Lupulin Libations

The name says it all.

Lupulin glands are the tiny little yellow pockets of goodness in a hop cone that contain some essential ingredients for aroma and flavor in beer.

A libation is an alcoholic beverage, and of course beer fits into that category.

Lupulin Libations is dedicated to everything beer. I offer you a chance to have an experience with beer through my organized tasting sessions.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Tin Whiskers Brewing Company Visit


Recently, I visited the most recently opened brewery in Saint Paul, Tin Whiskers Brewing Company. I had been following their progress for a couple months, and joined their email list so I would know when they planned to officially open the doors to the taproom. Last week, I received that notification. They opened on Friday, May 16th, and it was reported that they had a full house that night and on Saturday. I wasn't able to make it this past weekend, so I decided to stop into the brewery yesterday.

Walking into the brewery, the first thing I noticed was the very large and open taproom. The outside "wall" facing 9th street is all windows, allowing the space to be illuminated by daylight. A useful arrangement (and a good number) of tables and chairs are spread throughout, including a couple of well placed sofas. There is also a nice long bar for anyone who wants to be right next to the taps and get a good view of the brewery. Nothing separates the open space of the taproom from the brewery area, which makes the whole place feel that much larger.

I sat down at the bar and took a look at the TV displaying the available beers and prices. They have 4 beers at the moment, along with a bonus nitro version of their stout. I ordered a flight so I could sample Batch Alpha (American Wheat), Batch Beta (Stout), Wheatstone Bridge (American wheat with honey and chamomile tea), and Flip Switch IPA. Check out my twitter feed if you want to see details from the experience. I will say that I was mostly happy with their solid selection of beers for having just recently opened. While at the bar, I was also fortunate enough to get into a fun bit of conversation with one of the 3 founders of the brewery, George Kellerman. Thanks for the beer chat, George!

On the bar, their were little flip-book style signs that had various relevant information. One of the pages encouraged taproom patrons to bring their own food and/or order from any of the nearby restaurants, including Key's Cafe, Sawatdee, and Black Sheep Pizza. I was very tempted to order some delicious food, but I resisted this time. I'm sure I'll end up ordering something next time.

Another of the pages in their book describes how they have a "stage" for each of the beers that they have on tap. The "stages" are listed on the TV alongside the beer names, and this page from the bar-top sign is the key to understanding them. Here is a pic:


I personally think it's a pretty cool idea. They're keeping their customers well-informed this way and also giving them an opportunity to share opinions on the Alpha and Beta beers, which might even be reflected in the next batches.

When I was done with my pint of nitro Batch Beta, I got up from the bar and took a couple pictures as I made my way to the exit. I had a good experience in this new taproom and I felt that a return trip was inevitable. Then I looked at this wall and I saw that the Tin Whiskers mascot already knew I would be coming back. Just look at what I'm talking about:


Yep, I'll probably be visiting again soon to have a beer with the robot...

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Back From Unofficial Hiatus

Wow.

Has it really been 3 months since I made a post? It seems that it is so...

I dropped the ball on that one. Although, I did have a few other things contributing to my delay. Let's see. Loss of 2 loved ones in a short time (sad), birth of a new child (happy, but hectic), and changing of employment (first scary, then exciting). Yep, a lot has happened to my family in a brief period...

As I sit here sipping on a Schell Shocked Grapefruit Radler (which I do enjoy), it's occurring to me how much my life has flown apart in such a short time. Getting spread in so many different directions due to major events tends to do that, I guess. Along with neglecting the blog, I haven't brewed a batch of beer in months, and I haven't been keeping up with my Coborn's beer tasting responsibilities.

Well, it's time to start pulling things back together. And returning to the Lupulin Libations blog is one of the steps that will help me to accomplish that goal. I miss writing about beer. I've continued to stock up on local brews in my absence, and tried my best to keep up on my knowledge of our local brewing culture. So, let's get this thing going again, shall we?

Many of you realize we're in the middle of a major craft beer renaissance. Breweries are popping up like weeds in a garden (which are a little delayed for us this year, thanks to the Minnesota chill hanging on). Our local beer scene is no exception to that rule. Whether it's HammerHeart Brewing with its Norway-trained head brewer or the soon to open Tin Whiskers Brewing with its 3 electrical engineer founders, we have quite a variety of fresh and interesting local beer options.

This is a great time to be a fan of quality beer, and I intend to continue my quest to learn more about our Minnesota brewers and the tasty brews they offer. With each passing week, more local zymurgic companies, products, events, and culture emerge here in Minnesota. I will do my darndest to resume my duties as a local beer advocate and blogger to make at least one blog post per week pertaining to my chosen brew-topic.

I hope you'll all welcome me back. Let's have a beer to celebrate!

Cheers!