My sister in-law told us we should avoid the Tenderloin neighborhood. They had stopped in San Francisco during a California road trip and their hotel was right in it’s heart. The Tenderloin is a high crime area of the city. Not an ideal place for an evening stroll. But I’d heard fantastic things about Cellarmaker Brewing Company and the neighborhood lay between our hotel and the brewery. Despite the warning, we set course.
Continue Reading…Mikkeller Bar SF
April 11, 2020
“Remember the first brewery we went to in San Diego?” I asked my wife.
“No” she replied.
“It was after we toured the ship, we all sat around that barrel.”
“Oh yah, I liked that place.”
“This is the same people, but it’s a bar. So they have beer from a lot of breweries.”
“Do they have food? I’m hungry.”
With our priorities established, we left our hotel room and took to the streets of San Francisco. A short walk away was our destination, Mikkeller Bar SF.
Inver Grove Brewing Company
March 28, 2020
It was the first day above freezing. My wife and I were out looking for a new place to live. I’ve owned a home in Bloomington, Minnesota for 13 years. With a baby in the car and another on the way our plans to move out to the country and settle down were in motion. Location is critical, not too far from work, not too far from the Twin Cities, and not too far from our families. And if there was a brewery nearby? A bonus. That’s why we were in Inver Grove Heights, and why we had pulled into Inver Grove Brewing Company.
Continue Reading…Invictus Brewing Company
February 23, 2020
Most client meetings go well. In rare cases they throw me for a loop. I was standing in the parking lot of an office park, reeling from a meeting that just occurred. I wouldn’t say it went poor, but it wasn’t what I had expected or prepared for. I plugged “breweries near me” into Google Maps and put the car in drive. Time to decompress with a craft beer at Invictus Brewing Company.
Continue Reading…Foxhole Brewhouse
February 18, 2020
“Where is it?” I asked. We had parked in downtown Willmar, Minnesota and I was looking around for the brewery. It’s funny that the word downtown is used to describe both Manhattan and a town with a population of 20,000, but that’s the English language. “It’s over there.” Holli said, pointing across the street. Sure enough, a tiny Foxhole Brewhouse sign featuring a mischievous fox was set above a narrow building. “That’s a small sign.” I said. “It’s a lot bigger inside than it looks.” Brady replied, as we made our way across the street.
Continue Reading…Fair State Brewing Cooperative
February 15, 2020
“Where to next?” I asked. We had finished lunch with our friends Megan & Mitch at Hai Hai, which followed a morning of coffee and beer at BlackStack. They live a fair distance south of the Twin Cities. They also share our love for craft beer and breweries so we give them leeway to choose the destinations. “Is Fair State close? We haven’t been there yet” Mitch asked. “Very close” I responded.
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I can’t believe this is the fourth year I’ve given these awards. This year was especially hard, because I shifted down a gear on my in-state travels. I began 2019 with a resolution to count my calories (not great for beer). Shortly after that my toddler found her legs and combined it with boundless energy. We also took three trips out of state, where most of my drinking this year took place. Even so, I visited more than enough to put together this list.
A quick reminder at the stipulations. Each award must go to a brewery that I visited in the calendar year and I won’t give a brewery the same award two years in a row. At this point I’ve visited over 100 Minnesota breweries and written about most of them. I like to think I have my finger on the pulse of the scene, but if I’m missing your favorites I’d love to hear about them. On to the awards!
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“Did you hear that we are planning a trip to California next year?” my wife asked. “That’s a big state, whereabouts?” I asked. “We were thinking of San Diego actually” she said. “San Diego?” I responded. Like a burst of carbonation from a bottle, images of craft beer cracked through my mind. Sure the weather would be beautiful, the beaches plentiful, and the food splendid. But it’s a craft beer mecca, surely that’s why we were going?
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Most online gift lists are a joke – poorly researched cash grabs to farm affiliate sales from hapless gift givers. I appreciate heavily curated lists backed by real experience. That’s why I made a list of goods that I personally back since I’ve researched, purchased, and used everything on it. If you’re looking to buy a gift for the craft beer lover in your life, look no further.
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“Woah, this is heavier than I thought” I said as I unwrapped the pack sent to me by Frost River. It wasn’t my only Frost River gear – I own several Sling Growlers – but it was my first pack. When I hear the word backpack, my brain anchors to the sea of JanSport that was my youth. This was a different species, meant for more than a school year. Meant for a lifetime. This was the Mesabi Range Daypack.
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