News

The Snow won’t hold back the Medals and Events!

November 14, 2021
Reminder: Final Friday Social November 19, 2021

Free for all! Have a question about making beer, want to share some thoughts that have been bothering you, or just want to have some fun with fellow homebrewers? Come join and socialize with other homebrewers of the club!

Beer Casting Call
Do you have homebrew, especially REALLY BAD homebrew, you’re willing to share? There is a BJCP tasting exam on December 11 and we need beer for the exam. The BJCP strongly recommends using homebrew whenever possible, and this is a great way to get rid of that beer you’re about to dump because it turned out so bad! The following requirements apply:
  • It must credibly be a BJCP classic style 1 through 26 (no fruit or spices unless intrinsic to the style)
  • I need ~64 oz of the same kind of beer … 60 oz minimum = (12 examinees + 3 proctors) x 4 oz/person
  • Good, average, and really bad beers are welcome!
  • I’ll need to know what style it is, what you expect it to score (13-50), how old it is, and if it has any notable flaws (e.g. buttery or phenolic)
  • If you have a beer you’d like to share, please email Nick at [email protected]. If your beer is used for the exam, I’ll buy you a local crowler!
Click https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88149406336… to start or join a scheduled Zoom meeting.
MHBA Final Friday Social with Boom Island Brewing Recap
Thank you Jesse and Boom Island Brewing Company for joining the Final Friday Social and discussing some amazing brews (which was your favorite?) and sharing some Belgian brewing (and more) knowledge with those that attended.
MHBA Club Cider Buy Recap

It was great seeing everybody yesterday for the Learn to Brew / Cider Buy! Lots of new and old faces, along with some fantastic cider, egg bake, and of course home brew. Thank you Barley Johns for hosting and of course Pine Tree Orchards for some lovely cider. What are you doing with your share?

MHBA Back Channel Brewing Trip Recap
Thanks Back Channel Brewing for hosting the MN Homebrewers Association for a great time. A lot of stories and knowledge shared with the homebrewers, in addition to having some fantastic beers! If you weren’t able to make it out with the club, take a trip and visit Josh, Marc, and the amazing crew at the brewery. And look forward to more details being released about the Holiday Party in January!
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.

MHBA Full Core Press Cider Competition

The Minnesota Home Brewers Association is pleased to announce the first MHBA Full Core Press Cider Competition. The club cider buy has long been a cornerstone of who we are collectively, and this competition strives to take our cider and cyser making to the next level by providing professional and high-level feedback.

Key details

  • 100% of the cider you use MUST come from the 2021 MHBA club cider buy
  • Full Core Press encourages entries in three categories: Standard Ciders (C1), Cysers (M2A), and Specialty Ciders (C2, including grafs)
  • Entry and judge registration will open September 2022
  • Judging will occur October 2022
  • Awards will be in-person at the 2022 MHBA club cider buy
  • Bring your ciders and cysers to the 2022 club cider buy for a fun bottle share!
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 received first for berry dry and 3rd for historical at Mazer Cup
  • Adam Bystrom got 1st in fruit and spice dry and 2nd for cyser at Mazer Cup
  • Paul S Johnson received 3rd for SHV sweet at Mazer Cup
  • Josh Mahoney received third in braggot at Mazer Cup
  • The club received second place in the club competition at Mazer Cup
  • Kevin Meintsma won best in show for mead/cider at Hoppy Halloween
  • Al Boyce won best Halloween Beer at Hoppy Halloween
  • Nathan Steigman won second and third for Traditional Mead at Hoppy Halloween
  • Kevin Meintsma won first for Spice and Specialty Mead at Hoppy Halloween
  • Nathan Steigman won second for Spice and Specialty Mead at Hoppy Halloween
  • Kevin Meintsma won third for Cider and Perry at Hoppy Halloween
  • Kevin Meintsma won Best in Show – Mead at Minnesota Mashout
  • Erik Nelson won third in Bitters at Minnesota Mashout
  • Soren Jensen won first in “Belgians – non-churchy” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Erik Nelson won second in “Belgians – non-churchy” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Dave Matson won third in “Belgians – non-churchy” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Scott Haraldson won first in “Fruitsen and Spicen” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Erik Nelson won first in “Smoked, wooded, weizened, and specialty” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Josh Mahoney won first in Mead – Traditional at Minnesota Mashout
  • Adam Bystrom won first in “Mead – Pyser Cyment” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Adam Bystrom won third in “Mead – CarMelo’s Mels’ at Minnesota Mashout
  • Kevin Meintsma won first in “Mead – Fruit goes here” at Minnesota Mashout”
  • Anthony Davis won third in “Mead – Fruit goes here” at Minnesota Mashout”
  • Al Boyce won third in “Mead – Fruit does not go here” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Josh Mahoney won first in “Mead – Wilford’s bain” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Nathan Steigman won second in “Mead – Wildford’s bain” at Minnesota Mashout
  • Nathan Steigman won third in historic and alternative ferment beer at Music City Brew Off

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

Reminder: MHBA Learn To Brew / Club Cider Buy Nov 6!

October 30, 2021
Don’t forget about the MHBA Learn to Brew / Club Cider Buy  on November 6th
Join the Minnesota Home Brewers Association for our annual cider distribution and homebrew demonstrations at Barley John’s Brewpub. All MHBA club members are encouraged to BRING A FRIEND who might want to Learn to Brew to this event. This is a FREE event, open to anyone who is interested.
Of course, a big part of your yearly event is the purchase and distribution of fresh pressed cider from Pine Tree Orchards that you can use for your hard ciders, cysers and fruit beers. All MHBA members in good standing are able to purchase cider here: https://mnbrewers.com/cider-payment/
Barley John’s will be making their annual “Cider-Buy Eggbake”. It’s so delicious, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a couple of pieces and wash it down with a pint of Barley John’s beer and support our wonderful hosts!
Read More

Successful Schells Trip and Upcoming Final Friday, Cider Buy, Brewery Trips!

October 24, 2021
Reminder: MHBA Final Friday Social with Boom Island Brewing on October 29th
Dreaming of touring countryside of Belgium? Well take a small sip of the experience and join us this Friday as Jesse from Boom Island Brewing Company joins us for our Final Friday Social!
And don’t forget to pick up the three beers he will walk us through:
– Witness, Witbier: With its light, hazy blond col­or and fluffy white head, this is a clas­sic Bel­gian-style Wit­bier. Slight tart­ness opens into a refresh­ing smooth­ness, with faint flo­ral notes that linger on the back.
– Hoodoo, Dubbel: Rich and com­plex malt fla­vors com­bine with low hop bit­ter­ness to make this a clas­sic Bel­gian-style Dubbel. Extra points if you detect a hint of banana and clove fla­vors hid­den in its seduc­tive aroma.
– Bell Rock, West Coast IPA: Burst­ing with dank hop aro­mas of grape­fruit, cit­rus and pine. Well-bal­anced and exceed­ing­ly drink­able, this IPA is tai­lor-made for any adventure.
Meeting ID: 885 7368 4305
Passcode: 502702
MHBA Club Cider Buy on November 6th
Join the Minnesota Home Brewers Association for our annual cider distribution and homebrew demonstrations at Barley John’s Brewpub. All MHBA club members are encouraged to BRING A FRIEND who might want to Learn to Brew to this event. This is a FREE event, open to anyone who is interested.
Of course, a big part of your yearly event is the purchase and distribution of fresh pressed cider from Pine Tree Orchards that you can use for your hard ciders, cysers and fruit beers. All MHBA members in good standing are able to purchase cider here: https://mnbrewers.com/cider-payment/
Barley John’s will be making their annual “Cider-Buy Eggbake”. It’s so delicious, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a couple of pieces and wash it down with a pint of Barley John’s beer and support our wonderful hosts!
More information will follow as we get a few things ironed out.
MHBA Back Channel Brewing Trip on November 13th at Noon
Back Channel Brewing will be hosting the MN Home Brewers Association to share their facilities, brews, and good times!
https://fb.me/e/15o05G99V
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.

Successful MHBA Schell’s Brewery Visit
Schell’s and Starkeller graciously hosted MHBA this weekend for a fun day of history and tasting. The club was walked through the history of how the brewery came to be and given a technical tour of the brewhouse, their operations, and given time to ask any quesiton we would like (can you guess what is their favorite beer to brew?). We were then given a tasting of some of their beers along with some time in the new bier halle. Afterwards, the club went over to Starkeller for a tasting of their sours with a lovely appetizer board (cheese, pretzels, and cheese dip – what more can you ask for!), with time to ask questions from how did they get the fermenters in to what type of wood is used.
Thank you to Schells, Starkellers, and all of the individuals who made the day personalized and special for MHBA. I know that I can’t personally wait to bring the family for a return trip!
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 won 1st: dry traditional, 1st: sweet traditional, 2nd: historical, and 3rd: historical at Michigan Mead Cup
  • Adam Bystrom won 2nd: semi-sweet traditional and 2nd: cyser at Michigan Mead Cup
  • Matthew Weide won 2nd: fruit and spice at Michigan Mead Cup
  • Josh Mahoney won 3rd: cyser and 3rd: melomel at Michigan Mead Cup
  • Nathan Steigman for being second overall in heavy medal rankings and single-handedly putting MHBA in third place in the club competition at Orpheus MeadFest. He won the following medals: 1st-historical, 2nd-trad sweet, 2nd-fruit and spice, 2nd-historical, 3rd-historical
  • Adam Bystrom earned SIX medals at Valkyries Horn (2nd-semisweet trad, 2nd-cyser, 2nd-pyment, 3rd-SHV, 2nd-braggot, 2nd-historical, HM-fruit and spice)
  • Nathan Steigman won three medals at Valkyries Horn (1st&3rd-historical, 3rd-braggot).
  • Paul Johnson won one medal at Valkyries Horn (1st-cyser).
  • Josh Landy won one medal at Valkyries Horn (2nd-healthy hydromels).
  • Anthony Davis won one medal at Valkyries Horn (3rd-fruit and spice).

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

MHBA Members Racking up Awards

October 7, 2021
Reminder! MHBA Schell’s Brewery Visit on October 23rd
Schell’s is hosting the MHBA for a visit, tour, and tasting!
We will start off at 11am meeting at the brewery in the Bier Hall for a guided tour of the Schell’s facility and a tasting done with someone (TBD) from the brewery who can answer any questions we have. Afterwards, we can stay for a drink at the Bier Hall.
Once done with the tour, tasting, and any extra pints at the Bier Hall we will head over to Starkeller for some beers and snacks!
If you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing [email protected] so that we can let the brewery know an estimated number of attendees.
https://fb.me/e/1TEOiBSpf
MHBA Final Friday Social with Boom Island Brewing on October 29th
More details coming soon!
https://fb.me/e/1OxHBiu4v
MHBA Club Cider Buy on November 6th
oin the Minnesota Home Brewers Association for our annual cider distribution and homebrew demonstrations at Barley John’s Brewpub. All MHBA club members are encouraged to BRING A FRIEND who might want to Learn to Brew to this event. This is a FREE event, open to anyone who is interested.
Of course, a big part of your yearly event is the purchase and distribution of fresh pressed cider from Pine Tree Orchards that you can use for your hard ciders, cysers and fruit beers. All MHBA members in good standing are able to purchase cider here: https://mnbrewers.com/cider-payment/
Barley John’s will be making their annual “Cider-Buy Eggbake”. It’s so delicious, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a couple of pieces and wash it down with a pint of Barley John’s beer and support our wonderful hosts!
More information will follow as we get a few things ironed out.
MHBA Back Channel Brewing Trip on November 13th at Noon
Back Channel Brewing will be hosting the MN Home Brewers Association to share their facilities, brews, and good times!
https://fb.me/e/15o05G99V
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.

Nordeast Brewers Alliance Homebrew Competition 2021

The Nordeast Brewers Alliance homebrew club is hosting our BJCP-sanctioned homebrew competition again with entries due in November and remote judging the first weeks of December. We look forward to your participation!

With so many variables, we are focusing on a completely remote competition again to keep the planning simple and set proper expectations. Entries require three bottles (two for the judging pair; one for Best-of-Show). After the bottle sort in early December, judging kits will be set up for pick-up in the Minneapolis area.

Registration site: https://nbabrewcomp.com

A few key dates:

  • Account and judge registration is open today through November 30

  • Entry registration is open November 1 through November 30

  • Bottle sort will happen around December 1-4; judges will be contacted with flight and judging partner information

  • Judge pick-up will happen around December 3-5 in the Minneapolis area; if you want to judge remotely or that weekend does not work, please let us know and we can make accommodations

  • Judging will be complete by Friday, December 17 with Best-of-Show judging around December 17-19. Winners will be announced after the BOS judging and awards will be shipped the following days.

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 for being second overall in heavy medal rankings and single-handedly putting MHBA in third place in the club competition at Orpheus MeadFest. He won the following medals: 1st-historical, 2nd-trad sweet, 2nd-fruit and spice, 2nd-historical, 3rd-historical
  • Adam Bystrom earned SIX medals at Valkyries Horn (2nd-semisweet trad, 2nd-cyser, 2nd-pyment, 3rd-SHV, 2nd-braggot, 2nd-historical, HM-fruit and spice)
  • Nathan Steigman won three medals at Valkyries Horn (1st&3rd-historical, 3rd-braggot).
  • Paul Johnson won one medal at Valkyries Horn (1st-cyser).
  • Josh Landy won one medal at Valkyries Horn (2nd-healthy hydromels).
  • Anthony Davis won one medal at Valkyries Horn (3rd-fruit and spice).

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

Fall is in the Air

September 26, 2021
MHBA Schell’s Brewery Visit on October 23rd
Schell’s is hosting the MHBA for a visit, tour, and tasting!
We will start off at 11am meeting at the brewery in the Bier Hall for a guided tour of the Schell’s facility and a tasting done with someone (TBD) from the brewery who can answer any questions we have. Afterwards, we can stay for a drink at the Bier Hall.
Once done with the tour, tasting, and any extra pints at the Bier Hall we will head over to Starkeller for some beers and snacks!
If you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing [email protected] so that we can let the brewery know an estimated number of attendees.
https://fb.me/e/1TEOiBSpf
MHBA Final Friday Social with Boom Island Brewing on October 29th
More details coming soon!
https://fb.me/e/1OxHBiu4v
MHBA Club Cider Buy on November 6th
More details to be released nearer to the event!
MHBA Back Channel Brewing Trip on November 13th at Noon
Back Channel Brewing will be hosting the MN Home Brewers Association to share their facilities, brews, and good times!
https://fb.me/e/15o05G99V
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.

MHBA Final Friday Social with Unmapped Brewing Recap

On September 24th the club hosted Derek Allmendinger, Head Brewer at Unmapped Brewing, to join us for our September Final Friday Social. He not only walked through three of their beers (Pragmatic Pils, No Trace IPA, and Flannel Roots Fall Lager), but also expanded a lot on how they brew, his experiences going from homebrewer to commercial brewer, and even some of the details of brewing beers that we didn’t taste! Thanks Derek for joining the club call and spending time with us!
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

 

  • Adam Bystrom earned SIX medals at Valkyries Horn (2nd-semisweet trad, 2nd-cyser, 2nd-pyment, 3rd-SHV, 2nd-braggot, 2nd-historical, HM-fruit and spice)
  • Nathan Steigman won three medals at Valkyries Horn (1st&3rd-historical, 3rd-braggot).
  • Paul Johnson won one medal at Valkyries Horn (1st-cyser).
  • Josh Landy won one medal at Valkyries Horn (2nd-healthy hydromels).
  • Anthony Davis won one medal at Valkyries Horn (3rd-fruit and spice).

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

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