The gremlins are coming out to play for Craft Beer Week!
Craft Beer Week starts TODAY! Beer aficionados in cities across the country are toasting to small, independent and traditional breweries with what the American Brewers Association defines as an annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less and can not be more than 24% owned by another alcoholic beverage company that is not itself a craft brewery.
To mark the occasion, we are checking in with Beverage Director Ryan Goodspeed on how Harry’s Pizzeria — where we focus specifically on craft and local brews — is embracing the week-long festival, as well as get an update of what’s going on with our list at MGFD.
“Harry’s will be participating with 7 Days of Celebration,” Ryan explains. “We will simply be rotating kegs on and off tap as they are consumed. Whoever orders the last beer off a keg gets to enjoy what’s in that glass as well as a complimentary beer off the next keg going online!”
Harry’s Craft Beer Week beers are Avery Majaraja IPA, Bluepoint Rastafari Rye Pale Ale, Cigar City Ligero Black Lager, Dogfish Saison du Buff, Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Ale, and Stone Brewing Co. Arrogant Bastard. Check the chalkboard or ask your server what’s on, on your visit!
Ryan Goodspeed getting his craft beer on at an MGFD pre-shift meeting.
MGFD’s current menu is a forward display of bold and subtle flavors available from U.S. craft brewers and foreign specialty brewers, loosely divided between lighter styles on the left giving way to medium and full bodied options as you track down the right.
“I try to satisfy categories, tastes and regions year round to keep the menu enticing. But Spring and Fall are always my favorite times of the year for beers!” Ryan says. ”The rest of the time it’s German Lager in the summer and Craft Porters in the winter!”
Foreign countries often dominate the left side of the menu.These regions have an uncanny ability to produce light, flavorful yet bold flavors hinging on the brewing process, yeasts used and hops added. Alcohol content can range as high as 13% but normally no more than 7%. All these beers tend to pair exceptionally well with menu items or can be consumed easily without. Some current staples would be Schonramer Gold Lager, Saison Dupont Farmhouse, Scheiders Organic Edel Wiesse and Pilsner Urquell.
Follow Craft Beer week on Twitter @craftbeer1 with #ACBW, and Ryan @goodspeedryan.
