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Summit Brewing Company announces the release of Unchained 11: Old 152

Unchained 11: Old 152 Kentucky Common

Summit Brewing Company just announced the release of Old 152, the eleventh beer produced in its limited-time-only Unchained Series. Old 152 was created by brewer Eric Harper, who also crafted the fourth Unchained beer, Belgian Style Golden Ale. It will be available in draught and bottles the week of Oct. 22.

“This Unchained beer is based on Kentucky Common, a popular beer style in and around Louisville pre-prohibition,” said Harper. “The style disappeared after prohibition in favor of the lagers that we’re familiar with today. Old 152 will feature Cluster hops, one of the only hop varieties available in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s.”

Unchained 11 is named Old 152 after the official steam engine of the state of Kentucky. The beer pours a chestnut color with a slight haze and exhibits flavors of biscuit, toast and rye. Kentucky Common beers traditionally feature a “sour mash,” also used in the process of making another Kentucky staple: bourbon. Old 152 itself will not be sour but will feature crisp, caramel notes and a clean bitterness.

Old 152 Specs:
AVB: 5.8%
IBU: 55
Color: Chesnut
Hops: Cluster, Northern Brewer (Dry hopped: Cluster)
Malts/Grains: Pale Malt, Victory®, Crystal Medium, Rye Malt, Distillers Malt, White Wheat, Maize

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First Annual Indeed Hullabaloo – Autumn Release Fest

 

 

Autumn Release Fest

There is a nip in the fall air these days, and Indeed Brewing plans to embrace the changing seasons with open arms (and beer)!

To celebrate the season, Indeed is throwing a little shindig at the taproom Saturday, October 13th, from 3:00pm until 9:00pm. And they’re calling it the first annual Indeed Hullabaloo Autumn Release Fest!

It features some special releases you won’t want to miss!

3:00 PM: Tapping of Sweet Yamma Jamma Sweet Potato Ale
4:00 PM: Tapping of Midnight Ryder infused with poblano pepper
5:00 PM: Tapping of Haywire Double American Black Ale
They will also be releasing a limited supply of both Haywire and Sweet Yamma Jamma in 750 mL bottles.

And to make sure your food cravings are satisfied, Indeed is partnering with The Blue Door Pub to serve up some tasty fall-inspired burgers and sides.

Head down to the taproom to see what the Hullabaloo is all about!

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Historic Hamm’s Brewery Could be the New Home of Flat Earth Brewing

Hamm's Brewery

Flat Earth Brewing Co. is looking to move, move on up to a bigger space. One of the potential spaces it is looking at is the old Hamm’s Brewery. The old brewery has seen better days, but isn’t beyond repair. With some financial help from the city Flat Earth could have the historic building churning out local beer from St. Paul’s east side.

In a news release, DEED said the St. Paul grant would help the city close a deal to bring Flat Earth Brewing Co. and a commercial kitchen to the city-owned property at 707 E. Minnehaha Ave., creating 48 new jobs

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You’re Bringing What to My Party?!

Yes, this month is about Minnesota, but to ignore Oktoberfest, would be to ignore the elephant in the room.

Oktoberfest beer is also known as Marzenbier. What does this mean? Well, for one, Marzen is the German word for March. Which is the month that this beer was historically brewed. Why brew beer during the month that comes in like a lion? Because in the old days they didn’t have refrigeration, and that meant that brewers were unable to actively practice their craft during the summer months.

Can I get an Amen for technological progress?

Today, that’s a non-issue for us, but it doesn’t diminish the enthusiasm we have for the special time of year known as Oktoberfest.

So, while we won’t be visiting Munich, I can tell you that we’re sojourning to Schell’s Brewing Co. in New Ulm, Summit Brewing Company in Saint Paul, and Lake Superior Brewing Company in Duluth to taste their interpretations of the beloved Marzenbier.

Schell’s Oktoberfest
Schell’s tells us that its Oktoberfest is, “Brewed with the perfect balance of Pale, Munich, and Cara Pils malt with Liberty and Perle hops to create a rich, smooth taste.”

Kat: This is a radiant, light orange. There is a really light head on the pour that fades quickly. The Nose is toasty. Sweet. Nothing too powerful. The first sip yields some club soda big-bubble-style effervescence that is a little bit intense. This seems to be a theme with the Schell’s beers I drink.  The actual flavor is sweet and extremely malt forward. The mouthfeel is much lighter than the taste alone would suggest. It lingers at the back of the palate initially but moves forward over time.

Marcus: This looks like a dirty gold to me. The nose is much more reminiscent of a lager than anything else, actually. Flavor-wise this is a much lighter beer than I would expect. It has a great malty taste that isn’t overpowering and a clean finish.

Summit Oktoberfest
Summit describes this Oktoberfest offering as, “Northern Brewer hops from Germany. Rich, toffee malt flavors up front with a clean hop finish.”

Kat: This has a richer, copper color to me. When I give it a good whiff it has a rich, grainy thing happening. It really blooms mid-palate for me. There’s a mild malt presentation that starts to get stronger towards the end and builds strength as you continue to sip.

Marcus: The color is not-so-gold anymore, it toes the border of light brown. This beer has a much fuller, darker malt scent. The taste is uniformly strong all the way through, without being too heavy. It’s malty-smooth. The taste really takes up residence on the back of your tongue.

Lake Superior Oktoberfest
Lake Superior describes this Oktoberfest quite succinctly as, “German hops float atop a rich caramel malt base.”

Kat: This is a legitimate, dark amber color. Like, you might trap some insects in here and fossilize them. It has a really heavy, dark malt scent that comes off as sweet. Mouthfeel-wise, I don’t want to declare this smooth, but there’s not a lot going on here. We hit one malty note briefly mid-sip and then it just vanishes. There is no aftertaste. It’s very simple.

Marcus: This is a golden brown. It smells much fuller than the other two beers – syrup-y is a good way to put it, actually. After taking in the scent, I’ll be honest – the flavor is really underwhelming comparatively. It’s smooth but the flavor profile falls a bit flat. There’s a slight flavor peak in the middle but that’s the whole show.

Our Preferences…
Apparently we’re trying to start some sort of streak because once again, we have consensus on the issue of what to bring to your party.

1. Summit Oktoberfest
2. Schell’s Oktoberfest
3. Lake Superior Oktoberfest

Kat Magy has spent a lifetime in Minnesota with a love for beer, traveling Up North, sprinkles and running marathons. She also blogs at Tenaciously Yours, and you can follow her on Twitter @kljwm.

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New Surly Brewing Site Likely Hinges on Environmental Remediation Grant Approval

Surly Brewing is hoping to build on the site of a former food processing plant near University Ave. in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis.  However, there is several million dollars worth of clean up to do before Minnesota’s dream brewery can become a reality.

Surly has applied for grants to clean up the site from local and federal entities. A lot hinges on the grant approval.  With clean up costs estimated at $2.5 million, a +10% addition the $20 million construction budget would mean they would likely choose another site. 

The grant approval process can take several months.  We should expect to hear something around the beginning of the new year.

Source:
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Lift Bridge Brewing Co. Selects Local Distribution Partner

A few weeks ago, Lucid Brewing announced its new distribution partnership with Original Gravity. This week Lift Bridge Brewing announced it has also partnered with Original Gravity. See the press release below for full details.

Lift Bridge Logo

STILLWATER, MN, September 25, 2012. – Founded in 2008, Lift Bridge Brewing Co’s mission has been to create top quality beers for the region while developing relationships with local businesses. Since our first year, we have experienced tremendous growth in our home town of Stillwater and throughout the Twin Cities. We have selected Original Gravity partners in the Twin Cities to take over selling and servicing the territory only covered by Lift Bridge Brewing Co. This will allow us to continue our strong growth and meet increasing customer demand.

“It isn’t just about delivering beer, we enjoy the relationships with our retail partners,”
says Dan Schwarz, CEO, Lift Bridge Brewing Co. “We have come a long way from
delivering beer out of the back of a mini-van. This is a big step forward and we are
excited to work with the team at Original Gravity.”
“We have watched Lift Bridge Brewing Co grow as we have grown over the last 3 years
and admired their well calculated and strategic plan. We are extremely excited to add
them to our great portfolio of craft beers and mutually grow together as locally owned
companies for the years to come,” said Hans “Hanszee” Lofgren, Beer Guru at Original
Gravity.
The transition will take place starting October 22, 2012.

About Lift Bridge Brewing Co

Lift Bridge Brewing Co was established in 2008 by a group of Stillwater guys dedicated
to creating well-balanced beers that will help you slow down, relax, and appreciate life.
Our tasty brews can be found at fine retail establishments throughout Minnesota and
western Wisconsin, as well as our own Brewery and Taproom at 1900 Tower Drive,
Stillwater, MN.
Lift Bridge Brewing Co currently offers four year round beers including Farm Girl
Saison®, Hop Dish™ IPA, Chestnut Hill™ Brown Ale, and Crosscut™ Pale Ale. We
also release season and annual brews. Up next on the release schedule is Harvestör™
Fresh Hop Ale – October, Commander™ Barleywine – November, Biscotti™ –
December

About Original Gravity

Original Gravity is a central group of locally owned and operated distributors that are passionate about craft beer. Original Gravity is committed to a common mission of building quality craft brands with first-rate craft brewers through a dedication to education, innovation, relationships, service and camaraderie in the Twin Cities craft beer market. In three short years, Original Gravity has grown to be a premier craft distributor network for the growing Twin Cities craft beer market.

Beer Consumers in Minnesota

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