Eastlake Brewery
I’ve been meaning to go here forever and finally made it out to Eastlake Brewery! I am a huge fan of the Midtown Global Market where it is located. I think it holds some of the best food found in Minneapolis. If you haven’t been to The Rabbit Hole or The Salty Tart yet, go there soon.
When you go to Eastlake Brewery come with an empty stomach because you can get food from the market and bring it in to the brewery to enjoy. The space is fairly big and contains a lot of natural light. It is also family friendly. When I was there, there were several families sitting around and having a meal together.
I wasn’t hugely impressed by the beers that I sampled other than their current sour brew Kirby Pucker and Belgian Pale Ale. They were a little too fruity and floral for my personal taste. I am the first to admit that don’t take my word on it. I love to drink beer. BUT– I think beer is such a personal thing that beers that I am not a fan of, others would like. Their current Saison with ginger and pink lemons was not my thing but I could see people who like fruity beers loving it.
With all that being said, I would come back even though I wasn’t a huge fan of their brews I tried. I didn’t get a chance to try their IPA’s since I got their lighter flight. I will be back to give those a try sometime soon. I went lighter because I was looking for a great summer beer.
I loved the space and it’s fun to bring food from any of the places in the market. If you are going to eat at the Brewery try Hot Indian Foods or Manny’s Tortas. Both are wonderful!
Overall, I liked this place as a perfect place to hang out and I’m excited to try some of their heavier brews next time.
because a great hangout and great food make a wonderful night.
What’s your favorite brewery to hangout in?
@mplsgossipgirl
Two Local Kickstarter Projects Need Your Backing
We have some talented folks here in the Twin Cities. Clearly, I am proud to call Minnesota my home and this is one of the reasons why. We have awesome people here. We have awesome people here who go after their dreams and create really awesome things.
Recently, I had these two Kickstarter projects come across my twitter feed and I couldn’t help but give them a shout-out (Holla). They seem like really great things that I would love to see funded.
1. Brewin’ USA
23 Days left to go and only a couple thousand left before it is funded. There are stretch goals too!
Fund this project here: Brewin’ USA
Do you love beer? Do you love board games? Well than you are going to want to back this project. This is just a really fun idea and I love a good board game. Don’t you? Made by a local guy named Adam who is an Engineer by trade that loves beer and games (my kinda guy). He also won some kinda contest with CAH- Cards Against Humanity so he has to be a badass.
This isn’t the board game you made in the fifth grade that was essentially Candy Land but with the Backstreet Boys*. Take a look at the Kickstarter website for all the game details and instructions on how to play. This is legit. It even uses bottle caps which is sweet.
This idea has to become a reality so you should back it.
2. Brooks High Beer Battered
They have only 5 more days and about $10,000 to go.
Fund this project here: Brooks High
Another food truck! Yes, another food truck. You just need to take a look at the pictures of their food on their Kickstarter page to know that if you are drinking a beer you want to be eating that freaking sandwich. They are doing something different by infusing local brews into their batter. Honestly, I don’t care. The food looks freaking good. I don’t need a reason to eat those glorious sandwiches other than the fact that they taste good.
You know I’ve been hearing some buzz in the food community about how we have too many restaurants and food trucks. Really? Yeah, I agree that there are a lot of them out there but why can’t we have more? This food truck will be serving food that I really want to eat when I go to a brewery. Many of my favorite food trucks such as Get Sauced, WSK, and The Moral Omnivore all stand up to the test. I even ventured on a 20 minute trip once this year to get food from a truck. I think these two will pull this off and I can’t wait to see them at any one of the local taprooms.
If you want to eat one of those sandwiches, back them today on Kickstarter.
If I had unlimited funds I would use it to make the dream of owning your own business a reality for people. That’s what I would do. Hey—if there is anyone out there that wants to give me a large sum of cash I will research and spend it on some awesome projects, ideas, businesses, micro-loans, and non-profits. Just sayin’ you could do that, if you want to do that.
We all can all make living in this city a better place by helping people live their dreams. If you can’t fund these projects, pass the word on. Sometimes, getting the word out can reach people who also want to fund this project and can do it with cold hard cash.
Because helping someone with their dream is cool.
@mplsgossipgirl
*Side note: Don’t steal my BSB Candy Land idea.
Am I missing another great local Kickstarter? Tell me about it.
Minnesota Breweries
I am not sure what I love most about Minnesota. I know of something that comes close. BEER. I am proud of craft brewers of Minnesota because they are making some wonderful brews. Call me a beer snob but, enough of the Budweiser and light crap, I would take a Minnesota beer over those anytime, anyplace.
I am also proud to call Minnesota my home because of the push to get these wonderful beers in our restaurants and the work that is being done to let them open tap rooms! The more beer the merrier or at least that is my opinion on it.
Here is a list of a few breweries I haven’t been to but I am hoping to make it there sometime soon.
1. Castle Danger Brewery
In Northern MN on the way to the Gun Flint Trail you will drive through a small town called Castle Danger. This is the greatest name for a town and I want to buy a cabin there eventually.
This is a production brewery and only puts out a few different beers at a time. It is a one- man production. The family who owns the brewery also own the Castle Haven Cabins. Sounds like a great weekend trip to me. They are already booked for summer but have some availability in the next few weeks.
Growlers are available every Wed, Fri & Sat from 4-7pm at the brewery filled with your choice of beer that we currently have. Now Available: Danger Ale, Camp Depression Lager & George Hunter Stout.
More information here on their website: http://www.castledangerbrewery.com/
2. Boom Island Brewing Company
Owned by a french horn playing couple Boom Island sits on the banks of the Mississippi. This is a Belgium style brewery with strange named beers like thoprock.
You can contact the brewery for tours. I believe that it is pretty small. Otherwise, you can find their beers on tap at places like the Happy Gnome and Pig & Fiddle.
Check out their Website here: http://boomislandbrewing.com/home.html
3. Harriet Brewing
If you are looking for a brewery in Minneapolis look no further than Harriet Brewing. They have a newly open taproom which has been getting a lot of attention lately. Plus, you can take the light rail there.
They focus mostly on European style beers specifically German and Belgium. It was started in a garage on lake Harriet hence the name and has grown into it’s new space. If you go to an event hosted by them you will notice the local art and music.
They currently have a home brew and label competition going on to help their delivery man Andy who hurt his hand.
Check their website to see when the tap room is open: http://www.harrietbrewing.com/
It is usually open Friday and Saturday nights.
4. Surly Brewing Company
Starting as a home brewer in 1994 Omar Ansari most likely never thought he would own a brewery like he does today. Surly is one of the fastest growing names in beer not only in Minnesota but around the country.
Surly is a term coined by the company that means the anger that is fueled by not being able to find a good beer. Good beer is the name of the game at Surly, who taunts people who don’t drink it by posting their tag line, ” Good beer is an acquired taste, get some.” Omar is credited for working to get tap rooms a commonplace around Minnesota.
Surly is soooo popular that you need to actually sign up online to take a tour of the brewery. Check out the website here and sign up: http://www.surlybrewing.com/brewery/tours.html
5. Lift Bridge Brewery
Their mission is simple. To create fine beers for you to enjoy. I picked lift bridge to make my list simply because Stillwater is a must in the summer. It is a wonderful place to enjoy a beer. Plus, I love the farm girl brew.
You have to sign up online to go on a tour of Lift Bridge Brewery: http://www.liftbridgebrewery.com/tours.aspx
I was inspired by another blogger to write a post about Minnesota Breweries after seeing the wonderful pictures on his page. I hope this helps get more people to visit breweries and try some craft brews that are local. Check back later to see pictures from my brewery tours.
Thanks Cameronkarsten for your post Odin Brewery. http://cameronkarsten.wordpress.com/
Because beer is a beautiful thing
@mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 