Suds: June 27

It’s hump day, which means at the end of the day we’re all going to say, “Hey, pass me a beer.” Crack open your favorite stress relieving brew, mine is Bell’s Two-Hearted and check out this great video.

Hey, Pass Me A Beer! from Almost Twins

- New Holland’s beer dinner at Amsterdam Bar and Hall is tonight!

- I had Badger Hill for the Growler Release Party, but don’t miss the official release at Senor Wong tomorrow.

- Beer for dogs? I can’t feel my legs anymore…

- University of Minnesota is heading up research on growing hops. C’mon Wisconsin, where were on that one?

- Brewmaster in the Wisconsin Dells names his brewery after Michigan town he’s never been to. The MwBC does not condone such actions since brews should have honest regional pride.

- O’so Brewing’s creative growing along with the brewery as they hire a graphic designer for their brand.

- Want Nickelback to endorse your beer? Well, they’ll have the time since Dark Horse shot them down.

- Meet the brewers of the Fulton & Wood Series Black Mission at the Beer Bistro in Chicago.

- It’s time for the Red Scare from Revolution Brewing.

Need more than just Suds? Tweet @MidwestBeer or check out our other great features to get your fix.

Suds: May 4

Ten points to this guy for his ingenius liquid metal battery. 25 points to his staff of post-grads and doctoral students that helped him actually create it. Hurray, for grad students! You make the research & development world go round.

- Half Acre is opening a taproom and guests can get food delivered from local restaurants. Brilliant colla-beer-ation!

- Finch Beer is hosting a Kickstarter campaign for Galerie F featuring limited edition screen prints.

- Really cool opportunity for fellow beer bloggers: “At Zephyr Adventures, we have teamed up with World Class Beer,Untappd, New Belgium and Draft Magazine to give away two spots on our upcoming Colorado Hike, Bike, Beer and BrewPubs adventure plus roundtrip airfare to Denver.”

- Bell’s is on the docket for Fitty’s First Friday tasting at Thomas Liquor.

- Cinco de Maibock at Town Hall tomorrow.

- The 15th Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival is set for July 27 & 28.

- Calling all Madisonians (and Wisconsinites at large)! Madison Craft Beer Week is underway!

- Beer Baron on the Wisconsin colla-beer-ation, Common Thread Ale.

- A new tour brings Twin Cities residents to three local breweries.

Suds: May 2

It’s official. Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota in Madison is 100 years old! The social mecca of local Madisonians, students and alumni alike, the terrace offers a respite from the gruel of schoolwork and office work with its calming view of the lake and ever-flowing pitchers of beer. When Spring comes and the sun burst chairs are put out, the terrace has a gravity all its own that draws in all of Madison for unknown reasons. For those of us that were fortunate enough to spend four years at the terrace it has become a part of personal history: it’s where we grew from obnoxiously naive freshman into invincible sophomores into self-assured and adventurous juniors into the nostalgic post-grads we are today.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Terrace by visiting this summer, drinking a pitcher of Ale Asylum Hopalicious and playing a game of cribbage. Check out their events page to find the perfect weekend to make the trek.

- Fitger’s beer is back in Duluth?!

- Brewed Awakening book events coming up in Minnesota.

- Bell’s is opening their new brewery to the public on May 19.

- What? You need another reason to go to Madison? How about Madison Craft Beer Week starting this Friday.

- Don’t worry Minnesota, you can have your cake and eat it too. Minnesota Craft Beer Week starts May 13. Here we come Madison!

- Check out what Sun King has brewing up on their events page.

- Surly Brewing is hosting a fundraiser and brewery tour in memory of Ultimate player, Marty Bakko.

- Congratulations to Great Lakes Brewing being named Best Local Beer by Cleveland Magazine.

Share your favorite Terrace photo by tweeting @MidwestBeer #TerraceSummers, or by posting on facebook.com/mwbeercollective. 

Suds: April 30

Imagine having a running fever for an entire year. Now imagine having a 165-show tour, playing in a different state and sometimes country every night. That is the backdrop to Xan Aranda’s concert documentary, Fever Year, which follows musician Andrew Bird as he limps (literally) across the finish line of his marathon tour. Rarely do we get a glimpse of Bird’s personality other than the eccentric comments he makes between songs during his concerts, but this documentary approaches his personal life with delicacy and grace. True to the spirit of an Andrew Bird concert, find this documentary at a film fest near you because it is a one-time affair. Crack open a Finch Cut Throat Pale Ale and enjoy the trailer.

- A nice write-up on Harriet Brewing’s Sol Bock Revival courtesy the fine folks at Heavy Table.

- Don’t be scared of this Dangerous Man. He just makes good beer.

- Tomorrow night there is a Cask Ale Beer Dinner at Great Waters Brewing Co.

- Beer Here! It’s Pearl Street Brewing’s D.T.B. Brown Ale.

- Bell’s Brewery to sell?! Maybe…

- A nice write-up on Virtue Cider’s RedStreak from ex-Goose Island brewer Greg Hall.

- Great article on Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head including what happened to his show Brewmasters.

- Dark Lord Day came and went and a good time was had by all 6,000+.

- The Beer Dabbler will be putting on festivals all summer long.

- Another colla-beer-ation that should yield a tasty product.

At the MwBC we’re all for Colla-beer-ation, so give us a shout by tweeting @MidwestBeer or sending an e-mail to mwbeercollective@gmail.com and let’s get brewing. 

Suds: April 25

Last night, I hit up the Fulton Beer Dinner over at the Bulldog NE and enjoyed a flight of their beers paired with tasty, well-portioned eats. Among those eats I had my second memorable run-in with pork belly, an increasingly popular cut of pork akin to bacon. If you have the means (i.e. a good local butcher) I highly recommend getting a cut of pork belly and using it in my favorite recipe. In the mean time, check out this new installment of Brewing TV and crack open your favorite chocolate stout–a Rush River Nevermore is a good option.

- Tonight at the Pig & Fiddle in Minneapolis is the Tallgrass Beer Dinner. Check out the menu here and make your reservations.

- Tomorrow, don’t miss the Summit Beer Dinner at Seasons Tavern in Hudson, WI for a decidedly Midwestern experience.

- For Chicagoans, Summit Brewing is taking over the taps at Burger Bar tomorrow.

- University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank is the first stadium in the Big Ten to allow the sale of alcohol. Wisconsin, wha happened?

- Capital Brewery achieves Green Tier status. The way green beer should be. Kudos!

- What do Schlafy Brewing and the universe have in common? They are expanding!

- Check out What’s On Tap in Indiana.

- Iowa’s Craft Beer Festival is coming up in May. Support good beer and get your tickets today!

Want to write for the MwBC? Submit a sample of your writing to mwbeercollective@gmail.com! 

Suds: April 18

Always love to see New Glarus’ beer getting props from beer geeks. Crack open a bottle of their Cherry Stout and take a look at this episode of Brewing TV before diving into Suds.

- Wild Cask at Barley John’s in Minnesota.

- Fulton Beer dinner at the Bulldog NE next Tuesday.

- Not in the Midwest, but still a really neat discovery.

- Love to see more women getting into beer.

- Speaking of women that are into beer. Check out this write up on the Goose Island Fulton Wood Series “En Pessant” release from The Girl and Her Beer.

- Point is expanding and hitting the Nude Beach again.

- Peoria Jaycees International Beer Festival should prove to be a great success.

- Been a while since we hit an Ohio event, but Parkville Microfest is right around the corner. Get your tickets before they run out.

Suds! It does the body good. So do our other features. Check them our beer reviews, essays and editorials for additional pleasure.

Suds: April 6

Opening day. The words carry with them the history of America’s pastime and the promise of a new chapter to come. They awaken the spirits of baseball legends like Ruth and Cobb, Williams and Wagner and Aaron and Mantle and call today’s players to achieve the unthinkable. There is the beauty of a no-hitter, the power of a home-run, the speed of a stolen base, the acrobatics of an amazing play in the field and the strategy of a skipper leading his team to the World Series. It’s worthy of the fanfare and of the name, America’s Favorite Pastime.

Check out this clip from Ken Burn’s Baseball  if you need more convincing and have yourself a Bell’s Oberon because summer is finally here.

- Fitger’s Brewpub in Duluth has a great line up of beers on tap.

- Lift Bridge celebrates their bottles being back in stores with a tasting at Thomas Liquors in St. Paul tonight.

- Sorry Minhas, better just stick to Mountain Crest.

- Brewery Vivant to distribute in Chicago.

- James Bond will be drinking beer in the next movie. And people are actually upset.

- Target Field is adding local beers to their list this baseball season.

- Looking for somewhere fun to have your next pint? Check out Firkin in Libertyville, IL.

- Or if you’re in Michigan, check out the Hopcat!

- Not to be confused with Hopleaf in Chicago.

- If you’re in Wisconsin, you have to check out the Malt House. You can read what’s it’s all about here.

Who is your favorite baseball player of all-time? Tweet @MidwestBeer or post on our Facebook.

Suds: April 4

Anthony’s recent article on invasive species changing the context of an ecosystem was a good look at the shifting paradigms in ecology and it is ever more relevant with the continued conversation on Asian carp being introduced to the upper Mississippi. Scientists in Lacrosse, WI are developing a “bio-bullet” to poison the carp that are threatening to destabilize the river ecosystem. However, some scientists are asking about the unintended consequences. Take a look at this article explaining how the microparticle poison would work and check this video out of what rivers in Illinois are becoming.

- My God, Lemon! Does it get any better than this beer flight?

- Check out this installment of Brewing TV for a few laughs.

- Minneapolis’ Ginger Hop will be tapping Boulder’s Bad Moon Risin’ accidental brilliance at 5:00pm tonight!

- If you’re not a believer in Rock Bottom, then read MwBC friend Michael Kiser’s post from Good Beer Hunting and check out this special release in Minneapolis!

- Sheboygan-based 3 Sheeps Brewing Co. this week began distribution of four new craft beers.

- Wisconsin’s Gitchee Gumee Beer Fest is around the corner.

- Missouri Beer Fest is happening this Saturday.

- The Spring Ale Fest in Minneapolis is also this Saturday.

Finally, the Peoria International Beer Fest is coming up soon.

Carp-e Diem! Find out how Asian carp will affect your local habitats and see what steps you can take to curb the spread. 

Suds: April 2

‘Tis the season of summer ales and what a season it is for beer drinkers in the Midwest. The release of Bell’s Oberon is enough to celebrate the coming greeneries of summer, but Ale Asylum’s Bedlam certainly sends the festivities into full swing. Summer also means the re-opening of a Madison landmark, the Memorial Union Terrace. In the summer, the Terrace is a living, breathing organism fueled by pitchers of beers and cultured with students, professors and alumni sharing ideas and reminiscing about former glories. Find your own “Terrace” in your city and crack open a Bell’s Oberon to properly celebrate the warm weather.

Let the Wild Rumpus start!

- Tonight, get over to Great Waters Brewing Company in St. Paul for an All Cask Beer Dinner.

- Tomorrow, Toripuru Strong Bock will flow at the Herkimer. This one’s not for the faint of heart.

- Upland Brewing’s Lambic will open up for reservations soon. Be ready, this will fill up fast.

- Get your tickets for Sour Wild Funk Fest today and secure a reservation for an Upland Lambic.

- BEDLAM! BEDLAM!!!!!! Oh, and did I mention…BEDLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Reckless Records and 3 Floyds team up to create Rye’d Da Lightning, a rye pale ale ready for release on Record Store Day 2012. Epic.

- Check out what’s on Tap over at Heavy Table.

- Great recap on craft brewing in 2011 by the Beer Baron at the Wisconsin State Journal.

- Doth thou lovest thyself? If thou say yay, drinkest a tankard of Oberon!

- Looking for a new pub in the Chicago area? The Chicago Reader has you covered.

Shakespeare’s pretty cool. Send us your favorite Shakespearean quote by tweeting @MidwestBeer visiting our Facebook page. 

Night Moves Suds: March 14

Night Moves are a local act here in the Twin Cities that have yet to release an album, but are already making waves. They’ve been featured in City Pages Magazine and the Star Tribune as a band to watch in this year and they are down at SXSW right now ready to rock out. If you’re unfamiliar to Night Moves (which is almost everyone that I know), check out their amazing Daytrotter session and pair it with a Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA.

- You know where to find me tomorrow night. At Pracna on Main sipping a pint of Founders KBS.

- The small brewing operation in Stillwater, Staples Mill Brewing Co., is releasing their new lager tonight: Lager of DeVINE Destruction.

- Pig & Fiddle is hosting a delicious beer dinner tomorrow night featuring Minnesota brews.

- A former Wisconsinite is returning to his brewing roots with distribution of Six Point beer in mid-April.

- Mark your calendar, Michigan’s Summer Beer Fest dates are set!

- Former Goose Island brewmaster to release his new Virtue Redstreak Cider in a month. You can find it at 20 different locations in Chicago.

- Members of the Chicago Beer Society will be meeting at the legendary Map Room next Wednesday night. Curious stop by and say hello.

- Ever heard of Tighthead Brewing Co. in Indiana? Get acquainted. I’ll give you a topic: the Partridge Family were neither partridges, nor a family. Discuss.

- Beer brunch with 5 Rabbit Brewery? Yes, please.

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