Archive: Author: Thom

Finally, a beer mug that doesn’t block the TV!

With the arrival of the cooler weather and the corresponding premieres of fall shows (and football), the desire for many a beer drinker to sit inside watching TV goes up. That being said, we thought we’d highlight this nifty thing we came across…

Ask the Brewer

Anything new and interesting in the beer gadget world?

Funny you should ask!

Let’s set the stage…. your settling in for one of your favorite shows (or maybe hanging with your buds watching the game)…  you pour yourself a nice refreshing cold one… you go to take that tantalizing first sip… and suddenly, behind the rim of your glass, the most amazing things happens… and you missed it!

This mug eliminates all of those problems!  With it’s angled side and sleek design, you can keep your eyes glued to the screen while still drinking your beer.  You’ll never miss another important moment on TV, nor have to wait for a refreshing swallow.  Ingenuity at it’s finest!

Taproom Tidings

Tap selection for the weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Parched Lime Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale and Raspberry Infused Pyro.

Food options for the weekend include Tatanka on Friday (10/7), with their Native American dining options, and Crazy Puppy on Saturday (10/8) with their gluten-free fair food.

Final Thoughts

Last call to get in on our third beer pairing dinner with Signature Cafe this Sunday, October 9th.  The meal features a variety of Burning Brothers beer paired with five gluten-free courses.  Contact the restaurant directly for reservations.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

End of the day, worn out brewers drinking a well deserved beer!

While we are firm believers that a beer a day keeps the doctor away (is that a beer for you or for the doctor?), we also acknowledge that there are many people out there who need a reason to drink a beer.

Ask the Brewer

Is there a September beer holiday?

September has one of the most straight forward beer drinking holidays out there.  September 28th is National Drink Beer Day (remember, nothing is stopping you from enthusiastically celebrating it after the fact!).  While the origins of this holiday are unclear, what you do on the day itself is quite apparent.  In order to properly observe it, you can gather a group of friends for a tasting at your home or local establishment, or you can just enjoy your favorite pint on your own.

As you sip your delicious brew, you can think back on the long history of beer, from early human civilizations onward, and its influence in our development.  You can also ponder the fact that there is even one brewery in existence that has been producing beer for over 1,500 years!  The Weihenstephan brewery, located in the Bavarian region of Germany, has been brewing beer continuously since 1040.  Today, the company exports fourteen different styles to locations all over the world.

So, join us (albeit, a bit after the fact) on #DrinkBeerDay.  PROST!

Taproom Tidings

Tap selection for the weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Parched Lime Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale and Raspberry Infused Pyro.

Food options for the weekend include Soup Coupe on Friday (9/30), offering a hearty variety of soups, stews and chilis, and then Wholesoul will join us on Saturday (10/1) with their unique take on “soul food”.

Final Thoughts

Events for this weekend include:

• On Friday afternoon, our beer will be one of the featured taps at the Kellogg Craft Beer Overlook; this is the final weekend for this outdoor beer garden running in downtown St. Paul that overlooks the river and features live music, food and delivous beverages
• Also on Friday (9/30) we will be at Roseville’s POUR for Parks to help raise money for new and existing parks within Roseville
• On Saturday afternoon (10/1) we will be in Walker for the Harvest Moon Festival which features beer and wine tasting, live music, a medallion hunt and the spectacular fall colors of Northern MN

Also around the corner is our third beer pairing dinner with Signature Cafe.  Happening October 9th, this meal will feature a variety of Burning Brothers Beer paired with gluten-free courses.  Contact the restaurant directly for reservations.

On a final note, the more observant drinkers out there may have noticed that both the IPA and the Lime Shandy are packaged in shrink sleeved cans.  That means we slide the can into a sleeve and shrink it prior to filling and sealing it.  If you are the one responsible for sleeving the cans (i.e., Dane and Thom), and aren’t paying close attention, you can sleeve them upside down.  In honor of Dane, who not only had the most upside down cans go through, but is also a self-proclaimed dyslexic, we have created the game “Dyslexic Dane”.  If you find one of these cans in your 4-pack, signed by Dane, bring it in to the taproom and exchange it for a free pint.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Early depiction of beer production (ca 2600 BC)

As many people know, beer (or beer-like beverages) date back to the earliest days of agriculture.  In fact, some beer enthusiasts believe that the shift from hunter/gatherer to agricultural societies was brought about by the desire to create beer.  While it’s all well and good to happen across the stray patch of ancient grain, and then put it in water and let wild yeasts do their thing, think about how much of it you could have if there was a steady grain supply!  In fact, it is quite tempting to assert that early writing systems developed due to the need to keep track of beer.  But if you are going to track it, you need to name it…

Ask the Brewer

How did beer come to be called beer?

This is actually a question with no definitive answer, though there are several theories as to where the word beer comes from.  When we look back at some of the earliest known beer production (with the ancient Sumerians), there were multiple names for beverages fermented from grain, including “sikaru”, “dida”, or “ebir”.

Moving forward in time, the Ancient Egyptian’s word for beer was “zytum”, and later when brewing was passed on to the Greeks, their word was “zythos”.  The Greeks, however, favored wine over beer, as did the Romans who followed them.  The Romans word for beer was “cerevisia”, which is Latin, and has a direct link to the modern word for beer in Spanish or Portugese which is “cerveza”.  The latin verb for drink, however, is “bibere“, which gets us closer to “beer”.

There is a possibility that “bibere” was borrowed in the 6th century by German monks, and from there went on to become the Old English word “beor“, Old Frisian “biar”, Middle Dutch “bier”, Old High German “bior” and German “Bier“.

Another suggestion is that it comes from Proto-Germanic “beuwo” for barley.  This theory also holds some merit, as the English word “Ale” is derived from the Germanic word “ol”, both of which refer to fermented grain beverages.

Regardless of the history, from our perspective, a beer by any other name is still just as delicious.

Taproom Tidings

We are pleased to say that our Roasted Coffee Ale is back in the regular rotation for this weekend.  In addition, we are going to continue forward with our Grapefruit IPA as everyone seems to be digging it.

On Friday (9/16) we will have Patacones joining us with their authentic Colombian Street Food, and on Saturday (9/17) Soup Coupe will be here with their tasty lettuce wraps and hearty soup selection, just the thing for when night-time temperatures are dipping into the 50s.

Final Thoughts

On Saturday, September 17th, we will be at two different beer events, The Autumn Brew Review in Minnesota and the Great Lakes Brew Fest in Wisconsin.  ABR is happening at the historic Grain Belt Brewing Complex in Northeast Minneapolis, and celebrates the fine art of craft brewing.  GLBF is at the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin, and benefits the Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps.

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On a final note, our beer will be one of the featured taps the next three Fridays at the the Kellogg Craft Beer Overlook.  This outdoor beer garden will be running three consecutive Fridays in downtown St. Paul, from 3PM to 7PM, and will have live music, food, and delicious beverages, all overlooking the river.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Beer Philosophy!

A lot of people feel that if you have your own small business, you’re living the dream, and if that small business is a brewery, your life is golden.  Never ones to quash other people’s enthusiasm for the industry, we downplay the challenges, and highlight the successes, which brings us to our…

Ask the Brewer

Owning a brewery must be totally awesome, right?

While owning a brewery is totally awesome, it is also, at times, really hard.  At the end of the day, though, the positives far outweigh any negatives and in truth, there isn’t anything else that we would choose to do.

On a good day, there are no equipment malfunctions or breakdowns, everything runs smoothly, and beer is brewed, fermented, filtered and packaged without a hitch.  On a challenging day, all bets are off, and it’s time to improvise.

What gets us through those challenging times is our attitude, our belief that what we are doing matters, that it makes life more enjoyable for others, especially those who haven’t been able to drink beer in the past due to gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.  Our interactions with those people, at beer festivals and in the taproom, and the e-mails and Facebook posts thanking us for what we do, keep us going on the hard days, knowing that a good day is right around the corner.

Taproom Tidings

We are sad to report that the batch of Roasted Coffee Ale that was supposed to be ready this week did not agree with our schedule, so the taproom will be out for this weekend.  However, rather than get upset and let it bring us down, we decided to improvise.  That means this Friday (9/9) we will be bringing back the Grapefruit IPA that was our special beer for Rails & Ales. If you missed it, now is your chance to get in on the citrusy, hoppy goodness.

So, tap selection for this weekend includes Pyro APA, Fused OB Honey Ale, Parched Lime Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale, Rasperry infused Pyro and Grapefruit infused IPA.

Food options for the weekend will include Tatanka Truck on Friday (9/9) with their traditional Native American Foods and Crazy Puppy on Saturday (9/10) with their gluten-free fair food.  Our cupcake from Groundswell, is a Lavender Black Bottom Cheesecake – chocolate cake topped with a lavender infused cheesecake and whipped cream with chocolate chunks.

Final Thoughts

On Saturday, September 10th, we will be at two different beer events, The Prairie Brewfest and the Beer & Bacon cruise.  The Prairie Brewfest supports the Eden Prairie Community Foundation, and their mission to enrich their community.  The Beer & Bacon cruise is your chance to try multiple Burning Brothers beers and sample from a fully gluten-free menu while cruising the Mississippi river on a paddleboat.

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On a final note, our beer will be one of the featured taps this weekend at the River Balcony Prototyping Festival.  This Festival creates a more engaging and vibrant riverfront experience and connects people to the Green Line with temporary installations on the riverfront’s sidewalks, plazas, parks and pathway.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Fire-eating at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival!

As summer draws to a close, kids go back to school, the first hints of fall cool the air, and harvest festivals throughout the nation are in full swing.  The MN State Fair is entering it’s final weekend, Oktoberfest begins in 3 weeks, and Renaissance Festivals are occurring across the US.  Near and dear to our own hearts, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, where Dane and Thom (i.e., the Burning Brothers) performed the majority of their fire eating, is running through the 2nd of October.  As we reminisce, we think back to….

Ask the Brewer… er, Fire-Eater

When did fire-eating actually begin?

The earliest known record of fire-eating is that of a Syrian named Eunus, who lead a slave revolt in 133 B.C.E.  According to The Mystery Chronicles, he got the other slaves to follow him by claiming he had been favored by the gods, and granted supernatural powers.  In order to prove this, he held a hollowed out nut filled with flammable material, with a hole drilled in either end, in his mouth.  Every time he exhaled through it, it would act like a bellows, and flames and sparks would shoot out.

From there, fire-eating, juggling and manipulation has gone from the Royal courts of ancient Greece, to religious ceremonies in India, entertainment during the Renaissance period, sideshow, circus and carnival acts during the early 1900s and finally to the Las Vegas stages and Renaissance Festivals of today.

No matter when it has been performed, it is an art and skill that has been passed on from mentor to apprentice, with a healthy respect for the dangers that come with it.

Taproom Tidings

On this Friday (9/2) we will be joined once again by Wholesoul who specializes in taking soul food to a whole new level.

Our Saturday food truck unfortunately had to cancel, so we would be happy to make suggestions as to gluten-free food that can be brought in (AKA Bring-Your-Own-Gluten-Free-Food BYOGFF).

As a change of pace and in support of our special event on Sunday (9/4), Soup Coupe will be joining us with their awesome line-up of hot and cold soups as well as their delicious selection of lettuce wraps.

Our cupcake from Groundswell, is a Lavender Black Bottom Cheesecake – chocolate cake topped with a lavender infused cheesecake and whipped cream with chocolate chunks.

Final Thoughts

This weekend we are excited to have Save-A-Bull rescue with us on Sunday (9/4) from 2-6pm.  10% of all profits for that day will be donated to this organization in support of their work.  Stop in to have a pint and visit with the puppies they will have on hand!

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Last, but certainly not least, we wanted to plug our friends at Hot Indian Foods who will be serving up Paneer on a Spear at the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar from Aug 31-Sept 5.  Deep-fried Indian-seasoned paneer cheese coated with a local gluten-free craft beer batter (hmmm, I wonder whose beer that could be?) and served with a tomato garlic chutney.  Sounds like gluten-free nirvana to me.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Land of 10,000 Beers!

It’s that time of year…. the Great Minnesota Get Together… more fun than you can shake a “stick” at!

The Minnesota State Fair draws together people from throughout the Midwest, to show off their hard work and skill and the results of those efforts.  Hard working brewers definitely fall into this category and while there are some well publicized lists of new foods and old favorites, we felt we should talk about the beer that will be there, as well as gluten-free food options, since well, we fit both of those groups.

Ask the Brewer

Where can I find your beer at the Minnesota State Fair? What about food that I can eat?

As of today (8/18), here are the confirmed locations where you can find Burning Brothers at the Minnesota State Fair:

• Cafe Caribe (South side of Carnes Ave. between Liggett & Nelson streets)
• LuLu’s Public House (At West End Market, south of the Schilling Ampitheater)
• O’Gara’s at the Fair (Southwest corner of Dan Patch Ave. & Cosgrove St.)

We will also be one of the 75 rotating breweries whose beer is being served during the run of the fair at the “Land of 10,000 Beers” in the Ag/Hort building.  Since there are so may breweries participating, the MN Craft Brewer’s Guild does not publish dates and times that they will be serving particular brews.  However clicking on the link above will take you to the list of participating breweries as well as the speaker schedule.

For those of you bringing your gluten friend (yes, the irony is not lost on us), the Growler Magazine has a link to an interactive map showing where ALL the beer is at!  Way to go guys – making the beer easy to find is important!

We also wanted to give a shout out to Twin Cities R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Celiac Kids) and their partner, the Celiac Center of Minnesota, for their comprehensive (and downloadable) list of what foods are safe for those who are gluten-free or Celiac to eat while at the fair.

Last, but certainly not least, we wanted to plug our friends at Hot Indian Foods who will be serving up Paneer on a Spear at the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar from Aug 31-Sept 5.  Deep-fried Indian-seasoned paneer cheese coated with a local gluten-free craft beer batter (hmmm, I wonder whose beer that could be?) and served with a tomato garlic chutney.  Sounds like gluten-free nirvana to me.

Taproom Tidings

While we are without a food truck this Friday (8/19… insert sad trombone sound here…) we were able to procure a new cupcake flavor from our friends at Groundswell, their Lavender Black Bottom Cheesecake (gluten-free of course). So, with the dessert option covered, the main course will have to be BYOGFF (that’s Bring Your Own Gluten Free Food). Let us know if you need suggestions on places in the vicinity.

On Saturday (8/20), Soup Coupe will be here and with the forecast calling for thunderstorms and a high of 70, it sure sounds like soup weather to me.

Final Thoughts

Tomorrow, Dane joins the crew of Minnesota BeerCast to talk all things Burning Brothers. You can tune in Friday (8/19) at 8pm on AM 1130, FM 103.5, iHeartRadio and on-demand via the MN BeerCast website.

This Saturday (8/20) there are two great events going.

Ciderfest, happening in St. Cloud from 1 to 5 PM will feature hard ciders (and craft beers) from Minnesota and across the nation.  If you are gluten-free, this may be the festival for you, as many of the cider houses are also gluten-free.

The Summer Beer Dabbler runs from 5 to 9 PM at CHS field in downtown St. Paul and features beer from over 100 breweries, live music from 4 different bands, and food from several of the CHS stadium stands.

We hope to see you at one, or for the overly ambitious, both events!

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For those of you that made it this far, the subject line refers to the fact that the Fair has been held every year since 1859 with only five exceptions. Check out the Fair History for more info.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

…..and we just can’t hide it!

Apologies we didn’t get the newsletter out last week. You see, we were kind of busy… getting two new styles in cans!  That of course, brings us to a very obvious question…

Ask the Brewer

So, what are your two new beer styles available in liquor stores?

We’re so happy you asked!  As pictured above, you can see that both our “Parched” Lime Shandy and our “Raj-Agni” IPA are now available in cans.  Our distributor just picked them up last Friday, so they should be starting to make the rounds into liquor stores and other retail establishments across Minnesota.

With “Parched”, the citrus notes of our all American hops combined with the lime of our shandy will have you salsa dancing in no time. Our fans state that this shandy tastes like summer.  Not too sweet; a nice tartness balancing with the hops as if they were meant to be together.

“Raj-Agni” is an adapted version of the historical English style, offering a balanced bitterness with a slight hint of blackstrap molasses. Using exclusively Cluster hops allows us to bring forth both spicy and floral aromas to compliment the mix between earthy flavors and sweet fruits.

As you can imagine, we are pretty damn excited to have a range of styles to offer.  If your local store stocks Pyro and/or Roasted, you can ask them to stock Parched and Raj-Agni as well.  Help us to spread the word!  Cheers!

Taproom Tidings

On tap this weekend we have “Pyro” American Pale Ale, “Roasted” Coffee Ale, “Fused” Orange Blossom Honey Ale, “Parched” Lime Shandy, “Raj-Agni” India Pale Ale and Raspberry Infused Pyro.

Food options include Tatanka Truck with their delectable Native Amercian foods on Friday (8/12) and the ever popular Crazy Puppy on Saturday (8/13) slinging their gluten-free fair food.

• Thirsty Thursdays $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (no growler or grumbler fills after 8pm on Thursdays)
• Chocolate-Strawberry and Orange Cupcake from Groundswell includes a moist chocolate strawberry cake with an orange curd center, and a chocolate whipped cream with orange zest and chocolate chunks

Final Thoughts

Tonight (8/11) is Brew Love, a beer fest and fundraiser benefiting the Ronald McDonald House.  Happening at the Depot Shed in Minneapolis, there will be craft beer, food trucks, live music, games and more than 800 beer lovers coming together to help raise money for families coping with a child’s serious illness.

Saturday (8/13) is the Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest.  Starting at 3PM in Manitou Park at Tonka Bay, this festival features samples from local craft brewers, cideries, and vineyards as well as food vendors, live music and lots of BBQ. Profits benefit the local community.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

St. Arnold, the Patron Saint of Beer!

July is almost over and we were almost remiss in not mentioning this month’s Beer Holiday.  Even though it has already happened, July 18th is an important date to remember because….

Ask the Brewer

Is there a patron Saint of Beer?

Of course there is! In fact, July 18th is Saint Arnold’s Day, which celebrates the patron saint of hop pickers and brewers.  During the 11th century, Arnold of Soissons took to the streets to urge people to drink beer, rather than water, which could often contain contaminants during that time.

The story goes that he founded the Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg, Belgium, where he brewed beer.  Because the water for the beer was boiled, it killed off many organisms, including Cholera, which could decimate a village.  He advocated for everyone in his village to drink small beer (called that because of it’s low alcohol content) instead of water and for all meals, including breakfast!  His village escaped the cholera epidemics close to unscathed, leading to Arnold’s eventual sainthood.

He is often pictured holding a Bishop’s mitre and a mashing rake.  A parade is held in his honor in July in Brussels, Belgium, with a feast following in August.

Taproom Tidings

This weekend we have on tap “Pyro” American Pale Ale, “Roasted” Coffee Ale, “Fused” Orange Blossom Honey Ale, “Parched” Lime Shandy, “Raj-Agni” India Pale Ale and Raspberry Infused Pyro.

On Friday (7/29) we have Salsa Spot joining us with their authentic Mexican cuisine.  On Saturday (7/30) we have our first visit from Izabella’s, serving tacos and nachos.

• Thirsty Thursdays $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (no growler or grumbler fills after 8pm on Thursdays)
• Chocolate-Strawberry and Orange Cupcake from Groundswell includes a moist chocolate strawberry cake with an orange curd center, and a chocolate whipped cream with orange zest and chocolate chunks

Final Thoughts

This Saturday, July 30th, our fearless leader Dane will be pouring beer on a Paddelford riverboat, for the gluten-free Beer and Bacon Cruise.  For the price of your ticket, you get a 2 hour cruise, delicious bacon focused appetizers, and 2 oz. samples of multiple beers!  Space is limited, so if you can’t get on board with this one, a second one will be running on September 10th.

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

It’s exactly like Batman vs. Superman, but different…

In our continuing saga of when it’s really hot and humid out, there are multiple recommendations as to what someone should do to stay healthy.  From staying in an air conditioned space to working as early in the day as possible to taking frequent breaks in the shade or other cools spaces.  One of the most important things of course is to stay hydrated which brings us to a very interesting debate…

Ask the Brewer

Which is better for staying hydrated, water or beer?

Unsurprisingly, there are two differing points of view on this (maybe more?). There are those that feel beer hydrates better than water and then those who are certain it dehydrates you.  While more research could probably be done (insert air quotes here… “research”), we figured we’d do a run down on what we were able to uncover from both points of view.

In the beer is better camp, we have all of the runners, backpackers, climbers and bicyclists who feel there is nothing better after a hard days workout than a cold beer.  The science supporting this indicates that as long as the beer is less than 10% alcohol, there is a net hydrating effect, or that a moderate amount of beer (22 oz.) has no negative effect on hydration.  In other words, up to 22 oz. of beer that is less than 10% alcohol followed by as much water as a person wants has no different effect on hydration than drinking nothing but water.

In the water is better camp, we have the individuals who point to the actual science behind the supposed diuretic effect of beer.  The hypothesis is that alcohol interferes with the process that regulates the level of water in our bodies. The science here indicates that an anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) made by the pituitary gland called vasopressin gets suppressed by alcohol thereby making you pee more.

Taking this to another level, when you’re really dehydrated and your body is low on water, you can end up with an increased salt concentration.  Your body can detect that increased concentration and will increase production of ADH, slowing down urine output and hanging onto water.  Alcohol does the opposite, reducing the amount of ADH you make, thereby increasing the amount of urine you produce.  It is estimated that each shot of alcohol you drink causes your body to produce an extra 120 millilitres of urine.

Even today it is still not fully understood how alcohol causes excessive urination.  When you add in studies that seem to indicate that alcohol consumed at moderate levels can re-hydrate you when dehydrated, we would say enjoy your after workout beer, but don’t depend solely on that for staying hydrated when it is hot out!

Taproom Tidings

Tap selection for the weekend includes “Pyro” American Pale Ale, “Roasted” Coffee Ale, “Fused” Orange Blossom Honey Ale, “Parched” Lime Shandy, “Raj-Agni” India Pale Ale and Raspberry Infused Pyro.

Food trucks for the weekend are Patacones on Friday (7/22) with their authentic Colombian street food and Crazy Puppy on Saturday (7/23) with their gluten-free fair food!

• Thirsty Thursdays $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (no growler or grumbler fills after 8pm on Thursdays)
• Chocolate-Strawberry and Orange Cupcake from Groundswell includes a moist chocolate strawberry cake with an orange curd center, and a chocolate whipped cream with orange zest and chocolate chunks

Final Thoughts

This Saturday, July 23rd, we will be “up North” enjoying the cool breezes coming off Lake Superior.  Join us in Duluth at Bayfront Park for All Pints North, with over 120 craft breweries/brew pubs participating, food vendors, music and opportunities to learn more about craft beer.

Also, there are still spaces available on the July 30th Beer and Bacon Cruise.  This is a unique opportunity to cruise the Mississippi, sample gluten-free beers, and eat from a bacon-focused, gluten-free menu!

As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!