Category: breweries

Rare Beer Picnic (and me) in Moorhead

By on July 11, 2016in beer events, breweries

*Note. I promise that this isn’t just about me. Read on…

Heya… Ryan (Anderson) here with a quick little not about changes in my world as well as an awesome event you should definitely consider checking out.

After 16 years in the Twin Cities (and 10 of those years spent holding the reigns of MNBeer.com), I’ve relocated to Moorhead, Minnesota. And with that, I’ve moved MNBeer World Headquarters (a.k.a. a Macbook Pro and a small collection of boxes) into the great plains. My wife and I wanted to be closer to our parents as they age and as some of them deal with health issues. It was one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever made, but we’re here… to drink beer.. and kill war and live life so well that death will tremble to take us… (apologies to Bukowski.)

So this Saturday I’ll get my first real taste of the of a Fargo/Moorhead Beer festival in the shape of the Rare Beer Picnic. I’m looking forward to it… I actually think I need it, at this point, and this is coming from someone who’s been at a festival or two or three hundred…

The ‘Rare Beer Picnic’ is a beer festival that is focused on aged, soured and infused beer made by local/regional brewers and homebrewers. The fine folks at Junkyard Brewing Company, Usher’s House and Bottle Barn Moorhead have assembled an event filled with great beer, food, outdoor fun and more.RareBeerPicnic  Sample beers from Junkyard Brewing , Fargo Brewing, Surly Brewing, Summit Brewing, Bent Paddle Brewing, Brau Brothers, and Hammerheart Brewing… and hang out with me!

Prairie Homebrewing Companions will also be there with samples of their homebrewed beer and will also be doing a brewing demonstration during the event.

Get your tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/rare-beer-picnic-tickets-17265631970?aff=es2

Included in the $28 ticket price…

  • Admission
  • Beer sampling
  • Ticket for either a brat/burger
  • Souvenir Pint Glass

Date/Time
Date(s) – 07/18/15
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location
W.H. Davy Park
1st Ave N & 8th St N
Moorhead, MN

*I’ll be rocking an MNBeer.com shirt. Please say hello!

 

Steel Toe Brewing Moving to Cans

By on June 30, 2016in general beer, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing, tap rooms

Back when Oskar Blues first starting canning their beers in 2002 many people wondered why they went that route. Now just about everyone is going to cans for many reasons, one of them being that you can take them anywhere. Just ask Steel Toe Brewing owner Jason Schoneman who tells me that they are going to start canning their suds—which are expected to hit a limited number of stores on July 13th. “The big reason we are going to cans is that we want our beer to be everywhere” he says. “We like going to the lake too, and bombers (22 oz. bottles) are a pain in the ass” he says laughing.

STB3

 

Steel Toe will be canning their popular flagships Size 7 IPA and Provider Golden Ale to start with other varieties to follow. The regal design of these cans will showcase the signature boot logo in a black on silver look that features the color associated with each brand. Green for Size 7 and yellow for Provider. They will be sold in 6 packs of 12 oz. cans and as stated above will start out at select retail locations across the metro beginning on July 13th. The plan then is to roll them out to all of their retail locations by the end of the year. You’ll still be able to find their other varieties in bomber bottles around town for now.

STB2

They had been talking about this change for a while but tank space was always the concern. So why the switch now? Two words: The customer. “We’ve had so many requests for this format. It’s what the customer wants” says Shoneman. Here’s to hoping Sommer Vice and Size 4 follow suit.

STB4

So grab your camping gear and don’t forget a six pack or two on your way out of town.

Cheers!

\m/ Bauhaus Hairbanger Returneth \m/

By on June 16, 2016in Bauhaus Brewlabs

Kick out the jams, friends. Our friends at Bauhaus have brought Hairbanger back… and they’ve brought videos! (See above.) Hairbanger features toasty malts and a classic Belgian yeast complimented by big, citrusy, tropical American hops.

“We’ve been very excited to welcome back our dressed up version of an American Pale Ale,” says Bauhaus President and Head Brewer Matt Schwandt. Schwandt explains, “Hairbanger has all the refreshing, tropical hoppiness you’d want in a modern APA, but we’ve fermented this beer with a classic Belgian yeast strain that gives it an awesomely complex fruitiness. So really, it’s heavy metal by name only. In reality, it’s one crushable summer concert beer.”

Look for this in 16 oz. cans and on draft in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Rochester and Mankato, as well as the Bauhaus taproom starting this week.

Surly Brewer’s Table Named Top Ten Restaurant by Food & Wine Magazine

By on June 9, 2016in beer dinners, breweries, cooking & food, food pairing, general beer, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, Surly Brewing Co.

Two years ago Surly hired Jorge Guzman as the Executive Chef for their new destination brewery, a position that came with a lot of pressure. Two years later the accolades are rolling in.

The Star Tribune named Jorge Guzman Best Chef of 2015, while award-winning local food critic Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl gave The Brewer’s table a glowing review a couple months back. Now, Food & Wine Magazine has named The Brewer’s Table among the top ten restaurants in the country. That’s right….the entire country!

The Chef & Brewer Pairing Menu consists of four courses including beer and will run you $70, not bad for a fine dining experience. The menu changes regularly, but if you see octopus be sure to order it. It was fabulous when this writer paid a visit.

Jorge is also competing in the national COCHON555 competition (June 18th in Snomass Village, CO) after he was awarded the title Prince of Porc (winner of regionals) back in February. The goal at the national event is to use a whole heritage breed hog (head-to-tail) and win over the judges by serving a selection of the dishes that won at regionals.

practice pig

If you’d like to check out the Brewer’s Table you can make your reservation here.

Cheers!

Posters and Pints 2016 Saturday

By on June 9, 2016in beer events, breweries

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Beer. Art. Who woulda’ thunk?

Posters & Pints is our favorite beer, art and charity combination – a special event that supports Art Buddies,a creative mentor program designed to help children discover what they can do and who they can become through the power of creativity.. Ticket price of $30 includes a pint glass and a ton of great beer samples.

Breweries include 612, Indeed, 56 Brewing, Able Seedhouse, Bauhaus, Boom Island, Dangerous Man, Day Block, Eastlake, Fair State, Insight, Lift Bridge Lionheart Cider, Modist, Northgate, Sociable, Summit and Surly. Follow the links below for complete details.
Saturday, June 11, 2016.
Uppercut Boxing Gym
Ticket sales.

http://www.postersandpints.com