All posts by Andrew Schmitt

Andrew is just a guy that likes beer. You can usually find him on the twitters or spending time with his family.
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August Schell Brewing saves historic Minneapolis Grain Belt sign

August Schell Brewing Company Reaches Agreement to
Purchase and Preserve Iconic Minneapolis Landmark

We all know the sign. It is a piece of our heritage and our history. The Grain Belt sign IS Minneapolis, it IS Minnesota. Schell’s has announced the  fantastic news that the Marti Family, in cooperation with the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, has announced the purchase and restoration of the iconic nordeast landmark.

As the stewards to a 154-year old brewery and family business, we understand the importance of preserving heritage. We are honored to have this opportunity to protect and restore such a beloved part of the
Minneapolis landscape,” said Ted Marti, President and fifth-generation descendant of brewery founder, August Schell. “Working in concert with the community, our goal is to preserve and relight this important remnant of the city’s industrial and commercial past.”

Home #northeast #mpls #ihearnempls @iheartnempls #grainbelt #mississippi #home

A photo posted by Melissa (@melmnsurf) on

“This historic sign is a unique resource and a valuable part of the city’s character,” said Doug Gasek, Executive Director, Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. “We’re looking forward to working with the August Schell
Brewing Company to rehabilitate and relight this prominent riverfront landmark, making it accessible for future generations to enjoy.”

If the discussions with the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota and other purchase formalities lead to the conclusion that the sign can be relit, the closing on the purchase of the land and sign is expected later this year, which is when more details about the sign’s preservation and relighting will be available.

For more information on Grain Belt, visit grainbelt.com.

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Minnesota Brewers thanks to those that have served with Veterans Day rewards

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Lift Bridge Brewery is inviting all Veterans to visit the taproom for a free beer with their military i.d.
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The taproom will also be contributing $1 of every beer Tuesday night to the Movember Non-Profit Organization Mo’ Medics & Mo’ Friends. There will also be live music by Standard Protocol. The Lift Bridge taproom hours are 5pm-10pm tonight.

Day Block Brewing is offering one free individual pizza plus 15% off your entire bill to all vets.
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If you see a Veteran today, make sure they aren’t thirsty!

Did we miss any other local beer deals for Veterans? Let us know in the comments section below.

Legislative Events, Newsfeed

2014 Candidate Survey Results

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Where does your candidate stand on issues important to brewers, distillers, and consumers in Minnesota?

 

Minnesota Beer Activists and Minnesota Distillers Guild have compiled House candidate positions on some key issues. Please share it with your friends and anyone that may find it useful.
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To look up your legislative district, click here. You may also jump to the data you want to see by pressing control-F and typing the name, district or keyword you want to find.

Mobile users should click here for the best view

 

Every major party gubernatorial candidate has expressed support for Sunday alcohol sales.

2014 Minnesota Gubernatorial Candidates

*Some candidates may still intend to submit survey answers. We will keep this survey up to date through the upcoming election. If think there is an error, or your candidate missed our survey they may contact us here.
*Candidate positions that have been supplied via external sources have been linked to whenever possible.

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Interview with LynLake Brewery Head Brewer Joel Carlson

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Lynlake Brewery is set to open in south Minneapolis

After months of construction, Lynlake Brewery is set to open in south Minneapolis this Friday on Lyndale Avenue, just north of Lake Street. The new brewery now occupies the freshly renovated Theater Antiques Building.

LynLake brewing operations is helmed by brewer Joel Carlson. Joel will lead Justin Skyberg and Lee Ankrum, his band of bearded brewing brethren. Together, they will use of the 10-barrel DME brewhouse to fill their 6 10-barrel fermentors and 3 bright tanks with Minnesota craft beer. Their plan is to brew twice a week during the first year, pushing out about 1,000 barrels to the 88-seat taproom and surrounding venues.

“We’re going to keep this neighborhood supplied and happy,” said Joel Carlson, LynLake Head Brewer.

Joel has been brewing for about 7 years, he isn’t just some geek off the street. He has spend time at the famed Great Waters Brewpub in beautiful downtown Saint Paul, as well as the Boathouse in Ely, MN. Most recently he spent time at Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery.

Photo Credit: Photo provided by LynLake Brewery

As Head Brewer Joel is taking the experience gained at these breweries and putting it use, giving LynLake Brewery an identity all its own. He is looking forward to brewing a variety of beer styles. Brewery patrons can look forward to enjoying a big bold IPA, Sottish Amber, Stout, Single-Hop Pale Ales, and one-off seasonal releases. Once brewery operations normalize and capacity increases, Joel says he will begin a barrel-aging program and begin producing lagers.

The taproom will be a place for neighbors to gather and enjoy a beer without the noise or distraction of overhead TV’s. It features a wraparound bar with a bicycle rim sculpture hanging from ceiling. LynLake Brewery won’t be bringing foodrucks in. Rather, they will partner with neighboring brick-and-mortar restaurants to provide Minnesota craft beer lovers with some edible options.

Look for PonyBoy Gold Ale (Stay gold, Pony Boy!) and Rubbish Oat Amber Ale to be on this weekend when they open the brewery doors for the first time at 4pm on Friday, Oct 10th. It isn’t clear if the cask engines or the nitro taps are up and running yet, but those are going to be there at some point. The rooftop patio and serving station isn’t ready for “prime time” either, but who cares with all the chilly weather we have been having.

For all the details on the brewery opening upcoming news follow LynLake Brewery on facebook, twitter, and instagram.

Wednesday — Thursday
4pm — 11pm
Friday — Saturday
2pm — 12am

LynLake Brewery
2934 Lyndale Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN — 55408
(612) 326-1999

Newsfeed

Minnesota Brewers well represented at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival

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Steel Toe Brewing GABF Gold Medal
Steel Toe Brewing GABF Gold Medal
Photo Credit: Dan Kearney

This weekend, brewers from around the country gathered for the annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. Put on by the Brewers Association, the GABF is among the largest in the world. More than 700 breweries poured 1oz samples of 3,500 beers from all over the America to about 49,000 attendees. One of the highlights of the weekend long madness is the beer competition. The competition  is comprised of brewing industry professionals evaluating approximately 5,700 entries from over 1,300 breweries, in 90 unique beer categories.

Six Minnesota brewers were awarded medals during the brewing competition award ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota was well represented, bringing home two more awards than in 2013, and 3 three more than in 2012. Gold medals went to Badger Hill Brewing for White IPA in the American-Belgo category, and Steel Toe Brewing for Wee Heavy in the Scotch Ale Category. Indeed Brewing took home a silver for Mexican Honey in the Specialty Honey Beer Category. Summit Brewing won Bronze for Extra Pale Ale (EPA) in the Classic English-Style Pale Ale. Arguably the king of barrel aging beer in Minnesota, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery was awarded Bronze for Buffalo Bock, a Weizenbock aged in Buffalo Trace Barrels, among the the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer. Rounding out the Minnesota winners list is relative newcomers, Bent Paddle Brewing. The Duluth brewery captured a Bronze with 14° ESB in the Extra Special Bitter category.

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Buffalo Bock
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Buffalo Bock paired with cherry tart
Photo Credit: Andrew Schmitt
Award Criteria
GABF_gold A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specified style, displaying the proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance.
GABF_Silver An excellent beer that may vary slightly from style parameters while maintaining close adherence to the style and displaying excellent taste, aroma and appearance.
GABF_bronze A fine example of the style that may vary slightly from style parameters and/or have minor deviations in taste, aroma or appearance.

Gold – White IPA – Badger Hill Brewing – American-Belgo-Style Ale 2014
Gold – Wee Heavy – Steel Toe Brewing – Scotch Ale 2014
Silver – Mexican Honey – Indeed Brewing Co. – Specialty Honey Beer 2014
Bronze – Extra Pale Ale – Summit Brewing Co. – Classic English-Style Pale Ale 2014
Bronze – Buffalo Bock – Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery – Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer 2014
Bronze – 14° ESB – Bent Paddle Brewing Co. – Extra Special Bitter 2014

Congratulations to all the winners!

Full list of Great American Beer Festival winners can be found here.

Legislative Events, Newsfeed

Minnesota gubernatorial candidates begin to address Sunday liquor sales

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Minnesota gubernatorial candidates begin to address Sunday liquor sales during the first of five gubernatorial debates.

Midway through the debate Minnesota DFL Governor Mark Dayton, Republican Jeff Johnson, and Independence Party candidate Hannah Nicollet all expressed support for allowing Sunday liquor sales in Minnesota. Dayton and and Nicollet cited religious diversity and convenience. Johnson, frustrated, blamed the DFL controlled legislature for not passing a Sunday alcohol sales provision during the last biennium, a sentiment that was echoed by Sen. Michelle Bensen on twitter.

The comments on religious diversity made by Dayton and Nicollet might have addressed the reasons Minnesota instituted the Blue Laws, but in recent years the most vocal opposition to repealing our Sunday off-sale prohibition has come from special interest groups.

One thing is certain, the issue of repealing Sunday liquor sales is more popular with Minnesota voters than ever before. Governor Dayton seemed to take a stronger stance than last session when Dayton said he would sign a Sunday sales bill if one made it to his desk. With four more debates left to go his position on Sunday liquor sales could use a bit more definition.

A governor pushing for Sunday liquor sales will help move the issue forward, but a Sunday liquor sales bill doesn’t just materialize on a desk. If an effort to modernize the liquor code is to be successful the bill will likely need to travel through committees in both Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate.

Newsfeed

Maple Island Brewing is now open in Stillwater

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Minnesota welcomes another small brewer to the metro area in the form Maple Island Brewing. The brewery doors are open in Stillwater, MN near the St. Croix River, just off the nearly constructed Brown’s Creek State Trail.

View of the St. Croix River from Maple Island Brewing
(photo via Kickstarter)

The 3,700 square foot brewery runs a 7-barrel brewhouse. Maple Island projects they’ll produce approximately 350 barrels in their first year. Owners and operators Frank Fabio and Nick Brau will feature an Oatmeal Stout, Kolsch, and American IPA. Filling in the gaps will be a variety of other brews including a coffee, wheat, and a wit.

No Minnesota brewery is complete without a taproom, right? The taproom will follow the typical Minnesota model of working with foodtrucks and local restaurants to satisfy any hungry patrons. Very, very conveniently situated next to Northern Vineyards Winery, Maple Island Brewing taproom hours are: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays from 5-10 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.
Maple Island Brewing Looking South West
Maple Island BrewingCurrently on tap:
Mosaic Wheat – IBU 29
This cloudy piece of art is made with an ample amount of white wheat giving it that great dirty blonde look. It is also given a nice size dose of those mosaic hops everybody loves.

Burlesque Kolsch – IBU 19
This super easy drinking Kolsch has a bit of Canadian honey malt and low bitterness to it so have another my brother from another mother and my sister from another mister.

Bearded Lady IPA – IBU 56
This crazy IPA has it all with pale and crystal malts, flaked maize and Belgian Candi sugar. It is nicely hopped with Simcoe hops giving it unique passionfruit, pine, earth, and citrus characteristics.

Dragons Breath Kolsch – IBU 30
Yes we love our Kolsch beer! This one has a special blend of 3 German hops. It is also has extra flavor from the addition of Munich malt and Caramel Wheat malts. Fire it up Dragon Slayer.

Cup of Joe Freak Show – IBU 12
Invented by the Head Brewer Nic Brau and his son Joe Brau (9 years old at the time) also named by his son Joe. This coffee oatmeal stout has it all! Chug it anytime of day or night with its creaminess of oats, smooth cold pressed coffee and a hint of vanilla.

Peel Me Wit – IBU 12
Ahhhhhh, time to bring back summer with this super fresh wheat beer that collided with crazy flavors of orange, lemon, and coriander.

Follow Maple Island Brewing on Facebook for more details.

Newsfeed

612Brew announces brewery expansion, canning line, and Oktoberfest celebration

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We recently cornered 612BREW Co-founder Robert Kasak, and he was kind enough to join us for a pint and some conversation. Robert breaks the news on the brewery expansion and canning line, why those developments are important, and what it means for the future of the brewery. And, Robert fills us in on the details of the 612BREW Oktoberfest coming up September, 27th, from 12p-7pm at the brewery.

612BREW Oktoberfest