#MNBeer News Insider: March 5

THIRD STREET RELEASES NEW SPOTLIGHT IPA

Third Street Brewhouse released its extended spring seasonal Spotlight India pale ale to the market this week.

The Cold Spring brewery is celebrating the beer's release with a three-stop tour.

The 2015 Spotlight IPA was created by brewers Jerry Dusich and Johan Sogge in a Third Street competition and features a rye malt with Cascade, Centennial and Columbus hops.

The 2014 Spotlight IPA, the first of the now annual series, was released at the end of last March and featured Cascade, Bravo, Lemon Drop and Sorachi Ace hop varieties. Dusich also helped create that recipe.

Third Street general manager Doug DeGeest also said the next limited release of the brewery's third anniversary Big Beer series is expected in the middle of April.

The first release of the series was Cool Beans, an imperial porter that featured coffee beans from St. Cloud roastery Muggsy's Beans. Cool Beans debuted in January and came off the market at the end of February.

SUMMIT STARTS BREWING ORGANIC ALE

Summit Brewing Co. announced it started production on its latest year-round beer an organic session IPA called Hopvale on Thursday.

The St. Paul brewery first announced plans for the beer in January. The beer is scheduled to hit the market in April.

Hopvale features organic malts from Wisconsin and Canada; organic Bravo, Cascade and Chinook hop varieties from Idaho and the state of Washington; and organic lemon peels from California.

"We are really trying to get across what organic ingredients can do in beer," said Summit head brewer Damian McConnin a published YouTube video.

Summit also recently released a double IPA seasonal called Hop Silo.

GRANITE CITY TO RE-RELEASE IRISH RED

Granite City Food & Brewery announced it will re-release its Irish red seasonal called Burning Barn at tapping parties in the brewpub chain stores from 4-6 p.m. on March 15.

The spring seasonal was first released in 2006.

Granite City recently released a Scottish ale called Up Yer Kilt and also an oak-aged version called Way Up Yer Kilt.

MANKATO RELEASES IMPERIAL RED

Mankato Brewery released its imperial red ale on Thursday at a tapping party at the Mankato Boulder Tap House.

Brewery co-owner Tim Tupy helped pour samples of the beer, which features brown sugar and orange peel.

TIN WHISKERS ANNOUNCES WHEAT ALE RE-RELEASE

Tin Whiskers Brewing Co. announced that its specialty wheat beer called Mexican Ponche Wheatstone Bridge is back on tap in the brewery's St. Paul taproom.

The beer is infused with cinnamon, guava, sugar cane and tejocote.

KINNEY CREEK RE-RELEASES BELGIAN LIGHT ALE

Kinney Creek Brewery announced that its Belgian-style light ale called Sunny Days is back on tap in the Rochester taproom.

Sunny Days was an inaugural release when the brewery opened in 2013.

JUNKYARD TO RELEASE DRY STOUT

Junkyard Brewing Co. announced it will host a 4 p.m. to midnight March 13 St. Patrick's Day celebration in its Moorhead taproom that will include the debut of a dry stout.

Junkyard brewed the beer specifically for the event.

The brewery also recently obtained its North Dakota distribution license.

WACONIA TO RELEASE MILK STOUT

Waconia Brewing Co. announced it will release a milk stout called Mo'Winta in its taproom, starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.

Waconia recently started offering half-pint options in its taproom.

GRAND ROUNDS FINALIZES FEDERAL PAPERWORK

Grand Rounds Brewbpub announced that it received approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau on Thursday for its planned Rochester location that's scheduled to open later this year.

Grand Rounds is led by brewmaster Steve Finnie, formerly a physical therapist at the Mayo Clinic.

Follow Jake Laxen on Twitter @jacoblaxen.

Recent #MNBeer News Insiders

• March 2: Including Barley John's Brew Pub, Indeed Brewing Co., Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Summit Brewing Co., Tin Whiskers Brewing Co. and the Northern Light Rare Beer Fest.

•Feb 25: Including Junkyard Brewing Co., Third Street Brewhouse, Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Lupine Brewing Co., Lupulin Brewing, Hayes Public House, Surly Brewing Co. and Harriet Brewing.

•Feb 24: Including Angry Inch Brewing Co., Lift Bridge Brewing Co., Lupine Brewing Co., Winterfest, TC Brewery Tours, GetKnit Events, Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Kinney Creek Brewery and Mankato Brewery.

•Feb. 23: Including Northern Lights Rare Beer Festival, Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Canal Park Brewing Co., Tin Whiskers Brewing Co., Brooks High Beer Battered, Maple Island Brewing and looking back at when Minnesota was down to four breweries in 1976.

•Feb 20: Including Winterfest, Summit Brewing Co., Castle Danger Brewery, Beaver Island Brewing Co., Lupine Brewing Co., Maple Island Brewing, Urban Growler Brewing Co., Bog Wood Brewery, Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery, Burning Brothers Brewing and looking back at Elvira's Night Brew made in Cold Spring.