Check it out: Foodie File

Back to the growlers. While purchasing them at the brewery, you can have a great conversation with the people that actually brew this beer, drink some samples, eat pretzels, and get in touch with your local producers. I get such huge satisfaction out of supporting a small, family-owned business that invites the general public to buy from them (sans the middle man) and actually takes the time to answer questions and have a beer with the rest of us. I am hosting Jeff and his wife/business partner Cathie, and it will be a pleasure to cook with the craft brews fresh in my mind.

Ready for Winterfest? For those of you lucky enough to get tickets, we’ll see you Friday. Some of the MNBeer.com crew will be taking tickets – say hello! Here’s a rundown on what the fine folks from Summit will be bringing:
Cask-conditioned Winter Ale: Our traditional UK-style winter warmer ale combines a full body and mouthfeel with flavours of dark fruit and spice. Dry-hopped with Fuggles. (6.2%abv)

Cask-conditioned Extra Pale Ale: Summit’s flagship beer, light amber in colour with a refreshing bitterness and good malt character. Dry-hopped with Amarillo. (5.1%abv)

Great Northern Porter: the inclusion of chocolate malt in the grain bill gives this classic beer strong notes of espresso, dark chocolate and caramel. A balanced porter with great drinkability. (5.4%abv)

Heimertingen Maibock: our spring seasonal beer is liberally hopped with Mt. Hood and Saaz. An extended aging period lends a clean finish and smooth mouthfeel allowing it to “drink below its strength”. (6.8%abv)

Fitger’s continues to throw the gauntlet down (what ever the hell that means, but it seemed appropriate). In addition to their regular weekly releases–Champagne of the North, Brewhouse Pub Ale, and Blueberry Lager, it’s time for a couple more 750ml releases. Their bourbon barrel Imperial Stout is quite bourbon-y, and the Framboise sounds pretty incredible, with a 17 year old lambic added to the fermentation! Get up north and get yours!