Harvest Beer Festival @ Bachman's on Lyndale

Hibiscus Sour by Fair State

I was lounging around on a Saturday watching a KARE 11 news segment on the Harvest Beer Festival to be put on by MSP Magazine over MEA break.  Usually travelling for the fall break, I decided to try the new festival.  If I had seen it earlier, I would have likely gotten tickets to the fresh hop festival at Town Hall Lanes with other beer geeks, so I had a little buyers remorse going into the day.

Showing up a half hour early, I wandered around the massive Bachman's on Lyndale hoping I was in the right place because my ride was gone and not coming back until after the fest. All the way in the back, the breweries were set up under an empty green house.  Nice gig, really.  Bachman's gets a lot of foot traffic for using a space that's empty this time of year, and host MSP Magazine likely doesn't pay a lot for the space.

Kathleen serving her brew for Sidhe

I got the VIP ticket to start drinking at hour early, but there were so few of us that I was unclear if anyone was pouring when it started.  I've met the folks at Sidhe before, so started there by talking to Kathleen and Rosemary. Their fall beer was Non-Kin Apple Cream, which had a bright apple taste and the beer was very refreshing—a potential big seller for them.

A harvest fest, most brewers had a fresh hop or dry hopped offering. While not the popular winner, my best fresh hop of the fest was Lucid's Foto Fresh.  Clean and bright, it was everything you'd want in a fresh hop beer.  Unfortunately, not all of the fresh hop beers were as good, though some of it was presentation. Surly Wet was just poured out of a can, leaving it flat and not the spectacular beer that I've been drinking at home for the last week. Others were pouring out of growlers, which were also a bit flat after a few pours. For me the best beer of the day was Lactobac 2, a hibiscus sour from Fair State Cooperative. Fruity and floral with a singular sour base, this beautiful beer was a treat, serving to confirm my positive recent visit to Fair State.

Curried Mushroom Fries from
The Moral Omnivore food truck

While I had only a few top notch beers, there were plenty to try. I logged 33 new beers and two new breweries on the day—impressive for a small festival. I showed without lunch because I under the impression that I was getting a complimentary Lotzza Motzza pizza from the VIP ticket. Turns out the pizza was all meat samples, so I had to buy a slice of cheese from the truck. Basic cheap pizza, but it did the trick. The curried mushroom fries (portobello mushrooms sliced and deep fried) by the The Moral Omnivore were a much better for my mid festival respite on a nearby bench.

And I was supposed to get a free T-shirt on the way out, but I forgot after a day of samples and walked out the wrong way. Oh well. Overall, I had a very pleasant day at the festival tasting in solitude. From overheard discussions, many of the patrons were learning beer and more than a few basic questions were answered by those pouring. At first, I felt like I was in the wrong place and that I had too easily fallen for the pitch of fresh hop beers on KARE 11. While not exactly Great American Beer Festival, the Harvest Beer Festival cheered a lot of locals on a bright fall day with some very good beer, including me.

New Bohemia Wurst + Bierhaus (Golden Valley, MN)

Without any planning of my own, I followed beery freinds to New Bohemia Wurst + Bierhaus in Golden Valley after the latest One Voice concert. Being a vegetarian, a bratwurst specialty pub hasn't inspired me to stop for a pint.  Serious mistake. Upon walking in, friends had already filled a long, sociable table and promptly asked me to try the pretzel with pepperjack cheese sauce: light, delicious and massive.

Overwhelmed by beer choices, it took time to pick a new beer to insure New Bohemia on my database. I settled on Lucid Duce, a more than satisfactory amber ale for the end of an evening. A well curated tap list, New Bohemia had a serious devotion to Minnesota with about half of the taps dedicated to local brews. The remainder had some very good national and regional brews.  I settled on New Belgium La Folie for a second draft.

A video DJ was playing tunes with a screen behind him to keep the party rolling, which inspired several singalongs by the choir. A lively and convivial place that still allows a conversation, I was pleasantly impress with New Bohemia.  A vegetarian option for a bratwurst in addition to frites and the above noted pretzel, there's plenty of bar food for every beer drinker.

The original location is in Minneapolis. More than acceptable options for food plus an concentration of several Minnesota brews for me to try is more than enough reason to push New Bohemia up on my drinking list.

Day Block Brewing (Minneapolis, MN)

After a long winter, we took advantage of a sunny Saturday afternoon to go to Town Hall pint club for the first time in a while and then walked down the street to Day Block Brewing.

Day Block is next to Grumpy's Downtown on Washington.  So much beer side by side may look like a bad idea. However, Day Block is much more of an upscale, industrial chic compared to Grumpy's gritty character. My guess is that the clientele for the corner may not overlap much. Plus, with a brewpub and a beer bar, their offerings will likely compliment as much as they compete. Hopefully, the flow of traffic from the nearby apartments, Guthrie Theater, Open Book and the future Viking's stadium will provide more than enough customers for both bars.

Day Block back bar and brewhouse in background

We ordered a rack of all six samples. All of the beers were solid interpretations of the styles. Of the group, I order a draft of the Frank's Red Ale that had lots of body and a pleasant hop balance. Fruhlinhgsfest was my next favorite, in spite of it not being a favored style, followed closely by the Honey Amber IPA. The Spring Lager and Kolsch were both strong for their styles, just not styles I drink. Lot 56 was adequate but I had been expecting more from the description and Al's reviews of other hoppy Day Block beers.

Dinner was a cheese pizza, thin and slightly reminiscent of Pizza Paradiso in DC but didn't live up to that memory.  Thin crust, a bit greasy, full of cheesy goodness and a slight char on the crust, it was a good size for sharing.

I like Day Block. While not  in the same league as Town Hall (yet), it's likely a place we'll visit again.

Indeed Brewing (Minneapolis, MN)

Brown Ale with my fantastic
Red Lentil Burger by Gastrotruck

After years of trying, I squeezed in a quick stop at Indeed Brewing before a One Voice concert nearby. The database says my first draft of Indeed was Midnight Ryder at Northbound Smokehouse almost two years ago. So, this post clearly won't be news for most of my beer geek friends.

Well worth the effort, Indeed is a pretty amazing taproom; the attention to detail is clear in every choice, right down to the picture perfect chalk draft board. Big tables are gather groups well but a little hard to find a place alone with Americans not use to sharing space.  I really appreciated the designated serving area for walking up to get a pint instead of having to reach over someone sitting at the bar. The $2 happy hour discount had the place full and the line was a bit slow each time, though it disappeared, of course, just have I got my last pint.

Cask of Haywire with
Mosaic hops added

Event the clearly designated food truck location closing off the patio points to the obviously well thought out plan. I personally love the food truck format for taprooms, and Gastrotruck was a hit for me. Especially for a vegan burger, it was one of the very best veggie burgers I've tasted. I wanted to go back for the nachos, but didn't have time but happily hope to run into Gastrotruck again.

Overall, this is an experience I would like to try again with a bit more time to savor. I can see why it's so popular and why the beer buzz has been good. The simply named Brown Ale was fantastic and one of the best of the style I've had in a very long time: beautiful chocolate brown color, full mouth feel and a robust flavor that is usually the hallmark of bigger beers. I want to seek out a growler of this beer, like maybe later today when I'm back in the area. In a long running argument with my friend Al, I'm not a fan of the Indeed name; however, when the beer is this good, the name will grow on me.

Beer Hunter: The Movie screening at Republic Seven Corners (Minneapolis, MN)

Michael Jackson drinking Malheur on screen

While not completely a JFK or 9/11 moment, I do remember when I read that Michael Jackson had died. I never had the opportunity to meet the less famous Michael, but I felt a deep sense of loss. Like many beer geeks, I learned a lot from reading Michael's rambling, insightful style. I even joined the Rare Beer Club during the last year that he chose the selections, ending my membership a few months after his death.  While the decision was mostly due to logistical reasons, I think, in all honesty, I lost heart when it felt that it wasn't really Michael Jackson's Rare Beer Club anymore.

When I saw an advertised  screening of Beer Hunter: The Movie at the Republic Seven Corners, I felt powerfully drawn to this documentary. Walking in, Alvey and the Four Firkins guys did a great job hosting. Free cheese to snack on the way in with a short draft of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout (featured in the movie). Two FF employees set up the screening as a labor of devotion to Michael. After a short delay for technical difficulties, the movie played on a large screen on the end of a back room of the bar. The waiters discreetly and efficiently refilled beers and delivered orders from the special food menu. Plus, the 15 minute intermission, planned in the film I think, was well appreciated and an opportunity for more silent auction bids to benefit Parkinson's research. I did not bid but did my part by drinking $4 drafts of a donated keg of London Pride, the proceeds also going for research.

Four Firkins event poster

Concentrating on a two year period of Michael's travels in 2004-5, I simply enjoyed this documentary and took few notes. Sipping on a beer while watching this life history unfold, I was enraptured and no real judge of the film. I suspect it's not going to win an Oscar; however, I will be ordering a copy to watch again at home. One line that got a big laugh and encapsulates Michael's attitude was "Moderation is ok as long as it is in moderation." Following a short rant by Michael on not wanting to take advice about everything that's bad for you, the quote captures how driven he was to enjoy and advocate for beer, whiskey and living life with friends.

Following the film, Mark Stutrud of Summit told of his experiences with Michael. Clearly affected by talking of Michael again, Mark led us in a toast to Michael using Summit's Great Northern Porter, which was the cover picture on the 2nd edition of Michael Jackson's World Guide to Beer. Overall, the entire experience was a well planned and watching the film was greatly enhanced by their efforts.

Claims that Michael Jackson created beer styles or helped birth the craft beer movement have seem overblown to me in the past. Ironically, according to the film, beer was truly a passion because whiskey paid more bills than beer did in his career. However, in watching the film, the paradigm shifting impact that was Michael's writing and personality is made clear in the film—but not in a manner that's bragging or arrogant. With the natural "film is always rolling" presentation of the documentary, Michael's love and connection with beer people is apparent. While I had no interaction besides reading his articles, Michael's passion seemed to be infectious and he clearly inspired those who had direct contact with him.

In writing this post, it only seems right to refer to Michael as Michael and not Mr. Jackson or his full name. I write this post as a friend that he never met. Today, oddly, Michael Jackson and my father have a similar place in my heart. Each taken before the job was complete, I wish I could have shared my passion and a great craft beer with both. Sharing the day (and fries) with Al, I also recognized a number of beer people that have been a part of my journey at both screenings (Four Firkins posted pictures). I'm not the only one with such reverence for the ungloved Michael. Cheers Michael and thanks for everything you did to make our beer world what it is today and what it will be tomorrow.

Town Hall Lanes opening night (Minneapolis, MN)

Town Hall Lanes

After our initial stop of the evening at the Urban Growler Open House and dinner at the Foxy Falafel (excellent!), friends of ours who were at the newly opened Town Hall Lanes said the crowd had thinned a bit and that we should head over. When we walked in, I felt like Norm at Cheers—beer folk I knew at every turn, servers and customers.

The text from our insider friend that it's "not that bad if you just want beer" meant there was actually standing room when we arrived some time a bit before 9 pm. Two sets of friends who had been in line before the grand opening at 6 pm were seated and reported that the food was very good. Compared to Town Hall proper, the new place has the standards like Masala Mama and other TH greats, but a lot more guest taps. I started and finished with the White IPA, a superb brew that demonstrates the genius of Mike Hoops et al at the TH brew house. Peppery, spicy and light while still being assertive and full bodied, I settled in with a second pint while chatting away with friends.

TH Lanes is much larger than TH Tap, a place I have only been a few times because the effort to get there versus seven corners is about the same and I mostly drink new releases. Plus, my pint club discount works downtown. TH Lanes is a much closer and easier to get to from the beer wasteland where I live, so I see myself heading there more often. Also, we have more friends near TH Lanes, so the added incentive might give it the boost for me to show up for a pint.  I didn't look at the menu, but the flatbread offering alone looked worth a second visit.

Town Hall Lanes main bar and restaurant.  Wish I had a better
picture of the absolutely incredible 100+ year old bar
Pete brought home from Washington. 

Owner Pete Rifakes seems to have pulled out all of the stops for the Lanes.  I heard the high ceiling and room for a gorgeous chandelier (I know, weird, but it really works) came from knocking out a floor. The extensive remodeling is apparent when compared to a picture posted by MNBeer of the old Skylane Bowling. From a distance, the condition of the bowling lanes looked superb to this semi-informed bowler (watched the PBA every Saturday with my mom growing up).

Tiled bathroom of Grey Lodge Pub in Northeast Philadelphia

And, the bathroom.  If the reader has ever been in the Town Hall bathrooms, the only thing that has changed in my memory is the advertisement over the urinal. Better than Triple Rock, but nothing to write about. At the TH Lanes, it was like being in a disco tech. The unified wash area splits into gender specific locations and is posh and beautifully finished; it ranks up there with the ceramic tile of the Grey Lodge Pub or the barley art stall dividers of Left Hand Brewing.

Just before leaving, I was able to congratulate Pete and Mike on a jammed packed opening night and on the beauty of the bar. Both, along with staff moved over from the brewery, were working hard to keep the beer and food flowing. Town Hall Lanes is a fantastic bar space that has the benefit of great beer and presentation of Town Hall, plus the added bonus of a bowling party without being forced to drink macro swill. Stop by—it's worth the trip.

Fox News gives some love to the TH Lanes and Summit.  And a great article by Vita.mn.

Gluek's Restaurant & Bar (Minneapolis, MN)

My wife had an OVation gig nearby at the Graves 601 Hotel but I had some time between dropping her off and the performance, so a pint seemed like a good idea when I fortuitously walked by Gluek's. Sitting at the end of the bar near the door, the house beers were directly in front of me.  Ordered an IPA, which was tapped out, so started instead with a Gluek's Red: dark amber to brown with a dirty white head; mineral, caramel and wheat bread in the nose; sweet caramel on top of a chewy breadiness with the mineral note in the background. Perfectly adequate amber ale but not a new favorite. However, this Cold Spring Brewery made beer is better than drinking a Leinie's Red.

Gluek's Red with tap list

I occasionally tell a story to prove that I have the coolest wife in the world, which includes Gluek's. It was May 17th, 2000 and my buddy John, who had been KISS ARMY since he was a kid, invited me to a KISS concert at the Target Center. We started the evening at Gluek's to get primed for the show, drinking with the idea that we had an entire concert before going home.  However, the bar, full of KISS fans, started to buzz with whispering that the concert was postponed until the next night. A trip outside to see the Target Center marquee confirmed that the band was trapped in Chicago by weather. I called Gloria from the bar pay phone and said we'd try to sell the ticket since the show was postponed to our 15th wedding anniversary.  My very cool wife said I'd been looking forward to this for a while, my first big time rock concert, and that I should go.  After confirming her opinion in the next morning and planning a weekend celebration for the anniversary, John and I repeated the night at Gluek's and had a memorable time of head banging at the "farewell" KISS tour.

I remember the food at Gluek's being good in preparation for the concert, but I didn't have time to confirm that memory today. I had a draft of Surly Furious to test the beer serving with a more familiar beer.  Well served, maybe a half a step short of 100%, but I don't have any real problems with the drafts I sampled.  Music was too loud sitting near the door, but then it changed to a guy running trivia.  Interesting trivia set up: no cell phones, internet, and a team member had two minutes to bring up a piece of paper with the answer on it.  A throwback that seemed appropriate in a local landmark since 1934.  A beautiful old bar that has seriously expanded drinking options to a perfectly respectable beer list since my last visit.  I'd be happy to find myself at Gluek's again, hopefully returning a bit faster than last time.

Grumpy's Bar & Grill Downtown Minneapolis (Minneapolis, MN)

A friend of mine, Matt Mauch, was having a reading of his new poetry book If You're Lucky Is a Theory of Mine at The Loft Literary Center, so a dinner stop at Grumpy's for a few worry-free pints to relax into before a night of poetry.  I've only been to Grumpy's a few times because I find it hard getting past Town Hall down the street, which was too far to walk tonight and I didn't want to re-park.  As it turns out, Grumpy's was convenient enough that it turned into a good sized party of poets and friends.

Started the night with Indeed's Midnight Ryder, which was well served, very clean and fresh.  Switched to Surly Furious for a hop bite, but it wasn't 100% in the glass.  Not bad and not sure why, but not what Furious can be.  Afterwards, Al found Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree on tap, so that finished the night on a high note.

For dinner, I ordered the fish sandwich with house made tartar sauce and onion rings substituted for chips and a pickle.  The rings were over-hyped on the menu with the fish sandwich being better than average but rather plain.  The house tater tots that I bummed off of Matt's huge half order were much better and will be my choice next time.  The chili crock ordered by one of our party looked delicious, so the vegan version may be my entree on a return visit.

Overall, Grumpy's a great stop when nearby, especially for The Loft or the Guthrie, and time is of the essence.  A small but better than average line up of taps that will definitely have something worth drink, though it might not be new or overly edgy.  I even have a fair amount of confidence is their beer handling.  Plus, our server tonight was amazing.  Tab said her name was Tif Dynamite and she was fast, efficient and extremely professional, including getting separate checks for each of us at our three tables pushed together.  Since many of my reasons for going to Grumpy's involve limited time, the service makes it a low anxiety dinner and a pint to start an evening in downtown.

Fulton & Great Lakes Collaboration

7/29/12

Al invited me to the Fulton & Great Lakes Collaboration to taste the shared Baltic Porter recipe at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis.  The pairing of two beloved breweries, BLB's pad thai and a night with Al combined to get me out on a school night.

Started with an Edmund Fitzgerald by Great Lakes, an excellent beer that I don't seem to drink enough.  Based on the waitress' wondering why more weren't ordering the Black Out Stout, I next decided to take that plunge.  Infused with mint and cocoa nibs, the freshness of each was powerful, and the stout almost kept up with it.

I sipped from Al's War & Peace, Fulton's on cask with Guatemalan dark coffee beans from Peace Coffee added to Worthy Adversary.  Very good but the coffee was too much for a non-coffee drinker like me, so I moved on to the Baltic Porter collaboration ale.

The collaboration was smooth and rich with a subtle complex flavor.  Brian of Fulton stopped to talk with Al, Steve and I.  He outlined the tasting and talking process to make the beer, noting that the GL lager yeast throws off more than a clean fermentation that adds a unique flavor to this beer (and to many other GL beers).  I was an enthused with the described mechanics and passion of the collaboration as much as the beer.  Again, the energy and dedication that goes into making great beer is amazing.  Fun night and glad I made it. 

Mackenzie Pub (Minneapolis, MN)

7/26/12

Mackenzie Pub is a small bar with a surprising amount of charm in the downtown Hennepin Ave,  While I've only had a few experiences at the pub, they have all been positive.  From my notes, the last time I recorded a beer was in the summer of 2008 in which I went two nights in a row with friends for tappings of a couple new breweries of the time: Surly and Furthermore.  Hard to believe I haven't been back since, but, if I have returned, it didn't record anything new.

Which I find hard to believe from their selection.  Last night before heading to the One Voice performance at The Cowles Center, I started with Indeed Old Friend and then followed up with a draft of Deschutes Hop Henge IPA to pair with my mushroom and onion pizza.  Running late, I had to interrupt a pleasant beer conversation with my newly met bar mates to finish both pizza and beer, leaving with a longing for several remaining taps.

Based on the pizza and the well served beer, I need to return.  The pub has an elegant decor with clean lines that also feels like a small town local, which makes me wonder about the history of the older building.  Service was friendly and helpful for a range of drinkers (help for me and eavesdropping on other orders).  Great stop that seems to be underrated based on how often I don't hear about them in beer chatter. However, I plan to make Mackenzie my new go-to place for downtown activities to test it over time, trading in our old place of Rock Bottom.

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (Minneapolis, MN)

Beautiful bar and brewery.  One of the prettiest presentations
of a brew house I've seen. 

Rock Bottom of Minneapolis is an opportunity brewpub for me.  If the opportunity arises, I happily drink there.  But, I never go out of my way for it and don't have RB growlers.  And, it's not that it isn't good, but the driving distance to parking hassle to cool beer ratio just doesn't add up well enough to draw me into its orbit unless I'm already there for something else.

So what draws me in?  In 2006, RB kindly hosted a MN Home Brewers meeting that I attended, accommodating the club's needs and effectively serving the whole group.  It's also an easy pre-show dinner stop or a nearby warm up for the Target Center or a Twins game.  From more visits than I can count, I've always found RB to be fast and attentive enough for a quick pint and food to get you out the door to your downtown activity.

Tonight, RB is host to the One Voice post-show gathering of the 25th Anniversary performance down the street at The Cowles Center.  We seemed to be as big as the entire front bar, so the servers frantically tried to get us fed.  While so many people descending on a place will generally cause some delays, I was amazed that I got an accurate bill for just my fare at the end of the night.  Plus, I was never without a beer in hand.  Win.

Having fun with friends, I have no real notes for tonight's beers.  However, this sampling seems to represent my overall experience at RB over the years.  Walking in the door, the OV hop heads excitedly ordered the double IPA Double Down.  The color and taste were both hazy and muddled, lacking the crisp hop clarity of a top notch double IPA.  Good, but not strong enough to inspire another draft.  My wife Gloria ordered a pint of Coconut Chai Stout, which didn't disappoint from its name: clear coconut and more than clear chai, but the overall result confused us.  I hate both coconut and chai, but didn't mind the stout; my wife loves both ingredients, but was clearly unimpressed.

Back area reserved for a One Voice party.  Very fun--everyone
in the photo is a part of OV

Between name and style, my next draft had to be the Raging Oompa-Loompa Belgian IPA.  Not reading anthing about the beer, I assume it's an allusion to Raging Bitch IPA, the epitome of the style in my opinion.  Had I not been distracted by the table advertising for the Double Down, this would have been my first draft.  It has a serious Belgian yeast twang, plus the hops clear both the sinuses and the palate (a compliment from me).  Really love this beer and would be perfectly happy drinking it all night.  Gloria and friend Robin ordered a limited bottle of Belgian ale called Mort Noir.  Dark and full bodied, I was moderately impressed with the small sample I was allowed to taste—the ladies were much happier with it, so they reserved the remainder of the bottle for themselves.  Fine by me since I was slowing sipping my funked up hops.

Ended with the Belgian Grand Cru.  While a better than average beer, the grand cru was low on the richness I expect from the style, but was a nice beer to tipple the night away until we were asked to move to the front bar, shutting down the party a bit before bar close.  Probably should have stayed with the Belgian IPA, but, as is often true, I got drawn in by the hunt for new over old.  As with most trips at RB, there's a lot of middle of the road good beer bracketed by one that I'd be happy to drink multiple drafts and a miss or two.  Because I'm generally on a timetable when here, it sometimes takes longer than I have to find a favorite.  While the beers are consistently good, great is more sporadic, which is why I lack the confidence to order impunity like I do at Town Hall.  If I were planning a large get together in downtown with an exceptionally flexible and hard working staff, Rock Bottom is the place to go.

Bryant Lake Bowl (Minneapolis, MN)

According to my notes, 2002 was the last time I logged a beer at Bryant Lake Bowl.  I think I've been there since--just no new beers on tap for me. My recollections of BLB walking in the door again was of an adequate tap list, memorable pad thai and a night of fun but frustrating bowling due to some lanes, though pitchers of Summit smoothed out the rough patches.  Last night's Friday night gathering of Sibley friends was a revelation.

Finding a truly amazing beer for the first draft helped the night along: Bourbon Barrel Aged Bell's 9000.  Boozy bourbon wafts above a dark ale with an original gravity of over 1.100.  Big beer with a complex taste of wood, chocolate, vanilla and sweetness that's smooth, elegant and slightly overbalanced from the high alcohol.  A real treat by itself, but it also happens to be the "batch" beer that I was missing.  Before last night, I've been able to sample, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000 and 10,000.  Better to be lucky than good, I guess, but frequently good bars will tend to make one lucky as well.

The food is also fantastic.  My wife had the mock duck rolls, which she reported as very good--good enough that I didn't get a sample.  I did the pad thai with mock dock and my recall on this dish was spot on.  Dan ordered medium compared to my hot, which Lori compared and said mine was significantly hotter, as expected; my bald head was sweating slightly, but it wasn't stupid spicey--just nicely at the limit.  Plus, I had purposely ordered a double IPA, Bell's Hopsolution, to counterpoint with high hop: an excellent combination that I would love to repeat.

My wife was surprised at how loud it was sitting in the restaurant, but, evidently, she's always been there late at night or not on a Friday.  With a full house and a waiting list for the bowling lanes, I was hoarse after our three hour dine and drink session with friends.  Not an uncomfortable volume for our group of six and everyone could participate in the conversation, but it did take a bit of effort to speak.

For entertainment, in between the other drafts, I had a little beer you may have heard of...Surly Darkness.  With a half a dozen additional beers that I would happily drink, Bryant Lake Bowl has seemingly upped its beer game.  I saw on an RSS feed that BLB did have a Bell's event tapping earlier in the week, so maybe we picked a good night is all.  But, I intend to test the theory in the near future and not wait so long to return to Bryant Lake Bowl.

Cadillac Ranch, Mall of America (Minneapolis, MN)

1/3/12

Met the family at Cadillac Ranch for a get together before some shopping.  Not an obvious beer stop--CR has a much larger range of mixed drinks.  I'd never heard of it, but evidently it's a pretty big chain restaurant.

Inside it looks like an upscale honky tonk, including an antler chandelier and red velvet trimmings.  After dinner, several of us took a turn on the free mechanical bull by the back bar.  Sign a release and you'll be tossed off onto a padded floor in no time--I was!

I thought I'd try the Cadillac Ranch Ale, but asked first if it was contract brewed locally.  Nope.  She thought it was Killian's Red, so I passed.  Substituting a draft of the beer-of-month of Leinenkugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter, I found it well served: slight roast to go with the dark maltiness;  vanilla is light, but there more on the tongue than the nose; smooth, creamy and easy to drink.  For a chain restaurant, the ten taps are a decent array of macros and regional craft beers.

Food was better than I expected.  We shared the margherita flat bread and the spinach artichoke dip that's served with flatbread.  Not overly large servings; they were perfect to split the two.  Oddly, the online menu at their website doesn't match what we were given, even though there are links for each location.

Service was friendly and no problem for us to sit chatting well after the meal was done.  Nice to have a decent beer back up at the Mall.

Anniversary Ale 2012 (Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN)

Happy anniversary to one of the best brewpubs anywhere.  This year's Anniversary Ale has a great punch, especially in the growler.

Dark copper ale with a dirty snowdrift head that fall with a thick lace.  Massive nose of northwest hops that's grassy from the growler almost like a fresh hop ale.  Same caramel and toffee malty base in the draft last night, but the hop nose wasn't nearly as big.  Green hop bite on the tongue that overrides the full, sweet mouthfeel.  Grapefruit in the nose that's stronger on the tongue. Over balanced hoppiness, but nothing I'm upset about.  A great IPA that I'm enjoying, surprisingly, more in the growler than on site.

Anniversary week is a always a special week at Town Hall.  Ten times I've quaffed the anniversary ale in a row, starting in 2003, and they all rank high.  We returned on Saturday after the disappointing Purdue vs Minnesota game (disappointing for Boilermakers) to drink the coconut porter Three Hour Tour and Eye of the Storm, a honey ale. Both excellent, and the porter oddly went especially well with the iconic Town Hall fries and chipotle ranch.  On a bartender's recom, we sampled and then ordered two more of the cherry spiked Eye of the Storm to finish the night in spectacular fashion.

Cheers to many more opportunities to drink Town Hall anniversary ales.

Brimstone Tripel (Boom Island, Minneapolis, MN)

Creamy white head with small, tight bubbles on top of this straw gold tripel from Boom Island. Spicy nose with lemon, slight citrus, pepper, some alcohol hotness and a surprising earthiness on top of sweetness.  Not overly complex, but elegant and inviting.  I poured it into the glass I had beer clean; I think a tulip glass would enhance the experience.  Next time.  Mouthfeel is a little light but has a full carbonation bite from the bottle conditioning.  Taste is sweet and bready with a woodsy note, fruit and hop spice.  Semi-dry finish lets the spice and fruit linger nicely on the tongue.

At 9.5% ABV, it's a super easy drinking Belgian ale that lives up to their dangerous reputation. Brimstone seems to be light for the style, at least compared to my mental image.  An approachable beer, it would be great to share at a party.  As it warms, the balance improves and the spice crescendos.  I like it and I'll buy it again, but not impressed to the point of buying it often.

Palm Buster Blonde (Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN)

Stopped in Monday night for growlers of Town Hall's fresh hop and guest drafts of other fresh hop brews.  But, with a max of two fresh hop growlers per person, I said the first new beer I remembered from the growler board for number three: Palm Buster Blonde.

In spite of a hard pour right down the center of the upright glass, the shockingly white head of tight bubbles falls almost before I can take a picture.  Effervescence flows continuously up through the golden tinged yellow ale.  Solid hop spice in the nose that overshadows cream corn and apple.  Taste is sweet and slightly warming with the taste matching the nose.  Made with Thai Palm Sugar (thus the name), it has a slight alcohol hotness, even though it's only 5.3% ABV.  Ends with a sweet bitterness that's refreshing.

Not a bad beer and not disappointed to have taken it home, but won't go out of my way to have another.

Fresh Hop week at Town Hall (Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN)

Surly Wet w/ walleye and fries

Arrived a bit early, so I started with the Indeed Fresh Hop contribution to wet beers. Stark white over a pale yellow ale the looks watery but has a full mouthfeel. Sharply bitter with lots of citrus, lemongrass and a slight green taste. Clean and crisp, but I wouldn't say it's a fresh hop beer just from the taste. I'd put it as pale ale strength; however, lots and lots a pretty, pretty hops on top makes me happy.

Town Hall Fresh Hop 100

Next, on the list is the evening's goal: Town Hall's Fresh Hop 100 for 2012. The 100 is for 100% fresh Simcoe hops--nothing else.  Off white head over a dark amber ale. Straight Simcoe hops come through as fresh, clean spice and earthiness. Strong caramel and toffee flavors with a full, robust mouthfeel. Chewy maltiness more than supports the big hop; guessing the IBU is higher than it tastes.  Simcoe covers the palate but isn't overwhelming. Another great Town Hall beer and glad I got my two growlers to drink at home.

Indeed Fresh Hop

The other advertised wet hop I wanted to try, Lucid Wammo, wasn't on tap until later in the week, so I "settled" for Surly Wet, only one of my very favorite beers.  I was chatting and eating dinner with this pint, so didn't get any impressions down.  I've been drinking the canned version of Wet at home this week; while the draft was very good, the nose and bite of it seems muted compared to the can.

Tonight's epiphany--fresh hop beers have come a long way baby.  If memory serves, proto-versions of fresh hop beers tended to be grassy and a bit hop stupid.  Since they were the only game in town, any fresh hop beer was a fun treat.  However, they tasted a lot like my homebrewed version that needed six months to settle before the cut grass flavor dissipated.  While still full of aromatic, fresh, beautiful hops, tonight's drafts have a sophistication and range that goes far beyond a novelty act.

Fulton Beer brewery tour (Minneapolis, MN)

9/22/12

I've lost track of how many brewery tours I've done--one of the few items I don't track.  I keep doing them because I learn a little something each time (after the mandatory beer is made of four ingredients lecture).  Also, every brewery has a unique history and physical set up, which I find interesting.  Fulton epitomizes my reasons for continuing to do brewery tours.

Our tour guide was Jay, dad and father-in-law of two of the founders: Jim and Peter.  Jay was friendly and spoke like a proud papa as he related Fulton's genesis as an alternative assignment for an internship.  Check out Fulton's story page for a well written summary.  In short, four buddies learn how to brew good beer together and their passion starts a brewery through research, hard work and faith.  The Local was the first bar to give them a draft line and they have grown from there. I admire their courage and resourcefulness--I would not have gotten over so many hurdles.

New pilot system that passes code--
unlike the original homebrew set up
that's on display in the taproom

"How Fulton beer is Made" display

According to Jay, Fulton's goal as always been to have "approachable and session-able beer."  Giving examples of great beers (that I'll leave nameless) that he loves but can't drink more than one or two, Jay contrasted Fulton's aim to be the beer to drink with friends at home for an evening or a tailgate for a day instead the beer geek trader.

Beginning of tour and art work of founders in upper left

The distance covered in the tour isn't far, so grab a pint to sip while listening to Jay entertain and inform.  He ranged from a Homerian quote (Simpson version: "Beer has food value, but food doesn't have food value") to beer politics to how much the cows of a local farmer love the spent grain.

Second part of tour by brewhouse

In one section, he discussed the value of the taproom and Fulton's investments in the brewhouse from the Surly bill profits: two tanks, a chiller, and new employees. Plus taxes from more beer and salaries are going to state.  By Jay's estimate, all of this is about 18 months ahead of schedule compared to how Fulton would have grown under previous state laws.  He also attributes beer expansion in Minnesota since 2009 to this change.  While formal analysis of the law's effect is beyond my scope, Fulton is clearly a fan and believes that it's allowed them to be a more successful business, faster.

While a trip into the business of beer was unique for tours and interesting, I marveled at the feel of Fulton--it's like a large homebrew operation.  Well designed, I can see the influence of their homebrew background, right down to the same brewing friend that I cherish: a spray bottle of sanitizer hanging by its trigger.

The brewery seems rather labor intensive compared to some that I've seen, but it felt to me like I was seeing an intermediate step, which Jay confirmed late in the tour.  Fulton is looking to expand to another location and do everything in house, including bottling.  Hopefully, in the future, I'll be able to repeat the tour in a new facility and hear the next chapter of the Fulton story.

Fulton Beer (Minneapolis, MN)

Finally, the stars aligned and I made it to Fulton Brewery for a tour and for some drafts. The Minnesota Home Brewers toured last Monday night as a club, which is always my first choice for doing a tour.  However, I was feeling ill and had to miss it. Since they club obviously wouldn't be doing Fulton again for a while, I capitulated and went by myself for the release of the fall seasonal, The Libertine, and for The Anchor Fish & Chips food truck.

There's pay parking all around the brewery, but it's with credit card or cash by machine and number. On a Saturday, it was just a quarter an hour.

I walked in a few minutes after noon and the place is already lively. I had to ask twice before finding the right person to sign up with for the tour, but finally got it. By quarter after noon, the tour for 1 pm was approaching half full, the 2 pm tour was empty, but a group had already signed up for the 4 pm tour. If you want to do a later tour, it seems to be fine to send someone to sign up and everyone can show up later.

View of bar from far side with The Libertine

My main mistake on the day was underestimating the temperature. The tap room today is outside temperature from a garage door being open to an old dock that has a railing now. Everyone else with fall jackets looked quite cozy drinking their beers.

Around the pub, barrels lazily sitting on racks on the wall opposite of the bar, and a mad assortment of long and square tables with a couple of high tops. Fulton doesn't win the award for matching decor, but it  doesn't seem like anyone cares.


What I assume is the original garage homebrewer set up that started the company (confirmed on the tour)  is proudly displayed on top of a large cooler. A large screen TV with football is above the bar to provide patrons with digital entertainment, as needed, but few care to look its way.  Retro rock tunes from high school are playing over top the din of friends chatting.  Fulton reminds me a lot of the Denver Beer Co, but smaller. So, pretty much a homebrewer's dream garage to brew and serve friends--except every beer is $5.

The Anchor Fish & Chips with Sweet Child of Vine

Since it's the new release, I started with The Libertine, an imperial red ale. Hazy amber in the goblet with copper edges in the light. Off white head falls without a lace around a nose that's rye and hop spicy, though the blend is hard to distinguish what comes from what. A thick caramel flows from the nose to tongue and ends with a rye kick. 8.5% shows some legs on the side of the glass and adds an oilness that's almost sticky to the taste. Very nice beer and can see why folks are coming out for it.

Also, there's three casks of The Libertine on various flavors: red oak, cherry and hard maple. Guy at the bar was drinking all four side by side--not a bad choice among them he said. Started with the red oak since it was more unusual: no head and the nose is muted, but the heavy oak came through in the taste, thick and chewy. Seems a bit much at first, but it's growing on me as the flavor washes away the original Libertine.

The food truck sit outside the door and bringing food in is welcome, but bringing your beer outside is not allowed. The doorman checking IDs nicely watched my beer while I got lunch, but groups were sending a representative to bring back food to the tables.  Most folks were eating fish and chips from The Anchor, but at least one family walked in with McDonald's.

I purposely saved getting a draft of Sweet Child of Vine to drink with my fish and chips, which was a very good plan on my part; however, not that hard of a call to drink and English styled IPA with fish and chips.  Out of time and room in my tank, I took home growlers of The Libertine, Sweet Child of Vine, and Lonely Blonde to compare at home this week.

Overall, a good day at Fulton that I plan to repeat in the future, especially the next time I go to a Twins game down the street from the tap room.

The Libertine (Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, MN)

By coincidence, my stop at Fulton Beer for the tour just happen to be the tapping of their seasonal brew The Libertine.  Besides having it on draft, there were three firkins of spiked Libertine: added cherry or hard maple, and one aged in red oak.

Pretty beer in the glass that's maroon at the center and blood red with light.   8.5% alcohol is apparent, leaving a peppery note that blends with light hops, cherry, caramel and a hint of chocolate.  Rich, oily mouthfeel  that's surprisingly light with dark cherry and a trace hop bitterness.  I drank my draft at the tap room too fast and warming balances the beer for my home pour.

Not a new top ten brew for me, but I like sipping it at home on a fall evening while watching a movie.  Smooth and relaxing warmth on a chilly night.