Minnesota's First Specialty Beer Store!

http://www.thefourfirkins.com/

We have to go. Grand opening is today (Saturday, June 14th) and there will be Surly beer and Flat Earth beer sampling at 6 pm. That is all.

Bockfest 2008!

The fine folk at the Schell Brewery in New Ulm, MN, (about 80 miles southwest of the metro area) are throwing a fetival called Bockfest 2008 on February 2nd, 2008 (that's a Saturday). You can check out the site at the following URL: http://www.schellsbrewery.com/newsevents_info.php?id=6.

Bottom line, though - we need to go. Simple as that. Clear your schedules for Saturday, February 2nd because we are taking a pilgrimage down to New Ulm for Bockfest 2008. And on Sunday, February 3rd, is the Super Bowl. A weekend truly filled with fun, frivolity, and massive quantities of beer.

Gearing Up for New Beer

W00t for b33r! Or something like that. I actually hate leet speak or however crazy way it's spelled. It won't happen again.

The next beer to be brewed by the fine craftsmen at Dragonfyre Brewing is going to be a California Steam Beer, which is a lager brewed at ale temperatures. Lager's tend to have a crisper, lighter flavor than a traditional ale, but they are difficult for the home brewer to produce because they require fermentation in a moderated cold environment (around 45 to 50 degrees). This Steam Beer from Midwest uses ale yeast that PREFERS colder fermentation but should be fine around 60 degrees or so.

We should start the brewing of this steam beer next Friday or Saturday (1/18 or 1/19) depending on brewmaster availability.