Sidhe Brewing (St. Paul, MN)

Every year at school, there are always a few students who desperately work for an A, but can't see the path to earning the grade: heartbreaking for me and frustrating for the hard working students. Unfortunately, Sidhe Brewing  is working hard but just not making the grade.  

I've known about Sidhe (formerly Four Elements) Brewing for a long time because the owners attend many One Voice concerts, one of which where I was introduced to the brewer Kathleen and we chatted a bit about their beer adventure. There was even an earlier, smaller, location in St. Paul before finding its present home. To keep from repeating history reported elsewhere, take a look at A Perfect Pint's first look. 

The small door on Jenks Ave belies the comfortable space at the bottom of stairs. On a Saturday afternoon, the place had several scattered customers enjoying the hot summer day with AC and a beer. I hunkered down at the bar to do all eight samples offered today. 

Senor Sol Victorious, a clone of Victoria Mexican lager, was as advertised, clean and very drinkable. Requested by the building owner for the locals, I'm guessing it pairs well with food from the Mexican restaurant in the same building. Next, I liked the Barking Cat, a strong golden Belgian ale. Having the most flavor and complexity, this 9.9% ale was a bit hot and not quite balanced. Finally, the Dark Moon Rising was serviceable dry stout that I considered getting a full pint. None of the beers warmed up well. This test is of limited use at Sidhe because the lighter styles are meant to be colder, especially Senor Sol and the Bast Kissed cream ale. My rather sluggish style of drinking doesn't fit well with some of the styles. 

In reading the menu, Sidhe's mission is to brew approachable session beers for all beer drinkers, not catering to the old school geeks like me. So don't expect a Surly Furious or Stone Ruination at Sidhe. I think this is an admirable mission, especially in the diverse, up-and-coming neighborhood. Sidhe has a real chance of making themselves a community pub, for locals to congregate and commune over lighter, flavorful session beers. However, this raises the bar for Sidhe. It's easier to homebrew a stout than a pilsner because the dark flavors allows for wiggle room to hide flaws. Big, and especially dark beers, are more forgiving, thus why I generally brew big. To focus on session beers, the brewing techniques must be perfect and, to get more flavor out of a small grain bill, the creativity must be inspired. 

While I think many of the ingredients for a great local pub are present, at the moment, in spite of my hopes and desires for these women brewers and owners, Sidhe is coming up short of top marks. However, my evaluation is just that: mine. Beer media is biased towards more radical brewing, so the buzz (including mine) will likely be slanted against them. Quite a few patrons in the bar where happily drinking, chatting and playing games throughout the time I was there. Often by the end of the school year, some students who persevere and continuously strive for improvement will learn how to make the grade. The philosophy and location of Sidhe seems to be well matched, so hopefully the locals will make Sidhe a success in spite of a low beer geek grade, which will give the brewery time to mature and find their path to better beer.  


Update 8/1/15

Based on the photos of my first visit, a group of friends put together a afternoon at Sidhe.  We walked in late and joined Cards Against Humanity with a draft of Barking Cat. To be safe, on my last visit, I only was able to do samples. The draft of Barking Cat was much better than I had remembered from the sample. Slightly hot from the 9.2% ABV, it has a spiciness from the yeast and a warm, round Belgian flavor. Barking Cat is a short, potent pour, so I switched to a pint of Tri-City, which was also significantly better as well.

Glad I went back for a draft, which was much better than my first impression.  Moving from samples to a draft seemed to make a difference. Normally, I prefer to end with a draft for a full review, but it's not always possible.  Friends and full glasses seemed to make quite a bit of difference for Sidhe, and I encourage people to keep giving it a try.

Burning Brothers Brewing (St. Paul, MN)

Not needing gluten-free products, Burning Brothers Brewing hasn't been at the top of my priority list. When friend wanted to check it out for the gluten-free reasons, it seemed liked the perfect opportunity. Burning Brothers' tag line is "Don't fear the beer." Not sure if it was quite fear, but I did have low expectations for a gluten-free brewery. The fear is unwarranted.

I had two variations of the same beer for the stop.  Pyro , their shimmering gold flagship, is much better than most American Pale Ales, a clean and refreshing brew on a spring day. Infused versions of Pyro are also available, of which I tried the orange blossom honey Fused; even more delightful.  If the crowded taproom was any indication, I'm not the only one who is enjoying the product.

On BA, the ratings of Pyro seem a bit low to me.  Most seem to be focusing on a light bodied mouthfeel. While not a heavy beer, Pyro is by no means light.  Some of the lower ratings seem to be from distributive sources, so drinking on site might be part of why I thought it was better. My only other gluten-free beer experience was more than a decade ago with Dragon's Gold by Bard's, the source of my apprehension. While likely a gluten-free cliche, Pyro is a beer that I'd drink because it's good, regardless of ingredients.

Listen to Burning Brothers: Don't fear the beer!

Urban Growler open house (Urban Growler, Minneapolis, MN)

Station 5: take a picture with a
life size pint

7/19/13

Saw the Urban Growler's sneak peak opening on MNBeer and our friends Dan and Lori thought it sounded fun for our Third Friday outing. The Heavy Table wrote up a nice introduction to the brewery, including the two women owners their goal to serve local brew and food. I found the mock up drawings of what the Urban Growler will look like in the future interesting as well.

Following the GPS to Endicott Ave, which is barely this side of the river in St. Paul, we drove slowly through an industrial area until we found the Urban Growler building. We saw The Lyric luxury apartments nearby with the green line light rail down the street. Walking in the door, a part of the initial pitch to invest was that Urban Growler was in an up and coming neighborhood, beer (Surly's destination pub is to be nearby plus "others" are looking at the area) and otherwise, and was to be the next Nordeast. Maybe. Not sure I'm the one to agree or disagree with that claim.

With  more people there than I expected, the interior of the future bar and restaurant was set up as eight stations, including the membership table, architectural drawings, beer pouring, meet the chef and merchandise. We voted for the few veggie options on the proposed menu and checked "more veggie options" that someone had written in below. This is the first time we have been at a brewery this early in the process, and trying to match the designs to the physical space was entertaining. The whole point of the evening was to create investment, ranging from a $500 minimum for a T-shirt and your name on the Founder's Wall to a $10 grand investment to be an actual part owner of the enterprise.  The $1000 investment was the $500 plus first pint in the door free for life.  My wife and I briefly debated that latter before the math failed because we live too far away for it to pay off as well as our Pint Club membership at Town Hall.

So, to the heart of the investment: beer. Eight beers on tap with the Wild Rice Ale out before we walked in the door (I assume because of the previous night's open house). We luckily got to the Rhubarb Wit, my wife's first and favorite, before it ran out half way through the night. My favorite was the Graffiti Rye IPA, listed as their flagship beer on the description sheet, which had a bite that made me sit up and notice it without being overwhelming. Of the rest, the Everyday Ale was an unusual style: Kentucky Common Beer, a pre-prohibition ale that was brewed and enjoyed almost exclusively around Louisville, Kentucky.  I liked the sample, but will need a full pint when they open to give it a fair taste.

My wife and I didn't invest, but mostly because of logistics rather than the beer or food on offer.  If we lived nearby, the decision would have been tougher. All of the beers were solid to very good with some interesting food planned. Being a veggie, the offerings were slight and, to be fair, similar to most pubs. I look forward to giving Urban Growler another shot when they open and wish them the best of luck.

Stout's Pub (Falcon Heights, MN)

612 Mary Ann with tap list

Rather than go to the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest today, I opted for the One Voice concert and to meet friends from my wife's choir at Stout's Pub for dinner between shows. With a summer thunderstorm downpour outside, it seems that I made the right choice—several wet and weary festivalers wandered in from the state fair grounds while I was there.

Walking into the pub, the Ommegang dinner is advertised and shows a bit of their beer knowledge to start.  Plus, I noticed later that the pub hosted a pre-festival Kegs and Eggs brunch as well.  The bar is clearly trying to be in tune with the beer community.  I settled in with a cardboard bowl of free popcorn on a corner stool of the larger rectangular bar, which is clearly the center of the pub, literally and metaphorically, as the restaurant surrounds both sides. Standard sports bar TVs all around for everyone. The decoration gives it a Friday's feel, but it's far too local and genuine for that comparison. In the mid afternoon of this rainy Saturday, the bar is over half full. The bartender's pitch of reduced priced happy hour appetizers explains the excitement.

Looking at the taps, I ordered the Castle Danger seasonal, which turned out to be appropriate for the day: Gale Force Wheat. The amber-orange beer with an off white head falls quickly with a clean lace. Not much of a nose, but where's there is fresh wheat and a hint of fruitiness. Full mouthfeel, carbonic twang and an orange, citrus flavor that matches the color. Very surprising. almost chewy. wheat beer and one that I would happily drink through the summer.

Well designed tap list of about two dozen that represents the basic range of drinkers from MGD Light and Apple Orchard Crispy Apple to Surly Furious and Pour Decisions Infidelity (out today). Towards the lighter end overall, but enough to keep most folks happy. With a clear bent towards Minnesota craft, I'm finding two local breweries that I haven't tried before, so hard to complain, plus there are two bonus firkins of Summit at the end of the bar.

Second draft is 612 Brew's Mary Ann, a German lager with ginger, a clear Gilligan's Island reference for those of a particular age. Shimmering yellow lager with a thin, stark white head. With a deep whiff, I can smell the ginger and light breadiness, but not a strong presence. Wait for it—light and refreshing while not thin, the ginger bites hard on the tongue. Ginger lovers will bask in this beer all summer.  Happy I tried it and a very strong addition to the local beerscape, but not a new favorite of mine. However, it does perk up my hopes for trying more 612.

With a group, got to try a range of food. Deep fried Pub Shrooms with remoulade sauce were excellent, and we shared Fried Hop Curds, the lightest, not greasy cheese curds I have ever had. The Wood Fired Pub Nachos and clam chowder soup, while good, didn't match up to the appetizers. Strong service by our waitress allowed us to eat quickly and relax a bit before heading to the show. Final pint of Summit Saga on cask was well served and a good choice to end my stop.

When at the bar, one of the five guys that ordered tequila shots gives me a stare for taking a picture of my beer with my iPad. I might be a bit yuppy for the bar but Stout's is a great local is St. Paul that seems to be working hard to serve a range of clientele, handling the beer with respect and providing a comfortable place for all.

Firkin Fest 2013 @ The Happy Gnome (St. Paul, MN)

I spend most Saturdays from February to April coaching my speech team, which I love.  However, it means spring beer festivals are a rare treat for me.  I made the tail end of the Firkin Fest 2009 for the leftovers after a tournament.  Being on Easter weekend, 2013 is my first opportunity to take in the entire fest.

And, I showed up an hour late.  On Saturday morning, my wife and I decided, just hours before the fest, to finalize the purchase a new car.  Between a test drive and the paper work, I walked right in the fest at 1 pm.

Food options on the HG patio

Just inside the tent, I jumped right in with a new brewery—Bad Weather Brewing. Their amber ale Windvane with Simcoe hops was a promising start. Only a handful of people that I recognize and the crowd seemed youngish for real ale. As with other Twin Cities beery events, the attracted crowd is expanding and the days of the veteran TC beer geeks gathering at the Firkin Fest seem to have passed.

Crowded in the tent around 2 pm-ish, movement was slow going and I decided on a geographical attack of breweries to save time at this point. Heading to tent's end, I sampled Lift Bridge and Surly. LB's Manhattan Barrel Project, a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with maraschino cherry that had a sweet body with vanilla and clear bourbon in the nose that leads to slight alcohol in the taste and more than a hint of cherry. Nicely balanced beer that was smooth and fun.

Last view of our beloved Bug 
before trading her in

Other top beers of the fest were Flying Dog's Wildeman with Centennial hops with a light sweetness and lemon peel spice that compliments the hop excessively well. Down 'N Dirty by Tyranena was aged a year in a rye barrel that was oatmeal smooth with a chewy chocolate body that was light and alcoholic—easy, sweet and dangerous brew.  And, I would like a pint of Hinterland's White IPA, a delicate and extremely refreshing ale with a Simcoe kick. Themed beer of the day goes to Badger Hill's Toasted Peep Marshmallow Foundation Stout. Can actually taste the sugary sweet peeps burnt to 'smore perfection. Dry hopped and novelty ingredients on base beers was the word on the day.  On recommendation from a respected beer source, I sampled the Bell's Kalamzoo Stout straight up—and was reminded not to forget the simple, beautiful things in life.

As for the practicalities of the fest, it was a beautiful, chilly day that was cozy inside the tent until the east side brewers opened the flaps to drop the temp. Be prepared for a variety of temps and dress in layers. By the end of the day, the crowd thinned considerably and the chill crept in again with the lack of body heat but movement was much easier to hit the beers that were left. 

For taking notes, the program was accurate and specific, so it was easy to rate and remember the myriad of samples on the day. Assuming a real ale reveler shows up on time, slowly hit top choices and work down as the crowd falls to the wayside late in the day to finish easily with remaining beers. In 2003, I attended one of the last hostings of the Real Ale Festival in Chicago, a trip I regret not repeating. However, while I am glad to have made most of a Firkin Fest at the Happy Gnome, I am going to stop lamenting not being able to go more often.

By the happenstance of life clashing with beer hunting, I experienced the passing of two eras today. First, I'm the tentatively proud owner of a new Ford C-Max hybrid to replace our VW Bug that took us to our rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon and the Mayo Clinic every Wednesday for nearly two years while my nephew waited for and eventually received a heart transplant. Second, at the fest, I knew only a Town Hall pint club member, a couple of beer writers and several brewers. The old beer gang that could be counted on at every beery event in the early years has moved on and been scattered by the flood of younger beer lovers (many still learning how to pace at a festival). For me anyway, today was a transformation, and, while for the best on both counts, leaves me a bit melancholy.

Ward 6 Food & Drink Eastside (St. Paul, MN)

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum and
Steel Toe Douglas

From several sources, including a speechie friend, I've heard good reports about Ward 6, beer and food.  I'm happy to confirm that the positive rumors are true.

Because I love the name, I started with a Pour Decisions brew out of the range of strong choices. Last week, I had a bottle of Maroon & Gold, an IPA of a sorts. Good in a bottle but better on draft. Nice start. G tried Third Street's Sugar Shack, which was good enough on tap that I bought a six pack to replenish the beer fridge this week.

Started dinner off with a order of herbed fries with beer cheese and harissa hollondaise dips. Solidly entertaining food with both sauces, but I want to try the lemon gastrique next time.  We shared a grilled camembert on sourdough with pears, walnut butter and arugula.  Really amazing.  Chatting with my friend at a tournament after our visit, I think I will try the vegetarian Cicero Stew next time.

Tuckered out on a Friday night during speech season, I ended with the session ale by Pour Decisions: Pubstitute.  More than adequate, but I had my expectations higher than the beer could live up to.

Overall, a great night at a local pub in St. Paul. The place is small and the biggest table is for about five. We tried earlier for a larger group, but they don't take reservations. More of a place for date night or two couples out for a chat for well served beer and inspired food. Plus, the service was spectacular.  If I lived in St. Paul, I would be happy to walk home from Ward 6 as my local.

Update 5/17/13

Cicero Stew

We were able to return to Ward 6 tonight with some friends.  Because the pub has a habit of filling fast, we picked a night that I could leave right after school and got there before 5 pm to have a draft at the bar and put my name on a list for a table for four.  Worked out perfectly and they even seated one group before us since our friends weren't coming for another half hour while keeping us at the top of the list.  

The staff was working very hard to get everyone seating as soon as possible.  Almost too hard later in the night—we felt a bit rushed when we wanted to sit and chat over beers, even though there wasn't a line after paying the bill. Sitting in the back booth, I had a view of the door. The line formed quickly on a Friday night just after 5 pm until 6 pm, but the line went up and down, very hit and miss as the night lingered. Just a matter of luck after the dinner rush to get a table.

I was able to try the Cicero stew this trip and, in spite of the simple appearance, it's amazingly flavorful.  The waitress warned me it was hot, which was true.  The spice went very well in the Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, so I'd recommend having the stew with the hoppiest IPA on tap.  With three new beers for the list on tap tonight plus a great dinner with friends, I see us returning more and more to Ward 6.

Muddy Pig Festival of Hops 2013 (St. Paul, MN)

The Muddy Pig brings back its Festival of Hops again, and it's as fun as ever.  With 50+ taps full of hoppy goodness, for me the test is how many new drafts are ready to pour into my taste database.  To my surprise (or arrogance), I found nine new brews—a pretty amazing number for any stop.  Three samples for $10 is a fairly affordable way to taste these high hop beers.

Let's start with tips for a successful fest at the Muddy Pig:

• Order by number.  With so many beers, the names are just a confusing mess for the servers.  Say each number clearly, in order.  The beers are served in order with a ticket to remind you what is in each glass.  
• Every sample has a lace.  The MP does a great job of serving samples, so be confident that what is being tasted is what was meant by the brewer.  It's very tough to wash and serve in sample size glasses, but MP does it well. 
• Show up early.  I was a bit after the dinner our and plenty of seats were left on a Tuesday night.  I chose the back because it's lighter and away from the commotion, and most were empty in the back but it filled up quickly
• Free WiFi.  Ask for the code and get some monkey work done.  I was able to productive doing relatively mindless tasks with internet access, and could also research my samples on the fly and take notes.  I found it fun to have my full beery resources available while tasting.  
• Be prepared.  Walk in, find the numbers, order when you get a chance, including water immediately.  The servers work hard, but its a popular place and hesitation will cost valuable drinking time. 
• No Pints.  I didn't try this, but the table next to me ordered a pint and was rebuffed; evidently, they were only serving samples for the fest.  Happily, I was able to find enough to keep me entertained for the evening, so it didn't matter.  I fail to see the reasoning for no pints, but I'm guessing there's some pragmatic reason.  

I optimistically started to review each sample, but became distracted with other concerns.  My first set of samples started well, took a dip and then finished well.  I started with Two Brothers Revelry, a copper ale with an off white lace.  Spicy hop and caramel nose that leads to a solid bite.  Listed as a red ale, it packs a punch.  Good start.  Next was Bell's Roundhouse, a dark golden ale with a wispy lace and the nose of a fresh hop ale—fruit and grass, followed by a biting taste that is completely expected from the nose.  Listed as an amber ale on BA, I would call it a bruising APA that makes up its lacks in subtlety with an amazing bite.  Finally, I couldn't resist the Lucid Foto IPA, a hazy copper ale with white tightly bubbled head.  Elegant nose of grapefruit-orange juice, fresh bread, spice, and pepper underneath.  Spice seems to be a combination of hop and yeast, but not sure.  Nose is more promising that the than taste that seems a bit muddled.

Round Two: Lake Superior Black IPA, a midnight black with no head, nose and taste is unexpected, and oddly unbalanced.  Off fruit taste and its elements fail to meld.  Very disappointing.  A bit busy at school lately, so I have tried a Pour Decisions brew yet. My first was their Maroon and Bold, Imperial Red IPA; it's a maroon beer to match the name with a full lace, heavy malt and caramel nose with hops fighting to the top, and some hop in the taste but the sweet base overwhelms.  Adequate, but I'm not in love with the beer in spite of being in love with the name of the brewery.  Lift Bridge Hop Dish IPA was next, but my mushroom and onion pizza interrupted the sampling, so I need to try it in full draft to give it a proper chance in spite of my initial positive impression.

After dinner, I tried Boulder Nitro Flashback, Fulton The Ringer, and Mendocino Double IPA, but, as mentioned before, lost track of writing up each.  Strong finish and especially looking forward to visiting Mendocino during our summer trip.  As I'm finishing my last rack of samples, a group of youngster professionals were chatting away and oblivious to the hop fest.  Not of the bitter persuasion, they, sadly, had to resort to drinking bottles of Amstel light.

Well worth the effort, I've been to several of MP's fill-the-tap festivals and have enjoyed each one.  Low key but MP festivals provide a unique combination: good value for beer quality, excellent presentation of samples and a selection that can wow even a hardcore geek.  Pick a night, settle in and drink and learn.

Amsterdam Bar & Hall (St. Paul, MN)

Amsterdam Bar and Hill.
Pedal Pub out front, but
didn't find out why.  

6/15/12

Having a bit of time before One Voice performed at The History Theater, I parked in the flat lot across the street from the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in downtown St. Paul.  I've had a pint or two here before for happy hour, but have never stayed very long.

Gnomegang and tap list

Tonight I was able to have a few beers, dinner and run into a beer friend as well.  Started off the visit with an extremely well served draft of Gnomegang--a collaboration ale between Ommegang and Brasserie d' Achouffe.  Hazy yellow brew witha built up white head.  Strong spicy nose that doesn't quite forecast the sweet, pepper and yeast twang the fills the mouth and is very balanced.  I've had it before, but this was a particularly good draft tonight.

Dutch cheese broodje and frites

For dinner, I ordered a Dutch cheese broodje (small sandwich) and the smaller $2 happy hour frites (Belgian fries).  Multiple sauces can be ordered with the frites, so I tried the curry mayo and ketchup.  Having had frites in Amsterdam before, I need to have both mayo and ketchup to eat them.  While not completely authentic, the frites were definitely better than the ones I had last summer at Brugge Brasserie in Indianapolis. The onions were an addition I've never had before but I liked them.  The broodje was heated and excellent for just being a cheese sandwich.  It was definitely small, so ordered a second sandwich: grilled vegetable.  The very friendly waitress said it was her favorite, and it was extremely tasty.  I'll start with it next time.  Later in the evening, I was chatting with someone about the Amsterdam and she recommended the house cured salmon broodje.  Definitely enough foodsoptions of reasonable size and high quality to warrant more sampling.

Amsterdam coasters

Beer friend (and beer writer) Jim walked in with his wife Louise and I suddenly felt like I was in my local.  The bar was lively in the early evening on a Friday with the after work happy hour crowd chatting happily. With the summer sun, it was lighter inside than it has been when I've stopped in the past.  Nice atmosphere, but the music from the stage speakers behind me was a bit loud for easy conversation.  I've never been here late night, but the website (and stage behind be) indicates that it is a music destination, but I have no idea of its quality.  I haven't heard of it as a music venue like Triple Rock Social Club or the Blue Nile, but me not hearing of it for music does not mean much.   A final odd note--I noticed an excessive number of beer mats on the bar--seemingly strewn about for easy use.  For some reason, I like the messy look.

For dessert, I ordered an Amstel Wheat (to add to the database) and finished with a Deschutes Inversion IPA. Overall this is a good beer bar with a nice atmosphere.  Plus they always have La Trappe Quad on tap--an excellent go to beer for my wife.  I won't necessary travel downtown just to visit the Amsterdam, but a stop is definitely in order the next time I'm heading to a show or hopefully my wife's co-workers will do another happy hour here again.

St. Paul Summer Beer Fest 2012 (State Fair Grounds, St. Paul, MN)

International Bazaar stage

6/16/12

According to my notes, I haven't been to the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest since 2009 when it was at Midway Stadium.  While 2009 was a perfectly good time, the Midway location wasn't the conducive location for a fun festival.  Good beer, but drinking in a parking lot didn't cut it and was a part of why I hadn't returned.  When some friends, Heather and Scott, suggested we do the festival together, I thought it was time for a return visit at the state fairgrounds location.

After a Chipotle stop, we showed up early to the fest and stood in line--to my surprise--in the sun.  I predicted we'd have rain, or at least clouds.  Plenty of sun (and a bit of a burn, unfortunately), but a great day to drink. Hit list in hand, we headed in at 1:30 pm, an 1/2 hour before the posted time.  There was a bit of confusion as to when to start serving beer--some people (Jeff and Gene!!!) got beer before 2 pm (and my theory was I wasn't cute enough).  At 2 pm, we headed back to the grassy area for Surly, etc in  for the start of the day.

Beer crowds under the bazaar 

For taking notes, I only took a pen and decided to rely on the festival program because the organization seemed promising online.  For a festival, my main consideration for a program is the ease of use when drinking.  Period.  For the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, my main critique of the festival is that the program becomes useless  because it lists the breweries by state. It's impossible for me to find the state, then the brewery, etc.  It needs to be alpha order or something very clear and easy to navigate because--well, you know why.   With large numbers in the corner for each brewery, the program for the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest looked to be good organization.  


However, since the matching numbers weren't on the brewery booths, I had to look at the map in the center of the guide to see which set of numbers I was near and then head to the general location in the festival program to flail around until I found the actual beer in my glass.  In short, the program was hard to use.  The numbers would be great if the physical space was clearly marked for each brewer so that it could be easily located.  I would think that the brewers would want patrons to be able to very easily get to the right spot in the program since the purpose of the festival is sell more beer through name recognition. Plus, there wasn't an alpha order list of the breweries, so it was very difficult to find a brewery by name because the only option was to scan the entire list for a particular brewery. Maybe fewer patrons care about this than I do, but I don't see where program confusion is a benefit for anyone.  I would prefer an alpha list with the numbers beside the name to locate on the map.

While my analysis of the program may make it seems like I didn't have a good time, I really enjoyed the festival.  While the picture above looks crowded, it was not a problem to get from beer to beer.  Everything is very much contained is an easily navigable space. The music from the stage was great and served as a nice background when not too close to the stage--it was a bit loud for me when right up front. Locating the festival at the International Bazaar is a great idea and the setting is a plus that will encourage me to return.

For the pre-festival prep, my hit list had 39 beers that are new to me from breweries I've tried before and 14 brand new breweries.  This should be more than enough to keep me entertained for four hours. As it turns out, it was more than enough.  I counted 38 new beers on the list--not all of them from the original hit list.  The accuracy of what was offered compared to what was listed in the program varied considerably from brewery to brewery, so I tasted several that I wasn't aiming to drink.  Nine new breweries on the day as well, which is really good for a local festival.   McNeill's Brewery from Vermont was best new brewery I sampled; good beers across the board, the Dark Angle Stout was my favorite.  For a new Minnesota brewery, Third Street Brewhouse from Cold Spring was a good initial experience, especially the Lost Trout Brown Ale.  However, Olvalde's Brynhildr's Gift was easily the best beer on the day--an amazing brew that I will most definitely be finding in the near future.

A very affable festival, I ran into a lot of friends: beer, work and family.  In fact, I had so much fun chatting and hunting beers, there are only two pics that I took at the last minute.  To finish the day, I had planned to eat at the fest and ride the (free--another great idea) Bus #3 to downtown St. Paul to see my wife's performance, but friends  offered a ride after dinner at the St. Clair Broiler.  Breakfast for dinner fit the bill with a four egg cheese omelet (provolone and smoked gouda), well done hash browns and wheat toast.  Lots of other veggie options, so will have to try to get back at some point.  

If you haven't been to the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest, it's time to check it out.  If you haven't been in a while, like me, it's definitely time to give it another chance.

Two Fingers (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Two Fingers doesn't show up on the beer geek network, but an MNBeer post lists the beer as Flat Earth's five year anniversary brew.  The post was almost a month ago, so the growler I bought might've been in the fridge for a while--and then a week in mine  before I had time to get a pint poured.

Hazy amber to brown ale--not what I expected for a double IPA.  Clean, barely-off-white head that has a nice lace.  Heavy grassy hops, citrus and muddled malt in the taste that's somewhat supported by a citrus and biscuit nose.  Leaves the mouth dry and hoppy.  Slight oiliness betrays a higher gravity, but the alcohol is only apparent in the feel of the beer, which hits like a hammer.

Good beer, but it doesn't have the clean hop pop that I look for in a double IPA.  Good, no great, but perfectly fine as a Sunday afternoon beer.  Drinking the rest of the growler over the day, warmth really helps the balance of this beer.  Take your time if you get a chance with this one.  I'm not disappointed with the growler, but I don't see this one becoming a regular without some fine tuning.

Cygnus X-1 (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Cygnus X-1 Porter

I have half a dozen entries for Cygnus X-1 in my database, starting with a sample on site in 2007 when I did a tour of the brewery with the MN Home Brewers.  In spite of my multiple tastings, they've tended to be few and far between. However, if my memory serves, the beer I'm drinking tonight seems to be a more robust offering than my first taste.

Very light brown head lingers nicely before falling to a thin lace.  At first I thought the nose was coffee, but on second thought it's more clearly a clean roast with an earthy spice coming out as it warms.  Strong malt with a roasty smokiness in the taste that's supported by a light but not thin body.  Ends with a pleasant bitterness that persists somewhat.

In reading Flat Earth's description, Cygnus is made with rye malt, which explains the bite that I noticed but couldn't place.  On the original tour, the style was listed as a Canadian Porter, which I don't understand any more now than I did then.  On the website now, it's described as an adjusted English Porter.  Cygnus is a slightly off centered porter that leans towards robust and is interesting to drink.

After I've had the straight Cygnus X-1 now, the differences overlaid in the S'mores infused Grand Design I took home at Christmas are clear.  I can see why the blend of Cygnus flavors works well with infusions, and I suspect that it might become a standard for me in the regular and altered versions.

Fire King Coal (Great Waters Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Fire King Coal by Great Waters

Another growler that I picked up last week from Great Waters, and bought it solely from the sample I was offered when attempting to chose.  When I tried it, I walked to my car for my third growler because I didn't want to leave this one behind.  According to the Great Waters' website, this is a seasonal version of their Scotch Ale.

Head the color of the inside of malted milk balls bubbled up thick with very tight bubbles as it poured, and filled the glass to the rim. In spite of being prepared with my camera, it fell before I could get a picture.  Second night of the growler, it lasted a bit longer.  Color is similar to my mahogany floors but lots of light through and through yields a shimmering maroon at the edges. Smokey and burnt wood in the nose with an malty earthiness that's not peat.  Slight spice from either the 25 IBU hops or, more probably, the 6% alcohol.   Mouthfeel is light and lets the smoke rise above the significant and sweet malt. Smoke taste is present, but not overly assertive.  While a bit strong, the lightness of the beer makes it excessively easy to drink--half gone just for this review.  Good beer that I'm happy to have at home, but the sample was somehow more intriguing.  If possible, I'd really like to check this one out on tap and see what the difference might be that I seem to remember.

Timma! (Great Waters Brewing Co, St. Paul, MN)

Stopping in for some growlers after a happy hour around the corner at Amsterdam Bar & Hall, a sample of Timma! convinced me to try a fill of this one.  New England India Pale Ale, so labelled on the Great Waters website.  Built on a combination of English malt and American hops, the moniker fits well.

Lighter than in the picture, this IPA is a light copper ale with golden edges.  Stark white fluffy head that lingers a bit on the second pint, and fell with a very nice lace.  Strong malty nose with caramel and toffee notes, and  a slight citrus hidden behind potent earthiness.  English character of the nose continues in the taste, but the hop bite is more northwest hop.  Acrid bitterness lingers pleasantly with a full mouthfeel in spite of the light appearance.

A very nice beer, and, in a recurring theme, drink it slowly to let it warm a little so the balance improves and the hops open up.  On the website, it mentions a limited quanity of a oak aged cask version that sounds very interesting.

Northwest Passage (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Northwest Passage IPA

Northwest Passage IPA is the "hoppiest IPA in the Midwest" according to  Flat Earth's description.  The 115 IBUs is a combination of Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade and Columbus hops.

As can be seen in the picture, this IPA is a light straw colored ale with a slightly off white head that lingers nicely.  While appearing light, the 6.5% ABV points to a fair amount of malt in the beer to balance the bitterness.  Light biscuit and caramel serves as base for the complex fruit nose.  Not an overly assertive nose, but a combination of layers of fruit: standard grapefruit, lemon, clementine, and a host of citrus hiding a light spiciness and floral background.  Taste follows nicely from the nose--clean, complex fruit and a pleasant hop bite that demands notice but doesn't burn crazy stupid.  As with all big IBU beers, balance and perception are key, and this one does a nice job.

I've reviewed this one before on BA, and it looks like a different beer.  Guessing the bottle I have tonight has some age on it, so the hops have mellowed a bit.  Only takes a few months for hops to degrade, and I picked this one up from the bottom shelf of the local liquor store that does a nice job for a quick six pick up but isn't the center of the beer world.  Again, this Flat Earth beer seems to be significantly under-rated to me.  I'm slotting this beer to drink from a growler to get a clear reading fresh from the brewery.  There may be some point-of-sale issues with the reviews, and a growler may clarify the issue.

For comparison, here's my original BA review:
Coppered colored ale that's straw gold around the edges with stark white head that lingers nicely. Big hop nose with grapefruit under grassy spice and fresh mowed lawn. Clearly lots of hops--115 IBU by the website from a combo of Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade, & Columbus (according to a Four Firkins description). Clearly, northwest hops seems like a great idea. Sharp hop bite, but not overwhelming. Chewy from hops, and the grassy notes continue in the mouth. Can feel the acid linger on my tongue. I like it quite a bit, but can see where it might put off those that don't like chewing on hops. Mouthfeel seems a bit light, but that's what let's the hops shine through. Very nice beer for a fall evening.

Winter Warlock 2010 (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

On my first visit to Flat Earth recently, I picked  up a growler of 2010 Winter Warlock.  While a sample of WW at Winterfest in 2008 didn't impress, I found it hard to resist an aged barleywine.

Stark white head bubbles up nicely with a hard pour down the center and lingers for a fair bit until it falls to a light film.  Old gold beer sets one off immediately from the name barleywine.  I remember my first sample of WW and being surprised at how light it was in the glass.  Holding up the beer, the effervescent bubbles flow long after the beer is poured, and very captivating to watch.  The nose departs from expectations as well. No dark fruits, no heavy alcohol, no barleywine.  Initially, especially when cold, I smell creamed corn.  I suspect that this smell, associated with American lagers, turns off some beer geeks.  With a bit of warmth and focus, it's more of an heavy caramel and underdone biscuit with a floral and earthy hop.  Description on Flat Earth says a two hour boil to caramelize the sugars, which is apparent in the taste with an earthy yet spicey bite from yeast and/or hops. Sweet lingering finish.   9% ABV is present but not pushy  in nose or taste, but hits rather hard and quick in spite of the small glass I'm using tonight.  Watch out--this one is sneaky!

In short, I like the beer.  But I can understand some of the mixed reviews on BeerAdvocate.  First, there are issues with the expectation as a barleywine.  Compared to an Old Crustacean, Old Guardian, Old Foghorn, Horn Dog, Blithering Idiot or even a J.W. Lees, it is an incredibility light beer and defies the category while being fun to drink.  Warming more now, and cream corn (not a pleasant memory from my childhood) changes to a heavy earthiness and Dutch apple pie.  Again, if reviewers are drinking too fast or too warm, I think the impression of this beer will be hurt.  Next glass of this beer I'm going to set the beer out for a bit to warm significantly before drinking it.  Good beer, but not a favorite.

Grand Design (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Grand Design--S'mores infused porter by
Flat Earth Brewing. 

On my recent growler quest, I finally got to Flat Earth Brewing in St. Paul, the closest brewery to my house.  Backwards, yes, I know.  My poor excuse is that I am always excited about the new brew, and Flat Earth, while relatively new, isn't the newest kid on the block.  I did the tour of the brewery way back in September of 2007 and have always liked Jeff Williamson's beer but was never a zealot.  I've wanted to be a zealot.  It's hard not to cheer on a former teacher turned brewer, especially since I occasionally dream of the lottery ticket that means I don't have to grade a hundred essays over Christmas break.  I recently drank a couple of Flat Earth bottles plus a portion of growler number one to the left, and here's the part where I admit that I was wrong to push Flat Earth to the back of the fridge.

Today's example is Grand Design, a S'more infused version of the standard Cygnus X-1 (Canadian say my notes from 2007) porter.   No idea how a S'more gets into a porter, but it's right on the money for this one.  Good beer for New Year's Eve that a fairly wide range of folks will enjoy.

Hard pour from growler of
Grand Design.  

Dark brown porter that has glistening ruby highlights when back lit by the soft afternoon winter sun.  Tightly bubbled light tan head that's fluffy when poured hard out of the growler.  The growler is near the end and I traveled with it in my trunk after being opened at a recent social gathering.  Unmistakable chocolate and vanilla in the nose with a slight roast and biscuit underneath.  No idea how Jeff makes this into a S'more, but it seems that adding chocolate to the porter's smokey roast is an important element.  Vanilla may be ramped upped too, but I need to taste the Cygnus X-1 again to distinguish which part is the base beer and which part is the infusion.  Next trip.  Smooth and creamy mouthfeel that washes over and lingers nicely.  Again, clear chocolate and vanilla on top of an ever so slightly acrid roast, full sweetness that's not cloying and a full malty goodness.

Silver Anniversary Ale (Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Hoppy Anniversary!  25th anniversary limited edition ale that is a hopped up version of Summit's classic and iconic American pale ale.  Burnt amber pale ale with a fluffy off white head that hangs in there for most of the beer.  Big grapefruit and hop spice over a moderate malt.  Can really smell the EPA underneath the strong hoppiness that Summit added to this ale.  Hops linger on the tongue with a sharp bitterness at the sides.  Slightly sweet finish but the hop is still there off the back.  Same mineral taste that is the classic EPA, the smaller malt bill let the hops shine through the lighter (but by no means thin) body.

A very fun "interpretation" of the EPA, as stated on Summit's website, and an excellent homage to the legacy and role that Summit has played in the development of craft beer.  Cascade hops are the common element. Horizon and Fuggles are swapped out for Citra and Centennial hops (plus a dry hop) to create the anniversary ale.  The changes give a clearly American tint to the beer compared to the English character of the EPA.

Both are good, but I like the Silver Anniversary Ale better.  However, I don't think comparison is really the point.  The lighter, hop forward American style of the anniversary ale compared to the maltier, English character of the EPA is a harbinger of the changing beer world from the Old to the New.  While European beers still have a lot to offer (and I still intend to travel to see for myself just how much), the heart and soul of the beer world is transplanting to the US--if it hasn't already.   Emerging beer countries like Japan and Australia, among others, look to the cooperative yet individualistic model of US craft brewers rather than the style based approach for much of Europe.  Belgium, a country less tied to styles, seems to be the leader in following the lessons learned in the creation of the US craft industry.  The very existence of a one of my favorite new styles--Belgian IPA--is almost prima facie proof of the seismic shift.

Get a six pack of the Silver Anniversary Ale, enjoy the flavor, celebrate the accomplishments of Summit, and joyously anticipate the future of the craft beer industry right in our own backyard.

Summit Black Ale (Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

Jet black ale, but a bit of light is getting through the thinner part of the pint glass, making it look more like a dark brown.  Hop spice fights through the burnt toast, black dirt and charcoal malt (and that's a compliment in case you missed it). Very nice nose that is unique and very interesting. Analogous to Aecht Schlenkerla for the type of smell coming off the top if this black ale, but not the same smokey smell or intensity, but similar in the raw aromatics wafting up. While I love Summit, it has, historically, not always pushed the envelope to the danger zone, so I was going to be satisfied with a good nose and a thick rocky tan head that left a nice lace. Some assertive hop and charcoal taste, but the mouthfeel is a bit thin to support the flavor. Going to get a six pack of this one to savor while it's available.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 11-15-2011 03:22:11

Northwest Passage (Flat Earth Brewing, St. Paul, MN

Coppered colored ale that's straw gold around the edges with stark white head that lingers nicely. Big hop nose with grapefruit under grassy spice and fresh mowed lawn. Clearly lots of hops--115 IBU from a combo of Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade, & Columbus (according to a Four Firkins description). Clearly, northwest hops seems like a great idea. Sharp hop bite, but not overwhelming. Chewy from hops, and the grassy notes continue in the mouth. Can feel the acid linger on my tongue. I like it quite a bit, but can see where it might put off those that don't like chewing on hops. Mouthfeel seems a bit light, but that's what let's the hops shine through. Very nice beer for a fall evening.

Serving type: bottle
10-18-2011

Gold Sovereign Ale (Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN)

First heard of Gold Sovereign on the Summit tour, but it was sadly not on the tasting list. Out for a local sixpack. Very light straw gold color that is extremely reflective and pretty in the tulip glass I'm using. White head dissipated immediately leaving malt and spice in the nose. Clean, refreshing bite in the taste with a lingering spicy bite. While light and clearly not brash enough for some beer geeks, it had a solid yet ephemeral taste in the mouth with pleasant aftertaste with a lingering hop presence. I wouldn't eat or mix this with much else—might ruin it. Needs to sit in the mouth and allowed to assert itself. Glad I got the six pack to enjoy a few more.