Matt Johnson

Reminder: Final Friday September 24 with Unmapped Brewing

September 13, 2021
Don’t forget about our Final Friday Social next week (Friday September 24) with Derek from Unmapped Brewery! And make sure to pick up Flannel Roots, No Trace IPA, and Purgatory Pils to join in the beer tasting.
Event Details below and at the following link: https://fb.me/e/1JThwvBz3
Join us on September 24th as Derek Allmendinger, Head Brewer at Unmapped Brewing, joins us! He will discuss his time as a home brewer / member of MHBA and also as a professional brewer.
We will be tasting three beers from Unmapped Brewing, so make sure to run out to the liquor store or to the brewery to grab them! During the call Derek will walk through:
– Flannel Roots Fall Lager (Oktoberfest style)
– No Trace IPA (American IPA)
– Purgatory Pils (Czech Style Pils)
It should be a fun evening! Cheers!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82991763932
Meeting ID: 829 9176 3932
Passcode: 080917
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Annual Grape / Grape Juice Purchase

September 2, 2021

Calling all wine, pyment, and other home brewers! It is that time of year again for the annual Wine Grape and Wine Juice purchase from Duane Van Hoever. See two documents below for all information you need to place an order. Cheers!

2021 wine grape pricing 2021 wine juice price list

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Hot Summer Calls for Homebrew

August 23, 2021

MHBA Final Friday Social – August 27

Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi hoi hoi!
For our August Final Friday Social, we’ll be grabbing our favorite Oktoberfest/marzen beers for a casual conversation about what we’re drinking, followed by a game of trivia on the same topic. How well do you know BJCP category 6a? You have a week to study up!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81802571741
Meeting ID: 818 0257 1741
Passcode: 496585

MHBA Holiday Party Scheduled for January 8th at Forgotten Star Brewing

More details to be added later, but hold the date for the annual holiday party! Event details will be posted on Facebook as well: https://fb.me/e/2mYBFUity.

Sinning with the Saints Recap

It was a fun day at the ballpark and tailgating, even though it was a hot one! Had a large group of home brewers from across the State to show up to share some home brew, eat some brats / hot dogs / side dishes / cookies, and root for the St. Paul Saints (even though it was a loss this time). There was a large variety of laughs, stories, and home brew as everybody caught up. Those that attended tried everything from an ESB to a Hefeweizen to Strawberry Mead. Keep an eye out next year to attend!
All Club Camp Out 2021 Recap
Another Camp Out, another success! Many memories made and many friendships continued (and many beers / meads / ciders shared!). Families across the state came to celebrate home brew together. Thanks PHC for hosting and hope to see everyone next year!

MHBA Mead Day 2021 with Prairie Rose Meadery Recap

To celebrate National Mead Day the club hosted Fargo’s own Susan Ruud, owner and head maker of Prairie Rose Meadery, to discuss meads and Susan’s experience in the industry. The club had fun trying meads (thanks Adam for picking them up and Prairie Rose for the discount) and listening to Susan’s stories. Thanks Susan for joining the call and sharing your expertise!

 

Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

MHBA Honor Roll

  • Nathan Steigman took 1st place in Mead at the U.S. Open in North Carolina, 2nd in BOS Mead,
  • Nathan Steigman took BOS for Mead at the Dominion Cup in Virginia this weekend, along with 1st and 3rd place medals.

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Paige Latham Didora was on a panel for the North American Guild of Beer Writers discussing how the revelation of more than a thousand accounts of sexual harassment and assault, toxic workplaces and discrimination is affecting the beer industry – listen in here
  • Good Beer Hunting writes about how a method that had fallen to the wayside for modern generations of brewers, decoction brewing, is finding new interest and popularity
  • Louis Livingston-Garcia of Beer Dabbler talks with Beer Kulture, a non profit focused on diversity and inclusion in the craft beverage industry, and the impact they are making
Read More

Three August Events AND Holiday Party Scheduled!

August 4, 2021

Sinning with the Saints  (Don’t forget the tailgate beforehand!) – August 22, 2021

The Minnesota Homebrewers Association is excited to announce that MN brewers will be taking over part of CHS Field to watch a St. Paul Saints Ballgame! On August 22, 2021 the MHBA, Primary Fermenters, SPHC, and Nordeast Brewers Alliance will be attending the game to watch the Saints take on the Iowa Cubs. If you would like to join the club in enjoying a good old fashioned ballgame, you can reserve and pay for tickets at the link in the event. Tickets are $20 and include admission to the game and a fun afternoon with your fellow homebrewers!
Also enjoy some pregame tailgating in the Saints Tailgating lot at Lafayette St and Prince St just off Kellogg Blvd! Brats to be provided! Feel free to bring any food / side dishes and of course some beverages to share. For a map of where the lot is at, see the Saints website: https://www.chsfield.com/plan-your-visit/parking.
Reminder: All Club Camp Out – August 6 – 8, 2021
All-Club Camp-Out! Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This family-friendly event hosts brewers from any and all homebrew club. This year we gather at Camp Nushka on Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Prairie Homebrewing Companions (PHC) from the Fargo-Moorhead area are the hosts, and will collect $25-40/adult at the camp-out; kids are free. The price includes camping, firewood, outhouse supplies, and a fabulous Saturday feast, cooked and served by the PHC. Newcomers are most welcome! Please indicate your intention to attend to John Longballa at [email protected]. He’ll get you extra information and will let the PHC know how many to plan for.
Not to be missed!!!

MHBA Mead Day 2021 with Prairie Rose Meadery – August 13, 2021

National Mead Day is quickly approaching and this year the Minnesota Home Brewers Association has paired up with Prairie Rose Meadery out of Fargo, ND to bring you all your mead needs!
On Friday, August 13th at 8pm we’ll be doing a virtual mead tasting with Fargo’s own Susan Ruud; owner and head mead maker of Prairie Rose Meadery. Technically National Mead Day is August 7th, but with the All Club Camp Out landing smack dab on Mead Day, we decided to push this event to the following weekend.
Meeting ID: 982 5765 9982
Passcode: 088833
ZOOM Link: https://zoom.us/j/98257659982…
Prairie Rose is offering a limited time 15% discount on ALL meads for this event! How do you get in on this discount? Easy! Check out what mead Prairie Rose has for sale here, https://www.prairierosemeadery.com/meads then when you’re set give Susan a call to place the order; 701-371-3690. Mention you are with the MHBA and she’ll apply the discount.
No need to worry about shipping fees because MHBA’s own runner mule, Adam Bystrom, will be driving up to pick up orders on Monday, August 2nd. We ask that once you place your order to take a few seconds to fill out this form https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf5lYyEiyuw9E…/viewform to let us know what you’ve ordered. Please specify which location, St. Louis Park or St. Paul, you’d like to pick your mead up from.
The list of mead available is truly impressive and we encourage everyone to purchase as much or as little as you are comfortable with. For this event we will be focusing on three meads in particular; Traditional Mead (made with North Dakota sweet clover blossom), Carmel Apple and Lime Mint (not yet on the website.)
The run-down:
1. Visit https://www.prairierosemeadery.com/meads
2. Call Susan at 701-371-3690 to place order and mention you’re with the MHBA.
3. Take a moment to fill out https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf5lYyEiyuw9E…/viewform so we can make sure we have everyone’s order and get it to the right pick-up location.
4. Adam Bystrom will pick up the orders on Monday, August 2nd.
6. Pick up your beer from Saint Paul or Saint Louis Park.
St. Louis Park – Schedule your pick-up with Adam at 612-655-1459 between August 2nd and August 13th.
St. Paul – TBD
7. Join us virtually at 8pm on Friday, August 13th to celebrate National Mead Day!

Dave Hoops Chatted with MHBA on July 30th

On July 30th, Dave Hoops, owner and head Brewer, from Hoops Brewery in Duluth joined the Final Friday Social to walk through his Pale Ale and many of his other beers as well. He shared is experience growing in the MN beer scene from its infancy, and some ins and outs of how he has mastered such a wide variety of styles. Thanks Dave for joining and providing some fantastic insight to the club!

MHBA Holiday Party Scheduled for January 8th at Forgotten Star Brewing

More details to be added later, but hold the date for the annual holiday party! Event details will be posted on Facebook as well: https://fb.me/e/2mYBFUity

Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Paige Latham Didora was on a panel for the North American Guild of Beer Writers discussing how the revelation of more than a thousand accounts of sexual harassment and assault, toxic workplaces and discrimination is affecting the beer industry – listen in here
  • Good Beer Hunting writes about how a method that had fallen to the wayside for modern generations of brewers, decoction brewing, is finding new interest and popularity
  • Louis Livingston-Garcia of Beer Dabbler talks with Beer Kulture, a non profit focused on diversity and inclusion in the craft beverage industry, and the impact they are making
Read More

Brewers, Meadmakers, and Baseball

July 22, 2021

Don’t forget to reserve your Hoops beer for the July Final Friday Social with Hoops Brewing – July 30th

The next Final Friday brewer visit will be on Friday, July 30 with Dave Hoops, owner and head Brewer, from Hoops Brewery in Duluth!

Dave is going to walk us through his Pale Ale, and he is giving us a discount price of only $5 per Crowler! To order, send $5 via PayPal to [email protected] by Sat. July 24. Al will be driving up Sunday to pick them up.
If you’d like to order any other Hoops beers, Al will pick them up for you too. Order online at https://hoopsbrewing.com/product/curbside-crowler/
Then, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ORDERED on this spreadsheet:
Pick up your beers on Thursday, July 29 in either St. Paul or St. Louis Park, from 6-9pm.
ST PAUL
Nick Aschbrenner
ST LOUIS PARK
AL Boyce
3208 Edgewood Ave S
St Louis Park, MN 55426
Then join us online to have a beer with Dave Hoops!
Topic: MHBA July Final Friday Social with Hoops Brewing
Time: Jul 30, 2021 08:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 929 4491 7746
Passcode: 193341

MHBA Mead Day 2021 with Prairie Rose Meadery – August 13, 2021

National Mead Day is quickly approaching and this year the Minnesota Home Brewers Association has paired up with Prairie Rose Meadery out of Fargo, ND to bring you all your mead needs!
On Friday, August 13th at 8pm we’ll be doing a virtual mead tasting with Fargo’s own Susan Ruud; owner and head mead maker of Prairie Rose Meadery. Technically National Mead Day is August 7th, but with the All Club Camp Out landing smack dab on Mead Day, we decided to push this event to the following weekend.
Meeting ID: 982 5765 9982
Passcode: 088833
ZOOM Link: https://zoom.us/j/98257659982…
Prairie Rose is offering a limited time 15% discount on ALL meads for this event! How do you get in on this discount? Easy! Check out what mead Prairie Rose has for sale here, https://www.prairierosemeadery.com/meads then when you’re set give Susan a call to place the order; 701-371-3690. Mention you are with the MHBA and she’ll apply the discount.
No need to worry about shipping fees because MHBA’s own runner mule, Adam Bystrom, will be driving up to pick up orders on Monday, August 2nd. We ask that once you place your order to take a few seconds to fill out this form https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf5lYyEiyuw9E…/viewform to let us know what you’ve ordered. Please specify which location, St. Louis Park or St. Paul, you’d like to pick your mead up from.
The list of mead available is truly impressive and we encourage everyone to purchase as much or as little as you are comfortable with. For this event we will be focusing on three meads in particular; Traditional Mead (made with North Dakota sweet clover blossom), Carmel Apple and Lime Mint (not yet on the website.)
The run-down:
1. Visit https://www.prairierosemeadery.com/meads
2. Call Susan at 701-371-3690 to place order and mention you’re with the MHBA.
3. Take a moment to fill out https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf5lYyEiyuw9E…/viewform so we can make sure we have everyone’s order and get it to the right pick-up location.
4. Adam Bystrom will pick up the orders on Monday, August 2nd.
6. Pick up your beer from Saint Paul or Saint Louis Park.
St. Louis Park – Schedule your pick-up with Adam at 612-655-1459 between August 2nd and August 13th.
St. Paul – TBD
7. Join us virtually at 8pm on Friday, August 13th to celebrate National Mead Day!

Sinning with the Saints  (Don’t forget the tailgate beforehand!) – August 22, 2021

The Minnesota Homebrewers Association is excited to announce that MN brewers will be taking over part of CHS Field to watch a St. Paul Saints Ballgame! On August 22, 2021 the MHBA, Primary Fermenters, SPHC, and Nordeast Brewers Alliance will be attending the game to watch the Saints take on the Iowa Cubs. If you would like to join the club in enjoying a good old fashioned ballgame, you can reserve and pay for tickets at the link in the event. Tickets are $20 and include admission to the game and a fun afternoon with your fellow homebrewers!
Also enjoy some pregame tailgating in the Saints Tailgating lot at Lafayette St and Prince St just off Kellogg Blvd! Brats to be provided! Feel free to bring any food / side dishes and of course some beverages to share. For a map of where the lot is at, see the Saints website: https://www.chsfield.com/plan-your-visit/parking.
Reminder: All Club Camp Out – August 6 – 8, 2021
All-Club Camp-Out! Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This family-friendly event hosts brewers from any and all homebrew club. This year we gather at Camp Nushka on Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Prairie Homebrewing Companions (PHC) from the Fargo-Moorhead area are the hosts, and will collect $25-40/adult at the camp-out; kids are free. The price includes camping, firewood, outhouse supplies, and a fabulous Saturday feast, cooked and served by the PHC. Newcomers are most welcome! Please indicate your intention to attend to John Longballa at [email protected]. He’ll get you extra information and will let the PHC know how many to plan for.
Not to be missed!!!
Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Don Tse of Beer and Brewing discusses malts evolution and focus on new varieties as the industry is responding to independent breweries
  • Good Beer Hunting walks through some of the difficulties of being a women in the beer industry and the physical, psychological, and financial toll it takes
  • Charles Spence of Oxford and Carlos Velasco of the Norwegian Business School talk about how the sound of beer influences our perceptions on NPR All Things Considered.
  • Michael Agnew waxes poetic about witbier in the Star Tribune.
Read More

Hoops in the House and One Month Left to Reserve Saints Tickets

June 28, 2021

One Month Left to Reserve Tickets! Sinning with the Saints – August 22, 2021

The Minnesota Homebrewers Association is excited to announce that MN brewers will be taking over part of CHS Field to watch a St. Paul Saints Ballgame! On August 22, 2021 the MHBA, Primary Fermenters, SPHC, and Nordeast Brewers Alliance will be attending the game to watch the Saints take on the Iowa Cubs. If you would like to join the club in enjoying a good old fashioned ballgame, you can reserve and pay for tickets at the link in the event. Tickets are $20 and include admission to the game and a fun afternoon with your fellow homebrewers!
Also enjoy some pregame tailgating in the Saints Tailgating lot at Lafayette St and Prince St just off Kellogg Blvd! Brats to be provided! Feel free to bring any food / side dishes and of course some beverages to share. For a map of where the lot is at, see the Saints website: https://www.chsfield.com/plan-your-visit/parking.

July Final Friday Social with Hoops Brewing

The next Final Friday brewer visit will be on Friday, July 30 with Dave Hoops from Hoops Brewery in Duluth! A member from the club will be making a run up there to pick up pre-ordered Crowlers, so check back for details!

June Final Friday Social with Spilled Grain Brewhouse

Jacob Schnabel, co-owner and head brewer of Spilled Grain Brewhouse, joined us on June 25th to discuss some great beers including Belly Flop (Czech Pils), Lord Dark Helmet (Schwarzbier), and Bearded Man (Old Ale). If you were not able to make it you missed out on some great discussions that included his journey from homebrewing to commercial brewing, tips on improving both All Grain and Extract brews, and nerding out over water chemistry and the effects it has on the end product. Thanks Jacob for spending the time with us.

Reminder: All Club Camp Out – August 6 – 8, 2021

All-Club Camp-Out! Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This family-friendly event hosts brewers from any and all homebrew club. This year we gather at Camp Nushka on Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Prairie Homebrewing Companions (PHC) from the Fargo-Moorhead area are the hosts, and will collect $25-40/adult at the camp-out; kids are free. The price includes camping, firewood, outhouse supplies, and a fabulous Saturday feast, cooked and served by the PHC. Newcomers are most welcome! Please indicate your intention to attend to John Longballa at [email protected]. He’ll get you extra information and will let the PHC know how many to plan for.
Not to be missed!!!

Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Don Tse of Beer and Brewing discusses malts evolution and focus on new varieties as the industry is responding to independent breweries
  • Good Beer Hunting walks through some of the difficulties of being a women in the beer industry and the physical, psychological, and financial toll it takes
  • Charles Spence of Oxford and Carlos Velasco of the Norwegian Business School talk about how the sound of beer influences our perceptions on NPR All Things Considered.
  • Michael Agnew waxes poetic about witbier in the Star Tribune.
Read More

Social Hours, Celebrations, and Upcoming Events Galore

June 15, 2021

Celebrating the Release of Spring Peeper

The club held a Happy Hour at Forgotten Star Brewery to celebrate the release of Spring Peeper, a Saison brewed by our very own member Soren Jensen. Those who were lucky enough to make it out to the brewery got to try both Spring Peeper Saison and a special keg of White Peach infused Spring Peeper Saison. Members who tried them said they were fantastic, with one member saying “It was quite tasty. Very dry, crackery malt, with moderate white pepper phenols and low stone fruit”. Thanks to Forgotten Star Brewery for hosting the Iron Brewer competition and congratulations Soren and look forward to future beers from you!

 

June Final Friday Social with Spilled Grain Brewhouse

Jacob Schnabel, co-owner and head brewer of Spilled Grain Brewhouse, is joining the MHBA for the June Final Friday Social. He is passionate about water chemistry so I’m excited to learn more about this under-appreciated brewing ingredient.
Spilled Grain has been quietly racking up awards for their beer and were Beerploma’s runner-up in this year’s March Madness.
If possible, he wants us to get Belly Flop (Czech pils), Lord Dark Helmet (Schwarzbier), and Bearded Man (Old Ale).
If you can get to Annandale, great! If not:
1. Order your beer directly from Spilled Grain (https://spilledgrainbrewhouse.square.site/) and add a note saying you want it included in the MHBA pickup
2. Let us know what you ordered (https://forms.gle/zs8SvrCGxYbfQTfz7)
3. Pick it up in Saint Paul or Saint Louis Park next week

Reminder: Sinning with the Saints – August 22, 2021

The Minnesota Homebrewers Association is excited to announce that MN brewers will be taking over part of CHS Field to watch a St. Paul Saints Ballgame! On August 22, 2021 the MHBA, Primary Fermenters, SPHC, and Nordeast Brewers Alliance will be attending the game to watch the Saints take on the Iowa Cubs. If you would like to join the club in enjoying a good old fashioned ballgame, you can reserve and pay for tickets at the link in the event. Tickets are $20 and include admission to the game and a fun afternoon with your fellow homebrewers!
Also enjoy some pregame tailgating in the Saints Tailgating lot at Lafayette St and Prince St just off Kellogg Blvd! Brats to be provided! Feel free to bring any food / side dishes and of course some beverages to share. For a map of where the lot is at, see the Saints website: https://www.chsfield.com/plan-your-visit/parking.

Reminder: All Club Camp Out – August 6 – 8, 2021

All-Club Camp-Out! Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This family-friendly event hosts brewers from any and all homebrew club. This year we gather at Camp Nushka on Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Prairie Homebrewing Companions (PHC) from the Fargo-Moorhead area are the hosts, and will collect $25-40/adult at the camp-out; kids are free. The price includes camping, firewood, outhouse supplies, and a fabulous Saturday feast, cooked and served by the PHC. Newcomers are most welcome! Please indicate your intention to attend to John Longballa at [email protected]. He’ll get you extra information and will let the PHC know how many to plan for.
Not to be missed!!!

Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Don Tse of Beer and Brewing discusses malts evolution and focus on new varieties as the industry is responding to independent breweries
  • Good Beer Hunting walks through some of the difficulties of being a women in the beer industry and the physical, psychological, and financial toll it takes
  • Charles Spence of Oxford and Carlos Velasco of the Norwegian Business School talk about how the sound of beer influences our perceptions on NPR All Things Considered.
  • Michael Agnew waxes poetic about witbier in the Star Tribune.
Read More

Celebrate Release of Iron Brewer Winning Saison

June 6, 2021

It is not every day that one of our own members is able to brew their beer in a commercial setup; however, the winner of this year’s Iron Brewer challenge Soren Jensen got to do just that. This year’s Iron Brewer challenge was all about Saison, and MHBA member Soren Jensen made a fantastic one! Come celebrate the release of Spring Peeper on June 11 from 5 to 8 pm at Forgotten Star Brewing. Soren beat out the Saison’s of other members in order to brew with Forgotten Star Brewing, so it is not to be missed! More information about the event can be found here.

Read More

Refreshed Season, Refreshed Brewing

May 28, 2021

Brewing in the Summer has a different feel to it. The warmer temperature makes brew day sessions more enjoyable with the sun shining down on you and the new season bringing a refreshed look to everything. It also brings opportunities as you look for changes in your brewing process, whether that is an upgrade on your mashing equipment or bringing in a kegging system. While bottling my Tripel this weekend and thinking “what are the chances of a bottle bomb”, I have started to do an evaluation of potentially kegging beers (non-Belgians) in the future. What opportunities this Summer are you taking to improve your brewing process?

Reminder: Sinning with the Saints – August 22, 2021

The Minnesota Homebrewers Association is excited to announce that we will be taking over part of CHS Field to watch a St. Paul Saints Ballgame! On August 22, 2021 the club will be attending the game to watch the Saints take on the Iowa Cubs. If you would like to join the club in enjoying a good old fashioned ballgame, you can reserve and pay for tickets here. Tickets are $20 and include admission to the game and a fun afternoon with the MHBA!

All Club Camp Out – August 6 – 8, 2021

All-Club Camp-Out! Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This family-friendly event hosts brewers from any and all homebrew club. This year we gather at Camp Nushka on Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Prairie Homebrewing Companions (PHC) from the Fargo-Moorhead area are the hosts, and will collect $25-40/adult at the camp-out; kids are free. The price includes camping, firewood, outhouse supplies, and a fabulous Saturday feast, cooked and served by the PHC.
You bring a tent or camping trailer, beer, food, beer, chairs, beer, yard games, beer, acoustic instruments (no amplified music allowed), well-behaved dogs, mead, a special sour beer for the Saturday Sour Hour, homebrew for the informal Saturday competition, cider, something for the morning Bloody Bars, and beer. There is no electric or running water, but the PHC will bring some water, and there is a large picnic shelter and two permanent outhouses. Cass Lake is just a few steps down the hill from the remote camping area, which we have to ourselves. The space is very shaded. Jockey boxes will be available for kegs. The road in to the site is great for kids on bikes, and there is a great paved bike trail a few miles from the campsite.
At night, the camp chairs go around the fire, and then the acoustic instruments and special beverages come out to play. Folks show off their beverage finds by passing them around the ring, with each person taking a small taste. Bring many glasses to the fire!
Newcomers are most welcome! Please indicate your intention to attend to John Longballa at [email protected]. He’ll get you extra information and will let the PHC know how many to plan for.
Not to be missed!!!

May Final Friday Recap

Kyle Sisco, CEO and Head Brewer at Venn Brewing Company, joined us on May 21 to talk about beer, brewing, and his experiences in the industry. The folks that were lucky enough to be on the call were able to hear a lot about sours – whether it is the difference in souring processes or how THP tastes like Cheerios. We also heard a lot about Venn’s journey into becoming the brewery it is today. Thanks Kyle for joining the call and sharing your immense knowledge!

Sugarbelt Mead Festival – Field Report

Josh Eckton shares his experience from the Sugarbelt Mead Festival, which was held in Crown Point, IN on May 22:

“The Sugarbelt Mead Festival was such a wonderful experience. With over 21 meaderies in attendance, serving between two and eight meads each it was quite a taste sensation. From Mead slushees to session meads there were quite a variety of meads and creative ingredient combinations from green tomatoes to ghost pepper. Looking forward to going back next year to represent White Bear Meadery and partake in such a mead centric experience!”

Thanks Josh for sharing your experience at the festival!

Questions From the Community

No Questions Yet! Don’t forget that the Minnesota Home Brewers Association offers the Hive Mind as an option to ask questions from experts the community.

In order to submit a question, fill out the form here. The information is then anonymously sent to the experts who will provide their answer(s) based on years of expertise and studies. The answer(s) will then be collated and sent back to you – its that easy! At the end of every newsletter we will include the anonymous questions and answers for everybody else to see in order to spread the wealth of knowledge.

MHBA Honor Roll

  • A member of the club, Soren Jensen, was able to brew his Saison with Forgotten Star Brewing after winning the Iron Brewer competition. Great work Soren and keep an eye out for Spring Peeper Saison on tap!

Hearing Voices

The following is a curated list of what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about in the world of beer, mead, and cider this week:

  • Good Beer Hunting walks through some of the difficulties of being a women in the beer industry and the physical, psychological, and financial toll it takes
  • Charles Spence of Oxford and Carlos Velasco of the Norwegian Business School talk about how the sound of beer influences our perceptions on NPR All Things Considered.
  • Michael Agnew waxes poetic about witbier in the Star Tribune.
Read More

MHBA Penultimate Friday Social with Venn on May 21

May 12, 2021

Reminder that next week, May 21, is the Penultimate Friday Social with Venn!

Kyle Sisco, CEO and Head Brewer at Venn Brewing Company, is joining the MHBA for this month’s social meeting! It will also be an awesome chance to hear about what everyone has been brewing and/or tasting.
This month we will hang out on Zoom on the second-to-last Friday (May 21 at 8:30 pm) to avoid Memorial Day shenanigans.
Please pick up some beers from Venn or from a liquor store that carries their crowlers. Kyle will provide a guided tasting of two or three beers that turn out being popular among our huddled masses.
Venn is one of those rare gems that does a variety of styles well so hearing Kyle talk about beer and brewing with us promises to be a treat.
While we hope you will join the MHBA (it’s only $15/year), you don’t need to be a member to check us out. ALL are welcome.
Zoom Link: zoom.us
Facebook Event Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/157321929670065/

Also, do not forget about the Saints Game on August 22! Join us by purchasing your tickets here.

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