It’s all about layers,” Erik Eastman tells me. “It should taste complex without being complicated.” Director of sales for Minnesota Ice and proprietor of Easy & Company, Eastman knows a thing or two about mixing a cocktail. But he’s received tons of great feedback lately—through social media and at a meeting of the Sunday Sober Supper … [ Read more]
Strong tea and sweet honey are the recipe for the perfect non-alcoholic cocktail
From Bean to Bag, Artisan coffee packaging can help tell a complex story in a flash
This article was made possible through the underwriting support of Peace Coffee. The Growler maintained full editorial control of the content. What’s in a name? Or for that matter: a color, a turn of phrase, or a font choice for a label? For small coffee brands, the image projected on a package of coffee is … [ Read more]
The Coffee Wizard of Sister Bay: Ryan Castelaz ushers in the ‘Fourth Wave’ at Discourse Coffee
If you want to experience the most gonzo, balls-to-the-wall, experimental coffeehouse in the Upper Midwest, you are obligated to leave the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area and go for a drive into Wisconsin, to the village of Sister Bay on the Door County peninsula. Buried behind the town’s Piggly Wiggly supermarket in a hive-like collection of … [ Read more]
¡Viva Malta! An introduction to the official drink of Caribbean summer
It’s difficult to describe the magic of malta. For me, a drink of malta can shift the mood of a day. For many, including my father, the taste of malta instantly teleports them to their childhood—to hot, equatorial days and a cold bottle of sweet and smooth relief from the heat. While there are many brands … [ Read more]
Better Camp Eats & Drinks: Best Camp Coffee
This article is a part of The Growler’s Outdoor Guide. Find more tips for outdoor adventure and dining here. While backcountry camping, a full-flavored, fresh cup of coffee is one of those small luxuries that can lift one’s spirits. But how do you produce the highest quality flavor while keeping the amount of equipment and … [ Read more]
Leaves of Change: Verdant Tea champions China’s unheralded family farms by going straight to the source
The future of tea is a new generation—one of thoughtful drinkers who have developed their palates by selecting pour-overs from lists describing coffee beans’ origins and consuming spirits in the same building in which they were distilled. Developing that same relationship between tea farmer and tea drinker is where Verdant Tea has staked its mission, … [ Read more]
The Mill: Misfit Coffee to bring its coffee trailer ethos to cozy brick-and-mortar spot
Minneapolis’ Urban Bean Coffee has sold its Lyndale location to Misfit Coffee, which is currently operating a coffee trailer regularly parked near Gold Medal Park, at a counter inside the Weisman Art Museum, and at various pop-ups around town. True to its coffee truck (or trailer, rather) roots, Misfit’s vision for the space is less … [ Read more]
Afternoon tea at Saint Paul Hotel is a Victorian-style happy hour
I committed a faux pas at afternoon tea. This is actually difficult to do, but I managed it by arriving late. My misstep was made clear not from the staff’s response, who seemed quite unruffled, but in arriving only three minutes past the hour to find the entirety of the floor already seated and sipping brimful cups of tea. One arrives to … [ Read more]
A taste of Minnesota’s coffee scene for National Coffee Day
Coffee in Minnesota has come a long way from your grandma’s percolator. Like craft beer and the slow food movement, Minnesotans are embracing coffee in all its forms. Lucky for us, we’ve got a bevy of new and seasoned purveyors to supply us with all the caffeinated beverages we can drink. Not to be outdone … [ Read more]
Blackeye Roasting Co. to open cafe in Minneapolis skyway
Blackeye Roasting Co., the Twin Cities-based company known for its cold brew coffee, announced today that it will open its first Minneapolis location this spring. The 18-seat cafe will be located in the skyway at the corner of 2nd Avenue South and South 4th Street (2nd Ave S., Suite 210) and will feature 10 tap lines … [ Read more]