#MNBeer News Insider: Feb. 23

NORTHERN LIGHTS RARE BEER FEST ANNOUNCES SOME SPECIALTIES

The Northern Lights Rare Beer Festival has been slowly announcing the unique brews that will be featured at the March 28 event at the Minnesota History Center on its Facebook account.

Limited advance tickets are still available online for the 7-10 p.m. event. Tickets are also available at the Ale Jail in St. Paul, and the Four Firkins locations in Oakdale and St. Louis Park.

Nine Minnesota breweries have already announced their festival selections.

Surly Brewing Co. of Minneapolis will offer a 2009 version of its Russian imperial stout Darkness and a its third anniversary Braggot-style beer called Three.

Fulton Beer of Minneapolis will offer a farmhouse ale aged in bourbon barrels, a rye Saison aged in red wine barrels and an imperial India pale ale hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops. Fulton was recently featured in a St. Cloud Times profile.

Bent Paddle Brewing Co. of Duluth will offer a pair of double black varieties, with one aged in bourbon barrels and the other with a double shot of espresso. Bent Paddle will also offer a barrel-agedred smoked rye.

August Schell Brewing Co. of New Ulm will offer a Starkbier Berliner Weisse aged on peaches and a 2013 Belgian strong golden ale that's barrel aged in red wine barrels.

Bemidji Brewing Co. will offer a raspberry sour red ale aged in red wine barrels and on tart red raspberries, a Belgian farmhouse ale, and a double porter.

Town Hall Brewery of Minneapolis will offer a Belgian-style Tripel, a Baltic-style porter that's aged in red wine barrels and a nitrogenatedimperial stout that's been aged in whiskey barrels.

Herkimer Pub & Brewery of Minneapolis will offer a black Perle that's aged in whiskey barrels, a Belgian blond aged on Nelson Sauvin hops in wine barrels, a Japanese-inspired single-hop imperial IPA that uses Sorachi Ace hops.

Steel Toe Brewing of St. Louis Park will offer a Belgian-style dark ale that's aged in wine barrels and an English-style barleywine.

Fitger's Brewhouse of Duluth will offer a wheat wine aged in bourbon barrels and a sour Lambic.

BRAU BROTHERS TO RELEASE SOUR

Brau Brothers Brewing Co. announced that it will release a sour called Barrel and Bog that will debut Saturday at Winterfest.

The Marshall brewery is one of more than 60 Minnesota breweries pouring at the two-day St. Paul event that starts Friday.

Limited advance tickets remain for the event held at Union Depot.

CANAL PARK RELEASES DOPPELBOCK

Canal Park Brewing Co. announced that it released a doppelbock called Seeyalator in its Duluth brewpub last weekend.

The beer has a 22 International Bittering Units IBUC rating.

Canal Park uses a 15-barrel brewing system.

TIN WHISKERS HOSTING FUNDRAISER

Tin Whiskers Brewing Co. announced that it is raising money in its St. Paul taproom for the St. Patrick's Day Association, which combats child diabetes.

Donations of $1 and $5 amounts earns your name on a shamrock on the taproom wall.

Tin Whiskers recently released Wheatstone Bridge infused with guava and Flipswitch IPA that was dry-hopped with Liberty hops.

BROOKS HIGH FOOD TRUCK LOOKS TO FEATURE LOCAL BEER

Brooks High Beer Battered is a food truck project planned by local chefs Brett Drake and Pete Toft.

The food truck will use local craft beers to make beer-battered foods and will often set up outside of taprooms.

The project is currently raising funds via a Kickstarter campaign. Donations include pre-orders of Brooks High products.

MAPLE ISLAND TO RELEASE DOUBLE IPA

Maple Island Brewing announced that it will release a double IPA called Dry Hop That in its Stillwater taproom.

The beer features a 90 IBU rating and features Warrior, Amarillo and Cascade hops.

Maple Island also recently released a cherry-flavored beer called Cranky Cherry.

DID YOU KNOW?

By 1976, Minnesota had dwindled down to only four breweries, none of which were located in Minneapolis: August Schell in New Ulm, the Cold Spring Brewing Co. (which now brews beer under the Third Street Brewhouse label), and Schmidt Brewing and Stroh Brewing Co. of St. Paul.

By the end of 2014, Minnesota had 67 registered breweries, but August Schell and Third Street are Minnesota's only breweries to be in operation for more than 100 years.

Follow Jake Laxen on Twitter @jacoblaxen

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• Feb. 10: Including Sociable Cider Werks, Voyageur Brewing Co., Indeed Brewing Co., Beaver Island Brewing Co., Brau Brothers Brewing Co., The Fargo Brewing Co. and Fair State Brewing Cooperative.