This may be old news, but it’s still worthy of a mention (hey, it’s new news to me!). Great Water’s website is now being updated with their periodic releases. Check out the link http://www.greatwatersbc.com/beermn.html to see it. The last time I was there (just before New Year’s), they’d already tapped the Winter Solstice Ale. I loved it! And the folks who had a chance to sample the growler of it we brought home also enjoyed it. It’s a bit of an unusual winter release, but it’s famn dabulous.
Category: general beer
Rock Bottom Releases
While doing a bit of Sunday MNBeer homework, Kris and I came across a bit of news. Rock Bottom is offering up the following beer releases on the following bi-weekly release schedule:
January 10 – Oatmeal IPA
January 24 – Altbier
February 7 – Angry Hippie Ale
February 28 – ESB
March 6 – Fire Chief Ale
March 20 – Intoxicator Rauch Doppelbock
*sigh* I can’t believe the lengths we’ll go to…
E.T.B. for All American Grill and Brewhouse
The latest word on All American Grill and Brewhouse’s E.T.B. (Estimated Time for their own Beer being on tap) is 3 to 6 weeks. Kris and I have been holding off visiting them until they have some of their own brews on tap given the longish drive, so we don’t have much to report on their chow, decor, crowd, etc. Has anyone else had a chance to visit the joint?
2007 beer in review
As I sit here with a tulip of tasty local brew on my left, a small dog curled into a ball on my right and a Powerbook in front of me, I can’t help but ponder snow… er… 2007 and the great beer, great people and great times. For your pleasure, a quick rundown…
January:
I made some predictions for 2007. Some of them came true. 400 or more people enjoyed great beer at Winterfest. Flat Earth Brewing Co. debuted their first beer, a Belgian Pale Ale at the event. I think it’s only fair to say that a good time was had by all. The Upper Mississippi Mash-Out homebrew contest was huge. I volunteered and somehow took home a second place medal as well. Later in the month, we were all a bit surprised by some beer legislation that just didn’t sound quite right… Mpls. St. Paul chose Summit as the best brewery in the Twin Cities. And finally, local craft beer fans What Ales Thee took to the digital airwaves with their first podcast.
MN Breweries & Consumers…Shake With Fear!
I think brewing and beer consumption as we know it in the state of Minnesota will shortly be turned upside down. I was just informed by confidential, inside sources through a big black box in my living room that Michelob will soon be releasing a pale ale, a porter, and a wheat. I know that many Minnesota craft beer drinkers only drink the Barley John’s and Surly’s of the world only because it’s convenient and because they like the variety craft brewers provide. It’s not about quality or flavor. How can these consumers not be swayed by the tantilizing draw of a big brewery putting out such a fine variety of beer? Let me provide some very solid evidence to support my point. Breweries like Miller and Aheuser-Busch constantly tout all the gold medals they win in the American Pilsner category. Clearly, their brewing superiority and capabilities cannot be surpassed. They absolutely dominate that category of beer. Michelob is as equally capable as SABMiller and AB. If the big guys would only put their minds to brewing Grand-Cru’s or IPA’s, they could quickly and easily douse the embers igniting the craft beer fad. And now, Michelob has decided to do just that. I’m gonna miss all the MN breweries and brewpubs. What the heck am I gonna do with all my growlers?
Incidentally, I couldn’t find the sarcasm emoticon. I need a life.