The Brewers Diary

On to Facebook...

2011-10-10T11:11:00.001-07:00

I would like to thank all of you who have check in here over the years. The fact is it's a bit "clunky" and from now on I will be doing updates on our Facebook page. Trying to make things a little more managable with one site. You can friend us at the McCanns Craft Brews page on Facebook.
Thanks again,
Chris

St. Cloud Craft Beer Week

2011-05-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

St. Cloud Craft Beer week is underway. To get more information and your passport visit:
www.craftbeerscene.com

Now on Tap...

2011-02-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

For a limited time we will have our Keg Hopped Deep Seven on tap. Handfulls of whole leaf Centennial hops are added to the keg before filling with our house IPA. Over the top hops!
Also...
Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout will be back next week. We will have the release party March 2nd, 5-7pm. Come and join me for a pint.

New Limited Resreve

2011-01-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

Now on tap-Coffee Infused Prairie Porter. Local roaster Muggsy's Beans Espresso Blend is blended with our Prairie Porter, creating a one of a kind java experience. Available for a limited time only.

New Brews From McCann's News

2010-12-26T14:17:00.001-08:00

Our new Dark Seasonal is now on tap. Prairie Porter makes it's return this winter.

The Devil's Dream went over very well and will return at some point.

On Wednesday from 5-7pm we will be releasing our new Seasonal Red Sky Rye Ale. I'll be on hand to share a pint or two and answer questions.

Held to the light this brew displays a deep red hue. A light tan head clings to the sides of the pint glass. This ale is brewed with Special Pale Ale, crystal and Special B malts. Rye is also added to the mash for a subtle spicy flavor. Just enough British hops are added to the brew kettle to balance the layers of malt and contribute a low to medium bitterness. A great beer to gather your friends around here at the pub, or "to go" in a growler. 5% ABV.

Cheers,

Brewmaster Chris

St. Cloud Crfat Beer Expo Ticket Giveaway!

2010-11-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

Every pint you buy at McCann's this week will get you one entry form to win tickets for the first ever St. Cloud Craft Beer Expo at the St. Cloud Civic Center January 22nd 2011. We will hold a ticket giveaway party this Saturday(Dec. 4th) from 11am-noon. We will give the pair of tickets away at 11:59-one minute before anyone else gets to buy them. You MUST be present to win. The more pints you buy, the better your chances :)

More info on the expo here:

http://www.stcloudcraftbeerexpo.com/

Good luck!

Growler Deal

2010-11-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

For a limited time you can get a NEW growler with a fill for $8! No limit! Also remember Mondays and Wednesdays are $5 refill days.

2010-09-29T13:50:00.001-07:00

Looking forward to the Autumn Brew Review in Mpls. this Saturday. Trying to get everything in order at the brewery. On tap: Keg Hopped Deep Seven IPA(fresh hops are getting happy in the keg as you read this), High Bank Amber, Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout, Tripel Trouble and Sol. Hope to see you there!

More Patio Fun This Thursday!

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

I stashed away the last keg of Batch 100 a while back and now it's time to tap that sucker! This was our German Kotbusser style beer. I know of only one other brewery in the states to brew this style, so this may be your last chance to try it for a good while. We will also have grilled burgers and the like, all free with a donation to St. Cloud Youth Hockey. 4-7pm.

See you there,

Brewmaster Chris

Two New Seasonals!

2010-09-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

We have our late summer seasonal Sol and our new dark seasonal Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout on tap now. We are also doing a short run of Raspberry Golden Wheat Ale on our Limited release line. Come celebrate the final days of summer with us!

Rye P.A. Back For a Limited Time

2010-07-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Our Deep Seven will be going on a VERY breif hiatus. In it's place will be a VERY limited run of Rye P.A.

If you didn't get a chance to try it last time, stop in soon before it's all gone.

Hope to see you all on the patio tomorrow-Free B.P.A. and BBQ for a donation to Freedom Flight. I'll be pouring and talking beer from 4-7pm.

Cheers, Brewmaster Chris

Raspberry Golden Ale-This Thursday!

2010-07-05T11:25:00.001-07:00

We will have a keg of Raspberry Golden Ale on the patio(free with suggested donation to local charity), Thursday July 8th 4-7pm. Free brats and burgers while they last.

This Thursday-Rye P.A. is back!

2010-06-28T13:16:00.001-07:00

This Thursday from 4pm-?(until the keg runs out) I will be serving up a keg of Rye P.A. on the patio.

We will also be grilling up burgers and brats-come early-limited supply.

Cost is free, but we are taking donations for the St. Cloud Marching Band.

Good food with great friends. Come join us for a great party on the patio!

You may also get our regular Thusday special all you can eat walleye for $10.

Hope to see you there.

Brewmaster Chris

New Dark Seasonal Release-Wee Willy Scottish Export

2010-06-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

We will release our new Dark Seasonal Thursday, June 24th, 4-7pm. I'll be on the patio serving up pints.
Info:
We are pleased to introduce our newest Dark Seasonal Wee Willy Scottish Export. British Pale Ale, Dark crystal and roasted barley malts make up the soul of this ale. Hops are kept to a minimum to highlight the deep toasted/roast flavors of the malt. Your local "groundskeeper" will love it.

Batch 100 and World Cup

2010-06-16T10:39:00.001-07:00

Just a gentle reminder that we will be releasing our Batch 100 tomorrow at 4pm. Also, Friday we will open early at 8am for USA World Cup Soccer. $5 breakfast brunch at 9am with happy hour specials until noon!

Batch 100 Release Party

2010-06-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Our release party for our new seasonal Batch 100 will be June 17th, 4-7pm.

In honor of our 100th brew, McCann's is pleased to introduce our latest Seasonal offering: Batch 100.
This German Kotbusser style ale is a bit of a outlaw, as it is brewed with the addition of honey, oats and molassas. This goes against the German purity law of 1516, the Reinheitsgebot, which states that beer may only be brewed with water, malt and hops (they didn't know about yeast yet).
This old world golden German ale is fermented in cooler temperatures with a hybrid ale strain that has lager characteristics. Hops from St. Cloud's sister city, Spalt, Germany are added to the brew kettle for medium bitterness. The oats add texture to the body and the honey and molassas give this beer a soft underlying complexity with a crisp, refreshing finish. A perfect match for our hot Minnesota summers.

Check it out...

2010-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150184288390012&comments=

Got Kotbusser?

2010-04-16T19:12:00.001-07:00

Details soon!

March Mashness!

2010-03-20T09:05:00.001-07:00

Stop on by McCann's today and see what the world of home brewing has to offer. We are hosting The Cloudy Town Brewers March Mashness. I'll help to judge the best of show beer around 3pm. Bob McKenzie from Granite City Food & Brewery will also be speaking. Come join the fun!

Prairie Porter on Tap Tomorrow

2010-03-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite Dark Seasonals, Prairie Porter returns tomorrow. Stop in for a pint and some Irish stew or shepards pie. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Special Tapping of Flame, Thursday at 6pm

2010-02-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

We will be tapping a very limited amount of Flame Thursday at 6pm. This strong amber ale is fermented with flame raisins and a blend of exotic sugars and aged on French oak. A very different brew indeed.

When it's gone, it's gone.

Rye P.A. Now on Tap

2010-01-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to introduce our newest Seasonal McCann's Rye P.A. This medium bodied Pale Ale carries a slight spicyness from a addition of rye in the mash. This nicely supports the subtle biscuity malt profile. A generous portion of Simcoe hops provides a nice citrus snap to the finish of this beer. A great session beer to be enjoyed with friends.

Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout Winter Edition on Tap

2010-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

We started with our Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout recipe and boosted the gravity and strength, so it can hold up to our cold Minnesota winters. Now clocking in at 8%abv, it makes a perfect beer for next to the fire(or stranded in a blizzard).

New Beers Coming Soon

2009-12-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Holiday time is busy time.
We will release our Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout Winter Version on Monday. More details then.
For the hop heads our next Seasonal will be a Rye P.A. and I hope to have some kegged hopped Deep Seven on as a Limited Release soon.
Have a great New Years and I'll keep you posted on releases.

Limited Release...

2009-11-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

Our McCann's Golden Ale infused with Raspberry. Only on tap for a short time.

Tripel Trouble Now On Tap

2009-11-19T10:20:00.000-08:00

Our strong Belgian style Seasonal is now on tap:
Brewed with over 900 pounds of the finest Belgian barley malt and a moderate addition of noble hops. Clocking in at 8.5% abv this honey colored brew packs a punch. Brewed with a Belgian monastary yeast which adds hints of light fruit and a subtle spicyness.

On Tap Tomorrow...

2009-10-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

McCann's Classic American Brown Ale:

We are pleased to introduce our latest addition to our Dark Seasonal line up. Brewed with pale ale, chocolate and black malts and balanced with American Crystal hops. We have added a special twist to this style by adding blackstrap molasses to the brew kettle during the boil.

A nicely balanced dark brown ale with more American muscle than those import browns in the clear bottles. A wonderful deep caramel and chocolate background juxtaposed with a moderate hop bitterness.

New Dark Seasonal Coming Soon

2009-10-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

We will have our new Dark Seasonal on early next week. Stay tuned here for details.

Limited Release! Pumpkin Spiced Ale

2009-10-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

Now on tap at McCann's:
Pumpkin Spiced Ale
A deep Golden ale infused with pumpkin pie spices.
This will not be around long, so no dilly dalying :)

WJON Interview

2009-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

WJON radio interviewed me a few weeks back.
You can catch it here:
http://www.wjon.com/LocalNews/tabid/4262/newsid9787/31413/Default.aspx

The Return of Deep Seven

2009-09-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Deep Seven is now back on tap. Sorry for the delay.

Spaltfest Release Today-4pm

2009-09-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Our new seasonal Spaltfest will be released today at 4pm.
Spaltfest is a celebration of St. Cloud's sister city Spalt, Germany Which is in the Bavarian region. Spalt is known as the "city of hops". This octoberfest style lager highlights the Spalt variety of hops and is a little more hop foward than most octoberfests. 100% German malt rounds out the character of this brew.
Ein prosit!

Autumn Brew Review Saturday

2009-09-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday I'm off to the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild's Autumn Brew Review. Always a great time meeting fellow Minnesota beer lovers.
Next week we will release our new Seasonal-details soon.
Deep Seven is in the fermenter and will be on it's way soon-promise!
A new Dark Seasonal is also in the works-stay tuned!

New Seasonal, Blog

2009-09-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Our new seasonal Spaltfest will be released soon, stay tuned...
Also, I have started a new blog you can check out here:
http://woodfiredjournal.blogspot.com/
Yeast wrangling is my business!

Update

2009-08-20T13:37:00.001-07:00

Yeah! My malt delivery is scheduled for Monday. Time to get caught up on brewing. Sadly, we may run out of a few beers in the mean time, but I'll be working hard to get things back on tap. Thanks for your patience.

New Website is Up!

2009-08-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Check out McCann's Food & Brew's new website:
http://mccannsfoodandbrewpub.com/
More content coming soon.

Brew Pub Club Memberships Now Available!

2009-08-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

In review:

Lifetime Membership
gone when you are
$5 Growler refills everyday
5 cent Craft Beer pints every Saturday 4-6pm
Free Birthday Meal
$2. 50 pints anytime
10% off All Food Anytime
Exclusive to Members:
Release Parties of New Beers
Get it before anyone else does
Membership $40 until August 31st, $50 after

Prairie Porter is Back!

2009-07-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

We are please to release and old favorite-Prairie Porter:
Brewed with four English malts and two English hop varieties giving this beer a dark, rich, roasty background with light smokey undertones. Bittersweet chocolate flavor develops in the finish.

Another Solo Show

2009-07-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

Last minute I know, but I'll be playing The White Horse tonight at 10pm.
I'll be warming up Tom VandenAvond from Austin, Texas.

Row at the Market

2009-07-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Cannery Row will be playing the St. Joe Farmewrs Market Friday at 3:30 for the Berry Festival-mmm, berries!

I'll be doing a solo show in French Lake(near South Haven) at Weber's Deck, Sunday the 26th around noon. The band Sucker Punch will follow me. I had the chance to see these guys the other weekend and they lay down some of the best blues I've seen. Don't miss it.

Martini Night

2009-07-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

OK, I know not everyone is into beer, so head on over Thursday nights 3pm to close for $3.50 martinis upstairs.
In music news...
I'll be playing solo at The White Horse tomorrow night at 10pm. Stop by and say hi.

Sol Now on Tap

2009-07-01T10:50:00.001-07:00

Here's the 411:

Meaning "sun" in Spanish this beer celebrates the summer season with it's thirst quenching properties. This unfiltered American ale is a beautiful golden color with a dash of exotic coriander to contribute a citrusy zest to it's flavor. Served with a slice of orange to top off this refreshing brew.

New Seasonal Beer Tomorrow

2009-06-30T16:28:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned...

Last Minute Gig

2009-06-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

I will have the honor of warming up Charlie Parr tonight at 5pm at the Corner Bean(http://www.myspace.com/cornerbean) in St. Cloud. This is a benefit for Anna Marie's Alliance(http://www.annamaries.org/). A good cause indeed!

Deep Seven is Back on Tap

2009-06-24T10:40:00.001-07:00

In other news...
Myself and the band will be playing at the White Horse tomorrow night 5-8pm. Stop by and have a beer with us!

McCann's Brew Pub Club!

2009-06-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Here's what cha get:

Lifetime Membership

gone when you are

$5 Growler refills everyday

5 cent Craft Beer pints every Saturday 4-6pm

Free Birthday Meal

$2. 50 pints anytime

10% off All Food Anytime

Exclusive to Members:

Release Parties of New Beers

Get it before anyone else does

Membership $40 until August 31st, $50 after

D7 Update

2009-06-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Deep Seven will be back around the middle of next week. Sorry for the outage.

New Limited Reserve: Bourbon County Black Out

2009-06-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Two great things that go great together:

A careful blend of our Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout and the finest Kentucky straight bourbon. Only here for a short time.

Father's Day Brunch

2009-06-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

Our Father's Day brunch will be Sunday, June 21st, 9am-2pm.

Dads $5.99-Adults $11.99

Seniors $9.99-kids 12 and under $5.99

If your name is the same as Wendel's dad(Doug) you eat for free!(bring ID)

Carving station: ham/roast beef

Buffet: eggs, deviled eggs, eggs beneidict, sausage, potatoes & gravy, bacon, baked chicken, soup, cinnamon rolls, salad, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit just to name a few.

Omelet bar/pancake station/french toast/dessert buffet.

Reservations: 320-217-5800

Spalt Delegation Visits

2009-06-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we hosted our friends from St. Cloud's sister city Spalt, Germany. I can't tell you how friendly and appreciative they were and we all had a great time enjoying our beer and food together. I was fortunate enough to meet the Mayor(or Bergmeister) of Spalt, Udo Weingart. It turns out he is the head of the Spalter Brewery and he invited me to travel to Spalt next year and visit the brewery and the Weihenstephan Brewing University near by. I guess I need to start saving money for the trip!

As I have mentioned before, I aquired some Spalt variety hops and plan to do a special brew this year with them to honor our friendship with Spalt. Our city mayor was excited about this and I will be on his radio show to talk about the special beer when it is released.

So, all in all a great time and I'm looking foward to Friday when Cannery Row gets to play for the delegation at a pig roast just outside of town.

Riding to the Gig

2009-05-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to do this for a long time and it seemed the timing was right Friday. Loaded up the bike with my guitar and gear and proceeded to ride out to St. Joe. I had a stiff head wind the whole way, but I arrived on time. Unfortunately, out of no where the weather went bad(not forecasted) and we were pelted with high winds and a downpour. The farmers market venders scrambled to take down their tents and I had to abandon my mission and hitch a ride home with a band mate. Luckily, we will be playing the market again and I will go for a repeat.

Cannery Row at the St. Joe Farmers Market

2009-05-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

The gang and I will be playing the farmers market in St. Joesph tomorrow around 4pm. Weather permiting, I'm going to bike to the gig with my Bob trailer in tow with my guit string and other equipment. I'll have pics this weekend. Going green, gettin' lean and playing mean!

Spalt Delegation to Visit Our Brewery

2009-05-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

June 2nd marks the day that we will be having 60-80 guests from Spalt, Germany visiting the brewery. Spalt is St. Cloud's sister city and the delegation will be kept busy during their visit in Central Minnesota. I will be giving tours during the afternoon and they will be able to sample our craft brews and enjoy some food. Spalt's brewery is the last remaining brewery in Germany to be municipally owned. I hope to connect with the brewery in the future to form some type of partnership. I was able to secure some Spalt hops in this years hop contract, so look for special brews in the future. I'm really excited to show our guests what American craft brewing is all about.

Blackberry is Gone-Strawberry now on Tap...In Other News...

2009-05-21T09:28:00.001-07:00

After going through a virus attack, losing a hard drive, fighting off hackers, upgrading all my software, installing firewalls, being threatened with being cutoff by my email provider, and a host of other problems... I have fixed my computer...and NOW it works exactly the way I want it to!

Spring Fruit Limited Reserve Series

2009-05-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Two new fruit beers available:
On tap now: McCann's Blackberry Ale
Up next: Strawberry Sunrise
These are only available for a limited time.
Happy Monday!

Me...in Concert

2009-05-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be playing in Big Lake at The Tropical Brew coffee shop Saturday. I'll be joined with local brew godess Jen Meyers and my dear sister inlaw Diane Ohmann. we will each do a set from 2pm-5pm.
This is my first solo show so hold on to your hats. It will be mostly original material with a few covers possibly thrown in.
I will then hustle to St. Joe to the Local Blend to meet up with fellow Cannery Row members Mike Sharp and Gary Dockendorf to do a show there starting at 7:30.

Word.

2009-05-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

I Am A Craft Brewer from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

Mother's Day

2009-05-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hey, then why don't you get out of the house?

Mom's, McCann's is having a Mother's Day Brunch from 9:00am-2:00pm on Sunday May, 10th

Mom's are $5.99 and anyone with the name of Nancy eats for FREE in honor of owner Wendell's Mom!

Hey, cool :)

Happy Mother's Day!

The Hawk is My Co-Pilot

2009-05-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

I was out mountain biking the Jail Trail today when suddenly I heard a bird calling as it flew over my head. I stopped and looked up in the trees to see a broad winged hawk perched looking down at me. Cool. As I rode away and got farther from the hawk, it vocalized again, flew and landed in another tree close to me. This went on about ten times as he followed me through the woods. It was probably protecting it's territory, but I'd like to think it was along for the ride. Raptors rule!

Cannery Row & Jerry Ostensoe Tomorrow Night

2009-04-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

We will be playing at Bo Diddley's in St. Cloud Friday night as part of the Granite City Folk Society's line up. It's really a honor to be a part of this series as there are some pretty heavy musicians that roll into town for these shows.
You can get tickets and details here:

Granite City Folk Society

I have also started a "solo" MySpace music page for myself as I will be doing my first show soon. I'll put up the details here when things are confirmed. I have enough of my own songs to do a set now, and I feel it will be a good challenge for me. The goal is to play out from time to time and hopefully bring other musical friends with with me for back up.

Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout Back on Tap 4/29

2009-04-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the shortage.
Back on tomorrow-pinky swear!

Bavarian Mind Block on Tap Tomorrow

2009-04-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a wrestling hold, it's a German style Mai Bock. Unlike many bocks that are deep amber to ruddy brown, mai bocks belong in the "helles" bock catagory. Helles means light in german and clocking in at 7% this refers to it's golden color not strength. This malt forward lager is balanced with Saaz hops which provide a nice floral counterpoint to this brew.

Don't forget...

Americana Music Night tomorrow starting at 7pm!

Americana Music Night At McCann's!

2009-04-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Cannery Row will be playing at McCann's Friday night with very special guests The Melvilles from the Twin Cities. Music starts at 7pm with The Row up first. Our new Maibock will also be released that night. Like The Row, The Melvilles are a bunch of beer nuts, so it's the perfect line up. Should be a great time all around.

Spalt Fest

2009-04-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended a meeting at City Hall with the mayor regarding Spalt Fest the first week of June. Spalt, Germany is St. Cloud's sister city and a large crew from Spalt is coming for a visit. There will be many activities for our guests during the week and hopefully visiting our little brewery will be one of them. Spalt's city band will be performing three times ay various locations around town during the week. The festival is in the early planning stages, so details will follow. I hope to someday form a relationship with the Spalt Brewery and possibly do a coop brew with them. Just a dream for now, but who knows?
Things have been busy at the brewery lately. Business has picked up nicely over the winter. All of my fermenters are full and I am doing the best I can to keep up. I could use another tank or two lately. These are nice problems to have!

Stop Snowing Already!

2009-04-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

More dumpage from Momma N. again yesterday. I'm really ready for spring this year. The biking bug is actually flittering in my gut and sadly, it's been a while-I've got the girth to prove it. Memories of my trim 210# body(I'm 6'5") back in the mountain bike racing days make me wonder what path I've been on the last two years. While I've lost my competitive fire, I would really like to log some miles and do a few overnights on the bike this season. I'm amazed how much the hills hurt now and it's going to be some work to get comfortable on the bike again. Of course, it's the journey not the destination.

Anyway, enough personal reflection, on to beer...

I'll be playing catch up firing up the brew kettle three days in a row to get some tanks full. There's a big lager in the works and another batch of Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout is on the way. We have had overwhelming response for this beer, so it's back. We have Drink Your Oatmeal shirts hot off the press for your purchase-stimulate the economy a little eh? I'll get a pic of the shirt on here soon.

All for now...

Big Show Tomorrow Night

2009-03-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

I will be playing with my mates Cannery Row tomorrow night with the talented Gentry Bronson. We will do a set then back up Gentry for his show.

Details:

http://www.ppfive.com/index.aspx?s=181&ss=467

Also, The Cloudy Town Brewers, our fearless local home brew club will be holding their March Mashness event Saturday. We are proud to host judging Friday night and Saturday.

More details here:

http://www.cloudytownbrewers.org/competition/

and the Limited Releases Keep on Rolling...

2009-03-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

On tap tomorrow will be our Coffee Infused Oatmeal Stout. We have once again hit up our local roaster Muggsy's Beans for some fresh Paupua New Guinea beans. We use a cold extraction process to get all of the flavor out of the bean and leave behind any bitterness. Only three kegs will be available of this release. Growlers are allowed! I'm looking foward to watching the snow melt this weekend and enjoying a pint or two.

A Weekend of Music

2009-03-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

I'll be playing with Cannery Row tonight at Studio Jeff in downtown St. Cloud around 8pm. This is a dance instruction studio and we will be playing for two hours. I hope we have that many "dancing" songs-lol.

Then, I'll be off tomorrow to the Winter Bluegrass Weekend in the cities to do some pickin'. Last year was my first time and it was great. Hours of jamming really gets your chops in order!

A bunch more Row gigs follow. As always check out our MySpace page on the left column for upcoming shows.

Hey Hop Heads!

2009-03-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm getting caught up, howz about a Limited Reserve keg of Keg Hopped Deep Seven? I'll be packing a keg with Cascade hops tomorrow and filling it up with our Deep Seven IPA. It will be on tap by tomorrow afternoon. This keg will go dry quick, so don't miss out.

Blacked Out Oatmeal Stout Coming Monday

2009-03-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

Here's the 411:

Our newest Dark Seasonal is brewed with the finest English pale ale and dark roasted malts and a generous addition of oatmeal in the mash that increases the body of this favorite Irish style ale. This stout is a little stronger than it's Irish cousins coming in at just under 7% abv. Hints of chocolate and espresso mingle with a velvet like mouthfeel creating a truly enjoyable brew.

Row at the Blend Tonight

2009-02-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

Cannery Row will be playing The Local Blend in St. Joe tonight. Start time is 8pm.
Really looking foward to playing. Our mandolin player Gary and I did a open mike on Wednesday to get us fired up for tonight. We headed over to the White Horse afterwards to enjoy a little Surly Darkness served by none other than Omar himself-tasty!
I've got a new song to try out tonight if I can get it memorized by then. It's my first waltz(maybe last), so it might be interesting.

Deep Seven Back Monday

2009-02-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

Come hell or high water the Deep Seven will be back on tap Monday. Sorry about the wait.
A Oatmeal Stout is also on it's way soon-stay tuned for details.

Tripel Trouble Now On Tap

2009-02-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

Here's the 411:

Belgian Monastery breweries have been making the worlds most interesting beers for many years. Many of these beers are only available inside the monastery walls only for the monks enjoyment. Beers of high strength are brewed to sustain the monks during their fasts. Our Abbey style Trippel is one such beer. Trippel means that it's three times the strength of a regular beer. Brewed with over 900 pounds of the highest quality Belgian malts and candi sugar. Belgian candi sugar looks like "rock candy" and contributes a "rummy" flavor to the beer. A Belgian monastery ale yeast gives this beer a fruity/spicy complexity while maintaining drinkability despite it's strength. Hints of honey, carmel, light fruits and a subtle spicyness are experienced in it's flavor.

Star Tribune Article on Winterfest

2009-02-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Star Tribune had a nice write up on Winterfest. A couple of nice mentions for McCann's.
Thanks for the heads up sister in law!

Are You Looking For Trouble Punk?

2009-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

Tripel Trouble is in the tank aging away. Look for it in a few weeks. Samples off the tank show great promise.

Thanks to everybody who stopped by our table at Winterfest. Flame was a big hit among the festival goers. It is so nice having a one on one talk with Minnesota beer lovers. I tried a great many amazing brews during the night. Minnesota brewers are brewing some great beers.

I apologize for our limited availablity of some of our brews at the pub currently. Our Fermentation tanks are full and things should be back on line soon-the Amber will be back on tomorrow.

A Crazy Week

2009-02-03T16:05:00.000-08:00

Flame will be on tap tomorrow afternoon. I hope there is some left for the Cloudy Town Brewers meeting. If you are interested in home brewing stop on in at 7:30 and join the fun.
Flame is a strong amber ale brewed with exotic sugars and organic flame raisins. It is aged on toasted oak. Flame is where beer and wine meet in a torrid love affair.
After it's debut At the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild's Autumn Brew Review, we recieved many emails asking about it's return. There is only five gallons available at the pub(the other five gallons will be at Winterfest). Growlers will not be available at this time. I hope to someday have it bottled in 750mls.
I have four consecutive brew days planned to try to do some catching up, and of course we will be traveling to St. Paul Friday for Winterfest. A busy brewer is a happy brewer.

Live at The White Horse

2009-01-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

I'll be playing with Cannery Row tomorrow night at The White Horse downtown St. Cloud. 5-8pm show. Not only the second best place for beer in town(wink-wink), they are the only bar in St. Cloud that has Surly on tap. The food is killer too.

Stop on by and say hello.

February 4th: Flame

2009-01-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Our very Limited Edition beer "Flame" will be on tap at the brew pub Wednesday, February 4th. Growlers of this beer will not be available at this time, but we will offer $5 growler refills on that night(every Monday & Wednesday), so you can stock up on our other beers.
Flame is a strong amber ale brewed with exotic sugars and organic flame raisins. It is then aged on oak.
The only other place you will be able to get this beer is at the Minnesota Craft Brewers WinterFest on the 6th, and if you don't already have a ticket for the fest , you are out of luck(it's sold out).
We'll have more details of the tapping soon.

Neko For Charity

2009-01-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

Neko is absolutely GREAT! She is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Enjoy!

Yes! Share the Love

Cold Snap Ale Now on Tap

2009-01-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here's the 411:
Our new Dark Seasonal is brewed with six different grains including oatmeal which contributes a velvet like mouth feel. This strong ale is the cure for our bitter Minnesota winters. A generous portion of Simcoe hops are added to the kettle during the brewing process to keep the malt sweetness in check and giving this beer a foward hop presence.
6.5% ABV

It's a bit of a hybrid style oatmeal porter/pale ale. I enjoy pissing off the style police from time to time.

New Brew Tomorrow

2009-01-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Our new Dark Seasonal will be on tomorrow. Stay tuned for details.
-24 F this morning. Wanted to stay in my full body pa Walton underwear and stay in bed. Gotta love Minnesota!

Cannery Row Tonight

2009-01-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Well the weather is looking better than was predicted, so come on out to the Local Blend in St. Joe tonight to see us play. We start at 8pm.
Kids are welcome so no need to worry about a babysitter.
Hope to see you there.

Time For a Update

2009-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a bit of struggle keeping things on tap lately. Delays in malt orders for the most part. Most of our line up should be back next week. We have some fun things planned coming soon, including the return of Flame. This beer went over very well at the Autumn Brew Review and will be available in very limited quantities at the MN Craft Brewers Guild's Winterfest and at the pub. It is brewed with exotic sugars, organic Flame raisins and aged on oak.
Also coming soon will be a brand new Dark Seasonal-think oatmeal/think STRONG.
Oh, and Trippel Trouble will find it's way back in the line up shortly.
I will be playing with Cannery Row Friday the 9TH at the Local Blend in St. Joe. I put up two original songs on our MySpace page. They were recorded last Monday at practice. Farm Town was our first time playing it (and the first time the band heard it) so excuse the non polished performance.

Listen

OK, all for now. Time to hunker down for the incoming winter storm.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

Like I Need Another Hobby

2008-12-12T15:19:00.000-08:00

Just finished up my first two guitar effects pedals. I wanted to find a way to get my soldering chops back into shape and this looked like a fun way to do it. I've never done circuit board soldering and it proved to be the most fun.

The cream pedal is a boost and the brown pedal is a tremolo.

You can hear them at a Cannery Row gig near you.

Winterfest Tickets on Sale Monday

2008-12-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

Click On The Winterfest Logo For More Information!

These tickets go really fast, so do not delay.

We will be at the Minnesota History Center this year which should be a great venue!

They're back!

2008-12-01T10:23:00.000-08:00

I now have the Golden and High Bank Amber back on tap. Sorry for the delay. The Deep Seven will be back on Friday-and if samples from the tank are any indication it's gonna be a good one. I tweaked the dry hopping a little and it has made a big difference. Also...this is the second batch where I have used "first wort hopping". When the first runnings of the mash are being pumped into the brew kettle, I add the flavoring hops. Now some of you home brewers may be wondering why you would add the flavoring addition at this time, but believe me, it adds a unique hop character to the beer.
We just recieved our third order of growlers. Thanks for supporting your local brewery!

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Here's hoping that your Thanksgiving travels are save, whether they are 200 miles away, 50 miles away, across town or from the dining room table to the couch! Be safe and patient out there people.

A super cool thing going on the day after Thanksgiving- no, I'm not talking about getting up at 4am for Black Friday sales, we avoid those like the plague around here- It's the National Day of Listening. Any one's story is important and especially important as family and loved ones live further and further away from each other nowadays. I would like to take my recording device and record some of the grandparents talking with the grand kids. My wife's family is huge and that might be chaotic at Thanksgiving Supper. I would love to preserve some of my mother's stories and grandmother's stories (she's 95, living in the same house in Fairmont since the 1950's).

Whether you record the stories or not, just listen to what others have to say. Right now, in this time, history is calling us to share our stories. Love this idea, hope it catches on!

Today being Wednesday, it's $5 buck growler refill day and the perfect time to pick some craft brew up for Thursday's big feast.

Cannery Row at the Local Blend Friday

2008-11-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

From our email list:
Cannery Row will be at the Local Blend this Friday (21 Nov) in downtown St. Joseph from 7-10 pm. This has always been one of our favourite places to play and this week we also get to take advantage of their new stage. Good food too!

We’ll also have the latest in Cannery Row merchandise available for purchase. You can get an early start on your holiday shopping with a lovely set of Cannery Row glassware (actually used by members of the band!)

Hope to see you Friday.

Long Time No Blog

2008-11-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately.
We have been dealing with a production snafu, but we will be back on line brewing early next week. We may be running thin on a few of our beers for a bit, so please be patient.
In other news...
Brainerd Lakes Brewing is coming soon. I had the opportunity to try some of the test batches and all were tasty. Nice to see another local brewery coming soon!

Vote Dammit!

2008-11-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is election day. Go vote!
Nuff said.

Gentry Bronson & Cannery Row Friday at the Red Carpet

2008-11-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

From Gentry's site:

"This Friday, November 7th, I'm playing a show in the Minnesota town where I grew up with a number of incredible musicians playing with me.
This is gonna be a fantastic night that I'm hoping is a laid back, hometown version of The Band's "Last Waltz" meets The Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" – I know, I'm aiming high for this show!
And…all proceeds go to an amazing organization…the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center (CMSAC)!!!
The show will be at…
The Red Carpet Event Center
11 South 5th Ave
St. Cloud, Minnesota
www.redcarpetnightclub.com
Doors open at 7:00pm
Show time 7:30pm
I'll be joined on drums by one of my oldest friends, Andy Novak (of Pachanga Society www.pachangasociety.com)...
…and the bad ass bluegrass Americana band, Cannery Row (which includes musicians Michael Sharp, Dean Severson, Carol Anderson, Gary Dockendorf & Chris Laumb). www.myspace.com/canneryrowband
Other special guests are slated to play and speak.
Tickets are available in advance for $12.00 or $15.00 at the door.
For tickets, go to the Electric Fetus in downtown St. Cloud.
For more information, call Bill Nelson at 320-980-1179.
About the CMSAC
The Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center is a 24-hour crisis intervention agency providing direct services to those individuals who have been affected by any form of sexual violence.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone, anywhere, regardless of age, race, economic status, lifestyle, religion, culture, sexual orientation, or gender. Sexual assault is sexual contact made without someone's consent. It can be terrifying, humiliating and confusing.
If you or someone you know is being sexually assaulted call 1-800-237-5090. For more information visit: www.cmsac.org
See you Friday night!
G"

That's all for now,
Gentry

We are Proud to Introduce...

2008-10-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

McCann's Apricot Coriander Ale.
Here's the 411:
Brewed with Belgian malt and French hops, this ale is blended with a tasty addition of apricots and gently spiced with East Indian coriander which contributes a light orange/citrus like flavor. A wonderful, light refreshing ale.

Off with the neighborhood bad boys tonight to see Fred Eaglesmith at the Cedar in Minneapplepus.
Fred is one of my favorite song writers and has the gift of humor also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqA_xpOZcOU

McCann's Apricot Coriander Ale on Tap Tomorrow

2008-10-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's new seasonal time. I'll have details tomorrow.

Cannery Row at The White Horse This Thursday

2008-10-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

We'll be playing The White Horse Downtown St. Cloud on Thursday, 5-8pm. The food is great. I've taken a liking to the black bean burger, but the whole menu is good. Decent beer on tap also. Our mandolin player Gary and I will be performing for the Avon Arts Crawl on Saturday. Not sure of the location yet, either at Jorgensen Pottery or the Dancing Bear B&B. Stay tuned. I love the challenge of playing as a duo, so I'm looking forward to it. We also have a show with Gentry Bronson at the Red Carpet Friday, November 7th at 7:30pm. Gentry is touring the Netherlands at the moment, so the guy has the chops to say the least. All proceeds go to the Central MN Sexual Assault Center, so you get good karma points for attending.
I'm enjoying playing so much. There is even "CD" talk in the air. Fun!

On the 24th McCann's will be at The Gemutlichkeit Beer Tasting Event at Mulligans Event Center in Sartell. 5-9pm with German food, entertainment and prizes. Other Minnesota Craft Breweries will also be present. As some of you may know, my brother Jeff is executive chef at Mulligan's and we plan on incorporating my beer with his food. Proceeds go to the YMCA. Tickets are available at Coborn's Liquor on Cooper Ave. and Sartell and at Westside Liquor in Waite Park. Hope to see you there.

Prairie Porter is Back!

2008-10-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Put the Prairie Porter on tap today. Nice and roasty/toasty like last year's.
Dougy Z. and I blasted around the Jail Trail yesterday on the mountain bikes and it felt great getting out and hammering the legs a little. All too seldom lately. Felt decent after the ride despite the ever growing middle section.

Prairie Porter Returns Thursday

2008-10-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

This seems fitting to me after spending the weekend on the prairie of Southwest Minnesota. A big thanks to the Brau Brothers for hosting a fine Hop Festival in Lucan. We didn't know if the locals would enjoy our band or not, but we were happy to spend some time with good folks on our breaks sharing some great beer with us. The brothers had requests to bring us back next year and I'm looking forward to it. If you haven't tried their Whirly Bird Stout yet, be sure to do so.
After the fest, my wife and kids met me and we headed off to Fort Ridgely State Park. Our little guy was well under the weather, but was a trooper all weekend. Despite a blow chow incident in the tent, the camping was good.
We toured the ruins of the old fort on Sunday. Thanks to the workers at the interpretive center for all of their knowledge on the Dakota Uprising. I owe you guys a beer!
Afterwards we visited the Birch Coulee battlefield, but, because of our sick son, we didn't get a chance to do the walking tour. Another day trip will have to be planned in the future. Birch Coulee has a nice ring to it. I hope to write a flat picking melody named after it soon.

Speaking of Friday...

2008-10-08T10:23:00.001-07:00

I'll have a special 5 gallon keg of unfiltered Bourbon Vanilla Porter on tap for Cannery Row fans. Tapped at 7pm, when it's gone it's gone.

Busy Week

2008-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lets see...

Filtering the next batch of amber tomorrow...

Brewing Thursday and Cannery Row is playing at the Federal Building Downtown...

Friday is brew house cleaning and Cannery Row plays McCann's downstairs at 7pm...

Saturday Cannery Row plays Hop Fest at the Brau Brothers Brewery at 2pm. Is it worth a road trip to Lucan? Yes, yes it is. http://www.braubrothersbrewing.com/

The family then heads of for some camping that night and some R&R.

Sunday we plan on visiting some historic sites from the Dakota uprising. I got the idea a few months ago to write a song about the mass execution of native peoples in Mankato, a result of the uprising. I have been doing some research and like any war this one was full of sorrow. While other songs I have wrote just kinda hit me in the head and write themselves fairly quickly, this one has really been a struggle. It's a complicated subject matter to say the least. Hopefully I'll get closer to the goal Sunday when we actually visit some of the locations of the uprising. I have always felt a spiritual connection to the native people of Minnesota and I want to represent them in the right manner, and still be respectful of all the victims-a difficult balance.

The Return of Prairie Porter

2008-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

The latest batch of Prairie Porter is in the tank becoming beer. This one got a lot of raves last year, so it's coming back as the next Dark Seasonal.
I have heard lots of requests to bring back the Coffee infused version and you can count on it coming down the line sometime soon. I might have some other tricks up my sleeve also.