Valentine's Day Lovin' - Get a Taproom!

Once again February has come around, and with it Valentine’s Day. And unfortunately, for some, this can cause a bit of distress. What should we do, where should we go to celebrate? Should we celebrate? What if I buy someone a gift and they don’t like it? What if my gift is totally inappropriate for what we have going on? Oh God, what do we have going on? Do we classify it, quantify it, or just have a little fun? Should I have gotten reservations? I can’t make reservations because everyone booked a table last year! How was I supposed to know I’d meet someone and actually have a dinner companion? I can’t predict that! I’m used to eating alone damn it! And what would we do after dinner? Oh God, if there’s an after. I’ve probably already blown it and won’t even be able to get a date for coffee! Slow down lover pants, and let me help you out for 2015. I did a little bit of research again this year and I’ve got a few suggestions for a great day or night out for you and a special friend (or friends, I don’t judge). It doesn’t involve reservations, messy foods, or rude overworked waiters. Take it easy, take some notes, and let me show you how you can impress your love with some local chocolates and a trip out to some great twin cities tap rooms.

If beer pairings aren’t new to you, you already know how well chocolates and beers can go together. If you are new to beer pairings, you probably think I’ve lost it. Yes, everyone knows that you can make a chocolate stout cake, and that’s great. But chocolate, like beer, comes in such great variety that you really should take a chance and explore pairing your sweets with your beers, especially chocolate. Play around with the flavors and in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, do some experimenting. Surprise yourselves a little and step outside your box. The worst that can happen is you find something you won’t want to try again. The best thing that could happen? You’ll enjoy something new with your partner. Besides, experimenting is fun, isn’t it?

If you’re looking for a taproom with a little more of a romantic feel, I suggest hitting up Steel Toe Brewing. You’ll find that their tap room can be pretty romantic! Its lighting is on the low side, perfect for setting a close and personal mood. I like to sit at the bar on the back wall, and with my back to the rest of the room, create my own privacy to enjoy my company.  On your way stop off at The Drooling Moose and grab some of their Malted Milk Boulders. The Drooling Moose makes their version of malted milk balls in super-sized form. These are huge, roughly the size of a quarter, and covered in ¼ inch of sweet milk chocolate. Order yourselves a couple pints of Steel Toe’s Dissent and enjoy how the malty sweetness of the beer melts the malted center of the chocolates in your mouth. The milk chocolate in turn enhances the smooth, creamy mouth feel you’ll get from the beer. If there’s a downside to these chocolates it’s only that they’ll ruin whoppers for you forever. If you really enjoy yourselves, make sure to grab some growlers to go, and continue your party in an even more intimate setting.

I next headed over to Big Wood Brewery for a glass of the tried and true Morning Wood Coffee Stout. This stout has an incredible kick of coffee flavor with sweet chocolaty notes. My pick for a great compliment chocolate is one of my favorites, milk chocolate toffee. I stopped off in Arden Hills at a place new to me, Sweet Chocolat. You will absolutely love how their toffee breaks apart into crunchy, buttery chunks in your mouth. It pairs perfectly with the Morning Wood, the other enhancing the best parts of its companion. Isn’t that what is perfect about so many great relationships throughout time? We should all be so lucky to fine someone who bring out the best in us, yet still showcases just how awesome they are in their own right. The tap room at Big Wood works great for new and more established couples as well. There’s plenty of intimate seating off the sides of the room if you’re looking to spend some quieter time together. Not sure if you can handle that level of closeness? Enjoy your treats at the larger tables in the middle of the room, or at the centralized bar area. And if toffee isn’t your bag, check out the incredible selection of molded chocolate shapes Sweet Chocolat has to offer. Their Valentine’s Day selection blew me away, with everything from traditional hearts to anatomically correct hearts. One of my favorite offerings was the anatomical lungs packaged with the following – ‘You take my breath away’. How can you not love that sense of loving humor? Or for the more adventurous, try the chocolate hand cuffs on for size. See how much fun you can have with your Morning Wood and chocolate this Valentine’s Day.

But what if you’re feeling really adventurous? Then I suggest you and your date go get ‘funked up’ at Bent Brewstillery. Bent is quickly making a name for themselves with their funked up series of sour beers, each a little different, each an incredible way to try a new beer profile that you might not be familiar with. I myself love sour beers and I’m always curious to see what Bent has been up to with this series. Right now they have their Belgian Berlin Ur-Bock on tap and I highly recommend it. This is a beer reminiscent of a Berliner Weisse so if you like a slightly more wine like beer, give it a try. You might think that finding a chocolate pairing for this would be hard, but if you’ve had this style beer before you’ll know that it pairs quite well with fruity flavors. I actually found a great one for you to try at the nearby Roseville Mall in the Godiva store. Pick yourselves up a tin (or bag) of their Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles and prepare to have your mind blown away. The strawberry will help to pull the fruitiness out of the beer while the cheesecake layer tempers it with a slightly creaminess to counteract the sour in just the slightest way. Yes darling, opposites can and do attract and will make for some of the best experiences of your life. You’ll have a blast in their gorgeous tap room with plenty of seating to hide away in a corner. Or make sure to head over on a night when they have a local band playing and do some dancing! Their knowledgeable and friendly beertenders will make sure you have everything you need so you can concentrate on making sure your date has everything they need. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Also, they will be releasing a new beer on Valentine's Day at the taproom. Uber Lupin Shwarz IPA. You could experience something brand new with your date!

So when you’re making plans for Valentine’s Day remember to think outside the standard chocolate boxes and wine that every store is offering. Hit up your local tap rooms and chocolate shops for some new and fun ideas to show your date. Experiment a little bit and try some new things this year. Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be stressful, especially when you have so many great options to choose from! Your date with love it, and if you’re lucky and buy enough chocolate they’ll probably love you before the night is over. Send them home with their own growler, you just might get a proposal out of the deal.


www.steeltoebrewing.com
www.droolinmoose.com
www.bigwoodbrewery.com
www.mysweetchocolat.com
www.bentbrewstillery.com
www.godiva.com

A Night Out at Urban Growler

Last week I finally had some free time to check out someplace on my brewery list, someplace I’ve been eagerly waiting to have a beer at. A free night from chores and work, out at the newest brewery in St. Paul? Add in the historical aspect of this being the first women owned and brewed microbrewery in Minnesota and my interest is peaked.  After work I headed right over to Urban Growler without delay to get a look at this highly talked about brewery for myself.

First impressions are one of the most important pieces of any first meeting, even when that meeting is between you and a new brewery. I like a taproom where I feel comfortable, where I can sit and have beer with a friend or on my own while working. I want to be treated like I’m welcome and walking into Urban Growler felt like I was being welcomed into a friends home. Not only was Urban Growler clean and comfortably lit, but its exposed brick walls and local photography gave the taproom a cozy feel. I found a seat and settled in when something caught my eye. On a chalkboard, near the center of the room, boasted a message. ‘Kill the keg’ it begged of me. If I could kill the keg of Rhubarb Wit I could be the proud winner of a pint glass.  I knew then what my first beer would be.

It was only moments before my server came by to take my order and I almost fell off my chair when he handed me a food menu. Dear Gods of beer, thank you for the tap rooms with food. As someone who regularly suffers from the dreaded drunken munchies (there was that time the hubby had to step in and abort my after festival Dominoes order before it reached the triple digits), I am grateful for even a frozen pizza. But a full, fresh, hot menu of options? For not the first time in my life I regretted that snack before leaving work. Believe me though when I tell you, that I caught myself staring at my fellow patrons, perhaps somewhat creepily, as they devoured delicious looking food. Next time food menu, I will come for you.

But I did have the beer (poor review this would be if I didn’t). I did start with the Rhubarb Wit and if they have any left (spoiler alert: I did not kill the keg. I tried.) you should make it a priority to try before we are fully in the grasp of fall. Summery and fresh, the rhubarb was not overpowering, more of a sweet tangy after taste. I was pleasantly surprised to taste that the coriander in the beer wasn’t overdone, but just right. I don’t mind spices in my beer but often times I find that they are overpowering to the other flavors and my palate. The balance in this was perfect. I had two.

Rhubarb Wit (left) and Blueberry Wheat (right)

Next up was the Blueberry Wheat, the menu boasting that this was the second in their Plow to Pint™ series. Plow to Pint™…my farm girl roots were intrigued. What Urban Growler is doing is partnering with local farms for some of their ingredients, literally from the farm plow to the pint in your hand. As I continued reading I found that the Rhubarb Wit was the first beer in this series. I love the fact that the brewery is sourcing local ingredients and supporting their farm community. The concept isn’t new to the restaurant world but this is the first time I’ve noticed a brewery taking up the model. Genius. And it shows in the beer. The Blueberry Wheat, also fresh and fruity, yet not overly sweet. I find most wheat beers to be very drinkable and this beer was right on in that aspect.  Hopefully this one stays around a little into the fall so I can give it a second go around.

For my next beer (don’t worry, I wasn’t driving) I went for the Cowbell Cream Ale. For my ‘quantity’ drinking I like a good cream ale and this is a good cream ale. Trust me, you’ll like it if you’re a fan of cream ales. Light and fresh, it’ll quench your thirst a couple times over without knocking you on your butt. I wish I’d gotten a growler.

I probably should have left after that one, but since I wasn’t driving, I decided to have one more…a little one though! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, at Urban Growler you can get a half pint! I love it! Sometimes, I want a little less beer. Usually because in the long run I’d like to drink a little more beer, but different beers. There’s nothing worse than staring at a lovely beer menu, knowing that with that slightly full feeling, you’ll have to cut your sampling short.  But the half pint gave me room to explore! Which I did with the Amber Skyline, a gorgeous amber ale. This was perhaps my favorite of the night, which surprised me. While I like ambers, they aren’t usually my first selection. I will be going back for this one though. It was a smooth, caramel beer with that wonderful sweet maltiness to it. This one will have its place in my fall beer rotation.

With work coming early in the morning I had to bring the night to a close. I thanked my servers, who were beyond friendly and fun. On the way out I checked out the beer garden and was a little sad that it had been too blustery out, and I too summerly dressed, to have enjoyed a beer outdoors. It was beautiful though and as soon as the weather permits, I plan going back to enjoy it with my pup. It’s always a plus to sit enjoy a great beer with your best friend. Even if next time I’ll have to drive because, well, he’s a dog. There will be a next time though, and a time after that. So check out Urban Growler if you haven’t already. I for one can’t wait to see what they have in store for St. Paul.

http://www.urbangrowlerbrewing.com/

Rise of the Beer Baron Pt 3.: Return of Craft Beer!

So when I last left off my friend Collin was turning 22 and my crew of friends were just starting to dip our toes into the alcohol scene.  Collin had a brother who lived out in California (one of the great starting points of the craft beer movement) and for his birthday signed him up for a beer-of-the-month club, and this was my first introduction to what would later become my obsession with craft beer.  I don't exactly remember every beer that was in there but I remember there being some Dog Fish Head and a beer called "Hempen' Ale" made out of hemp seeds.  For us the latter was more about the novelty of drinking weed:

 

I know that I didn't like most of the beers I drank, and when I think back on it it was probably because they challenged my perception of what beer was, namely it wasn't the beer my Grandpa drank.  To this day I regret not being more into beer, and not seeing past light American Lagers.  I held in my hand what was arguably one of the most prolific beers in Craft Beer History (referring to Dog Fish Head), and I didn't quite appreciate it as much as I would have today.  But life must go on, and so it did and I continued in my near ignorance of beer and started dabbling in 7 and 7 and other fruit based shots.

And that was how life was for my early to mid 20s. Now during my high school days I was your classic D&D/Boy Scout/Star Trek nerd.  Too this day a lot of those tendencies have not left my spectrum of interests. The only problem was in my workplace, a small ma&pa grocery store called D&K Foods, there were no other nerds to geek out with.  So I started taking in interest in their passions.  One meat cutter, named Paul, introduced me to professional football, and in specific his team:  The Green Bay Packers. 

Now I don't want to start a border war here, because this is about great local craft beer no matter where you are from.  I don't have any issues with the Vikings, they just aren't my team.  I love a good rivalry, but I think fans on both sides of the fence take it WAY too far.  So let me enjoy my team.

I started hanging out with a group of Packer fans, and we regularly went out to watch games on Sunday.  Now as a Packer fan, I couldn't just sit their and drink "fruity drinks" without being poked fun at by my fellow Cheeseheads.  So I started drinking Leinenkugels's Honey Weiss, and yes I took it with a wedge of lemon when offered.  Now I was officially a beer drinker!  So how did I become a "craft beer" drinker.  Well that took some cheese, and a doctor....

To Be Continued...