. Some suggest a “base” of food. Personally, I suggest eating a healthy and filling breakfast and lunch. Follow it up with something excellent at the festival (I’m partial to NateDogs) or in NE Minneapolis following the festival.

Some beers we think you may want to try:

  • August Schell Lunar Interference. Cask (fass?) preview of their forthcoming 7% ABV Berliner Weisse, described has having notes of chocolate, coffee and cocoa. Okay, I’ll bite… Also drink the Oktoberfest. Just because.
  • Bad Weather Pucker Face. Kettle-soured American wheat beer with waaay too many raspberries? Sounds tasty to me!
  • Beaver Island Sweet Miss w/ mole. Cask conditioned milk stout with smoked Chipotle peppers, cinnamon and vanilla beans.
  • Bent Brewstillery Vintage Funked Up Sour. etc. “Some of your favorite sours from the head brewer’s own archive.” Go drink Kris’ magic.
  • Dangerous Man Barrel Aged Blutpakt. German porter collaboration with Surly Brewing aged in a tawny port barrel after spending time on white ash.
  • Fitger’s Brewhouse Cherry Batch. So many cherries. Go get this. In fact, steal the keg and bring it to me!! (Don’t really do this…)
  • Indeed Whiskey Queen. Barrel-aged imperial stouts are hit and miss for me. I like this one. I bet you will too.
  • Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Coconut Pitstop. Light lager brewed with Michigan Balaton cherries and coconut.
  • Pryes Brewing Wisconsin Brandy Ol’Fashion Cask. Hmmm. Cherries and oranges in a cask of Miraculum?
  • Steel Toe Brewing Saison. Yes.
  • Surly Brewing Co. Twelve. Kidding. I’d go with the Dampfbier, though if Darkness is your thing, why not try the cherry-infused version?
  • Wild Mind Pash Bash. Blend of three beers with 700 lbs. of dragon fruit and passoin fruit.

Important details:

The Land of 10,000 Beers (and more)

By on August 24, 2017in Bad Weather Brewing Co., breweries, food pairing, general beer, Hoops Brewing, Indeed Brewing Co., Insight Brewing, Insight Brewing Co., Lift Bridge, Modist Brewing, Steel Toe Brewing, Summit Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co.

“Four and three and two and one, when I’m on the mic, the suckers run…” Hoops Brewing’s Dave Hoops raps with the audience in the Land of 10,000 Beers.

In case you live under a rock, the Minnesota State Fair starts today in St. Paul. Years ago, I had an office on Energy Park Drive and always cringed as the Fair approached. We usually had a flood of last minute creative and print work for a few big clients and the traffic always sucked. I’ve never understood why people choose to travel to or from the fair during rush hour. You’re smarter than that people!
Looking for some food and beverage updates? HeavyTable (Twitter) has you covered.
Thirsty? Here are a few suggestions.
Land of 10,000 Beers
The Land of 10,000 Beer exhibit, courtesy of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild returns to the Ag/Horticulture Building for a 6th year with 300 beers from nearly 70 Minnesota breweries and brewpubs. Try all 300! Or maybe not. This year they’ve revamped the flight categories to align more-closely with Brewers Association beer categories: Crisp and Clean, Malty and Sweet, Dark and Roasty, Hoppy and Bitter and Fruity, and Spicy Tart and Funky. Our friends at Better Beer Society are also curating a “Blue Ribbon Flight” with hand-selected flights from our favorite nerds, BBS’ certified cicerones.

New this year is a refreshed rotation of beer flight categories that align with the Brewers Association of beer categories: visitors to the exhibit can select among different flights of beers — Crisp and Clean, Malty and Sweet, Dark and Roasty, Hoppy and Bitter and Fruity, Spicy Tart and Funky. Also new, the Guild’s partner, the Better Beer Society (BBS), is curating the “Better Beer Society Blue Ribbon Flight” comprised of beers selected by BBS’ certified cicerones.

In addition to the beer, the Guild offers daily education programs at 3 and 6pm on weekdays and noon, 3pm and 6pm on weekends.  And if you want to step up your edumacation, BBS’ cicerones will also be conducting Fair food and beer pairing ideas.

Ballpark Cafe
This is a required stop in my book. The Ballpark Cafe has been slinging good beer longer than some of you have even cared. Along with some State Fair classics like Summit Oktoberfest, Lift Bridge Mini Donut and Steel Toe Size 7, the Ballpark Cafe also offers up a variety of beers from Bauhaus, Bent Brewstillery, Bent Paddle, Castle Danger, EastLake, Excelsior, Hoops Brewing, Indeed, Modist and Surly. You can also check out some ciders from Sweetland Orchard and an IPA from War Pigs (3 Floyds, Mikkeller).

Other Beers to Seek Out

Insight Duke of Cuke – Insight’s light lager infused with cucumber. (Lulu’s Public House)

Barley John’s Pickle Beer – Dry-hopped with fresh dill, horseradish and spices. Garnished with a dill pickle and havarti dill cheese. (Giggles)

Mini Donut Beer from Lift Bridge – this State Fair classic is a real treat. We’ve often joked that State Fair beers occasionally “jump the shark,” and this was the first. We really only need one of these per year, but still can’t help but enjoying it. (Ballpark Cafe)

Freehouse Caramel Apple π  -It’s like a little shot of apple pie. Much like Fair food, once a year is enough… but you may as well enjoy it while it’s there. (Blue Barn)

 Bad Weather Lemon Sunshine – a Limoncello-inspired ale brewed with lemons and lemon zest. (Mancini’s)

Summit Lazy Slipper – a Kolsch style beer brewed with ingredients sourced in Minnesota.  (Shanghaied Henri’s)

Follow this link for a list of all of the State Fair specialty beverages. Enjoy!

All Pints North Suggestions

By on July 28, 2017in beer education, beer events, beer travels, breweries

all pints north

All Pints North is Saturday! It’s one of our very favorite festivals for a number of reasons, some of which don’t even involve beer. For me, Duluth holds some amazing memories. My grandpa was a salesman (Glad bags, Old Spice, Del Monte, Air Wick, etc.) who worked with grocery stores in Duluth and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In any case, a few times a year my family would roll up to Duluth and we’d explore the city and the surrounding area. I love Lake Superior, the city’s rich history and the fact that it’s just a unique place in Minnesota.

If you don’t have tickets for All Pints North on Saturday, you’re too late as it’s sold out. If you’re going, you’re in for a treat – a great festival on the edge of the largest lake in the world. Kick back at Bayfront Festival Park from 3-7pm, partake in some beer education, enjoy some tunes from Viva Knievel and Private Oates, have a bite (I’m partial to The Rambler and of course Natedogs) and have a good time. With over 120 breweries present, you’re sure to find a beer or fifty to enjoy as well.

If you’d like to check out all of the beers available for the festival, download the All Pints North app for IOS or Android. We’ve perused the list and here are just a few that we’s suggest you try. Let us know what you think!

August Schell/Starkeller Framboise du Nord
It’s back! This is a phenomenal beer that we’re glad to see return to All Pints North. Our friends at August Schell have the Berliner Weiss variants dialed in and this will no doubt be a tart and refreshing punch of raspberry bliss. Also try: Tidal Disruption (blackberry Berliner Weiss), Electrik Empress (plum Berliner Weiss).

Bemidji Brewing Honeyberry Sour
Quickly. Guess what’s in this beer… If you guessed “honey” and “berries” you’re wrong. Don’t feel bad, I was too. As luck would have it, honeyberries are blueberry-like fruit from honeysuckle. Make sense right? Bemidji Brewing added locally-grown honeyberries to their barrel-aged golden sour. It’s quite tasty.

Bent Paddle Citrus Party Kanū
I had the pleasure of enjoying this a couple of weeks ago at Rare Beer Picnic. To no one’s surprise, I really enjoy Kanū, Bent Paddle’s Session Pale Ale. I’m a sucker for Citra and Idaho 7 hops. Citrus Party ads citrus (go figure) zest to the mix. The result? Everything I love about Kanū and more. 

Dangerous Man Vic’s Secret Single Hop IPA
Vic’s Secret is an Australian hop that has nothing to do with lacy undergarments. It’s been on my list of hops that need to find their way into my beer for about a year. Dangerous Man suggests juicy melon notes with a citrusy, balanced finish. BSG suggests that the hop has a “clean and bright tropical character (passionfruit, pineapple) with supporting notes of fresh herbs and pine needles.” Sold!

Fair State Barrel-Fermented du Pounde
So I really like blueberries… and beer. This particular beer is a sour version of Fair State’s Saison du Pounde, refermented on blueberries. Fair State is quite making some of the best sour beers around and no doubt this will not be an exception. Cheers!

Hoops Brewing #5050 Hefeweizen
My summer has been a bit short on Hefeweizens. Whether it was my relocation or market availability, I just haven’t enjoyed enough Hefeweizens this summer. So you, dear reader, have been tasked with enjoying some in my stead. The folks at Hoops Brewing know their way around this style, and I can’t think of anything better to enjoy on a warm summer day.

Indeed Wooden Soul #5, Saison de la Pomme
This beer was another standout from Rare Beer Picnic. This is a wood-aged, sour Saison fermented with fresh-pressed Winesap apple juice from Milk and Honey Ciders. Tart, fruity and damned tasty.

Junkyard “Jelly the Nut” Peanut Butter and Jelly Stout
Peanut butter beers aren’t really my thing. I’ll drink a short pour, but usually that’s enough. Much like my dislike for Mosaic hops, it’s a personal preference more than anything. As is the case, I never really order them. So when I had a beer a couple of weeks ago with Joe and Will from Lift Bridge, I begrudgingly tried Will’s beer. I enjoyed it. Suffice to say that if you dig peanut butter porters or stouts, this offering from my new neighborhood watering hole is totally worth trying. Junkyard adds raspberry puree to their take on a peanut stout and it’s nothing short of a peanut butter sandwich gone mad. Dig it.

Minneapolis Town Hall Manhattan Reserve
When you see this on the menu, you shut up and drink it. This is Town Hall’s excellent Grand Cru aged on tart cherries…and in bourbon barrels. It’s really nothing short of amazing and not always easy to come by. Just do it.

Utepils Ewald the Superior
Drink Hefeweizen (see above). This particular Hefeweizen is dry-hopped and created especially for All Pints North. Utepils has making some extremely tasty german-style beers and this should be no exception.

Enjoy All Pints North! Be sure to browse our Beer Festival Survival Guide to help you make the most out of the event!

 

Summit Unchained 25, Vienna Lager

By on June 21, 2017in Summit Brewing Co.

Summit brewer Tom Mondor.

Summit has announce the release of another Unchained Series beer today. The 25th beer in the series will be a Vienna-Style lager, conceived by brewer Tom Mondor who also devised the 17th beer in the series, Fresh Harvest IPA. Three years later, Mondor is up to bat again with a beer said to be inspired by his travels through Germany. When is the last time you had a Vienna Lager? Aside from Schell’s Firebrick and Fair State’s Vienna Lager, I’m having a difficult time thinking of many other local offerings aside from an occasional appearance at The Herkimer back in the day.

Anyway, we haven’t yet tried this beer, but if the words from our friends at Summit are on par, this beer will feature herbal notes thanks to Hallertau Mittlefruh and German Perle hops and no doubt some fine toasty/biscuity/caramely notes thanks to Weyermann’s expertly crafted Barke Vienna and CaraFoam malts. German malts and hops, Austrian beer. Okay.

Mondor explains that he simply wanted to have a great Vienna-Style Lager to enjoy, noting that “the Vienna-Style Lagers still brewed in Mexico today aren’t terribly representative of the original, as many are made with adjuncts like corn or rice. My goal was to use good ingredients, good processes, and good quality assurance to make a good beer.” Fair enough.

If you want first pour on this beer, be sure to hit up the Summit Beer Hall next Thursday, June 29th. The release will feature Nails and Ales presented by the Germanic-American Institute, concertina music from Josh Eidsor and German food from the Black Forest Inn.

Look for the beer on draft and in 6-packs in early July.

Nerdy Details:

ABV: 5.1%
IBU: 23
Color: Copper (12 L)
Malts: Weyermann Barke Vienna, CaraFoam
Hops: German Perle and Hallertau Mittlefruh
Yeast: Munich lager yeast