Suds: February 13

Last night, Wisconsin’s own, Bon Iver, pulled in two Grammy awards including one inexplicably for Best New Artist. Apparently the Grammys didn’t hear about For Emma, Forever Ago back in 2007! On a side note, Mumford and Sons are still being nominated for Grammys from their 2010 release Sigh No More.

Bon Iver’s second award was for Best Alternative Album, an award that wasn’t aired on the main broadcast. In typical Vernon fashion, his acceptance speech was humble and quintessentially Midwestern seeming painfully out of place among the glitz and glamour of the Billboard elite. Crack open a Wisconsin staple and MwBC favorite, Schlitz, and check it out yourself.

There's something different in these two photos. Can you spot it? I can't.

- Bell’s Hopslam arrives in Minnesota! Find out the location nearest you that received six-packs.

- Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Town Hall Brewery and fall in love with beer all over again.

- Indiana’s Sun King releases their Isis Imperial IPA in cans this month.

- Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids becomes first LEED Silver commercial brewery in Michigan, possibly U.S.

- Interesting debate on whether Fabiano Bros., a Michigan beer and wine distributor, is a monopoly in need of busting or not.

- Southern Michigan Winter Beer Festival returns on March 10. Get your tickets before they sell out.

- Steven’s Point Brewery will release Point Three Kings Ale this spring.

- Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis’ newest brewery, is set to open this summer.

- Tickets for Firkin Fest at The Happy Gnome are on sale now. Get yours before they sell out.

- The Blind Pig Co. in Champaign, IL will be tapping a cask conditioned firkin of Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout this Friday.

What is your favorite Bon Iver song? Tweet @MidwestBeer #BonnyBearRocks with your answer. 

Suds: September 28

I have been listening to a lot of music lately which has prodded something inside of me, a sort of creativity bone that made me wonder: if I were locked in a cabin alone in the Northwoods with a set of instruments, could I create music as good as I listen to? It strikes at a fundamental question of who we are as humans, a question that we may have pondered but never analyzed further. Do we have unlimited potential or are we born into a set of constraints? While it may seem easy to say that I never could have been a professional football player, it is said with the proper amount of time dedicated to one thing a person can become an expert. I like to think that this is true and that it applies to music as well since we need those passionate individuals to believe in their skill to make the music we are moved by on a daily basis.

For Emma, Forever Ago...

Enough rambling, let’s get to Suds. Pour yourself a Schlitz and imbibe some beer news:

- Speaking about passionate people, this is exactly what pubs are about!

- Heritage Liquor Store is having a tasting of Crispin Cider just in time for fall. If you’ve never tried hard cider, do your palette a favor.

- October 22: Darkness Day. Enough said.

- Wise words from a wise President of New Belgium Brewing.

- Three Floyds is back in Ohio! Thank the matrix.

- Jim Koch brings the Hammer of Thor down on Anchor Brewing across the country. Take that you yuppy, vodka drinking outsiders.

- Great Lakes Brewing releases Oh Christmas Ale at the Cleveland Brewpub.

- Madison’s Beer and Cheese Fest 2012, get your tickets soon. Speaking of cheese, do they think we don’t know already? 

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