News & Updates

Chop & Brew # 34: Bad Ass Saison with Nathan Smith

Our homebrewing friends at Chop & Brew are back in the Bad Ass Brewery with a bad ass guest host and co-brewer – Nathan Smith! Nathan is an awarding-winning homebrewer who calls the Bay Area home, but he’s originally from Minnesota — which is why he’s such a great brewer, of course. During a recent trip home, the Chop & Brew krewe invited Nathan to take the helm of the Bad Ass Brewery. The result: a split-batch of saison, lessons on mash efficiency, making brew day changes on the fly, and some schooling on farmhouse ales.

Some other recent Chop & Brew episodes that homebrewers may appreciate:
Episode 33 – Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Part 2)
Brewing with New Hop Varieties (Nathan Smith presentation from NHC 2014)

Wabasha Brewing Co. is Open

wabasha-brewing-brett-chris-joshWabasha Brewing Company momentarily took the seat designated as “Minnesota’s newest brewery” yesterday, pouring pints for thirsty craft beer fans in St. Paul. Starting as an idea “eight beers in” (or thereabouts), the guys from Wabasha are offering up four beers (cream ale, porter, IPA, IIPA) in pints and growlers for your imbibing pleasures.

Wabasha brewing company has a 15 barrel brewhouse and 7 barrel fermenters packed into a space of about 1200 square feet. Needless to say it’ll be cozy. Nothing wrong with that! Future plans include an expanded taproom, more fermenters and patio seating.

If you go…

They’re open Friday and Saturday from 12 noon to 9pm. Closed Sunday – Wednesday.

429 Wabasha Street South, St. Paul MN 55107

Surly Doomtree Cans Debut Today

doomtreecanFans of Surly and/or Doomtree take note: Surly Doomtree cans will be available for the first time in Minnesota later today at The Depot Tavern as part of Doomtree’s First Avenue pre-party event. If you were fortunate enough to get your hands on tickets to tonight’s sold-out show, you’ll also be able to drack open a can of Doomtree at the show.

What’s that? You didn’t get tickets for the show? You may be in luck, friend – there will also be ticket giveaways for the sold out show at 6pm.

Look for cans around the state starting next week.

Here’s the description of the beer, courtesy of Dessa:

Surly started with some homebrewing in a garage. Doomtree started with some noisemaking in a basement. Careful what you do in your spare time in your spare rooms, man. That stuff just might take over your whole life.

A decade later, Doomtree meets Surly. Instant crush. We’re both indie and strong-willed. We love Minnesota and we’re allergic to focus groups. We don’t have a formal professional outfit between us.

We convene at the brewery to scheme. Working in extreme secrecy, we decided to make a beer team Surly suggests, a “bastardized style” that will build on a classic, but buck convention. Doomtree cannot nod vigorously enough. We know this style. Guided by instinct, we came up with this dark gold, toasty, aromatic, subtly spicy, bitter enough, dry-hopped brew. Best enjoyed cold, in a spare room, with new friends.

WHAT: Surly Brewing debuts Surly Doomtree cans
WHERE: The Depot, 17 N. 7th Street, Minneapolis
WHEN: Wednesday, February 25, 4pm – close

News from St. Cloud – Beaver Island Brewing Co. and Granite City

beaverlogoThe Good:

New St. Cloud brewery, Beaver Island Brewing Co. is opening their taproom to the public this Saturday at 2pm. Beaver Island Brewing Co. was founded by a couple of St. Cloud homebrewers, Nick Barth and Matt Studer. Though the two certainly were not strangers to the industry, the made a wise choice in hiring Chris Laumb as brewmaster. Chris has been a longtime friend of MNBeer and we’ve watched him transition from O’Hara’s to McCann’s to Third Street Brewhouse. He makes a mean dubbel, too.

I spent a short stint of my life in St. Cloud. After leaving the Fargo/Moorhead area, I followed a girl to St. Cloud State University in 1997. During my time in the Granite City I sampled far too many single bottles of beer from Westside, dabbled in wine nerdery and discovered the house-made beers at O’Hara’s. It was something special… not necessarily a craft beer epiphany (that had already happened), but still something special. I could go on, but I won’t. Suffice to say that I’m excited for Chris and the folks from Beaver Island Brewing.

Bonus, they occupy the former Bo Diddley’s sandwich shop location in downtown St. Cloud. Cant wait to check them out.

Road trip to St. Cloud anyone?

The Bad:

granitecity12Bring Me the News reports that Granite City is up for sale or merger. Granite City is a place that is often panned by craft beer newbies. Short of former brewery operations wizard Bob MacKenzie’s Batch 1000, you won’t fine a ton of hops in any of their beers or offbeat seasonal offerings. Regardless, it’s sad to see an early craft beer operation falter. I still remember rolling out to their first location in St. Cloud in 1999 and being wowed by great food, huge portions and a rotating variety of beers. St. Cloud had (has?) its own small scale brewery and at the time, it felt pretty special. We wish them the best. We also wish they’d bring back their Belgian strong golden ale recipe from a few years ago.