Author: Eric

Eric was one of a few contributors who jumped on board when the site was in its infancy.

Eat it, Minneapolis! (That is, eat a Juicy Lucy and have a beer)

By on August 21, 2008in bars/restaurants

I think it’s becoming increasingly clear that St. Paul is THE beer city in Minnesota. Now, with the opening of yet another craft beer bar in the city to the east of the river, the jury is in. (FULL DISCLOSURE: I grew up in South Minneapolis, but it wasn’t until I graduated from college–and coincidentally turned 21–that I moved to St. Paul. Sorry City of the Lakes.)

But I digress.

You maybe saw the snipet in the Pioneer Press today about the Blue Door Pub opening at Selby and Fairview in the old Puerta Azul digs (yes, that’s “blue door” in Spanish). I fired off an email to Jeremy, inquiring about their plans and urging them to consider Minnesota beer in their line up. He responded that he and his business partner, having worked at the Groveland Tap, are planning “to specialize in local and regional craft beers as well as a wide array of tasty and interesting bottles.  Beer events are a must here – we’ll have Firkins, rotating specials, and more.” 

I can’t think of anything that goes better with a Juicy Lucy than a good Minnesota beer!

Tickets for Belgian Beer Seminars on Sale NOW

By on August 18, 2008in general beer

Oh man these look sweet! Stop in to the Muddy Pig to get your tickets!

Beer Lovers,
Tickets are now available for the seminars to be held in conjunction with The Muddy Pig’s Belgian Beer Festival.
Session 1:  Friday, September 12 @ 5:00pm.  Belgian Beer Styles
Session 2:  Saturday, September 13 @ Noon.  True Lambics
Session 3:  Sunday, September 14 @ Noon.  Belgian Beer Culture
Each seminar will be hosted by a Belgian beer authority, will last about 1 hour and will include samples.  The cost is $20 per session or $50 for all three.  Space is very limited and all sessions will likely sell out quickly.
The Pig will be open normal business hours throughout the weekend and we will be serving over 40 different Belgian and Belgian-style beers on draft.

Surly Goes to Hell

By on August 18, 2008in breweries

SurlySo Surly has a new beer hitting the scene, Surly Hell, a Munich Helles. This is certainly old news to anyone that either regularly checks out the Brewer’s Blog over at Surly Brewing, or anyone who was at the Great Taste of the Midwest. Clearly, I’m not one of those.

From the Brewer’s Blog:

Walk with me in Hell
Aug 02, 2008
Ok not really a walk, but a drink of Surly Hell!
Sandy, Beaner and I brewed a single batch of a Munich Helles.
Basically a German style light lager….yea…yea …..Surly Light…get it?
Check it out at the Great Taste in Madison next weekend.
Draft only, so look for this beer at your favorite Surly draft bar in a couple/three weeks.

Take Cover Quickly–and enjoy a cool pull (at Town Hall)

By on August 13, 2008in beer events, brewpubs

townhall.jpgChad Bacon, self-described “licensed pseudo meteorologist” at Town Hall is reporting a major summer Thunderstorm headed our way next week. If I recall from similar past weather events, it usually involves copius amounts of honey, orange peel, lemongrass and Belgian candy sugar, but it does tend to knock one senseless, so maybe my memory isn’t serving me correctly.  I’ll leave it to the professionals to describe:

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the following counties, Carver, Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington.  Doppler radar and trained weather spotters have observed rotation with baseball size hail and winds in excess of 85 mph.  The track of the storm has followed a path from Meeker through Kandiyohi counties with a straight easterly track.  This storm is extremely dangerous capable of producing a swath of misery, silliness and frivolity, simply taking shelter is not an option.  The National Weather Service strongly recommends enjoying a cool pull, good friends and a quiet prayer as this life altering event approaches.  The damage of this storm will be massive, so please join weather geeks, at Town Hall on the 18th at 5:00pm. It is not a matter of if the T-Storm will hit it is a matter of when.

Chad Bacon Pint Club Member, Licensed Pseudo
Meteorologist at THB

Oh yeah, and the annual pig roast and bocce tourney is happening this weekend.

The time has come for another pig roast and bocce ball tourney- This coming weekend have some Brewers grain fed roasted pork Sat starting at 4pm.
If you still want to play bocce we would love to have you. I think we still have room for 5 teams and if they fill up you are playing for a $1000 prize! call a manager for info (612.339.8696)

Local hop growing efforts highlighted in Strib.

By on July 31, 2008in general beer, homebrew

Great story in today’s Strib about local hop growing efforts, with tons of insight by Minnesota homebrewers. Thanks to Don for bringing this to my attention.

Brewers hop to it.

The grow-your-own movement now extends to hops, as a worldwide shortage has prompted home brewers to add a new crop to their gardens.

By Bill Ward 

The Willamette vine made it; the other two croaked. His fiancée ran over the Nugget with the lawn mower, and “the Centennial, I found out, had been planted on top of an ant mound,” said David Toews of Minneapolis. Such are the pitfalls of a new gardening project.

So, are we talking heirloom tomatoes? Exotic melons? Actually, this is another type of vine providing something that won’t be found at any farmers’ market.

Hops.

Click here for the full story.