News & Updates

A New Brewpub in Ely

By on July 31, 2008in brewpubs

I received a nice note from Andy Sakrison regarding his new project, BoatHouse Brewhouse & Restaurant, a new startup brewpub in Ely, Minnesota. Andy used to work in the brewery at Fitger’s Brewhouse in Duluth. I had heard a bit about the project from some other folks involved about a year ago, so it’s cool to see this come into fruition.

They’re up and running and legal to brew. Just don’t show up looking for beer quite yet, give them a couple of weeks to get the taps flowing.
They’ve also got a full bar with a number of micros in the bottle to choose from right now as well as taps of Summit EPA, Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale and Lindeman’s Framboise. Live music on the weekends as well. I look forward to checking it out once the house beer starts flowing.

Surlyfest Update

By on July 31, 2008in breweries

Here’s the skinny from Surly… unfortunately, I’ll be out of town for a wedding. Fortunately, that wedding is in Duluth. With any luck, I’ll be able to sneak into the Brewhouse sometime that weekend.

– September 6th at the brewery
– $30 tickets for 21+
– Minors are free and welcome with parent
– 4 beers included for that price
– .5 Liter German-made SurlyFest Stein included with admission
– Tapping of the first SurlyFest keg of the season
– Food available for purchase at the event
– 2 or 3 bands playing outside
– Large tent for a rain-or-shine event
– Gate is open 4:00 ? 8:00
– Open house in the brewery to see what we have been up to
– Tickets on sale at the brewery during tours and Saturdays 12:00-2:00
– Tickets are limited and nonrefundable

Two New Beers from Flat Earth

By on July 31, 2008in breweries

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Flat Earth has two new beers hitting the stores on Friday – Convention Ale, a Belgian red and Onvi Ale, a Biere de Garde.  Here’s the lowdown on each beer.

Convention Ale is Belgian red ale. We combined a lot of different ingredients to make this beer. Made with American, English and Belgian malts, English and German hops and Belgian yeast. Very refreshing, smooth and easier to swallow then the up coming election cycle and you’ll still want more of it later. At 5.5% abv you can enjoy more then one.

Ovni Ale has a substantial and complex malt profile with flavors of toffee and caramel and a restrained hop bitterness. The beer is very smooth and deceptive at 7.1% ABV. Brewed in the spring to get you through the summer. The high amount of carbonation keeps this beer light on the palette and refreshing.

Local hop growing efforts highlighted in Strib.

By on July 31, 2008in general beer, homebrew

Great story in today’s Strib about local hop growing efforts, with tons of insight by Minnesota homebrewers. Thanks to Don for bringing this to my attention.

Brewers hop to it.

The grow-your-own movement now extends to hops, as a worldwide shortage has prompted home brewers to add a new crop to their gardens.

By Bill Ward 

The Willamette vine made it; the other two croaked. His fiancée ran over the Nugget with the lawn mower, and “the Centennial, I found out, had been planted on top of an ant mound,” said David Toews of Minneapolis. Such are the pitfalls of a new gardening project.

So, are we talking heirloom tomatoes? Exotic melons? Actually, this is another type of vine providing something that won’t be found at any farmers’ market.

Hops.

Click here for the full story.

Acadia Cafe Specials

By on July 30, 2008in bars/restaurants

Juliana from Acadia Cafe sent me a little update on some of their specials:

Beer Nights Sunday-Thursday 7 p.m.- close. Here’s the schedule: Sunday – Bartenders Choice! Come and be surprised! Monday – Local Night – $1 off all local tap brews and bottled. We’re including our Wisconsin neighbors in this. Tuesday – Belgian Night – Half-price bottles or all Belgian beers and $1 off Belgian taps. Wednesday – Bottle Night – Half-price bottles of beer & wine. Thursday – Tap Night – $1 off every beer on tap. Also, we’ve sweetened our happy hour to include half-price appetizers. Come Monday-Friday from 4-7 to eat half-price appetizers and get $1 off pints, wine, and well drinks and $4 off pitchers and wine bottles.

As the old fellas like to say, it sounds like a f#*%ing HOOT!