We’ve got a couple of friends that live south of the metro area that enjoy visiting new breweries with us. Because of this we’re always looking for openings in that area. This allows us to spend more time in the taproom and waste less of our weeknights on the road. One thing we noticed was a pocket of new breweries opening near Northfield. The newest of these is Chapel Brewing and not long after they opened we stopped by for a visit.
Continue Reading…Unmapped Brewing Co.
November 25, 2017
These days most of our friends know that I blog about our breweries. When they want to hang out, we don’t need to suggest a venue. Usually people want to share one of their favorite spots, their local taproom, or are looking to try something new. We recently had some out of state friends that wanted to meet up and they were quick to suggest a new brewery near the area they were staying. That’s how we found ourselves in the parking lot of Unmapped Brewing Co.
Continue Reading…Gun Flint Tavern
November 8, 2017
Earlier this spring I mentioned to my wife that this could be a good year to hike the entirety of the Superior Hiking Trail. A crazy suggestion, yet just a handful of months later we were pulling into Grand Marais with one sleep left between us and the trail. In the morning my parents were going to drop us off on the Canadian border and to temper our nerves we had planned our last meal at the aptly named Gun Flint Tavern.
Continue Reading…Disgruntled Brewing
October 21, 2017
There comes a point in each Minnesota summer where your family determines that it’s time to go “up north.” These two words evoke thoughts of rustic cabins, crystal clear glacial lakes, s’mores by the campfire, and early morning fishing trips for most residents of this four season state. There’s a new tradition that’s slowly encroaching into the nostalgic thoughts of those that make the drive: craft beer. So when my in-laws planned a trip to Lake Clitherall, I figured a visit to nearby Disgruntled Brewing was in order.
Continue Reading…u4ic Brewing
August 11, 2017
We pulled off Highway 169 and descended into the Minnesota River Valley. I’m always surprised that the landscape changes so dramatically from the pastoral scenery of the surrounding area. Our windows were down to enjoy the warm summer air and after a small bend in the road our destination emerged from the forest. u4ic Brewing was now in sight.
Continue Reading…Pryes Brewing Company
August 6, 2017
New taprooms continue to open every month, and the summer is high season. When my brother-in-law mentioned he wanted to visit a taproom that “nobody had been to yet” I knew there were several to choose from. I told him that Pryes Brewing Company had just opened their new riverside taproom. A day later we were working up a thirst and cruising along the river road.
Continue Reading…LynLake Brewery
August 5, 2017
Summer was well under way when our friends contacted us about their desire to visit a brewery in the metro area. They’d made it through the first few months of raising a newborn and finally felt like they earned a night off. Before we knew it we were halfway through our yum yum rice bowls from World Street Kitchen discussing our next stop: LynLake Brewery.
Continue Reading…Tanzenwald Brewing Company
August 1, 2017
We’ve got a handful of friends located in the south metro area and beyond. We’re always looking for places that may be more convenient for them to avoid requiring them to drive to the cities every time we want to visit a new taproom. When we heard that Northfield would soon be home to two breweries, we planned accordingly. The first to arrive was Tanzenwald Brewing Company.
Continue Reading…Golden Road Brewing
July 30, 2017
My coworker and I had gotten this far so we couldn’t turn back now. Navigating through the maze that is Los Angeles had brought us to an industrial area of the Atwater Village neighborhood, but finding our destination was proving a little difficult. We finally spotted a warehouse with a warm yellow glow and once we parked we breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Pub at Golden Road was now our reality.
Continue Reading…Frothy Beard Brewing Company
July 25, 2017
I awoke on our last full day in Charleston to a quiet condo with six people asleep. After stumbling out of bed, I made my way to the balcony overlooking the ocean. The early morning sunlight warmed my face and a moment of sadness crept in as I thought about the cold that awaited us back home. I’d sent some feelers out for any breweries that would be open on Easter Sunday just in case we were looking for something to fill time. A response in my inbox let me know that Frothy Beard Brewing Company would be happy to provide a place to eat and drink.
Frothy Beard is located northwest of downtown Charleston in a neighborhood called West Ashley. There was a bit of a struggle locating the building, but when we were greeted by a large mural adoring the name and logo of the brewery we were fairly certain we were in the right spot. With the midday sun beating down on us we took our obligatory photos and entered Charleston’s largest taproom.
Continue Reading…