News & Updates

A Guide to Autumn Brew Review 2016

By ryan on September 15, 2016in breweries, brewpubs

By Jeremy Zoss

The 16th annual Autumn Brew Review will be held this Saturday, September 17th at the Historic Grain Belt Brewery. Autumn Brew Review (ABR) is one of the largest and oldest beer festivals of the state, and for serious craft beer fans it is considered one of the most important beer events of the year. This guide will help you prepare for the event and maximize your beer-tasting enjoyment.

About Autumn Brew Review

Autumn Brew Review is the largest and longest-running craft beer festival organized by the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild. The non-profit outdoor festival feature unlimited beer tastings from local and national craft breweries, as well as a few ciders, wines, and non-alcoholic samples. Each visitor receives a commemorative tasting glass and guide, and can also enjoy games, food vendors on-site, beer educational sessions and more.

About the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild

The Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild is a trade group for Minnesota breweries. Most Minnesota breweries are members, but not all. The Guild works to promote Minnesota craft beer and to educate consumers about the great beer made in Minnesota. In addition to Autumn Brew Review, the Guild organizes events like Winterfest, All Pints North and the Land of 10,000 Beers exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair.

The Breweries

This year, 135 breweries will be participating in ABR. The list includes established locals like August Schell Brewing Company, Dangerous Man, Fulton, Indeed, Summit, Surly, Town Hall Brewery, and many more. ABR is also a great place to sample beers from some of the state’s younger breweries, including Bald Man Brewing, Disgruntled Brewing, Roundhouse Brewing, Wayzata Brew Works, and other breweries in their first few years of operation.

Of course, not all the breweries at ABR are local. Many heavy-hitting national breweries will participate as well, including Alaskan Brewing Co., Deschutes, Evil Twin, New Belgium, Oscar Blues, Sam Adams, Stone, and more. ABR often serves as the launching pad for national breweries entering the Minnesota market for the first time, and this year is no exception. For many visitors, ABR will be their first exposure to national breweries like California’s Alpine Beer Co., Michigan’s Arcadia Ales, and the Colorado Saison specialists Funkwerks.

The Beer

ABR is more than an excuse to drink large quantities of beer – it’s about quality, too. No matter your tastes, make sure you seek out some hard-to-find brews in your favorite styles. Here are a few of the rare brews this writer hopes to sample at the festival:

August Schell’s – Harmony of Spheres, Orbital Drift, and Tidal Disruption Weissbiers
Bent Paddle – Double Shot Double Black American Black Ale
Dangerous Man – Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout
Evil Twin – 2014 From Amager With Love Imperial Stout
Funkwerks – Multiple saisons
New Belgium – 2016 Le Terrior American Wild Ale
Prairie Artisan Ales – Prairie Bomb! Imperial Stout
Surly – Barrel-aged Pentagram, Vanilla Oak Aged Darkness, One, Two, Three Anniversary Ales
Toppling Goliath – King Sue Imperial IPA

Preparation and Tips

Here’s some advice to help you maximize your enjoyment of ABR:

Here’s the most important advice of all: make sure you have arranged a sober driver to pick you up after the event! If you can’t try to travel via public transportation.
In advance, make yourself a pretzel necklace. Lace several dozen pretzels on some string to wear around your neck. There will be plenty of food available to purchase at the event, but eating a pretzel between beers will not only keep you from getting too intoxicated, it will help reset your palate between samples.
ABR has an app! Grab it from the Google Play store or the Apple App Store and use it to plan your visit.
Expect big crowds and long lines. ABR is a big festival, so you will have to wait in lines. You won’t get a chance to try every beer you want, especially those tapping at specific times. Go with the flow, and don’t sweat if you miss out on a hard-to-find beer.
Skip the standards. If you’ve had a beer before, don’t ask for a pour. There is only so much time to drink, so focus on seeking out samples from breweries you haven’t visited yet, or exciting new offerings from your favorites.
There’s no shame in dumping beer on the ground. Drink every last drop and you’ll be drunk before you know it. Take a few sips and pour the rest – unless of course it’s too delicious to waste!
Drink plenty of water. There are rinse stations throughout the event for rinsing glassware, but the water is drinkable. Staying hydrated will keep your palate fresher and stave off intoxication.
Remember that festivals aren’t a completely fair way to try beers for the first time. No matter how many pretzels you snack on or water you drink, your palate will be pretty shot by the end of the day. Just because a beer didn’t stand out at ABR doesn’t mean you won’t love it later.
Don’t be a dick. Even with long lines and big crowds of people who have been drinking for hours, ABR generally has a pretty chill vibe. Everyone there is united by the love of craft beer, so most visitors get along pretty well. Don’t be the one that ruins the fun.

GRRRL Beer Rep Party at The Happy Gnome

By ryan on September 12, 2016in beer events, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., The Happy Gnome

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The local beer scene is loaded with talented ladies. Whether they’re brewing beer, selling it, or serving it—they are a big part of this exploding beer scene. Local beer reps Gabby Rudisill from Ballast Point, Tara Alcure from Surly, and Sarah Meyer from Bent Paddle came up with the idea to celebrate women in the industry by bringing people together at The Happy Gnome in St. Paul just ahead of Autumn Brew Review. They are calling this event GRRRL Party, but guys are encouraged to attend as well.

They’ve also invited some reps from Family Tree Clinic, an organization that supports women’s health by providing care and resources for all. Come down to The Gnome and try out some special beers from all of these breweries and bring some cash to donate. On tap will be Hopmosa, Ballast Point Pumpkin Down on oak, Surly Four, Urban Growler Rhubarb Wit, Indeed Whiskey Queen, Bad Weather Tippin’ it Down and more.

See you there!

9.14.16

The Happy Gnome

498 Selby Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55102

Craft Beer Pioneer Summit Celebrating 30 Years

By Ryan Tuenge on September 8, 2016in beer events, breweries, charity, general beer, history, hops, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, Summit Brewing Co., tap rooms

Thirty years ago Top Gun was all the rage. That was 1986, the same year that Summit Brewing opened its doors in an old building that used to sell truck parts on University Avenue in St. Paul. To say this was a humble beginning is an understatement as founder Mark Stutrud received a letter from the Brewers Association back in 1983 during the early planning stages advising him not to attempt such an endeavor.

That was just one of the many challenges for Mark, challenges that microbreweries today do not face. For one, there was no blueprint for a small brewery to succeed in the midwest. At that time was no such thing as a microbrewery. “Thirty years ago there was no regional point of reference as far as other small breweries were concerned – ‘microbrewery’ was not in the wholesaler’s or retail customer’s vocabulary. The idea of ‘craft beer’ didn’t exist in the drinker’s mind. The beer landscape was sterile” says Stutrud.

Two of the beers they produced that first year would pioneer a movement toward beers with a little more flavor, beers that would challenge palates on many levels. Those two beers of course are Summit Extra Pale Ale and Great Northern Porter.

Summit EPA seems to be the most established and well-known variety that they make and the beer itself was born with a local touch. “The ‘extra’ in EPA was a reference to the love that we put into our beer [the overused word passion wasn’t in fashion in 1986]. The flavor profile of projecting a malt structure with a definite hop balance was a direct reference to the fact that we live in ‘barley country.’ We didn’t realize at the time that we were creating and establishing a specific style.”

Great Northern Porter was a complete gem of a beer upon its arrival. Even storied beer journalist Michael Jackson loved it. It was so good that it earned Summit a Gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in its first year. “Great Northern Porter was the second beer that we introduced in late 1986” says Stutrud. “At that time, we were one of five breweries in the WORLD that produced a porter. Great Northern Porter received a Gold Medal at the 1987 Great American Beer Festival. Michael Jackson had a deep respect for our beer” he stated.

If there’s one thing that’s true about Summit back then and now, it’s that quality always comes first. People can say what they want to about Summit not making a crazy one-off beer that sets beer fans abuzz, but the fact of the matter is that they want to make beers that they know how to make—and they make them great every time.

They started the Unchained Series as well as the Union Series to allow their brewers to experiment a little with different ingredients, and to inspire their creativity. All of the beers they make are brewed on a state-of-the-art system that is admired by many across the country. In fact, it’s what separates them from the other local breweries and from those across the country. “No other brewery in the region takes quality assurance to the deep level that we do. These attributes and qualities not only separates us from local breweries, but it distinguishes us on a national level” he says.

When he’s not drinking a Summit, Mark enjoys Pinot Noir, margaritas, the Noble Star Series from Schell’s, Anchor Steam, and Liberty Ales, an occasional Steel Toe, and a Budweiser from his neighbor.

Summit is celebrating 30 years with a Backyard Bash at the brewery (910 Montreal Cir, St Paul, MN 55102) headlined by local punk legend Bob Mould (formerly of Hüsker Dü and Sugar) and taking place on Saturday from noon until 8 pm. You can grab tickets ($30) online here or at Electric Fetus in Minneapolis. There will be plenty of music and food trucks where you can purchase food. Part of the proceeds will go to Minnesota Music Coalition, an organization that Summit is proud to support. “The originators of this relatively new non-profit organization asked me to serve on the Board of Directors to an entrepreneurial and business perspective. MMC has become an effective change agent for the independent music scene in Minnesota” says Mark. The band schedule (descending order) is as follows:

6:00 pm – Bob Mould
4:40 pm – Bully
3:35 pm – Dem Atlas
2:30 pm – Bad Bad Hats
1:25 pm – Apollo Cobra
12:20 pm – Nooky Jones
12:00 pm – Hotpants Minneapolis Minnesota (and between all live sets)

Food trucks on site include: The Anchor Fish & Chips, the Black Forest Inn, Bennett’s Chop and Railhouse, Pizza Lucé, Signature on Wheels, World Street Kitchen, FrioFrio MN and PoppedCorn.

Summit has 30 years under its belt, and they are taking the appropriate amount of time to reflect while still moving forward. Their 30th Anniversary beers are some of the best beers they’ve come up with in recent years and they are not going to stop anytime soon. “Several individuals have asked me if I ever stop and look at what ‘I’ve’ created…There is an awesome and overwhelmed look on their faces when they tour the brewery.”

A brewery that will most certainly live to see 60.

Cheers!

Fulton Releases a New Brand Called Standard Lager

By Ryan Tuenge on September 8, 2016in Fulton Brewing Co.

Easy drinking lagers are hot right now in the craft beer world, and Fulton just made a solid statement with Standard Lager. It’s actually a “brand” rather than just a new beer, similar to what Firestone Walker did with 805 Beer.

It’s an all-malt American lager (which means that they don’t use adjuncts such as corn) that’s clean and balanced—perfect for the grill, fishing off the dock, or the last few weeks on the patio.

This will be available in stores (12 packs) across at all of their accounts beginning in October.

Fair State Brewing Expanding

By Ryan Tuenge on September 6, 2016in breweries, Fair State Brewing, general beer, misc. mn beer, MN, tap rooms

Nearing 1,000 members strong and a healthy demand for their beers, Fair State Brewing Coop has just signed a lease on a 40,000 square foot brewing space just a couple miles (2077 Ellis Avenue in St. Paul) from the taproom. In less than 24 months the beer being made at their brewery/taproom has been recognized locally, nationally and internationally. This is something president and CEO Evan Salle is clearly proud of. “When we signed that first lease we had 125 members. Today we have over 900” he said to a roaring crowd at their members only party.

They were named as one the top ten new breweries in the world by RateBeer and were also named the best new brewery in Minnesota for 2015. The new space means they will increase their production five-fold and with a new distribution agreement, Bernick’s will help them move into Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester, and across northern Minnesota. “The plan is to make quantity over here [at the new facility] and keep the small batches over at the current space” says Sallee. This expansion has been in the works for well over a year and the brewery has been operating at capacity for at least that long. The new space will also allow for barrel storage meaning that their barrel-aging program will also be getting a boost. Anyone who’s had their barrel-aged beers should be very, very excited about this.

Head brewer Niko Tonks seems equally excited as he lamented about being able to do even more experimental stuff at the current space. It’ll be similar to Fulton where the highest volume beers are produced at the new facility, leaving the smaller batches to be brewed at the taproom space. “It’ll be good be able to do real experiments at the current space” Niko said chuckling. He also mentioned that they’ll initially be canning Roselle, Pils, Saison DuPonde, and Hop Lager out of the gate.

Expect to see more of their beers available in cans and on draft at accounts around town. Oh and Roselle (the first sour beer canned in Minnesota) will be readily available in stores once the new space is up and running in early 2017 according to Sallee. They’ve had trouble keeping up with the demand for that beer.