News & Updates

Bev-Craft Seeks to Improve Minnesota Beer

By on September 28, 2016in beer education, education, general beer, MN

Tim Nelson and Dave Hoops left Fitger’s Brewhouse over a year ago with hopes of improving the quality of Minnesota beer by starting a consulting business called Bev-Craft. A “think tank” is what they like to call it. Dave Hoops who is the Director of Brewing Operations is excited to lend his experience to new breweries seeking to improve their beer. “Unless you’re someone like Sierra Nevada, you should always be trying to make better beer” says Hoops.

Dave and a team of cicerones tasted over a hundred beers (locally made) at the state fair and gave feedback, positive and negative to breweries around the state. The goal was to give honest advice to some of the breweries looking to improve their beer. “I’m overly opinionated” he said. “But I’m fair.” Dave also serves as a judge at the Great American Beer Festival which gives him a head up on most brewers (in my book) here in Minnesota.

Tim Nelson acts as CEO while Dave Hoops heads up the brewing operations. Brad Nelson (Tim’s brother) is in charge of the branding while Paul Christensen is responsible for sales. “Basically we’re here to help breweries start up. We’re also specialized consultants. That doesn’t mean that I’m approaching them. People that have a question, we’re there to help” says Hoops.

In an overcrowded local market, this can only be a good thing. Especially with all of the sub-par beer being produced by the newer breweries. My advice to new breweries looking to open….don’t serve your beer until it’s ready.

Quality should always come first. And if you need help, reach out to the professionals.

Cheers!

The World’s Largest Single-Site Malting Facility is in Our Back Yard

By on September 28, 2016in general beer

This weekend our friends at Rahr their new malt house and other new spaces to tons of neighbors and brewery folks this past weekend on Saturday. As some of you know, I had the pleasure of being on-site as the new malthouse, lab/pilot brewery and distribution center were being completed. It was a massive undertaking that was completed ahead of schedule. Not bad!

Rahr President and CEO William Rahr. Photo: Christina Rahr Lane

Rahr President and CEO William Rahr. Photo: Christina Rahr Lane

According to president and CEO Willie Rahr, “This project is focused on taking our quality, capabilities and service to an even higher level. We’re adding 28 full-time employees at our home base in Shakopee to make this growth possible and meet the needs of a thriving brewing and beverage industry.”

For any of you unfamiliar with the Shakopee company, Rahr is a family-owned company that manufactures malt and distributes malt and other ingredients to brewers, distillers and other beverage-makers worldwide, including almost all (90%) of Minnesota’s breweries from August Schell to Steel Toe. Nearly 1/4 of American-brewed beers contain Rahr malt. That’s a lot of 2-row, 6-row, pilsner and wheat malt!

The brand-new “malthouse 6” ads over 100,000 square feet of production space, making Rahr’s headquarters the largest single-site malting facility in the world. The expansion increases the annual malting capacity from 390,000 to 460,000 metric tons – enough to brew about 6 billion bottles of craft beer.

Technical Center - research brewery and lab. Photo: Christina Rahr Lane

Technical Center – research brewery and lab. Photo: Christina Rahr Lane

The expansion includes a 20,000-square-foot research brewery and technical center that enable Rahr to test the performance of its products in an actual brewery environment, as well as an 80,000-square-foot distribution and packaging facility. This facility is used primarily for warehousing and bagging by Brewers Supply Group, a Rahr Corporation subsidiary that supplies premium ingredients to brewers, winemakers, distillers, and home fermentation retailers.

Matt Brynildson from Firestone Walker had this to share: “Firestone Walker Brewing Company has been partnered with Rahr Malting since 2001.  We have enjoyed a long and productive relationship through many years of growth and an ever-evolving beer landscape.  Consistent, clean and good flavored malt is at the core of all good beer and Rahr has delivered world-class malt to us year in and year out.  The talented and dedicated Rahr team has playing a key role in the success of our brewery.” 

 

Noteworthy Beers from Autumn Brew Review 2016

By on September 18, 2016in beer events, breweries, Dangerous Man Brewing Co., general beer, hops, Indeed Brewing Co., Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, misc. mn beer, MN, mnbeer.com, new beer, NorthGate Brewing

With so many fantastic beers on display at the 16th annual Autumn Brew Review, it’s hard to choose favorites. Instead I’ve highlighted some that stood out. Here they are:

Whiskey Queen from Indeed Brewing – A smooth Russian Imperial Stout that delivers flavors of bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, stone fruits and oak to the palate.

Twisted Zweig from Forager Brewing – This was probably my favorite beer at the festival. An Imperial Berliner Weisse aged on black currants. Sour, juicy, and extremely drinkable. You’d never know this was an 8% (ABV) beer, which is almost dangerous. This brewery has really impressed me this summer and it would be worth your while to visit them down in Rochester. I was honestly shocked that there wasn’t a line at this booth.

Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout from Dangerous Man – Smooth and creamy milk chocolate with a little bit of heat (alcohol) on the end. It’ll be fun to explore some these barrel-aged beers coming out of Dangerous Man in the coming months.

IWL from Town Hall Brewery – This wheat based lager was very heavy on my two favorite hops—Mosaic and Citra. Another fine creation by Mike Hoops and his team of brewers over at the Seven Corners brewery. There’s a reason it’s the first place I take anyone new to the Twin Cities.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout from NorthGate – Dark stone fruits, chocolate, and bourbon dominated the flavor profile of this one. Nice example of the style for a brewery that focuses on British ales. This one stood out among the many other Imperial Stouts available at ABR.

Cheers!

A Guide to Autumn Brew Review 2016

By on September 15, 2016in breweries, brewpubs

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By Jeremy Zoss

The 16th annual Autumn Brew Review will be held this Saturday, September 17th at the Historic Grain Belt Brewery. Autumn Brew Review (ABR) is one of the largest and oldest beer festivals of the state, and for serious craft beer fans it is considered one of the most important beer events of the year. This guide will help you prepare for the event and maximize your beer-tasting enjoyment.

About Autumn Brew Review

Autumn Brew Review is the largest and longest-running craft beer festival organized by the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild. The non-profit outdoor festival feature unlimited beer tastings from local and national craft breweries, as well as a few ciders, wines, and non-alcoholic samples. Each visitor receives a commemorative tasting glass and guide, and can also enjoy games, food vendors on-site, beer educational sessions and more.

About the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild

The Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild is a trade group for Minnesota breweries. Most Minnesota breweries are members, but not all. The Guild works to promote Minnesota craft beer and to educate consumers about the great beer made in Minnesota. In addition to Autumn Brew Review, the Guild organizes events like Winterfest, All Pints North and the Land of 10,000 Beers exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair.

The Breweries

This year, 135 breweries will be participating in ABR. The list includes established locals like August Schell Brewing Company, Dangerous Man, Fulton, Indeed, Summit, Surly, Town Hall Brewery, and many more. ABR is also a great place to sample beers from some of the state’s younger breweries, including Bald Man Brewing, Disgruntled Brewing, Roundhouse Brewing, Wayzata Brew Works, and other breweries in their first few years of operation.

Of course, not all the breweries at ABR are local. Many heavy-hitting national breweries will participate as well, including Alaskan Brewing Co., Deschutes, Evil Twin, New Belgium, Oscar Blues, Sam Adams, Stone, and more. ABR often serves as the launching pad for national breweries entering the Minnesota market for the first time, and this year is no exception. For many visitors, ABR will be their first exposure to national breweries like California’s Alpine Beer Co., Michigan’s Arcadia Ales, and the Colorado Saison specialists Funkwerks.

The Beer

ABR is more than an excuse to drink large quantities of beer – it’s about quality, too. No matter your tastes, make sure you seek out some hard-to-find brews in your favorite styles. Here are a few of the rare brews this writer hopes to sample at the festival:

  • August Schell’s – Harmony of Spheres, Orbital Drift, and Tidal Disruption Weissbiers
  • Bent Paddle – Double Shot Double Black American Black Ale
  • Dangerous Man – Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout
  • Evil Twin – 2014 From Amager With Love Imperial Stout
  • Funkwerks – Multiple saisons
  • New Belgium – 2016 Le Terrior American Wild Ale
  • Prairie Artisan Ales – Prairie Bomb! Imperial Stout
  • Surly – Barrel-aged Pentagram, Vanilla Oak Aged Darkness, One, Two, Three Anniversary Ales
  • Toppling Goliath – King Sue Imperial IPA

Preparation and Tips

Here’s some advice to help you maximize your enjoyment of ABR:

  • Here’s the most important advice of all: make sure you have arranged a sober driver to pick you up after the event! If you can’t try to travel via public transportation.
  • In advance, make yourself a pretzel necklace. Lace several dozen pretzels on some string to wear around your neck. There will be plenty of food available to purchase at the event, but eating a pretzel between beers will not only keep you from getting too intoxicated, it will help reset your palate between samples.
  • ABR has an app! Grab it from the Google Play store or the Apple App Store and use it to plan your visit.
  • Expect big crowds and long lines. ABR is a big festival, so you will have to wait in lines. You won’t get a chance to try every beer you want, especially those tapping at specific times. Go with the flow, and don’t sweat if you miss out on a hard-to-find beer.
  • Skip the standards. If you’ve had a beer before, don’t ask for a pour. There is only so much time to drink, so focus on seeking out samples from breweries you haven’t visited yet, or exciting new offerings from your favorites.
  • There’s no shame in dumping beer on the ground. Drink every last drop and you’ll be drunk before you know it. Take a few sips and pour the rest – unless of course it’s too delicious to waste!
  • Drink plenty of water. There are rinse stations throughout the event for rinsing glassware, but the water is drinkable. Staying hydrated will keep your palate fresher and stave off intoxication.
  • Remember that festivals aren’t a completely fair way to try beers for the first time. No matter how many pretzels you snack on or water you drink, your palate will be pretty shot by the end of the day. Just because a beer didn’t stand out at ABR doesn’t mean you won’t love it later.
  • Don’t be a dick. Even with long lines and big crowds of people who have been drinking for hours, ABR generally has a pretty chill vibe. Everyone there is united by the love of craft beer, so most visitors get along pretty well. Don’t be the one that ruins the fun.

GRRRL Beer Rep Party at The Happy Gnome

By on September 12, 2016in beer events, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., The Happy Gnome

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The local beer scene is loaded with talented ladies. Whether they’re brewing beer, selling it, or serving it—they are a big part of this exploding beer scene. Local beer reps Gabby Rudisill from Ballast Point, Tara Alcure from Surly, and Sarah Meyer from Bent Paddle came up with the idea to celebrate women in the industry by bringing people together at The Happy Gnome in St. Paul just ahead of Autumn Brew Review. They are calling this event GRRRL Party, but guys are encouraged to attend as well.

They’ve also invited some reps from Family Tree Clinic, an organization that supports women’s health by providing care and resources for all. Come down to The Gnome and try out some special beers from all of these breweries and bring some cash to donate. On tap will be Hopmosa, Ballast Point Pumpkin Down on oak, Surly Four, Urban Growler Rhubarb Wit, Indeed Whiskey Queen, Bad Weather Tippin’ it Down and more.

See you there!

9.14.16

The Happy Gnome

498 Selby Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55102