Category: new beer

Beer and Food Options at US Bank Stadium

By on July 12, 2016in 612 Brew, Bauhaus Brewlabs, breweries, Fair State Brewing, food pairing, Fulton Brewing Co., general beer, hops, Insight Brewing, Lake Monster, Lift Bridge, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, NorthGate Brewing, Summit Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co.

Gone are the days of the humble Dome Dog and a Budweiser, after all it is 2016. The inaugural lineup of food options at US Bank Stadium are gonna be a hit, especially the local options. The beer….well that wasn’t available today. This is most likely due to the MillerCoors sponsorship which I’m guessing doesn’t allow for them to showcase the wonderful craft beer we have here in Minnesota.

But we were given a list of the local beer options that will be available. Summit, Surly, Fulton, Lift Bridge, Bauhaus, Castle Danger, Fair State, NorthGate, 612 Brew, Lake Monster, Sociable Cider Werks, Insight, and Finnegans will all be sold at the stadium in its first year of operation.

Local food partners featured at the stadium will be AZ Canteen, Be Graceful Bakery and Catering, Cinnie Smith’s, Curds and Cakes, Ike’s Food and Cocktails, Kramrczuk’s Sausage Company, Lola’s Cafe, Prairie Dogs, R Taco, and the much anticipated Revival Restaurant.

So how was the food? Well let’s dive in to some of today’s winners:

First up were the Lemongrass Meatballs from Rainbow Restaurant. These were tasty and will be a welcomed treat for those trying to avoid typical stadium fare.

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Next were the Smokey Nachos from Icehouse Minneapolis. A nice take on a stadium staple that would pair well with a Lonely Blonde from Fulton. Smokey meat paired with real cheese sauce. If the price is right, this might the item to get if you’re planning to share.

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The Jerk Bacon Sammie from Smalley’s Caribbean might go overlooked with all of the options. Our advice, don’t sleep on this slaw topped, thick-cut bacon sandwich. One of the best items on the menu today. Pair this spicy treat with a either an EPA or Saga from Summit.

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Prairie Dogs is offering a Chicago Dog and a Skol Dog. The Chicago Dog (pictured below) was pretty standard while the Skol Dog (topped with purple potato chips and bacon jam) impressed with its presentation and the smoke infused jam. Go with the Skol Dog and pair it with a Farm Girl from Lift Bridge.

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Kramarczuk’s makes amazing sausage so these (Andouille, Cheddar Wurst, Bratwurst) are a no brainer if you’re looking for standard stadium food. Get the standard brat topped with kraut and pair it with a Wonderstuff from Bauhaus. This is guaranteed to make any Packer fan jealous.

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The Italian Porchetta Sandwich from AZ Canteen is something you don’t wanna miss. A top 3 menu item today. Perfectly seasoned and topped with enough greens to make up for the saturated fat. This would pair up nicely with a Parapet ESB from NorthGate.

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The much anticipated Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich from Revival is the real winner today. This juicy chicken sammie is delightfully crunchy, and is plenty spicy for those who have a palate for that sort of thing. Pair this up with a Surly Furious which will stand up tall to the heat. Be sure to order the mild if you are sensitive to spicy foods.

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Now for the not so great:

The Murray’s Short Rib Sandwich was a bit disappointing. This was tasty but was fairly dry. Dry enough where the coleslaw it was topped with couldn’t save it. The cost is probably also going to be a factor with this one.

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The R Taco is a good option if you are looking for something a bit lighter, but this thing is messy. The last thing you want to deal with while rubbing elbows with drunk strangers is pulling shredded pork and diced onions out of your beard. If you do go with this, wash it down with a Hell Chicken from Insight. The citrus from the yuzu fruit will play well with the shredded pork and accompaniments.

The Gramsky’s Italian Grinder Sandwich was served at room temperature and was very heavy on the bread. By the time we got to this it was rather soggy and aside from the meat, was fairly bland.

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All in all, these were the best offerings of a stadium in town. Pricing will also be a determining factor when purchasing these menu items so you’ll want to keep that in mind, especially if you’re bringing a family of four. So what was missing? I think there are a few vendors out there that would be nice little additions to the lineup. All of them would be a great branding fit as well.

Vikre Distillery out of Duluth. Aquavit cocktails showcasing flavors of cardamom and caraway seed would be a welcomed addition to the nordic themed stadium shaped like a viking ship.

HammerHeart Brewing out of Lino Lakes makes bold, smoky beers that would take fans out of their comfort zone and introduce them to an old-world method of beer crafting. A crowd people head banging to Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song with a Hammerheart beer in hand would be a sight to behold.

Northern Waters Smokehaus from Duluth. Imagine being able to order smoked fish and charcuterie made right here in the north country. It seems silly that we always go back to the standard stadium fare when these ingredients are sourced and readily available on the local level.

Whatever your tastes are, you’re sure to find plenty of delicious heart stopping food on the menu at US Bank Stadium. But just know that nothing will stop your heart faster than a field goal that goes wide left.

Thanks Gary…

Cheers!

Steel Toe Brewing Moving to Cans

By on June 30, 2016in general beer, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing, tap rooms

Back when Oskar Blues first starting canning their beers in 2002 many people wondered why they went that route. Now just about everyone is going to cans for many reasons, one of them being that you can take them anywhere. Just ask Steel Toe Brewing owner Jason Schoneman who tells me that they are going to start canning their suds—which are expected to hit a limited number of stores on July 13th. “The big reason we are going to cans is that we want our beer to be everywhere” he says. “We like going to the lake too, and bombers (22 oz. bottles) are a pain in the ass” he says laughing.

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Steel Toe will be canning their popular flagships Size 7 IPA and Provider Golden Ale to start with other varieties to follow. The regal design of these cans will showcase the signature boot logo in a black on silver look that features the color associated with each brand. Green for Size 7 and yellow for Provider. They will be sold in 6 packs of 12 oz. cans and as stated above will start out at select retail locations across the metro beginning on July 13th. The plan then is to roll them out to all of their retail locations by the end of the year. You’ll still be able to find their other varieties in bomber bottles around town for now.

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They had been talking about this change for a while but tank space was always the concern. So why the switch now? Two words: The customer. “We’ve had so many requests for this format. It’s what the customer wants” says Shoneman. Here’s to hoping Sommer Vice and Size 4 follow suit.

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So grab your camping gear and don’t forget a six pack or two on your way out of town.

Cheers!

News and Notes Early June 2016

By on June 7, 2016in beer dinners, beer events, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., breweries, charity, Fair State Brewing, general beer, Lift Bridge, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, Summit Brewing Co.

On June 15th Fair State Brewing will release their sour Saison Roselle in cans. This beer is brewed with Hibiscus and is a perfect beer for warm summer days. Speaking of Fair State, they will be hosting a sour beer festival on June 25 called Mixed Culture. At this event they will be tapping 7 new barrel-aged mixed culture beers and bringing out some oldies from the cellar. Oakhold will also be previewing some of their beers at the event. As you may know, Caleb Levar (Co-owner of Oakhold) has been helping Niko and the Fair State crew around the brewery with their sour program.

The Lift Bridge folks made a trip out to Fort Collins earlier this spring to collaborate on a Belgian Ale with Odell Brewing called Peaks and Prairies. This recipe utilizes Colorado Palisade peaches and Cardamom and was aged on oak. This release is a part of Taps & Tables which is a celebration of craft beer and restaurants in June. For $30 you and a guest will be able to enjoy food and the beer at participating restaurants with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Click here for the schedule.

This is the 5th year for Pride Dabbler which will take place on June 24th from 5:30 – 9:30 pm. More than 50 breweries will be on-site pouring beers while food trucks such as Natedogs, The Anchor Fish and Chips, Hot Indian Foods and more will be selling food. Grab your tickets here.

Summit will be releasing the 22nd variety in their Unchained Series called Zingiber Cream Ale with ginger. Expect this to hit shelves and tap lines in the next couple of weeks.

Bent Paddle’s Lollygagger Pale Ale hits store shelves this week. 5% of all sales of this beer will go to helping Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores build a 100 mile mountain biking trail system called The Duluth Traverse. This copper colored beauty is sure to please those that appreciate a well-balanced Pale Ale.

That’s it for now.

Cheers!

Two Fine California Breweries Entering Minnesota Market

By on June 1, 2016in breweries, general beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer

Ask any sour fan for a recommendation and they are likely to list off at least one offering from The Bruery out of Orange County, California. The Bruery will make its way into the Minnesota market in the next couple of weeks (debuting at the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest) along with a longtime favorite of this writer, Bear Republic Brewing.

The Bruery will be distributed throughout the state by the reputable Artisan Beer Company (Surly, Indeed, Bent Paddle) based in the Twin Cities. Artisan Sales Manager Chris Martin has seen the demand building for a long time here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. “Local craft beer consumers have been waiting many years for the opportunity to purchase these award winning and unique California beers,” said Martin. The partnership aligns both our goals of maintaining high standards and of providing quality craft beer statewide.”

The Minnesota beer scene has been growing steadily for a while now and The Bruery CEO has been taking note. “I’m extremely proud to have our beers finally available in Minnesota,” commented CEO Patrick Rue. “For years, I’ve been hearing there’s a steady stream of beer enthusiasts from Minnesota crossing state lines into Wisconsin to find our beers, so I’m pleased that access to our beers will be more conveniently found in their home state.”
Reps from The Bruery will be around town this week to shake hands and spread the word about their beers and you can find the schedule here.

Bear Republic Brewing Company will be distributed by Clear River Beverage (Sixpoint, Clown Shoes, AleSmith, Stillwater Artisanal, Crooked Stave) and will also debut at the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest on Saturday. Known for selections such as Racer 5 IPA, Red Rocket Scotch Ale, Hop Rod Rye, and Big Bear Black Stout—the Heraldsburg brewery is entering this market despite the water shortage issues out in California. They recently pulled out of large markets such as Massachusetts and Texas due to drought that began in 2012. This seems like a pretty big commitment to come out this way, and with all of the great local options there is sure to be stiff competition for shelf space.

However all of this shakes out, beer aficionados are sure to benefit provided the liquor stores can move all this product.

Cheers!

Beers to Seek Out for Memorial Day

By on May 27, 2016in Bent Paddle Brewing Co., breweries, general beer, Indeed Brewing Co., misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, Steel Toe Brewing

Here are some local beers to procure for the long weekend ahead. Whether you’re fishing, hiking, hanging out on the patio, or out by the fire pit—these selections are sure to be a hit.

Summer Crush by Castle Danger Brewery – Sorachi Ace hops give this crisp beer a nice touch of lemon, which is perfect on a hot day or for a trip up to the lake.

pHresh by Modist Brewing – Swing into the brewery and grab a few crowlers of this refreshingly tart patio sipper. Enjoy this one out in the sun amongst friends and you’ll never want the day to end.

Lucy by Indeed Brewing – Indeed’s flagship beers are very popular in local liquor stores, but if you limit yourself to those you’re doing it wrong. Drop in to the taproom and fill a growler with their kettle soured Pale Ale called Lucy. Lemongrass lends a nice touch to this already tasty Pale Ale. Plus it’s only 4.2% ABV so you won’t fall into the fire at the end of the night.

Venture Pils by Bent Paddle Brewing – This is quickly becoming my favorite Pilsner made here in Minnesota, and it’s the ultimate fishing beer. Like an old crush, this will remind you of the first time you fell in love with beer. *Be sure to pick this one up here in the cities as it’s becoming harder and harder to find up in northern Minnesota. See this for further details.

Sommer Vice by Steel Toe Brewing – Whether you choose to pick this Hefeweizen up in bomber bottles at the liquor store or via growler at the taproom, just be sure you don’t forget this crowd pleaser. Sommer Vice is hazy and is packed with banana/clove flavor from the yeast, perfect for a day outside playing lawn games and listening to music. Grab it now though as it’s never around very long, much like a Minnesota summer.

Cheers!