Visiting Minny - realistic schedule?

Haskell's in Minnetonka has a nice selection as does the Liquor Barrel (usually have some nice stuff behind the counter) in Golden Valley.

 

US Liquor and Wine has a solid selection for Minnetonka and because they are less picked over, you can sometimes find some gems sitting around. Also, if you are on this side of things, you definitely should check out Steel Toe.

 

I thought it was closer, guess thats with living in Farmington....

No one said get a glass of Rosies at Barley Johns?

 

Anything is close compared to Farmington

 

If Rosies is still on at Barley John's it is a must.
I mean a BA old ale 96 @ 4.45 and 18 percent enough said.

 

Honestly for my personal taste preferences, I couldn't justify a trip to MN and not go to Hammerheart. Yeah they're out of the way but I think they're making some of the best beer in the state. Not all of their beers were brewed for the "common beer drinker," if that makes sense and doesn't sound too pretentious, but I think they're worth the trip. Also would hit Harriet and Steel Toe. Maybe Zipps if you want some bottles.

 

I think the concept of there being a common beer drinker and a non common beer drinker , or perhaps, as I think your statement implies, a superior beer drinker is quite pretentious. Stating that it might be a pretentious statement doesn't make it any less pretentious. It merely shows that you know it is a pretentious statement. Only drinking big beers does not make a beer drinker superior to someone who enjoys moderately strength or lower strength beers.

As for my thoughts on Hammerheart, I've only had one of their beers (a moderate strength Scottish Ale), and I thought it was pretty good. Good enough, in fact, that I am looking forward to finally getting off my bum, and visiting their taproom. When I do go there I hope they have lighter, darker, maltier, hoppier, and stronger beers. If that's the case then they will be catering to all of their potential costumer base, and that's a good thing.

As for your thoughts on Harriet and Steer Toe, you are dead on.

 

The notion of beer advocacy and of this very website upon which we rely on for so much idle amusement is -of course- one which (whether intentionally or unintentionally, Machts Nichts in the long run) strives for a degree of exclusiveness which is in and of itself quite pretentious in the overall scheme of things -- with beer being a luxury item, rather than a commodity.

Otherwise, I agree with your other words of advice to this young Canadian whippersnapper.

 

Oh the pressures of posting on BA on the fly. Didn't mean to sound pretentious or really classify beer drinkers, that's just the term I came up with as I was attempting to type and watch tv, drink a beer and talk to a roommate at the same time. I meant that they make some very bold beers with some bold flavors that may catch some people off guard. They make some beers with certain flavors and ingredients that aren't found in a lot of the beers that are brewed in MN. Didn't mean to come off negative or anything.

 

Much better put. I kind of got the feeling that is what you were trying to say, but the words just weren't there. I hope my post wasn't too overbearing. It was meant more as a comment on a prevailing attitude held amongst most newer BAs that the bigger/bolder a beer is the better it is. There are great beers that are big and bold, but there are also great beers that are moderate and mild. The beer world is diverse, and beautiful.

 

Fuck it, if you want to hang out with someone who now lives in MN, let me know. I will fo sho drink witch awitch a

 

Solid take home. The Surly tour varies a bit. It really is just a guy yelling at you, and you hope you can hear, but if you get the right tour guide and the right group it's pretty fun.