Thursday, May 14, 2015

Beer Vacation

Ever taken a beer vacation? Even if not the main goal, I attempt to taste as many new beers as I can when out of town. Here, the brewpubs are only allowed to sell their beers at their brewpub location, it's dumb the law in MN. If you visit somewhere that doesn't have national or regional distribution, you have only one chance to sample everything you can (unless you plan another trip).

Last weekend, the Mrs. and I went up to Duluth and did some hiking along the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was a great relaxing weekend. We didn't get to all the breweries we want, because some had limited hours and were closed on Mon-Tues like many here in the Twin Cities, but we got to sample some wonderful brews and food. I put a list together of all the places we dined and the brews we tried there. If you get up to Duluth, check these places out and let us know what you think.

Fitger's Brewhouse Brewery & Grille - Duluth MN
I had a flight, cause it was my birthday. Then tried a couple specialty brews, and paired it with an Elk Burger with blue corn tortilla chips and salsa.

- XXX English Pale Ale (favorite of the flight)
- MN Nice Cream Ale
- Starfire Pale Ale
- Big Boat Oatmeal Stout
- El Nino IPA
- Apricot Wheat
- Lighthouse Golden Ale
- Homegrown Hempen Ale
- Big Boat Oatmeal Stout on cask




Do North Pizzeria - Two Harbors MN
We didn't have any beer here, but the pink lemonade and taco pizza was fantastic for our day of hiking Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock State Park.





Canal Park Brewing Co. - Duluth MN
I had the Duluth Dip (thin cut roast beef topped with sautéed mushrooms & onions with a cup of Au Jus sauce) and beer-battered cheese curds.

- Nut Hatchet Brown Ale (maybe my favorite of the whole trip)
- 40 Acre Saison




No beer here either, but this might've been my favorite meal of the whole trip. My mother-in-law's cousin owns this place. It's a little hole in the wall deli in an old warehouse-turned-shopping center. I had the smoked salmon pita wrap with Sprecher's root beer. This place is getting so popular it's hard to find a seat at one of their bistro tables out front, and I've heard they are expanding to a 2nd location in Duluth.





It was raining on Monday and most of the breweries in Duluth we wanted to try were closed so we went over the bridge into WI. There's not much to do in Superior on a Monday, so we ended up at Thirsty Pagan Brewing Co. right as the brewpub opened for the afternoon. They were having their 9th anniversary party and we got some happy hour special beers and even free caramel cookies. The guy next to us at the bar said we should try one of their fabulous pizzas, so I guess we'll have to go back soon.

- North Coast Amber Ale
- Bourbon Barrel Aged Penelope Porter on cask (my wife's favorite from the trip)


Just across the canal from our inn is Grandma's, it looks like a northern lumberjack version of Cracker Barrel, but replace all the southern comfort food you'd expect and substitute fresh smoked or fried lake fish and a comprehensive burger menu. We tried to go to Castle Danger Brewery in Two Harbors the day before, but they were closed so I got my Castle Danger fix while I scarfed down the biggest beer-battered walleye sandwich I've ever seen. 

- Castle Cream Ale (the only beer I had all weekend that wasn't made on premises)


Have you ever done a beer vacation? Where did you go and what did you sample?