2024 Autumn Brew Review Preview

On Saturday, Oct. 12th from 1:30-5pm at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild will put on their Autumn Brew Review. The Autumn Brew Review is a celebration of craft beers brewed by breweries in the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. This is a great event and if you have never been, I strongly encourage you to check it out. There are still tickets available and you can find more info using this link.

ABR: A Minnesota Craft Beer Tradition

This is actually my 13th time attending this grand affair. My first one was in 2010 and I have only missed one year since. I love this time of year because of the changeover to malt-forward, big-bodied beers from the lighter beers of summer. Yet, as craft beer palates have changed, so have the number of crisp lagers on tap at this fest. In fact, this year, there are way more lagers than ever before. Among them, a staggering 37 Festbiers and Märzens. Not to worry hopheads, there are 45 IPAs to choose from. One thing that is definitely new is the fact that there are 29 THC options. If you are doing Sober October or have moved away from alcohol, there are at least 3 non-alcoholic options as well.

The weather is looking just great for a beer festival. I don’t think that the structural integrity of my groin could handle another Woodstock-like mud event like last year. The forecast is for 68 and partly sunny with no rain in sight. So, it is prime beer sampling weather, for sure.

I have gone through the list of beers pouring at the festival and picked out a bunch of things that I am excited to try. Some I have had before and others I have not tried. What you will find is a variety of things from a wide range of places all around our state.

Craft Beers to Try at the Autumn Brew Review

From pilsners to stouts, there aren’t any craft beer styles I can’t appreciate. So, here is a list of some things you might want to have on your beer list of things to try. It reads a little malt-heavy, but that is because malt is sexy, like the month of October.

Bad Weather Eventide-Dark Czech Lager

This is one of many of the fantastic dark lagers that Bad Weather Brewing in Saint Paul brews. It is a sensationally satisfying seasonal thanks to skill of the brewers to coax out every positive element of the malt in this beer. If you take time to try it, I am sure you will agree that this beer is stellar.

Chanhassen Brewing-Carver County Reserve 2024

This award-winning beer is such a treat. Chanhassen Brewing brewed a delicious ryewine and aged it in J. Carver Rye Whiskey barrels. This is smooth, nutty, with a lot of dark fruit character. You are also going to be pleasantly surprised by the subtle warming nature since it is around 11 % ABV. Pro-top: While you are at the Chanhassen booth, try the Oktoberfest, too!

Hoops Brewing-No. 67 Oktoberfest Weisn

Leave it to Hoops Brewing to provide us with something that you might find at Oktoberfest in Germany. A Weisn is lighter in body than a Marzen-style Oktoberfest beer. Of course, Hoops is not stranger to brewing classic styles that are enjoyable to drink. I can’t wait to have a few pours of this one!

Insight Brewing-Sunken City Saison

Tasting this beer brings me back to the beginning of becoming obsessed with the local craft beer scene. This is an Insight Brewing award-winning OG Saison that still has a fervent following. The slight dryness from the Sauvignon Blanc grapes make this beer exceedingly quaffable.

Lupulin Brewing-CPB with Count Chocula

On a Saturday in October, what could be a better beer to drink than a chocolate peanut butter porter with Count Chocula? Lupulin Brewing Company has truly outdone themselves with this one. Count Chocula is one of my favorite cereals from my youth and CPB is one of my favorite beers of my adulthood. Talk about a match made in heaven!

Montgomery Brewing-Ghost Haze

Much like long division, it baffles me why more people don’t talk about Montgomery Brewing in the same way they do BlackStack, Lupulin, and Barrel Theory when it comes to who brews amazing hazy IPAs. Well, I can’t wait to see how the Idaho 7, Eclipse, and Citra all combine in this beer. Also give their peanut butter porter a try because it is divine.

Steel Toe Brewing-Douglas Black IPA

A throwback to a simpler time before bitcoin and everything slapping, the Douglas Cascadian Black IPA is an underrated Minnesota craft beer treasure. The act of combining pine and chocolate in a beer that drinks balanced and delicious is harder than trying to decide on only one reason I hate Applebee’s. Yet, Steel Toe Brewing pulls it off masterfully.

Talking Waters Brewing Company-Thunder From Dortmunder

Aside from this clearly being the best name for a beer, ever, it is one of my favorite styles that I can seldom find on a tap line. This style of lager is delicious because it has enough malt and hops than a typical pilsner. If there is a nip in the air, I want a Dortmunder in my hand to stay warm.

Trove Brewing Company-The In-Between

For times when you want big flavor, but not big ABV, Trove Brewing’s The In-Between is there for you. A beer like this is literally a treasure to me because I like to drink lots of beers, but I despise hangovers. Give me something with lots of flavor and character and I am here for it. Thank you, Trove Brewing!!

Unmapped Brewing-Gladden Farms Coming In Hop IPA

This beer is brewed with hops from Dan Gladden’s hop farm, so you know it is going to taste like a winner! A celebration of brewing with fresh hops, this beer always is a little different but never disappointing. And, unlike this year’s Minnesota Twins, this beer will not leave you with a headache…unless you drink twelve of them…

Wandering Leaf brewing-heavy metal therapy

Wandering Leaf Brewing does a nice variety of beers. I like that they will, at times, delve into the realm of styles nobody else ever does. A Baltic Porter is interesting in the since that it is actually brewed at lager temperatures with lager yeast. Why is this noteworthy? Well, porters are ales and fermented at a much higher temperature. This beer will have dark chocolate and licorice notes and be really nice on a Fall afternoon.

So, there are some beers to get you started. If you need to view the full list, it is available here. If you see me there and listen to the podcast, stop and say hello! Cheers!

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