James Norton is The Growler’s Food Editor. The views and opinions expressed in this essay are his own. My mask is in my left hand. My glass is in my right hand. As the first sip of junmai ginjo sake hits my mouth, I can feel my eyes watering in response. I live with my … [ Read more]
Dinner and the Plague: Even as the state okays dining out, patrons need to do the right thing
June 18, 2020 by
Opinion: Let Minnesota breweries sell taproom customers what they really want: 6-packs & 4-packs
March 2, 2020 by
Chris Kolve is co-founder of Wabasha Brewing Company in St. Paul. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. There has been a lot of talk about the “growler cap” in Minnesota recently and while it’s good for everyone to know about the regulations that affect them, I think it’s important to have … [ Read more]
Opinion: Why Craft Beer Is Dying
August 8, 2019 by
Simon Nielsen is the head brewer at Central Waters Brewing Company in Amherst, Wisconsin. He has worked in the craft beer industry for six years. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. As I write this, I am sitting at the counter of a coffee shop in my hometown of Appleton, … [ Read more]
Opinion: The IPA Paradox
March 13, 2019 by
Niko Tonks is a co-founder and head brewer at Fair State Brewing Cooperative based in Northeast Minneapolis. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. Craft beer is all about variety, choice, an antidote to the sameness of industrial pale lager. Right? That’s the story we’ve been telling ourselves since the first … [ Read more]
Why the Smell of Locker Rooms Trigger Panic Attacks in Musicians: An essay by Rob Morgan
October 31, 2018 by
I’m told your sense of smell is linked more closely with your memory than any other sense, and I’ve never wished that that wasn’t true more than I do right now. I’m sitting backstage in Yokohama, Japan, listening to the muted sounds of the opening band finish their set before we go on, and my … [ Read more]
Op-Ed: Earth’s Plastic Problem
April 16, 2018 by
Editor’s Note: Mario Serra is the director of sales and marketing for PakTech. This Op-Ed was written and submitted in direct response to an article published in our April issue—“Craft Beer’s Plastic Problem,” by Matt Privratsky. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. Plastics and plastic packaging are an integral and important … [ Read more]
Mindful Consumption: A Minimalist’s Guide to Buying Stuff
March 19, 2018 by
When I was 10 years old, I stumbled into my most prized possession. It was a wallet that belonged to my grandfather. I was young enough when he passed away that I had no memory of him, just some photos of me sitting on his lap, and now this wallet. After dutifully serving me for years … [ Read more]
These 4 Minnesota comedians will have you laughing in 2018
January 24, 2018 by
Last year, we shared our picks for five Minnesota comedians on the cusp of doing big things both locally and nationally. Not to give ourselves too much credit, but we sort of nailed it. From Chloe Radcliffe being selected to perform at Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco “Comics to Watch” showcase during the New York Comedy Festival, … [ Read more]
Two Visions for the Future of the Ford Site
July 27, 2017 by
The City of St. Paul is close to finalizing a development plan for the long-vacant, 135-acre site of the former Ford Assembly Plant in Highland Park. But not everyone is on board with the vision that the City has proposed. We asked a supporter and an opponent to make their argument for why they think … [ Read more]
Opinion: Outdoors enthusiasts must fight to save conservation funding
March 24, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Taylor Ridderbusch is the Great Lakes organizer for Trout Unlimited, which has 160,000 national members, including 36,000 in states bordering the Great Lakes. Ridderbusch is a lifelong resident of Wisconsin. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. As anglers, and as sportsmen and women, there is always a mood of excitement that … [ Read more]
Sunday sales in Minnesota? The arguments for and against
February 10, 2017 by Leave a Comment
The decades-old ban on Sunday liquor sales in Minnesota is back up for discussion at the State Capitol. Attempts in recent years to lift the ban have proven unsuccessful, though some restrictions have loosened, such as a 2015 provision allowing breweries to sell growlers on Sundays. There are competing interests on both sides of the … [ Read more]
Why I spent a weekend brewing with just women
January 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
I am familiar with mansplaining. I am a woman and haven’t spent thirty-something years living under a rock. But I have never experienced the phenomenon with such frequency until I started working in the craft brew industry. I’ve bought homes, spent a decade in academia, and a summer working landscaping gigs on construction sites, and … [ Read more]
Opinion: Craft beer is pricing itself into a bubble
December 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Editor’s Note: Jim Watkins is the co-owner of Sociable Cider Werks in Northeast Minneapolis. Unless otherwise noted, facts here reflect his own work and research. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. It seems my newsfeeds of late have been packed full of claims that Minnesota craft beer is a bubble … [ Read more]
Crap Beer: Slipping standards & lack of quality control threaten the industry
December 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Let’s just put it out there: There’s a lot of bad beer being made these days. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of good beer as well—even some great beer. The rapid expansion of small breweries has brought with it a new breed of innovative brewers cranking out finely tuned beers of all shapes … [ Read more]
Letter to the Editor – Home Distilling: A Public Safety and Health Concern
December 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The following letter to the editor was submitted by Michele Tuchner, the director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division, in response to our recent article about home distilling, Modern Moonshining. To the editor, Even though the recent article “Modern Moonshining” (The Growler, Issue 25, November 2015) mentions that homemade distillery operations … [ Read more]
