Category: breweries

Surly Smoke Release Party at Zen Box Izakaya

Mark your calendars for Monday as Zen Box Izakaya in Minneapolis plays host to this year’s release of  Surly Smoke. Things kick off at 5pm with Cynic, Bender and Furious on tap and 12 oz. pours of Smoke starting at 6pm.

Zen Box will also have a limited menu with signature items to pair with Surly beer, as well as a Double Smoked Pork Tsukune special dish made with Smoke.

About Smoke:
Ebony-hued, Smoke wafts out of the bottle and into your senses, borne on the wings of European traditions, wrapped in American innovation. Lager-brewed, like anytrue Baltic Porter, with smoked malts from Bamberg, Germany, the home of Rauchbiers, then mellowed by oak-aging. Black malt flavors mesh with notes of raisins, plums, figs and licorice with the subtle smoke on the side, for a complex and luxurious, yet silky smooth drinking experience. It’s a sipper at Alc. 8.2% by VOL., but everyone knows you can’t have Smoke without fire!

What: Surly Smoke 2012 Release Party
When: Monday, Dec. 10 from 5pm to close
Where: Zen Box Izakaya, 602 South Washington Ave., Minneapolis

About Zen Box… I spoke with Lina last week and she emphasized that  Zen Box Izakaya is proud to be a beercentric Japanese restaurant. They serve only Minnesota-made beer and Japanese craft beer, including the Surly offerings mentioned above as well as Hitachino Nest Ginger & White ale on draft as well as Kirin, Sapporo and Asahi, the latter of which is on tap with a special chiller machine from Asahi. They were the first restaurant to bring in this beer on tap, and may well be the only one in the midwest with this chiller.

Growler Magazine’s Kind of a Big Deal Winners

Congrats to all of Growler Magazine’s Kind of a Big Deal winners and candidates. There were tons of good choices and all of these options are a nice reflection on how much our scene has grown in the last 5-10 years. Congrats to everyone!

We’re also glad to be a part of this taking, chosen as the winner of the “Best TC Beer Blog.” Thanks to our readers for this one, from those of you who have been with us since 2005 to those of you who just discovered us this week. Thanks!

Pour Decisions Maroon and Bold Saturday

Maroon and Bold: An Infuriatingly Passive-Aggressive ale. Pour Decisions will be releasing the very first commercially available Imperial Red IPA made entirely from Minnesota ingredients on Saturday, Dec 8th at high noon  at the brewery. 7.5%.  90 BUs. Entirely Minnesotan. $8/ 750ml or 2 fer $15. You betcha’.

For you hop heads and locavores, come and get you some as the supply is limited so when it’s gone, it’s gone!

Biscotti Release & Bake-Off at Lift Bridge

Lift Bridge Biscotti Label

Fire up the oven, dig that ugly sweater out of the closet and head to Lift Bridge for their Biscotti Release Party. It’s more than just a beer release though. Throw your hat (cookies or sweet bread really) in the ring to win the bake-off, proudly wear the most hideous holiday sweater or just enjoy the beer, music and games.

There’s too much going on so get the full details here. The quick and dirty is there’s a $5 entry fee and bottles of Biscotti will be $9 each, limit six per person.