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

Brews and Reviews: Tin Whiskers Brewing Company

Since becoming an avid craft beer drinker in 2005, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for a brewery with a unique concept and brand.  I am drawn to creative names for beers and eye-catching tap handles.  There is something comforting and familiar about being able to pick a favorite beer brand out of a lineup of a myriad of taps at a bar.  From the names of their beer all the way to their robot logo and tap handles, Tin Whiskers is a recognizable brand that will only continue to grow, and it is in large part to the approachability of their beer.

The Tin Whiskers taproom is in the Rossmor Building downtown St. Paul.   The vibe of the taproom evoked memories of the taprooms in Colorado.   The abundance of windows and exposed brick provide a very industrial and clean feel which fits very well with their engineering-themed brewery.  The bright lights and long communal tables make this a natural space to gather and meet people.  They also have a nice long bar that you can belly up to and enjoy some nice conversation with other patrons, or the knowledgeable beertenders.  If you are hungry, the brewery shares the same building as Black Sheep Pizza, Sawatdee and Key’s Cafe.  If takeout or delivery is not your thing, then they encourage you to bring a picnic if you crave something to nosh while you imbibe.  The name, Tin Whisker, comes from an electrical engineering term for a soldering failure on a circuit board.  However, let me assure you, there are no failures when it comes to their portfolio of approachable beers on tap.  The lineup of beers at Tin Whiskers have several things going for them: approachability, depth,  and drinkability.  There is truly something here for everyone.  

If you are into hoppy beers, the Flipswitch IPA comes in at 6.2 ABV and 63 IBU and has plenty of hop presence.  Chinook, Citra, Warrior and Centennial hops are used in the boil and then the beer is dry-hopped with Citra and Warrior hops.  This beer is big on earthy, citrus and floral aromas and has a nice malty presence to make it a very drinkable and balanced American IPA.  The hop bitterness is not heavy-handed for this beer and I tend to prefer that when it comes to American IPAs.  

If you are into something refreshing, the Wheatstone Bridge American Style Wheat ale is something that is perfect for those Minnesota summer days.  What separates this from other wheat beers is the use of honey and chamomile which give it a very pleasant and complex flavor and aroma.  This beer is orange in color and is slightly cloudy.  The beer is light and effervescent and at 5.4 ABV and 20 IBU, it will appeal to a wide range of beer drinkers.  

If you are in the mood for a pilsner, the Parity Pilsner is a nice option.  This is a very balanced beer with a slight sweetness and just enough hop bite to give it a great flavor.  The slightly sulfuric yeast character, which I find incredibly pleasing in this style, is present and accounted for.  The beer drinks crisp and bright and is a nice addition. This beer is 5.8 ABV and 29 IBU, making it very drinkable and approachable.

Moving towards their malty selections we have the Ampere Amber.  I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of amber beers, so I was not expecting a whole lot from this offering.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of the overbearing malty sweetness that I have come to dislike in amber beers, the Ampere Amber has a distinctly roasted malt character which makes the beer crisp and gives it an edge.  This beer, like most of their others, is very drinkable 5.3 ABV and 48 IBU and perfect for fall.

The Boolean Brown is one of my favorites from Tin Whiskers.  It has a roasted malt aroma that is so rich and inviting.  The flavor has a very nice biscuity and melanoidin flavor which balances out the sweetness from the malt.  The mouth feel is a little dry and the roasted malt gives it a nice bite that makes you want to enjoy another pint of this delicious beer.  

As we are entering fall, nothing says warm me up like a nice and flavorful stout.  In my opinion, the Short Circuit Stout (5.3 ABV and 31 IBU) embodies everything right about this style.  It is robust and roasty.  It is velvety and slightly sweet from the chocolate and lactose.  This is what I will definitely come back and have several pints of because it hits on all cylinders from flavor to mouthfeel.  If that wasn't enough to get you to put the coordinates in your smartphone and head on down there; Short Circuit is also available on Nitro!  Yes, imagine all the velvety goodness I described and add in the cascading smoothness of my second favorite gas.  Well, I don’t need to tell you that you know what you are going to do when the weekend hits.  

You can also order a Short Bridge, which is a half and half pour of the Short Bridge Wheat and the Short Circuit Stout.  Believe it or not, the chocolate from the stout and the sweetness from the wheat beer play very well together.

As a St. Paul resident myself, I cannot say enough about how excited I am to see Tin Whiskers putting out the beer that they do.  Whether you are a beer connoisseur or are just dipping your toes in the craft beer pool for the first time, you will find something to enjoy at Tin Whiskers
The atmosphere of the taproom is a great place to eat, drink and be merry.  

Bent Brewsillery's Awesome New Digs

It’s finally here! Bent Brewstillery opened their new taproom Thursday, and the place is fabulous! I have been able to see the transformation from the beginning and was excited to see the finished product. So, Vicky and I went out on opening day for a couple beers to check out the new digs. Here are some of the things that make this taproom awesome.

(Cheers from Beerploma at Bent!)

First off, the taps. Bent hasn’t gone with taps on the wall or side of a cooler or even on the bar. At Bent the taps come from heaven... That’s right, they are suspended from the ceiling! How cool is that?!?! Inventive and unique, just like Bent’s beer!

(Curved bar and floating taps!) 

Another unique thing is the curved (or is it Bent.... he-he!) bar. This thing is pretty huge! It was made by owner Bartley’s son-in-law, and he did a damn fine job. The bar has plenty of places to sit as well as plenty of places to squeeze in to buy a beer quick without having to throw elbows.

The views of the actually brewery and distillery are pretty cool. From most seats in the house you can see the shiny tanks of the brewery. From the front of the bar you can see the big still right behind the beertenders. This really gives you an “awesome, I am in the middle of a brewery!” feel, which other than top notch fresh beer is kind of the draw to taprooms.

(Taps and the still in the background)

The bathrooms are beautiful! I might be biased a bit because my buddy Mark tiled them, but they are really nice with awesome fixtures. Maybe a seemingly small thing, but decent bathrooms are a pretty nice attribute to a taproom.

(Nice tile job, D-Boy!)

Seats are plentiful. That is a big deal to me. I have been to a lot of taprooms/tasting rooms where there are a few seats and then it’s pretty much standing room only (yep, looking at you Flat Earth! Great room, but get some chairs.). Bent has tons of tables of all different sizes, plenty of bar stools, and a really nice patio for the nice days. You can sit back, relax with friends, and have a cold one in comfort!

(Seating and a bit of the patio outside)

The best part of the taproom is the beers! They have a lot of taps, around 7 or 8 I think I remember counting, plus a cold pressed coffee on nitro! We had Acclivity (you can read about it here), a fruity summery version of Nordic Blonde called Lakeside Blonde, and an Australian Sparkling Ale called Rage On Wombat. All were great! I’ve come to realize that Bent Brewstillery just doesn’t make beers I don’t like.

(A few taps and the still)

Being unique is what, to me at least, sets Bent Brewstillery apart in their beers, and they definitely followed suit with the taproom. The place is customer focused with plenty of space, plenty of parking, plenty of seating, and plenty of top notch beer! Head over to Roseville and GET BENT!

(Soooooo good!)

www.bentbrewstillery.com

P.S. If you enjoy our blog, please take a minute to click on the link at the top of the page and nominate Beerploma for best MN Beer Blog.... And of course Moe Pug wants you to name him the best MN Beer Writer, he just has a hard time typing with no thumbs....

Beer Night in the 612

 

 

Wednesday seems like a pretty boring day. Too far removed from last weekend to fondly look back and relive the fun that was had and too far away from the up coming weekend to get excited about it. I found out last night though that Wednesday is the perfect night for some local beer fun!

 

 

I heard about 612Brew opening their new tap room, so after a long day at work I jumped in my car and headed to Northeast Minneapolis to check it out. The place is awesome! It was a mix of industrial, modern, and hipster. There is a huge beautiful mural painted on one wall and a good sized bar on another. Everything else was pretty much nice wood tables and brewery. They played some good tunes in the background instead of the usual elevator music b.s. some places force you to suffer through. It is a great place to have a beer with a great vibe to it.

 

 

There were four different beers on tap. Pints were 5 bucks and flights of the four were 11 bucks. I wanted to try them all, but since I had plans to go to another beer event after this one, I just went for a pint of 612’s Zero Hour. It was a hoppy black ale that was very tasty. One thing that I liked about it is how clean the mouth feel is on this beer. It seems like lots of times aggressively hopped beers have this thick lingering mouth coating feel. This one didn’t have that, but yet still had a good hoppy aftertaste that lingered for a while. I thought this was a pretty cool attribute to this beer that helped create a refreshing drinkability.

 

 

After finishing my pint of Zero Hour I headed over to the Nomad for Midweek Beer Geek. If you haven’t been, you should try to make it sometime. It is a weekly event put on by Andrew Schmitt, the MN Beer Activist, where one certain beer is spotlighted each week.

 

 

This week’s beer was Weyerbacher’s Insanity. It is their barley wine that they aged in oak bourbon casks. It was malty, boozy, and super cloudy with absolutely no clarity to it. After the bartender shook up the keg a little that did improve a bit. The cloudiness was attributed to the beer aging since 2011. Some settling has to be expected when a beer is sitting there for 2 years. All in all it was a good beer, but at 11.1% A.B.V. you should approach this beer with some caution.

 

 

No more middle of the week blahs. We live in a great area for great craft beer. You don’t have to break the bank or stay out too late on a work night to have fun. Just head out for a pint in a great setting or head to the Nomad to try something you have probably never had before.