All Pints North 2019 Preview

On Saturday, July 27th, Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, MN, will be overrun by gleeful and frenzied masses. No, Congress did not pass a measure decreeing that Duck, Duck, Gray Duck is now the federal nomenclature for the playground game. I am talking about All Pints North, a craft beer festival put on by the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild.

This event is a true celebration of all things that make Minnesota great. You have a fantastic venue on the shore of the majestic Lake Superior. The best and brightest Minnesota breweries are pouring some of their best beers. It is also a great time to enjoy a true Minnesota gem, Duluth.

All Pints North Beers You Should Try

When it is summertime in Minnesota, there is nothing better than a refreshing and crisp lager. Nothing lessens the annoyance of a mosquito bite like a balanced IPA. A sure-fire way to enhance the campfire at the cabin is a malty and complex heavier beer to accompany that mysterious ghost story.

At All Pints North, you will be able to find all those beers and more. The festival app is out on the Apple or Google Play stores and I have scoured it every which way. Here are some beers from 3 different categories that I think you should have in your list of things to try.

Lagers

Utepils BRD Munich Helles Lager

I cannot think of a better example of this style in Minnesota. Utepils has made a name for themselves by brewing incredibly consistent and flavorful classic beer styles. The BRD is no exception. This is the perfect summer beer. Crisp and clean with a wonderful cracker and bread malt character.

Spilled Grain Brewhouse Belly Flop Czech Pilsener

It will be difficult to restrain yourself from just parking yourself at the Spilled Grain Brewhouse booth because they have a lot going on there. However, when it comes to a clean Czech Pilsener, Spilled Grain Brewhouse does it right. Jacob and his team know that good German-style beers take time and so that is what they do. This beer comes across and polished and delicious. There is a nice sweetness from the malt to go along with the crispness of the beer. Warning, the more of these you have, the better a belly flop into the Gitchee Gummee will sound.

Earth Rider Royal Bohemian Pilsner

This beer has it all. I am so envious of anyone who works at Earth Rider Brewery in Superior, WI, because they get to have this all the time. Bready malt notes along with an herbal hop note make this beer the total package. A pro-tip for lager lovers, they have a lot more of this beer in the taproom. Heck, you can even grab 32 ounce crowlers of it to go!

IPAs-Hazy or Otherwise

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Minute Man

This Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative beer might fly under the radar, but its flavor and aroma are top-notch. As Hazy IPAs go, this baby checks all the boxes. Bright and juicy hop aromas, a nice bitter hop bite for balance, and a mouthfeel as luscious as a Barry White chart-topping hit. Do not miss out on this!

Town Hall Masala Mama IPA

This is the OG of Minnesota IPAs. A classic that has balance, bitterness, and bravado. In a time when everyone is chasing trends, Town Hall Brewery proves that bitterness and balance are still relevant when done correctly. I will be stopping by for this one early and often; I suggest you do the same.

Tin Whiskers Tractor Beam IPA

Tin Whiskers has been doing a lot of IPAs lately and this is one of my favorites. Balanced and bright, this Tractor Beam is packed with a nice mixture of juicy and hoppy flavors. In a year when Tin Whiskers has been going bonkers with Pearson’s Candy Company collaborations, it is important to remember that they also are making hay in the IPA game.

Malty, Dark, and Decadent

Drastic Measures Humble Mumble

He’s baaaaaaack!!! Brett Doebbeling started his own place in Drastic Measures and I am guessing that this beer is going to be incredible. This dark delight is conditioned on 150 pounds of Oreo cookies. I have been yearning to drink Brett’s beers ever since he was unceremoniously removed from Disgruntled. Aside from the beer probably being awesome, it is nice to see a great person who is as humble as they come, get back to living their dream.

Giesenbräu Bier Co. Bourbon Barrel Aged Novy Praha Med

At first, I thought this beer was named for the Ewok translation of the phrase, “I’m not going to pay a lot for this muffler.” Then I did some reading up and it actually means New Prague honey. This ridiculously smooth stout is brewed with 75 pounds said local New Prague honey and then aged in a Breckenridge Bourbon barrel. The beer is velvety, flavorful, and has a magnificent barrel character to it. With this beer, Giesenbräu Bier Co. shows that they can do more than just incredible German beer.

Unmapped Brewing Company Woodland Project #1: Pinot Noir Barrel Aged Quadruplication

I tried this beer at Unmapped Brewing’s anniversary party earlier in the summer and it is phenomenal. The beer alone is great, however, aging it in the Pino Noir barrel brings an elevated component of dark fruits and vinous excellence to the beer. This is one of the better red wine barrel aged beers I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying and I think you are going to love it.

Dan Beaubien has been involved with Beerploma since 2014 although his passion for craft beer dates back to 2006 when he started traveling for beer. Dan mostly covers craft beer events, festivals, brewery openings/releases, and beer reviews. Dan has a soft spot in his heart for authentic British Style ales, IPAs, and all things barrel-aged. If you have any questions or comments about this article feel free to email Dan at dan.beaubien@beerploma.com .