Friday, June 26th at exactly 4pm, Wander North Distillery (NE Minneapolis), Du Nord Craft Spirits (South Minneapolis), and Vikre Distillery (Duluth) will become the first distilleries since prohibition to sell craft spirits directly to Minnesota consumers. The coordinated sale by Minnesota craft distilleries comes in the wake of state legislative changes, and actions taken by their respective municipalities, to allow Minnesota micro distilleries to sell bottles of their spirits directly to consumers.
Vikre Distillery
Progress made during the 2015 legislative session resulted in Governor Dayton signing a law allowing micro distilleries to sell one 375ml bottle per person per day directly to the public. The law removed a prohibition on direct sales that had been on the books since the mid-1930s. The Minnesota Distillers Guild sent members to St. Paul to explain the need for the law change.
“People were shocked when they came to our distilleries and learned that they couldn’t buy what we made,” said Shanelle Montana, co-owner of Du Nord and president of the Distillers Guild, “thankfully, state leaders agreed that this outdated law needed to change.”
The law change will move Minnesota craft distillers closer to parity with small breweries and farm wineries in the state. Larger bottle sizes and expanded days of sale are a few of the inequities that will need to be addressed in coming legislative sessions.
The idea for the coordinated sale was the brain-child of Wander North’s owner, Brian Winter, and Du Nord’s co-owner, Chris Montana. “This is a big step for micro-distilleries,” said Winter “this will allow the small craft guys to grow, create jobs, and give the people what they want.”
Some Minnesota craft breweries have started selling growlers on Sundays since the Minnesota legislature passed the 2015 liquor omnibus bill and Governor Dayton signed the bill into law. Several Minnesota cities such as Mongomery, Buffalo, Shakopee, and Goodview all moved swiftly to give their local small brewers and brewpubs the option to sell growlers on Sundays. Today, Minneapolis and Duluth will join the ranks of municipalities that will give qualifying brewers the option to sell, and consumers the choice to buy, growlers of local craft beer on Sundays in Minnesota.
Sadly, several Minnesota craft brewers are now further isolated from brewing brethren. Even before the change brewers like Schell’s, Summit, and Surly couldn’t sell growlers Mon-Sat. The law change clearly illustrates Minnesota laws purposely dividing the Minnesota brewing industry, much like the needless production and distribution restrictions on our award winning brewpubs. A full repeal would have given all Minnesota liquor retailers an equal opportunity while maintaining a (mostly) level playing field.
The option to sell growlers is surely a victory for some small brewers and consumers alike. However, the baby step of allowing growlers is bittersweet for many Minnesota consumers. The vast majority of Minnesotans support repealing the ban on Sunday liquor sales, not just some brewpubs and breweries. Sunday growlers was the smallest step that could have been taken down the road toward full repeal. Sunday growlers sales do not benefit liquor stores that want to be open, or consumers of wine or spirits, or Minnesota Craft Distillers. And, Sunday growler sales certainly do not help consumers that don’t live near a qualifying brewery or would rather not pay growler prices.
Many legislators offered excuses for not supporting an amendment. One legislator was afraid of lawsuit, some legislators cited competition concerns for municipal owned and operated liquor stores, and some legislators wanted statewide repeal instead of the municipal option that Rep. Jenifer Loon’s amendment would have provided.
Strangely enough, Sunday growler sales is now legal in Minnesota, but via the municipal option many cited for avoiding full repeal. Minnesota cities, or governing bodies with jurisdiction, may choose not to allow the Sunday growlers if their leaders don’t like the change. In Saint Paul, retiring longtime City Council member Dave Thune voted against Sunday growler sales.
@MNBeerActivists Thune talks about small businesses, but aren’t the breweries small businesses too?
The change to allow Sunday growlers in Minnesota, if a municipality approves, is certainly a positive step toward full repeal. But, Sunday growler sales is the smallest of steps that the Minnesota Legislature could have taken toward full repeal of the Sunday prohibition on off-sale liquor sales. There is much further to go before Minnesota liquor laws reach a level of parity with most of America and every surrounding state. Maybe by next session a year of consumers driving past liquor stores on Sundays to go breweries will soften the opposition from special interest groups like Teamsters Joint Council 32, Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association, The Minnesota Beer Wholesalers Assoc, and Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association.
The Best way to move legislators to full repeal is with action.
Minnesotans supporting full repeal need to do several things:
Sign the petition to allow Sunday liquor sales at SundaySalesMN.org, share it with friends and family.
Vote out legislators that refuse to listen to their constituents.
Support legislators that are listening to Minnesota consumers. Volunteer, donate, and take advantage of the Political Contribution Refund. The Political Contribution Refund program gives eligible Minnesota voters a tax refund for contributions to parties and state-level candidates. The maximum annual refund is $50 for an individual or $100 for a married couple (if you file a joint Political Contribution Refund application). Full details and instructions on Political Contribution Refunds here.
Sparkling Rum Cocktail featured at Eat Street Social
There’s no question that in this new renaissance age of craft beer and craft cocktails there is an unyielding desire to do everything yourself…at least once. I decided that I would try my hand at making bitters. Bitters are to cocktails as spices are to cooking. They may be very minimal as far as the amount used by volume, but their impact is profound.
With food, you can take a simple dish like Chicken Fettucine Alfredo and change the flavor completely by adding a few shakes of Cajun seasoning. You’ve essentially made a brand-new dish using the same components just by adding seasoning.
Bitters can do the same. Lately, my cocktail of choice has been a whiskey sour with egg white and a ginger syrup. I always throw a few dashes of bitters into the cocktail and different bitters have yielded wildly-different results. I’ve used Angostura, Bittercube Cherry Bark, and Bittercube Blackstrap and each has given me a new experience.
As a bartender and homebrewer, I was inspired and decided to try my hand at making my own, so like any reasonable person would do — I Googled it!
The process is fairly simple — simply steep an ingredient in high-proof alcohol and wait a while. One site recommended creating individual extracts from each ingredients called “tinctures” and then blending them together to create recipes. Then once you’ve gotten used to the process, you can begin creating the bitters in one big batch with everything together. I figured that sounded pretty reasonable, so that’s what I did.
Before I get into it, remember to follow me on Twitter: @TCBeerDude
Step 1: Pick Your Ingredients
Go Wild! This is your chance to really experiment with very little risk. You might include some bittering agents such as Cherry Bark or Gentian root (available online). I didn’t think those were entirely necessary with the use of the dark rum as a base, but neutral spirits might need it. I recommend lots of earthy and flavorful spices, citrus peel, dried fruit, herbs, and nuts. Here are some examples:
For dried spices like peppercorns, coriander, or all spice berries, crack them open by pressing on them with the side of a knife. I peeled the skin off the ginger root first and then shaved the raw ginger into strips using a peeler e for optimal surface area through which to extract the most flavor.
Step 2: Measure Into Jars
Measure out each ingredient into mason jars while keeping track of the amount of the ingredients by weight. The actual amount doesn’t matter all that much, but will be useful later for developing recipes for the blends. You should put just enough liquor to cover the ingredients and cram as much of the ingredients into the liquor as possible. On my first run, each tincture tasted great individually, but the flavors weren’t strong enough when blended, so make sure to get a lot of your ingredients in there.
Add your liquor. I used Bacardi 151 for the sake of consistency. I know that 151 is always available at almost any liquor store. The rum itself will add some flavor and I’m okay with that. You can use any alcohol above 50% liquor (100 proof). Alcohol is a solvent, so it extracts and absorbs flavors from your ingredients. For a cleaner flavor, use a clear liquor instead of brown liquors.
Be sure to write down the amount of liquor you put into each jar as well. That will help to make the ratios correct when we do blends later. Label your jars, seal them and then wait.
Step 3: Wait 2 Weeks
Some sites recommended checking each ingredient every day to see when it had finished. Knowing that I was going to be making blends of these ingredients, I wanted to see how they would perform after all hanging out for the same duration. They all did fine hanging out for 2 weeks. Give them a shake every couple of days as well just to be sure to get maximum yield of flavors.
Step 4: Strain
After 7 days, strain your bitters, clean out the jars, and fill hem back up into their properly-labeled jars. For the dried fruit or any other ingredients that may have absorbed the rum, use a spatula to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. At this point, you can taste your bitters. The best way is to put a drop on the back of your hand and then lick that off. This should allow for the high alcohol to dissipate and let the ingredients shine through. If you don’t want to waste the ingredients, save the herbs to make a bread. The herbs should still have significant flavor and are now infused with rum.
Step 5: Develop Your Recipes
This is the fun part where you get to taste and experiment with your final product. To come up with a recipe, you’re going to be mixing drops of these into an 8oz glass of water. Add drops and keep track of how much you’ve used. Once you have a good mix of flavors, you will be able to create a larger batch using the ratios you come up with.
That’s It!
Experiment and have fun. Bitters usually use a lot of different ingredients, so experiment all across the board. You can also use infused syrups to sweeten the mixture if you like your bitters to add some sweetness too. You only need an eyedropper or two in a cocktail, so these bitters should last you a good, long while.
Cider is a growing section of the beverage market in Minnesota and across the nation. You don’t need to look far to see the growth. Locally crafted and sourced cider is being produced all over the Minnesota, at places like Sociable Cider Werks in Minneapolis and Wyndfall Cyder out of La Crescent, MN. To celebrate the growing Minneapolis cider market and consumer demand, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery has partnered with several other cider purveyors in a week-long series of events.
MINNEAPOLIS CIDER WEEK EVENTS:
$2 Off Cider Sampler Platters
Tuesday, June 2
$2 off cider sampler platters at Town Hall Brewery, Town Hall Tap, Town Hall Lanes and Republic 7 Corners.
Event includes two games of bowling (with shoes) and $2 off all tap ciders. Appetizers will also be provided. Tickets are $25 and limited — call (612) 767-3354.
Bicyclists can visit five of the six participating locations to secure a punch-card, which is to be dropped off at their last stop to enter into a drawing for five gift baskets filled with cider, gift cards, glasses and swag. Participating locations are: Town Hall Brewery, Town Hall Tap, Town Hall Lanes, Republic 7 Corners, Sociable Cider Werks and South Lyndale Liquor Store.
Beer is one of the oldest beverages known to man. Many believe that beer changed early humans from nomad hunter/gatherers to farmers, thus giving birth to civilization as we know it. The fermented malt beverage has taken many forms and evolved wildly over the centuries, but has been a cornerstone in many countries and cultures.
Beer is used for any situation. When you’re having a great day, you throw your pint into the air proclaiming your joy and sharing it with the world. On a bad day, you drown your sorrows in a pint while trying to forget life’s trouble. We use beer for currency and for repaying favors. Most importantly, we use beer as an excuse to meet and catch up with old friends, while potentially meeting new ones.
Before we go further into it, remember to follow me on Twitter @TCBeerDude
Now I’m no anthropologist or historian, but I am wildly introspective and like to share what I discover. The reason I bring any of this up is that I recently purchased and drank a bottle of beer that cost me $56. To 99% of the world, that sounds completely insane. To the other 1%, that only sounds slightly insane. But why?
Firstly, $56 for a bottle of wine is certainly pricey, but not in any way unheard of. That’s $14 by the glass, which is a reasonably-priced wine at most upscale restaurants. For some reason, wine has become a symbol of artistry, and aristocracy whereas beer has become the drink of the working class.
The beer itself was a gueuze, a lesser-known style of beer from Belgium that is a blend of two to three lambic beers of varying ages between 1 and 3 years. The lambic style is very hard to create and many lambics come specifically from breweries that make only lambic beers because of the difficulty with cross-contamination. Lambics ferment spontaneously from wild yeasts found in the cellars and buried in the barrels of these breweries, so making a beer without it usually requires separate equipment and holding vessels. It’s important to note that this style is very effervescent and has many properties like champagne, so to compare beer to wine, this would be a nice champagne for a special occasion. That helps to make that price tag sound a little more reasonable.
This particular beer was called Bzart from Oud Beersel Brewery in Beersel, Belgium. I picked one up from Elevated Beer Wine and Spirits in Minneapolis after talking with the owners there. None of us had tried the beer yet, so my curiosity overcame my budget. I popped the beer the following week as a bbq was winding down at a friend’s house.
As expected, the beer was good. Going into it, I compare it to Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze, which I enjoy quite frequently as one of my go-to celebratory beers that you can usually find at less than half the price of Bzart. I knew full well that Bzart was not going to be twice as good because the price was double, but I did have a feeling that it would be better. And it was.
What is a Beer Worth?
The money you spend on beer definitely has a diminishing return on investment. From $16 a 30-pack to $16 for a 12-pack, the quality of beer improves dramatically. From there, you move into bombers anywhere from $8 to $16 and you will usually find some really nice beer. From there, you get into the rare imports and super-small batch beers. All the while, the quality goes up, but with diminishing returns per dollar increase.
It also takes on a form of art. The purpose of art may be utility at it’s core, but as soon as utility is accomplished, tons more work goes into aesthetic. Sure, I could get drunk off cheap vodka, but that no longer has become the point. I have a sufficient beverage, but now you focus on the flavor, aroma and texture. These beers are about the story and the care it took to create such a delicate blending of flavors while using a yeast that cannot be tamed. It’s pure craftsmanship.
To determine what you should spend on beer is to determine at what point the diminishing returns are no longer worth it to you. Some are content with the $16 30-packs. Others want the 22oz bombers that cost the same. It depends on why you want that drink.
So why do we drink beer?
At the barbecue, I spent a while talking about this idea and it was interesting to hear other people’s opinions. Part of the reason for buying such a bottle was that beer knowledge is my job and my life. It literally pays my bills and I need to experience all that the world of beer has to offer in order to do my job properly — Yeah, my life is awful! 🙂
Again, I’m no anthropologist, but I do spend my fair share at the pub. We in Minnesota are a food and drink culture. We make plans around lunch, happy hour, dinner, and after-dinner drinks. When faced with the question of a venue for a reunion with long-lost friends or just an excuse to better know our colleagues, we turn first to the bars and restaurants to provide us with a medium and social lubricant that gives us common ground upon which to build an experience.
Beer was the first social media.
I bought and shared a $56 bottle of beer not for the beer itself, but for the opportunity to share the experience and opportunity to have that discussion with close friends. To me, drinking a beer is not the goal, but rather the method for sharing experiences and meeting like-minded individuals.
It can also be a psychological symbol that your time is now stress-free and not necessarily because you’re with others. You can unwind and have a beer and let the social hour begin or sit quietly at home with a bottle of beer with confidence that your day is done and you deserve that time to relax. For me, it is a time to stop and smell the roses — an indefinite stopwatch that lasts for 12 or 22 ounces and reminds me to enjoy the time that I have.
The last couple years for Surly Brewing has been crazy. Massive new Destination Brewery, incredible production and distribution expansion, and beer garden and hall with a full kitchen, and constant collaborations. One might think Surly would be very content with all this. Nope. Never content to just go big, Surly always tries to go over the top with everything they do. That is certainly case with Brewer’s Table, the new finer dining restaurant from Surly Brewing Company.
Located upstairs from the regular Surly Brewing Beer Hall, the stand-alone restaurant premieres Friday, May 22. Brewer’s Table features an adventurous menu aimed at giving diners a full intimate eating and drinking experience at the facility.
Brewer’s Table falls within the Destination Brewery vision of Surly founder and president Omar Ansari to introduce a restaurant that explores new dishes and refined dining. Ansari says the name emphasizes the primary idea of the restaurant, where beer harmonizes with food to empower trailblazing pairings that showcase a pure and extensive representation of flavor profiles, of both food and beer.
“We’re presenting a graceful yet casual finer dining venue where patrons can enjoy and be challenged by elevated foods,” says Ansari. “The quality and thought that goes into the food reflects the same passion we put into Surly beer — it’s all about serving exceptional food with exemplary beer.”
Ansari’s team on the project includes head brewer Todd Haug, hospitality director Linda Haug and executive chef Jorge Guzman.
“We are excited to introduce a dining experience where diners will have access to truly inspired plates that can be enjoyed in a comfortable and non-pretentious atmosphere.” says Linda Haug. “We are taking things to the next level yet still being accessible.”
Guzman and his chef de cuisine developed the menu for diners to enjoy dishes that can be easily shared or savored separately. The menu is Contemporary American. In beer terms that is akin to saying a beer is an American Strong Ale. It is a fairly ambiguous definition, but it tends to focus on ingredients, flavors, and execution. The Surly brand has never focused on staying within the style guidelines.
“The menu really sets us apart because of the challenge in pairing our food specifically with beer,” says Guzman. “Our goal is to take people to new territory when it comes to food meeting beer.”
Look for the menu to change often. Not only does this keep the dining experience fresh, but it is necessary with the focus on getting ingredients from local or well-sourced farms.
Like the Beer Hall beneath it and every taproom in Minnesota, Brewer’s Table may only serve Surly beers — and while this is necessary to adhere to state law, why wouldn’t they? Guests may ask servers will assistance if they would like to ensure their food selection is paired with the suggested Surly beer. Of course, food and beer pairing isn’t always about the perfect bite. Everyone has a unique palate. Do not be afraid to blaze your own trail. But, maybe save that for your second trip. I would certainly take the guided tour before exploring on my own.
The space is located directly upstairs in the Beer Hall. It seats 85 and has an additional seats at the bar and outdoor deck. One of the nicest perks of this new space is the ability make a reservation. If you have tried to hit the Surly beer hall during peak hours you know it can be a wait. And while Brewer’s Table does some have walk up seating, you can make dinner plans ahead of time via open table.
Brewer’s Table opens this Friday, May 22nd. The restaurant hours are 5–10 p.m., Wednesday–Thursday, and 5–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday.
Republic, the West Bank pub and eatery, is celebrating 4 wonderful years. To commemorate the occasion, Matty, Sarah, and rest of the Republic crew are hosting a musical celebration just down the street at The Cedar. The concert lineup will feature four bands with Republic employees. What a talented bunch! OF course you should stop into Republic before and after the show for special anniversary goings-on.
Restaurateur Matty O’Reilly of Republic, Red River Kitchen, 318 Cafe, and Dan Kelly’s visits The Minnesota BeerCast to talk about how craft beer figures into his businesses. Star Tribune Ryan Tuenge beer blogger sits in on the show and joins in as the gang goes over the week in beer news.
Town Hall’s Growler Return Program a Smashing Success
In case you miseed it with all the other Mn Craft Beer Week & American Craft Beer Week events going on, Town Hall Brewery, the award-winning Minneapolis brewpub, has been running a special “Growler Spring Cleaning Program.” The recycling program offers discounts in exchange for any empty growler, from any brewpub or brewery. The #RefillTownHall has been so successful they have extended it through Sunday, May 17.
Town Hall Brewery estimates more than 1,700 empty growlers have been returned since the campaign started April 27, roughly 75 percent of those have been from other breweries or brewpubs. Most of the growlers have been from Twin Cities breweries, while there is also growler representation from Greater Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as California.
Town Hall Brewery is encouraging craft beer fans to clean out their collections and bring in used growlers to their Seven Corners location: 1430 Washington Ave. South in Minneapolis. In return for each empty growler, customers will receive either a Town Hall Brewery gift card worth $4, or a $4 discount on a fresh, full Town Hall 64oz or 750ml growler. The more growlers a person exchanges, the bigger their reward. It should be noted that ONLY the Seven Corners location is set up to accept take growlers, but you’ll be able to use the gift cards at any Town Hall Location.
In addition, for each empty growler you bring in, you can enter to win the following prizes:
4-pack (mini growlers) of Town Hall’s famed ‘Barrel Aged’ beers.
A free Town Hall growler every month for a year.
Bowling party for four at Town Hall Lanes.
Private brewery tour for eight at Town Hall Brewery.
Dinner for two at Town Hall Tap.
Other Town Hall gift cards, growlers, and merchandise.
Through the rest of the May Town Hall will continue to accept empty growlers from other breweries in exchange for a $4 discount on growler refills. Thereafter, the discount for empty returns from other breweries will be $3.
keeping track of the amount of the ingredients by weight. The actual amount doesn’t matter all that much, but will be useful later for developing recipes for the blends. You should put just enough liquor to cover the ingredients and cram as much of the ingredients into the liquor as possible. On my first run, each tincture tasted great individually, but the flavors weren’t strong enough when blended, so make sure to get a lot of your ingredients in there.
Look for the menu to change often. Not only does this keep the dining experience fresh, but it is necessary with the focus on getting ingredients from local or well-sourced farms.
