Category: bars/restaurants

Better Beer Society University: Classes Begin Wednesday

By on September 3, 2013in bars/restaurants, beer education

BBSUJust a quick reminder – Better Beer Society University classes begin on Wednesday. As a kid, I always had reservations about heading back to school. Perhaps if my parents would have sent me to BBSU, things might have been different!

 

We’re pleased to announce that campus will once again be located at Republic (Seven Corners), and will consist of two sessions to account for busy schedules. First session is at 6pm, and a second session will be held at 7:30p.

Both will be one-hour long courses, and the guest(s) will be the same. Please choose your preferred session below.

BBSU is an educational beer school for both the beer enthusiast, as well as the novice. Our goal is to educate students on all aspects of the beer industry, from production, retail and distributing, to the agricultural side of hop farming and malting.

We also teach you how to explore your palate, cook with beer, and create your own pairings.

Students are treated to some very exclusive and interesting beer styles each and every week. In addition, students will embark on a special field trip, as well as create a recipe & brew their own commemorative class beer.

Sign up here. Right now.

Hop Heads Only Vol. V at the Blue Nile Saturday

By on August 23, 2013in bars/restaurants

This Saturday, August 24, join Al and the good people at The Blue Nile’s as their taps turn to the hoppy side once again for their 5th Annual Hop Heads Only event. Not surprisingly, this event features IPAs and double IPAs, including Surly Urine Trouble Imperial Brett Belgian IPA, Tallgrass Ethos, Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster, Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, New Holland Michigan Hatter, New Belgium Rampant, Deschutes Inversion, Squatters Hop Rising, Lucid Duo, Goose Island The Illinois, Moylan’s Hop Craic XXXXIPA and Brooklyn Blast.

Enjoy!

Minnesota State Beer… er Fair

By on August 23, 2013in bars/restaurants, breweries
gopherIn case you live under a rock, the Minnesota State Fair started Thursday. St. Paul, can I get a collective “Oh shit!”? I used to work on Energy Park Drive and always cringed in the days leading up to the Fair. My company usually had a flood of last minute creative and print work for one of the broadcasting companies AND traffic absolutely sucked. I still can’t figure out why some people choose to go to (or leave) the State Fair during rush hour. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Hungry? Look no further than HeavyTable (Twitter) for State Fair food information. You really don’t need to go anywhere else. Seriously. Stop typing.
Thirsty? Here are a few of our suggestions. Do you have your own? Leave them in the comments.

Fair Exclusives:

lift-bridge-mini-donut-beer-smLift Bridge’s Mini Donut Beer
Our friends at Lift Bridge have produced what is said to be the first-ever mini donut flavored beer. The fruits of the brewery’s labors will be available exclusively at the Ball Park Café.  Expect a malty sweet sipper that weighs in at about 5% abv. Mini-Donut will be served in a glass rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. Suggest pairing: Mini-donuts. Duh. And while it’s been suggested that perhaps Lift Bridge “jumped the shark” with this one, we tend to think that it sounds tasty enough to try before passing judgement.

Summit State Fair IPA
This beer was brewed by our good friend Jeff Williamson. This beer is full of great Minnesota ingredients like wild rice, honey, pronto pups corn and Cascade hops from Hippity Hops Farms. Look for it daily at the International Bazaar. 95 IBUs and 5.5% ABV.

Great Beer Destinations:

Ball Park Café
The Ball Park Cafe is essentially the Minnesota State Fair’s very own craft beer bar with a strong focus on local beers. It’s the only place that you’ll find the aforementioned Lift Bridge Mini Donut Beer and this year they’re making onion rings with a beer batter made with Indeed’s Day Tripper Pale Ale. Other craft beers at the Ball Park Café include Surly Furious, Bitter Brewer and Hell, Lift Bridge Mini Donut, Hop Dish and Farm Girl, Bent Paddle Black Ale, Third Street Jacked Up, Steel Toe Size 7, Mankato Original, Excelsior Bitterschaple, Badger Hill White IPA, Lucid Dyno, Indeed Day Tripper & Midnight Rider and one out-of-towner, Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale.

10kbeersThe Land of 10,000 Beers
The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild returns to the Agriculture/Horticulture building with an expanded “Land of 10,000 Beers,” featuring beers from 26 Minnesota breweries. Once again the exhibit will showcase craft brewing in Minnesota with brewers, displays and presentations throughout the duration of the Fair.

This week’s presentation schedule:

Thursday, August 22

  • 3pm – Getting to Know the Guild: Clint Roberts, Guild Executive Director
  • 6pm – Beer Tourism: Dan Justesen, Guild President, Vine Park Brewing Co.

Friday, August 23

  • 3pm – Member Showcase: 612Brew, Indeed Brewing Co.
  • 6pm – The Art of the Cask: Tony Digatono of Great Waters Brewing Co.

Saturday, August 24

  • Noon – Homebrewer Award Program
  • 3pm – Primary Fermenter Showcase
  • 6pm – Member Showcase: Surly Brewing Co., Fulton Beer

Sunday, August 25

  • Noon – A Historian’s Perspective: Craft Beer with Doug Hoverson
  • 3pm – Minnesota Hop Star: The U of M’s Charlie Rohwer, Ph.D.
  • 6pm – Member Showcase: Third Street Brewhouse, Boom Island Brewing Co., Flat Earth Brewing Co.

Tracking Down Your Favorite Beers:

Summit Brewing Company’s State Fair Guide

Fulton Brewing Company’s State Fair Guide

August Schell State Fair Beer Guide

Summit State Fair IPA

By on August 14, 2013in bars/restaurants, breweries

Here’s a cool little video featuring Summit Brewing Company brewery and all-around good guy, Jeff Williamson. Jeff and his amazing mustache explain his State Fair-inspired brew. Look for it daily at the International Bazaar and bask in the glory that includes Minnesota ingredients like wild rice, honey, pronto pups corn and Cascade hops from Hippity Hops Farms. And just so it’s hoppy enough for you, they’ve thrown in Magnum, Amarillo, Chinook and Centennial hops, creating a beer that rounds out at 95 IBU and 5.5% abv.

You know what would be awesome? State Fair vendors, are you listening? State Fair IPA beer-battered something on a stick. DO IT! Incidentally, if you’d like to catch Summit at the fair, here are a few dates for your consideration.

• August 22 – Jeff Williamson, brewer of State Fair IPA – Summit Booth at International Bazaar – 1-2:30pm
• August 26 – Meet Founder Mark Stutrud – Summit Booth at International Bazaar – 12-1:30pm
• August 28 – Meet Head Brewer Damian McConn – Summit Booth at International Bazaar – 1:00-2:30pm
• August 30 – Mike Lundell, brewer of Another IPA – Summit Booth at International Bazaar – 11:30-1:00pm
• August 30 – Mark Stutrud (with Ted Marti from Schell’s) – Craft Brewer’s Guild Area in Agriculture Building – 3pm

Wit Wedding at Fitger’s Brewhouse & Tycoons

By on August 12, 2013in bars/restaurants, brewpubs

witweddingThis is pretty rad. The brewers at Fitger’s Brewhouse devised a special edition beer for owner Tim Nelson’s wedding. The beer is a white IPA, aptly called “Wit Wedding.” It clocks in at 5.7% abv and is said to be a medium-bodies spicy, citrusy, hoppy beast with notes of wheat and Belgian yeast esters.

Cartoonist Chris Monroe created a take on American Gothic as the artwork for the beer. Check it out. The beer is on tap right now at the Brewhouse and Tycoons and should be on tap at Burrito Union as well in short order.

Congrats Tim!