Archive: Month: September 2015

Guess what Thom’s favorite color is!

Our distributor here in Minnesota has picked up two pallets of kegs just this past Monday – Woot!  That means that Burning Brothers will be available on tap in select locations in very short order.  The first two varieties going out to retail accounts are Pyro and Roasted.  We will post locations that have our beer on tap on our website as well as Twitter and Facebook as soon as we know.

Ask the Brewer

So, who makes your beer?

While there are several people at Burning Brothers who brew the beer, the behind the scenes work is done by Co-Founder Thom Foss, pictured above.  In order to give you, our loyal followers, a little insight into what makes him tick, we did a short interview with him.

What do you do at Burning Brothers?
I do all of the behind the scenes stuff, i.e. office work, that makes the brewery happen.  There is a lot of regulatory and financial paperwork that has to be dealt with.  However, I still make time to do things on the brewfloor too.

What’s the best part of your job?
Getting to have a beer, or two, in the middle of the day!  Actually, what I like most is being able to create something of value, something tangible that actually adds to other people’s lives.

What’s the worst part of your job?
Feeling that the brewery has become my whole life.  In some ways I worry that I am letting down my family and friends, as I do very little with them right now.

What’s your favorite Burning Brothers Beer?
Roasted Coffee – I have close to the same passion for coffee as for beer, so this combines that, and they are two great tastes that go great together!

What is your favorite other beer?
Triple Karmeliet, it is hands down one of the best beers I have ever had in my life.

Pirates or Ninjas?
Ninjas!  When asked why, he said if you need to ask, you don’t understand…

If you could add one thing to the brewery/taproom, what would it be?
A patio – it would make our regulars happy!

Taproom Tidings

The taproom has its regular hours all weekend, with growler fills available all of the days we are open. Highlights include:

• Thirsty Thursdays is your chance for $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (Remember, St. Paul doesn’t let us fill growlers after 8pm on Thursdays, so get here early)
• Food on Fridays (FoF) brings us Crazy Puppy, gluten-free fair food – delicious!
• Our featured cupcake from Groundswell is their Espresso Turtle. Chocolate espresso cake with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, toasted pecans and an espresso caramel sauce.
• Tap selection includes Pyro APA, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey, Parched Lime Shandy and our ever popular Blackstrap IPA. Growler and grumbler fills on everything.

Final Thoughts

On Saturday, September 26th, we will be participating in Spirits on the River.  This event is a beer, wine, and food sampling event featuring 80+ beers from fifteen breweries, five wineries and five food vendors. There will also be root beer, live music and a raffle including a 2015. We hope to see you there!

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

Cheers!

Barrel aged beers, mmm tasty!

Bacon… Beer… Music… what more could you ask for?! This Saturday (9/12), we’ll be at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis for the Bacon and Beer Classic. As attendees walk through the stadium they will get a taste of history through the hundreds of craft brew samples and mouth-watering bacon-inspired tastes local restaurants cook up. Music will get people dancing and interactive games will bring out their inner kid!

Ask the Brewer

I always thought fresh beer was best, why would I want to drink aged beer?

While getting fresh beer is important, certain beers actually age quite well and can be barrel, cask, or bottle aged to enhance their flavors. Fresh beer matters because certain flavors fade or degrade over time. According to the Beer Advocate website, hop flavors in lower alcohol beers (i.e., Pale Ales, IPAs and Black Ales) are typically better fresh. Also, coffee flavors can diminish quickly, so many coffee beers are better when enjoyed fresh.

The primary advantage of aging is that it lets alcohol or “boozy” notes mellow out over time. High ABV beers such as Imperial Stouts, Barley Wines, Old Ales and some Belgian Ales are usually good choices for aging. As a general rule, if a beer has an ABV higher than 10%, it is potentially a good candidate for aging.  If you are interested in cellaring your own beer, you can pick up several bottles, trying one early on and seeing what you think, setting aside the others to drink over time and taking notes to track your impressions.

Craft breweries barrel and cask age beers to create certain flavors in their brews. This aging can bring in aromas and flavors present in the wood itself or from the beverage that was previously in the barrel (think bourbon or whiskey). Oak, for example, can impart floral and coconut from the lactones present in the wood, as well as vanilla from phenolic aldehydes and caramel from the simple sugars. If the barrel held whiskey or bourbon, those notes may also be imparted to the beer.

The world of beer encompasses so many flavors and styles, all we can recommend is that you try what peaks your curiosity, giving both fresh beers and aged beers equal opportunity to please your palate.

Taproom Tidings

The taproom has its regular hours all weekend, with growler fills available all of the days we are open. Highlights include:

• Thirsty Thursdays is your chance for $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (Remember, St. Paul doesn’t let us fill growlers after 8pm on Thursdays, so get here early)
• Food on Fridays (FoF) brings us Rusty Taco, here to fulfill all of your Taco needs!
• Our featured cupcake from Groundswell is their Espresso Turtle. Chocolate espresso cake with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, toasted pecans and an espresso caramel sauce.
• Tap selection includes Pyro APA, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey, Parched Lime Shandy and our ever popular Blackstrap IPA. Growler and grumbler fills on everything.

Final Thoughts

Next Thursday, September 17th from 5:30 – 8:00pm, we will be part taking part in the 3rd Annual Sweet Taste of St. Paul at The Great Hall in downtown St. Paul. This event provides a great opportunity to get out and support your local community through the Y’s mission to provide strong youth development within our communities. So grab a date and make some memories in their photo booth, try your luck with one of the many raffles, and dance the night away with the River City Jazz Orchestra!

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

Cheers!

I’m supposed to use which glass?!?

Green Line Beer Crawl

This Saturday, from Noon to 6pm, we will be participating in Rails & Ales. This event features nine breweries along the Green Line where participants get discounts, special beer tappings and a variety of other stuff (not to be vague). Starting at noon, we’ll be setup both behind the brewery (in our loading dock area) as well as in the taproom and have both Tot Boss and Frio Frio serving during the event. Even if you aren’t running the gauntlet (think about 9 breweries in 6 hours….), stop on down and have a pint to celebrate the holiday weekend.

Ask the Brewer

Does it matter what glass I drink my beer from?

First off, we would like to say that anything that holds beer without leaking counts as a good glass! That being said, there are some glasses specifically designed for certain beers. Many of the styles recommended today were developed over time to fulfill certain purposes.

• The lidded German beer stein was created to keep flies out of your beer
• The coachman’s beer glass was created to allow an easy way to enjoy beer while driving a carriage (ah, the good ol’ days)
• Thick glass mugs were developed to help keep beer cold and be more durable in order to withstand the abuse endured in a local pub
• Tall and slender wheat beer (Witbier) glasses allow for yeast sediment to settle at the bottom of the glass, where it doesn’t mix with the rest of the beer as you are drinking it
• Beer snifters are used for higher gravity (higher alcohol content) beers; the wide bowl allows the hand to warm the beer while the narrower top retains the aroma
• Kolsch drinking glasses, sometimes called Stange glasses, are typically designed to be small so that the beer is enjoyed quickly while it is still cold

Our favorite, the Nonic glass, also called an English Pint (what we use at Burning Brothers), is an excellent all-purpose beer glass.  At 20 oz., it can be used for serving just about any beer. It accommodates more beer, maintaining its temperature, and allowing sufficient space for head retention.

Taproom Tidings

The taproom has its regular hours all weekend, with growler fills available all of the days we are open. Highlights include:

• Thirsty Thursdays is your chance for $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (Remember, St. Paul doesn’t let us fill growlers after 8pm on Thursdays, so get here early)
• Food on Fridays (FoF) brings us NEW FOOD TRUCK! Cafe Racer strives to elevate the quality and perception of food trucks by providing a service experience second to none. , serving delicious, healthy, Latin American cuisine. They are a Minnesota based food truck, restaurant and catering company that serves delicious, healthy, Latin American cuisine.
• Our featured cupcake from Groundswell is their Espresso Turtle. Chocolate espresso cake with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, toasted pecans and an espresso caramel sauce.
• Tap selection includes Pyro APA, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey, Parched Lime Shandy and our ever popular Blackstrap IPA. Growler and grumbler fills on everything.

While the Snelling Ave. bridge is OPEN and usable, it is one of the main routes for the MN State Fair, so take that into consideration as you make your weekend plans!

Also, while we aren’t normally open on Mondays, we wanted to make sure to let you know that taproom is closed on Labor Day. Prost!

Final Thoughts

Just in case you missed last weeks newsletter, here is where you can find us at the Great Minnesota Get Together (i.e., the MN State Fair):

• Ball Park Cafe (East side of Underwood St between Dan Patch & Carnes Ave)
• Cafe Caribe (South side of Carnes Ave between Liggett & Nelson streets)
• Giggles’ Campfire Grill (Southeast corner of Lee Ave & Cooper St at The North Woods)
• LuLu’s Public House (West End Market, south of the Schilling Ampitheater)
• O’Gara’s (Just inside the main gate on Snelling Ave)

Cheers!