| | The final word. I had an idea for a movie about a dastardly shoe thief. It stars Ru Paul, Ron Paul, Paul Rudd, and me. It would culminate in a bicycle chase scene where I tackle Paul Rudd and rip off his mask to reveal Mac from Mac and Me. My bicycle is pretty sweet, by the way: Then we have a dance off. Anyway, I hear the Firkins is going to be busy with some sort of football game going on. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with shoes. Not interested. I suppose I have to give up, it's clear you're going to buy beer for this "foot"ball game at the Firkins no matter what. So to you, I say: good day! |
14 Degree and Tasting  Next week we are very excited to announce a free tasting with Bent Paddle. For the first time Bryon, one of the brewers/owners, will be here to pour beer! On Wednesday Feb 5th from 6 to 8 we'll be pouring free samples of all their offerings.
Bent Paddle has been a huge success at the Firkins. They just released a new beer and it has made a big impression with us. 14° is a classic ESB with notes of tasted biscuit and cocoa, and an undercurrent of earthy and spicy hops. It's also only 5.6%. That means it's meant for drinking a few! Would this be a perfect Superb Owl beer? You bet! It's available now, and we'll be pouring it for FREE on Wednesday. |
Sunday Sales for Minnesota! 2014 could be the year we repeal the Minnesota Sunday alcohol sales restriction but we need your help!  This year we have the best chance we've ever had of repealing this embarrassing law. We've got more liquor stores supporting the issue (although most still oppose it) and a substantial number of Minnesota craft breweries and brewpubs also would like to be able to sell growlers on Sunday. However, the opposing lobbyists are still very powerful and dangerously effective. If we're going to do this we need your help!
There's going to be a number of exciting ways to get involved over the coming weeks. For now though the best thing you can do is go to this website: http://sundaysalesmn.org and fill out the form to sign the petition and email your representatives. We need to fill their inboxes with email from their constituents. It's time they started listening to you, not the lobbyists! If you'd like to learn more about the issue here's a link to the video of me testifying at the Minnesota Capitol last year: Jason Alvey Testifies  To see a list of liquor stores that do want to be open for your convenience on Sunday click here!
Thank you for your help! Let's do this! |
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Three Tree Rye  Badger Hill brewing of Minnetonka has rereleased the rye ale they debuted last year, Three Tree Rye!
This time around they changed the yeast to produce a beer with a much cleaner profile and an emphasis on the 25% rye in the grist. We received some preview bottles last week and I was impressed with the changes. It features a dry malt base backed up by an earthy spicy tone from the rye. Above it all is a citrusy hop character with just enough bite to balance the rye base. Perfect Supper Bowl beer? You bet! It's here now in 6 packs! |
Fiddle Smasher  Northgate Brewing out of NE Minneapolis has been quietly and steadily building their reputation over the past year. To celebrate their one year anniversary they released their first bottle, Fiddle Smasher!
Fiddle Smasher is a strong Scotch ale, with notes of sweet molasses and dates. If you are looking for a great example of the style, this is it! It's 8% ABV and in 22 oz. bombers. Perfect Bowl Haircut beer? You bet! |
New Belgium Snapshot  New Belgium has just added a new beer to their year-round portfolio. It's a unique and refreshing take on wheat beer, and they call it Snapshot.
Snapshot is a blend of a wheat beer and a small amount of sour beer made with lactobacillus. This gives the experience of a cereal maltiness followed by a snap of refreshing tartness. It's like nothing I've had before, and should be pretty popular for all types of beer drinkers. In fact, I bet it would be the perfect beer for the Bowl of Super. |
Bigfoot? Bigfoot! 
Bigfoot Barleywine is back! Sierra Nevada's legendary American Barleywine is in 4-packs and ready to tempt you with mountains of toasted caramel and big citrusy hops. They've been brewing this since 1983 and it's always a seasonal favorite. As always, it's 9.6% ABV and ready to drink now... unless you want to cellar it. The 3 to 5 year range is where I like it if you have the patience! We raided our cellar and have a few 2012 and 2010 vintage single bottles for sale. Get here soon if that kind of thing interests you! The perfect beer to drink from a bowl? You bet! This year Sierra Nevada did a time lapse video of the fermentation, and it's pretty fascinating.Take a look: 
| Bigfoot Fermentation Time-Lapse |
-Bryan |
Jake's curated 6 pack With an ever-expanding supply of beer choices, it's easy to make one of two choices when picking up a six pack these days: either grab the hottest new thing from the brewery that just launched this week or fall back on an on old favorite. For me, these are beers that have been neglected as a result of that kind of shopping; six beers that I knew were good but hadn't had in so long I couldn't describe them beyond the basic style descriptors. It's easy to drink a beer, check it off your list, move on, and forget about it. Maybe you have already tried these beers, but if you don't know them I suggest you give these, or any other beers you haven't had in years, a second look.  Unibroue 'Blanche de Chambly' 5.0% ABV
For many, Belgian Wit was the style that launched a love affair with craft beer. For others it instilled the false idea that all Belgian beers have coriander and orange peel. Whether you love or hate the most ubiquitous example of the style, Blanche de Chambly is worth a try, with a much brighter, real citrus orange character than its lunar rival which, I think, tastes like orange gummy bears. Great Divide 'Hoss Rye Lager' 6.2% ABV  Oktoberfest beers are among my favorite. Unfortunately, they're hard to come by: "It's October, what do you mean they're all sold out!?" Here is a twist on the Marzen style that complements nutty, caramel sweetness with spicy, earthy notes of rye and a firm, pleasant hop bitterness.  North Coast 'Red Seal Ale' 5.5% ABV
"Smooth" is a word we hear beer advertisers, and customers, throw around a lot when discussing good beer. While "smooth" is ultimately a worthless descriptor - you mean as opposed to rough? - I tend to think that what most people are referring to is balance. Balance is what amber ales are all about, and Red Seal, though as hoppy as most American pale ales, has a perfect combination of sweet, caramel malt and American hop bitterness. HeBrew 'Messiah Nut Brown Ale' 5.5% ABV  Is it ironic that this beer begs to be enjoyed alongside a rack of barbecue pork ribs? Schmaltz Brewing company has many fantastic seasonals but people often forget about their year round selections. Not having had Messiah for some time I was delighted to find a rich, nutty malt base, loaded with aromas of cherry, plum and other dark fruits. A firm hop bitterness combines with the nuttiness of the malt to give the impression of tannic walnut skins. I'll have the hot sauce, extra jojo's and a side of greens, please.  Left Hand Brewing '400 Pound Monkey' 7% ABV
Earthy and herbal rather than floral and citrusy. This, at it's most basic, is the difference between English and American hops. Beyond the differences in hop character, English IPA also tends to have more malt balance than the American take on the style. In Left Hand's take on English IPA, there is a faintly minty, pleasantly vegetal earthiness similar to dry fall grass from the hops supported by a slightly sweet, bready malt base. Boulevard 'Double Wide I.P.A' 8.5% ABV  It's easy to see how beer consumers can be overwhelmed by choice these days. Even if you only drink IPAs, there seems to be no way of keeping up: every brewery seems to have an IPA and a double IPA. Double Wide is one that I had not tried in years and, I have to say it is the beer in this six pack that most impressed me on revisitation. The nose on Boulevard's Double Wide IPA has a huge, bright, citrus character, swimming with notes of grapefruit, pine, apricot and kaffir lime. With new IPAs and new hop varieties popping up all over the place it's easy to neglect the classics. This is a classic beer. Fantastic. |
Oskar Blues Coming Next Week! 
Of all the breweries we don't get in Minnesota, Oskar Blues is certainly in my top 5 wants. My wish has finally come true, and for the first time Oskar Blues will be available on Monday Feb 3rd! Oskar Blues is famous not only because they make great beer, but also for being the first craft brewery to can their beer in 2002. We've come a long way! We don't know when the truck will arrive Monday, so  and  for the announcement. All of the beers pictured above will be available. Color me excited! (Excited is kind of a green-red color with speckles of Generra Hypercolor). |
Convict's Pint! 
I know you're still recovering from the excitement of the Grammys last week, but we have a big night at The Convict's Pint tonight after 6! This week our Guest Celebrity is Kari Erikson. You may know her as the first person to bowl a perfect game of ski-ball on the Pacific Ocean, but we know her as the only Ninja to record a full length audiobook on the cultivation of your enemies' tears. Come meet Kari tonight from 6 to 8. As always, we'll have free beer and nibbly bits. See you tonight! |
Stupor Bowl  Hi. I'm a mountain of kegs. I live at the Firkins, yet I'm sad.
I'm sad because I need to find my forever home. Will it be with you? If the answer is yes, you can reserve your keg with the friendly folks of the Firk. Just call 952-938-2847 and they can take your payment over the phone and you can pick it up at your leisure! Look at an updated keg list here: |
Bryan's Wing recipe I like you. I think you're pretty swell. Which is why I'm going to share my buffalo wing recipe with you. It's pretty simple, but I can't make enough for all of you. I'll be enjoying it this weekend and I invite you to join me! Notes: the double frying technique is just as important as the sauce, don't skip it! Only use the brands I mention. Because reasons. And margarine is not butter. Only butter is butter. Onward! Buy a package of wings. (DON'T steal them!) Cut at the joints with shears and set aside the tips for making broth. Heat lard in a dutch oven and to 250°, 3 to 4 inches deep. Place the wings in the oil and remove after they have reached a golden color, which won't be too long. Let them cool on a baking rack. Don't crowd the wings, do it in multiple batches. After all the wings have been fried, crank up the heat to 350°. Put the wings back in the lard and cook until they are free floating and feel crispy, usually 4 minutes or so. On low heat, melt a stick of unsalted butter. After it melts, cover the top of the pool of butter with a generous amount of garlic powder. Add 3/4 of a cap of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. Stir continuously. While stirring, pour in Frank's Hot Sauce until it reaches the proper color of buffalo sauce. You know the color. Add cayenne powder to taste, if you like it spicier. Toss the wings with the sauce in a bowl and you're done!  
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Be our friends! We went bowling the other day. I would say it was super. Jake is a machine. I got a couple left-handed strikes. |
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