tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217750122011-11-27T18:39:09.729-06:00Beer, politics, and my lifeErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.comBlogger1781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-76747824464733756122010-01-20T23:20:00.001-06:002010-01-20T23:20:27.181-06:00

I've tweeted about it, but 140 characters doesn't quite allow one to do it justice. Ngon Bistro, on University and Avon in the heart of Frogtown, is a mere four blocks from my house, and I couldn't ask for a better restaurant/beer bar so close to home.They offer standard--well actually above standard--Vietnamese fare. Their pho soup and bun salads are top notch, and they also offer higher end

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-21073238411734354312010-01-18T21:33:00.005-06:002010-01-18T22:30:12.288-06:00

As I sit here drinking a John Barleycorn Barleywine from Mad River Brewing in California, you can rightly assume that I am back on beer (and tomatoes and peaches, although my drinking beer might not lead you to assume that).See, despite cutting the aforementioned libations from my diet, my symptoms didn't really improve drastically. So, we continue to hunt. The symptoms seem to have gotten better

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-10834875347797437992009-10-25T22:30:00.002-05:002009-10-25T23:02:51.330-05:00

It's been four weeks, and I've only had beer three times.Last June, I began noticing that sometimes I felt like I had a lump in my throat. A long time sufferer of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as well as being plagued with seasonal allergies since I was young, I figured it was related these conditions. When it didn't dissipate after several months, my doctor suggested I have an

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-28779896542964650362009-09-16T15:46:00.001-05:002009-09-16T15:48:03.752-05:00

I was going to wait 6 months for a new post, but just couldn't contain myself.So here is a place-holder for the next post....Coming soon.....

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-82034597150104329552009-04-10T21:57:00.004-05:002009-04-10T22:16:11.164-05:00

My good friend and co-worker Kat brought me back some great beers from her recent trip to Washington state, a requested barleywine from Alaskan Brewing Company, and a surprise bottle of Pliny the Elder from Russian River.I'd had Pliny once before, and found it simply incredible, one of the best double IPAs I had ever had. But this bottle, while nonetheless great, didn't seem to be the glass o'

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-88169716605354531602009-04-05T21:51:00.004-05:002009-04-05T22:00:05.312-05:00

I haven't brewed since September, probably the longest stretch in 5 years. To think a year ago, Tony and I were at it about 2 nights a week. I'm thinking of supplementing all grain brewing with a little extract here and there, just to keep the supply up. But until then, I'll be taking advantage of the legislative spring break and cooking up a Saison this week, which will be ready just in time

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-60564754351266200542009-02-07T23:42:00.004-06:002009-02-08T00:03:03.371-06:00

Winterfest this year moved from the Landmark Center to the History Center. I volunteered for a couple hours in exchange for entry into the fest, which also meant giving up an hour of the event. It was good though, as I was up early that day and had to be up early the next day. I still tried 24 beers, and only a couple were disappointing.Schell's HopfenmalzSchell's U BierBarley Johns WinterCold

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-87519170310852776602009-01-07T21:59:00.009-06:002009-01-07T22:39:27.245-06:00

What a end of the year it was...my sister and her family joined us for the holidays, filling our house with more kids, wonderful food, and lots of good beer. My bro-in-law Sean is nearly as big as a beer geek as me, and we spent some quality time bonding over those good beers. From Christmas night at the Muddy Pig sharing a Southern Tier Cuvee One oak aged strong ale to waiting in line at Surly

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-41243777394552619702008-12-12T22:44:00.004-06:002008-12-12T23:30:46.748-06:00

Whew! Session is in the air. In case ya hadn't heard, Minnesota is facing a monumental deficit, meaning the next five (or six or seven or eight) months are going to SUCK. I try to remain hopeful that all the talk of making early care and education a priority will actually be realized, but actions speak louder than words. Facts and research have little value in the face of economic

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-58075506823699590262008-11-28T22:15:00.004-06:002008-11-28T22:41:24.866-06:00

I made one of the tougher beer-related decisions this week, and traded my second bottle of Darkness from some choice picks, leaving me five bottles to drink over the next decade or so. The first bottle went to a former college classmate of mine, with whom I reconnected via Facebook and realized we both loved great beer. After about 3 months of talking about doing a trade for a hard-to-get bottle

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-47100418390666468832008-11-08T23:53:00.003-06:002008-11-09T00:03:54.697-06:00

This has been a much different election cycle for me. It was the first presidential election I didn't give at least the last month to a campaign, and I've never doorknocked less leading up to the final days of an election. Dylan started kindergarten this year, Adrian started out-of-home care for the first time and Flo is student teaching this fall, all making it hard to get out and phone or knock

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-62407619354477455932008-10-26T21:15:00.007-05:002008-10-26T21:45:51.969-05:00

What a week! Let's see, just a quick run down: Wednesday, I brewed with DT for the first time, whipping out a clone of Summit Winter, which is just hitting shelves here in MN. It was super-thick, and should be fermenting fine. On the way home from his place, I swung by the Muddy Pig for the Lagunitas kick off party. Still crowded and got a glass of the Gnarley Wine. Yummy.Friday I brewed a batch

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-27196537882616212132008-10-19T22:11:00.006-05:002008-10-19T23:07:08.282-05:00

Ah, autumn in Minnesota. Change is in the air, with particularly notable occasions this season. [Disclaimer--fall is easily my favorite season]. Yeah, I love the change in color, change in temperature, change of wardrobe, and this year, change in leadership, change in direction of the country, and change in my family. My sister had a little girl--Nora Lorraine--on Tuesday, adding another birthday

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-18458931980689857212008-09-28T21:11:00.004-05:002008-09-28T22:17:58.873-05:00

Here's my 2008 Autumn Beer Review recap. I'm still recovering from it, more from the bad decision to head to the Oktoberfest at the Gasthof after ABR. Ah well. As I'm looking over the program, I'm realizing how many beers I missed that I had intended to try, mostly from the state's brew pubs.Faves? Surly Two just keeps getting better with age. The Great Waters Rye was tasty, and the triple from

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-52146586285719785552008-09-07T21:08:00.004-05:002008-09-07T21:55:30.181-05:00

This evening, I delved into my brewing roots, thanks to my dad picking up a beer from HanndBryggeriet in Norway that Alvey at Four Firkins recommended. Turns out, Norway has a rich brewing history, with each village, or farm, historically brewing their own beer using local ingrediants. The folks at HB have taken this one step further, like aging a porter in aquavit barrels, or tripples fermented

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-32959925534511983122008-09-07T20:49:00.003-05:002008-09-07T21:08:14.734-05:00

Lucky me, I got to go to an RNC party last week. AgNite, the blowout held at the Minneapolis Depotsponsored by the likes of Land O Lakes, Kemps, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Hormel, Cargill, General Mills (and of course my favorite enviromental steward Monsanto), was one of the more memorable political events I've attended. Food was not surprisingly awesome, but seeing Styx completely

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-43481739905232988412008-08-27T21:51:00.005-05:002008-08-27T22:38:15.604-05:00

I recently pontificated about Dogfish Head brewing and their 90 Minute IPA as being one of the best double IPAs. This is saying a lot, as the market is flooded with great IPAs. Last night I had two of those great IPAs--Pliny the Elder from Russian River, care of Don, and Moylan's Hopsicle, one of the last remaining bottles in the Twin Cities I'm sure. First, the Pliny. Whoa. Russian River is

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-77180604940371612162008-08-21T21:11:00.002-05:002008-08-21T21:25:08.836-05:00

One might not think of Florida as being a beer mecca--I surely didn't--until last night. A friend of mine, having missed my birthday outing, took me to the Muddy Pig for a beer, and was kind enough to agree to share a 750 ml bottle of Saison Athene from Saint Somewhere Brewing Company out of Trapon Springs, Fl.It was easily one of the best Saison's I've ever had. Fruity and spicy and crisp, yet

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-80576281593334033732008-08-18T20:54:00.003-05:002008-08-18T21:34:47.659-05:00

Whoa. One month. It is summer time, eh? I'm sitting here drinking one of the best double IPAs, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, hopped continually for 90 minutes during the boil. 9% abv. Yum. Of course, you have to drive to Wisconsin to get it, but it's worth it.(Every time I sit down at the computer to write a post about what I'm brewing or what I'm drinking or who I'm voting for, I get stuck over at

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-20041506127795240782008-07-18T22:04:00.004-05:002008-07-18T22:37:53.816-05:00

My home brew supply is dwindling--or at least I'm not drinking a bunch of my dark brews that will be better in October or November. The hefeweizen is gone, soaked up at a party. I have one bottle left of a couple different lagers, and one of the brown pale ale. So what do you do? Brew!Tony, my brew compadre, had time on his hands to whip out a couple batches, while I was saving the children at

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-50653047316661359632008-07-12T22:44:00.009-05:002008-07-13T00:22:33.598-05:00

What do you get when you cross an imperial stout with old whisky casks? Heaven, that's what.When my scotch-drinking friend Sandro rolled into town from Joyzee (say it out loud), we both thought it would be a good opportunity to marry the two, and we swung by my formerly estranged old employer-new favorite liquor store Thomas Liquors in St. Paul to pick up a few different bottles of imperial stout

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-66820131622559094842008-06-30T22:50:00.007-05:002008-06-30T23:25:22.698-05:00

Back when I first really got into beer, some 10 years ago, Two Brothers Brewing Co. was one of my favorite. Their Bitter End Pale Ale was top notch (so much so that I stole the name for a bitter I brewed for a friend), as was their Weiss. Unfortunately, their Minnesota distributor went out of business, and took with them the Bros, along with many other breweries: Lagunitas, Anderson Valley, Three

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-26024356281146662342008-06-26T13:44:00.004-05:002008-06-26T13:49:57.042-05:00

“to the extent they (presidential campaigns) have set about deliberately trying to add a state with a VP pick it has almost never worked.”That's what savvy political observers are telling us everywhere we turn as names like MN's Pawlenty, VA's Webb or IN's Bayh get thrown against the wall. AND IT'S WRONG. These pundits provide as proof, MA's Cabot-Lodge in 60, MN's Humphrey and NY's Miller in 64,

st paul sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15635941787900709678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-70359361395514320002008-06-24T21:35:00.005-05:002008-06-24T22:15:03.354-05:00

Ah geez, has it been a month since my last post? Well it's been a kinda slow month. I finished off a batch of hefeweizen--it was good, but not quite what I wanted. I welcomed the return of Surly CynicAle, a great take on a saison. And I'm planning my next batch of beer, an IPA I think. Oh, and I got in a round of disc golf at the Surly Open. Darren and I joined Mag and Kris and Scott and Kat for

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-67997847075398689142008-05-23T23:07:00.004-05:002008-05-29T22:10:54.828-05:00

What's the pleasant version of the the word "anxious?" Positively anticipating? Excitedly looking-forward-to? Whatever it is, that's how I felt about celebrating my 10 year wedding anniversary at Meritage, the new French restaurant occupying the site of A Rebours on St. Peter and 6th in downtown St. Paul.It took a few minutes longer for a our server to say hello and take our drink order (a free

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-9541754013426613212008-05-01T23:33:00.004-05:002008-05-02T00:02:54.128-05:00

As you may remember, in our brewing escapades, we brewed a mai bock with chinook hops, a hop usually found in American IPAs. A lovely hop for an IPA, but really, we learned that's where they should stay. Not made for mai bocks. At first we thought the beer might be infected, as it had a sort of a cooked brussel smell and tasted a little metallic. Not really what you want in a beer. We had kegged

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-68716781973329426692008-04-27T21:31:00.006-05:002008-04-27T22:13:28.030-05:00

With rising hop prices, brewers have been looking to find other non-traditional bittering and aroma agents, such as heather, lavender, rosemary and pine sprigs, or gruit. These and other similar herbs have been used in lieu of hops in Scandinavian countries and Scotland for centuries, and their beers have seen a resurgent in recent years, irregardless (that's a word, right?) of hop prices.So I

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-51444626331669749842008-04-23T21:30:00.004-05:002008-04-23T21:57:40.217-05:00

Think wine and cheese were made for each other? Syeah, right. Try BEER. My friend and neighbor Don hosted a beer and cheese pairing this past weekend, with each guest bringing a beer and cheese. There was a great array of cheeses and beers available. We brought Fourme D'ambert, a creamy blue, paired with Rogue's Shakespeare Stout, and Avec Les Bons Voeux from Dupont (that's the beer....) with

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-13746214142536886542008-04-07T21:21:00.002-05:002008-04-08T21:10:17.672-05:00

For the past couple months, my brew partner Tony and I have been talking about making the move to all-grain brewing, that is, no more pre-made malt extract. With extract brewing, you buy concentrated liquid malted barley, thick, gooey, sweet and expensive. 6 lbs is about $16, and it comes in a bunch of flavors, depending on the kind of beer you want to make: light, dark, pilsen, wheat, etc. I had

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-8432954969216670242008-03-31T22:58:00.004-05:002008-03-31T23:31:48.464-05:00

I suppose every Minnesota blog is complaining about the 6 inches of snow we got today, after it was in the 40s and sunny yesterday.Yup, it sucks.Yesterday, I built a plastic cover for a hot box in my garden so that I can get those seeds in early. Helped Tony build his hop trellis (well watched really), and busted out the kids' bikes.6 inches.Thank god for Beer.Our Maibock is phenominal. Better

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-35490281329893867052008-03-10T22:38:00.005-05:002008-03-10T23:16:28.545-05:00

Yah. The 2008 legislative session is crazy. CRAZY. Hence the lack of posts. I'm here to tell you that it's crazy. The governor and the legislature are facing off, continually one-upping the other. The legislature got a couple good jabs in with the veto override and the boot to transpo commish Molnau. "Oh yeah?" responded the governor. "Here's a serving of some program cuts AND a tax cut!"And

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-89216078825858119042008-02-13T23:14:00.006-06:002008-02-13T23:32:51.217-06:00

I think the photo says it all.We've been re-using the yeast cakes from our beers, meaning that after we transfer one beer out of the primary fermentor to the secondary fermentor, we put a new beer--or wort really--right into the "dirty" fermentor, on top of yeast that's collected at the bottom of the fermentor. Some brewers will clean and rince the yeast and put it into a clean carboy, but so far

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-76371720924698901722008-02-09T21:27:00.001-06:002008-02-17T11:55:14.431-06:00

Winterfest, the annual winter celebration of Minnesota beer, took place last night at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul. Sponsored by the MN Craft Brewers Guild, Winterfest is known for showcasing many of the more unique--and often higher alcohol--beers of local breweries and brew pubs. Don, Peter, Ryan and Dawn were great drinking partners, always willing to share their grabs, meaning

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-39697455980846313692008-02-03T22:58:00.000-06:002008-02-03T23:05:53.640-06:00

You'll notice that the format for "Current Musical Endeavors" to your right has changed. If you're thinking of buying any of these albums, please link to them via my site and I'll get a few pennies. I was linking to Amazon.com previously, so I thought I might as well use their program and make a few bucks.....Ah, capitalism.Ah, the Internet.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-9529025719354925702008-02-02T23:35:00.000-06:002008-02-02T23:43:04.087-06:00

Dylan and I made the trek to the Target Center today, along with 20,000 other Minnesotans, to listen to Barack Obama tell Minnesotans why he should be president. While Dylan enjoyed the train ride to the event, Golden Smog "opening" for Obama, the dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe after, I'm not convinced he was sold by the turnout, the speech or the enthusiastic crowd.I was.I was.Caucus for Obama on

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-32332575045939429912008-02-02T22:09:00.000-06:002008-02-02T23:34:58.726-06:00

Stouts have been on my mind a lot these past few weeks. Not just any stouts, but Russian Imperial Stouts. Imperial meaning big. Way big. Chocolate, toffee, roasted coffee, 10 percent big. They seem to have come to popularity in mid- to late-19th century, as the Empress of Russia was a huge fan of the style, importing stouts and porters for her and her crew. They can take extensive cellaring--25

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-91984339706313686672008-01-17T20:37:00.000-06:002008-01-17T20:53:59.281-06:00

If it's one Surly Brewing is known for, it's for pushing the envelope, trying new things with traditional recipes and challenging it's drinkers. So I was a little surprised when I read that Surly was introducing a new beer, Surly Mild.I brewed a mild ale a while ago. It wasn't horrible, but it lacked any real depth. It tasted like it was supposed to taste, I suppose, but in the end I guess I'm

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-82815565128496561282008-01-14T21:59:00.000-06:002008-01-14T22:12:50.213-06:00

It's been awhile since I posted something non-beer or non-political, so I figured my first acupuncture experience warranted a post. I learned today that the excruciating pain I've had in my neck, radiating down my arm, and keeping me up at night is a pinched nerve. After picking up my muscle relaxant and Tylenol 3, I took a friends recommendation and made an appointment for acupuncture. It was

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-85667261988842314252008-01-07T21:19:00.000-06:002008-01-07T21:53:25.661-06:00

I'm getting pretty close to supporting Barack Obama for president. See, I've been luke warm on the whole situation for a while now. I supported John Edwards 4 year ago, but it seems clear he's not really going anywhere. I think Hillary Clinton would make a damn good president, but her whole "I-voted-for-the-war-before-I- realized-that-wasn't-popular" thing feels like de ja vu. And Obama just

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-46002547192107932232008-01-06T14:53:00.000-06:002008-01-06T19:23:31.566-06:00

Wanna drink a Minnesota beer once a week and share your review about it? I do--hell, I'm drinking them and occassionaly posting my thoughts about it here anyway. So join up over at Brew52.com. Don't worry about not being a beer geek like me; you'll notice the reviews come from Miller Lite fans and less experimental drinkers, as well as self-professed brew snobs. Even if you're not up for it, it's

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-62041654353805161882008-01-02T23:00:00.000-06:002008-01-02T23:50:10.010-06:00

The holidays always brings out the top brews. My cellar has been expanding with barley wines and imperial stouts and specialty Belgian beers, bottles waiting to be opened. I had hoped this would be the year to delve into the depths of my basement corner, but it was not to be. At least, not as deep as I had hoped. A lack of turnout on New Year's Eve meant that the barrel-aged barley wine from

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-46364509243913057402007-12-19T22:55:00.000-06:002007-12-19T23:23:54.765-06:00

The Groveland Tap was the place to be tonight for beer geeks. As part of their "12 Nights of Christmas," which features a different drink special every night leading up the birthday of Christ, tonight they offered five firkins of different beers from Schell's (Pils), Summit (Winter dry hopped with Fuggles), Surly (Bender bourbon barrel aged), Bell's (Cream Stout) and Big Sky (Powder Hound). (A

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-38668816549956624872007-12-18T20:58:00.000-06:002007-12-18T21:09:42.673-06:00

I'm not one to go out my way for a limited release beer or anything (hahahahahaha), but I was especially intrigued by Town Hall Brewery's Festivus 2007, a Belgian Dark Ale aged on Belgian Dark Chocolate. It was rich and creamy and, yes, chocolately. I picked up a growler of it for an upcoming holiday gathering.I also had a cup of hot mulled ale, Town Hall's annual Christmas present to their loyal

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-82907126103497425602007-12-17T23:14:00.000-06:002007-12-17T23:40:52.918-06:00

If you've been keeping up with MnBeer.com lately, then you know that Surly Brewing put up for sale a limited number of 750 ml bottles of their imperial stout Darkness this past weekend. Simple enough, right? Wrong. The first people to show up at the brewery on Saturday morning were some crazies from Iowa, setting up camp around a fire pit at around 2am.Ok, truth-in-advertising here: I was crazy

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-66514836483667847052007-12-09T20:46:00.000-06:002007-12-09T21:51:18.062-06:00

While December is the perfect time to pour a dark, big beer--porters, stouts, barley wines, heavy browns--it's hardly the time to be brewing them, at least when the basement hovers around 50 degrees. I typically stray away from most lagers, which uses yeast that needs to ferment at lower temperatures. Dopplebocks can cause me to turn my head and tip my glass, but I would rather have an ale than

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-66024078024642012632007-11-25T20:57:00.000-06:002007-11-25T21:26:30.697-06:00

I was charged with (or took charge of) preparing our family's turkey this year, my first attempt at the task. You may find this shocking, but in searching for a recipe, I turned to one of my most reliable sources for everything beer, BeerAdvocate.com. Their turkey recipe was simple and still intriguing. While it called for injecting a Märzen or Octoberfest into the turkey, none could be found and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-62576521279481016632007-11-19T21:44:00.000-06:002007-11-19T22:17:13.311-06:00

I and some of the mnbeer.com crew met for drinks last week at Barley John's in New Brighton to discuss upcoming changes to the site, get to know one another better and, well, drink beer. I've been to John's a couple times in the past, so I knew they had good beer, but I never remembered how good. Their double IPA is something to be cherished, especially with the rising prices and shortage of hops

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-3137155864206193112007-11-12T20:47:00.000-06:002007-11-12T21:15:04.495-06:00

With the onset of late fall-early winter comes the many stouts and winter ales of the season. Perhaps the best is Surly Darkness. I had my first one of the season at the Autumn Beer Review, but needless to say it was well into the afternoon, so I must say I don't really remember anything about it except that it was good. So last Friday my wife agreed to dinner at Busters on 28th in South Mpls,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-42672153582273679652007-11-04T20:28:00.000-06:002007-11-04T20:52:50.547-06:00

It's a solid indicator that the Twin Cities craft brew scene is alive and well when a brew pub survive--and thrive--for 10 years. Me and a couple buddies helped Town Hall Brewery celebrate their 10-year anniversary last weekend. Each day of the week they released a different beer, and on the Friday we attended it was Eye of the Storm, a 10 year aged beer made with 10 different kinds of honey,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-37232258915478371072007-10-25T22:19:00.000-05:002007-10-25T22:24:53.192-05:00

Wanna have a good time and support a good cause? Then follow the link to see – and hear – about this amazing music, mingle and munch event being held at the Fine Line Café on November 3. The goal of the event, besides the great music and fun, is to raise AIDS Awareness. Clare Housing and the Minnesota AIDS Project are the beneficiaries – please show your support by joining us on November 3.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-67515964936576093372007-10-10T14:42:00.000-05:002007-10-10T23:53:52.761-05:00

Despite my consistent whining about some of the good beer that is unavailable in Minnesota, all it takes is a trip to a state that doesn't have it as good as we do to bring me back to reality. Last weekend, I was in Iowa for my college homecoming and took the opportunity to visit a local liquor store to check out their wares. I had called ahead, and so I knew that they would have some Gumbalhead

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-11309644222978877802007-10-03T20:46:00.000-05:002007-10-04T11:22:14.791-05:00

Alright. The 2007 Autumn Beer Review. It started out rainy and cold. But the prospects of drinking good beer--and lots of it--kept me and Ben warm as we waited in line. It was one 1pm when we got in, and our first stop was at the Pizza Luce booth for some nurishment before imbibing.The first couple beers I had were great--Summit ESB on cask and Town Hall's Mango Mama, their Masala Mama IPA with

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-2395287504165394432007-10-01T23:37:00.000-05:002007-10-01T23:56:19.117-05:00

Yes, I was at the Autumn Beer Review, yes it was awesome. But what is even more awesome is the marketing of Radiohead's new album. What do you think it's worth? I'd pay $10, maybe $15, ok $20 dollars for it. No? One dollar? Ok, you can have it.You decide what it's worth, and that's the price you pay.Or, you can buy the box set for about $80, which will include two vinyl albums, a CD version of

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-4991982774959456002007-09-23T22:44:00.000-05:002007-09-23T23:06:18.169-05:00

Next weekend is the 2007 Autumn Beer Review. This is the first "official" review-fest-tasting I've been to, and there'll be over 40 breweries and 100 beers. That being said, I'd pay the $25 ticket fee just to visit the historic Grain Belt Brewery where it's being held. Surly's line-up alone is another thing I'd spend the $25 on. If previewing the 2007 program doesn't do it for you, I don't know

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-36219690881905146942007-09-19T22:06:00.000-05:002007-09-19T23:17:36.619-05:00

Rush River, one of my favorite local--if you consider western Wisconsin local--beers, began selling their Unforgiven Amber and Bubblejack IPA in bottles this week. I had one of each tonight, and they totally stand up, and may even be better, in the bottles. Both have an, um, noticeable hop presence that may offend the timid drinker, but RR uses the hops wisely. Of course I always forget how much

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-81125042424932883452007-09-17T20:51:00.000-05:002007-09-17T21:14:30.784-05:00

You've all probably heard that US Rep. Jim Ramstad today announced his plans to not seek re-election , setting the stage for a massive endorsement and/or primary fight in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district. Polinaut has a good story and nice map of the district, if you're so inclined, but I like the rumor and speculation myself, Minnesota Democrats Exposed on the right and MNPublius on the

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-84440380965958425172007-09-13T20:38:00.000-05:002007-09-14T08:58:24.664-05:00

Law changes this year allowing co-called strong beer to be available at the state fair received wide coverage in the mainstream media, but there are some things they didn't tell you. Other changes to Minnesota's liquor laws will benefit everyone from small brewers to the University of Minneosta. However some key reforms are still needed. Perhaps the most significant provision for beer enthusiasts

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-73269197707007365912007-09-13T16:21:00.001-05:002007-09-13T16:37:15.470-05:00

Autumn has certainly arrived in Minnesota. Evening temps are in the 40s and 50s, sunlight is disappearing, and Oktoberfest beers are filling the shelves. I'm biased towards ales year-round, but I like to sample the local Oktoberfest lagers every year, among them Summit, Schells and Surly. Both Summit and Schells offer up good examples of what an Oktoberfest should taste like, and this year is no

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-89939181521994762502007-09-13T16:12:00.000-05:002007-09-13T16:16:15.875-05:00

Dylan my 4-almost-5 year old son started school last week. The first day was tough--he almost fell asleep in my arms walking the 2 blocks back to our house from the busstop. But now he looks forward to it everyday.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-34475598803542101322007-09-05T22:47:00.000-05:002007-09-05T23:16:20.331-05:00

My mom's been giving me some flack in the comments over at Jane's blog, apparently because I don't post enough about my family and my life. True 'dat. I succumbed very early on to the inherant self-centered, egotistical nature of blogs, going so far as to only write about the things I want to write about, and if my family, friends and really anyone at all wants to read about it (or not) than so

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-84677765395777995342007-08-31T02:37:00.000-05:002007-08-31T02:36:33.073-05:00

We wrapped up our trip with three days in Avignon, best known for the Palais de Papes, occupied by the pope when Avignon was in Roman hands during the 12th century. Avignon is also the capitol of the Cotes du Rhone region de vin, home of some of my favorite wines, consisting of syrah and grenache grapes, and sometimes other varieties like mouvedre or carignon. We had a nice one at a wonderful

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-47479700073875478342007-08-28T12:10:00.000-05:002007-08-28T12:12:07.814-05:00

Leaving Genolhac, arriving in Avignon.....

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-21812445176502242142007-08-27T12:58:00.000-05:002007-08-27T13:07:20.327-05:00

Ah, the end of summer in the mountains..... Temperatures have hovered around 85 degrees the past couple of days, so we've retreated to a nearby river for both of them, having a picnic and a swim. Its been perfectly lazy. Meals are a magnificent part of every visit to France. Last night Michele--Flo's step mother, just to keep you in the loop--made gambas avec encornet, two fruits de la mer,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-24923320044991330472007-08-25T03:25:00.001-05:002007-08-25T03:25:49.509-05:00

It would be easy to stay put, and just enjoy the scenery outside the kitchen door. A pleasant river meanders through the mountains not far from the house, plenty of trails offer themselves to us throughout the forest, and of course there is family to spend time with, playing cards, preparing meals and chatting together. And not to mention that the boys tend to get car sick everytime we go out.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-49285240436259223132007-08-24T14:10:00.000-05:002007-08-24T14:13:08.084-05:00

I haven't posted any exclusive beer reviews, so I figured it was time. Bush was a great beer, unlike the one that is in charge of our country. Listed as the strongest Belgian beer ever, coming in at 12 percent, it indeed packs a punch. However, you have to be careful as it is so smooth and full of caramel, you can easily get lost in a bottle. I guess its good the bottles are only 25 cl, because

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-29053712791617933752007-08-23T11:55:00.000-05:002007-08-23T12:01:10.737-05:00

One of the requirements when visiting France is to visit at least one castle. The north has few remaining castles from the medievil ages, most of them having been reduced to rubble in the various wars that have plagued Europe. So, the south is the place to go to see castles, and fortunately for us, we're spending a fair amount of time there. The closest castle to Genolhac is Chateau de Portes,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-65807578480497492812007-08-22T06:06:00.000-05:002007-08-22T07:20:07.867-05:00

Ahh, the sweet smells of pine and herbs has replaced salt and sand. The rain and chilly weather of our first couple days in Cevennes has left, and now sun and warmth has arrived. There are lots of wonderful cooks in the Dubaille famille, including Flo's half brother Sylvain, who's studying to be a chef, and practices on his family. I can't say I am complaining. Our first night here, he prepared

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-35807524716651107512007-08-20T07:17:00.000-05:002007-08-20T07:16:34.736-05:00

We wrapped up phase deux of the trip on the island, where the stay at Les Joyeux, a complex of petite maisons where many of Flo's relatives live, completed with a grande fete for my birthday. Nothing could have made me happier. I prepared a wonderful meatloaf to share, and contributed two bottles of homebrew, which were enjoyed by all, along side some great wine. After dinner we sat around and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-72945936224010316592007-08-18T11:59:00.000-05:002007-08-18T11:58:54.594-05:00

Another day in France, another day at the beach....

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-60438441899515047132007-08-17T11:18:00.001-05:002007-08-17T11:18:06.607-05:00

Lavender and a cactus....

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-10914784252590140852007-08-16T12:18:00.000-05:002007-08-16T12:17:05.070-05:00

Not much time--well plenty of time, but not much interest--in sending emails to Blogger! I'll try to be better about bringing my phone to the beach with me, but as you can see I'm a little preoccupied.....

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-44802342357102980922007-08-12T04:34:00.000-05:002007-08-12T04:38:20.936-05:00

Stage one of our trip is complete and we're headed south now for the beautiful island of Porquerolles. Our stays at my wife's aunt and uncle's are always filled with amazing meals (as is most of the trip) and unique wine. We had a great 2001 Aix en Provence Chateau Beauferan, and an equally impressive Nuits Saint Georges premier cru from 1993. If I was as well versed in the nuances of wine as I

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-85096693544970026072007-08-08T11:48:00.001-05:002007-08-08T11:48:03.686-05:00

I'll be in France for a little bit. I hope to figure out this mobile blogging thing, and keep you updated about all the sights, sounds, and most importantly, the tastes of the french country side!

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-38141236185034527492007-08-06T22:36:00.000-05:002007-08-06T23:18:33.915-05:00

On a recent trip through Colorado, my friend Valerie calls me. "Hey, we're on our way out of Colorado. Should I pick you up some beer?"Um, hell yeah! So I just finished my second Stone Ruination IPA, one of the great--if not the best--West Coast IPAs. Despite over 100 IBUs and approaching 8% abv with the alcohol and hops slamming into you at first, it totally balances out into...orange-ish

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-91594135684632410182007-08-05T22:29:00.000-05:002007-08-05T23:13:24.085-05:00

A good time and lots of good beer was had by all at the first "Leave Your Balls at Home--Surly Disc Golf Open." The course at Hyland Ski Area kicked my ass, especially considering I hadn't played in about 3 years. Thankfully the free beer along the holes made the trek manageable.Cheers to Omar and the Surly crew for a helluva event!

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-66543476912865910002007-08-05T21:46:00.000-05:002007-08-05T22:28:41.849-05:00

While I've been brewing, apparently Steve Kelley has been busy plotting his next move. A news letter from the former state senator and statewide candidate arrived in my e-mail in-box today, informing me of Kelley's new endeavors, and his need to retire his debt. Not surprisingly, Kelley continues to be involved in public policy at the Humphrey Institute, as the new director of the Center for

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-55243160190228356332007-07-28T21:12:00.000-05:002007-07-28T21:36:38.063-05:00

It seems my reaches into the beer community grows every day. I responded to a request from MnBeer.com to be a contributor and help with the upkeep of the site, and they agreed! It's a wonderful opportunity to help out one of the best local blogs around--so good that they won Best Specialty Blog from the City Pages last year.Also, Twin Cities Imbiber magazine has accepted an article I submitted

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-1357375939824991822007-07-19T20:37:00.000-05:002007-07-20T11:31:33.781-05:00

When I was growing up, I had a club house in my backyard. It was a one-room one-story 10' x 10' building, with some tables and chairs, a few shelves and an intercom to my home's kitchen. Neighborhood kids gathered at the house, played games, read Mad magazine, and made it our own. My neighbor had a similar structure, but his was two stories with a balcony, and much easier to get away and hide

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-35507648832481941442007-07-15T21:36:00.000-05:002007-07-15T22:35:30.328-05:00

Are you underwhelmed by the current candidates for U.S. Senate? Hoping that Tim Walz or Mee Moua or someone other than Franken, Ciresi, Cohen or Franson would jump in on the DFL side? I guess it wouldn't be hard for me to support Franken, but if I had to decide right now, I don't think I could.Any suggestions?

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-35876649012154248762007-07-13T22:55:00.000-05:002007-07-13T23:41:01.824-05:00

You may remember some time ago I had thrown out the idea of starting a homebrew "club," with "members" coming from the halls of government. Of course, what I really wanted to do was gather some fellow homebrewers--many who work in government--together to drink and be merry. Well, last night was the inaugural meeting of the Capitol Brewers. And we drank and were merry. Let's see, we had an ESB,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-82512809410005680672007-07-06T21:56:00.000-05:002007-07-08T23:46:32.288-05:00

So you've noticed the change. I've come to realize that Mozilla users recently began to encounter problems viewing CBH, so I've upgraded to the new Blogger version. My apologies for the pain it causes your eyes. Hopefully I can muster up the energy to spend some time with the template in the next couple weeks.The big brew news is that there's a new distributor in town. 99 Bottles specializes in

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-32782351731627196492007-06-26T21:39:00.000-05:002007-07-06T09:55:15.406-05:00

Well I've been busy working on an article to submit to the Twin Cities Imbiber about recent legislative changes to the State's liquor laws. Whether they publish it or not, it's been a great experience working on my first journalistic piece. First, that is, if you don't consider all the words printed here. Anyway, I learned a ton about said liquor laws, and that our franchise laws, tax and fee

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-4568123391739790972007-06-10T21:57:00.000-05:002007-06-10T23:25:48.312-05:00

The Twin Cities has a new beer rag on newsstands--mmmm, rag of beer--but who ever buys a magazine from a news stand in Minnesota? Maybe Chicago or New York, but Minnesota?! So its great that Twin Cities Imbiber is free!Dedicated to the beer and coffee industry in the Twin Cities, TC Imbiber will be available soon around town. The first issue features a nice write-up of Flat Earth Brewing, and a

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-37866450359693040282007-06-02T22:52:00.000-05:002007-06-02T23:37:40.411-05:00

Couple updates here for ya on a Saturday night as I'm waiting to get tired enough to go to bed.***I received a nice email from the "Director of Quality" at Boulder Brewing about the culprit behind the recent bad batch of Hazed and Infused:The number one problem with the Hazed and Infused you ran into was the actual age of the product. For whatever reason, we had beer on the shelves in MN well

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-56161209304639107102007-05-31T23:02:00.000-05:002007-05-31T23:40:10.457-05:00

Driving to my parents' cabin has taken on a whole new meaning. One has to arrive at Highway 63 in Wisconsin, near Turtle Lake. You can take 94 east to 35E north and cross over to Wisconsin via 8 to pick up 63, but why would you? It's much easier to zip east on 94 to 63, giving you the opportunity to stop at Chicone's Liquor Mart.Chicone's (who's web site is still under construction) is the beer

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-15420601961236390742007-05-26T23:03:00.000-05:002007-05-26T23:23:09.924-05:00

I had one of those Moments I'll Remember for the Rest of My Life today. I'm sure Dylan didn't realize the pleasure of watching Star Wars: A New Hope with him would bring me. Of course, the viewing took a whole new meaning for me as well, and I'm not just talking about knowing that Darth Vader is Leia and Luke's dad, but that does sum up some of the intrigue.Not surprisingly, Dylan was more

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-61392839948395894322007-05-22T22:56:00.000-05:002007-05-24T23:46:30.525-05:00

I've been meaning to hit up the Cellars in Roseville for some new beers, and finally made a trip over there. Ya see, they sell single bottles at 10% off a mixed six-pack, and so even though it's $10, its six beers I've never had.I first dipped into the Rud Tulip from New Holland Brewing. It's an amber, with a forward bitterness that blends together well with the heavy malts. It was nowhere near

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-53932391818968365252007-05-18T22:34:00.000-05:002007-05-19T23:54:19.479-05:00

The end of session is in sight and an agreement feels imminent. I realize how powerless advocates and lobbyists really are on the outside. Or rather not on the inside. As legislative staff, I found that I had many opportunities, working with the advocates and lobbyists, to do good things for people. But there is really a lack of apparent input being sought this year, at least not from the early

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-17697872450977327082007-05-13T22:51:00.000-05:002007-05-19T23:55:00.735-05:00

One week left of this legislative session. Some words to describe it thus far:IntenseEngagedTediousShatteredExhilaratingBetrayaland of course, RewardingOne week from now, I imagine I'll be brain-dead, sleep-deprived, wasted and most of all, relieved. We came in looking for $300 million in the upcoming biennium for early care and education, and will likely walk out with $40 - $80 million. It ain't

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-92032505710446433382007-05-10T23:53:00.000-05:002007-05-11T00:05:35.518-05:00

Ben and I transferred our beers to their secondary fermenters tonight. My ESB (right) was fantastic. I withheld dry hopping it with East Kent Goldings, as it already 5 ounces of hops in it, and it didn't really need more. Ben's Amber (a la Fat Tire) was a bit watery (a la Fat Tire), but he dry hopped it with about a half ounce of Hallertau (left). His will be a great session beer, no doubt.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-48677584826254701882007-05-08T21:05:00.000-05:002007-05-08T23:18:08.584-05:00

The Saison went into bottles last night! The final gravity was 1020, which, using a handy brew calculator, means the ABV is about 5%. I'm a little surprised that its so low, since I added a pound of candied sugar during the boil. It still needs another 6 weeks in the bottle, so maybe the gravity will change again. Either way, it will be a great session beer for the summer.While bottling, we drank

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-70041810853181671842007-05-06T21:23:00.000-05:002007-05-06T23:34:46.890-05:00

I'm sick of the 2007 legislative session. This is my 11th session, although my first as a lobbyist, but survey says: this session is looooong. Everyone anticipated a slow start, with so many newly elected legislators needing to get up to speed about not only the issues, but about how a bill becomes a law.But no, it slammed everyone, and now we're in the last two weeks, when stamina is needed most

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-90442030828722694072007-05-01T22:40:00.000-05:002007-05-01T23:30:58.077-05:00

Well it's been a homebrew week, brewing, bottling and of course imbibing, because I recently heard that next to cleanliness, the most important part of making the stuff is drinking the stuff. It's good that someone finally put this into writing, as here I've been neglecting to sample various wares whilst brewing.Ben and I got together Sunday to discuss love (well he did anyway) and figured, why

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-659711652230603452007-04-26T22:29:00.000-05:002007-04-26T23:21:00.177-05:00

Under current law, brew pubs can sell growlers--half gallon jugs--of selected beer, and a bill moving through the Minnesota Legislature will allow brew pubs to sell 750 ml (wine bottle-sized) bottles of beer to the public. A provision to regulate the size of samples served by brew pubs was removed. Sponsored by Senator Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook), the bill is included in the Omnibus Liquor Bill, meaning

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-6117698228270849502007-04-22T22:19:00.000-05:002007-04-22T22:58:25.918-05:00

This week, the Minnesota Legislature begins holding conference committee hearings to work out the differences between House and Senate omnibus bills. This consists of long hours and lots of waiting around, and this year it's mostly for naught, as the main funding source for all these bills--tax increases--will likely be vetoed. It's pretty exhilarating to spend all this time for nothing. I'm

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-2206573201459987102007-04-19T01:36:00.000-05:002007-04-19T20:20:05.141-05:00

I thought I missed the cask Summit IPA at the Muddy Pig tonight, but apparently its been rescheduled to Thursday night. My bad if you showed up. If you didn't then come on down now.No, I'm just getting home from an 8 hour debate on the House Omnibus Education Bill, and I've concluded that Rep. Mark Olson has some issues he needs to deal with. From requiring that schools must allocate an equal

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-89886801221472535362007-04-17T22:06:00.000-05:002007-04-17T22:54:20.454-05:00

Customer service is not something you get a chance to see direct from microbreweries, especially ones that are expanding the definition of "micro." I mean, how often to you have to deal with the actual brewing company? Well one my favorite breweries, Boulder Beer Company, brewers of Hazed and Infused, Mojo IPA and Singletrack Ale, let some serious bacteria get into one of their fermenters or

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-59355765782063186102007-04-11T23:16:00.000-05:002007-04-11T23:50:34.460-05:00

Indulge me for a moment: Did you see "Lost" tonight? What. The. Fuck. Brilliant answers and even better questions. Ya love Julliet and then you don't--she just wants to get home!! I hate the Jack--Sayid tension. The end is in sight!Ok, enough of that. So I opened a Harp tonight, ready to get on CB and the blast the hell out of it. "Why do people drink Harp?" I was going to write. "What a

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-85138856714535581652007-04-10T21:49:00.000-05:002007-04-10T22:43:31.806-05:00

Oh boy was I in heaven tonight. Mad props to Valerie for picking up a six pack of--are you ready?--New Belgium Tripple and Stone Levitation on her trip to Colorado. New Belgium Tripple and Stone Levitation.You probably know New Belgium as the brewers of Fat Tire, one of the most overrated beers ever. If you want to see what this Colorado brewery is all about, check out anything else by them.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21775012.post-77495017756236443802007-04-09T22:04:00.000-05:002007-04-09T23:10:19.409-05:00

The St. Paul DFL ward conventions kick off this weekend, with major endorsements in Wards one (Carter vs Montgomery), four (Hesse vs Stark vs Shubring) and six (Hang vs Bostrom). I'm in ward one, which is Frogtown, Capitol Heights, Cathedral Hill, Aurora St Anthony and a couple other neighborhoods. It's an easy choice for me, with incumbent Debbie Montgomery being reluctant to fully support

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18405718149257246976noreply@blogger.com3