JANUARY – BRRRrrreeeerrr Fests MN style!

It’s about time I post something in here, right? I know, I know…you can scold me later.

I hope you all had a Beery Hoppy Holidays filled with friends, family and lots of great new beers!

Now, I’m not one to make a New Year’s resolution…I’m just optimistic by nature, 2015 is going to be great! But if you need help picking something for your resolution…how about getting to a few MN Craft Beer Festivals this year? There are more and more to choose from every year, so it’s easier than ever to find at least one to fit in to your busy lives.

Here’s a few options for this month – January 2015 – Below zero…MN style!

MANKATO CRAFT BEER EXPO – VERIZON WIRELESS CENTER – MANKATO, MN
Saturday January 17th, 2015 from 3 to 6 PM
VIP entry starts at 2 PM

I’ve made it to the past two years of this event and had an amazing time! My beer socks even made the paper both years…oh ya!
You should definitely check it out!

 

ST. CLOUD CRAFT BEER TOUR – RIVER’S EDGE CONVENTION CENTER – ST. CLOUD, MN
Saturday January 24th, 2015 from 2 to 5 PM
VIP entry starts at 1 PM

This great festival is pretty much in my front yard, if I had a yard anyway. Last year’s had an amazing turn out…this one is sure to be even better. Many of the local pubs in town will be having special tappings afterwards too. Oh…and I’ll be pouring beer at the festival…just in case you needed more incentive to check it out!

 

BEER DABBLER WINTER CARNIVAL – THE MIDWAY @ MN STATE FAIR GROUNDS – ST. PAUL, MN
Saturday January 24th, 2015 from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM
VID (Very Important Dabbler) special pouring starts at 3 PM

Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it to this year’s Winter Dabbler since I’ll be working the Craft Beer Tour in Cloud Town…but I highly recommend it! I was able to go last year with VID tickets. So worth the extra $ to have access to that heated tent, try some rare beers and have a hot meal. Be prepared, this is an outdoor event no matter how cold it gets! Last year’s was awesome, just a bunch of abominable snow people wandering around drinking great beer…at least what we could find that wasn’t frozen! It did reach some incredibly cold temps last year, so definitely bundle up if you make this one! There will be access to a heated coliseum this time around, so that should help.

 

Beercicles – What January in MN can do to your beer – Get’em before they freeze!

 

Which festival will you be at? Last year I did all 3…what an AWESOMELY fun way to start off the year it was. With 2 on the same date this year, that may be hard to do, but making it to at least one will really kick off your 2015 in a great, fun, happy way!

Cheers! Now go get your tickets before they sell out!

Beer beer beer…I sure do love beer fests.

American Craft Beer Week 2014 – St. Cloud Area

Hey Beer Lovers!
In case you didn’t already know, it is American Craft Beer Week this week! Wooooo!
It did start yesterday, so many of you have probably already started your celebrating and trying some awesome brews out there in the world (hopefully!).
There are tons of events going on all week across the country. Check in with your area’s breweries, brew pubs, distributors, retailers…your beer peoples…to see what is happening in your area. Then get out there and support some awesome beer and make those taste buds dance!

If you have been unplugged from the craft beer world for a bit and forgot about this week, that’s ok, I forgive you. It’s still early, so you have lots of days left to make up for it 🙂

Here is a link to some events going on. You can search by state, which is awesome!
craftbeer.com ACBW events

If you are in my little Cloudy Town area, there are lots of tappings and such going on here too!
I started off ACBW on Monday with some delicious brews from Lucid Brewing. There was a special tapping at the Old Capital Tavern in Sauk Rapids, courtesy of C & L Distributing.
You can still stop in and try these beers on tap if you missed yesterday’s tapping.

There will be a special tapping by Stone Brewing Co. also at the Old Cap on Wednesday this week. You can bet I will be at that one! Yum!

There are also other events happening each day this week in Cloudy Town, but for some reason I am having trouble finding links on the internets for them…silly internets.
But if you check in with your local craft beer watering holes in town, I am sure you will find some events going on.
Or, at the very least, just stop in for some always great craft beer selections on tap, lift your glasses high, and cheers to the amazing world of craft beer!

Some places around town to check out for great craft beer (that I can think of off the top of my head…and some of my favorites):
Old Capital Tavern
DB Searle’s
Boulder Tap House
Keller Bar (at The Red Carpet Nightclub)
The White Horse
The Pickled Loon….and many mooooooore!

So…basically…go enjoy some beer! Cheers!

 

 

Fulton Brewing – St. Cloud Launch Party Tonight!

We (C&L Distributing and friends) started our welcome to the St. Cloud area of Fulton Brewery yesterday (May 1st) with a few special tappings around town. We are super happy to have them here!

Maybe you made it to one of these events yesterday…or a few (awesome!)?

This is where we were yesterday, and also where you can now find these amazing brews on tap in the Cloud Town area:

Old Capital Tavern, Jimmy’s Pour House, TGIFriday’s, Old Chicago, Boulder Tap House, G-Allen’s and House of Pizza Sartell

If you missed the launch yesterday, don’t you fret! We have another launch of tappings tonight (May 2nd):

4:00PM Db’s Searles
5:30PM Mc’s Dugout
6:45PM White Horse…
8:00PM Red Carpet/Keller Bar

Come out and hang with us and the Fulton Crew!  These guys are pretty dang awesome!!

And if you made it out last night, awesome and thank you!! We’d love to see your faces out tonight too! Ya know, one day just isn’t enough 🙂

Cheers to great beer! Local beer! Craft beer!

Thanks for following! <3

For those of you out there reading this…thank you! Thank YOU for reading my blog or following me on one of my other social networking thinga-ma-jigs.
I hope you enjoy my ramblings, and hopefully you find the information that I pass along interesting or relevant.

If you just love my blog and think you are not getting your fill of BB, you can also follow me here:

My Facebook Page —> The Beer Baroness
This is where I post all the beer news and events and other happenings I find while perusing good ‘ol Facebook. My blog posts also auto post here. Woot!

My Twitter Handle —> @theBBaroness
Another place I post about beer happenings and such, only with fewer words. I am a wordy person, so this can be difficult at times…but I do my best. I think I am getting the Twitter lingo down…sort of. #BBtalksalot
Oh ya, and my blog auto posts here too when I have new posts…and my Twitter posts auto post to my FB page. Oh, Internets, you are so amazing!

Untappd —> TheBeerBaroness
This is where I keep track of all the awesome craft beers I try. So if you are wondering what I am drinking, be my friend on Untappd. I like friends 🙂

Beer Education

“If I knew what I know now…when I was younger…” Sing it with me!

I sure wish I knew there were schools and classes to learn about beer and brewing back when I was first looking into post secondary education….well, to be honest…who knew then I would become such a craft beer lover now? OK, that one I couldn’t really forsee since I wasn’t really introduced to the beer world until later…and what I did know of the beer world was of Bud, Miller and Michelob…dot dot dot

So, let me start that over…I wish I had known or even thought to look for such education when I went back to school a few years back…you can get a degree in brewing! Who knew? I sure didn’t….but…how amazing would that be?!

I’m not so sure I could do another stint in school now after finally being done…again…or rather, afford it. Those student loan bills are lovely, I tell ya! But I found this awesome post on BillyBrew.com about some really great options for futhering your beer education. Whether it be a full stint to get an official degree in the biz or just a few classes to learn more about beer, from brewing, to tasting, the history…etc.
So, even though I may not be able to go back to school…for a third time…that doesn’t mean any of you should miss out on this information! So spreading the news is what I shall do!
Check it out!   Beer Schools

Thanks @billybroas for the information!!

Michelada?

It’s Michelada time (Photo: Kaitlyn McQuaid)

Sometimes I come across interesting articles about things going on, new beverages coming out, breweries that are being awesome…you get the idea. Anyway, I like sharing this information with people, so here is one I just read today.

Check out the link for this spicey summery drink, the Michelada.

I am curious to try one of these drinks myself, but am always a little timid when it comes to adding outside substances to my beer…so we shall see! Anyway, sounds like it could be tasty. You decide.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has tried something like this too, give me your opinions! I want to know what you think!

I think you all need to start nominating…especially those in MN!!

What’s the Baroness Drinking?

Untappd Ap Icon

Want to know what I, the Beer Baroness, am up to and what tasty new brews I am tasting?  Friend me on Untappd! Yes, there is an ap for that!  Just look for “The Beer Baroness” on Untappd.

This is the lovely ap that I use to keep track of the many amazing craft beers I try. There are just so many out there, so I love having this little ap handy on my phone to be able to look up new craft beers, breweries, and to take notes and rate what I have tried for future reference. You can also see what your friends or what others in your area are trying, or check to see if a certain type of beer or brewery is sold nearby. It is fantastic!

 

St. Paul Summer Beer Dabbler

Although I am not going to be able to attend this amazing event, it doesn’t mean you can’t!

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend and love craft beer and amazing food, get your booty out to the St. Paul Summer Beer Dabbler this Saturday, July 20th.

“Need a ride to the Summer Dabbler on Saturday? Hop on a Metro Transit bus or train for FREE! Follow the link below for your voucher. Thanks to St. Paul Smart Trips for their support.”

They are also having a home brewing contest! Um….awesome!!