Announcements

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.

Read More

Summer is Here and the MHBA is Keeping Busy

May 6, 2021

Looking outside I can see my raspberry bush already coming in and the flowers in the garden already starting to bloom. The smells of Summer can inspire us as we brew. The wildflowers can remind you of a traditional mead, the fresh mowed grass can bring back memories of an IPA, or maybe the flowers bring out the floral notes in an British Ordinary Bitter. Stop and smell the roses can take on a whole new meeting when it comes to home brewing. Next time you are sitting on the patio, stop and take in the aromas of Summer to motivate your next recipe.

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!

May Final Friday Social – May 21, 2021

Make sure to mark your calendars for May 21 to join us for our May Final Friday Social. This month’s will be featuring Venn Brewing! Stay tuned for more information.

April Final Friday Recap

Urban Growler founder and head brewer Deb Loch joined us April 30th to talk through two of their amazing brews – the Northwest Session IPA and Brut IPA. Those that were able to get their hands on the beers were able to enjoy the full walk through of the beers including the tasting profiles and how they were made. Thank you Deb for taking the time to join us and discuss not only the beers, but Urban Growler and brewing in general!

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:

  • Ale Adventures discusses some of the Minnesota breweries that have joined the campaign to bring mental health awareness through the “Things We Don’t Say” IPA
  • Steal This Beer chats with Zach Nichols (Cellar West Artisan Ales) about his journey from small bottle shop in Madison, WI to starting his own beer company
  • Michael Stein from Good Beer Hunting unravels the history of Culmbacher, an extinct American dark lager
Read More

Spring Home Review Recap and Upcoming Events

April 19, 2021

As the season changes, so does most of our brewing tendencies. As the weather warms up and we can see some sun / warmth on the horizon, I know I am starting to look at some of the lighter styles that go well after a day outside. After finishing up an oak Dubbel, I am now planning on some lighter, refreshing beers that can be enjoyed after spending the day getting the yard ready for the greener days ahead. Potentially a Kolsch, maybe a Cream Ale, or perhaps an American Wheat Ale – any favorite summer beers folks are planning?

April Final Friday Social Reminder

Urban Growler founder and head brewer Deb Loch will join the Minnesota Home Brewers Association for our April Final Friday Social. In addition to seeing everyone and getting a chance to talk about what we’re all brewing, Deb has generously offered to provide a guided tasting of the following beers:
  1. Northwest Session IPA – a NW-style IPA brewed to meet our refined Minnesota palates. Can you guess how they managed such a feat? (Wrong answers only.) This beer is available in cans.
  2. Brut IPA. For every action there is a reaction. This style was a refreshing but brief reaction to the rise of NEIPA. Deb will offer advice on brewing this style. This beer is available in crowlers at the brewery.
Please consider buying your beer (and Wisconsin-style fish fry! Trust me, it’ll make you nostalgic for going to a supper club with your Opa in the best way possible) right from the brewery to thank Urban Growler for joining us, and supporting a brewery owned by some rad women. I’ll probably be warming up for the evening with a Cowbell Cream Ale, because it is a mighty fine example of the style.
If you can’t make it to the brewery, here is a handy-dandy map of where to find Urban Growler beer:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer…
ALL are welcome. This event will be on Zoom because #stillapandemic. Here’s the meeting information:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99030437549…
Meeting ID: 990 3043 7549
Passcode: 738344

MHBA Spring Home Brew Review Recap

Another Home Brew Review is in the books! On Saturday April 17th some of the best home brewers in Minnesota came together to share, sample, and learn about the beers / meads / ciders that everyone has been making at Forgotten Star Brewing. With both veteran MHBA and new joiners coming together under one tent, everyone voted on their favorites of the afternoon.

The People’s Choice Winners were:

  • Beer: Kevin Meintsma’s English Barleywine
  • Mead / Cider: Kevin Meintsma’s Black Currant Barrel Aged Mead

Now Introducing, Ask the MHBA Hive Mind!

The hive mind of the Minnesota Home Brewers Association has come together to offer their collective expertise to you! Any and every question is welcome, from what temperature should I ferment my Tripel at to what schedule of staggered nutrient additions should I use in my Traditional Mead.

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 joined The Mean House podcast to discuss his dedication and willingness to fail only to go back through the notes and do it again differently, which creates some of the best tasting homemade meads. Give it a listen here!

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:

Read More

Warming Up with April Events!

March 31, 2021

Even though its only 25 degrees right now, we are looking forward to warmer weather with temperatures jumping into the 70s this weekend in my household. It is looking like it might finally be time to break out the smoker, sit on the patio, and enjoy a home brew in the sun. The summer season home brews I will be pulling out this weekend include a gose and a raspberry saison. The raspberry saison is a small batch off of a larger saison recipe and it will be interesting to see how the raspberry flavors come out, balanced by the fruity / spicy yeast character of the base beer, in comparison to the regular non-fruited saison. If interested to be able to share and try the amazing beers of the club, see below!

MHBA Spring Home Brew Review

Come celebrate the changing of the seasons the best way we at the MHBA know how, by sampling home brew at our annual Spring Home Brew Review!

The great folks at Forgotten Star Brewery just North of the cities in Fridley have been gracious enough to let us host our event with them this year. We’re planning for this to be an outdoor event, but if mother nature turns sour then there will be a large event space available to move to in doors.

Starting at 11am on Saturday, April 17th you’ll be able to sample your fellow home brewers libations and have them sample yours! We’ll have tables set up for anyone willing to pour and show off their latest, greatest (or even most questionable) fermented beverage. Feel free to bring as much or as little as you’d like; bottles, can, or kegs.

This is an excellent opportunity to get advice from seasoned brewers and to also get ideas on what to brew next! We’ll be giving away door prizes as well as voting for our favorite home brewed beverage — so you won’t want to miss it. Hope to see you there!

Stay up to date on the discussion about the event and RSVP on the Facebook event.

April Final Friday Social

For this edition of Final Friday Social we will be having Deb Loch from Urban Growler join us to discuss their amazing Cowbell Cream Ale. Stay tuned for more details as the event gets closer!

MHBA Honor Roll

Matthew Weide returned to The Mead House podcast today to discuss pandemic brewing and Valkyrie’s Horn. I found his concept of victory garden meads especially inspiring. Give it a listen here!

March Final Friday Social Recap

Zoom screen shot with Utepils Head Brewer Eric Harper

On March 26, 18 intrepid home brewers joined Utepils Head Brewer Eric Harper for a guided tasting of Springbok which I found out is totally a real animal. Eric also lead the mother of all technical discussions regarding sauergut as a pillar of German brewing and the virtues of serving Altbier vom Fass. Two lucky club members also won $25 gift cards to Utepils. Thank you to Eric and Utepils Brewing for joining us and sharing your love of European brewing!

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:

Read More