Fall Destinations
Open weekends now through October Saturdays and Sundays from 12-6 PM Located at Deer Lake Orchard in Buffalo
Visit www . number12ciderhouse . com for more info @ number12cider
Sept . 24 & Sept . 30 5-9 PM
12C Monday , August 29 , 2016
Fall Destinations
Award-winning , farmhouse ciders
See what the buzz is all about !
Open weekends now through October Saturdays and Sundays from 12-6 PM Located at Deer Lake Orchard in Buffalo
Visit www . number12ciderhouse . com for more info @ number12cider
@ number12ciderhouse
PIZZA NIGHTS
Sept . 24 & Sept . 30 5-9 PM
Minnesota ’ s craft beer industry continues to boom
GABE LICHT Delano Herald Journal Editor
How popular is craft beer ?
Look no further than the Minnesota State Fair for one example . The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild “ Land of 10,000 Beers ” Craft Beer Hall exhibit is currently featuring more than 300 beers from more than 75 Minnesota breweries and brewpubs .
But , you don ’ t have to drive to Falcon Heights to have a pint of Minnesota-made brew .
Whether you ’ re in Delano or Dassel , Waverly or Winsted , or somewhere in between , there ’ s more than one local brewery within 25 miles of you .
Throughout the state of Minnesota , there are about 110 breweries , with about a third of those in towns of 20,000 or less .
Minnesota ’ s craft beer landscape has changed drastically in three years , with about 60 breweries added in that time , according to Michael Agnew , of A Perfect Pint .
Several factors are driving that growth .
“ There ’ s an overall movement of consumers caring more about what they consume and where it comes from ,” said Tom Whisenand , president of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guilt . “ That ties into craft beer .”
Geography is a factor , but it only goes so far . The product also needs to taste good .
“ People want flavor , not just in beer , but in food , spirits , soda , pretty much everything ,” Agnew said .
As people find beer they like ,
they share it with their friends .
“ It ’ s a snowballing trend ,” Agnew said . “ More people jump on and bring others with them . It ’ s popular , so people are giving it a try .”
Boutique businesses such as microbreweries are in vogue right now , Agnew added .
Both Agnew and Whisenand described beer as an affordable luxury .
“ You can be down and out and still afford to buy your buddy a beer ,” Whisenand said .
With all those factors in play , the industry is still growing in Minnesota , albeit at a slower rate .
“ The annual increase in volume produced has dropped into the single digit percentages , from the double digits it was at for the last several years – something like 6 percent , compared to 15 percent ,” Agnew said . “ But , the pipeline of new breweries is still huge . There will be a lot more openings before we start seeing closures .”
Many of those openings are happening in out-state Minnesota .
“ What we ’ re seeing more of is breweries opening in small towns ,” said Tom Whisenand , the president of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild . “ It ’ s not unusual for me to get emails from communities looking to get breweries in their small towns .”
Whisenand believes a microbrewery can help revitalize a downtown .
“ Some of these smaller communities have downtowns that could use some reviving . You
Breweries commonly offer flights of their beers .
see that happening ,” Whisenand said .
Even in northeast Minneapolis , where Whisenand ’ s Indeed Brewing Company is located , he has seen craft beer contribute to the growth of an area .
“ In the last four years , we ’ ve seen housing values go up 30 percent or more ,” Whisenand said . “ We started and were the first ones up here . Now , seven or eight breweries have opened up in the neighborhood , and it ’ s revitalized the neighborhood . . . I think you ’ ll see that in downtowns across the state .”
He looks at the environment within breweries as a positive .
“ Breweries do a good job of fostering community ,” Whisenand said . “ They ’ re not bars or saloons . They ’ re places where people go to meet with friends . Craft beer helps spur
good conversation .”
According to Agnew and Whisenand , the odds of finding a high-quality craft beer at a small-town brewery are just as good as finding one in a big city .
“ I ’ d say the ratio of good to bad is about the same in the out-state breweries as it is in the metro ,” Agnew said . “ In both places , there are those making really good beer and those that aren ’ t . The out-state breweries that are making good beer compare well to those in the cities .”
“ There ’ s great breweries in the Twin Cities making great beer and some not ,” Whisenand added . “ You ’ ll see the same thing in smaller cities . Making great beer on a commercial scale is not easy , and the bar is continually getting raised , but
STOCK PHOTO
there ’ s no barrier to a small brewery in a small town making some of the best beer in the world .”
Breweries have put some out-state cities on the map for Whisenand , who commonly stops into small-town breweries while traveling .
He believes beer connoisseurs can find good craft beer in every corner of the state .
But , how do Minnesota beers compare to those made in other states and countries ?
“ Minnesota breweries stack up very well against those from other states ,” Agnew said . “ We have an extraordinarily vibrant beer scene here , with many breweries making world-class beer . Again , the ratio of good to bad here is probably on par with other places around the country .”
While Whisenand said he loves drinking beer in other states , “ Whenever I come back , I don ’ t say , ‘ Gosh , I wish we were Oregon or Florida or something like that .’”
Hoppy India Pale Ales are most popular in Minnesota , but there are plenty of other options , as well .
“ There are a lot of unique flavors and ingredients ,” Whisenand said . “ Anything aged in barrels is trending . We ’ re seeing more popularity with lagers and pilsners . Now , there ’ s the sour beer thing .”
In the fall , pumpkin and sweet potato beers are popular .
Whisenand said it ’ s also a great time to use fresh hops in beer recipes .
“ Hop harvest is in the fall , so breweries have the opportunity to use hops when they ’ re fresh in late September or early October ,” Whisenand said . “ A lot of breweries use them . Some use local hops from Minnesota .”
Fall is also an appropriate time to drink brown ales , American amber ales , or amber lagers like Oktoberfest or Vienna Lager , Agnew said .
Not sure what kind of beer you like ? Whisenand has advice for you .
“ Go to a local bar or brewery that has craft beer and don ’ t be afraid to ask for a sample ,” Whisenand said . “ If you don ’ t like your first one you try , don ’ t be deterred . The array of flavors out there is endless . I don ’ t think it ’ s possible to not find at least one craft beer you ’ ll like .”
of
Beers
Brewerys across theWest Metro
The next great beer is never far away !
Clearwater
�������
Big Lake
|
lkdjajfsepsaSPILLED GRAIN BREWHOUSE
300 Elm St ., Annandale , MN Phone : 612-743-5224 Oktoberfest Sept . 24 , 2016
|
�������
Annandale
|
Maple Lake
�������
|
Monticello |
�������
St . Michael
Albertville
|
Otsego |
LUPULIN BREWING COMPANY
570 Humbolt Dr , Suite 107 , Big Lake , MN Ph . 763-263-9549
|
Buffalo Hanover
Litchfield |
HAYES PUBLIC
HOUSE �������
Dassel
112 1st St . S ., Buffalo , MN Ph . 763-746-6389
|
������� |
Cokato . |
Howard Lake |
Waverly
�������
|
Montrose
�������
|
�������
�������
|
Delano
Rockford
|
LUPINE BREWING COMPANY
248 River St ., Delano , MN Ph . 763-333-1033
$
5 off $ 25 purchase , present wrap for discount
|
|
�������
�������
�������
WACONIA BREWING COMPANY
255 Main St . W , Waconia , MN
Ph . 612-888-2739 Hutchinson
WacToberfest is Sept . 10 , 2016
LAZY LOON BREWERY
305 St . E ., Norwood Young Brownton America
Stewart
Ph . 952-467-3500 Beer • Wine • Spirits • Food • Bowling
������
Biscay
��������
|
Silver Lake
Glencoe
|
Winsted
Lester Prairie
Plato
��������
Green Isle
������
New Germany
Mayer
�������
Norwood Young America
Hamburg
Watertown
��������
St . Bonifacius ������
Waconia
���������
Cologne
|
Minnetrista Mound
Victoria
Chaska
�������� Carver
|
Chanhassen
Shakopee
|
BIRCH sS ’ ON THE LAKE 1310 West Wayzata Blvd , Long Lake , MN Ph . 952-473-7373
Fallfest is Sept . 25 , 2016
EXCELSIOR BREWING COMPANY
421 3rd St ., Excelsior , MN PPh . 952-474-7837
Doctoberfest Oct . 6 - 9
|