Here’s a story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (found on the Pioneer Press website) about a beer-friendly hoody designed by Beer City Promotions.  I think Ryan outta get these damn things in MNBeer’s store ASAP, don’t you?  These’d be perfect for use at sporting events, funerals, your kids’ play, exercising, you name it.

If you’ve already decided you’ll be attending the Beer Dabbler Highland Fest, or are still on the fence, here’s one more reason to go – Beer Class.

A well-balanced variety of guest speakers will share their expertise on different beer-related topics. The guest speakers will be staged in The Classroom Tent separate from the beer tasting village. Each speaker will conduct a 20-minute crash course in his or her area of expertise. Michael Agnew, Certified Cicerone from Perfect Pint will serve as the classroom moderator for the Beer Class sessions.

Class passes will be sold apart from regular admission to the beer festival.
The cost is $3 per class.
100% of class pass money will go to Free Arts Minnesota and Rock the Cause, the two non-profit organizations partnering with this event.

Class passes are currently on sale at Thomas Liquors in St. Paul and the full class schedule can be found at the Beer Dabbler Highland Fest website.

Many of us are enjoying an extra day off work today, and that goes for some of our favorite watering holes. So far, Great Waters is the only one I know is closed but if you know of others, do your fellow drinkers a favor and post it in the comments. On the flip side, since it is Monday, your local liquor store is probably open so stop in there if you need to replenish your supplies.

Here’s a link to a brief craft beer article in The Atlantic that you might enjoy.  There’s nothing earth-shattering in the article, but it is a conversation starter.  In fact, your homework assignment is to use this article to engage a suspected non-craft beer drinker in a discussion about the virtues of craft beer.  Sitting in a bathroom stall next to a toe-tapping, finger wiggling co-worker?  Change subjects!  Annoyed that your husband’s great aunt is over for dinner, yet again?  Run her off with a long discourse on craft beer!  Looking to divert attention away from your inverted colon while visiting the proctologist?  Fire this chat up!  Gotta tell your son’s grade school class about your job for career day?  Feel free to lie to the little buggers and get an early start on their indoctrination!