Category Archives: Featured

Featured, or content of special interest.

Featured, Newsfeed

Minnesota Breweries Win Medals at 2016 Great American Beer Festival

Five Minnesota Craft Breweries Earn Medals at Great American Beer Festival

Five Minnesota craft breweries were recently honored at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in Denver — the nation’s premier beer festival and competition. These hometown heavy hitters held their own against 7,227 beer entries from 1,752 breweries nationwide.

Fan favorites and cornerstones of Minnesota beer culture, Summit Brewing and Surly Brewing brought home gold medals this year. Bemidji Brewing, Jack Pine Brewery, and first-year entrant Roundhouse Brewery took home bronze medals for their yeoman’s efforts.

Minnesota breweries earning gold medals

• Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul), “Extra Pale Ale” — Classic English-Style Pale Ale (38 entries)

summit-brewing-2016-gabf
Photo © 2016 Jason E. Kaplan

• Surly Brewing Co. (Brooklyn Center / Mpls), “Barrel-Aged Darkness” — Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout (131 entries)

surly-brewing-2016-gabf
Photo © 2016 Jason E. Kaplan

Minnesota breweries earning bronze medals

• Bemidji Brewing Co. (Bemidji), “German Blonde Ale” — Golden or Blonde Ale (115 Entries)
• Jack Pine Brewery (Baxter), “Vengeance! Jalapeno Cream Ale” — Chili Beer (112 entries)
• Roundhouse Brewery (Brainerd), “Runaround Rye Ale” — Rye Beer (81 entries)

“It has become a tradition for Minnesota breweries to be honored at this prestigious competition,” says Tom Whisenand, President of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “This recognition reinforces that Minnesota is a great state for beer. Minnesotans can be proud of these local businesses that are representing their communities.”

Other Recent Minnesota GABF winners

Minnesota 2015 GABF Medalists:
August Schell Brewing Co. (New Ulm), Bemidji Bewing Company (Bemidji), Bent Paddle Brewing Co. (Duluth), Fitger’s Brewhouse (Duluth), Fulton Brewng (Minneapolis), Mankato Brewery (Mankato), Steel Toe Brewing (St. Louis Park).

Minnesota 2014 GABF Medalists:
Badger Hill Brewing (Shakopee), Bent Paddle Brewing Co. (Duluth), Indeed Brewing (Minneapolis), Steel Toe Brewing (St. Louis Park), Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul) and Town Hall Brewery (Minneapolis).

A full list of Great American Beer Festival winners can be found here: https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/

Related: Minnesota BeerCast talks with Pete Rifakes from Town Hall Brewery and Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild.

http://minnesotabeercast.com/episodes/live-minnesota-state-fair/

Featured, Newsfeed

The Taproom: The New Face of the Alcohol Industry

Despite having been in existence for nearly half a decade now (at least in MN), taprooms (and now tasting rooms for distilleries) are still new to a lot of people. We’ve seen a lot of variations on the taproom idea even within Minnesota so far. Surly –now  finally capitalizing on their own lobbying — has their megaplex, Harriet has their local destination music venue, and Lakes and Legends has their indoor/outdoor fusion. In fact, it seems unreal at this point that any new brewery would not include some sort of taproom into its business plan.

But what is a Taproom? Not in its definition; I think that part is clear. The question lies more in the social and cultural implications of the current state of the beer industry. Taprooms are not bars, they are not restaurants, they are not music venues. They are something entirely their own. I manage the taproom at Lake Monster Brewing Co in St. Paul and it never ceases to amaze me the differences between a taproom and every other form of bar found throughout the industry.

I should note that taprooms are inherently different than brewpubs. Taprooms are only allowed to sell what is made on site. The same goes for tasting rooms at distilleries. The strangest thing that I think I’ve found about taprooms is that despite only selling beer, there are plenty of people who “don’t drink beer” showing up throughout the week simply because it’s there. The drive to support small, local business supersedes their preferences on drinks. That would be like someone living in an apartment buying a snowblower from your local general store even though you didn’t need it simply out of solidarity against big business.

Tap rooms are also different than any other bar. There is an inherent understanding that taprooms are more family-friendly. Most taprooms have games, but many have games or toys aimed for children’s amusement while the parents have a few pints. Normally, a bar that didn’t serve food would be the last place you would find anyone under 21, but taprooms seem to have flown in the face of that stigma as well. To be frank, taprooms are not bars. For the most part, the alcohol consumption is not the goal, but more of the medium with which we are able to share our time with others.

Trxak5P

It all ties in with the anthropology of the bar as it relates to our country and culture. The bar has traditionally served as the most common meeting place. It was not a venue for drunken debauchery, but a forum for business, politics, socializing, and networking. The idea of the taproom seems to have finally overcome the stigma that has been put on the bar since the campaign for prohibition. I think the idea of “craft” not as just a buzz word in the phrase “craft beer,” but as the idea of our newly-found focus of artisan products has a lot to do with that.

I know personally that beer has helped me to appreciate the finer subtleties within food, wine, cocktails, and other aspects of life like music and art. That open-minded culture is almost directly defined by the people who drink craft beer. I think that ideal is what has finally swayed parents to bring their children into such an environment. One parent, who works in the beer industry, said that he would rather have his kids grow up with a knowledge, not a fear of alcohol. He would rather be the one to teach them than to prohibit booze and have them find out in high school or college in dangerous situations.

No other bars would promote the use of their spaces for yoga, craft fairs, or customers coming together to pick hops for the beer that they serve. Taprooms are unoficially the new neighborhood bar. Not FOR the people, but OF the people. As I’m just returning from a trip to Italy, I see many similarities between the ancient Roman Forum (a communal space for socializing, commerce, and politics) and the modern day place we call the “Taproom.”

 

Featured

Expertly Crafted Beer

This is not going to be one of my normal posts about news in the beer industry or an educational guide about how to do something. There are very few times in my beer drinking career (yes, career) where I am taken back by the truly inspirational qualities of such a simple product. I simply want to share with you the entire reason that I personally got into beer. We are surrounded by criticism of poor quality beers and beers lacking direction. It’s all too often that I hear consumers slam breweries for producing bad beer, dismissing the pursuit of an elusive and highly volatile art and science that is required by these professional breweries. Yes, there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in smaller breweries. But I would like to take a moment to forget all of that and remind everyone of the reason that we drink craft beer.

Beer is art. Beer is science. Beer is a product of a manufacturing plant that we romanticize because of its focus on something that has, in recent US history, been too pedestrian for any thought of having a culture based around it. Beer is an anomaly where a warehouse full of equipment becomes a centerpiece for a speakeasy. Beer is a forum where intellectuals, businessmen, artists, and service industry workers come together to cheers and play over-sized jenga.0219161742

I must congratulate Crooked Stave brewery for the inspirational beverage that spawned this article. I was at Butcher and the Boar and enjoyed a dry-hopped sour while discussing homebrewing. The bartender gave us a sample and we both ordered one as our next beer. This beer is one of very few that stand out as especially noteworthy over the last 5 years. Others in the list have been Ommegang Fleur de Houblon, Brau Bros Bancreagie Sour 26 on Raspberries, Destihl Kreik, and now Crooked Stave Progenitor.

Progenitor to me encompasses the subtle harmony of a perfectly balanced beer. It’s an intangible that can be experienced through any style of beer. I’ve had truly great pilsners and I’ve had truly great stouts. It’s not an ingredient or a style of beer. Rather, it’s the translation into flavor that comes from acute attention to detail, well-developed recipes from an experienced brewer, and a little luck from the natural variables that exist within this world of zymurgy.

The beer itself is a clear, pale gold with a white, lasting head. The aroma tantalizes your nose with sharp pineapple and white grape notes with a hint of sourness. As for the flavor, the acidity jumped out as a distinct tartness immediately upon your first sip. Primary flavors were white grape and lemon curd and a slightly lactic finish with a sweetness reminiscent of very lightly baked bread dough. Upon further consumption notes of soft wood, provencal herbs, oregano spice and subtle brett flavors came to life. Gill, my brewing partner, decided that the overall impression was like “sex in the woods on a rainy day.” I guess the enigmatic metaphor means that you should definitely try it should the opportunity present itself.

We couldn’t help but think of great pairings 0219161848awith this beer. It has a great diversity of options. It would be great with fatty foods (e.g. charcuterie board from Butcher and the Boar). Definitely would be a great pairing with grilled salmon, truffles, mushrooms, or caramelized onion. It worked well with most of our food, but was not a good pairing with the sweet and smokey barbecue sauce.. Bonus points if you get 3 out of 4 on a plate.

All in all, I write this not to promote the beer, but to promote beer itself. We all got into this great culture because of the great opportunity to experience expertly crafted beer. I feel as a culture, we have gotten away from that young and innocent outlook where everything was new and exciting. Instead, we’ve replaced it with harsh judgement and swift dismissal. I challenge you to open your mind once more and to approach your next beer with that child-like wonder that we once had as a beer-drinking community. Prost!

Featured, Newsfeed

Why You Should Care About That Grain Belt Sign

Grain Belt Sign
Image from Schell’s Twitter of the Grain Belt Sign

Grain Belt Lock and Dam

You’ve probably already heard that Schell’s has bought the iconic Grain Belt Beer sign that overlooks the Mississippi river in Minneapolis. They plan to restore and re-light the sign by 2017. And if you’ve heard that, then you’ve almost definitely heard that Schell’s is planning to brew a new beer to celebrate this acquisition – a copper lager by the name of Lock & Dam Lager under the Grain Belt brand. The promise of a new lager from a brewery putting out some of the best lagers in the state is definitely exciting news. Remember, Schell’s has taken home GABF medals for Firebrick and Oktoberfest. Even Grain Belt won silver in 2014 and gold in 1994. Despite all this, you might be wondering why we should be so excited about them planning to buy and restore an old beer sign. I mean, Grain Belt isn’t on most craft beer lovers top ten lists. And it is after all, just a rusty old sign.

A Rich History

Grain Belt Brewery
The Historic Minnesota Brewing Company Brewery

Grain Belt isn’t just another pale lager that just happens to be brewed in Minnesota. Much like the malted barley used to produce beer, Grain Belt is steeped in the history of Minnesota. To get to the origins of Grain Belt, we must look back to July of 1890, when four breweries joined together to create the Minneapolis Brewing and Malting Company. This name was later shortened to The Minneapolis Brewing Company. The new brewery this conglomerate constructed would be one of the largest producers of beer of its time. It eventually producing half a million barrels of beer every year. For reference, there is not a single brewery in Minnesota today producing that much – Schell’s comes closest at 131,000 barrels per year. This brewery still stands in Minneapolis to this day, and its unique style stands out. When it was built four different architectural styles were used to honor the four original breweries. It’s this that gives the brewery it’s “mismatched” style.

And the most popular beer of Minneapolis Brewing Company? The Golden Grain Belt Old Lager, whose name honored this part of the country. Minneapolis Brewing Company produced more beer than almost any other brewery in the state, bested only by the Theodore Hamm Brewing Company. Grain Belt was being sold as far away as Michigan, Illinois, and Nebraska. In today’s time of interstate trucks and international distribution this may not seem impressive, but for the time it was a rare achievement.

After prohibition ended Grain Belt returned strong and became one of the most popular beers in the country. But by the 1950s sales had faltered and in 1975 the brand was bought and quickly sold to the G. Heileman Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin. This would take Grain Belt out of Minnesota, at least temporarily. This would be the last time the Grain Belt Beer sign lit up the Mississippi River.

A Bright Future for Grain Belt

grainbeltnewlabel
Schell’s Grain Belt

In 2001 Schell’s purchased the brand, returning it to Minnesota and restoring its popularity. It has again become one of the most popular brands of the Midwest, and in 2010 released a new beer, Nordeast, in honor of Northeast Minneapolis. By restoring that old sign Schell’s is restoring an integral part of craft beer – and Minnesota – history.

Every brewery in Minnesota today owes a nod to the Minneapolis Brewing Company and Grain Belt, who were pioneers in Minnesota beer. And yes, in the end, we are just talking about a sign. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing its light reflecting on the Mississippi again, a symbol of not just Minnesota’s rich history, but the exploding beer culture in our state.

Head to Schell’s website or Twitter for more updates.

Featured, Newsfeed

The Truth About Glass Rinsers

There has been a lot of talk lately about glass rinsers.1209151615c2They are popping up all over the state in craft beer bars and have gained a lot of interest in the media as of late. I don’t mean to say they are bad or unnecessary. Rather, I would like to lay out the facts about them. The truth is that they should be unnecessary if your bar does everything correctly and that they are crucial of your bar does not.

Before we go any further, be sure to follow me on twitter and follow MN Beer Activists on either twitter or Facebook

TC Beer Dude – https://twitter.com/TCBeerDude

Glass Rinsers

For those who don’t know what these are, they are a small sprayer built into the bar, usually near the tap tower. Glasses are pushed down onto a small, perforated plate, which triggers a blast of water into your glass, giving it one final rinse before filled with your favorite craft beers. The rinser is designed to ensure that every pint of beer is served in the way that it was intended to be served. They accomplish three things:

  • Rinse out any dust particles or residual sanitizer that may leave a trace of soapy flavor in a glass
  • Accomplishes a better pour because the glass is already wet
  • Cooling down a glass that may be warm from the mechanical dishwasher

What your bar should be doing…

The arguments for last-second rinsing of your beer glass are all very compelling. We have all had a beer from a dirty glass at a bar or a beer that tasted funny, but you can’t really tell why. The truth is that all of these can be avoided due to proper 12091516162treatment of your glassware to begin with. I think everyone can agree that the best bars are the ones with a very high attention to detail. There are a lot of moving parts to running a bar and a lot of work that goes into a great craft beer program. There can be high turnover in the restaurant industry and training bartenders and barbacks on every minute detail is a colossal task.

1. Use a Three-Compartment Sink

There are many a bartender who will call this unreasonable. Mechanical dishwashers are fast, they’re easy, and they require very little attention. The problems with them are…they’re fast, they’re easy, and require very little attention.12091516172

In truth, a good bartender or barback can plow through glassware in a triple sink faster than a dishwasher could. With energy, rental, water, and chemical costs, it’s probably cheaper too; I haven’t done the math, though. On a busy night, I would prefer a triple sink when I’m in the figurative “weeds” than a dish machine. For those of you who came out to opening night at Lake Monster Brewing’s new taproom, we estimate we had about 800 people and we handled all glassware by hand. I would have had it no other way.

The triple sink if used properly gets glassware much cleaner than a machine with hot water. You can see the way the soap and the water clings to the glass once scrubbed intensely on the mounted brushes that the glass will be spotless when it comes out. In a triple sink, the rinse basin is room-temperature water and the sanitizer is cold, which prevents the problem with warm glassware.

1209151632a2

Proper use and then proper drying will ensure your glasses are proper temperature and spotless. A truly beer clean glass will show beautiful foamy residue clinging tightly to the side of the glass after it’s been drank, like the photo to the right. #mncleanpint

2. Use Proper Chemical

The chemicals you clean your glasses with are important, especially your sanitizer. Because sanitier is left on glassware as it dries, improper chemicals can make every single glass you use taste like soap. Not surprisingly, it will also transfer into and ruin your beers.

Not to sound like a broken record, but most commercial bar dishwashers use a chemical that leaves an odor and flavor on glassware. Another demerit for the dishwashers…and they’re loud! (Okay — my rant is over)

Beer Clean is a brand with powdered, pre-measured packets for three-compartment sink use, which I trust. I’ve also recently been introduced to a chemical that has dissolved Chlorine Dioxide, which I’m quite impressed with. Both of these leave your glasses without any residual flavors that may ruin beer.

3. Don’t Stack Pint Glasses

Every time I get a beer in a pint glass with a white, etched ring where the glass has been stacked over and over for years, a little piece of my soul cries. It pains me to see this, yet it’s an epidemic. I get that not every bar has enough space to avoid stacking pints 5 or 6 high, but if at all possible, pint glasses should not be stacked. It creates basically a ring of sandpaper on your glass upon which your fresh, delicious beer churns on the rough patch and creates foam, where an otherwise-perfect pour is ruined. Foamy beer causes wasted beer down the drain.

1209151615b2

To Use or Not To Use

Like I said, I’m not against the use of the glass rinser. I just find them unnecessary if your bar is doing everything correctly. The only problem with them is that sometimes they are used to quickly and water is not allowed to drain out of the glass, leaving half ounce to an ounce of water in the bottom of your glass before the beer is poured. This can be easily avoided by shaking the water out of the glass after it’s sprayed. If your bar is doing everything correctly, then they are not needed. However, I would much prefer someone taking the time to rinse my glass again than to drink a soapy beer or have a warm and foamy beer.

Featured, Review

10 Must Try Minnesota Beers This Holiday Season

With the holidays upon us, the liquor store shelves are inundated with winter warmers, Christmas ales, and other seasonal specialties. Choosing the right beers for your gatherings this holiday season can be difficult, so I sat down with RJ White, Beer Manager at The Ale Jail in St. Paul to taste the hottest seasonals coming out of Minnesota right now. In addition to helping with sampling, RJ and The Ale Jail also generously curated this selection of Minnesota winter beers.

holiday beers
Our holiday tasting selection

Barley John’s Boggan Brew Winter Ale

Boggan Brew
Barley John’s Boggan Brew

Perhaps the latest brewery to begin producing beer in cans, Barley John’s have started strong with four flagship beers and this seasonal, a winter ale. For a winter ale this had a very welcome and unique spice presence. Instead of the standard cinnamon and nutmeg notes, we tasted a very novel array of flavors including anise, Amaretto, cherries, almonds, and cardamom. The spice flavor was strong but not overpowering, complementing the caramel malt flavor and balanced bitterness.

Bauhaus Brew Labs Tallander Scottish Ale & Winterloper Baltic Porter

Winterloper
Bauhaus Winterloper

Tallander is the newest beer from Bauhaus, a Scottish Ale that just hit the shelves this last week. It starts with an enticing biscuity aroma with light roasty notes. The flavor was surprisingly roasty, with hints of stone fruit from the yeast, and great notes of toffee.

Another seasonal beer from Bauhaus, their Winterloper Baltic Porter, stays true to Bauhaus’s focus on lager styles. With sweet notes of chocolate and caramel, this is a phenomenal beer with the strong, complex flavors of your typical porter, but an easy-drinking, dangerously smooth and crisp finish.

Rush River Nevermore Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Nevermore
Rush River Nevermore

Despite not being from Minnesota, Rush River is a beloved brewery in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and we couldn’t resist including this brew in our rundown. Out of all the beers we tried, this definitely had the most pronounced chocolate flavor. Thick, sweet, and smooth, this would make a fantastic dessert beer, great for sipping by the fire this Christmas. I would call this beer the prototypical chocolate oatmeal stout. It tastes exactly how you would expect it to, and that is not a bad thing. Rush River hit the nail on the head with this one.

Bad Weather Brewing Ominous “Midwest” Warmer

Ominous
Bad Weather Ominous

A brown ale for the winter season is a great description for Ominous. With great notes of nuts and roast, this beer is very approachable and drinkable, but subdued and complex. The use of dark candi sugar evokes flavors similar to a spiced beer, giving off subtle dark stone fruit, raisin, and chocolate flavors, as well as a mild, balanced sweetness. I would call this a spiced beer for people who don’t like spiced beer. Very mature flavors from a young brewery.

Indeed Stir Crazy Winter Warmer & Old Friend Holiday Ale

Old Friend
Indeed Old Friend

If Ominous was spiced beer for people who don’t like spiced beer, then Stir Crazy is spiced beer for people who love spiced beer. Shirking the standard spice offerings, this beer uses vanilla, raisins, and brown sugar. The raisins stand out at the forefront, giving a great fruit flavor without any unwanted syrupy sweetness. The vanilla gives a nice complement to this dark fruit flavor, and behind all that is some great malty caramel and toffee flavor.

Old Friend is a refreshing and novel surprise. The use of ginger gives an incredibly unique flavor, but the beer is very smooth, without any of the “burn” most people associate with ginger. There is also a strong presence of lemon citrus. This ginger/citrus combination pairs surprisingly well with the dark, sweet malt flavor.

Bent Paddle Harness IPA

Harness IPA
Bent Paddle Harness IPA

After so many dark, heavy beers we were ready for something a bit more drinkable. Harness IPA was just the thing to break up this session of stouts, winter ales, and other beers great for sipping. With a bold aroma of simcoe and citra hops, this beer clears your senses. Great citrus hop flavor greets the tastebuds and evokes summertime IPAs, and a mild spiciness from the rye subtly reminds us that it is still cold outside. This will certainly be my go-to beer for New Years. Drinkable enough to enjoy all night, but complex enough not to bore.

Boom Island 2014 Yule

2014 Yule
Boom Island 2014 Yule

Yes, that year is correct, we’re talking about last year’s Yule from Boom Island. Boom Island cellared this beer for a year themselves because they knew we wouldn’t be patient enough to wait for it. Despite being a year old, there is plenty of this available. And boy was this one worth waiting for. True to Boom Island’s MO, this dark belgian holiday beer gives off light belgian yeast notes of clove. A phenomenal tart flavor complements the black currants used in this beer. The currants themselves give off phenomenally complex fruit notes, and a light spice note subtly complements all of this. This is a great choice for a table beer for any of your holiday parties. And yes – there is also Yule from this year available.

Olvalde Farm & Brewing Company Spiced Ode to a Russian Shipwright

Ode
Olvalde Spiced Ode

This beer is a spiced version of Olvalde’s Porter, Ode to a Russian Shipwright. The spiced version makes for a great holiday beer, with notes of allspice and nutmeg, and a heavy cinnamon presence to warm you up. Beneath that are notes of wood, caramel and licorice. Similar to its base beer, there is a great spruce presence in this beer as well. This is an incredibly complex and well crafted beer. Perhaps most exciting about Olvalde is their incredible commitment to using ingredients grown on their farm, creating a true farm-to-bottle experience.

Among these ten beers are some of the most unique and exciting offerings available this holiday season in Minnesota. Any on this list will make the bar at your holiday party stand out, or just make you relish the cold winter season. Hopefully this will make your holiday buying just a little bit easier.

All of these beers and many more are available at The Ale Jail, located on St. Clair Avenue in St. Paul. Their commitment to craft beer is admirable – you would be hard pressed to find a can of macro beer in the entire store. In addition to a great selection of Minnesota beers, they have a strong selection of foreign and international beers including beers from traditional Belgian and German breweries. On top of this, their staff are some of the most knowledgeable in the metro area. Check The Ale Jail out on Facebook or Twitter.

 

Featured, Newsfeed

Utepils Brewing® Announces Eric Harper as Head Brewer

Press Release – 

Minneapolis, Minn.: Utepils Brewing® today put an end to the suspense surrounding the identity of its head brewer and announced that Eric Harper will be assuming the role. Harper comes to Utepils Brewing® from Summit Brewing Company and is well-known in craft beer circles, winning acclaim and World Beer Cup Gold and Silver medals as part of the Summit Brewing team. Prior to that, the University of Wisconsin graduate was the Brewhouse Team Leader at Wisconsin’s New Glarus Brewing Company, home of Spotted Cow.

Dan Justesen, founder and President of Utepils Brewing®, said keeping Harper’s identity under wraps was both fun and challenging during the equity raise. Justesen said, “I promised investors that our head brewer, whom we were referring to as code name “Ewald”, had the perfect skill set and resume’ to brew the award-winning European-style craft beers that we aspire to create. For Eric, that style of brewing helped convince him to come over to us.”

Harper agreed. “The plan to brew styles I personally enjoy and the European feel to the brewery were big factors for me. When I imagine creating a brewery from the ground up for myself, Utepils Brewing is that place.”

Still, leaving an established and successful brewery like Summit wasn’t an easy decision, said Harper. “I love where I work and the people at Summit are awesome. Utepils was offering an opportunity to have a lot of creative control. One of the things that helped in my decision was Dan’s recognition of the importance of quality. He understood the need to include a sophisticated brewery lab in his plan, in addition to quality equipment and ingredients, in order to make great beers. I think the Utepils team that he’s built is the ultimate reflection of that. The strength of the team is really what gives me confidence in our future success.”

Harper completed his bachelor’s degree in German Culture at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is also a graduate of the Master Brewers Program at University of California – Davis and has a Diploma in Brewing from London’s Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

For the past five years he has served on the board of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas St. Paul – Minneapolis District, holding roles of secretary, treasurer, and currently Vice President.

Below is a comprehensive list of awards Harper won as part of brewing teams at Summit and New Glarus:

World Beer Cup:

Summit
2014 Silver Extra Pale Ale
2012 Silver Extra Pale Ale
2010 Gold Extra Pale Ale

Great American Beer Festival (GABF):

Summit
2014 Bronze Extra Pale Ale
2013 Silver True Brit IPA
2012 Silver Pilsener
2010 Bronze Extra Pale Ale

New Glarus
2007 Bronze Raspberry Tart
2006 Gold Belgian Red
2006 Gold Cherry Stout
2006 Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year
2005 Gold Belgian Red
2005 Gold Cherry Stout
2005 Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year

Last week, Utepils Brewing® officially changed its name from Bryn Mawr Brewing. Utepils was the name of the holding company. The word “utepils” is Norwegian for the first beer enjoyed outdoors in the sunshine after a long, dark winter. The word “ute” means outside and “pils” means beer. The “utepils moment” is widely-anticipated and celebrated every Spring by Norwegian beer drinkers.

Utepils Brewing® is steeped in the traditions of European brew masters, but will soon be available close to home in Minneapolis, with plans to distribute regionally and nationally. Construction is now underway for the full-production brewery and taproom being built at the site of the former Glenwood Bottling plant. Utepils Brewing® is set to open in early 2016 and will specialize in classic European beer styles and also offer select, special edition seasonal brews.

Special Holiday Offer for VIPER MEMBEERSHIPS®

Just in time for the gift-giving season and to celebrate the new brand, Utepils Brewing® is offering holiday cheer MEMBEERSHIPS® with free beer for 99 years. The exclusive VIPER Program “Very Important Patron, Enthusiast and Recruiter” gives patrons access to the coolest (and only transferable) beer club in town.

Single MEMBEERSHIPs® are $1000, but Utepils Brewing® has a special holiday offer for the first 100 Couple MEMBEERSHIPS ® of $1848 per couple, reduced from $1900. 1848 is the founding date of the German brewery that was the original home of the signature copper kettle
that will be displayed in our taproom.

Offer is limited to first 100 couple MEMBEERSHIPS® and expires December 23, 2015. To reserve your VIPER, email MEMBEERSHIP@utepilsbrewing.com.

Featured, Newsfeed

Take a (short) drive: Northfield British pub offers solid beer lineup, atmosphere

Most Twin Cities-based residents don’t often look beyond the 494 loop for much. They’ve got all they can handle in entertainment, food and drink. But there are, of course, many gems in the first- and second-ring suburbs and beyond.

One such example is the exurb of Northfield, a quaint town of 20,000 (including the populations of its two liberal arts colleges, Carleton and St. Olaf). Best of all? It’s a short 30-minute drive from Burnsville (you know, that sprawling city that’s just 10 minutes away from Minneapolis).

Northfield is a destination for many reasons: Safest place to live, best small town in America, best place to retire, and the history around that whole failed bank robbery by the James-Younger Gang (just do a quick search online for Northfield’s accolades). And it’s growing its reputation for a place for those with a thirst for better brews (and spirits: See Loon Liquors). With Imminent Brewing’s progress and Meetinghouse Brewery slated to open early next year in adjacent Dundas, people will have a good reason to visit Northfield.

But many of the city’s establishments already pay attention to quality beer, including British pub The Contented Cow (www.contentedcow.com), long known to carry beer for the serious beer drinker. Its current lineup includes offerings from Boom Island, Fulton, Indeed, Grand Teton and Mankato Brewery. It’s carried perennial favorites like Summit, Badger Hill and Insight, and regularly shuffles its lineup.

The Cow’s proprietor, Norman Butler (no relation to this writer), recently took time to respond to some questions for mnbeeractivists.com.

Why has bringing quality beer to your pub been a focus?

All pubs and bars sell quality beers and most buy and sell “domestics.” This was certainly the case when The Cow opened in 1999. We wanted to offer something different (including a nonsmoking environment) and, since at that time the U.S. craft beer industry was in its infancy, most of our keg beers were imported. However, the last few years have seen a long-awaited and much-appreciated renaissance of the microbrew and craft beer industry, so nowadays there is no need to go overseas for quality beers.

How many beers do you usually have on tap?

We opened in 1999 with eight and now have 13 and are at capacity regarding the size of our walk-in cooler. Even so, most styles of craft beers are offered — if not this week, then next.

How often do they rotate?

Initially, customers bemoaned the fact that their favorite was on last week but not this. However, quite soon they recognized and appreciated the variety and we will continue to offer a constantly changing lineup of breweries and styles.

What does having better beer options do for the atmosphere of your pub?

Within the context of a warm, inviting, olde worlde style environment, continuous improvement (i.e., change) is important and our approach to beer reflects that. Customers are curious to try new brews and rarely regret it.

You have a lot of Minnesota representation on your tap line. Why is that?

Minnesota beers are brilliant and can stand up to the rest of the country, even the world. In addition and in step with a refocusing of consumer preferences, The Cow tries to source local product and support local businesses — and not just brews.

What’s your favorite craft beer?

I’m spoiled for choice.

What’s your favorite Minnesota beer?

Likewise. And not just beer — also local ciders and soda.

Why is a visit to the Cow and Northfield worth the drive for out-of-towners?

The Cow, Colleges & Contentment. A great place for a day out — arts town, Riverside Market Fair, period architecture, solid, safe, sane (for the most part). The list goes on as do the reasons for making Northfield a destination drive — and hopefully one day a destination train ride!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Northfield and The Cow welcomes the curious and inquiring mind and spirit!

https://www.facebook.com/TheContentedCow/