Author: ryan

Ryan Anderson (that's me!) is the editor & founder of MNBeer. Much has changed since the fall of 2005 and I'm proud to have been a part of it all. Sometime I'll tell you about my grand theory that links craft brewing to punk rock. Just ask.

Excelsior Brewing Oktoberfest Saturday

By on October 12, 2012in beer events, breweries

On Saturday, October 13th, Excelsior Brewing will hold their first annual Oktoberfest celebration at the brewery from noon to 9pm featuring beer (surprise!) music & hammerschlagen, among other things. Music includes Tim Mahoney and Thee Unholy 3 as well as roaming accordion players. This event will serve as the debut of Excelsior Oktoberfest Märzen. You’ll also be able to enjoy other beers like their Bitteschläppe Brown Ale, XLCR Pale Ale and Big Island Blond Ale. Maynard’s and Patisserie Margo will be serving up food in the form of brats, strudel and a homemade pretzels, etc.

All ages. 21+ to drink.

421 3rd Street, Excelsior, MN 55331

 

Fitger’s Brewhouse Outpost in Canal Park

By on October 11, 2012in breweries

More interesting news from the owners of Fitger’s Brewhouse in Duluth. Last Friday they won a bid for the historic Endion Station in Canal Park for $300,000. The building is a stone’s throw from Lake Superior, directly off of the Lakewalk in Canal Park.

The owners of Fitger’s Brewhouse are hardly strangers to branching out – they’ve also created Burrito Union, the Red Star nightclub, Fitger’s Brewhouse Beer Store and Tycoons Alehouse. For their work with the latter, they won the 2012 “Adaptive Reuse” award from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota for their conversion of Duluth’s old city hall on Superior Street.

The building (its name means my, your or his home in Ojibwe) was built as a train station in 1899 and moved to the Lakewalk in the 80s. Tony Dierckins, the publisher of local history site Zenith City Online, says the station is unique.

“We used to have dozens of railroad depots all over town,” Dierckins says. “It’s one of only two that are left.”

Like Tycoons Alehouse and the Fitger’s building, the Endion Station is built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It’s made of Kettle River sandstone and even though it was a humble passenger depot, it was carefully designed to look its best.

Future plans for the space have yet to be revealed, though beer will be a given part of the project.

Surly Darkness Day Details

By on October 11, 2012in beer events, breweries
Surly Brewing Co.

This year’s Surly Darkness Day is  Saturday, October 27, from 11am–6pm. Obviously if you’d like to get your hands on a bottle (or six) of Darkness, it’s advised that you get in line early. What time? It’s difficult to say, and as this event gets more popular. How about early o’clock? Not to rub it in, but for the first Darkness Day, we showed up around 9am and were near the front of the line. Don’t count on that this round!

Surly Darkness Day no. 1. Shitty cell phone shot. I’d apologize, but some of you were still drinking Miller Lite at this point! 🙂

…and of course there will be beer… and food, and music.

Beer:
Expect some of the usual suspects as well as limited-release beers and casks. You can buy beer tokens for $4. Pours of cask beers & Darkness will be 8 oz. and everything else is 12 0z.

Food trucks:
You will not go hungry unless you are broke… or stupid. Plan ahead. Chef Shack, Natedogs, Barrio, Groveland Confections, Caribou Coffee, and others will be serving throughout.

Live Music:
As always, at Darkness Day the rock will be accompanied by the roll. Bands include God Came From Space, We Are Legion, Wolvhammer, and Powermad.

Powermad – Surly Darkness Day No. 2

So you wanna buy a bottle (or six) of Darkness?
The Surly crew will hand out 1200 wristbands for bottle sales prior to the gates opening. If you get a wristband, you’ll be allowed to buy up to 6 bottles of Darkness. Bottles of Darkness are $18 each, (cash only). Extra bottles will be available for purchase later in the afternoon. Not everyone buys their allotted 6 bottles, so stick around if you want a bottle but weren’t one of the first 100 people in line… you may just get one…

Some Rules:
[Aside from the golden rule in the beer world… don’t be a jerk. Oh, and for the love of all that is good in the world, don’t ]

  • Must be 21+ to enter unless accompanied by parent. No tickets needed.
  • DON’T SHOW UP BEFORE 3:30 on Friday! Surly has neighbors. Respect their employees and their space.
  • Any tents/structures that are up during daylight hours will not be allowed.
  • Volunteers will be helping with the line overnight. Please follow their direction as they can blackball you from the event if you don’t.
  • As always, be safe and arrange a ride or take a taxi home.

Vine Park’s 17th Anniversary

By on October 11, 2012in b.o.p., beer events, breweries

Vine Park Brewing will be celebrating 17 years being “The Fun Place to Brew Your Own Beer & Wines” on October 17. Vine Park has a long history (well at least for a teenager) in St. Paul, operating as a brew-on-premise first and foremost, and in recent years adding growler sales via their commercial brewing setup. Congrats to Vine Park!

To celebrate, on their birthday, they’ll be offering growler fills for $8 all day long, which is an even better deal than their  “Year of Beer” card.

Also, Vine Park will award a Year of Beer card good for $144 worth of growler fills to the best photo submitted to our Facebook page or emailed to newsletter@vinepark.com that celebrates our 17th birthday.  The rules are wide open and the gang from Vine Park will  pick the one they like best.  Creativity Rules!

Indeed Hullabaloo: Autumn Release Fest

By on October 9, 2012in bars/restaurants, beer events, breweries

On Saturday from 3-9pm Indeed Brewing Company celebrates autumn with beer and a little “Hullabaloo” at the brewery with some special release beer, including Sweet Yamma Jamama (an all made with sweet potatoes), Midnight Ryder infused with poblano peppers and Haywire (a double American black ale). Haywire and Sweet Yamma Jamma will also be available in bottles in limited supplies.

Hungry? The folks from Blue Door Pub will be serving up their ever-awesome burgers and fall-inspired sides as well. Menu to come.

Schedule
3:00 PM: Tapping of Sweet Yamma Jamma Sweet Potato Ale
4:00 PM: Tapping of Midnight Ryder infused with poblano pepper
5:00 PM: Tapping of Haywire Double American Black Ale
We’ll also be releasing a limited supply of both Haywire and Sweet Yamma Jamma in 750 mL bottles.