Category: homebrew

Chop & Brew #10: Boat Bitter (Brewing Session Ale at Home)

It’s summer in The Cities and we’re in need of a low-alcohol, yet high-flavor beer. Enter Wyeast Brand Manager (and Saint Paul local) Michael Dawson with the cure: Boat Bitter. Dawson has some great advice for crafting a superb session-strength British Bitter utilizing a limited edition yeast strain, an off-the-beaten-path hop, and plenty of nerd power. Homebrewers, also check out the bonus video footage from the brew session for even more brewgeek awesomeness. Brew small!

No Homebrew Sampling at this Year’s Deer River BBQ & Brew Fest

This year’s Deer River BBQ and Brew Fest will be without one of it’s starring attractions – this year’s homebrew competition will go on, but sampling homebrew to the public will not. We’ve seen issues with sampling homebrew come up for the past few years, and unfortunately this comes as no surprise.

Hello everyone. You may have seen the article in Saturday’s edition of the Grand Rapids Herald-Review that announced we are suspending homebrew public sampling at this year’s event but don’t worry. The homebrew judging event will proceed as planned and beer will be available for sale.

During final preparations for this year’s event it was discovered that Minnesota’s interpretation of current state statutes is that a home brewer or organization cannot give away samples of homebrew to people beyond the brewer’s family, as home brewed beer is not regulated in the same manner of professional breweries. More information will be available at the event Saturday if you would like additional details.

While disappointing, it is a small setback to what is a great event. We have a great lineup of BBQ teams who are ready to pair their low and slow ribs, brisket, chicken and pork with the live music of MESH. Home brewers will compete for prizes and bragging rights as well. Many folks will be camping on the site; BBQ smokers, brewers and their families.

See you on Saturday!

Much like 2010’s Artenbru, this event could very well have two-fold issues. Aside from the interpretation that homebrewer’s can’t share samples with the general public, this is also an event with a ticket price, which very well could be interpreted as payment for beer. Right, wrong or otherwise, this event will be shifting gears this year. What do you think?

Chop & Brew #8: How to Cook with Beer

A couple of months ago, Better Beer Society University hosted the one-and-only Homebrew Chef Sean Z. Paxton and a presentation Paxton called “How to Cook with Beer.” If you aren’t aware, Paxton is a frequent contributor to Beer Advocate, Zymurgy and The Brewing Network. He is not only one of the world’s most well-known beer cuisine experts, but also an avid homebrewer. Chop & Brew is proud to bring you this presentation Paxton delivered at BBSU. Some Twin Cities Beer Geek All-Stars also make audience member cameos. Grab a notepad, a beer, and something to nosh on because some epic science is about to be dropped. This episode also unveils the new Chop & Brew logo hand-crafted by Saint Paul artist DWITT, who will likely be making an interesting chop- and/or brew-related appearance in the show in the near future.

Chop & Brew #7: Roll Out the Barrels

A group of local homebrewers is having a barrel of fun. Actually, FOUR barrels of fun! The Nordeast Brewers Alliance is on an epic mission: to fill four 59-gallon French oak wine barrels with some big batches of homebrew. Twin Cities’ own Chop & Brew webshow rides shotgun on barrel fill day and checks in for a three-month taste panel to see how the beer are progressing. See this episode page link for the club’s barrel beer recipes and more.

Beermuda Triangle

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Midwest Supplies, The Four Firkins and Steel Toe Brewing are teaming up again for another round of The Beermuda Triangle, a walk/bike-friendly beer tour around St. Louis Park that benefit’s St. Louis Park’s local food shelf (and more), the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP).

As a 13-year resident of St. Louis Park, I can’t say enough about the good things that STEP does for people in need in this community as well as their work to mobilize the community to lend a hand and/or donate. So combining a great beer store, a great brewery and a great homebrew shop only amplifies things in my mind…

…but I digress. For $30, you get a Beermuda triangle t-shirt, a pint of beer at Steel Toe and a number of other goodies, like specials on recipe kits from Midwest, trivia and giveaways.

$30. June 22nd, noon-4pm.