Minnesota beer

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...

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...

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...

Arguably the best beer festival in the state in terms of beverage, music and miscellaneous factors, the 6th annual St. Paul Summer Beer Fest should not be turned down lightly. With the official list of breweries just released, if you haven't made plans... it's time! I won't go into all the embarrassing details about my past few years at the Fest, but in short: I had a great time. The afternoon long party simply sells itself; attendees always return every June (perhaps with a few more friends...

France, Italy, California, Australia, Chile... Minnesota? Although not listed among top wine regions in the world, the land of 10,000 lakes has produced its fair share of yummy grape-grog in recent years. While the Minnesota craft brewing renaissance carries on into another summer of fun, it's easy to forget the work and innovation being done on the state's other favorite beverage. Winter is over. Time to go wine tasting! The Minnesota Grape Growers Association has compiled a map showing a solid selection of wineries across the state...