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.

Schell’s Stag Series #8, August’s Bock

By on September 10, 2013in breweries

Here’s another one to watch for from August Schell Brewing Co. For the 8th beer in their Stag Series, they’ve teamed up with Gold Ochsen Brauerei in New Ulm’s sister city, Ulm German. Both cities are also host to 5th generation family-owned breweries and both breweries were founded by men named August. Working in collaboration, they decided to brew a Blonde Doppel Bock. Both breweries used specialty malts from Weyerman with each brewery using their own base Pilsner malt – Rahr for Schell’s and Schwabenmalz for Gold Ochsen. Both breweries used Emerald, Tattnanger and Saphir hops during the boil and then each brewery used a different newer German hop variety in the whirlpool and as a dry hop. Schell’s used Polaris hops and Gold Ochsen used Mandarina Bavaria. Both beer were then fermented with the respective brewries’ house lager yeast and will mature for a couple of months before packaging. August Bock should appear in both breweries’ markets in November.augustbock

Kramarczuk’s Kielbasa Festival & Surly Dampfbier

By on September 5, 2013in bars/restaurants, beer events, breweries

surly-dampfbierHere’s another cool event to throw into this weekend’s rotation – Kramarczuk’s Kielbasa Festival. “Meat Us In Nordeast.” The Kramarczuk’s parking lot will be tented and they’ll have live music and family entertainment as well as Kramarczuk’s always awesome food as well as local & European beers on tap for your drinking pleasure. Also, this year Kramarczuk’s will receive a proclamation from the City of Minneapolis proclaiming the day, “Kielbasa Day,” in Minneapolis.

Bonus: Surly Brewing Company brewed a beer for this event, Dampfbier, a German style beer that’s was once popular n southeastern Bavaria near the Czech border. According to a BYO profile, Dampfbier is “an all-barley ale, brewed mostly in the summer. It is medium-bodied, very gently hopped, low in effervescence and, by German standards, warm-fermented at slightly above 70 °F. It is made with a standard Bavarian Weissbier yeast, which gives the beer a slightly phenolic aftertaste.” Dampfbiers aren’t entirely common, but if you were lucky, you may have tried Schell’s take on it when they released their 150th Anniversary Series of beers.

Kielbasa Fest runs from 5-10pm Friday and 11am-10pm Saturday. Check it out!

215 East Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.kramarczuk.com

Hackers Breach Midwest Supplies Website

By on September 4, 2013in homebrew

I really hate covering the negative side beer news, but I think this one’s too important not to share.

According to Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal (with a hat tip to SC Magazine), Twin Cities homebrew supplier Midwest Supplies was hit by hackers who compromised the website earlier this summer. According to the articles, hackers had access to names, addresses and credit card information. Potentially affected customers were sent a letter and offered a coupon for $25. According to the letter (copy here), Midwest Brewing President David Kidd says that the company “conducted a full investigation and have taken extensive steps to prevent it from happening again.”

A quick Google search finds that there’s some understandably angry customers out there (Reddit, HomebrewTalk). Suffice to say that if you shopped online with them this summer, it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on your credit card statements. Hell, no matter where you shop, online or otherwise, I think it’s a good idea to keep your eyes peeled.

Fulton II, Electric Boogaloo

By on September 4, 2013in breweries
Fulton Brewing Co.

Fulton Brewing Co.Updated.

http://fultonbeer.com/blog/were-building-another-minneapolis-brewery/

Fulton Brewing Co. announced today that they’ll be building a new brewery in Northeast Minneapolis and should be brewing by late 2014. They’ll be moving into the Caswell/Meggit Building at 2540 2nd Street Northeast with a new 80 barrel brewhouse, high speed bottling and kegging lines. They expect an initial capacity of 20,000 bbl. Let’s hope they don’t outgrow this one TOO soon.

Once the new brewery is up and running, all of their distributed beer will be brewed in Northeast Minneapolis, leaving their North Loop brewery open for small batches to supply their taproom. And lest you get excited about another taproom in Nordeast, don’t count on it. The guys plan to maintain their taproom in North Loop, and due to Minnesota law, they can only have one taproom.

Exciting news… congrats guys! It seems like just yesterday that I was sampling a homebrewed version of Worthy Adversary.

August Schell Fresh Hop Pilsner Series

By on September 4, 2013in breweries

mosaicpilsOn the heels of last year’s super-awesome Stag Series beer, the fresh-hopped Citra Pils, our friends at August Schell Brewing Co. have announced that they’ll be brewing a fresh hopped pilsner each fall. Jace Marti tells us that everyone at the brewery had a blast brewing Citra Pils last year and it only made sense to do it again this year.

According to Marti, This year’s beer will feature Mosaic hops and will be brewed as a single batch, single hop Pilsner. Hops? How about 550 pounds of Mosaic hops? The brewery expects to get those hops in the latter part of the month and since it’s a lager, you’ll probably have to wait another 5-6 weeks to enjoy it.

schellfresh