This past fall, I was lucky enough to take a trip to the British Isles. In addition to an excessive amount of pubs and the impressive Guinness Storehouse, we also had the chance to go to a real working brewery. For a country that contains Roman ruins and buildings that have stood for hundreds of years, the York Brewery is relatively new. Founded in 1996, it ended a 40-year drought of beer brewed within the city walls of York. To demonstrate the history resident in the city, the building itself was built in the 16th century and was the birthplace of the inventor of the Hansom Cab!
Continue Reading…Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub
August 23, 2015
Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub is one of the closest breweries to our home. So one Tuesday evening when we weren’t interested in making ourselves dinner, we decided to head down and grab a bite to eat and a couple of beers.
Continue Reading…Badger Hill Brewing Company
August 20, 2015
A week ago my cousin and my wife’s close friend Megan and her husband Mitch inquired whether they’d be able to join the Tap Traveler on one of his adventures. After a quick calendar check we planned a trip to Badger Hill the next night. We’d heard good things about them, I’ve tried several of their beers, and it’s in a close location for both of us. So on a Thursday evening we headed to Shakopee to give their taproom a visit.
Continue Reading…Angry Minnow Brewery
August 18, 2015
In late 2008, my sister got married in Hayward, Wisconsin in the mouth of a concrete, steel, and fiberglass fish. It seemed only fitting to have their reception at the Angry Minnow Brewery. I wasn’t a beer lover at the time, so I didn’t try anything on tap. But this year on our annual trip to their cabin, I swore to make a return visit for a full sampling.
Continue Reading…Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery
August 9, 2015
I recently saw an article in The Growler magazine about a vineyard that had both a winery and brewery in one location. This particularly piqued my interest, because there are several people in my life that prefer wine to beer, and vice versa. So we made some calls, set a date, and headed over to Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery.
Continue Reading…Lift Bridge Brewing Company
August 8, 2015
A little less than a year ago myself and Samantha had our wedding outdoors at her childhood home. At the reception we were wise enough to include a keg of Farm Girl along with our other drinks for our guests. Needless to say, a lot of people left with a new favorite beer. So when Samantha and our friend Addie were planning to get together in Stillwater, we thought meeting up at Lift Bridge Brewing Company would be a great idea.
Continue Reading…Sociable Cider Werks
July 20, 2015
A couple of weeks ago we were trying to get together with two of our friends Andrew and Katie. Because Katie isn’t much of a beer drinker, we decided on heading to Sociable Cider Werks since they had both cider and beer on tap. After ensuring they had food available from their resident food truck The Curious Goat, we headed down for a nice evening of drinks and socializing.
Continue Reading…Town Hall Brewery
July 20, 2015
One evening Samantha and I were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat. After thinking through the list of our usual restaurants, I suggested we take a trip into Minneapolis to try out the Town Hall Brewery. We’re suckers for a good patio on a beautiful summer night. I figured the craft beer on tap wouldn’t hurt either. We had never been there so we didn’t know quite what to expect.
Continue Reading…Brau Brothers Brewing Company
July 20, 2015
In early May of this year, Samantha and I went to visit a pharmacy friend of hers in Marshall. We figured as long as we were heading out there, we couldn’t pass up the chance to visit Brau Brothers Brewing Company. This brewery was formed in 2006 and has found a home in an old Runnings Farm and Fleet supply store. That means plenty of room for the brewery, as well as a taproom serving beer, soda, and food. The taproom itself contains a bright red firetruck that pays homage to their original location in Lucan as well as the namesake of Old No. 56, an American Style Light Lager. Separating the brewery from the taproom is a large wall of glass, where you can look out on the fermenters and beautiful copper finishing tanks.
Continue Reading…