Tag Archives: beer

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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, 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.

 

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Able Seedhouse + Brewery Opens

Able Seedhouse and Brewery, the newest brewery in the Logan Park neighborhood, is opening November 6th. We stopped by their soft opening the night before in order to get a sneak peak at what you can expect from Able. Located just walking distance from Indeed, 612Brew, Bauhaus Brew Labs, and Sociable Cider Werks, Able is definitely in good company.

Able Logo

The Taproom is clean and spacious, making use of natural wood and ample lighting to give a warm atmosphere. There are attractive views of both the brewhouse and fermentation areas from the Taproom for those looking for a peak behind the scenes. Tables are lined with small plants, and an intriguing magazine Able had created just for their taproom. Featuring photos, information about Able, and fun facts, these handouts were a nice twist on the typical bar literature. Inside you can even find a flowchart showing the musical connection between Bob Dylan and Insane Clown Posse.

Twin Sparrows WPA
Twin Sparrows WPA

On opening night Able Seedhouse + Brewery will have four flagship beers on tap: First Light IPA, Blk Wlf Stout, Twin Sparrows Wheat Pale Ale, and House Red Ale. We tried all but the IPA, as it wasn’t on tap at the soft opening, but we were assured it would be on tap at the grand opening the next evening. Among the three beers we tried, Blk Wlf Stout was the clear standout. The nose had a mild hint of hops and a light caramel sweetness. On first taste we noted an excellent malt character that was strong in roast, with a mild chocolate finish. Served on nitro, the body was smooth and creamy.

Able Seedhouse + Brewery
Able Seedhouse + Brewery

One standout thing about Able’s beer was the ABV. Their Stout, Wheat Pale Ale, and Red Ale all stand below 5% ABV. This means that one can have more than just one or two beers without feeling a serious buzz, and with session beers becoming even more popular, this is a wise move on Able’s part.

Able Flights
Flights at Able

Perhaps the most intriguing fact about Able Seedhouse + Brewery is their plan to start malting their own grain. Malting, the process of kilning and drying grains for use in brewing, is typically done by dedicated malt houses, not by breweries themselves. Able intends to malt locally grown grains, and use a percentage of that in their own brews. Will this in-house malting capability bring a unique twist to their beers? We are interested to find out.

Taproom Hours:

  • Wednesday: 3-11
  • Thursday: 3-11
  • Friday 1-11
  • Saturday 12-11
  • Sunday 12-6

Able Seedhouse + Brewery | 1121 Quincy St NE, Minneapolis

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Tin Whiskers Tiny Circuit Coffee Stout

Local brewery Tin Whiskers has just released a Coffee Stout.  This caffeinated version of their Short Circuit sweet stout is a collaboration with local Coffee roaster Tiny Footprint Coffee.
Tiny Circuit Coffee Stout
The beer this is based on, Short Circuit Stout, has been a flagship for this brewery from the beginning.  It’s a nitro poured sweet stout brewed with lactose.  For this collaboration, head brewer Derek Brown and founder Jeff Moriarty cold press an Ethiopian dark roast (Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Negelle Gorbitu) and add it to the bright tank, resulting in a sweet, creamy, roasty stout.

Tin Whiskers Coffee Stout
Cascading nitro action

A note about Tiny Footprint:  They are actually the first carbon-negative coffee.  For each pound of coffee they sell, they donate proceeds to replant a forest in Ecuador.  These carbon offsets result in a carbon-negative product.  The coffee is pretty good, too.

The robot approves

You can find this on tap at Tin Whiskers Downtown St. Paul now, and in other craft beer bars soon.

By the numbers:

  • Style: Sweet Stout
  • Original Gravity: 1.065
  • Final Gravity: 1.022
  • ABV: 5.8%
  • IBUs: 55

Links:

Release announcement from Tin Whiskers

Coffee information from Tiny Footprint

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Summit Unchained #20: Sticke Alt

Summit has recently announce the next in their Unchained series. For the twentieth in the series, brewer Mike Lundell has decided to brew us a Düsseldorf style Alt.

Summit Sticke Alt label
Summit likes to show appropriate glassware on their label

An Alt is a fun style. It’s a traditional German beer that’s brewed with an ale yeast strain, rather than a lager strain. After fermentation, Alts are conditioned cold, which gives a clean, lager-like flavor profile to the beer, making this style a unique hybrid. Lundell has gone one further and made this a Sticke Alt. Traditionally, twice a year, German brewers in the Westphalia region would make a special version of their Alt, and hold it aside for their best customers. What it means for the beer drinker is a beer that’s a bit stronger, and a bit hoppier.

I was lucky enough to drink this beer, and I think it’s a fantastic representation of the style.

You can see the color here. Deep red and lovely.
You can see the color here. Deep red and lovely.

Talk about nailing the timing on this. With all the Oktoberfests on the market during the fall, this is a fine alternative that’s brawny enough to drink into the beginning of Winter. It comes off as a little roasty, but overall very clean and smooth. It puts me right into the mood for the Fall season. Look for this beer on your local store shelves starting the second week of October.

By the numbers:

  • ABV: 6.3%
  • IBUs: 55
  • Malts:  Pilsner, Vienna, Light Munich, Dark Munich, Caramel, and Black
  • Hops: Hallertau, Mittelfruh
  • Yeast: German Ale

Summit’s info on Unchained #20

Upcoming release events for this beer

Featured, Newsfeed

Modist Brewing Company

I have known the guys of Modist for several years and was excited to sit down with them in the space that will soon become Modist Brewing Company. We met and talked about their origins in the beer world and the future of the brewery.

Modist Brewing Company consists of: Eric Paredes, Chief Manager; Keigan Knee, Head Brewer; Kale Anderson, Head of Operations: and John Donnelly, Head of Sales

Modist Brewing - Photo by Danica Donnelly
Eric Paredes, Keigan Knee, Kale Anderson, and John Donnelly.
Photo by Danica Donnelly / http://danicadonnelly.com

Origins

Keigan, Kale, and John met in Middle School in Delano, Minnesota and have been friends ever since. Keigan and John started their journey in the local beer scene working at Harriet Brewing filling growlers and pouring samples in the tasting room. After two weeks of working there, Keigan approached the owner Jason Sowards and said, “I want to own my own brewery someday. How do I do it?” He was told to start homebrewing and bring in samples. He did just that and soon was learning to brew under the instruction of Paul Johnston, who had attended Siebel Institute. All the while, Keigan, John, and Kale spent the next two years brewing up weekly batches of their own beer at their home in South Minneapolis. Keigan moved on to become Head Brewer at Dangerous Man, and Kale and John went to work at Lucid Brewing.

“I want to own my own brewery someday. How do I do it?”

Keigan and John met Eric while working at Harriet and reconnected to start up Modist. Eric received his MBA 10 years ago and had spent that time working in corporate marketing “punching a time clock”. Keigan explains, “I’ve always kept tabs on Eric as a friend, but also what he’s into. One day Eric tells me that he quit his job in the corporate world…and things just lined up”. Kale says Eric was the missing piece of their brewery puzzle. Now, with a partner who has an eye for branding and marketing, the puzzle is complete.

The Brewery

The brew house will consist of a 20 barrel system with 8 tanks. That includes 6 – 40 barrel tanks and brite tanks. Also, they will have a 10 barrel pilot system for experimental and one-off beers.They will use their taproom as research and development.  Experimental beers will be on tap and, if they become popular, they could become specialties, seasonals, or even regular offerings. John says 10 barrels make a lot of sense for their plan. If a taproom beer isn’t a hit the small batch size ensures will be gone quickly enough. Plus it means frequent turnover, aka “fresh beer.”

Modist Brewing has a unique philosophy on growlers. There are no plans to sell their own glass growlers, but they will fill any clean growlers that are brought in. With that in mind, they do want to sell “crowlers”. Crowlers are 750 ml (to meet state standard) empty, aluminum cans that are filled and sealed at the brewery. This means less storage and cleaning of glass and more time spent focusing on the beer. Plus, crowlers are portable, staying fresher for a longer period, and can be recycled.

Modist Brewing Company - photo by Danica Donnelly / http://danicadonnely.com
Lots of elbow room. 
Photo by Danica Donnelly / http://danicadonnely.com

Education

Part of Modist Brewing Company vision includes education. It is a piece of the puzzle that you don’t often see, but is a welcome addition. They guys seek to involve guests on a basic level and educate them on Modist and beer as whole. Keigan says,  “It’s getting to a time where there’s so much beer out there… the quality isn’t always there and you wouldn’t know, but you’d know if you got a shitty pizza. It comes with time, but we want to help move that along.”

“It’s getting to a time where there’s so much beer out there… the quality isn’t always there and you wouldn’t know, but you’d know if you got a shitty pizza.”

Educating the Minnesota beer consumer is very important to the leadership at Modist Brewing Company. Head Brewer Keigan Knee, “You already have them there. It doesn’t have to be a crazy curriculum where you have to be there every Wednesday. But, they could learn about alcohol content, or attenuation, or IBUs. We have the opportunity to give them something to take with them. We want people to be inspired when they come to Modist Brewing.”

Modifying Beer

We discussed styles and style guidelines and they told me that they don’t want to get boxed into specific styles. It reminded me of Surly and how they have remained successful while resisting the urge to put every beer into a specific category. This is also where the name “Mod”ist comes in. These guys all like to create, manipulate, and modify things. Kale  builds and modifies motorcycles, Keigan and John like playing around with their Volkswagens, and Eric enjoys cooking and creating new dishes.

Thoughts

The space is huge and there is some definite room to grow into. I was shocked when they told me that is was completely cleaned out and they had to do zero renovation. I look forward to stopping back in the coming months and keeping everyone posted on their progress. They told me, with a few chuckles, that they are hoping to be ready before the end of the year.

Modist Brewing Co.
Website: http://modistbrewing.com/
Twitter: @ModistBrewing
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modistbrewing
505 North 3rd St Minneapolis, Minnesota

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All Pints North Festival Tickets On Sale Tomorrow

Beer festivals are a plenty these days, and they aren’t all created equal. One beer festival that’s becoming a favorite destination is the All Pints North Summer Brew Fest by The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild in Duluth. Held on the shores of Lake Superior, Bayfront Park is the perfect venue. The spacious park has a large stage and plenty of grassy areas for relaxing and cooling off. Fest goers directly support the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild while enjoying unlimited samples from 85+ Minnesota and regional breweries. There will be food from food trucks/stands, live music, beer education, games and more. This fest is a great excuse to get away and enjoy the North Shore with hundreds of your beer-drinking friends.

*Pro-tip: Book your hotel room when you get your tickets. Rooms fill up fast in Zenith City.

All-Pints-North-header

Tickets to the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild All Pints North Beer Fest go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15 at noon CST. While this festival has not sold out in minutes as Autumn Brew Review does, it is gaining in popularity, don’t expect to find tickets at the door.

  • All Pints North Summer Brew Fest
  • Saturday, July 25, 2015
  • 3-7 p.m.
  • Bayfront Festival Park | Duluth, MN
  • 21+ Event | ID Required at Entry
  • Rain or Shine
  • No Pets Allowed
  • Tickets are $40 in advance (+taxes and fees) and $50 day-of if available (+taxes and fees)
  • Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 15 at noon CT at tempotickets.com/apn

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Drink Fly: Liquor Delivery App Comes to the Twin Cities

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I don’t know how many times I’ve been in a situation where I don’t have any beer and I’m not comfortable driving or too lazy to get to the liquor store to buy more. When I heard about Drink Fly, an app for iPhone and Android phones, I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

Drink Fly

Drink Fly is a service that allows you to easily find liquor stores in your area that deliver alcohol. To get started, visit their website at www.drinkfly.com, enter your address, and click “Drink UP” to be shown a list of participating liquor stores near you. Or, simply search for and download the app to your phone. After choosing your liquor store, you will be shown a menu of their available stock broken down into Beer, Wine, and Liquor. The menu is easy to navigate and shows you a graphic of each product along with its price.

Drink Fly works just like many other familiar shopping sites and apps. Simply add items to your cart, and check out when you’re ready. The app is free, aside from any usual fees from your liquor store, there is no additional cost for using Drink Fly. Advertising within the app covers development and maintenance of the infrastructure. All you have to do is sit back and wait. Your delicious refreshments will arrive in no time. The best part is that you never have to leave the house!

Follow @DrinkFlyMini on Twitter, and to learn more about Drink Fly visit http://drinkfly.com/

Get it on Google Play

download on the App Store