It’s a long drive to my sister’s cabin in Hayward. Our usual strategy is to break up the drive by visiting the Drive In in Taylor’s Falls. It’s nearly halfway but, more importantly, they have cheese curds. My sister says they stop at the location in Grantsburg on their way home. In August we put the town on our agenda. No food for us though, our trip was for craft beer at Brickfield Brewing.
Continue Reading…Birch’s on the Lake
September 17, 2019
I’m too young to understand the “supper club.” A concept interwoven into the fabric of the Midwest, these establishments have long sought their place in the modern era. By the time I was old enough to remember, these previously revered restaurants had become an odd blend of classy and kitsch. A vestige of the past. The craft beer industry is suited to blending the old and the new. Enter Birch’s on the Lake.
Continue Reading…Alluvial Brewing Company
August 31, 2019
One of my criteria for a great brewery is the taproom. Of course, the beer matters. Yet the taproom can make or break the experience. I begin by trawling any “best of” lists that I can find, collecting the breweries that appear multiple times and any others that jump out at me. Then I dig deeper. I dive into the pessimism of reddit, ask for recommendations from Instagram influencers, browse individual websites, and search through local tourism info. Once I have list of breweries – usually far too long for my needs – I search for them on Google Maps. Location is a factor, but the primary reason is to view photos. Google organizes these, and Vibe is my jam. While searching for Iowa breweries, there was one that cropped up that intrigued me but had few photos of the interior. My visit to Alluvial Brewing Company would now have purpose.
Continue Reading…Jessup Farm Barrel House
August 14, 2019
“Do you think we’ll have enough time?” my wife asked. We were standing at an overlook within Rocky Mountain National Park. Ahead of us the Trail Ridge Road was closed for the season. “If we leave now and we don’t stop, I think we can make it work.” I said. Our plan was to visit two breweries that afternoon. “I’m glad the fog lifted, this was worth the drive.” I said. A thick fog had covered the valley on the drive up to our summit. It had just cleared, giving us an incredible view of the valley below. “Who’s driving?” I asked. “You,” my wife responded. Jessup Farm Barrel House was waiting.
Continue Reading…Guanella Pass Brewing Company
August 9, 2019
Ambitious. That’s the word I’d use to describe our travel style. On each new trip we try dialing our itinerary down. We continue to disappoint ourselves. For our first road trip as a family of three we planned on only 5 to 7 hours of driving a day. That ends up being quite a lot for a baby. Despite struggling at times we still made room in the schedule for craft beer. The first brewery on our list: Guanella Pass Brewing Company.
Continue Reading…Strap Tank Brewery
July 9, 2019
“Can we get a table outside?” I asked. “I’m sorry, the patio isn’t open yet.” the friendly hostess responded. Not open yet? It was early afternoon on a Saturday, almost 70 degrees and sunny. In Minnesota, this place would be overflowing. I’d heard that Utah had some interesting laws and it was unclear whether this was one of them. It was the start of a series of head scratching revelations we would have during our visit to Strap Tank Brewery.
Continue Reading…Ursa Minor Brewing
May 10, 2019
Duluth holds a special place in my heart. The first time I visited was when we toured UMD with my older brother on a college visit. I didn’t think much of the campus, the PortLand Malt Shoppe was more my style at the time. Yet, Lake Superior and the Lift Bridge must have made a larger impression on me than I thought because when it came time for me to choose a college to attend, it was an easy decision. My most formative years were spent on that snowy hill and it culminated with beginning to date the woman that would eventually become my wife. It’s no surprise that we visit the North Shore multiple times a year and each time we select a new brewery to visit. Last weekend we stopped at one of the newest, Ursa Minor Brewing.
Continue Reading…Back Channel Brewing Co.
April 23, 2019
If you’ve been in the craft beer scene for any length of time you’ll begin to realize there are certain glasses for different styles of beer. Since smell is intrinsically linked to taste it makes sense to drink beers with a heavy hop aroma from glassware that provides maximum surface area. When a local brewery began serving IPAs out of a bowl they made waves across the entire industry. It was only a matter of time before I took the drive to the shores of Lake Minnetonka to stick my nose into a bowl of beer at Spring Park’s Back Channel Brewing Co.
Continue Reading…Dual Citizen Brewing Company
April 17, 2019
There is a core group of co-workers that like to take an hour out of their evening each week to grab a drink. Usually we can be found at either Groveland Tap down the street, or Lake Monster up the road. Occasionally we range a bit further, but we tend to stick close to the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul. When a new brewery opens within our range it’s an easy sell to the group. Dual Citizen Brewing Company is the latest brewery to fall before our thirsty gaze!
Continue Reading…Giesenbräu Bier Co.
April 8, 2019
I’m from New Prague, a small Czech community south of the Twin Cities. That’s where I was born and where I spent over 20 years of my life. When rumors of a craft brewery began I was pretty excited. When I found out it was going to be a German inspired brewery my reaction was mixed. On one hand, I love German beers and our trip to Oktoberfest was the reason I started this hobby. On the other hand, instead of German it would’ve be nice to have a Czech inspired brewery in town. Either way, Giesenbräu Bier Co. brought craft beer to my hometown, and that’s a good thing!
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