Attention Beer Lovers!

We would appreciate it if you would list the Big Lake Brewfest on your event calendar.

It’s time to mark your calendar for Superior’s Premier Brewfest. The Big Lake Brewfest will be held on September 23, 2006 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. in Superior’s Wessman Arena.

This unique event will bring craft/micro brewers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to Superior for an afternoon of sampling some of the finest handcrafted beers in the country. Persons age 21 and over will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for $25. Only 1200 tickets will be sold.

The Big Lake Brewfest is sponsored by Junior Achievement, Keyport Liquor, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Clear Channel Radio, Northland News Center, The Northland Reader, Arrowhead Printing and Jeff Frey & Associates.

Tickets will be available in early-August at:

Duluth: Fitger’s Brewhouse, University Liquors, Last Chance Liquors, Cashwise Liquors, Liberty Liquors, Dubh Linn Pub, and Carmody’s Irish Pub.
Superior: Keyport Liquor, Belknap Liquor, Hammond Liquor, The Shack and Twin Ports Brewing.
Carlton: Tall Pine Liquor
Proceeds from the Brewfest will benefit Junior Achievement programs across the Northland. JA is a worldwide not-for-profit organization that provides business, economic and free enterprise programs taught by volunteers to school children from grades K-12.

Tim Wigchers
Junior Achievement, District Manager
Northeastern Minnesota & Northwestern Wisconsin
P.O. Box 161071
Duluth, MN 55816
Phone & Fax (715) 392-3914
Toll Free (800) 362-5925 ext. 145
twigchers@jamn.org

Junior Achievement … Celebrating 50 Years in the Northland!

“Bad” news and good news–

The bad news is that we will now be leaving Saint Paul 30 minutes earlier than scheduled. For those coming along, that means the bus rolls out of Saint Paul at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 30th.

The good news is that Don Brewington of Lake Superior Brewing Co. saw the posting for the trip and has graciously invited us to tour and taste at his microbrewery in Duluth! We’ll leave 30 minutes earlier so that we can stop at Lake Superior Brewing at 10:00, tour and taste until 10:45, then roll a few blocks up the street, arriving at Fitger’s just before 11:00. “Shoot–you mean we have to sample at ANOTHER brewery?!?”
Yessssssss! 🙂

Bring a friend or coworker and join us on the Beer Good Bus Tour III, touring the fall colors and alcohol producers of northern WI and MN. For those of you keeping track, that means we’ll hit 9 brewpubs, 1 microbrewery, and 1 meadery. Unless you’re at the GABF, why WOULDN’T you sign up? Send your $50 non-refundable deposit to John Longballa, 1211 Minnehaha Ave W, Saint Paul, 55104. The bus will be approximately $60 per person (depending on how many go). The hotel is $100 for double occupancy.

Thanks,
John

It’s a sad day for Minnesota beer. We’ve been told that another brewpub, in this case Bandana Brewery will no longer be making beer and from what I understand, whatever is on tap is the last of the beer. Perhaps it’s time for one last road trip to Mankato?

More importantly, though, is the fact that one of our brothers in beer, Mr. David Berg, is obviously out of a job. All of us at MNBeer.com wish David the very best of luck and hope to see him brewing somewhere nearby in the near future.

This sounds like a lot of fun and won’t conflict with this year’s Autumn Brew Review. Now I just have to decide if I can afford it!

It’s once again time to sign up fool-hardy folks for the Beer Good Bus Tour III! Last year’s tour of WI brewpubs was a great success, and this year’s route will be a northerly one. The tentative trip itinerary is below.

If you’re interested, please send your non-refundable $50 per person deposit to John Longballa, 1211 Minnehaha Ave W, Saint Paul, 55104. The bus will be about $60 per person, assuming that around 35 people come along. The hotel will be about $100 for double occupancy, and you’ll be able to walk to it from the last Saturday stop, so how late you stay up will be entirely up to you! Could someone please pass this along to the SPHBC, as my new e-dress is not registered with their listserve?
Thanks!

The trip is shaping up as such:
Saturday, September 30th! (consensus was to move it one week earlier, since Autumn Brew Review once again set down on our tentative date of October 7th!)

8:00–we board a luxury bus, complete with restroom. We immediately begin the People’s Choice competition, and hopefully Paul won’t take BOTH the top spots again! 😉

10:45–we roll into Fitger’s for lunch, because any day that begins at Fitger’s has GOT to be GOOD!

12:30, we roll across Duluth Harbor and into Superior’s Twin Ports Brewing for sampling. Normally they don’t open until 4:00, but I sweet-talked Steve into opening just for us!

1:45–we leave TP, arriving at White Winter Meadery in Iron River, WI at 2:30 for a special tour and tasting, complete with appetizers.

3:45–we exit WW and turn south toward Hayward, where not one, but TWO brewpubs await! We pull into either the Angry Minnow or the Mad Muskie around 4:30 for dinner. I haven’t yet decided which place is our dinner stop, but they’re both good options. 6:30 we head to the other.

7:30–we leave Hayward and head for an 8:30 tour of Deep Water Grill at South Shore Brewing in Ashland. We kick back and relax after a hard day’s work. We sleep hard in Ashland.

Sunday, October 1st!
On the road around 9:00.

11:00–we have lunch at Minocqua Brewing in Minocqua.

12:30–we head 10 miles to Bugsy’s Brewpub in Rhinelander.

1:30–we head to Hereford and Hops in Wassau, arriving around 2:30.

3:30–leave Wassau for Central Waters Brewpub in Marshfield. Yes, this is the same brewer as in Junction City with the sewage problem–no, it’s not the same PLACE!

4:30–dinner at Central Waters.

6:00–head for Saint Paul, arriving around 9:00.

Yes, I’m certain that we could stop at a WI liquor store for WI micros again! 🙂

Yes, I’m certain that there will be funny movies showing again! 🙂

Yes, I’m certain that someone will be willing to do the Wheel of Fortune again! 🙂

Sooooo . . .
As soon as I get your non-refundable $50 per person deposit, made out to me and mailed to my house, then you are set.

Thanks for entertaining the idea!
John

This Friday, July 14, we will be doing another beer tasting. After a polling of our tasters last week we have decided to do a stout tasting. We will taste a variety of different stouts, all made in the good ole U.S. of A. So far the menu is not set in stone, but it looks like we will do Great Divide Yeti Imperial & Oak aged Yeti Imperial, as well as North Coast’s Old Rasputin, Rogue’s Shakespeare Stout, Bell’s Double Cream, and Victory Storm King Stout.
The tasting will start at 7PM, and is free of charge.

Cellar’s Wines, Brews, & Spirits
1149 Larpenteur Ave
651-489-5050