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.

Mountain Mash Craft Beer & Cuisine – Lutsen

By on September 27, 2011in beer events, breweries

This sounds very cool. If you’ve never visited Lutsen, you should. Absolutely beautiful…

Lutsen Mountains and Harriet Brewing have teamed for a weekend of beer, art, food and music, Oct. 14-16.  Details here (and below):

Rauchfest Up North Release Party
Friday, October 14, 2011 –   $25 Click here to buy
Friday night welcomes guests for Harriet Brewing’s Up North Rauchfest Release at Papa Charlie’s. Your ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, a sampling of this new smoked Oktoberfst lager, live entertainment, and of course the company of your fellow craft beer, art, and music lovers amidst Lutsen Mountain’s spectacular scenery.

Mountain Mash Beer Pairing Dinner
Saturday, October 15, 2011 –    $75 Click here to buy
Take the enchanting gondola ride to the top of Moose Mountain for an intimate beer pairing dinner at the Summit Chalet. Chef Richard Selz will prepare a five-course meal paired with each of Harriet’s unique craft brews that promises to delight the Oktober palate. Guests will not only enjoy a sumptuous meal in this spectacular mountaintop chalet, but stories from Harriet’s founder and brewer Jason Sowards and live art by Jesse Brodd (Harriet’s resident artist and the person responsible for all of the brewery’s label art) will entertain throughout the evening. After the dinner event, the party will commence at Papa Charlie’s with live music by Timmy Haus. All attendees of the Saturday night dinner event will receive a commemorative beer glass.

Heritage Thursday Tasting: Lagunitas

By on September 21, 2011in beer events, beer stores

Drink up with Heritage! This week they’ll be sampling beer from Lagunitas. If only I could make it! As luck would have it, I’ll be in Petaluma in October, though. You? You’re not coming with me. So head over to Heritage between 5 and 7 on Thursday.

We’re being taken over by Petaluma, CA’s Lagunitas Brewing Co this week and couldn’t be happier.  This Thursday the 22nd from 5-7PM we’ll have their North Central MidWestern CornBelt Regional Vice Manager for Quality Control Sampling and Supply-Vectored Beverage Implementation Sean McHugh in-store to pour samples of their newest release Bavarian-Styled Doppel Weizen, plus a few others. This new release is a collaboration with the Freistaat Bayern Brothers, founders of ROLEC, a German based company that built the Lagunitas brewhouse for their current expansion (they’ve also done equipment at Victory Brewing, Brooklyn, Magic Hat, Firestone Walker, Stone, North Coast & more).

And while we’re at it, we’re gonna make our 20% off Bomber of the Week is their Lucky 13 alt.

Happy Belated Anniversary, Fitger’s

By on September 15, 2011in brewpubs

Yeah, so it’s already 10:30 on Thursday night, the night of the beer releases, but with any luck, they won’t drink it all tonight. Duluth, drink up!

We’re celebrating our 16th anniversary and our 3,000th batch of beer! Our anniversary is this Thursday, Sept 15, with the traditional yearly release of the highly prized Cherry Batch!

To celebrate our 3,000th batch of beer we present Batch 3,000!
CHERRY BATCH ANNIVERSARY 2011
ABV % 5.8
Color 12 srm
IBU 1
Hops: aged saaz

Cherry Batch, made with huge amounts of Door County, Wis. cherries, will make your taste buds flip out with its exploding flavors. People ask about it year-round and when it starts pouring it only lasts for a few days—tops. Master Brewer Dave Hoops said the Cherry Batch is crafted by making “a malty red ale, then we add 1,000 pounds of fresh Door County cherries. This beer is tart with a beautiful red color and a strong cherry aroma.”

BATCH 3000
ABV 6 %
Color 25 srm
IBU 26
Spices: Fresh Black Peppercorns
Ageing : Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrel

This Belgian style Black Saison is brewed with pale malts, and chocolate malts to impart a dark color and cocoa-like flavor. Belgian yeasts create strong ester fruity notes and crushed black peppercorns are added to the brew during fermentation. “The resulting slight spiciness,” say Hoops, “balances the dark flavors perfectly. Post fermentation we moved this beer into bourbon barrels filled with fresh peppercorns.

“This special beer is our 3,000th batch since we began brewing in 1997.”

Tallgrass 1 year Anniversary Week / ABR Shenanigans

By on September 15, 2011in general beer

Here’s a few events with the Tallgrass crew in Minnesota:
Friday 9/16
4-7pm @ Ale Jail’s Anniversary Event – sampling all our beers w/ a special sneak peak of Velvet Rooster
4-7pm @ Fitty’s “ABR Friday” (Thomas Liquor) – sampling event w/ sneak peak of “Rooster”
7pm @ Groveland Tap – Special firkin release of “Judge Elihu Smails” (Oasis w/ Galaxy hops”)

——-

Saturday 9/17
Autumn Brew Review:
Ale, IPA, Oasis, Velvet Rooster, Halcyon, and Buffalo Sweat.

Special Firkins of:
“Honey Run” – (American Oak-Aged Oktoberfest)
“Carl Spackler” – (Ale w/ Cinnamon and Cocoa Nibs)
“Danny Noonan” – (Oasis w/ Galaxy hops and Orange Peel)