Ursa Minor Brewing announced the temporary closure of its patio and taproom following a fire that destroyed an outdoor storage area. The fire broke out around 1:30am on July 26—the cause of the fire is currently unknown. The fire consumed the wood-framed storage area on the exterior of the brick building, and destroyed a forklift, … [ Read more]
Dubh Linn Brew Pub helps Duluth, Minn. stake its claim as Comedy Capital of The North
March 6, 2020 by
By now you may have heard that the Twin Cities comedy scene is a pretty big deal these days. But north of Minneapolis, Dubh Linn Brew Pub has been the epicenter of comedy in Duluth for nearly 10 years. Brothers Mike and Seth Maxim were born and raised in Duluth and opened the pub over … [ Read more]
Duluth Whiskey Project launches line of flavored whiskeys, searches for its own distillery location
February 27, 2019 by
Anew spirits company called Duluth Whiskey Project released a trio of flavored whiskeys into the market in January. But while the products are new, the man behind it, founder and owner Kevin Evans, is anything but: Evans is a familiar face at Vikre Distillery, where he has helped with spirits production since Joel and Emily … [ Read more]
New book on Duluth and Superior’s brewing history sets the record straight
September 25, 2018 by
There are lots of stories that people want to believe about history,” says Tony Dierckins, publisher at Zenith City Press in Duluth, Minnesota. “Like the People’s Brewery ‘creation myth,’ for example. It was supposedly started as this socialist movement of tied house saloon-keepers that revolted against the corporate breweries, and all this other stuff, but it turns out that … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Ursa Minor Brewing in Duluth
September 25, 2018 by
Mark and Ben Hugus brewed their first batch of Big Bad John Double IPA five years ago, the day after their father’s funeral. “The first batch was brewed with the whole family,” Ben says. “Mark, myself, uncles, aunts, our sister—everyone was there and had a hand in it.” What they knew then held true as … [ Read more]
Cider in the North: Two cideries add new flavor to Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District
August 2, 2018 by
Two more cideries will soon be added to Minnesota’s roster, and both will be located in a city that as of yet is without a cidery to call its own: Duluth. Not only will Duluth Cider and Wild State Cider both be in Duluth, but they’ll be located some 500 feet from each other on West Superior … [ Read more]
Two Twin Ports brewery staples are getting a refresh
July 27, 2018 by
Two of the Twin Ports’ oldest breweries and brewpubs are getting a refresh with new faces in the brewhouse, new packaging, and a rebrand. After months of being without a brewer, Thirsty Pagan Brewing’s owner Steve Knauss tapped Kathleen Culhane, the founder and brewer at the now-defunct Sídhe Brewing in St. Paul, to fill the … [ Read more]
Taste of the Twin Ports: A six-stop restaurant blitz through Duluth and Superior
June 22, 2018 by
Here’s our Twin Ports tour by the numbers: six restaurants, 14 hours, a five-year-old, and a baby riding shotgun. We had a blast checking in on the insanely active dining scene in Duluth and Superior, although we caution readers that this schedule and/or this choice of traveling companions may create a noticeable strain on your … [ Read more]
Superior Sounds: Great summer concerts along the shores of the greatest Great Lake
June 8, 2018 by
Summer in the Upper Midwest—so much to do, so little time! Like any other Minnesotan, I enjoy hopping a plane to somewhere warmer for a week or so in the winter, but summer is the perfect time to enjoy local offerings out on the open road. Some vacation for leisure; others for adventure. I always … [ Read more]
Smoke and No Mirrors: The effort and integrity behind Northern Waters Smokehaus
May 30, 2018 by
I spent a couple decades in real estate, where I saw every kind of sales pitch, from the clumsiest—delivered by a transparently thirsty postgraduate sweating through the armpits of his big-boy sport coat—to the most sophisticatedly smooth. One thing I learned is that we are all selling something almost all of the time, even if it’s … [ Read more]
The Mill: Ursa Minor Brewing to open in Duluth’s Lincoln Park ‘craft district’
March 13, 2018 by
Duluth will be getting a new brewery this summer in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Ursa Minor Brewing just began the build-out of their taproom and five-barrel brewery at 2415 West Superior Street, and stated that they “hope we will be ready to start sending pints across the bar by mid-summer.” The trio behind the effort, … [ Read more]
New owners take the helm at Lake Superior Brewing
October 12, 2017 by
Duluth’s oldest craft brewery, Lake Superior Brewing, officially has new owners. Lars Kuehnow and Lisa Blade are taking over Lake Superior Brewing (LSB), as former owners Don and Jo Hoag, John Judd III, Karen Olesen, and Dale Kleinschmidt step aside from owning the brewing business. “We look forward to watching the next phase for LSB,” says … [ Read more]
Extreme Duluth: 4 rides perfect for mountain bikers of all levels
September 15, 2017 by
Duluth is a bike city. Yes, it has the big lake, and a number of monikers that come along with it. But in recent years the City on a Hill has utilized its topography to become a major biking destination—that is, for those who enjoy riding them down and around hills. Thanks to aggressive trail … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Hoops Brewing
June 22, 2017 by
It’s been over one-and-a-half years in the works, and is the culmination of a highly-successful career in the craft beer industry, but master brewer Dave Hoops is set to open the eponymous Hoops Brewing brewery and beer hall, in Duluth’s Canal Park, in late June. It’s the first foray into brewery ownership for Hoops, a six-time Great … [ Read more]
Documenting Duluth’s craft beer history
January 3, 2017 by Leave a Comment
It’s no secret that Duluth and the Northland have a long and rich history regarding craft beer. And come this March, you can travel back in beer-making time, as a documentary on the topic will debut. The Duluth News Tribune reports that Karen Sunderman, producer of The PlayList at Duluth’s PBS station, is behind the … [ Read more]
