Category: breweries

Summit Hopvale Organic Ale

By on January 29, 2015in Summit Brewing Co.

hopvale

Mark your calendars for April… today Summit announced a new year-round certified organic ale, Hopvale Organic Ale. They’re referring to it as a hoppy sessionable ale (4.7% abv) breed with organic malts, hops and lemon peel. They have my attention! According to Summit, this will be their first year-round beer available exclusively in four-pack 16 oz. cans and on draft.

Summit’s last venture into organic ale cane via brewer Gabe Smoley’s Unchained 12: 100% Organic Ale back in 2013.

More details forthcoming!

Leech Lake Brewing is Closing

By on January 16, 2015in breweries
Courtesy of Leech Lake Brewing's Facebook page.

Courtesy of Leech Lake Brewing’s Facebook page.

Sad news from the Walker, Minnesota area. According to their Facebook page, Leech Lake Brewing Company wasn’t able to get the investors needed to expand the brewery, so they’ve decided to liquidate.

As you’ve no-doubt assumed, the $1000 limitless growler offer didn’t meet with enough… exuberance… to be adopted. So, LLBC’s assets are being liquidated, and the brewery will close once the last ounce of beer is poured from the taproom. The existing inventory will continue to be bottled and sold to liquor stores while it lasts, but I will no longer supply to draft accounts.

To those of you who expressed interest in the limitless growler offer, thank you very much! Your support for LLBC is appreciated more than you know. Sorry I couldn’t “brew up” more participation. Cheers, and take care…

We wish Greg the best in his future endeavors. Though craft beer continues to grow, Leech Lake’s closing is a reminder that a brewery is a business and a challenging one at that. It’s been said that the best way to make a small fortune in the brewing industry is to start with a large one… and with the success and growth in the industry, sometimes we look at things with amber-colored glasses.

Inevitably, some breweries in Minnesota will not succeed. We consider brewery folks to be friends, so it’s while it’s no fun to see them take a hit, the fact remains that as a business owner, the odds are against you. Stay strong brewery friends. We’re here for you.

Coming Soon: Bauhaus Brewlabs Über Düber

By on January 14, 2015in Bauhaus Brewlabs, new beer

uberduberdooBauhaus Brew Labs is coming at you with another winter seasonal offering – Über Düber. Über Düber is described as a “hoppy bock.” This beer is loosely based on a traditional German bock, albeit hopped up a bit. They’re added Oceanic hops to this traditionally malt-forward beer. At 7%, we’re curious to see how these two elements play together. Bauhaus notes earthy flavors of Black currant and cherry as well as a “straight up dank” aroma. I’m down for a few pints!

Look for 22 oz. bombers of Über Düber in stores in late January. And if you can’t wait, it will debut at the St. Paul Winter Beer Dabbler on January 24th. You’ll also be able to catch it on tap at Bauhaus and select other locations starting on the week of January 26th.

On Tap: Fulton Insurrection IIPA

By on January 12, 2015in Fulton Brewing Co.

insurrectionHere’s one to watch for… Fulton Insurrection has returned. They haven’t brewed it for a couple of years and you’ve never been able to get it in 12 oz. bottles until now. This beer features over 3 pounds of Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops per barrel. Stop into the Fulton taproom for draft pours and growlers or watch your local retailer for 4-packs of bottles.

 

Drink Up: Schell’s Dawn of Aurora

By on January 1, 2015in August Schell Brewing Co.

What was your favorite Minnesota beer series of 2014? Noble Star? Summit’s Union or Unchained Series? Though there were certainly no losers this year, Schell’s Noble Star Series was probably my favorite with a solid set of Berliner Weisse offerings that were all tart, juicy and exceptionally enjoyable. We look forward to more good things from the old-timers at Schell’s in 2015.

Best beer series of 2014? Damn this is good @schellsbeer!

A photo posted by MNBeer.com (Ryan) (@mnbeer) on

Dawn of Aurora is Schell’s take on a “Starkbier” Berliner Weisse. Stark means strong, and at 8%, this isn’t your average Berliner Weisse. Homebrew nerds might like to know that this beer was brewed with a fairly extensive double decoction mash and perhaps as no surprise, an un-boiled wort. They fermented it with a mix of yeast, bacteria and a single strain of brettanomyces before aging the beer in their old cypress lagering tank. Brewmaster Jace Marti describes this beer as having a “fruity flavor profile of lemons, pineapple and pears.”

…and it’s damn good. Available now.