Craft Beer

Governor Mark Dayton signed the Surly Bill into law back in 2011. The new bill created an exception in Minnesota’s aging “Three-Tier System of Liquor Regulation” which allowed brewers and beer entrepreneurs to directly satisfy a growing demand for craft beer spurring economic and community growth in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

“Three-Tier System of Liquor Regulation” initiated after the repeal of prohibition decades ago was designed to separate the roles of liquor manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. This system was put in place for a variety of reasons which include denying access to minors,...

Although for some Minnesotans January can be a flurry of busyness and outdoor activities (while for others it's the complete opposite), the 24th should absolutely take priority for the most important Midwest winter activity: drinking beer. The 2015 Beer Dabbler Winter Carnival has been a growing tradition for Twin Cities beer aficionados: hosting the entire elite cast of our state's breweries (and beyond). The event will offer live music, food trucks, various important beer people, a handful of politicians and much, much more. ...

One recent start-up that has been gaining interest (and distribution) is Burning Brothers Brewing. Their specialty is gluten-free beer; not just gluten-free in the legal sense, but an actual zero parts per million sense. They do this by brewing in a completely gluten-free facility and by using sorghum, an ancient and drought hardy crop that has changed little through the modern era. We decided to pay them a visit. We had to stop in and give it a try. ...

The northwestern corner of St. Paul has followed the lead of nearby northeast Minneapolis and started brewing in earnest. The most notable of these newcomers is Urban Growler; Jill Pavlak and Deb Loch (who is famous among home-brewers for her accolades in beer competition) established this St. Anthony Park brewery over...

Beer has always been important to us (Robert and Erik). Be it home-brewing, savoring a Bavarian masterpiece or just frothing our respective mustaches on pitchers of Hamms at a local dive bar, we think about, discuss and enjoy our ales and lagers all the time. So it's with great pleasure that we introduce the first of (hopefully) many articles (and podcasts!) on Minnesotan breweries. Not enough is being said about Minnesota beer! It's time to start navigating the yeasty, hoppy renaissance that is sweeping our state. This week we take on ...

By now, you've probably noticed all of the craft brewers and microbreweries throughout Minnesota that continue to pop up after the "Surly Bill" was passed in 2011. There were a total of 46 registered breweries around the state back in June, according to the Pioneer Press. Minnesota will soon be adding another. ...

An aspiring and historic renovation of the old Jordan Brewery (Jordan, MN) has been hit hard by recent rains: a landslide brought tons of mud and debris into the third floor apartments of the building on June 19th. A small batch brewery and taproom, the Roets Jordan Brewery, was in the process of moving into the space. Serious doubts have risen on whether they'll get to stay. The Jordan Brewery has origins dating back to the 1850s. Caves connecting with the building allow for constant cool temperatures, which are needed...

Next month the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is bringing some hoppy and malty cheer to America's Best Outdoor Town; All Pints North Summer Brew Fest is returning to Duluth for a third year. With the heat of the summer in full swing, the "Air-Conditioned City" and Minnesota craft beer are perfect temptations for taking that weekend road-trip out of the metro. As the organization also behind the Autumn Brew Review (Minneapolis) and Winterfest (St....

[caption id="attachment_273429" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Light colored beer in a Guinness glass - Jeff Kubina[/caption] Food waste is a fact of life. Often the best thing we can do is try to compost what we don't use. As a home-brewer, I'm well aware of how much organic material doesn't make it to the final product; I've even tried using it in a variety of ways: breads, birdseed, etc. However, scientists in Spain may have developed the most innovative product yet from the biproduct: bone regenerating biomaterials. I always thought the substance...