Crafting a love of local beer

pioneer press ^ | 3-27-10 | Andy Rathbun and Elizabeth Mohr

[WOBBLY BOB]

Twin Cities breweries are being flooded with demand for locally made beers — but they're certainly not complaining.

[WOBBLY BOB]

from the article: Prior to prohibition, 250 breweries were founded in the state.

Nearly 25 breweries resumed or started production when beer was legalized again, but not everyone made it. From 1975 to 1985, there were just four breweries in Minnesota, Hoverson wrote.

Today, there are fewer than two dozen breweries and little more than a dozen brewpubs in Minnesota. But the names and brands of Minnesota beers that persevered are still well-known, like Grain Belt, Hamm's, Stroh's and Pig's Eye, many now being made by other breweries.

The August Schell Brewing Co. in New Ulm is the longest-standing, and is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

Summit has been around for more than 20 years and is known among local brewers as a trailblazer in the revitalization of craft beer.

[scoobysnak71]

Minnesota breweries can NOT brew a decent beer, period. All those beers you list pretty much suck, with the exception of Summit. Summit IS worth trying if you enjoy beer.

And while we are on the subject of beverages, a word or warning about Minnesota wine.

You won't like it.

[WOBBLY BOB]

I like Summit Grand Pilsner and several of the Schell brews.

[Jacquerie]

Excellent post! Prohibition was repealed over 70 years ago and America only recently started to return to its local brewery traditions.

[Buck-I-Guy]

I love this revolution in the beer industry. People seem to be moving away from the flavorless national brands toward beer brewed the old fashioned way. It takes expenive barley to make real beer, not rice.

[scoobysnak71]

>”I like Summit Grand Pilsner”

Their Northern Porter is OUTSTANDING. For a dark, hearty winter beer, it leaves no bitter aftertaste and goes down with hints of chocolate and coffee with a creamy finish.

[WOBBLY BOB]

I once wrote a college history paper on MN’s brew history...pretty cool that the cave bluffs on the Mississippi were once cooling and storage for major breweries at the turn of the 20th century in St.Paul/MPLS.

[Mich Patriot]

If you are a fan of wimpy, commercial beers like Bud, you will not like craft (real) beer. Michigan has over 70 microbreweries, so I am in beer Nirvana. This is the way beer was intended...the commercial breweries toned beer way down over the past century in order to get more people to drink it. Tasteless commercial beers are for cutting the grass. Microbrews are an acquired taste because we were brainwashed for over a century to drink yellow beer.

To each his own of course, but I love real, fresh brews.

[Mich Patriot]

Exactly right, Buck-I.

[Joe Boucher]

Jacquerie,
The Wife and I travel quite a bit and make it a point to search out local brew pubs.
Did you know here in florida the big three miller bud and bush have locked out small breweries?
They got to the Fla congress and made laws for size of bottles and cans allowed and lobied so you can’t take and open bottle like a growler?
Sort of like did what they could to stack the deck.
also, try to buy brewpub beer on line.

[Joe Boucher]

WOBBLY BOB,
Go to (The Beer Mapping Project)
Best map source of where to find brewpubs across the U.S.A.

[Joe Boucher]

Mich Patriot,
Wife and I travel quite a lot and wherever we go we try to seek out the closest brewpub.
I usually get a tester.
Some mighty fine brews and some real crap out there.
Also in various parts of the country where different fruits are they use those to make some interesting and oft times very good fruit beers.
I am partial to India Pale Ales. And wheat beers.

[Non-Sequitur]

Kansas City's hometown brewer is Boulevard. They distribute to a number of surrounding states and all their brews are well worth trying. My particular favorites are the unfiltered wheat on tap, the pilsner, their golden bock on tap, and their pale ale on tap.

Boulevard Brewing

[scoobysnak71]

>”To each his own of course, but I love real, fresh brews.”

Oh ya, me too. Thats why I find the brews around here (Mn) (mostly) aren’t even worth the effort to pour them out. No flavor or(I guess what you would call) too many “sacrifices” in order to appeal to the most number of people.

As with a good cigar and a good wine, I’m afraid I can be VERY snobbish, but when I find a good drink, you can trust me, it’s pretty good.

Would LOVE to taste some of your local brews if I ever make it over there.

[Jacquerie]

Thanks for the info. No, I was not aware of the effective brewpub ban. I’ll bring this up with my state rep Jimmy Petronis.

[Mich Patriot]

IPA’s of course, but funny thing is I enjoy all the styles now assuming they’re done well. Hard to believe the lawmakers here in Mich haven’t ruined it (yet).

[Jacquerie]

Speaking of Beer Tourism, my spouse and I went on a group wine tour (kinda pressured by family sort of thing) to Napa Valley in the mid 80s. Little did we know at the time that Napa was beer Nirvana.

While the others ooohed and aaahed over the wineries, we filled our car trunk with terrific mirco-brewed lagers, ales and stouts.

[Mich Patriot]

Founders Brewery in Grand Rapids (on the west side in case you get that far) is OUTSTANDING. Everything they make is top shelf, but there are a LOT of good breweries here.

[Mich Patriot]

Trunk full of brews = awesome. Suckin’ on a “Devil’s Peak IPA” from Copper Canyon in Southfield, MI right now. :)

[Jacquerie]

My first beer of choice was Strohs, way back when it was a local MI, OH brew.