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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#MNCLEANPINT Campaign Returns

How clean is your beer glass?

#MNCLEANPINT is a social media awareness campaign created by Joe Falkowski at J.J. Taylor Distributing Company of MN to promote the proper cleaning of glassware at Minneasota bars and pubs. (Sorry, no taprooms)

Throughout February consumers and on-sale retailers are encouraged to share photos of their beer on social media (Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook) that has been served in proper “beer clean” glassware and tag it with #MNCleanPint and your location. At the end of the month, the establishment (excluding tap rooms) with the most mentions will win be crowned as the owners of “Cleanest Pint in Minnesota.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjLLYyitO1M

MN Beer Activists is proud to support the #MNCLEANPINT educational initiative along with J.J. Taylor Distributing Company of MN, Cicerone® Certification Program, Micromatic, The Better Beer Society, MNBeer.com, and A Perfect Pint. Feel free to tag MNBeerActivists in your photos, we’ll be retweeting, regramming, and toasting consumers all month long.


The campaign for clean glassware kicks off February 3rd, at the location of 2014 Cleanest Pint in Minnesota, Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub. The winning establishment gets a party from J.J. Taylor. Other prizes include Cicerone® training and tests, a $100 bar tab, a home kegerater kit, glassware, and lots of other prizes throughout the campaign.

#MNCleanPint-Kickoff-Party

Joe Falkowski talks #MNCleanPint on the MN BeerCast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-minnesota-beercast/id936715007

Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-minnesota-beercast

http://www.twincitiesnewstalk.com/media/podcast-the-minnesota-beercast-MinnesotaBeercast/schells-brewing-company-jj-taylor-distribution-25725994/

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Minnesota Brewery Job Openings

Enki Brewing Brewhouse
Enki Brewing Brewhouse

Everyone knows the craft brewing industry is expanding across the nation and right here in Minnesota. Breweries add staff as they grow to make sure expanding operations continue to benefit their company and its partnerships. Several Minnesota craft breweries are looking for to add help in a variety of roles.

Everyone thinks brewery work is a dream job. The truth is that brewery work is still work. You don’t get to punch in at noon and crack a beer. You’ll be up early, and likely cleaning or lifting something. If you think you’ve got what it takes, checkout the links to Minnesota brewery job openings below.

Lift Bridge Brewing Co

Applications deadline is February 2nd, 2015.
All potential candidates, please fill out the form at the following link: http://bit.ly/1drvm64

Lucid Brewing Co.

  • Growler Sales Manager
    Summary Description:
    Responsible for scheduling part-time growler sales staff, coordinating and executing tours and private events, and merchandise management.
  • Part-Time Growler Sales
    Summary Description:
    Responsible for checking IDs, interacting with customers, cleaning and filling growlers, and tour support.
  • Brewer/Cellarman
    Summary Description:
    This position will be responsible for the brewing process from preparation of the raw materials through the fermentation process.

Bauhaus Brew Labs

  • Brewer
    Production, fermentation, and sanitation.

Tin Whiskers Brewing

  • Marketing Manager
    The marketing manager is responsible for preparing and sending out press releases, brand development and promotion, managing our external events, organizing events at the taproom, updating the website, current social media platforms, doing basic graphic design, and some sales.
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ENKI Brewing wins grant from Minnesota Department of Agriculture, announces expansion

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Enki Brewing TeamENKI® Brewing has announced that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded the brewing company a grant of approximately $44,000. The grant will be used to expand the Victoria, MN brewery’s production and distribution footprint, as well their quality assurance program. The added brewing capacity will enable ENKI to package their beer in bottles while adding beer styles that feature Minnesota grown hops and barley.

John Hayes, President of ENKI Brewing, stated, “We are extremely appreciative of this grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and are committed to promoting the use of hops and grains grown by Minnesota farmers. All of us at ENKI wish to express our heartfelt thanks to our community leaders for their letters of support which were so crucial in the MDA’s assessment of our grant proposal.”

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Value Added Grant Program

The MDA Value Added Grant Program supports Minnesota agricultural producers and processors by expanding markets for Minnesota products. Value Added Grants are funded through the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program, which focuses on advancing Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries. AGRI targets areas of greatest opportunity and potential economic impact to create agricultural jobs and profitable businesses in the areas of livestock investment, value-added business and market development, and renewable energy. Value Added Grants are directed towards farmers, agricultural businesses, cooperatives and entrepreneurs with new business or market plans, diversification or expansion goals. ENKI Brewing is one example of the dozens of public and private partnerships supported through AGRI annually.

“This is exactly the kind of success story we like to see from the local investments we make using our Value Added Grants,” said MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “It’s a great return on investment for all Minnesotans and its adding value to more than just business at ENKI Brewing. Hops and barley farmers also benefit from the use of these ingredients grown right here in Minnesota.”

Legislative Events, Newsfeed

Sunday Liquor Sales Bills Introduced in Minnesota Legislature

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visit sundaysalesmn.org Sunday Liquor Sales #SundaySalesMN #ItsTime #MnLeg

Lawmakers introduce several bills aimed at easing the restrictions on Sunday off-sale liquor sales.

Sen. Dave Osmek (R -Mound) introduced the first Senate version of a Sunday liquor sales bill, SF58. SF58 would allow off-sale transactions from 12:00pm to 10:00pm on Sundays. Expect another version at some point from long time Sunday sales champion Sen. Roger Reinert (D -Duluth).

Click Here and Take Action!

A six-pack of liquor bills have been introduced in the House. Bills include everything from a Sunday sales pilot program, to growlers for qualifying brewers, a local option, and full repeal. The most appealing of the House bills is likely the bipartisan authored HF115, the full Sunday repeal. Special interest groups have fought growlers as much as a full repeal in the past, they are likely to do so again. Opposition might as well fight full repeal, a bill that serves every Minnesotan. A full repeal bill may also act as a the local option. When Sunday liquor sales are legalized at the state level, cities may still choose to restrict the days and hours of sales, as they already do. Expect at least one more version of a repeal bill from Rep. Jenifer Loon (R -Eden Prairie). Representative Loon has been working hard to repeal the prohibition on Sunday liquor sales for some time.

The Bill

H. F. 115, A bill for an act relating to liquor; permitting off-sale intoxicating liquor sales on Sunday; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 340A.504, subdivision 4.

Description:
Intoxicating liquor off-sale permitted on Sunday.
Authors:
Drazkowski (R -Mazeppa)
Liebling (D -Rochester)
Pugh (R -Chanhassen)
Whelan (R -Anoka)
Lien (D -Moorhead)
Petersburg (R -Waseca)
Lucero (R -Dayton)
Hertaus (R -Greenfield)
Christensen (D -Burnsville)
O’Neill (R -Maple Lake)

Bipartisan Support

The effort to repeal Sunday is supported by both the Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt.

“Commerce is well enough established as seven days and nights a week now, ” Dayton said. “For us to say it doesn’t apply to this or doesn’t apply to that really doesn’t make much sense. There are an increasing number of Minnesotans for which Sunday isn’t a religious holiday.”
– Star Tribune, December 28, 2013

Speaker Daudt went so far as to make it his new year’s resolution.

“In 2015, I want to be able to buy beer on Sundays in Minnesota.”
–Star Tribune, January 4, 2015

Trouble Ahead

However, not everyone supports bringing Minnesota into the modern era. Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (D -Cook) has voiced opposition to the repeal of the blue law. A recent article from Star Tribune cites Bakk as supporting the Sunday liquor sales ban on behalf of government run municipal liquor stores.

“Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he remains opposed to a repeal on behalf of municipal liquor stores….”
– Star Tribune, January 11, 2015

Commerce Committees have always been a sticking point. Regardless of overwhelming support Commerce Committee Chairs are not required to give Sunday sales bills a hearing in their committees, and usually do not. Senate Commerce Chair, Sen Jim Metzen (D -South St. Paul), has never given a full repeal bill a hearing. Let’s hope incoming House Commerce Chair, Rep. Joe Hoppe (R -Chaska) hears the bills.

What Now?

Take action!

Sunday Liquor Sales #SundaySalesMN #ItsTime #MnLeg

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Tickets for 2015 Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild Festivals On-Sale

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Tickets for 2015 Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild festivals are on-sale beginning at noon, Monday, January 5th. These events are among the best in region, and the bulk purchase is your best way to make sure you have your spot. These events will sell out, so if you can swing the cash it is worth it.
Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild Seasonal Six Pack Tickets
One change to the festival program from last year is the Guild’s premiere event, Winterfest. The Crème de la Crème of beer fests will be split into two nights. The change was made to keep the fest’s intimate atmosphere and accommodate the growing number of brewers. You can hear Guild President, Dan Schwarz talk about the changes on the latest BeerCast.

Monday, January 5, noon CT: Seasonal Four Pack on-sale includes one ticket to both nights of Winterfest, All Pints North and Autumn Brew Review at $200 per pack, a 15% discount over individual tickets. There are limited quantities of four packs available.

Monday, January 12, noon CT: Two day Winterfest package on sale, $135 for ticket to each night of Winterfest at Union Depot in St. Paul. There are limited quantities of two day packages. Winterfest tickets include unlimited craft beer sampling from Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild members, music, an upscale catered dinner, educational programming, and more. The line-up of breweries for each night of Winterfest will be published in advance of the Winterfest on-sale.

Friday, January 16, noon CT: Individual Winterfest tickets go on sale, $75 for ticket to a single night of Winterfest. Winterfest tickets include unlimited craft beer sampling from Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild members, music, an upscale catered dinner, educational programming, and more. There are limited quantities of tickets remaining, and this will depend on how quickly the two packs sell.

Click here for tickets

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Du Nord Craft Spirits Opens First Minneapolis / St. Paul Cocktail Room

Du Nord Craft Spirits, one of Minnesota’s first micro-distilleries, is now the first licensed cocktail room in the Minneapolis / St. Paul metro area. The cocktail room will open to the public on January 9, and will serve craft cocktails made using Du Nord’s Fitzgerald Gin and L’etoile Du Nord Vodka.

Du Nord Craft Spirits logoDu Nord’s cocktail room will feature craft cocktails ranging from the simple to the extravagant and feature local food. Du Nord worked with Mike Rasmussen (La Belle Vie, Marin, Bluestem Bar) to envision a cocktail menu that highlights Du Nord’s spirits through classic and new drinks. The cocktail menu will change with the seasons.

“We have something for everyone” said co-owner Shanelle Montana, “we’ve worked hard to do the classics well and create signature drinks you won’t find anywhere else.” Their location in the Hiawatha-Lake area of Minneapolis puts Du Nord in a ideal spot to work with local eateries and food trucks. Patrons will have plenty of food options to bring into or order to the cocktail room. “This area of Minneapolis is really taking off,” said co-owner and head distiller Chris Montana “we are surrounded by French, Indian, Ethiopian, Japanese, and American food, all of which go great with a cocktail.”

“We have something for everyone” said co-owner Shanelle Montana, “we’ve worked hard to do the classics well and create signature drinks you won’t find anywhere else.”

The cocktail room at Du Nord’s south Minneapolis location wasn’t possible before change to the law that allows micro-distilleries to sell drinks similar to how taprooms sell pints of beer. Prior to 2014, it was illegal to sell a cocktail directly to a consumer, micro-distilleries were mandated to only sell their products to distributors. “This is about common sense,” said Shanelle who is also President of the Minnesota Distiller’s Guild, “the cocktail room allows us to showcase our spirits the way most people consume them, but we have more work to do.” Minnesota law still prohibits micro-distilleries from selling bottles of their products to consumers, as well as operating a cocktail room on Sunday. Let’s hope this changes in 2015.

The ribbon cutting is scheduled for January 9th, at 4pm. After the ceremony Du Nord will be open for business. Get a look at their drink menu here. And, you can also listen to co-owner Chris Montana talk about the new cocktail room on the latest episode of the BeerCast.

Du Nord Craft Spirits
Cocktail Room
2610 E 32nd St #2
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Hours
Wednesday 4pm-10pm
Thursday 4pm-10pm
Friday 4pm-12am
Saturday 12pm-12am

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Red Wagon Pizza Co. opens for lunch hours, orders Hop Rocket

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Red Wagon Pizza Co. adds new lunch service this Friday and New Hours, 11am – Midnight

 

The 50-seat restaurant on Penn Avenue in South Minneapolis is expanding their service and expanding their beer palate, according to chef/owner Peter Campbell. They have been doing evening and weekends for a few weeks, but they are ready to stretch their wings. The restaurant specializes in modern American pizza paired with American craft beer. “We use local high quality ingredients in a simple way, ” says Campbell, “which is actually a very authentic Italian thing to do, but we combine them in inventive ways for modern American tastes.”
Red_Wagon_Pizza_Beer
Campbell and his wife Jacquie Campbell have been running Red Wagon as a part-time passion project for a few years, building a fan-base from their regular perch at The Linden Hills Farmer’s Market. Campbell’s pizza skills have been recognized all over town. Shortly before opening the new space he was tapped to formulate the pizza’s for St. Paul’s Rival House.
Red_Wagon_Pizza_Beer_Taps
Red Wagon is setting themselves apart with their food and beer selection. Some of their pizzas include The Banh Mi Pizza with sweet soy-glazed pulled pork, The Red Wagon Pizza with banana peppers house made sausage and soppressata, as well as a beet pizza with fresh chevre.

“From as young as I can remember, I was tossing pizzas with my Pop Pop and my Mom. Pizza was just what my family did. We’d cook pizza. We’d eat pizza. We’d be a family – all around pizza pies,” said Campbell.

Red Wagon serves 36 beers on tap, offers an eclectic list of 20 moderately-priced wines by the glass, and has lines dedicated to sours and ciders. A certified beer nut, Peter curates the 36 tap lines himself. (You can be sure he samples them, too!) But having a great tap selection isn’t enough. Peter has line dedicated to PBR. Why? Not for any hipsters that might happen to wander in. In early 2015 a “Hop Rocket” will be installed on the the line. It will allow him to infuse the beer with hops and whatever other whacky ingredients he throws in there.

Red Wagon Pizza Co. is located at 5416 Penn Avenue South and open every day 11 am to Midnight. More information and the latest menu can be found at www.redwagon-mpls.com.

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Q & A with Brewer Paul Gecas – Opening Gun Flint Tavern and Brewpub

We first learned that Grand Marais’ Gun Flint Tavern when Derek initially wrote about it back in August of 2013. Now, a short year and some months later, the north shore tavern turned brewpub is ready to pour you a Minnesota craft beer. Brewer Paul Gecas answers our questions, giving us an idea of what to expect when the Gun Flint Tavern & Brewpub opens this Friday, Dec 5th, at 5pm.

Gun Flint Tavern has been known as an outpost good beer for some time. Why the change to make a brewery?

Paul Gecas: The process of turning the Gun Flint Tavern into a brewpub was always in owner Jeff Gecas’ plans, he has been dedicated to serving good craft beer with as much focus on MN brewed beer as possible since we opened in 1998. Jeff was adamant about not having any ‘big’ beer on tap right from the start. With that philosophy, the move to create a brewpub really fit the atmosphere of the Gun Flint Tavern. I think it also really meshes with the identity of Grand Marais, with the focus towards local sourcing, and our communities’ appreciation for handcrafted and artistic products.

How large is the operation?

Our system comes in at just under five Bbls capacity. We currently have three fermenters and five serving vessels (one of which is a ten Bbl.) We don’t know what to expect in terms of production, except that summer will be much busier than winter. I’m optimistically hoping for 200 Bbls in our first year, but it is definitely going to be a case of testing the waters.
What kind of investment does it take to start an operation like this?

This must have been an expensive project. How long did it take from concept to completion?

For overall investment and time it took for this type of project the numbers will always be pretty high. We had to completely renovate the space the brewhouse is in, from walls and doors to floor drains to ventilation to electricity–everything had to be updated. We got a good deal on some quality used equipment, but even with that we had to upgrade, weld, plumb together, and get completely new fittings. It’s been a long two year project.

What was the biggest hurdle?

For me personally, one of the bigger challenges has been the constant trial and error relationship I’ve had with the equipment. After troubleshooting any specific problem and working out a reasonable solution something else would go wrong in the process and I would have to re-do everything. It has been a constant back and forth with the equipment and it has been a huge learning curve, but I suppose I am pretty in tune with our brewhouse because of it.

What do you know now that wish you wish you knew at the start?

Looking back, I wish the timing had worked out for me to get more formal training or experience before I started. When Jeff brought up the idea of involving me I jumped at the opportunity, and I was grateful to have some time to intern at a handful of places, but I know that having a lengthier time to work at an established facility would have really gone a long way.

What kind of beer can we expect to see coming out of the facility?

Initially we are playing around with some different recipes that I’ve been working on, but more and more (especially with seasonals) I’d like to use indigenous ingredients to capture the geographical identity we have on the North Shore and to reflect that vibe in our beer. Brewpubs provide a great blank slate to work with: small batch emphasis, adventurous audience, plenty of experimentation. I’m looking forward to that creative aspect.

Is there a “Flagship” beer that will be regular staple?

We do have an initial flagship: Sawtooth Mountain Pale Ale, a hoppier pale, but not too aggressive for lighter palates. As we settle into some other recipes we will likely add one to two more flagships as well.

Who makes up the brew team? Any professional training or education?

I’m the only brewer right now, and while I was able to spend some well used time at the Thirsty Pagan learning the ropes, I have no formal education. I have been fascinated by the brewing culture and process though, so that I have studied it on my own. My father Greg has been home brewing for over thirty years, and he comes in to help when he can, and I consult him frequently.

Why a brew pub instead of a brewery?

From the owners perspective, a brewpub makes a lot of sense as it is housed in an already established restaurant. Also, similar to the idea of trying the local cuisine of the places you visit, when we travel we like to try the local beer, the beer that is being made right there. That opportunity had been lacking in Grand Marais, but now with our brewpub, and Voyageur Brewing opening a taproom soon, Grand Marais can become more of a craft beer destination.

*For a more in depth interview listen the upcoming episode of The Minnesota BeerCast.

Grand Opening December 5th, 5:00 PM

Gun Flint Tavern & Brewpub
111 W Wisconsin St, Grand Marais, MN 55604
(218) 387-1563

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