St. Paul Summer Beer Fest

As I sit in my chair at home, watching the sheets of rain water our freshly planted garden, I thought I would take a minute or two to write about this Saturday’s 6th Annual St. Paul Summer Beer Fest.  Last year was the first time I had ever been to a beer tasting and boy were my eyes opened!  

The people at Chop Liver do an awesome job of putting on this event.  Last year while standing in line, ticket takers were walking up and down the line scanning tickets and checking IDs so once the doors were open, you could just walk in, grab your glass, and start drinking.  The fact that bagpipe players (dressed in kilts and all) usher you into the grounds certainly gets you into the mood to enjoy some great craft beer.  

One aspect that may be overlooked about this beer fest is its location.  I have been attending the Minnesota State Fair for the last 27 years and the fact that the beer fest is in the state fairgrounds just makes me feel good inside.  The only downside to having the fest at this location is that it makes me look forward to the state fair even more than I already do, especially since I am a teacher and the state fair marks the end of the summer.  

Four bands are set to take the stage and provide the soundtrack to this year’s event.  I have never heard the bands live before but I am 100% positive that they will keep the people in the right mood to enjoy the game.  Everyone knows that an important part to beer drinking is the music that accompanies it.  This year there will be two stages so no matter where you are, you will be able to jam out with some live tunes.

Just a few more things about the Fest.  If you can’t make it out to eat before the Fest, make sure to stop by one of the food trucks that will be there.  Also, make sure to vote for the “People’s Choice” brewery.

Now for a little bit of advice to ensure you enjoy the Fest.  First of all the it’s 4 hours long, 5 if you are a VIP, so take your time.  Last year I was like a kid in a candy store, hitting up as many samples as I could and not taking the time to enjoy the characteristics of each brew.  As a result, my night ended  too early (my wife says around 4:00 actually) so don't be like me!  Take your time and remember that they will not run out of beer in the first 10 minutes.  Next bit of advice I have is to rinse your glass and drink some water.  Yes I know, beer contains water however, you’ll thank me later.  Doing this will help keep the different types of beers separate and also keep you hydrated.  Water lines are located all around the Fest so make sure to hit them up.  Finally, take some time to talk with the brewers.  They are proud of their product and will be looking forward to telling you about it.  

As of right now the weather for Saturday looks pretty good but there is a chance of rain.  Get ready for a good time either way!  A little rain never hurt anyone (unless you’re the wicked witch) plus with good people and great beer, you just can’t go wrong.  Prost!

Lola’s American Bistro

The first time I was in Lola’s was to pick out the food for my wedding.  After we decided on the more traditional meat and potatoes spread, Lacy (the chef and owner) said she was bummed, thinking that we would go with a more unique option.  I asked her what she recommended and I was so glad I did.  She made some of the best pasta I have ever had.  That was the first food that I ate from  Lola’s.  When we told our guests we were having pasta they were a little worried.  After the wedding, people told me that our wedding had the best food they have ever had!  This blog is about the meal my wife and I had on our weekly date night, this was a night we decided to go back to Lola’s.  

Business:  Lola’s American Bistro  

 

Location: http://www.lolaamericanbistro.com/

Surroundings:  The front half of Lola’s is wall to wall exposed brick, which I really love.  The brink gives the place a warm, rustic, and inviting feel.  The walls are decorated with stained glass art that are made by a local artist.  All the baked goods look absolutely delicious on display under the counter.  

Atmosphere:  Lola’s is all over the board on atmosphere.  When you want in you will see people sitting by the fireplace enjoying a handcrafted coffee type beverage and reading a book.  Others will be working on their computers.  You will also see couples both young and old enjoying a delicious lunch or dinner.    

Food:  I was told from a friend to try the stuffed mushrooms and they did NOT disappoint.  Offta, these little guys are amazing!  The stuffed mushrooms are what they sound like: button mushrooms stuffed with italian sausage with a coating of melted parmesan cheese and homemade alfredo sauce to dip the mushrooms in.  I’m drooling.  

The mushrooms provide an awesome natural cup for the stuffing not to mention the great earthy flavor they bring to the dish.  The mushrooms cut some of the spice and richness from the rest of the dish which helps to balance it.  The italian sausage has a little bit of kick but by no means is it  overpowering.  My wife even ate some of the stuffing and KFC chicken is too spicy for her.  You can never go wrong with cheese, especially parmesan cheese.  The cheese is melted to perfection, forming a nice crust on top the of the shrooms.  Finally, the alfredo sauce for dipping brings the whole dish together.   

For my entree I order the Blackened Chicken Penne.  Obviously the chicken breast was seasoned with a blackening spice.  Even though the chicken was blackened, it was not very spicy.  It had a nice kick just to let you know it was there.  The sauce was a pesto cream which covered every inch of the dish.  The sauce was a combination of pesto and alfredo.  I love the taste of basil pesto which is why I ordered this dish.  I have never mixed pesto and alfredo before but let me tell you, it’s a knockout.  The pasta also had sun dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers to round out the dish...and to get your serving of veggies in.         

Price:  $$ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5.  Lola’s is a great place for a cup of coffee, light lunch, or a romantic dinner.  Any of their pasta’s are a great choice...probably some of the best pasta I’ve ever had.  I have also heard really good things about their pot pie.  Make sure to get into Lola’s soon.  I guarantee it won’t be your last trip!     

Swany's Pub

Lord knows that I’ve had more than one interesting evening at Swany’s, mostly due to my friends, buuuuut this is a blog about the food so I will refrain from taking you down memory lane.

In case you haven’t heard, Swany’s has a fish fry every Friday during Lent.  Heck, Swany’s was even up for the coveted “Best Fish Fry in Minnesota” award.  Somehow a Wisconsin establishment ended up on the site….go figure, Wisconsin folk being envious of a Minnesota competition.

Business:  Swany’s Pub

Location: 221 Main St, Courtland, MN 56021

Atmosphere:  Swany’s is the classic, small town, one stop shop for great food and beverages.  Food and service are top notch.    

The wait staff and bartenders are among the hardest working people I have seen in any other pub, especially on fish fry nights.  What Swany’s lacks in space it more than makes up for with table tops.  I don't think they are breaking any fire codes but on Friday’s during Lent people are packed in like sardines.  It was like the wait staff were doing their own Tough Mudder, moving as fast as they can, around, over, and through obstacles, and are still pleasant!  The wait staff does their best to make sure that the customers get waited on in a timely matter.  You almost get the feeling that you are at a friend’s place rather than a bar.  

From the moment you step into the bar you will know that Beanie (the owner) is big time into hunting.  There are a number of mounted turkeys, deer, fish, and pictures from former racoon hunts.  The wildlife play off the stained and varnished wood paneling that reminds me of an “Up North” cabin.         

Food:  Even though I am a newly converted Lutheran and do not have to refrain from eating meat on Friday’s during Lent, I still order the All-You-Can-Eat Fish special.  The fish is wine battered instead of the normal beer batter.  Swany’s is the only place that I have seen wine battered fish.  I could not taste any wine in the batter, but the batter was still light, crispy, and most importantly, flavorful.  If I was a wine drinker (I know what you’re thinking, “Then the name of this blog would be called Weymann’s Minnesota Food and WINE Blog”).  As I cracked open a piece of fish, I was treated to a light and flaky white fish.  The fish was very moist on the inside with an AWESOME thick and crisp shell surrounding it.  

The fish special comes with your choice of side; french fries, baked potato, or baby reds.  I went with the baby reds.  After all, lots of places have fries and I wasn't feeling the baked potato option.  Other sides included are coleslaw and toast. The baby reds, coleslaw, and toast were good but let’s be real, I was there for the fish.  

Price: $$ out of $$$$

Rating: 5 out of 5 - Great food, great atmosphere, great company!  

Indeed Day Tripper

In the summer of 2013, I went to Target Field with my Grandpa and friend Lee to watch the “Power House” Twins take on the would be World Series Champions, Boston Red Sox.  While we were walking to the game, we stopped at Jackson’s Hole to use the facilities.  We decided that it would be a good idea to hang out there a bit, have a beverage, and maybe a bite to eat.  As I approached the bar, the bartender told me that all tall taps were $3.  I saw a tap that I had never seen before so I asked the bartender what it was.  She replied, “It’s a Pale Ale called Day Tripper from the local brewery Indeed.”  Being a fan of Summit Extra Pale Ale, I figured I would give it a try and of course, I’m very glad that I did.

Beer:  Day Tripper

Brewery:  Indeed

Beer Style:   American Pale Ale

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  5.40%

Look  As I poured Day Tripper into a glass, a dark, gold, copper beer emerged with a somewhat hazy appearance.  It only produced a short pure white head but it left unbelieveable lacing.  

Smell  This is a very aromatic beer.  Bright floral citrus with slight lemon and orange were the first smells I picked up.  There was also a nice smell of malts.  It smells like a mild IPA, not as potent as your typical IPA.

Taste  Day Tripper tastes wonderful, just like it smells.  Off the bat I tasted a bright citrus including lemon and orange flavor.  There was also a nice hoppiness that followed.  At the end I was able to pick up a slight caramel malt flavor.  All the flavors work very well together and achieve a nice balance.

Overall Rating

Price:  $$ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5

You need to get out and try Indeed Day Tripper.  This is a year round brew from Indeed so do not worry about it running out in the stores or the bars.  This is a very drinkable Pale Ale and should be enjoyed year round.  I have had this beer from the can and on tap and they both taste great.

Lucid Duce

As I was tasting this beer I was trying to think of an interesting story for the blog.  Long story short, I couldn't come up with one.  I know that Lucid Brewing has a pretty cool slogan, “Clarity in Thinking Leads to Excellence in Drinking!”  I know that lucid dreams are pretty cool, but still nothing interesting relating to this beer or the brewery.  Then as I was halfway through my beer and went in for one last good sniff.  That’s when my interesting (maybe more funny) story happened.  I either wanted to get a really good sniff or I sadly misjudged the size of my schnoz...either way, the end result was Lucid Duce right up my nose.  So, here is my input on the Duce (ha!) from before my near drowning experience.

Beer:  Duce: The Imperial Red Ale, Oak Barrel Aged

Brewery:  Lucid Brewing

Beer Style:   Imperial Red Ale

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  8.00%

Look  This beer delivered a very nice dark, ruby red color.  Possibly one of the nicest shades of red I have seen in a red ale.  It also had some slight copper color tones to it.  The head was a large, classic off-white color which left great lacing.  The carbonation added to the red hue.

Smell  Duce is a very aromatic red ale.  First scent that I was able to pick up was a bread, toast like smell.  Next I found some malt and fruity sweetness.  A little bit of hops were present along with a perfect amount of oak.   

Taste  Duce tastes as it smells.  Malt was first flavor that hit my palate followed by a nice cherry sweetness.  There is a slight hop finish with a hint of vanilla and bourbon.  The beer finishes with a clean, oak flavor as the beer is aged in oak barrels.  Finish is very smooth; you wouldn’t know that Duce is 8% alcohol.        

Overall Rating

Price:  $$$ out of $$$

Rating:  3.5 out of 5

I did enjoy drinking this beer, even though I never think about buying red ales.  I don’t know why I shy away from them but Duce certainly changed my mind about them.  From now on, I’ll take a longer gander at them when looking for a beer to drink.  If you’re like me and think you’re not really into reds, Lucid Duce is a great place to start.  If you already love red ales, Lucid Duce won’t disappoint.  

Surly Abrasive Ale

Surly was my first venture into IPA beers.  I was with a coworker at his longtime friend's restaurant in Woodbury.  The food was great and they had an impressive beer selection for a sit down “non-bar” and grill.  It was there that I had my first Furious but more on that in a further review.  From there I needed to have some bitterness in my life.  I thought to myself, “Self, what can be better than an IPA?  How about a double or imperial IPA?” (I like imperial because because it sounds more prestigious).  So here we go!  My favorite Imperial IPA is Surly Abrasive Ale.    

Beer:  Abrasive Ale

Brewery:  Surly Brewing

Beer Style:  Imperial IPA

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  9.00%

Look  Very nice golden orange color.  Head is a brilliant bone white that is about two fingers tall.  A very nice amount of carbonation is present along with some suspension of floaters which create a hazy appearance.  The side of my glass was almost white due to the lacing.

Smell  The smell is very abrasive (Ha!).  I was punched in the nose by the smell of citrus, pine, and some floral as soon I opened the can.  The closer the beer got to my nose the more I smelt a cross between grapefruit and orange.  The smell really peaked my interest of tasting this beer.    

Taste  Abrasive Ale starts off with IPA bitterness all the way.  After the hops, a great malt biscuit flavor comes out.  The hops and malt work together in harmony to balance this beer really well.  Abrasive Ale has 120 IBUs of bitterness but you would not notice because of the malt.  Tastes of grapefruit, pine, and orange also come to play along with some sweet caramel malt flavor.      

Overall Rating

Price:  $$$$ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5

If you like IPAs you will LOVE this one.  If you are on the fence about IPAs, you’ll LOVE this one.  Abrasive Ale hits you in the face with its bitterness but your taste buds get quick relief from the malt.  It’s a seasonal beer so make sure to get to a liquor store soon to pick some up!  You won’t be disappointed.  If you are, message me on Facebook or Twitter and I will take it off your hands!

Matt's Bar

I had heard about Minnesota's state burger for the past few years.  I have heard them called inside out burgers, stuffed burgers, but we I think we all know them as a Juicy Lucy.  The spelling and varieties differ from place to place but you get the point!  It’s a burger with all the topping stuffed inside.  Back in the day, my mother and I went to the Taste of Minnesota on Harriet Island in St. Paul.  It was there I had my first ‘stuffed burger’.  This was before the TV was full of shows dedicated to the local hot spots.  The stuffed burger I had there did not come close to the one I enjoyed at Matt's Bar in Minneapolis.  I’m not going to get into a debacle  about who created the first Jucy Lucy; Matt's Bar or the 5:8 Club (the final answer is still up in the air).  Both are located about a mile apart on Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis.  

Business:  Matt’s Bar

Location:  3500 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407   

Surroundings:  Matt's bar is located in a residential neighborhood and believe me, it’s a true neighborhood joint.  As I walked up to the front door, a line of people waiting to get in greeted me.  As you can imagine, I was concerned that I would have to wait forever to try a Minnesota icon.  As I talked to a man and his wife outside, it was apparent that the line was there because Matt's didn't open until 11:00am.  Fear not, I only had about five minutes before it opened.  

Walking through the doorway was like walking back in time.  The walls were dark brown paneling and the booths were showing their wear.  There was even a sign that discouraged the smoking of pipes and clove cigarettes.  We all know that Minnesota outlawed smoking in public places about eight years ago.  It looked like the newest thing in the bar were the rope lights above the bar.  

Some people might be turned away by the looks of Matt's but don’t.  Just think of it as your local small town place that you can go to for a casual and unique experience.  Matt's Bar is a small town, local joint that the city has grown up around.

Atmosphere:  Being at Matt's when they opened for the day, I was able to get a table right away but it didn’t take long for the place to fill up.  The staff consisted of a waitress, a bartender (who yelled over the bar to take our order), and a cook (more on the cook in a bit), and they all looked like they enjoyed doing their jobs.  The customers were all very talkative and the ones standing in line didn’t seem to mind the wait.  After a few bites I could understand why.  

Not to take anything away from the other two workers, but the cook definitely knew what he was doing behind that six foot flat top.  From the time we walked in, the cook was busy loading up the griddle with burgers and it was never empty.  He also had to work the fryers and plate the food.  I use the term “plate” loosely as the burgers come on a piece of wax paper and the fries in a basket.  He had cooking, frying, and “plating” down to a science.  Where a lesser cook would have crumbled under the pressure of the order, he didn’t so much as bat an eyelash.    

Food:  As I stated before, the burger was cooked on a flat top griddle so that means there is a nice, flavorful crust.  I have had other flat top burgers but none that had this much crunch and flavor.  Once I was able to pierce the crust, I could taste a classic beef taste.  The meat is pattied fresh every morning.  I know this because the burgers were sitting on the bar as we walked into the place.  From there, my teeth punctured the molten hot, liquid cheese.  What a feeling!  Is there anything better than the mixture of hot melted cheese and natural beef juices?  I don’t think so!  The bun brought the whole thing together.  Freshly baked at a nearby bakery; classic white and pillowy soft.  

If you are looking for a great burger without a lot of unnecessary extras, Matt’s Bar is the place to go.  The whole place is classic and you feel like you belong as soon as you walk in the door.  While it may not be the fanciest or newest place on the market, there is definitely a reason it has been open since 1954.  Great food and even better service are the reasons that a place like Matt’s continues to pack people in on a daily basis.  The waitress told me that there is a line out the door until 9:30 pm every Saturday.  Now that’s good business.        

Price:  $ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5

Bell's Brewing Hopslam

A few years ago I was in Rochester on a work related experience.  I stopped by the Hy-Vee Liquor to pick up some beverages.  As I walked in the door I saw a guy leaving with a case and two sixers of this beer in green packaging, I had never seen anything like it.  After taking my time at the store and ultimately settled on a case of Labatt Blue, I saw the same green packaging the aforementioned guy was carrying out as I was going in.  The sign in front of the beer said $16.99.  I asked the cashier if the price was for a 12 pack or a case or what, she replied, "That's for a six pack."  I could not believe anyone would pay that much for six beers.  I even  told a number of people about the cost and said that I would never pay that for six beers, outside of going to a bar.  Fast forward two years and I am one of those guys paying $16.99 for a sixer of Bell’s Hopslam.  Moral of the story, never say never.  

Beer:  Hopslam Ale

Brewery: Bell's Brewing

Beer Style: Double IPA

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  10.00%

Look   As I poured my Hopslam into a glass a dark hazy golden yellowish orange emerged from the bottle. A short pure white head hung around with nice lacing while I drank.  A nice light carbonation of a classic IPA was present.

Smell  The name of this beer is Hopslam; so of course it is going to have a nice citrus floral aroma that comes with IPAs.  This beer is over the top with citrus floral aroma that IPA lovers enjoy.  Riding shotgun to was a slight sweet smell of honey which the beer is brewed with.  I could also pick up a subtle malt smell.

Taste  Again the name of this beer is Hopslam, so what do you think is the first taste that appears?  That's right, a nice bite of hoppy bitterness.  Overpowering to say the least, but in the best way possible.  My palette was punched in the face by hops.  After the slam of hops to my taste buds, (see what I did there???) the bitterness backed off from the malt that accompanies the beer.  Next the honey brings a sweetness to play, followed by a repeat of the bitterness.  This is a very complex beer.  The malt and honey really tone down this double IPA, which adds to the complexity of this beer.  The tastes goes from hops, to malt, to honey, and finally back to hops.        

Overall Rating

Price:  $$$ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5

If you like IPAs, Hopslam is a must!  I apologize that I did not get this review out sooner because Hopslam is a limited release.  I don't think you will have a problem finding a sixer around the New Ulm area, but it will be harder to find on tap.  If you want to give your taste buds a workout and try one of the beers on beeradvocates top 250 list (actually #23) make sure to pick it up, you will be glad you did.

Schmaltz Alt

Last year, my second cousin Tommy was visiting from Virginia.  He and I went out for a delicious lunch at Lola's.  It was then that I learned that he had been a home brewer but  unfortunately had to stop due to health reasons.  After our lunch, we walked across the street to the B&L for a couple of pints.  On our long walk to cross Minnesota Street, he told me that his favorite Schell's beer of all time is Schmaltz Alt and B&L had it on tap.  I had never had one so I decided to give it a whirl and I’m glad I did.

Beer:  Schmaltz Alt

Brewery:  Schell's

Beer Style:  Altbier

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  5.10%

Look  Pours a very dark, chocolate brown color with light shades of ruby red.  The color can be intimidating but don’t let it be!  Big creamy head is off-white in color.  After the beer settles, the head starts to fold in on itself and begins to pull away from the glass.  Very minimal to almost no carbonation - almost like it’s flat

Smell  This is my favorite part of Schmaltz Alt.  When I put the beer up to my nose, it reminded me of the numerous brewery tours I have been on.  The scent is like you are standing right by the copper kettle.  The dominant smell is of rich, roasted malt.  You will also be able to pick up some chocolate and caramel sweetness, with a hint of coffee bitterness.

Taste  As I sipped this beer, the malt attacked my taste buds which I really enjoyed.  The malts have a deep, rich, roasted flavor.  A nice earthy taste also comes through from this beer.  After the malt and earthiness, I caught hints of some of the sweet flavors of chocolate and caramel.  I was pleasantly surprised with its somewhat bitter finish.

Overall Rating

Price:  $ out of $$$$

Rating:  5 out of 5

Schmaltz Alt is one of my top three favorite seasonal Schell's beers.  This beer has great flavor and is very drinkable.  While it looks very dark and intimidating, the mouthfeel is very light.  It almost feels like drinking a light beer.  Make sure to stop by a local liquor store or the B&L (only place I have seen in on tap) to pick some up before you can no longer find it, at least until next year.  Don't be like me and miss out on this one.  If you see it, try it!  You won't be disappointed!

Looking Back at Bockfest 2014

With Bockfest 2014 in the books, I wonder if it’s too early to take some time, sit back, and reflect upon all that happened.  After all, it was just two days ago.  In this fast paced, ultra competitive, modern world we live in, we can’t afford to take the time for events to really soak in before we reflect on them.  I’m sure that after reading my blog, I have inspired millions, (well maybe thousands, but truthfully more like less than five people), to leave a virtual footprint about their food, beer, and whatever else they want to on the internet.  With my opening spiel over, let us open a bottle of Bock (if you have any left) and rehash the events of Bockfest 2014.   

As a Bockfest veteran, 2014 was my ninth consecutive Bockfest.  I thought I was prepared for anything.  So prepared that I even took the time to give others tips on how to enjoy Bockfest.  This year’s Bockfest provided me a problem that I never considered….frozen beer (eeek!).  With temperatures dipping to -4, oh yeah, PLUS the windchill, the Bock in my bubba keg started to ice up (panic mode).  I managed to blow my hot air (wife’s words) into the drink hole on the mug to thaw out little bits of the Bock ice.  At least enough to enjoy my beverage.   An interesting twist for sure!  Outside of the frigid temperature, Schell’s did another great job hosting this event!

So!  Let’s recap.  Most important thing: the beer.  I had no problem getting a beer.  Schell’s had four different bars set up with enough distance between them to keep lines at a minimum.  The people working the bars had the most important job and did it well.  They were friendly and Johnny-On-The-Spot with the beers.  The Bockfest Boys delivered their A game which I had no doubt they would.  They nailed the classics that everyone knows and loves and I especially appreciated the dedication of a song to my late Uncle Mark.     

I could go on and on about last Saturday but I’ll allow a little more time to pass and let all you come up with your own reasons why you had a great time.  If anyone asks you if you were at Bockfest 2014, make sure to stop, take a second, and proudly say, “Yep, I certainly was at the coldest Bockfest in its 29 year history!”