Category: general beer

Now Brewing: Tin Whiskers Brewing Co., Saint Paul

I mean that quite literally, they just started brewing last Friday.

Before then the trio of Jake Johnson, Jeff Moriarty and George Kellerman have been brewing in a state of flux, longing for the day when they wouldn’t have to call Jeff’s basement “home”.

(Note: Jake and George never actually said they lived in Jeff’s basement, but they never said they didn’t, so…)

Electrical engineers by trade and homebrewers by choice, they decided to quit fooling themselves and make a living doing what they truly enjoyed – making and sharing beer.  Their search for a home led them to the Rossmoor Commons in Saint Paul where they could A) take advantage of the same water chemistry they had used to develop their recipes and B) join an already-popular cast of commercial tenants in their building Robert Street, between 9th and 10th, including Sawatdee, Keys Cafe and Black Sheep Coal-Fired Pizza.

It was January, when they secured their spot and after a few months’ hard work they’re almost ready to open. The first beer out of the gate will be a Kölsch to be joined by others, including a sweet stout, an IPA and the most intriguing one to me – a honey-chamomile wheat.  I say that style is begging for a sleepytime-themed name, but that would probably angrily awaken the Celestial Seasonings bear, and we should all know better than to mess with a well-heeled bear that is fiercely protective of its copyrights.

The transformation into brewers has occurred, but it’s easy to see they haven’t lost their engineering roots entirely. Their brand images are laden with circuitry and even their name ‘Tin Whiskers’ refers to an anomaly on a circuit board resulting from a soldering failure that will in turn cause a short circuit…or two.

So the whole business is ready to come to life, even their robot logo, in a sense. The mural as you enter their taproom is complete and robot has now been given a face. It has no name but is not short on personality; everyone seems to find elements of robots they love within its features.

If you’d like to see the building, come by during the Saint Paul Art Crawl this Saturday the 26th from 2:00 to 5:00, The beers aren’t ready yet, but the guys will welcome you with a beer-themed art exhibit and give you a peek at their new space.

Stay tuned for an announcement of their official opening.

Tin Whiskers Brewing Co.125 E. 9th Street, Ste. 127., St. Paul, MN 55101

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Surly Schadenfreude Release Today

schadenfreude2Here’s some last minute release info for Surly Schadenfreude, their seasonal Munich Dunkel Lager. Thirsty? Old Chicago Dulutn as well as several Twin Cities locations will have Schadenfreude on tap in just a few short hours, starting at 3pm on Friday, April 18th.

Old Chicago RosevilleOld Chicago BlaineOld Chicago Eden Prairie
Old Chicago Apple ValleyOld Chicago Eagan  • Old Chicago Plymouth
Old Chicago Duluth

About Schadenfreude:
Schadenfreude is a German word for shameful joy, taking pleasure in the suffering of others. Utilizing German Munich, Vienna and Caramunich malts, this dark (Dunkel) lager has rich bread and toffee flavors balanced by a soft bitterness. Additional aging on toasted Minnesota oak makes Schadenfreude a one of a kind Dunkel.

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Re-Opens Tonight

townhall.jpgWhile Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery wasn’t my first brewpub experience in the Twin Cities (I think Hops was my first visit), my first visit was probably my most memorable. From the first drop of cask-conditioned Masala Mama I was hooked. I’ve always loved the location, the brewers, Pete, (almost all of) the wait staff and the regulars. And even before MNBeer launched in 2005, it seemed as if I always knew someone at Town Hall whenever i visited. Cheers? Perhaps.

In any case, Town Hall re-opens their doors to the public tonight at 6pm. They’re a Minneapolis institution, and I’m sure more than a few of you will be darkening their door tonight. Congrats to Pete and the whole crew. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery – welcome back. We’ve missed you.

Fitger’s Brewhouse Signs 20-Year Lease

Fitger's BrewhouseToday, Fitger’s Brewhouse has announced that they’ve signed a 20-year lease with Fitger’s On the Lake. After nearly 20 years in the Fitger’s Brewery complex, it’s nice to hear that they’ll bee there for another 20 years! What could this mean for beer fans? An longer lease opens the door for the Brewhouse to invest in their location – just what we’d expect with an expected brewery expansion.

“With this lease in our back pockets, Fitger’s Brewhouse is ready to reinvest in our own equipment and facilities within the complex,” said Brewhouse Principle, Tim Nelson. “We can’t think of a better place to showcase the talent of our brewers and support staff than at Fitger’s, the historic brewery on Lake Superior. This is good news for Duluth’s craft brewing scene.”

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