Archive: Author: Thom

Milk and Cookies or what Santa really wants with his snack?

While not everyone celebrates the holiday season with Santa and stockings, almost everyone has treats that are made specifically during the winter. There are traditional sweets for Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Yule, as well as many of the other holidays that are celebrated throughout December.

Ask the Brewer

What kind of beer should I drink with my holiday treats?

While many people prefer milk with their cookies, or wine with their chocolate, we have found that beer pairs well with just about anything, including traditional holiday treats!

Fruitcake and Panettone pair well with a Chocolate Stout. The strong rich flavors of a stout need something just as strong and rich to accompany it. Anything less flavorful would just be overpowered by the beer.

Coffee Ale pairs well with hazelnut or praline truffles. The rich coffee flavor offsets the nut and chocolate of the truffle. Think mocha with a shot of hazelnut syrup, and you’ll have an approximation of the flavor.

Spiced Ale pairs well with gingerbread cookies, where the strong spices complement each other and meld together.

Kolache pairs well with Brown Ales. The smooth caramel flavor of the ale complements both the sweetness of the dough and the tartness of the raspberry filling.

If you find a specific beer and holiday treat that you feel go well together, let us know!

Taproom Tidings

Holiday hours are in effect! Taproom hours through the weekend:

• Wed 4-10pm (A quiet pint before the weekend)
• Thu 4-10pm (Dane & Thom beertending, come watch us bumble the bar)
• Fri 4-10pm (Gird your loins before family time)
• Sat & Sun – Closed (Make sure to stock up and fill your growlers and grumblers)

Tap selection includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Cranberry Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale and American Lager.

This Friday (12/23) Soup Coupe will be here with hot and hearty soups and handmade fajitas.

Final Thoughts

A big thank you to all those who brought in items for our Toys For Tots drive!  Not only did we send a lot of toys in, but we also donated $100 to the cause.  We couldn’t have done this without you!

If you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

The friendly a**hole who brings balance!

As many of you may have noticed, we have several new faces working the taproom. We will do our best to introduce our dandy new employees over the next few months, starting today with our new Taproom Manager, Dominic Liljenquist. With a budding interest in astrology, Dominic just had his star chart done and happily told us that he’s a Leo with a cancer rising and an ascending Libra. He’s a self proclaimed… well, see the photo caption above.

Ask the Brewer

So, who’s the new guy working every night in the taproom?

Along with our new extended hours (open on Wednesdays, where have you been?) we got a new taproom manager. As the latest in a line of gifted conversationalists behind the bar, we felt it was only fair to give all of you a little insight into who Dominic is.

What do you do at Burning Brothers?
I’m the taproom manager, I do whatever they tell me to do. Within reason, but said more colorfully.

What’s the best part of your job?
Interacting with the customers, being able to joke, laugh and have a good time. In my opinion we’re just a bunch of dorks trying to sell beer. And it is comfortable, from my co-workers to the music we listen to.

What’s the worst part of your job?
I don’t have one yet, but my biggest fear is that I will make a mistake with food requirements, and may get people sick. The gluten-free part is new to me, but I’m a fast learner!

What’s your favorite Burning Brothers Beer?
Scorched (this is an off-menu mix of Roasted and Raj-Agni, don’t be afraid to ask for it).

What is your favorite other beer?
There’s so many, but based on the season we’re currently in, I love Zombie Monkey. It is a robust porter by Tall Grass, and with its tactile grip can, imminently suited for fleeing Zombies without dropping your drink.

Pirates or Ninjas?
Pirates – I’m a pirate! I’d love to be a ninja, but my wife says I’m too loud, so I have to be a pirate.

If you could add one thing to the brewery/taproom, what would it be?
More stuff to provide flair in the taproom. Things that reflect who we are and where we come from.

Taproom Tidings

Recap of our current taproom hours:

• Wed 4-10pm (Hello… is there anybody there?!)
• Thu 4-10pm (Thirsty Thursday Deals!)
• Fri 4-10pm (For dinner and a beer!)
• Sat 2-10pm (MORE dinner and a beer!)
• Sun 2-6pm (Beer to go on a Sunday!)

Tap selection for this weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Cranberry Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale, Grapefruit IPA Wednesday and Thursday, and American Lager on Friday.

This Friday (12/16) Signature on Wheels will be here with their eclectic take on American Cuisine.  On Saturday (12/17) we will not have a food truck, so we invite people to BYOGFF (Bring Your Own Gluten-Free Food).  If you have questions or need suggestions, let us know!

Final Thoughts

Reminder that this year we are a drop-off location for Toys For Tots! Though the toy drive runs through December 21st, this is the final weekend for the BBB taproom. In order to finish with a bang, when you bring in and donate a new, unwrapped toy, we’ve doubled-down and are now giving you $2 off your first pint! (Which we are donating to the cause!)

If you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Yet another horde of beer lovers expounding their desire

Finding the perfect gift for your beer loving friend, family member or spouse can be as easy as stopping down at your local taproom (like say…Burning Brothers?!?).  There you can find a selection of beer glasses, gift cards, shirts, hats and growler gift packs (like what we carry!)  But, what if you need a little more than that, say, a unique beer gadget to round things out?

Ask the Brewer

What are some of the cool new beer gadgets for 2016?

First off, as an establishment that sells growlers, we are always interested in anything that helps the beer in the growler stay carbonated longer. Since a growler of beer acts much like 2 liter bottle of soda, once you’ve cracked that seal, you only have a couple of days to drink it before it is flat. The GrowlTap fixes that problem. Attaching to the top of the growler, it keeps the beer carbonated until you’ve finished it, at your own pace.

For the tech-gadget beer lover, we suggest a cell phone bottle opener case. The two things people almost always have with them are their keys and their cell phones. While key ring bottle openers are tough and convenient, the cell phone bottle opener case is awesome(r)! You’ll always have it on you, it doesn’t add extra items in your pockets, and it keeps you from attempting to open a brew with your regular cell phone case, which can come with some sad consequences.

This next gift idea appeals to us both on the humorous as well as subversive nature of the item.  Enter the Trinken lid.  While this may look like your standard to-go coffee cup lid, it actually snaps onto the top rim of a can, and then the can nestles down into the paper or insulating portion of the “coffee cup” sleeve.  We, of course, would never advise drinking booze anywhere you’re not supposed to be drinking it, nor would the people who make it!

Last, but certainly not least, is the beer slushie maker. (Why should kids get all the fun?) This machine makes adult slushies that don’t leave you with an oddly colored tongue. Fitting on a kitchen counter, you pour in your beer, and it creates frozen deliciousness for you.

Taproom Tidings

Reminder of our new taproom hours:

• Wed 4-10pm (Woot! More Taproom Time!)
• Thu 4-10pm (Thirsty Thursday Deals!)
• Fri 4-10pm (For dinner and a beer!)
• Sat 2-10pm (Second round of dinner and a beer!)
• Sun 2-6pm (Beer to go on a Sunday!)

Tap selection for this weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Cranberry Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale, Grapefruit IPA and Dark Lager.

Signature Cafe will be here on this Friday (12/2) with their eclectic take on American Classics.  On Saturday (12/3) we will be joined for the first time by Smashed, featuring boiled baby red potatoes Smashed! on a flat top grill, browned in butter sauce with your choice of added toppings.

Final Thoughts

Reminder that we are now a drop-off location for Toys For Tots!  Running through December 21st, bring in and donate a new, unwrapped toy and we’ll give you a $1 off your next pint.

If you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Support your local businesses this Holiday Season!

Small Business Saturday is this weekend and is your chance to support the local shops and retailers that make your community unique. So, once you’ve finished with the food and family time, and after the craziness that is Black Friday, take some time to visit your local businesses for a more relaxed and community focused shopping trip.

Ask the Brewer

So, I love drinking at my local taproom, and visiting the small businesses in my area, but how much of a difference does it really make?

We’re going to start this answer from the perspective of a craft brewery (shocking, I know) which according to the Brewer’s Association are both small and independent. In looking back on 2015, while the overall beer market was “meh” (down slightly by 0.02%), craft brewery sales were up by 12.8%. Also, it is now estimated that the majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewery, making them a great local choice for people to support.

Broadening our scope, we look to the Small Business Association who typically defines a small business as being a business of less than 500 employees. According to the 2010 census, there were approximately 27.9 million small businesses registered in the United States, compared to the more than 18,000 companies with 500 employees or more (i.e., 99.7 percent of U.S. employers were small businesses). That equates to jobs for about 56 million people, or roughly 57 percent of the private sector employees in the nation.

Lastly, not only do small businesses employ people from their surrounding area, but they also contribute to the local tax base through sales and other taxes. They also make many of their purchases from other local businesses. Therefore, when you make a purchase from a local independent business, 3 times more money from that purchase goes back into the local economy than the same purchase at a chain store, and as much as 50 times more than if the money was spent at a big box retailer.

So, while we know not every purchase can be made at a small business (hey, we shop at the big box stores too!) when you get the opportunity, make the choice to support your local businesses.

Taproom Tidings

Our holiday schedule for the week is as follows:

• Wed 4-10pm (Woot! More Taproom Time!)
• Thu Closed (Something Something Turkey!)
• Fri 2-10pm (Opening early, cuz you’ll be ready for that pint!)
• Sat 2-10pm (Small Biz Sat, see secret deal below)
• Sun 2-6pm (Something Something Football…. WHAT DO YOU MEAN I MISSED THE VIKES?)

That being said, we will be closed on Thanksgiving to allow our staff to spend time with their family and friends.

To celebrate the addition of Wednesday night to our regular taproom times (and the addition of 10pm growler sales), we are giving away (well, Thom is… somewhat begrudgingly) our very last grumbler of the Coconut Chocolate Stout!  Stop in for a beer, enter your name in the drawing, and hang out with us until we pull the name at 8pm. You must be present to win.

Tap selection for this weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Cranberry Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale, Grapefruit IPA on Wednesday and Dark Lager on Friday.

This Friday (11/25) we are joined by Soup Coupe and their hearty and warm soup and chili selections. On Saturday (11/26) Crazy Puppy will be here with their delicious fair food options including beer battered onion rings and beer battered green beans made using Pyro. As always, all food served at the taproom is gluten-free!

Final Thoughts

We are pleased to announce that we are now a drop-off location for Toys For Tots!  Starting this Friday, and running through December 21st, bring in and donate a new, unwrapped toy and we’ll give you a $1 off your next pint.

Celebrate Small Business Saturday with us! This Saturday, November 26th with each merchandise or gift card purchase of $25 or larger, get a free pint in the taproom. Get that beer lover something they will truly cherish and have a pint on us!

Going forward (i.e., starting next week), our standard taproom hours will be:

• Wed 4-10pm
• Thurs 4-10pm
• Fri 4-10pm
• Sat 2-10pm
• Sun 2-6pm

Growler sales are now available until 10pm all of the nights we are open (except Sunday which is still 6pm).

If you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!

Soldiers of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion have free beer at a tavern, served by German women. Lembeck, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. 29 March 1945.

As many of you know, this Friday is Veteran’s Day, and we want to take this opportunity to say thank you to those who have served our country. To our grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters, and friends who have served in the military, we want to say thank you. You have risked it all, and we appreciate it. This Friday, any veteran, reservist or active duty military personnel who visits the Burning Brothers taproom, you first pint is on us. You’ve earned it.

Ask the Brewer

The current American military has some strict policies surrounding drinking, has it always been that way?

The history of the American military and drinking (specifically drinking beer, because, Beer!) is a long and colorful one. When our founding fathers were planning the revolution, taverns were popular meeting spots. One of their favorites was The Green Dragon, a tavern in Boston frequented by Sam Adams. The Continental Congress enacted an early statute, in November of 1775, that stated that each soldier within the army should be provided with 1 quart of beer or cider per man, per day. (that’s a lot of beer!) One of General George Washington’s lesser known skills was his ability to make sure that his armies were camped within reasonable distance of a supply of beer.

When the civil war rolled around, beer again played a pivotal role. With armies camped in the same location for weeks, leading into months, and the associated inactivity, boredom became a serious issue. What better to do when you have time on your hands then home brew (or camp brew). In addition, popular camp songs such as “Soldier’s Joy”, extolled beer as being cheaper than morphine: “25 cents for the morphine, 15 cents for the beer. 25 cents for the morphine, gonna drink myself away from here!”

During World War II, the US Department of Agriculture actually ordered that 15% of all beer production be set aside for the troops, which was actually more than the regular citizenry was receiving. On top of that, this canned beer was much stronger than what was available in Britain, and was often painted drab green to improve it’s camouflage from enemy aircraft.

The Vietnam War was a time when beer was freely available to troops, and many different brands of American beer were shipped overseas for our soldiers, as it was preferred to the Vietnamese-made lager. Soldiers drinking right up until going out on patrol or piloting a helicopter was not uncommon.

In today’s military, most branches restrict drinking to off-duty times, and military personnel are expected to never be on duty with a blood alcohol level over .05.  In fact, the Marines expect it to be under .01 anytime you are considered active.  Meanwhile, the Navy’s fleet operates “dry” while on deployment, with the exception being an allowance of 2 beers per person at the end of every 45 contiguous days at sea.

Taproom Tidings

Tap selection for the weekend includes Pyro American Pale Ale, Roasted Coffee Ale, Fused Orange Blossom Honey Ale, Cranberry Shandy, Raj-Agni India Pale Ale, abd Grapefruit IPA.

This weekend our food trucks are Wholesoul on Friday (11/11), with their unique take on Soul food, and Signature on Wheels on Saturday (11/12) with their eclectic American fare.

Our cupcake this weekend is Ginger Cardamon Apple, which is a ginger cake with apple filling and cardamon cream cheese frosting.

As always, all food served at the taproom is gluten-free!

Final Thoughts

We wanted to give everyone a heads up that St. Paul has changed their ordinance regarding off-sale closing times. Starting the week of November 21st, all St. Paul breweries are able to sell beer to go (i.e., growlers) until 10pm every night they are open (and liquor stores too).

In addition, we’ve had enough people stopping by earlier in the week that we have decide to add an extra taproom night.

With this in mind, starting the week of November 21st, our standard taproom hours are changing to:

• Wed 4-10pm
• Thurs 4-10pm
• Fri 4-10pm
• Sat 2-10pm
• Sun 2-6pm

That being said, we will be closed on Thanksgiving to allow our people to spend time with their family and friends.

If you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers!