Bockfest Tips 2 and 1

2. Move about, mingle!  Don't just stand around like a bump on a log; get out and move!  You want to experience all that Schell's has to offer!  I feel like I’m yelling!  You can get out and look for the Bock in the woods and don’t worry about running out of beer in the woods, you might just find a couple of workers with a keg of Bock to fill you up.  Make sure to hang by the fire and get your beer caramelized then waddle out to the band area and get your groove on.  Wander the grounds and just take it all in!  Schell’s is a beautiful place!  High school kids get their Senior pictures and prom pictures taken there and we actually had our engagement pictures taken there as well.  You will want to stay moving to keep warm and of course, I can’t stress enough, you get to meet new people. :)

1.  Last but not least, (drumroll please), go out after!  Even though I have never personally made it due to ‘Bocking’ myself out, there are two great bands at the New Ulm Event Center this year, IV Play and Shirts & Skins.  If that isn’t your thing, the local bars offer a great alternative.  Have fun, enjoy yourself, and be safe.  Don’t drink and drive!   

Bockfest Tips 4 and 3

4.  NEXT!

Know what to order!  Remember its called Bockfest, not Lightfest, give a Bock a try!  If you don’t like it, try one that has been caramelized.  Nothing brings out the flavor of a Bock like a red, hot, ashy, metal poker.  If you don’t like that one, try another one that isn’t!  By this time, the three Bock’s will have taken effect and before you know it, you can’t get enough of that delicious Bock. (In my best Duffman from the Simpsons voice)  If you can’t get past the first Bock or the first couple of sips, then you should probably stick to the Premium Light.

3.  Channel your inner boy scout...be prepaaaaared!  

Beer lines are going to be long.  This is where tip #9 comes back into play.  You are going to want to buy more than one beer at a time.  The problem is this: We only have two hands!  (Newsflash, right?)  If you don’t have a beer mug or some kind of beverage receptacle, you will definitely spend more time in line.  They do have some type of beverage cardboard carrying thingy to carry about four cups but I don’t care for them.  If you are ill prepared in this aspect you will spend more time in line than out in the fest but you’ll probably get some interesting conversation in.  Tip #10 is going to rear its ugly head again here!...It WILL be cold, so don’t worry about the beers getting too warm.  

Next pointer - wear waterproof gloves.  

***Even if you have your own beer mug, you’re gonna spill.  People tend to forget about a beer’s tendency to foam up when it is hastily poured into a mug.  Believe me, I have fallen victim to this one at least a time or two!  Also when a Bock gets caramelized, it creates a large head.         

I realize that Tip #3 is very broad and can pertain to a number of things.  In general, take some time to think about the endeavor you are about to embark on.  We live in Minnesota.  It’s cold in the winter.  It gets boring in the winter, (especially this year!) so even though it IS going to be cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey, it’s going to be a blast!  Just plan accordingly.   

Bockfest Tips 6 and 5

6.  Expect the unexpected!  

This one should be a no brainer if you plan on attending an all day drinking event, but every year I am amazed at what I see.  Last year, 2013, a 95 pound women (yes, 95 pounds) tackled one of my friends down a hill and gave him a face wash at the bottom.  That’s not something you see everyday.

The year before, 2012, my friends and I were watching a guy sit on a snow bank and construct a giant male member on top of his crotch.  Before we could say a word my friend ran over and tried to kick it off, but of course he missed.  I know what you are all thinking, my buddy kicked that dude square in the nuts.  Thankfully for everyone involved, he missed and just kicked the snow underneath the guy.  Never a dull moment!

Make sure that you’re prepared to snap some pictures because no doubt you’ll see some...um...we’ll say “interesting” things!

5.  Have a bathroom plan!  

A lot of people are going to be at this thing and port-a-potty real estate will be at a premium.  Make friends with someone who won a VIP pass.  This is going to be your best bet for smooth potty sailing.  If you can't do that, you still have options.

It won't be this nice out, but you get the point!!!

Set up shop near some bathrooms.  Make your go-to/rally point a spot near the line of ‘mini biffs.  This next option is for the guys - use the 12 person man trough which is inside a trailer thinger.  Another way to make that go faster is to go IN through the OUT door.  It might not work all the time but when it does, you’ll most likely have some jealous folks wondering, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  Most importantly, you’ll feel a whole lot better.

Bent Paddle Venture Pils

The last time I was in Duluth it was the best trip of my life.  I had asked my girlfriend of 5 years if she would be my wife, she said yes, and the rest as they say is history.  To celebrate we went our for some beverages and supper.  The only way the trip would have been better is if Bent Paddle was open.  

Beer:  Venture Pils

Brewery: Bent Paddle

Beer Style: German Pilsner Lager

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  5.0%

Look  Straight from the can Venture Pils pours a bright clear golden straw color.  All the beer in commercials wishes it could look like Venture in real life.  The head is also very pronounced with a perfect snow white color.  The carbonation of this beer is perfect.

Smell  I could smell this Pils before it was even up to my nose. Venture Pils is very aromatic, lots of clean smelling citrus and floral lemon.  I could also pick up the malty flavors of a more traditional Pilsner.  

Taste  At first it tasted like a great traditional Pilsner, with a nice maltiness.  After my first sip I was hit in the taste buds with a hoppy bitterness.  The folks at Bent Paddle did an amazing job of balancing the malt with the hops.  Venture is not too heavy and not to light, its like the Baby Bear’s stuff in Goldilocks, this one is just right.

Overall Rating

Price:  $$ out of $$$$ 

Rating:  5 out of 5

This beer blew me away.  The two styles of beer I enjoy the most are Pilsners and IPAs.  To me Venture Pils is the best of both worlds.  This beer is perfect as a reward for mowing your lawn on those 96+% humidity days in the summer or if you are stuck in your house because of a Minnesota blizzard.

Bockfest Tips 8 and 7

8.  Be friendly, meet some new people, if you can’t handle yourself when your all bocked up, stay home!!!

To all the people coming for out of town, remember you are a guest to the great City of New Ulm.  To all the citizens of New Ulm, remember that we are the hosts to one of Minnesota's greatest outdoor festivals.  Everyone needs to get along a have a great time!  For the day to go off without a hitch, here are a few simple things to both do AND avoid doing during Bockfest.  

First off, I know this one will happen and believe me, it’s hard to turn down the temptation, but do not throw snowballs.  (Did the high school teacher in me just come out???)  The fact is, snowball fights always start innocently enough, but it will end with the wrong person getting hit.  Nothing good will come from it so please don’t throw snowballs.  

Secondly, patience is a virtue so please be patient.  Believe me, if you have a ticket to get in you will get in.  Schell's will not run out of beer, its a brewery for crying out loud.  If someone cuts in front of you in the beer line just let it go - you will get your beer!  Can’t we all just get along?  Just be friendly, talk to some new people, trade some digits.  Discussing current events will make the lines seem shorter than Frank from Always Sunny.  Another place to meet new people is in the line for the port-a-potty.  I can’t think of a better place to meet someone new.  Be careful of the complements in the man trough though; you’re on your own for there.  

The final reason it will be easy to be friendly at Bockfest is the Bockfest Boys.  Traditional and contemporary polka will be played all day long.  I find it hard to be upset while listening to polka, its just naturally happy music!  

7.  Learn the classics.

Ring of Fire, Beer is Really Good for You, Hooray for Smiley...the list goes on and on.  And lets not forget about Another Brick in the Wall - polka edition. Like I mentioned in rule #8, polka is the happiest music in the world!  The only way it can get happier is if you sing and dance along with it.  I'm not just saying this because my late uncle, Mark Weymann, was the drummer of the original Bockfest Boys.  I am saying it because I enjoy it; ask my wife or friends!  

Do some research, you can find all the Bockfest Boys highlights on YouTube.  You could even venture to the Holiday gas station in New Ulm and buy one of their CDs (yes they DO have more than one!)  Take some time to appreciate the music and learn the lyrics, they can be pretty funny!  It will also impress the members of the opposite sex if you can belt out a verse or two of "Strip Polka”...well maybe not but it sure sounded good.  

Look around your city for a polka lesson you can attend.  Guys, nothing turns a lady on like a guy who can polka.  Look online for a quick polka lesson (if for some strange reason your community does not offer them that is).  If you can't polka, that's alright just find a group of people dancing and join in!  They won't judge you; just remember its all about having a great time!

Bockfest Tips 10 and 9

10.  Sport your best duds, dress for both warmth and style.  This really means find the tackiest thing in your closet or the thrift store and go with it.

The most important thing to remember when picking out your Bockfest attire is warmth.  I feel like I shouldn't have to say this because we live in Minnesota and it will be March and IT WILL BE COLD!   Just how cold we won’t know but it will certainly be cold.  Just looked at the forecast for Saturday and the high will be somewhere around -2.  Bockfest is a marathon not a sprint, make sure you are prepared to spend 4+ hours outside in the snow.  Just because it will be cold outside doesn't mean you still can't bring your A game when it comes to clothing.  

You are only limited by your imagination so break out a Halloween costume, find the best from the local thrift shop (what what, what, what) dig up the hide from last season’s deer hunt, or the classic Carhartts and blaze orange.  If you are worried about sticking out in the crowd, DON’T.  You will not be the only one!  Plus, it will be easier to pick yourself out on the Facebook pictures, YouTube, twitter, etc.   

Another plus to the warm clothing is that it provides you plenty of places to hide your beers and other whatnots.  The wait in line to get in can be long so it will be nice to have a little something to wet your whistle.  After the wait in line, don’t underestimate the walk up to the brewery.  Also if you venture out in the woods to look for a Bock, it’s nice to have some beverages to avoid dehydration.     

9.  Make sure that you bring your own beer container.

The 16 oz glasses that they sell just don't cut it.  The lines for beer can get long and the crowd can be hard to navigate with an open 16oz plastic cup.  Whatever container you choose to bring is fine.  My favorite is my Kum & Go 64 oz coffee mug.  Sadly, over the years it has cracked (the duct tape just wasn’t helping anymore) and I have moved onto 56 oz Bubba keg.  While I will miss my original mug with the “Support Your Local Brewery” stickers all over it, it must be retired.  My new Bubba keg mug has a screw on top which I like more than my old snap on.  Make sure to get creative with your beverage dispenser.  

Bringing your own mug is a must for Bockfest.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t personalize if or think outside of the box.  The more creative the beer container, the better.  I have seen everything from a male bedpan to the famous “Deer Bong.”  For your own good and the safety of everyone, make sure your mug is nonbreakable.  A lot of people will be at Bockfest and you are bound to bump into someone and drop your beer.  Make sure that the only money you are out when it happens is the beer money.  Another plus is that by the end of the night, the only thing you will be able to drink out of is a sippy cup.

Blue Door Pub Longfellow Blucy

The plan was to spend a lovely day in the Cities for Valentine’s Day.  We had planned on leaving the house at 9:30, but the US and Russia hockey game went into overtime and then a shootout.  The game was so exciting that my wife, who is a reluctant or a closet sports fan, was really into the game.  Due to the shootout greatness of TJ Oshie, we were delayed in our trip.  While the US was beating Russia in their home country, mother nature tried its best to beat the Weymann’s Valentine’s Day trip.      

TJ Oshie breaking Russian hearts, if they have one.

Highway 14 outside of Courtland

Business:  Blue Door Pub Longfellow

Location:  3448 42nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Website:  http://www.thebluedoorpubmn.com/  

Atmosphere:  As I walked into the Blue Door Longfellow with my wife, the smell of the grill and deep frier hit us smack in our faces, in the best way possible.  The place was packed, which allowed me to take in my surrounding.  The walls have wooden wainscoting about 3/4 the way up, which give the Blue Door a warm and inviting feel.  The walls are not covered in a bunch of neon signs or other things that do not make sense so that was refreshing.  

My favorite part of the decor was the painted map of Minnesota with the location of local breweries.  The beer menu changes frequently to keep up with the different seasonal beers.

 

Food:  This was the second time that I have eaten at Longfellow.  B.B or before blog, I ordered the Humpty, with was stuffed with cheese curds and had a soft boiled egg on top.  It was delicious but this time for the sake of the blog, I ordered their flagship burger, the Blucy, with a side of tots.  

Lets start with the buns.  As a burger holder they are top shelf.  The top bun reminded me of my pillow as my fingers sunk into it as I grabbed this succulent blucy.  The bottom bun had the difficult task of staying together as the juice from the perfectly cooked blucy seeped into it.  

The burger itself was cooked on a flat top griddle and had the most wonderful crust on it from the seasonings and cooking style.  The Blucy is a simple mix of fresh chopped garlic and funky bleu cheese, but there's nothing simple about the taste this combination creates.  My taste buds first picked up the bleu cheese in all its funky, aged glory.  Then came the garlic flavor; not too much, just right.  If it were up to me, every burger would have this combo of bleu cheese and garlic.  This burger did not need any ketchup, mustard or, mayo; all the flavor was in the meat and it was perfectly cooked.  If you are not a fan of the Blucy, a number of different options are waiting for you at the Longfellow.  My wife had a burger stuffed with bacon and cheddar cheese (which was also amazing)!

Now for the side dish.  These tater tots were unlike any that I have ever had.  Perfectly fried and by no means greasy.  I am sure that the tots are store bought, but that is the only thing normal about them.  Light ,airy, with a crisp exterior, and creamy center.  I prefer to dip them in ranch, which too tastes better at Longfellows.   

            

Price: $$ out of $$$$

Rating: 4 out of 5

Why Blog???

Wait, wait, wait.  l let's back up a second. I always tend to get things running before I actually know what I'm doing; just ask my wife. The reason I started this blog is because my wife and I were sitting in our living room.  The tv was on, she was on her on phone trying her best to flap that bird, while I was on my tablet crushing candies with the best of them.  That was the point where we decided we needed to find a hobby.  I reminded my bride that I play softball, (a feat hard to achieve in the winter).  I also play men’s league hockey, and go to the gym 6 days a week.  These all seem like good hobbies to me buuuuut my wife told me these things do not count as hobbies.  To this day I am still confused as to why not, but I digress.   

Last week at work, I started talking with a coworker and I told her about the Weymann’s Valentine's Day trip to the Twin Cities and all the things that we were going to go see and eat. My coworker mentioned to me that I should be a food critic or blogger or something to that nature.  I decided maybe my coworker was right and I should do some blogging about the things that I enjoy.

As a lifetime husky man, I've always enjoyed eating, learning, and cooking/baking delicious foods. I regularly watch the Food Channel and all other food related shows on TV. I am constantly looking online at restaurant reviews and menus for places to visit.  

I also happen to enjoy drinking beer, sometime to excess, but more so in the past than the present and future.  College is when I started to obtain a love of specialty and craft beers. I had spent many Wednesday nights in Brookings, South Dakota at Skinner’s Pub being a healthy member of the bar fly society.  It is here that I was introduced to a number of craft beers.  It was here that I decided Keystone Light or Premo Light, while it has its place, (like tubing and hard partying), was not a beer that I wanted to drink day in and day out.  Why stick to one brand when so many more delicious beers await you in the world?

While the title of this blog is Weymann’s Minnesota Food and Beer, I will be reviewing food and beers from other states.  My wife will be chiming in with her views, almost exclusively on food because she, unfortunately, is not a beer drinker.  

Finally, full disclosure, I feel that I need to tell you all that I am not a professional beer or food taster.  I am just a guy that loves to sample great food and wash it down with a tasty beer.  Also from time to time I will be blogging about things that spark my interest.     

Schell's Bock

Minnesota Sunday mornings; a time when we get to shovel Saturday’s gift from mother nature (again).  While I was moving said mother nature with my snow blower, showing her who's boss, it hit me.  Bockfest 2014 is two weeks away!  This year it falls on Saturday, March 1st at Schell's Brewery in New Ulm.  I figured since my snow removal garb and Bockfest garb are one in the same, I would make my first review for the blog on August Schell’s Bockfest 2014.  Every year, Schell’s brews a new edition of Bock beer.  While the recipe stays the same year after year, some differences in the flavor can be noted.  

Beer

Brewery: August Schell

Beer:  Bock

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  6.1%

Look  

First thing’s first here...lets look at the beer.  As I poured the Bock from its bottle, a rich amber, almost caramel color, appeared in my glass.  The head was about two fingers tall and had a tannish color with nice lacing.

Smell

Now for the smell. People may look at you funny when you put your nose up to your beer but believe me, it’s a must!  The majority of your beer enjoyment is based on your sense of smell.  From the moment I placed my sniffer to the glass, I could smell all the different malts that were present in this Bock.  I could also pick up a slight smell of caramel.  Oh the anticipation!  

Taste

As I took my first sip of beer, my taste buds were overwhelmed by malt.  Schell’s uses ten different types of malt to achieve such a rich flavor.  Riding shotgun with the malt is a distinct caramel flavor.  As the beer warmed up, the caramel flavor became more and more prominent.  My mouth was also surprised to taste a slight bitter note from the noble hops.  I was little off put with the alcohol aftertaste.         

Overall Rating

Price:  $ out of $$$$

Rating:  4 out of 5

I enjoyed drinking this beer, however I believe that last year’s Bock had a better overall flavor.  Would I drink it again??  Well, yeah!  As I said, Bockfest is but two short weeks away!  You don’t have to take my word for it though; check out the Schell’s Brewery website at www.schellsbrewery.com and order your tickets.  Come check out how true New Ulmites party in style; six layers of clothing, double fisting the beers, listening to some good music and enjoying the company of folks who know how to have a good time!  Hope to see you there!

Weekend Trip to the Cities

Forget the flowers, teddy bears, and chocolates, well maybe not the chocolates, this year for valentines day my wife Krystle and I are going to check out a couple of Twin Cities hot spots for food and beer.  We will be having lunch at the somewhat newer Blue Boor Pub Longfellow, chasing down our blucey's with a pint at both Fulton and Indeed Brewing, top that off with some handmade ice cream at Pumphouse Creamery.  Make sure to check in this upcoming week to read the goods.  Prost