Legislative Events, Newsfeed

Video: Understanding MN Beer Tax Laws with BBS University

Better Beer Society UniversityI was honored to moderate a great discussion panel about beer and taxes in Minnesota at Better Beer Society University.

Luckily we avoided the excise tax increase this year. To see how everything played out in the legislature click here.

Pop some popcorn and watch the beer business wisdom flow from Paul Morrissey jr. (Capitol Beverage), Dan Schwarz (Lift bridge), Jason Alvey (Four Firkins), Joe Falkowski (JJ Taylor), Pete Rifakes (Town Hall brewery), Mark Joseph (Ale jail).

Many thanks to Rob at BBS for including consumers in the conversation.

Newsfeed, Review

Reviewbicle: Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw

brewbicle logoBeer Reviewbicle: Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw “Grand Cru of the Emperor”
May 2013
Dan Belfry and Jon Buck
www.brewbicle.com

This is our first outdoor Reviewbicle and with a special guest, MN Beer Activists’ very own Andrew Schmitt. Both of these facts make this a special tasting and one that reinforces the notion that beers are best shared with friends and alongside a grill (weather permitting). We urge you all to consider this when you are amassing cellars, as these beers do no good if not shared and enjoyed with those whose company you keep.

Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw has a lengthy, but interesting, story on the bottle; I will not re-hash it here, but it’s worth mentioning, as we always like a good story.  It is classified as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale and with a Belgian address on the label, 11% ABV and dark brown color, who am I to argue? As promised last month, we’ll be reviewing a ’09 and ’12 for your reading pleasure and to break us from our ’10/’12 rut.

CUVEE VAN DE KEIZER BLAUW

Appearance (’12): This corked and caged beauty pours a lovely deep henna color and develops a light and velvety cream-colored head, which dissipates quickly and some lacing remains on the glass after a nice swirl. Minimal sediment appears in the glass and has a nice clarity to the body when held up to the light. It is a rich and regal looking beer from the get go, but it could be that the glimmering label is swaying my opinion.

IMG_20130426_193242Appearance (’09): A friendly debate starts when putting these side-by-side about which one is redder. I will spare you the banter and say that they are virtually the same color, as a compromise was made by the tasters, in the interest of maintaining friendships. The head that formed was indistinguishable from the ’12 vintage; it was rather velvety, with a rich, espresso-like foam and was creamy in color, which was quickly fading.

Aroma (’12):  This one starts with a very sweet aroma of mouthwatering candied sugars. Well, I guess it was mouthwatering for those with a sweet tooth. Dark fruits come in to play as well, hinting at plums, raisins and cherry, which was the most forward scent. There’s also a distinctive alcohol burn, as the 11% is not hiding with this guy; it is there and you know that you’re getting into something with some heat.

Aroma (’09):  Three years down the line, the nose has shifted quite noticeably. Our olfactory venture started with lots of fruity esters, as banana and pear stood out to us. The darker fruits found in the ’12 were there but had fallen back slightly and cherry still held the prominent position. Most noticeably behind the development of fruity esters was the drop in alcohol presence and the deepening of the aromatic finish. On the tail end, the earthy notes of tobacco and leather were noticeable.

Taste/Mouthfeel (’12): Taste kicks-off fairly sweet, the candied sugars and dark fruits mingle creating a rich and full flavor that is highly enjoyable and surely fit for an Emperor. However, the mingling is quite suddenly interrupted by the 11% giant in the room, which seems to swallow them up, while leaving the sugars behind. This results in a sweet, if not slightly, stinging finish. The sweet on the back-end bears much more resemblance to toffee and caramel than it does to fruit. The carbonation levels played a great role in the flavor progression here, as its’ soft and smooth bubbles complimented the rich and deep flavors quite nicely. They facilitated a very balanced and enjoyable glass of beer.
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Taste/Mouthfeel (’09): The ’09 vintage also begins sweet, but less aggressively so, as it is more subtle and rounded. The complexity has simplified a bit, highlighting cherry elements which remain present throughout. The dark fruit flavor doesn’t get pushed away by alcohol this go-around and meets the tail-end flavors of leather and tobacco in a most pleasing way. The contrast of fruit and leather is a great combination and has achieved a wonderful relationship at this point. The carbonation, while visually similar, has begun to wane in the mouthfeel. This resulted in a thicker and arguably more luxurious texture than the ’12 and played wonderfully to the rich flavors found in the beer.

Overall Comparison (’12 and ‘09): Both of these beers are wonderful right off the bat and a good amount of complexity and depth of flavor resides in both. Clearly, these are high quality beers, no matter how you slice either vintage.  The ’12 starts as such a wonderfully complex beer and hits some of the great fruit notes and candied sugars you’d expect from a Belgian ale, and does so despite a strong presence of alcohol. Without a doubt, this is one that could be enjoyed right away. Having it side-to-side with its’ 3 year-old brother leads us to believe that great things are happening for this regal ale. It has all the hallmarks of a good aging candidate and the bottle states it can age for 10 years. The elements seem to be simplifying as time goes on, but don’t confuse that for a diminishing of interest. The simplicity highlights some great flavor contrast and layering which previously were shrouded with elements only beginning to harmonize. In our minds this is a great cellaring beer, and one that we will personally be investing more time in. The bottle is easily available and provides some nice diversity for a cellar, which may be leaning in a one-dimensional stout/barleywine sort of direction.

Cheers!

Legislative Events

Minnesota Legislators Will Not Increase Alcohol Excise Tax

mn sealThanks to Governor Dayton and members of the Minnesota Legislature for having the wisdom to not raise the excise tax on beer and alcohol. Brewing is an important part of our culture and community.

Thank you to everyone that helped make this happen, from brewers to consumers, the only way this and other initiatives work is because people got involved and made their voices heard.

From Star Tribune –
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Democratic legislative leaders scrapped a proposed alcohol tax hike and an income tax surcharge on high earners as part of a last-minute budget agreement.
The leaders convened a late-night meeting Thursday to resolve crucial differences as legislators enter their final few days of the legislative session.

Brewers, retailers, and consumers rejoiced at at the announcement.

Summit Brewing Founder Mark Stutrud was thankful, but rightfully cautious.Petition signing

Mark Stutrud –
…there will be no increase in excise taxes on beer from this year’s state legislative session. For those of you who actively contacted Gov. Mark Dayton and your legislators, Summit Brewing Company would like to say ‘thank you’ for your activism. We also want to thank the legislators and Governor Dayton for listening to our concerns in regard to the effect the proposed tax hike would have had on not only Summit and our consumers, but on the growing craft brewing industry at large in the state of Minnesota.

Stutrud’s comments hold a lot of value, the fight is only over for now. Beer and alcohol are easy “sin-tax” targets for legislators looking to raise revenue.

Newsfeed

Surly Officially Announces Distribution Partnership

Surly LogoSurly Brewing Company has officially announced that have partnered with Artisan Beer Company to be their new distribution partner. Artisan Beer Company is a subsidiary of Johnson Brothers, a family-owned distributor of liquor, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages with headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Surly has self-distributed its beer to retailers since its launch. Rapid growth, the planned expansion of their brewing capacity, as well as the plans for a “destination brewery” have forced Surly to seek some help in distribution. The change is going to take effect as of Monday, May 20th,Artisan Beer Company 2013. Both Artisan and Surly anticipate being able to continue supplying their customers without major interruptions during the transition.

“While our goal is to be perfect, there are always unexpected bumps in the road in any business transition like this. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding if we happen to mess something up… Rest assured, we will do everything we can to correct it as quickly as possible and keep the beer flowing!” says Omar Ansari, founder of Surly Brewing Company.

Does this mean that more delicious Surly beer will be available around town? At this point the answer is “no”. But with this distribution partnership Surly hopes to be able to focus on building their new brewery which will in turn allow for more Surly to reach the hands of eager consumers.

Newsfeed

EAT A BEER: The Goods, the Beer, and the Ugly

With spring fever consuming our every waking minute, I could only think of one thing….BLTs!!!

What a scrumptious way to satisfy the hunger for spring. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that beer bread would be the perfect recipe to carry this out for Eat A Beer.

I usually use a bread machine. It’s pretty fool proof. But after searching my trusty beer recipes I found one that was hand mixed & baked in the oven. It’s been a few years since I have baked bread this way. It seemed pretty simple. Simple ingredients, simple steps.

And just for fun, the BLT turned into a smoked trout club. You see, I am a big trout fishing junkie. I will sit in the rain, snow, you have it, just to catch those tasty little morsels. And lucky for me, my fella knows how to smoke some meat. So voilà! Smoked Trout Club Sandwich! Lets see how this bad boy goes down.

The Good

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Smoking brook trout ala Weber grill.

So that’s pretty self explanatory. Catch fish. Clean fish. Smoke fish. Eat fish.

The Beer

Eat A Beer - BLT
Simple Ingredients. I used one of my favorite local beers to cook with, the Great Northern Porter from Summit Brewing Company.

The Recipe:
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
12 oz beer (not light!)
2 tbsps baking powder
2 tsps salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add beer and eggs at the same time. You may need to add a bit  more flour when kneading. Mix into a consistent dough- not too sticky.
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Place in a 9×5 greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 1 hour 10 mins. Remove immediately from pan to cool.

Recipe Source :http://homecooking.about.com/od/breadrecipes/r/blbread1.htm

The Ugly

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It’s not pretty, but it turned out pretty tasty! Very dense, but sliced thin & toasted? Yum.

The GOODS

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Yes. This is the goods

3 layers of beer bread. Avocado, cucumber, herbed goat cheese, BACON!, fresh & oven roasted tomatoes. This is my tribute to spring. Fishing, baking and fresh foods? Bring it! And let’s eat it!

Newsfeed

10,000 Minutes of Minnesota Craft Beer

guild banner
In observance of American Craft Beer Week and to celebrate the Minnesota craft beer scene, all week long, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild presents 10,000 Minutes of Minnesota Craft Beer, a week packed with guild member events.

Happenings will include tap takeovers, special releases, firkin tappings, cask tappings, block parties, beer art, all-day happy hours, and a taproom grand opening. It may be the most Minnesota-specific craft beer events in one week ever. Events are being added every day, so for the latest, visit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaCraftBrewersGuild or see the embedded calendar below.

Newsfeed

Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub Loads Up Schedule for Craft Beer Week

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub is packing in the events this week. If you find yourself near south Minneapolis this week you should be sure to stop in and enjoy the festivities.

The public can receive free daily text message reminders from Northbound during the week by texting BEERWEEK to 75309. Those who join the list will automatically be entered to win one of two $50 prize packs that include a t-shirt of their choice, two pint glasses and a $25 Northbound gift card.

“It’s hard to believe that we opened our doors less than a year ago,” said Jamie Robinson, head brewer at Northbound. “The community support has been amazing, and there were many of our fellow brewers who provided great advice and even dropped by for a quick meal and a beer on their off days. Minnesota Craft Beer Week offers us the chance to thank them, and connect our customers with the amazing beers they’re brewing.”

Craft Beer Week 2013 Postcard(1)

Newsfeed

Bent Paddle Ready To Stir The Waters In Duluth

BPBC_LogoTiltDuluth_RGB_Web
“The fermenters are full – let’s drink some beer!”

Bent Paddle Brewing Company is soon to be the newest addition to the Minnesota craft beer scene but it has been a long time coming for its founders. “This opening symbolizes over two years of planning of our craft production brewery,” says Laura Mullen, “my partners and I are so excited to have people come into the taproom, view the brewery, and enjoy the beers we have been dreaming about for so long.” The philosophy behind Bent Paddle’s beers will be to “brew in traditional styles, just a little bent,” says Laura, one of Bent Paddle’s four co-founders. Laura and her husband Colin Mullen along with fellow husband and wife team of Bryon and Karen Tonnis, are ready to make a splash in a Duluth craft beer scene that they see as growing and strong.

 The team has strong brewing credibility with Bryon having a degree from the Siebel Institute and World Brewing Academy along with 12 years professional brewing experience, most recently at Rock Bottom Brewery in Minneapolis. Colin also brings 8 years of professional experience including his last position as Head of Brewing Operations at Barley John’s Brewpub in New Brighton.

Bent Paddle is 50% female owned. Karen brings 12 years of distribution and operations management experience and  Laura  has run an accomplished event design company since 2004 which produced craft beer festivals for her largest client, the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild.  Each of the co-founders brings unique strengths to Bent Paddle with the common goal of producing unique, quality craft beer bent towards their philosophy and lifestyle.

taproom_4_smallMany have followed the chronicles of the brewery via the company’s The Daily Mash blog, watching the progress and waiting eagerly for the time when they could enjoy Bent Paddle’s brews. Now, the wait is nearly over. Thursday, May 16th marks the official grand opening of the Bent Paddle taproom. The public will finally get its first taste of BPBC’s brews as well as sneak peek tours of their 30 barrel production brewery all weekend long (reservations required, check their website beginning May 13th.) Other festivities include door prizes and beer specials.

As for the beer, the launch will include two of the four planned flagship beers– the Bent Paddle Black, which Colin says is “an oat infused black ale that drinks like a porter but looks like a stout” and the Bent Hop which Bryon describes as “an India Pale Ale that is golden in color with a bright floral citrus hop aroma and supporting malt profile”. The brewery will follow later this summer with their 14º ESB and Venture Pils.

Choosing Duluth as the location for their brewery seemed natural for the couples whose ties to the area and the high quality waters of Lake Superior lend themselves to the mission of Bent Paddle to “brew craft beer with a concentration on sustainability for our business, employees, the environment and the greater community – all while “Bending the Traditions” that we encounter, for a more unique and interesting craft beer experience.

brewerytanks_2_smallFollowing the grand opening, Bent Paddle will self-distribute their beers around the Duluth area, all over Minnesota, and beyond. Select area bars and restaurants will begin to offer Bent Paddle on draft as early as late May. Six-pack cans (another nod to the outdoors lifestyle embraced by Bent Paddle’s founders) will be available at select retail locations beginning in June.

Further information on the Bent Paddle Brewing Company grand opening, taproom, beers, and founders visit their website at

Beer Consumers in Minnesota

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