If you’re reading this, then that means you didn’t get washed away in any flood water. So congrats! I don’t know about you, but yesterday’s storm puts me in mind of a poem:
A Tornado Warning in Northern Minnesota
doesn’t usually mean much. Last tornado
I saw in this small town hovered overhead,
like a circular UFO, surveying the habits
of the people of the Iron Range before
deciding not to abduct any of us. We,
of course, just stood and stared at it.
We knew it wasn’t much to be scared of.
Not in Minnesota. Not in the forests. But
when I tried telling that to my dog, hunkered
behind the couch at every thunder strike,
my calm composure and humorous analogy
didn’t quite strike the chord I had hoped.
I imagine my slack-jawed approach to
this problem seemed out of place to him,
for why should only one of us have a healthy
fear and respect for the forces of nature?
Despite the fact that I know the signs in the sky
don’t mean that we have angered the gods,
my dog still might be on to something here.
But as you put aside any memories of bad weather, whether or not you have a dog, you should gear up for Itasca PRIDE this Sunday outside Old Central School! Beertenders Amanda and Nathan will be holding down the beer garden from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., serving up a solid selection of Klockow beers, including some N/A options. And despite the fact that we’d love for all of you to spend as much time in the beer garden as possible, we know that there will be far more people to see and things to do given that there will be nearly 50 different vendors there, not including various entertainment!
We’re all very excited for this event, as well as everything that it represents. The ability to live your honest life without fear, particularly in the face of generations of repression backed by violence, is something we should all aspire to. And if that’s not something to be proud of, I don’t know what is.
But lets say that you’re less of a festival person, but you still like to get out for a bit of fun. Let’s say, to play some BINGO, perhaps? If so, then you’re in luck! For the Judy Garland Festival will be in full-swing this weekend and Klockow Brewing Company will be hosting their annual Judy BINGO once again on Friday, June 21, starting at 7 p.m. It only costs $12 to play, and contestants can win fabulous prizes from the Judy Garland museum! And, win or lose the game, everyone is at least a bit of a winner because you’ll be in our taproom having a pint of delicious beer.
We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Tasha Klockow
Question: I just realized that the first question is kinda silly. But for continuity’s sake, we will ask it anyway. How long have you worked here?
Tasha Klockow: I have worked at Klockow Brewing Company since technically its inception, which was January of 2017. That’s when we incorporated.
Q: In all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
TK: That’s like asking to choose a favorite child! Oh boy… I can tell you the best beer that we’ve ever done, which is different from my favorite beer. So here’s the thing, the best beer that we have ever done, hands down, is Magic Roundabout (Barrel-Aged Vanilla Stout). I’m going to say that on record, it is Magic Roundabout.
My favorite beer that I always reach for would probably be Ryetasca Roggenbier. I am a sucker for malty beers. I’m a self-proclaimed “malty bitch.” And anything that is malty, I’m probably going to be drinking that. So BHK (Nut Brown), Beatrice (Irish Red)… I have a very, very soft spot for anything rye based, including whiskey. So roggenbier would be it.
Q: So when you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
TK: I like to drink margaritas. And I like to drink rye whiskey. I drink a lot of water. Um… yeah. It’s gonna be water, which is the main go-to, after that it’s going to be chai anything. Chai tea lattes, chai teas, anything of that sort.
Q: So what are some of your favorite foods that you’re washing down with your favorite drinks?
TK: Well Singing Chihuahua Tacos, obviously. Every Wednesday and Saturday, it’s gotta be at the top of the list. We’re always waiting for that.
Being married to Andy Klockow, it also has to be breakfast foods. He’s very much a breakfast food enthusiast. So I love me some breakfast food! But basically anything in burrito form, I’m there for it.
Q: So breakfast burrito is your favorite food.
TK: Oh, yeah. And then, I mean, pizza, obviously. You can never go wrong with pizza.
Q: What do you do at the brewery?
TK: I think the better question is what I don’t do. Might be a shorter answer, if I say what I don’t do.
Q: Perhaps I can rephrase; what occupies most of your time?
TK: The main thing I do is think about this place. [Laughs] That’s the main thing I do. But otherwise, currently, as of November, I took over sales. So that’s basically what I’m spending most of my time on these days, is selling the beer. Whether that’s traveling to places to sell the beer, doing tastings, talking to people about the beer, asking if they need more of the beer, all that sort of thing.
And you’ll see me doing random things, like doing electrical work or refinishing tables or cleaning random things in the taproom… the list just goes on and on of the things that I’m doing.
Q: Obviously that’s very time intensive, but when you’re not doing that, what do you do for fun?
TK: I play video games. I’m currently working through my third play-through of Skyrim on my Nintendo Switch. I read a lot. And by that I mean I usually have a physical book going, an audio book going, and a Kindle book going at any given time. And then podcasts and reading up on gardening. I garden a lot. I spend time in the Y garden teaching children how to garden… in the summers, obviously. Then hiking, taking the dog out. Spending time with the kiddo. Yeah, that’s about it!
Q: What is a fun/interesting fact about yourself that people might not know?
TK: I know how to and enjoy making books.
Q: Making books?
TK: Making books. From scratch.
Q: Like binding and stuff?
TK: Yes. So making covers, making books, binding them up, the whole bit. Most people probably don’t know that.
Q: I had no idea.
TK: That’s really funny!
Q: For the last question, you’re being sold as an action figure; what two accessories come with you?
TK: Oh. What two accessories? It’s gonna be a really sad action figure. [Laughs] Action being the opportune word here. Hmm, probably, and unfortunately, my cell phone would be one. And a bottle of water. [laughs]
Q: Gotta hydrate!
TK: Those are the two things that I’m carrying around at all times is water and my phone.
~
Thanks for checking out our humble little brewery! As long as you keep coming by, we’ll do our part by making the best damn beer possible and serving it in our always inviting atmosphere.
The Klockow Staff
Beer and Shrubbery Drops this Week:
Local, etc -
Timberlake Lodge - Grand Rapids
Remer Muni Liquor Store
Sammy’s - Grand Rapids
Smoke on the Water - Coleraine
Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids
SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids
Pokegama Plaza Liquors - Grand Rapids
Hotel Rapids - Grand Rapids
Pickled Loon - Grand Rapids
SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids
Dutch Room - Grand Rapids
SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids
Eagle Ridge Golf Course
Twin Cities, etc -
Milaca Off Sale
Isanti Muni Liquor Store
Ombibulous
South Lyndale Liquors
Stinson Wine, Beer, & Spirits
Liquor Works - Forest Lake
Wine & Roses - Forest Lake
Home Town Liquors - Braham
Princeton’s Liquors - Bass Lake
Top Ten - Roseville
Eagle Liquor - Lino Lakes
Marigold - Minneapolis
Brainerd Lakes Area -
SuperOne Liquor - Crosby
SuperOne Liquor - Baxter
Westworld -
1894 - Perham
Vergas Muni Liquor Store
Landmark Liquors - Perham
Dorest Corner Liquor - Park Rapids
Westside Liquor - East St. Cloud