Mall of America?

[steveh]

Traveling up to the Land of Sky Blue Waters for a couple days around Memorial Day, in and around the MoA. Any you Minnesoters have any suggestions for good nearby dining/imbibing?

S.

[mnstorm99]

That's a tough area to find a good spot. How far are you willing to go?

St. Paul off Selby are two great bars The Happy Gnome and The Muddy Pig. but your looking at about 20 miles.


Bryant Lake Bowl is a great place in Minneapolis, near the uptown area. Herkimer brew pub is there (which is ok, not great though) about 11 miles.

Town Hall Brewery is awsome and is about 15 miles. Also near there would be the Blue Nile, Triple Rock Social Club and The Nomad.

Are you driving? Minneapolis would be the easier one to get around since once you find 35w north most of the places I mentioned are not far off the highway.

Otherwise you might get stuck to an Old Chicago out in the 'Burbs.

[ontap78]

There is a Russian resturant in St. Paul on Selby called Moscow on the Hill that has great Russian food AND Pilsner Urquell on tap. At least they did last time I was there. I believe you're a fan of the Urquell? As far as brewpubs go, it's hard to beat Town Hall. They make a fantastic award winning scottish ale.

[steveh]

Originally posted by mnstorm99
Are you driving? Minneapolis would be the easier one to get around since once you find 35w north most of the places I mentioned are not far off the highway.

Yeah, we'll be driving up on Sunday (red flag there) and staying through until Tuesday when we head back east. We're staying off 494 at 77 near the mall and the airport. Not too far from 35, but it looks like a lot of those places are near each other, up north near the dome.

How's driving in Minn/SPaul? Closer to Milwaukee or Chicago traffic?

S.

[danno]

I have several good beers on tap, but I'll probably be painting my house that weekend. stop on over and grab a brush!

my house is about 20 miles from the Maul of America, but St. Paul's two finest beer bars, the Pig and the Gnome, are only 10 miles from MoA... (maybe mnstorm was planning on you getting lost... :D ) dunno if it's gonna last until you get here, but both bars now have Rodenbach on tap. (they just became available in MN, I picked up a Grand Cru yesterday. they hadn't even gotten them out of the case onto the shelf when I stopped in...)

the Gnome's weekly cask beer, tapped every thursday evening, this week is Bell's Two Hearted...

[mnstorm99]

Driving in the twin cities is probably closer to Milwaukee, but I've never done much driving there. Another option would be the light rail that comes from the Mall and you would be able to get off in the Ceder Riverside area Map (http://www.metrotransit.org/rail/stations/05_cedar.asp) there would be a little walking involved (up to a half mile). Then there are no worries about drinking and driving. The Town Hall Brewery is there and if you go try the Masala Mama IPA (good stuff)

[mnstorm99]

Originally posted by danno
(maybe mnstorm was planning on you getting lost... :D )

the Gnome's weekly cask beer, tapped every thursday evening, this week is Bell's Two Hearted...

I don't know, I live in Nordeast, I'm close to everything. Two Hearted (my #1b) on cask damn, I wish I could go this weekend. I did have the Furious (my #1a) on cask there once, what a treat that was.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by danno
bars now have Rodenbach on tap. (they just became available in MN, I picked up a Grand Cru yesterday. they hadn't even gotten them out of the case onto the shelf when I stopped in...)

I love the Rodenbach on tap. It's long been available here but I really love that brew. I've got several bombers of the Grand Cru in my beer fridge. I wish it was as good as the old Grand Cru which was in my top 5 beers. But it is still great just the same. Wonderful stuff.

[steveh]

You are the king of misdirection, aren't you Chaz? ;)

S.

[teacup13]

Originally posted by steveh

How's driving in Minn/SPaul? Closer to Milwaukee or Chicago traffic?

S.

driving is more like in Milwaukee,

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh
You are the king of misdirection, aren't you Chaz?
S.

Yeah, But I have been to a brewpub in Minneapolis. It was down town and I've been to the Mall of America. :D

[Sladek]

I live here and can't add much, but the light rail to Cedar Riverside and going to Town Hall sounds like a good plan (and Michael Jackson has been there, so it's a moral imperative!).

Up 35W to County Road D is my favorite area brewpub, Barley John's; only accessible by car. Different vibe than Town Hall; more beer-geek, I think.

Oh, and I think driving up here is worse than Milwaukee. You'll see.

[ontap78]

I do not live in the Twin Cities, but how easy would it be to get from the MOA to some good beer using the light rail system?

[mnstorm99]

Originally posted by ontap78
I do not live in the Twin Cities, but how easy would it be to get from the MOA to some good beer using the light rail system?

The Cedar-Riverside area would be the best and easiest way by rail, not to much walking and there are some good bars there.

[mnstorm99]

So did you make it up here? How was the trip?

[steveh]

Memorial Day weekend.

S.

[mnstorm99]

My bad, maybe I should really read before I post :D

[fantome]

You can also take the light rail all the way into dowtown Minneapolis. There are some very good restaurants downtown. MacKenzie Bar (24 good taps) at 10th & Hennepin is a few blocks down Hennepin Avenue from the light rail station, well within walking distance or a short bus ride. Rock Bottom Brewpub is across the street from MacKenzie. The Mission American Kitchen is a good restaurant with a nice tap selection - it is on the street level of the IDS Building (the tallest building in Mpls). McCormick & Schmick's nearby has a few good taps as well.

Now about Cedar - Reiverside area. Town Hall is a good recomendation. Another to look for is the Blue Nile - Ethiopian food and plenty of great beer. Between the Nile and Town Hall (they are about a mile apart), there are two bars with good beer lists - the Nomad World Pub and the Triple Rock. Other restaurants and bars in the area should have a decent tap line or two.

Cheers!

[steveh]

Well, I really only had a chance to try a couple brews in MN last weekend, but I'll have to say that they were pretty good.

Had a Boulevard Wheat on tap for the first time in a long many years annd I have to say it was surprisingly good. Much better than many other American Wheats I've had - yes, even Widmer.

Followed that with a Summit EPA, Summit never seems to disappoint, does it?

S.

Oh yeah, traffic around there seems to be in-between that in Chicago and Milwaukee -- since I'm used to Chicago, that isn't all bad.

[chazwicke]

I can get Summit beers in Sixtel at my paint store in PA. I've been tempted. Very tempted. Davesarman sent me some bottles awhile back.

[steveh]

Try the EPA. I had a sixer for the first time in a long while last Summer and it surprised me. It's one of those APAs that went by the wayside when the glut of APAs was overwhelming -- it's held up the way SNPA has, by just being a solid brew.

S.

[danno]

Steve, the EPA was a limied release only beer last summer for their 20th anniversary. it has been re-released as a regular beer due to the demand this spring. the APA is their flagship and has been around for, well, 20 years...

[steveh]

Originally posted by danno
Steve, the EPA was a limied release only beer last summer for their 20th anniversary.

Check their web site Danno, they call the EPA their flagship beer -- brewed since 1986, and yeah, it's an APA in style -- and there is no other APA in the lineup.

S.

[steveh]

Hey Danno, check out this link (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11745&highlight=Summit) and your post from last year.

Don'cha hate when breweries start using acronyms on a whim?

S.

[danno]

d'oh... got myself all confoozled between ESB, EPA and APA... mea culpa...

(btw, the ESB isn't too bad...)

[steveh]

Originally posted by danno
got myself all confoozled between ESB, EPA and APA...

Yeah, isn't EPA some governmental tax vacuum? ;)

S.

[Sladek]

danno, have you tried Summit's new Scandia Ale, replacing their Hefeweizen?
And it looks like the Grand is now simply the Pilsener (which should be "Pilsner"...oh well).

[steveh]

Originally posted by Sladek
danno, have you tried Summit's new Scandia Ale,

Follow that old link I dropped in above -- Danno's not terribly fond of the Scandia.

On the other hand, I tried the Grand a few weeks ago and thought it was quite good.

S.

[danno]

last Friday I was at Surdyk's (cheese sale! mmmmm) and they were sampling Scandia. it reaffirmed my dislike for it. they add cardamom (Scandinavian, get it?) to what appears to be a standard wit recipe. this I learned from reading the label.

I don't really know what cardamom tastes like, not being of Scandinavian descent, but between not liking the overall spice flavoring, and not really being able to pick up any yeast character, IMO it fails as a wit.

[steveh]

Originally posted by danno
they add cardamom (Scandinavian, get it?) to what appears to be a standard wit recipe.

At least it wasn't lutefisk or rutabegga! :eek:

S.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by steveh

On the other hand, I tried the Grand a few weeks ago and thought it was quite good.
I've come to really like the Grand, and have made it my utility beer. I would say it's more of a German Pils than a Czech pilsner, but I think they've refined it since they introduced it what, 5 years ago?
I wasn't blown away by the Scandia, but I think it's a decent summer beer.