This week, we celebrate our Independence Day. Which is funny, because July the fourth is actually the date on 1776 that we unveiled a sheet of paper that said we’re independent from Great Britain, to which Great Britain replied, “uh, nope.” For you history buffs out there, this declaration, so to speak, kicked off a bit of a revolution, and there was this whole war. The traitors to the crown eventually won, and it wasn’t until September 3, 1783, when the newly minted United States was recognized as its own independent nation, rather than just a collection of rebel scum.
So happy rebel scum day!
And in honor of such an auspicious occasion, we’ll be open only for the afternoon on Thursday, July 4, 2024, from noon until 4 p.m. So be sure to hit up our taproom for all your growler fills, your “July Four-Packs” (HA!), and your day-off-day-drinking pints! May your grills be hot and your hearts swell with the pride of patriotism. Then make that all-important appointment with your cardiologist.
Speaking of the ol’ red, white, & blue, we have a rare convergence happening at the taproom. We can’t even remember the last time that we had all three Mlinar Delight Smoothie Sours available: Raspberry, Mango, and Blueberry. Ok, so it’s more of a red, yellow, and blue, but you get the idea. But how fun that this happened to happen during the week of July Fourth! We’re down to our last keg of Mlinar Blueberry, and we recently brewed the Raspberry and the Mango. So grab your cans of the later to-go for the holiday, and help us finish off the former so that we can get the new ones on tap!
Wanna know what else goes great with a little Independence Day celebration? That’s right, barbecue! Chad’s Meat Wagon has been on a hiatus from the taproom this summer, what with all the other events happening in the area that have beckoned dear Chad away. But he’s still making it back here about once a month, and the next time is this Friday, July 5. Catch him and all his smoked meat from noon until 6!
Which is extra great, because we’re sadly not having Singing Chihuahua Tacos this week. And we get it. We all like our time off. And this week is a great one for time off! But… but, the tacos… (weeps gently in the corner). Be sure to hit them up every other week of the rest of the summer though, both here and at the Grand Rapids Farmer’s Market.
But speaking of Singing Chihuahua…
We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Gus Sheker of Singing Chihuahua Tacos
Question: You’re one of the owners of the Singing Chihuahua Taco Truck. How long have you been running the truck and how long have you been coming to Klockow to sell your tacos?
Gus Sheker: This is the sixth year in the truck and the fifth year at Klockow.
Q: And in all the time you’ve been coming here, what’s your favorite Klockow beer?
GS: There’s several. I like Woodland Legacy (Amber Lager). I like Olwyn (Celtic Pale Ale). And I like the heavy ones, like Guardians of the Beam (Maple Bourbon Barrel Imperial Brown Ale).
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what are some of the things you like to drink?
GS: I used to drink a lot of gin & tonics, but they started to take hold. [laughs] But still, on a hot day, hard to beat a good gin & tonic with a little squeeze of lemon or lime, little ice. Just one or two, then let it go.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods that you like to eat?
GS: For sure pastas. Italian foods. I’m more of carbohydrate feeder. Hmm, I like cheeses. And if I eat meat, probably chicken, steak, or fish.
Q: But quite famously, you run the taco truck. What are some of your favorite tacos to make?
GS: Personally, I like the chicken curried taco that we make. And I very much like the Korean bulgogi barbecue that we do. It’s not really barbecue; it’s grilled steak. But I like that a lot. Nice bold chucks of ginger in it that you bite in that gives you a zing. It’s perfect.
Q: What would be your title in the truck? Owner? Head chef?
GS: The creator. I come up with the recipes. I come up with all the condiments. Whatever goes with the tacos, the rubs, the sauces. I create or modify or find new things to put on the menu. I guess I’m the steering engine of the thing.
Q: Obviously this all takes a lot of time, but what are some of the things you like to do for fun?
GS: I like to fish. And I like to sit and watch the woods. I like to walk. But I especially like to fish. That really centers me.
Q: What would be a fun/interesting fact about yourself? Maybe something most people don’t know.
GS: They probably don’t know that I’ve done multiple start-up businesses. This one is my fifth one.
Q: Really? What were some examples?
GS: Before this, I had a resort for 16 years locally. Before that, I had a custom furniture manufacturing business, Wholesale Interior Designers in Denver. I had a bookstore in Denver. And I was an independent carpenter. My company was called Iron Tree, also in Denver. And then the taco trailer. Five start-up businesses.
That’s probably what they don’t know. I start them up. Get them going. They’re usually successful. I get bored and move on and sell them.
Q: The last question: if you came across a magic lamp and a genie granted you only one wish, what would that be?
GS: Good health forever. Well, it’s sort of split. I wish there would be world peace too. It would be nice if there was peace in the world and not these stupid wars. People could just get along with one another. There’s plenty of resources. It doesn’t have to be hogged.
~
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 -
Ron’s Korner Market
Sugar Lake Lodge
NoPo Kitchen
Ravenstone Abbey
Cedar Creek
38 Outpost
Sammy’s
Pickled Loon
Smoke on the Water
SuperOne Foods South
SuperOne Foods North
SuperOne Liquor
Pokegama Plaza Liquor
Dutch Room
Bottles & Brews
Hotel Rapids
Big Fork & Marcell -
Big Fork Wilderness Bar
Hayslips Corner
Duluth & Superior -
New Scenic Cafe
27 Liquors
SuperOne Liquor - Pike Lake
SuperOne Liquor - West Duluth
SuperOne Liquor - Cloquet
7 West Miller Hill
7 West Superior
Woodland Liquor
Wussow’s Concert Cafe
Salute Dispensary - Cloquet
Corktown Deli & Brews
Old Chicago
Dovetail Cafe
McGregor -
Big Zandy Zorbaz
Willey’s Sports Shop & Spirits