Category: August Schell Brewing Co.

August Schell Brewery has Closed on the Grain Belt Sign in Minneapolis

By on February 1, 2016in August Schell Brewing Co.

GrainBelt_Lock&Dam_ProductInfo_LowRes_020116-1

We’ve just received word that that our friends at August Shell Brewing Company in New Ulm (owners or the Grain Belt brand) have closed on the purchase of the iconic Grain Belt sign in Northeast Minneapolis.

The brewery plans to restore and relight this sign – one of the best-known signs in Minneapolis – after it has been been dark for nearly 20 years. They plan to work with local architects, engineers, sign experts, preservationists and members of the community. If everything falls together as planned, the sign should be re-lit by the summer of 2017.

Needless to say, we think that this is pretty cool and are looking to see the sign restored!

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To celebrate, the brewery will release a new year-round beer in April, Lock & Dam. Not surprisingly, this copper lager is inspired by the Mississippi river and the hard-working lock & damn that powered the original Grain Belt Brewery. At launch Lock & Dam will be available in six-packs, 12-packs, as well as kegs. By summer, it will alsofind its way into 16-ounce cans.

Community Keg House Set to Open in Northeast on 1/15

By on January 6, 2016in August Schell Brewing Co., Bauhaus Brewlabs, Fair State Brewing, general beer, grand opening, Indeed Brewing Co., misc. mn beer, MN, NorthGate Brewing, Summit Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., tap rooms

Community Keg House

Here is a Q & A session I conducted with Nate Field from Community Keg House which is set to open on Friday, January 15th. This “beer room” is located in the Grain Belt Brewing Keg House and it provides a different experience than the other taprooms in town.

When was the idea for Community Keg House born?

I came up with the idea around 6 years ago. This was before the taproom boom. I wanted to create a space where beer enthusiasts could get closer to the experience of enjoying and understanding beer. I liked the experience I’d had at some wine bars and I modeled much of it on that form/vibe.

How did you secure that location?

My real estate broker found the space for us. We knew we wanted a location in NE where I live. When we found the space in the Grain Belt Keg House it felt right. We liked the idea that we would be celebrating the history of Minnesota beer while showcasing the next generation of what we are brewing.

How does the system work?

A patron walks up to our bar. Rather than order a specific beer they order a glass (either 16 or 10 oz size).

They enter a self-contained room we refer to as the “pour room.” Within the pour room is a 17-foot long table with 16 taps on it. Each tap is a different Minnesota brewery. Located and monitoring the tap table are “taptenders.” The taptender is there to help you. You can talk with them about beer, get a sample or directions on how to pour the perfect pint.

When you decide which beer you would like to drink, you POUR YOUR OWN PINT!

Now, beer in hand, you exit the pour room. You return to one of our seating areas. When you want another beer you return to the bar and get a new glass. The cashiers at the bar (bar control) can cut you off if you’re drunk). And the system repeats.

How will you make sure that people are pouring their beers correctly in regards to proper sanitation?
Well, each time you go back to the table you have to get a new glass. We will have some signage on proper pouring and the taptenders are there to advise.

Will you have options for people who don’t like beer?

Yes. We have two ciders on tap at all times. Also, there are NA drinks in the kitchen.

 

Which local beers will be available?

Belgian

Boom Island Witness
Insight Sunken City
Harriet Dark Abbey
Schell’s Snowstorm 2015

Winter

Northgate Stronghold
Summit Winter Ale
Bauhaus Tallander
Indeed Stir Crazy

Hoppy

Surly Furious
Fair State Pomp Le Moose
56 Brewing Polonaise APA
Able Seedhouse & Brewery First Light

Alternative

Grain Belt Nordeast
Bent Brewstillery Maroon & Bold
Four Daughters Loon Juice
Sociable Cider Werks Freewheeler

Community Keg House
34 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Hours:
Monday 4 pm to 12 am
Tues-Wed Closed
Thursday 4 pm to 12 am
Friday 4 pm to 12 am
Saturday 1 pm to 12am
Sunday 1pm to 10 pm

Cheers!

MN Beer Notebook: News From Around Town

By on December 28, 2015in August Schell Brewing Co., Bad Weather Brewing Co., breweries, brewpubs, general beer, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing, Surly Brewing Co.

Dangerous Man

Here are some tidbits from around town as the holidays wind down.
Dangerous Man has just released their SMASH IPA and it’s fantastic. Citra lovers will rejoice over this one as it’s composed of 100% Citra hops and Simpson’s Golden Promise malt. It’s available on tap and in the growler room. Also on tap is Sour Delores #2. This kettle sour was brewed with raspberries and it is also available both on tap, and in the growler room.

The Belgian Pale Ale I helped brew over at Bad Weather Brewing is now on at their St. Paul taproom. I’ve yet to try it but I’m hearing good things. This means I may not have messed it up after all.

Surly canned more Abrasive recently and it should be available in stores throughout January 2016. Now if they’d only can Todd the Axe Man all year long….

Buffalo Trace is on the Barrel Reserve line at Town Hall Brewery. The brewery recently decided to dedicate a draft line to their spectacular barrel aged program. They’ll even have some 750 ml bottles for sale starting today at the brewery.

The popular Double IPA they call Size 11 is making a return mid-January at Steel Toe Brewing. They also have 750 ml bottles of Wee Heavy ($10) and Lunker ($20) for sale in bottles at the taproom. I’m hearing whispers that the supply of Lunker is getting pretty low, so you’d better act quickly if you’re looking to get some.

Schell’s is releasing a Bock sampler pack that is available now here in the Twin Cities. It consists of a pre-prohibition style, heirloom wheat, a 90s version, and their current variety.

Cheers!

Congrats to Minnesota GABF Winners

By on September 27, 2015in August Schell Brewing Co., Bemidji Brewing Co., Bent Paddle Brewing Co., breweries, Fitger's Brewhouse, Fulton Brewing Co., Mankato Brewery, Steel Toe Brewing

GABFI don’t need to tell you that Minnesota brewers make some very good beer. Yesterday at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Minnesota brewers walked away with seven medals. For those of you unfamiliar with the event, The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is the country’s premiere beer festival and competition organized by the Brewers Association. Taking home a medal is a big deal. Congrats to our local winners and everyone involved in the event!

Silver medal winners:

Bronze medal winners:

See the full list of Great American Craft Beer Festival winners:

https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/

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.