A few centuries ago, a fisherman heading out to sea needed a pouch for his ale. He chose a swim bladder—an organ used by fish to control buoyancy—pulled from a bucket of leftovers from his previous day’s catch. Filling the pouch with murky beer, he made for the marina. A few days later, while pouring … [ Read more]
Microscopic Michigan: Dr. Emily Geiger is taming wild yeast on the shores of Superior
May 29, 2018 by
Walk along the shoreline of Lake Superior outside of the Upper Peninsula town of Hancock, Michigan, and you might stumble across a half-filled mason jar covered in a cloth. Don’t disturb it. It’s not a forgotten glass of beer from a picnic or beach party, but one of Dr. Emily Geiger’s carefully laid traps. Call … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Invictus Brewing Company in Blaine
May 15, 2018 by
Name a Twin Cities sporting venue, and there’s bound to be a taproom within a few blocks. Taprooms are places for fans, regardless of team affiliation, to come together as a community. Despite most major sports facilities sporting at least one nearby taproom, the most highly trafficked venue in Minnesota—Blaine’s National Sports Complex (NSC)—doesn’t even … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Spiral Brewery in Hastings
April 17, 2018 by
“As much as we love craft beer, the beer culture, and brewing, we love our community and wanted to do something that will bring it to where we know it should and can be,” says Nick Fox, co-president of the forthcoming Spiral Brewery in Hastings, set to open April 20. Flashback to 2013, and the … [ Read more]
To Haze, Or Not to Haze?
April 13, 2018 by
New England IPAs are divisive. Some argue the style converts the hop-averse into enthusiastic proponents of hop flavor and aroma. Others point out their trademark haze can cause short shelf life, disguise bad brewing practices, and lead eager but uninformed consumers to value haze over quality. But at this point it’s hard to make the argument … [ Read more]
Brewing Terroir: Unearthing the distinct regional flavor of hops
February 26, 2018 by
Name a hop, and craft beer drinkers will tell you exactly how it tastes. The resinous pine of Cascade. The juicy citrus of El Dorado. The earthy spice of Saaz. One way craft beer fans have learned about hop flavors is through SMaSH recipes, so called because they’re brewed with a “Single Malt and Single … [ Read more]
