Category: food pairing

The 2024 Target Field Lineup

By on April 3, 2024in food pairing, general beer, Summit Brewing Co.

It’s springtime in Minnesota signaling the start of the season for the Minnesota Twins. The home opener kicks off on Thursday, April 4th at 3:10 pm and once again the food options are growing. Here are some of the things on deck for the season ahead.

Q’BO Latin Food Chicken Tinga Arepas are now on the menu at the Truly On Deck Market out in right field. Chicken tinga, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and the star of the show— pickled red onions which provide an essential zip to this handheld.

Union Hmong Kitchen is dishing up a new take on a ballpark favorite, the brat. Yia Vang’s take on this is a Banh Mi Brat which features sausage, pickled veggies, and caramelized garlic aioli. This was by far the most unique and delicious offering at the event today. Find them at section 127.

Hrbek’s is serving up a Bussin Birria Taco featuring braised and melted cheese in a griddled tortilla with consomme. Nothing too fancy here, just some glorious meat and cheese. Located in section 114.

East Coast BBQ Mac N’ Meat is offering Mac & Cheese topped with your choice of smoked meat. These include chicken, rib tips, or pulled pork. Nothing pairs better with a ball game than smoked meats. They are located at section 131.

Two Mixed Up is smashing burgers over at Keeper’s Heart Town Ball Tavern. This is a double smash burger with the usual suspects. Lettuce, tomato, onion, American cheese, and Two Mixed Up sauce. Grab a few napkins on your way back to your seat. Keeper’s Heart Town Ball Tavern is located out in left field.

Summit Brewing is present throughout the ballpark and their Twins Pils is still the big hit out at Target Field. They also updated the look of the can to match the current Twins branding. This beer pairs well with just about any dish served at the stadium. Crisp, refreshing and perfect for soaking up all that vitamin D.



Cheers!

Target Field Going Yard on Local Once Again

By on April 3, 2023in beer travels, food pairing, Fulton Brewing Co., general beer, homebrew, Summit Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co.

Target Field hosted its annual Taste of the Twins event again ahead of the Home Opener and they are going big on “local” as per usual. Here were some of my favorites:

Official Fried Chicken (Section 133) is serving a number of items in right field. Four pieces of fried chicken, chicken tenders, a chicken sandwich, and fries. Stick with the classic four piece here and pair it with a Surly Hell.

Union Hmong Kitchen (Section 127) is turning up the heat with their Kramarczuk’s Hmong Sausage and Khao Sen Rice Noodle Bowl. Chilled noodles are dressed with a sweet chili vinaigrette, fresh herbs, and cabbage slaw. Chef Yia Vang’s influence is all over town these days and the Twin Cities are much better for it. This dish plays well with Twins Pils from Summit Brewing.

Soul Bowl (Section 113) is offering a Gong Jerk Chicken Bowl which consists of chicken thighs slathered in pineapple jerk sauce—along with plantains—all resting on a bed of yellow rice. Go to bat with a Sweet Child of Vine from Fulton, it’s a flawless match for spicy food.

 

Cheers!

Twins Pils Debuts at Target Field for 2022

By on April 6, 2022in food pairing, general beer, new beer, Summit Brewing Co.

It’s about time. A local sports team finally has an official craft beer partner. Dave St. Peter and the Minnesota Twins have teamed up with Summit Brewing and Mark Stutrud (both from North Dakota) to bring Twins Pils to Target Field beginning this year. For years we’ve had to settle for Budweiser or Miller at stadiums here in Minnesota. Now there are local breweries teaming up with our local sports teams to bring their products to the field.

About the Beer:

Twins Pils is a rebranding of Keller Pils, made with German hops and barley. Unfiltered and crisp—perfect for a day at the ballpark, or out by the grill with friends and family.

There will be 16 oz. cans available for purchase at Target Field starting on Opening Day. You will also find 12 packs of 12 oz. cans at your local liquor stores.

Alcohol by Volume: 5.1%
IBUs: 38
Original Gravity: 11º P
Color, (deg. L.): Pale Straw (4L)
Hops Utilized: Tettnang, Huell Melon
Malts Utilized: Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt
Yeast: German Lager


Pairs Well With:

The beer is a perfect match for the new beer battered walleye with sea salt and jalapeno tartar sauce menu item from Mac’s Fish and Chips. Perfectly crisp beer with battered fish is always a hit.

New at Target Field:

A new walk-in beer cooler has been installed at Target Field where fans will be able to select their beer from the cooler and pay for it at the kiosk of “The Market” which is located just inside of Gate 6. We were told that if you lined up all the beer in the cooler, it would stretch about 1 mile!


Cheers!

Hygge Hoopla Virtual Beer Fest

By on April 15, 2020in beer events, breweries, education, food pairing, general beer, history, hops, misc. mn beer, MN

This is a very strange time to be alive. We are asking everyone to isolate to stop the spread of COVID-19 which has been sweeping across the country at an alarming rate. While we’d love to be enjoying a beverage with our pals, we know that it’s not smart to be hanging in groups. The best part about uncertain times is the fact that we as humans find creative ways to navigate our current situation. Apps like FaceTime and Skype have been around for a while and were probably ahead of their time, but now more than ever we need to embrace such technology and be thankful for our ability to adapt to change.

Beer festivals are usually about gathering with people in person and sharing beverages but that is not possible during this time. The crew over at the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild has come up with an idea to bring people together virtually and they’re calling it Hygge Hoopla Beer Fest. This event will take place on Saturday, April 18th from 3 pm until 5 pm.

The cost will be $10 and will feature a whole lineup of speakers that will cover a variety of topics such as beer history, tasting notes, and food pairings. Your purchase will support the Silver Linings Fund which benefits industry workers in need. Below you will find the list of speakers for this event.

Featuring:

Jacob Schnabel, Spilled Grain Brewhouse
Linda Rae Holcomb, GLUEK BEER
Eric Harper, Utepils Brewing Co
Ryan Pitman, Eastlake Craft Brewery
Craig Richardson, Day Block Brewing Company
Derek Allmendinger, Unmapped Brewing Co
Ryan Mihm, FINNEGANS
Matt Schwandt, Bauhaus Brew Labs
Ryan Petz, Fulton Beer
Gabe Smoley, Pryes Brewing Company
Jen Fox, Spiral Brewery
Matthew Lange, Lake Monster Brewing
Mike Willaford, Tin Whiskers Brewing Co.
Andy Klockow, Klockow Brewing Company
Dave Hoops, Hoops Brewing
Jeff Zierdt, Lupulin Brewing Company
Brian Schanzenbach, Blacklist Brewing Co.
Tim Wilson, Bent Paddle Brewing Co.
Jace Marti, Schell’s Brewery

To purchase tickets to the event, please visit this link. Be safe, take care of yourselves, and support your local Minnesota breweries. We hope to see you at the event, but if not we’ll have to grab a pint when this is all over.

Cheers!

Indeed and Steel Toe Collaborate for an Old Favorite in Flock Together Series

By on April 3, 2018in food pairing, general beer, Indeed Brewing Co., MN, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing

You know that Black & Tan you used to order? Well two local breweries have collaborated to bring you a local version with the order reversed. A Tan & Black. Indeed Brewing out of Northeast and Steel Toe from St. Louis Park got together and made two beers with the intention that you’ll order them together in the same glass. The Indeed version is a Wood-Aged Blonde Ale and the Steel Toe beer is a Wood-Aged Rye Bock.

Both beers utilize English malts and were aged on honeycomb spirals from Black Swan Cooperage out of Park Rapids, Minnesota. The Blonde will feature notes of bread, honey, and oak while the Bock will add some chocolate, caramel, and wood flavors.

So why did they switch it from a Black & Tan to a Tan & Black? “I’ve always liked Steel Toe,” says Indeed Lead Brewer Dan Stavig, describing how the collaboration formed. “Michael Wagner (Steel Toe Brewer) and I struck on an idea that sounded unique to us: two different beers made at separate breweries, but designed to be blended together.”

Indeed has always been on top of collaborations and frequently joins forces with local and national breweries (Dangerous, Man, Schell’s, Hoops Brewing, Northbound Smokehouse, New Belgium, and more) to bring special beers to life. Steel Toe on the other hand has been rather quiet on that front with only a couple of collaborations under their belt. Sticky Bubbler with Surly last year for the Red Stag Block Party and a version of Sticker Fight with Boneyard Brewing out of Bend, Oregon.

You can get yourself a Tan & Black at Bunny’s Bar and Grill in St. Louis Park (pair it up with their wings) starting on April, 10th and at Pizza Luce in Roseville (try it with the Italian Sausage Parmigiana) on April, 12th.

Cheers!