One morning while reading The Heavy Table, Shawn learned about one of Minnesota’s newest breweries, Boom Island Brewing Company. The biggest difference between Boom Island and many other breweries that have hit the news recently, is that Boom Island was already putting its beer up for sale. I attended a quick tasting at The Four Firkins in Saint Louis Park, where I grabbed two of the first bottles released. Boom Island Brewing is Belgian-inspired brewery, based in Minneapolis. The story of Kevin Welch, brewer, is one of a homebrewer’s dream. What could turn out to be Boom Island’s “ace in the hole” is the fact that Kevin is cultivating his own yeast strains, gathered during a trip across Belgium. We review the some of first releases available from Boom Island Brewing: Silvius Pale Ale and Thoprock IPA. On its website, Boom Island also teases the eventual release of a Dubbel and Tripel in bottles.

Boom Island Brewing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Silvius Pale Ale, American Pale Ale
ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.5%

Boom Island Brewing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thoprock IPA, American IPA
ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 8%

Show Notes
Recorded January 11, 2012
00:00 – 06:05: Introduction
06:05 – 22:12: Silvius Pale Ale by Boom Island Brewing
22:12 – 38:25: Thoprock IPA by Boom Island Brewing
38:25 – 44:17: Boom Island Brewing Wrap-Up

Show Links

• Boom Island Brewing Company; @boomislandbeer on Twitter
• Heavy Table: Kevin Welch of Boom Island Brewing

Runtime: 44 minutes
Download: MP3 (26.6mb)
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Music — When It Stings by Pictures of Then

First, I have a bit of backstory for everyone. This episode was first recorded mid-February, following the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Winterfest. We lost that original audio and our reviews for some New Glarus beers. So we recorded again, with most of the same conversation and two new Dogfish Head beers at a later date. We nearly lost that audio as well. It’s mid-April and nearly all of the news presented in this episode is nearly irrelevant now. Events have passed by. However, I maintain that Shawn and I probably had our best conversation yet, which is why I had to drag this episode kicking and screaming through the editing process and now lay it out for you listeners here today.

Winterfest in St. Paul was an incredible experience because it brought together the great brewing minds of Minnesota with the large community of craft beer drinkers. In this show we talk about our favorite selections of beer available as well as those that may have missed the mark. This week’s reviews are of Dogfish Head Brewery’s Indian Brown Ale and Raison D’etre. There’s plenty of conversation about homebrewing, Twitter, as well as the changing laws in Iowa’s beer culture. Without further delay, I present the longest recorded episode of The Beer Genome Project. Thanks for listening this week, cheers!

Dogfish Head Brewery – Indian Brown Ale Style: American Brown Ale ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 7.2% IBU: 50

Dogfish Head Brewery – Raison D’etre Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 8.0% IBU: 36

The Beer Genome Project #27 Show Notes

0:00-0:45- Introduction 00:45-13:43 – Rundown to Winterfest 13:43-32:48 - Winterfest 2010 32:48 -45:32 – Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale 45:32-59:43 – Dogfish Head Raison D’etre 59:43-1:16:51 – Beer News 1:16:51-1:26:34 – Conclusion

• Brau Bros will be featured on KSTP’s 10pm news this Sunday night.  Jason Davis, from “On the Road with Jason Davis” was in Lucan doing a segment about the brewery and the town.  It should be re-aired Monday during the 11-12 noon news, and Tuesday during Twin Cities Live.

• Rainwater Oak-Aged Stout is still in the works.  They are very impatiently awaiting final label approval from the TTB.  When they get word, they’ll ship.  Dustin is hoping it happens within a week’s time.

• Elisha’s Olde Ale was brewed on Dec 5, and it is progressing nicely.  Done as a group brew, with help from South Dakota’s very knowledgeable home brewers and some Minnesota volunteers as well, they’re anxiously waiting for this one.  It’ll get a few weeks on oak and possibly get a late-winter release. Dustin hypothesizes most of this will go to South Dakota, as Elisha, the homebrewer who won the contest, is a SoDak resident.

• The Braus shipped their first kegs of Cream Stout Nitro.  This is something new for the holidays, and it layers perfectly on Sheephead.  They call it a Black Sheep.  Dustin tells us to ask for it wherever you see a cool looking stout faucet.

• Finally, if you’re in the area or passing through on the way to Grandmother’s house over the holidays, stop in and visit the Brau Brothers!  Call or shoot him an email to set up a tour.  City folk are always welcome and as always, plenty of free parking!

La Folie by New Belgium Brewing – This barrel-aged sour was the second American sour I had ever tried, (the first being Avery’s Brabant), coincidentally at the same bar (The Muddy Pig, Saint Paul). Albeit I enjoyed these two brews on different occasions, this Fort Collins, Colorado brew delivered an amazingly flavorful and tart beast of a spontaneous beer. Vinegar and cherry nose followed by tart woody notes with pleasant residual funk. A superb, sessionable sour.     –    4.5/5

Nor’Easter by Captain Lawrence Brewing- I hadn’t heard of these guys until the weekend of Darkness Day, when I met up with fabled beer traders Uncle Jedi and Purple Hat Joan, of Huntsville, Alabama. After enjoying dinner with these two, Leslie and I visited their hotel room, where I was fortunate to sample this barrel-aged winter warmer, complete with prominent fruity notes from the elderberries used in the beer. This was definitely a winter “warmer” ringing in at 12% ABV, with the sweet bourbon notes present in the mouthfeel.    -   4.5/5

Pumking by Southern Tier Brewing - A dark amber color with a potent spicy nose that fills the room with pumpkin pie aroma quickly. I am a pumpkin pie fiend, so this aptly-named “imperial pumpkin ale” delivers a punch of flavor and body. Yet, even though it rang in a 9% ABV, the creamy smooth mouthfeel is my definition of what a pumpkin ale should be. Yes, Southern Tier does have a few extremely gimmicky beers (think: Crème Brûlée) but this beer was definitely one I had to seek out and buy a few other bombers. Just so happened to be across the border.   -   4.5/5

Petunia Ale by Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery - Yet another beer I sampled Darkness Day weekend, I decided it was important Mike finally get the chance to experience Town Hall. This fall seasonal had great body, but was very well-balanced with spice. Unlike other pumpkin ales which use two prominent spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), this brew had at least four or five, rounding out the flavor palette. The creamy finish was definitely a plus, and it was a great draft beer.    –   4/5

Monk’s Blood by 21st Amendment Brewery - I waited nearly two years to have my first 21A beer, and I was fortunate to participate in the release parties (yes, more than one) in Minneapolis the weekend of the 21st of November (suiting, right?). Although all the beers Sully and his crew had available were phenomenal, this Belgian dark ale really fit the brisk late fall weather. The mission figs, vanilla, and Belgian candi sugar in its composition, completed by a barrel-aging to meld the flavors, really helped to yield a big-bodied, Belgian-style beauty.    –    4.25/5

“Sour” Rye Saison homebrew by Stephen Freshnock – I was able to meet Stephen Freshnock, founding member and regular participant of The Fellowship of Gentlemanly Gentlemen (known on the Twitterverse as the #gents) this August. I was able to acquire a few bottles of his homebrew when a friend visited Chicago for a weekend in late October. One of the two bombers of his rye saison I gave to BGP fellow Tom Hill; the other Leslie and I shared shortly after its arrival from Chicago. It was tart, with slight tangy pepper notes, the body reminiscent of a great Ommegang brew: Ommegeddon. For a beer of any origin, it was fantastic, let alone a beer made in a single, five gallon batch. Look for Stephen, a.k.a. @SlovakBrewer‘s beer in a brewpub someday soon.    -   4.5/5

The real winner for me this season was the La Folie from New Belgium. I can’t seem to get enough barrel-aged sour beers. It’s really too bad my sentiment is shared by only but a few über beer nerds the world over. Perhaps someday the BGP will have to acquire some used barrels for experimentation…

We’re getting ready to release Brau Bros. Rainwater Stout.  Definitely one of our bigger beers.  Clocks in at just under 10% ABV.  Brewed late this summer, this ale spent months on Madeira Oak for added complexity.  Something a bit new for us, it will be bottled in 750mL bottles.  Look for a release early in December.

I’m excited to try this beer and see how it does. Some of my favorite dark beers come out of Minnesota, and the Brau Brothers have had a good track record with me lately (Ringneck Braun, Sheephead, and Old 56). Further, it looks like there is a planned get-together for a group brew of the South Dakota Homebrewers Challenge winner.

December 5th, a group-brew here at the brewery.  We’ll be brewing Elisha’s Old Ale.  For those not in the know, a terrific homebrewer submitted this beer for the South Dakota Homebrewers Challenge and it was a unanimous winner.  We’ll brew and age a single batch which will go on tap at all the participating bars and restaurants in South Dakota.  Just guessing it will be ready to be tapped later this winter.  Everyone is welcome to help brew, however please email me an rsvp so I have a rough idea of turnout.  We’ll supply lunch and maybe we’ll have a beer, who knows.

Of course you can always check up on the latest from Brau Brothers at braubeer.com or on Twitter with @BrauBeer.

For those of you who can’t make the trek to Brooklyn Center, maybe you can check out one of the Darkness Draft release parties:

• October 26th – Hell’s Kitchen – Minneapolis, MN – 7:00
• November 4th – Sheffields Bar – Chicago, IL – 7:00
• November 9th – Gunflint Tavern – Grand Marais, MN – 7:00
• November 17th – Monks – Sioux Falls, SD – 7:00

Common Roots Café in Minneapolis also reported they will be having a keg available the week following Darkness Day. Check them out on Twitter for more details.

[via Surly Brewing Company]

Important event details:

• Saturday – October 24th,  noon – 6:00 pm
• Rain or Shine or Cold or Snow. Dress accordingly.
• At the brewery, Ducharme Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN
• Food available for purchase. CASH ONLY
• Beers (for drinking) will be available for purchase. CASH ONLY

An additional 2500 bottles of Darkness will go on sale at local liquor stores starting the week of November 2nd.

Information regarding sales of Darkness:

• Gates open at noon
• 1st 800 people will get a wristband to purchase up to 6 bottles.
• $18 per bottle – CASH ONLY!
• Bottle sales from noon-6:00

Thanks to Brooklyn Center Liquors for selling the beer on Darkness Day. Per state liquor laws, they cannot sell beer to people that are intoxicated!

Where to park:

• Parking will be available around the brewery
• Volunteers will direct you to the open parking areas
• Overflow parking is available at Caribou Coffee located @ 100 & France.

Entertainment at the brewery:

• 1:00 – Kruddler
• 2:30 – God Came From Space
• 4:00 – Rockford Mules Exact times subject to change

I hope Mike and I will see you there! I know Brad from Hop Cast will be making a trek up North with a few of the Chicago #gents. Be sure to ping me on Twitter or FourSquare!

• Tonight (August 26, 2009), the winner of the South Dakota Homebrew Challenge will be revealed. The winner of the event will have their beer brewed by Brau Brothers and made available on tap at participating bars.
• Brau Brothers have created their 2009 fresh hopped lager, possibly Munich Dunkel in style.
• A BGP personal favorite, the Ring Neck Braun ale, is brewing and will be released on October 10th.
• The HopFest celebration is also set for October 10th and will include the Fresh Hop Lager 2009 on tap and cask, fresh hopped Sheephead (FreshHead) on cask, Lemongrass infused Purple Sting on cask, and, of course, Ring Neck Braun ale.
• Finally, it sounds like the hop vines will be coming down soon, due to their weight. So, if you want to get a tour of the brewery this season, now would be an ideal time to get to Lucan.

• Ring Neck Braun Ale will be released on October 10th, Minnesota’s pheasant opener.
• Carnaval Brazilian Grill, of Sioux Falls, SD, will be hosting a Brau Brothers dinner on August 6th.
• Look for Purple Sting, a one-only summer batch brewed with South Dakota Buckwheat Honey. Only a few dozen kegs and casks will be available.
• It sounds like HopFest is set for October.
• This past weekend, the brothers dug their new pond for the purposes of irrigating the hopyard.

It’s been great seeing everyone make the trip to Lucan to see the brewery, hopyard, and barleypatch.  We’re always grateful when people spend their valuable time on the road visiting beautiful southwest MN!  If you haven’t been out to see us, give a call or shoot an email.

-Dustin Brau

After a visit to Iowa, Shawn and Mike return with fresh reviews of Flat Earth Brewing Company’s Monkey Business and Olde Main’s Sodbuster. Both of these beers were purchased with the idea of hometown stout in mind and transported in growlers. The Monkey Business is a coconut-infused porter from Flat Earth Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota; and the Sodbuster is the recently named To Be Named stout from Olde Main in Ames, Iowa.

00:00-2:49 – Introduction 2:49-8:56 – Flat Earth Brewing Company’s Monkey Business 8:56-20:28 – Olde Main Brewing Company’s Sodbuster 20:28-47:22 – Weekly Discussion 47:22-48:49 – Conclusion

Check out the video below of us preparing for this week’s episode:

Episode 15 Preparation from Mike VanDelinder on Vimeo.