One heck of a good reason to celebrate Earth Day!
This Friday, April 22nd, is Earth Day. At Burning Brothers, we feel this holiday is important because it helps to focus attention on our society’s use of natural resources, including one of the most important for beer which is water. Good beer requires good water, so, on Friday, we’ll be raising a glass to Earth Day, abundant clean water, and great beer!
Ask the Brewer
How important is water to the brewing process?
Considering that beer is 90% water (or more), the quality of the water is incredibly important. While you can’t brew a good beer with bad water, it is also possible to brew a bad beer with good water! Good water comes in a wide range of hardness, alkalinity and mineral content, and all of these can affect how a brewer in one location can brew a specific style of beer successfully, while a brewer in another may not.
One simple truth when it comes to brewing is there is no one water that is ideal for all beer styles. That is why you end up with certain regions that are known for producing a specific style of beer really well. For example, water in Dublin, which has high alkalinity, is best suited for brewing stouts and other dark ales, while in Pilsen, the water has very low mineral content, making it perfect for Bohemian Pilsners.
Here in St. Paul, multiple factors came together in the mid 1800’s to fuel a beer boom. There were lots of German immigrants, with a love of “bier”, and the knowledge necessary to brew it well. There was fertile soil for growing the necessary ingredients, sandstone caves for cold aging lagers, and a well balanced water profile, especially suited to lighter beers. The water was also plentiful. This wonderful congruence can be seen in the fact that breweries have existed here in one form or another since the mid 1800s.
Taproom Tidings
Back by popular demand… (no, really, we get asked about it all the time) our brewer’s choice for this weekend is our Raspberry Infused Pyro. We’ll be tapping it on Friday, April 22nd, so plan to stop in, have a pint and grab a growler before it’s gone.
Food options on Friday, April 22nd brings us our first seasonal visit of Crazy Puppy G.W. and their Gluten-Free fair food. On Saturday, April 23rd, Signature Cafe will be here with their unique take on American classics.
- Tap selection includes Pyro APA, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Raj-Agni IPA, Parched Lime Shandy, and Raspberry Infused Pyro
- Thirsty Thursdays $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (no growler or grumbler fills after 8pm on Thursdays)
- Coconut Turtle Cupcake from Groundswell includes a coconut chocolate fudge cake with pecans, whipped cream, honey caramel sauce, and chocolate ganache
Final Thoughts
There are three (count them, 3) events going this weekend. We would love to see you at any or all of them.
On April 23rd, we have both the MN Craft Beer Fest and the Second Annual Arts & Crafts. The MN Craft Beer Fest benefits Habitat For Humanity, while the Second Annual Arts & Crafts benefits COMPAS. Whichever one you are going to, you can drink beer and listen to music while supporting an organization that provides housing for all, or arts for all!
On Sunday, April 24th the second ever gluten-free beer dinner pairing Burning Brothers Beers with Signature Cafe foods is happening. Seats are still available, so call Signature Cafe at 612-378-0237 to make your reservation!
As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.
Cheers!