The New Guy has Good Taste in Food, also What's Up With Saisons Anyway?

How many minutes are there in a year? What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow? Did you order the code red? If you haven’t noticed, we’re doing trivia this week for the chance to win a free entry into our 5K fun run on Saturday, Aug. 17, organized by the Minnesota Brewery Running Series (more on that next week). Every day, we’re posing a new question on Instagram and Facebook having to do with either running or beer, and the first person to come into the taproom with the correct answer wins a card good for a free registration as well as a lovely beer koozie! Worried that you have the correct answer but that you might be too late? Fear not, for even if the daily free registration is already claimed, we have a number of $5 off cards as well. So be sure to come in to tell the beertender your answer, that is, if you can handle the truth. 

Ok, What Is That?
Maybe this has happened to you: You’re in a bar or a taproom and you’re looking over the beer list and see a word that is complete Greek to you. Not wanting to look foolish, you either ignore that beer entirely or you just order it in an attempt to look knowledgeable and hope for the best. If that word is “saison,” you’re in luck, because we’re gonna take a minute to let you know more about this style of beer in our new section, “Ok, What Is That?”
The French word for “season,” saison’s are a traditional Belgian beer hailing from the French-speaking region of Wallonia, Belgium. Farmers in the area would typically brew this beer in the winter to be ready for the summer. More traditional versions were fairly low ABV, and were characterized largely by a light body, spicy taste, and dry finish. 
If you happen to frequent a lot of breweries or are just quite familiar with the selection at your local liquor store, you’ve probably seen a few beers referred to as “farmhouse ales.” Officially, there is a difference between a saison and a farmhouse ale, but let’s just say that Venn Diagram is a loose oval. For all practical purposes, especially in the U.S., farmhouse is a nickname for saisons. And it’s fitting, given that the style originated as a beer made by farmers, for farmers. What’s more, saison’s will often have a grassy, almost alfalfa flavor due to the unique yeast strains used. 
But true to their history, where they were made by farmers with whatever ingredients were on hand, modern saisons can’t be pigeonholed into one exact flavor profile. Some lean more into their hops, while others are borderline sour. But nearly all of them can be characterized as having a rustic flavor, with strong fruit notes. 
Here at Klockow, we have an annual saison called Siduri’s Garden. As our International Women’s Day collaboration brew, it’s one of the few beers on our menu that our brewmaster, Andy Klockow, has nothing to do with. Spearheaded by Tasha Klockow with the assistance of beertender Amanda Lussier and friend of the establishment Marit Bjordal, a saison was chosen because “it was one we all really liked that didn’t have a lot of representation,” according to Tasha. “I like the fact that it’s more herbaceous and complex than a lot of other styles.” 

The herbaceousness was what they wanted to lean into the most when creating Siduri’s Garden, which is why the brew ended up being infused with ginger, coriander, rosemary, and grains of paradise. As for the name, Siduri was the goddess of fermentation in the Epic of Gilgamesh, so we sampled from her garden to make this herbal delight. 
Siduri’s Garden is on tap right now, so come on by for a pint! And keep your eyes peeled for our gin-barrel aged expression of the beer: Siduri’s Elixir! It’s still aging, so be patient. Don’t worry, it’s more than worth the wait. 

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Russ Alioth
Question: How long have you worked here?
Russ Alioth: This time, or…? Um, coming up on three weeks this year. But I worked here three months, just on Fridays, last summer.
Q: And in all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
RA: Ooh, Song of Susannah is one of my tops for sure. I like the big, the bold, the hoppy. And it’s definitely not one of those sessionable beers, having five-or-six-a-day kind of beers. It just checks all the boxes for me.
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
RA: You know, I really enjoy bourbon. I definitely get into that. Otherwise, if not Klockow beer, some other craft beer variety. Recently been on the Drekker train with some of their sours or even a couple of their hazy IPAs. Just kind of exploring their catalog, as it were.
Q: Do you have a favorite bourbon?
RA: Um, favorite, or favorite accessible?
Q: Either, or both.
RA: Well, favorite and favorite accessible I’d probably do Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. It’s one that’s on the more rare side, but when you can find it, it’s not cost prohibitive. It’s just a solid bourbon for the price. So if not craft beer, some good bottle of bourbon.
Q: Sticking with the general theme, what are some of your favorite foods?
RA: Can’t go wrong with steak. I mean, really any kind of variety there; however you want to cook it, however you want to do it. Really can’t go wrong. Big fan of mushrooms too, especially paired together. My wife and I like to do a proper steak dinner where we find it from the farmer’s market or whatever we can from the grocery store, then sauté up some mushrooms.

Q: What do you do at the brewery?
RA: A little bit of everything. Got hired to do production and some deliveries and a little bit of sales here and there. So making the beer, packaging beer, moving stuff around the brew house, as well as running the beer out to the far reaches of Minnesota. And part of Wisconsin.
Q: That’s a quite a bit of stuff, so when you’re not doing all that, what do you like to do for fun?
RA: Love to hike, love to be out in nature. My wife and I split our time between Grand Rapids and Ely, so when we’re not working, we’ll typically go up and do some of the plethora of trails up in that neck of the woods. Or canoe or just be out in some of the state and national parks. We like being outside and running around with the dogs, exploring and looking at mushrooms and plants.
Q: Do you forage then?
RA: I aspire to. I haven’t gone out and properly “this is what I’m going to do.” Every time we’ve gone out it’s just been on a regular hike, and I’ll find one, maybe two edible mushrooms. But it’s not quite foraging if you only grab one. Looking to do more.
Q: What would be a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
RA: Maybe an interesting fact is that this is my third career path so far.
Q: Ok, what were the other two?
RA: Straight out of high school, I went to the University of St. Thomas for a year chasing an Air Force ROTC scholarship. That ended up not working out, so my initial plan was military, then it transitioned to EMS. I went to Inver Hills Community College to be an EMS for the better part of a decade. And now I’ve moved on to beer just in the last four years.
Q: Do you feel like you’re progressing each time? Finding something more interesting each time?
RA: Definitely so more on the interest level in what’s going on. Not that EMS wasn’t interesting, don’t get me wrong. The time was right to move on and now I’m doing beer, which I love. And I have some more exciting things to do here at Klockow, and a lot more learning. The ultimate goal is to be that head brewer somewhere, but I got some time. No rush.
Q: Last question: If you could turn into any animal for 24 hours, what would you morph into?
RA: 24 hours? See, that’s tricky because my wife and I have talked at length as to if reincarnation is a thing that exists, that I wish to be reincarnated as a cat owned by a millennial. It’s such a cushy lifestyle, you’re just hanging. But 24 hours?
Um, probably a bird of some sort. Maybe something in the hawk variety to be able to buzz around and have some… I mean, if you’re gonna go bird, have some claws and beak action.
Q: Little less risk of being eaten by a bigger bird.
RA: Yes, a little less risk there! But yeah, I like that concept. Kind of smaller size, but deep in the woods, and, I mean, who doesn’t want to be able to fly.

~

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 -

• Pokegama Grill - Grand Rapids

• Eagle Ridge Golf Course - Grand Rapids

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Pickled Loon - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Unwined Up North - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews Liquor - La Prairie

• S&S Bottle Shop - Deer River

• Locker Room - Coleraine

• Dutch Room - Grand Rapids

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Grand Rapids

• Raven Stone Abbey - Coleraine

• 38 Outpost - Grand Rapids

• Cedar Creek Grill - Grand Rapids

• Sammy’s Pizza - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Hotel Rapids - Grand Rapids

Pay it Forward and Answer Some Trivia, Demands Andy

Where has the summer gone? Feels like just this past weekend it was 90 degrees with equal percent humidity. And here we are, mere hours away from August.
Fortunately, yeah, it’s still basically that temp. I say fortunately because, after all, we are purveyors of all things cold! It might’ve been uncomfortably muggy for anyone at the swap meet this past weekend who stopped by the Klockow beer garden, even with the cold glass of crisp lager, but that’s why we maintain a perfectly cool taproom (open 7 days a week, starting at noon). We’ve been told that it’s a wonderful place to hoist a pint with your friends, and we tend to agree.
But what if your friend isn’t there at the same time, you may ask? Is there a solution for your desire to buy a round in spite of your friend’s absenteeism? I’m glad you asked. Guests to our brewery may have seen our Suds 4 Buds window, right next to the off-sale cooler. This ingenious system of purchasing power allows you, the humble and generous customer, to buy an unlimited number of pints for friends, family, enemies, even complete strangers! All you need to do is tell the beertender who you are, for whom you’d like to buy a pint, and how many said pints you’d like to buy. Leave the rest to us; we’ll write it down. in our very best handwriting, all of that information directly onto the glass. It couldn’t be easier! If it could, we’d do it that way.

Well, I suppose there is one more thing you need to do: Inform your comrade that they have a beer waiting for them! If you don’t, you run the risk of it not being redeemed (we’ve seen a few that have hung out for quite awhile). But admittedly, sometimes you can’t tell the person, because you don’t know them. We’ve had people buy pints for veterans, first responders, math teachers, even people wearing Minnesota soccer swag. We even had someone buy a pint for Clint (any Clint). It was up on the glass for over a year when, one day, I heard a lady say, “Hey Clint, look at this!” My ears perked up the moment I heard the name. I knew what that meant. Sure enough, Clint came up and redeemed his oddly-won free beer. He even returned the favor and bought a pint for Richard (any Richard).
Getting a free beer sure is fun. Hell, getting free anything is a lot of fun! For this reason, we’re going to challenge all of you next week to win a free registration to the Klockow Brewing 2024 Brewery Running Series 5k! See our website or the Minnesota Brewery Running Series website for links to register, or you can answer one of our daily beer or running trivia questions each day of next week. A total of five (5) free registrations will be given away, one each day to the first person to correctly answer the daily trivia in person at the taproom. Subsequent correct-answer-havers each day will receive a discount code for registration. Questions will be posted on the Klockow Brewing Instagram and Facebook pages by 11 a.m. each day.
Stay tuned!

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Andrew William Klockow
Question: How long have you worked here?
Andy Klockow: I have worked here for seven years. Over seven years now, even though the brewery’s not quiet seven!
Q: That’s impressive.
AK: From the inception. [laughs] I think we officially became a business in January of 2017. Bought the building and got construction rocking all throughout the middle of 2017, and opened in October that same year.
Q: And in all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
AK: Ooh, I’m going to go BHK (Nut Brown Ale). I feel like it’s the underdog, but it’s still very popular. There’s never a time of year, or time of day, where it’s like “that doesn’t sound good.” It usually sounds good in any situation.
Q: That’s fair. Well, when you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
AK: Love coffee. I would almost rank coffee over beer. It’s getting close. The boys lately have gotten me into Diet Pepsi too. That’s been an interesting turn of carbonated caffeinated things to sip on. You just need that little extra caffeine to get through the day sometimes before you drink a beer!
Q: Sticking with this theme, what are some of your favorite foods?
AK: Hmm, favorite foods. I mean, you can’t go wrong with pizza and, like, good barbecue. Tacos might top all of that though for me, because I think anything can be turned into taco or burrito form and become superior to the form that it was.
Q: Would you be able to give an example of that?
AK: Think of a big breakfast spread, breakfast hash. You pop that bad boy into a burrito and throw some hot sauce on there, it just makes it a little more easily eatable and super enjoyable!

Andy “Big Head Little Hand” Klockow

Q: Bringing it back a bit, what do you do at the brewery?
AK: Uhh, short answer is everything.
Q: What is the longer answer?
AK: Longer answer is I wear many hats, and I’m the first person to jump in anywhere needed. Whether that’s brewing, canning, delivering, sales, cleaning bathrooms, taproom, coming up with the recipes, coming up with the schedule and the rhyme and reason why we’re doing things… My hands are in every aspect of the business.
Q: The coming up with the recipes, that seems key. What percentage of the recipes are yours?
AK: I would say the vast majority. There’s a few one-offs like Siduri’s Garden (Saison) that I had nothing to do with, because that was the women’s day brew. And a couple that Max has done, one-offs like Roundabout (Vanilla Stout) and Wanted (Red IPA). Usually the way we do it is Max has an idea, we come up with the way that idea could work as a recipe, then I scale it to the system to fit.
Q: So this all takes a ton of time, no doubt, being one with everything. But what do you do for fun?
AK: For fun? Well, I’m a musician. I love playing bass. It’s my instrument of choice. And little known fact… well, more known fact now, is that Andy plays in a band and gets to travel a bit. But that’s kind of my vacation, my getaway, hanging out with friends and playing music.
Q: The fact that you’re in a well-known metal band used to be a fun/interesting fact. Well, it still is, but it’s much more known. So that aside, what’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
AK: Ah, that’s a good question… I have a pretty good short game in golf. I enjoy golfing. I’m not a great golfer. But anywhere from, say, 50 yards in, I can be pretty ace.
Q: Does that mean that you’re really good at mini golf?
AK: I’m pretty good at mini golf, yeah. That’s one of my talents. Got a 30 foot putt, I might be able to sink it! Actually just did last Friday!
Q: The last question, if you had unlimited funds for a luxury, completely unessential purchase - this is f**k-you money - what do you buy? One thing.
AK: I’m going to have to say a golf course! Let’s go for a whole course… if you got f**k-you money, then, yeah! Heck, I could buy the old Wendigo, right? Get that rocking again. I mean, I don’t know if it would actually turn into a business or just be a private course for me, myself, and I.
Q: By the rules of this question, you can’t turn it into a business.
AK: Oh good, so it’s just my golf course!
Q: You can work on your long game!
AK: Yes, exactly.

~

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 -

• 38 Outpost - Grand Rapids

• Sammy's - Grand Rapids

• Timberlake Lodge - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Lake Store - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• Bottle & Brews - La Prairie

• SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Balsam Store - Bovey

• Red Eye - Swan River

• Deer Haven - Remer

• Hollywood Bait - Bovey

Range cities -

• Sawmill Saloon - Mountain Iron

• Super Smoke Shop - Virginia

• SuperOne Liquor - Virginia

Brainerd Lakes Area -

• Jack Pine Brewery - Baxter

Duluth area -

• Fitger's Wine Cellar - Duluth

• Boulder Taphouse- Superior

• SuperOne Liquor - Cloquet

• 27 Liquors - Duluth

• SuperOne Liquor - Pike Lake

• Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace - Duluth

McGregor -

• Willey's Sports Shop & Spirits - McGregor

• Mark's Bar - McGregor

Marcell -

• Frontier Sports - Marcell

A Message from our Resident One Piece Expert, and Some Contest Stuff

We don’t want to brag. So we won’t.
…But if we WERE to have some horn tooting to do, we might talk about some of our fantastic craft beers, our excited and loyal local fan base, the accolades we receive from wide-eyed passers by, and our place in the community as a location where one can both have a quiet and relaxing pint one day and thrashing heavy metal party the next. But we’d do so humbly, with all humility, of course.
Why are we not bragging, you may ask? Because it’s time once again for the Grand Rapids Herald-Review’s Best of Itasca competition, 2024 edition! And we’ve been nominated for Best Beer Selection, Best Brewery, and Best Entertainment Spot.
We wouldn’t do anything as gauche as to campaign for the top spot in any of these categories. Heavens to Betsy, no! But in the spirit of competition, at least, I suppose we could make our case as to why we deserve to win. Once again with all humility, of course.

It’s important to consider quantity as well as quality when it comes to beer selection. Sure, one could load up with just a lot of different beers, but they gotta be good. And our record surely speaks for itself! And this is to say nothing of the wide variety of different styles that we make, from the obvious West Coast and Hazy IPAs, to the easy-drinking Irish Blonde and American Light Lager, to the unique Belgian Tripel and Saison, to the time-intensive Barrel Aged Hays on Tay and Throcken Red Wine Barrel-Aged Tripel. And it’s for those same reasons, as well as the fact that you can find all those and more at liquor stores and bars throughout the state why we make a strong candidate for Best Brewery as well.
As for entertainment, we freely admit that we don’t have the most shows. But if you look at the shows we do do, from stand-up comics, our 48-Hour Band Contest, the Erste Mai Punk Festival, Klocktoberfest, and the Panopticon concert, there’s clearly a reason why we were nominated.
And all of this is to say nothing of the fact that we have an extremely popular monthly Open Mic the last Sunday of the month, which happens to be this weekend! Ditty Wish will be back coordinating the army of artists we regularly see for this event, starting right as we open at noon and going until 4. It’s a great way to day-drink the day before heading back to work, with a little music and good company. The only complaint we ever have about it is that due to how many people we have sign up, we hardly get to hear Ditty Wish play! C’est la vie, I suppose. We can’t have everything, after all.

But we can have a lot, due to the friends we’ve made along the way. And we do like being a space for those friends. Members of Itasca Area Indivisble and Itasca Pride will be setting up for a trivia night here on Thursday, July 25, from 5 to 7 p.m. Though originally conceived as a private event for members, by having it here at the brewery, we’ve been told that they’re open to, and hoping to, have more people join in to take on the Trivia master! So do you have the useless-knowledge wherewithal to win?
There’s only one way to find out.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do. EXIT INTERVIEW EDITION: Max Chamberlain
Question: So, you’re leaving. What are you going to do next?
Max Chamberlain: I’m going to go back to school for a physical therapist assistant degree down at Lake Superior College in Duluth.
Q: Will we ever see you again?
MC: Of course! I plan on coming back real soon for Klocktoberfest. So I won’t even be gone over a month.
Q: How about after that? Will we be seeing you with any regularity?
MC: Yeah, on and off. I plan to be pretty busy with school. But it’s an hour and a half away from home, so I’ll be back up to visit my family often, so you can expect me to pop in whenever I’m around.
Q: You’ve been here a long time. What are some of the professional take-always that you’ve learned over your time here?
MC: Ooh, a professional take-away. What would you even describe that as?
Q: Some sort of job life lesson?
MC: I feel like I’ve had so much fun at this job that to call it professional is honestly a bit of an oxymoron, in a sense. I dunno, Andy and Tasha are such awesome bosses that they allow us a lot of freedom with how we do our jobs. It’s an ongoing bit that I’m supposed to work here at 9:00, and if you check my punch-in logs, it’s 9:20 every day! Because they let me get here a little bit late, and so long as the job gets done, I think they’re happy with my performance. I don’t know if that’s professional of me, but…
Q: Maybe that means you’ve learned the value in self direction?
MC: Yeah. I mean, take the work seriously, but be able to be flexible with it too. If something goes wrong, you got to be able to pivot and make it work. You don’t just go, “oh no, plan A failed. Now what?”

We asked Max to just act natural for a photo, so he did.

Q: I think that’s a great takeaway. So, you’re a big fan of One Piece. Tell us a bit about it.
MC: We’re going to get right into it, eh? To me, it’s the greatest story ever told. You know, it has its flaws for sure. I’m not going to say it’s perfect. But to me, it’s my favorite.
What is it…this year is, like, the 27th anniversary of it being written, and it’s ongoing! I think July 22 in Japan is National One Piece Day. It’s a Japanese manga, so a comic book, written by Eiichiro Oda. It’s a story about a pirate named Monkey D. Luffy who dreams of going on a grand adventure and finding the legendary treasure called One Piece and becoming the King of the Pirates. He makes friends along the way, gathers a crew together, and together each of them go about finding their own dreams looking to achieve the One Piece at the end of the road.
Q: Who do you think is going to be King of the Pirates at the end?
MC: I mean, the King of the Pirates will be Luffy for sure. At least to the fans. But in the world of One Piece itself, we all know it’s going to be Buggy. Buggy the Clown, the genius jester, he’s going to be King of the Pirates.
Q: Why is that?
MC: Because he has a trend of failing upwards! So it just makes sense that his greatest failure is going to lead to his greatest success.
Q: That sounds great, actually.
MC: Like I said, this is a near 30 year long story that is ongoing. It’s a daunting task if you were interested in jumping into it right now. I will say that there is a great Netflix live action adaptation that might be up people’s alley if they’re interested. I would highly recommend it. Like I said, I think it’s the greatest story ever. If you like action, adventure, and bits of comedy, I think it’s great. And don’t think it’s shy on emotion either! There’s a lot of heavy, dark scenes in there. Even though it’s written for a younger audience, there’s a lot that everyone can pull from the story.
Q: I mostly just wanted to give you a chance to talk and wax poetic about One Piece.
MC: Oh, we could go for hours longer, but we don’t have that much time!
Q: But since it’s your favorite, I wanted to do that for you. It’s going on the blog, but that was just for you. But one last question and this one is for us; if you could have a super power, what would it be and why?
MC: Hmmm… that’s tough. There’s so many you could pick from. I dunno, one I feel like I’ve always had in my brain since I was young would be to make more of me, just so I could get more stuff done. Even just one more duplicate. Then the idea would be, like, we could combine again and gain the experience that each of us got. So while I’m work, I could have another me at home studying. If that was the case, I could be doing this job and getting a PTA degree all at the same time! So that’s always a thought I’ve had since I was young, to have a copy that I then gain the experience from. Yeah, that would be the super power of choice if I could have that.
Q: Well thank you very much for your time, as well as for your time!
MC: Of course. Thank you for having me. Thank you to Andy and Tasha for hiring me nearly 7 years ago. It’s been fun, and it’ll be weird to be on the other side of the bar from now on.
Q: I’m sure you’ll still get a free pint every now and then.
MC: I’m sure I’ll still sneak in the back and use the employee bathroom.

~

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:

Coleraine -

• Eagle Ridge Golf Course

• Smoke on the Water

Cohasset -

• Sugar Lake Lodge

Grand Rapids -

• Pickled Loon

• Hotel Rapids

• Pokegama Grill

• Sammy’s

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor

• Boulder Taphouse

• SuperOne Liquor

Pengilly -

• The Great Outdoors

Bigfork -

• Antler Store

Marcell -

• North Star Lake Resort

• Frontier Sports

Deer River -

• Kocian’s

• S&S Bottle Shop

• Gosh Dam Place

Ely -

• Ely Liquor

• Insula

• Boathouse Brewpub

• Zup’s Liquor

• Stinky Pete’s

Embarrass -

• Trapline Liquor

Eveleth -

• Marge’s Liquor

Hibbing -

• SuperOne Liquor

Virginia -

• SuperOne Liquor

• SuperOne Foods South

Max's Beer vs MACS's Canning: Or What Makes a Taproom Special

It’s one of those days where everything is perfect. The weather? Gorgeous. The hangover? Nonexistent. The people? Not annoying. The beer? Wanted.
Now this is not just an accurate statement. Longtime brewer here at Klockow Brewing Company, Max Chamberlain, is having a hellava month! Not only this his last month here before moving on to greener pastures, but next week is the release of his signature IPA: Wanted Red IPA.

This pirate themed label has a few easter eggs, plus at least one reference to One Piece (the D prior to IPA doesn’t mean Double. You’re gonna have to ask Max about that, unless you too are a fan of the series).

It’s not out yet, but a few of us have had the privilege of giving it a little taste ahead of the formal release. It has a strong spruce note that hits you first, then a nice balance of earthy and caramel smells, until it brings it all back with that spruce again. Being an IPA, there’s a strong tannic bitterness on the palate right up front, but it gives way to a smooth, dare I say sweetness, before finishing with (say it with me now) the spruce note. And all of this is after you’ve had the joy of seeing it! Gotta hand it to those Red IPAs and their beautiful umber coloring. We recommend drinking it, but hell, it’s awfully satisfying just looking at.
It’s just too bad that it wasn’t around this past weekend. Could’ve been a good beer for the Biking for Beer pub crawl! A special thanks to everyone who was a part of the ride on Saturday, all nearly two dozen of you! Which that seemed like an impressive number given the fact that we started things out with rain! It didn’t last long though, and it all happened while starting things out with a pint at Rapids Brewing Company, so the timing was just fine. People of all ages on all manners of different styles of bikes then took off across the wet bridge over the Mississippi River and through the woods over to Klockow, where we had more beer and a couple tacos even! Then the big ride: south through town and past the farms for more than five miles to the Pickled Loon Saloon, where we were greeted like honored guests while we had even more beer and not a little bit of cold water too. Replenished and rehydrated, we tackled the hill right outside the saloon to bring us back into town (the people on single speed bikes only complained a little), back to Klockow where we gave away fabulous prizes generously donated by Ardent Bicycles!
We were constantly asked when we were going to do this again. So that probably means we should do this again, I suppose. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming biking shenanigans!

If you haven’t noticed, we’re not like other bars. There’s a good reason for that, namely, that we’re not a bar! If that’s confusing to you, allow me to explain. It starts with the fact that in the eyes of the state of Minnesota, not all breweries are created equal. It distinguishes between “breweries” and “brewpubs.” Our friends at Rapids Brewing Company, they are a brewpub, which means the state sees them as a restaurant that happens to brew its own beer. Licensing to do so allows them to make as much beer as they can sell onsite, as well as to have a kitchen and a full bar. You know, restaurant stuff. But they can’t distribute. You will not find RBC beer in liquor stores or on tap at other bars for this reason (unless they take advantage of a loophole where they brew one of their beers through an offsite contractor, but we’re not getting into that now).
Klockow Brewing Company, on the other hand, is a brewery. We’re a commercial facility with the sole purpose of manufacturing craft beverages, with the intention of selling a large percentage of said product to restaurants and distributing it to consumers throughout the state via various liquor stores. In addition to that, we are also able to have a taproom, where we can sell our beer directly to you, straight across the wall from whence it was made!
That’s the long answer. In short, we’re a taproom, not a bar. So let’s go over what that actually means!
* We’re dog friendly! Not all brewery taprooms allow dogs, but that is largely their prerogative. According to the state, since we don’t prepare and serve food, there is no real reason to not allow dogs. And we love them, so bring on the pretty pooches! We only require that they be well-behaved and on a leash.
* We’re family friendly! Being a wide open space with no servers (it’s pretty common for taprooms to just have beertenders with no table service), a lot of people like to host larger gatherings here and this often means kids. We even have games for them to play! But similar to above, we just ask that kids be well-behaved and on a leash. Ok, maybe not that far! In seriousness, we simply ask that you be mindful of your children so that they’re not disruptive to other guests.
* You can bring in outside food! This is why food trucks and breweries go hand-in-hand. Since we don’t serve food, you can think of the taproom as a privately-owned public space where you can bring your own picnic. Only catch: you can’t bring in outside alcohol. Legally the only alcohol that can be consumed onsite is what we make. Which brings us to…
* We only serve beer! Or malt beverages (looking at you, hard selzer). This is a big one for those who confuse us for a traditional pub. A gentleman over the weekend casually approached the bar ordered a beer for himself and an Amaretto Sour for his partner. As delicious as that sounds, I had to give the short spiel about how we’re just a taproom. But it worked out, somewhat at least… we do carry an assortment of craft pops and kombucha, so we do what we can to cater to a wide audience. Those things just don’t have alcohol, is all.
In basically all other ways that are meaningful to our guests, yeah, we’re essentially a bar. But if you were ever curious as to why we don’t have a kitchen, or why you never see RBC beer at liquor stores, or why that pedantic fellow at the table next to you made a big deal about this being called a BREWERY and not a BREWPUB, now you know.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: the Klockow Canning Machine
Question: We’re here talking with the Klockow Canning Machine. I hear you buzzing right now.
Klockow Canning Machine: Sure am. I am working hard today.
Q: Speaking of that, how long have you worked here?
KCM: I started during the pandemic, in 2 aught 20.
Q: Excellent. And in all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
KCM: I do not drink much beer. I just like to spill it.
Q: Do you have a favorite to spill?
KCM: THC seltzers make me feel funny.

Q: When you’re not canning Klockow beer, are you canning anything else?
KCM: I try not to. I am loyal to Klockow.
Q: That’s very good of you. What are some of your favorite foods?
KCM: Ooh, I like aluminum. Especially aluminum lined with epoxy and bpani. Oooh, that is the good stuff.
Q: So what do you do here at the brewery?
KCM: I am a work horse. I make sure the beer gets put in cans, sealed in cans, make sure the cans are not leaking… but I do not care if the cans are leaking. That is up to the owners.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
KCM: I buzz with anticipation whenever a canning run comes along. Just makes me so… [makes horrible buzzing sound]… makes me sooo happy.
Q: You seem to have a very one-track mind. You only ever do work. So what is some other fun/interesting fact about yourself?
KCM: Well they named me after the head brewer, who is leaving, Max. But I am spelled different: MACS, which means Micro Automated Canning System.
I am the better MACS, because I will never leave.
Q: I’m sensing something here, MACS. Do you have something against people you perceive to be disloyal?
KCM: I do not care who is pushing my buttons, but it is special when Max does.
Q: Ok, last question. If you could be a real boy, what kind of job would you want to have?
KCM: I would love to be a packaging line operator, so that I can be on the other side of the coin. Or a beat boxer.
Q: Well, MACS, you’re a good machine. Except when you’re not. Thank you for hanging out with us today.
KCM: You’re welcome.

~

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. -

• Ravenstone - Coleraine

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Grill - Grand Rapids

• 38 Outpost - Grand Rapids

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Locker Room - Coleraine

• Cedar Creak - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Sammy’s - Grand Rapids

• Hotel Rapids - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews - La Prairie

• Dutch Room - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Frontier Liquor - Grand Rapids

Cities & Surrounding Areas -

• Stinson Wine, Beer, & Spirits - Minneapolis

• Princeton’s - Bass Lake

• Isanti Municipal Liquor

• Vintage Pub - Askov

• Ombibulous - Minneapolis

St. Cloud Area -

• Westside Liquor - Waite Park

Brainerd Lakes Area -

• SuperOne Liquor - Baxter

• SuperOne Liquor - Crosby

Westworld Area -

• Red River Liquor Co. - Akeley

• Liquor Depot of Staples

• Dorest Corner - Park Rapids

• Landmark Liquors - Perham

• Brew Ales & Eats - Perham

• The Bottle Shop - Moorhead

Duluth -

• The New Scenic Cafe

Brews, Biking, Board Games... and I Think That's The Name of a Ween Album, Adrianne

My god, will no one rid me of this infernal racket?!
The canning machine is almost exclusively run prior to normal business hours for a very good reason: it makes the most horrible buzzing and rattling noise you can imagine. And it can go on for hours! The hellish persistent pang at least has one amazing silver lining though.
If you hadn’t guessed, it means we’ll soon have more beer. 

Today’s ding marks the return of two great, albeit different, favorites: Stranger Ranger and Pokegama Porter! Our menu has been shy of some of the usual summer fare we like to serve, but that hardly seems to have mattered that much since a big seller for us recent has been our Roundabout Vanilla Stout. Perhaps it’s just a dark beer summer! For as much as we embrace tradition, we will gladly coddle new trends and fads as well. So if the people are yearning for it, may as well give them that delicious dark malty porter!
But there are few styles that beg no substitute when their time comes, and American style light lagers are just such a style. They’re light, they’re simple, they’re crushable, and they ask nothing of you but to carry on with whatever you were doing. They’re like an old dog, minus the crushable part. And now that actual summer weather seems to be upon us, the Stranger Ranger Lager has come not a moment too soon.
Speaking of actual summer weather, have any of you been putting miles on your bikes now that it’s warm and sunny? Biking for Beer is this Saturday, and it promises to be one of those days where we’ll be dying for a refreshing glass of suds between the stretches of road. So in addition to everything else, don’t forget the sunscreen!

We’ll be starting at 1 p.m. at Rapids Brewing Company for our initial gathering and pints before our short jaunt across the river and through the woods here to Klockow Brewing. We’ll be doing about 45 minutes to an hour at each place, so be sure to hydrate as well as beer-up at each stop! From Klockow, we’ll be doing the long leg of the journey, heading south through town, making our way to Airport Road down to Harristown Road and finally Hwy 169 to The Pickled Loon Saloon. Have a drink, replenish your energy with a bite to eat, and then we’ll climb back up the hill to the flat-ish land of the rest of the route back to Klockow for some prize drawings compliments of Ardent Bicycles!
If you haven’t been able to bring your bike in to Ardent for a proper tune-up, but still want to ride with us, there’s just a couple basic things you need to check. A big one is tire inflation. Check the sidewall of your tire for recommended psi for your particular tire (the skinnier the tire, the higher the pressure is the general rule). Next is your drivetrain. If you don’t already have any, pick up some bicycle chain oil and apply it lightly to each link of the chain. After rotating the pedals a bit to make sure the oil has snuck into each crevice, use a clean rag to wipe off any excess oil. Extra oil will only attract dirt, which gums up and slowly wrecks your chain and gears. This also is why a bicycle specific oil is recommended, and not something like WD-40 (unless you want to lube and wipe your chain twice a day). But after that, just make sure all the screws and bolts throughout your bike are tight. The last thing you want is for your handlebar to come loose mid-ride! This might not be as common as a flat tire, but if you’ve ever bought a bike from a big box store, you’ve probably noticed one or two loose parts.
Ta-da! You’re practically a bike mechanic now! Though you may have noticed that I didn’t say anything about shifting or braking. If you’re having problems with either of those, I recommend seeing a professional. They’re a little more complicated than can be explained here.
But what do you do after Biking for Beer is over, you may ask? What does life have in store for us after this beautiful day? Well, don’t despair. For starters, you could come back to the brewery on Sunday for our monthly Board Games & Records Day! You’ve earned a break, after all, so why not relax with some good music and a little gaming with your mates. Though if relaxation isn’t your bag, and you want a challenge, consider learning how to play A Feast for Odin.

Some friends of the establishment donated this game to us since they were moving and it didn’t make the cut. Why, you may ask? Because it’s ridiculously dense and complicated! They didn’t even finish punching out all the little pieces. So the challenge is this: come in on Sunday and learn how to play this game. If your team (max. 4 people) can be the first to learn and adequately explain to the bartender the intricacies of how this game is played, including some demonstration, you win a round of beers!
Best of luck to you, and may you raise a drink to Odin!

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Adrianne Reiners
Question: How long have you worked here?
Adrianne Reiners: Oh, gosh, a month. Just over a month. I’m a newbie.
Q: And in all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
AR: Well, I’ve been a customer here since 2017, so it’s been a little bit more than a month of drinking the beers. [laughs] I have to go with Billy Bumbler (Belgian Tripel). My default, if I’m not driving and I get to enjoy a drink, I will go with Billy Bumbler.
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
AR: Non-alcoholic is going to be coffee and water. It’s really just the other requirements for life. I think if I were gonna have another alcoholic drink: ciders, seltzers. Yeah, mix it up. Sometimes I’m having a Shrubbery from Klockow here, too.
Q: Sticking with the theme, what are some of your favorite foods?
AR: Anything with cheese. Um, chocolate. So if I could have a platter of cheese, a charcuterie board, followed by a chocolate cake, that’d be a perfect day! [laughs]

Q: So what do you do at the brewery?
AR: I am a beertender! I pour beers and I chat with regulars and I help foster community here at Klockow.
Q: And you’re learning some of the regulars. How’s that going?
AR: It’s great! It’s really exciting to get to know more people in the community since we moved here five years ago. We really haven’t had the chance to meet everyone, as transplants. And having worked for a couple other businesses, it’s just interesting meeting a different group of people that live in this community.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
AR: I thoroughly enjoy working on my farm. So we have a farm as a business, and we participate in the Grand Rapids Farmer’s Market. So in the summers I spend a lot of time outdoors, because we hand plant and hand water everything that we grow. Otherwise, my latest obsession has been playing Stardew Valley, which is a video game… also about farming.
I get out and about; spend some time with friends, family, and yeah. Low key stuff.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
AR: Oh, I did not prepare for this. I prepared for the beer question! [laughs] I think that it’s really surprising to people when they find out I changed oil for two years. I worked for a quick service oil change company and in my interview with them, I told them I could tell you what color the car is and put air in the tire and gas in the tank. But I’m really good with customers! So they decided to hire me and I learned the rest!
Q: For two years?
AR: For two years.
Q: That is a fun fact.
AR: Yeah, most people are very surprised.
Q: For the last question, if you could bring back to life an extinct animal, or conversely bring to life for the first time some fantasy animal, what animal would you pick and why?
AR: What a question! There’s no way to prepare for this. I mean, when I think extinct, my immediate thought just goes to the Dodo bird. But I don’t know if we need anymore of those in our life. Um, I’m just obsessed with goats, but we already have them! Let’s bring back the sabertooth tiger.
Q: The sabertooth tiger! Why are we doing this?
AR: You know, because they’re mighty. They got big teeth. I dunno, I just think they’re a cool animal.

~

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 -

• Pickled Loon - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Lake Store - Grand Rapids

• Timberlake Lodge - Grand Rapids

• Eagle’s Club - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Grill - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews - La Prairie

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Eagle Ridge Golf Course - Coleraine

• Hollywood Bait - Coleraine

• Ravenstone Abbey - Coleraine

• Rocket’s - Cohasset

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Blackberry Junction - Blackberry

• North Start Lake Resort - Marcell

International Falls & Kabetogama -

• Bootlegger’s

• SuperOne Liquor

• The Rocky Ledge

• Ash Trail Lodge

Bemidji -

• Kegy & Cork

• Beehive Liquors

• First City Liquor

• Lakeview Liquor
  

If You're "Sour" on "Independence Day," Let's "Taco" 'bout it

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

Post Pride, Pre Open Mic, and Yes... That is Her Last Name

There’s an old saying, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I don’t know what jabroni first said this, but it’s not bad. It might even be some really good advice!
And it’s also the phrase that popped into my head when, after unloading equipment for the beer tent at Itasca Pride this past weekend, a lady came up to me and asked if we were serving beer at the event. I enthusiastically said yes, and she responded, “So you agree with these ding-dings?”
I stared in disbelief for a second before saying, “Get outta here, lady.” I definitely had some more choice words to share, but unlike her, I decided to keep it nice. I carried on, thought about how she didn’t even manage to get her insult right (since when is it not ding-dongs??), and finished setting up the beer garden for what turned out to be an amazing first ever pride event in Itasca County!

It’s no secret that there were some protesters at the event, but much like that first little interaction that I had, they didn’t amount to much. They were outnumbered easily 100 to 1, and they reiterated the need for pride events since they proved that there are still people out there who would go to great lengths to deny the humanity of many of us. That being said, it was an amazing day filled with good food, great music, fabulous drag performances, and, of course, a more than decent pint of beer. The lawn and street outside Old Central School was decked out with rainbows and vendors galore, selling all manner of goods and otherwise just being supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Various news outlets showed up to document the huge crowds as they cheered and danced. And as another old saying goes, a good time was had by all.
With luck, next year will be even bigger! And to the organizers, we tip our chapeau to you.
Speaking of chapeaus, Klockow Brewing Company has just released our latest bout of swag! These killer hats come complete with decorative laces that double as a chin strap for those particularly windy days. And for added whimsy, each one has a secret pocket on the inside for stashing an emergency Benjamin or what have you.
And for the low price of just a quarter of a Benjamin ($25), one can be yours!

Once you have your fashionable hat, you might be asking yourself where you might want to wear it out? Well, have we got the event for you! This Sunday sees the return of our monthly Open Mic with Ditty Wish! It’s been a couple months, what with it being canceled last month for the Panopticon concert. This popular monthly bacchanalia has long brought out some of the finest amateur musicians in the area, as well as a few poets and aspiring standup comics. And what’s more, it’s all first come, first serve. Perhaps you have been harboring a dream of getting up on stage and wowing an eager audience with your vocal prowess. Well, this is your chance! Or you can just show up, grab a pint, and be part of the eager audience. Either way, everyone always seems to have a good time at Klockow and Ditty Wish’s Open Mic.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Jamie Beer
Question: How long have you worked here?
Jamie Beer: Klocktoberfest, 2019!
Q: And in all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
JB: Münchkin, which you can only get in September. Well, it comes out then. But yeah, our Oktoberfest is definitely my favorite, otherwise Raspberry Sour (Mlinar Delight) is my second fav. Well, and Superior Lobe (Hefeweizen). But Münchkin is 100% my favorite.
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
JB: Truly! Truly berry pack. I’m a seltzer girl at home. Or water. But mostly Trulys.
Q: Which is alcoholic water.
JB: Yes! Keeps you hydrated!

Q: What are some of your favorite foods that you like to use Truly to wash down?
JB: Tacos. I love tacos. Um, I don’t know, I feel like I’m kinda boring.
Q: So are you a regular at the (Singing Chihuahua) taco truck?
JB: Yes, we work that into our schedule, every Wednesday and Saturday in the summer. Let’s see, what else do I eat? I like meatloaf! I love meatloaf.
Q: Ok, that seems like a unique answer. What is it about meatloaf that you like?
JB: I don’t know. Well, it’s comforting. And I don’t think I make the same recipe twice. Like it’s just something I can just mess around with: put different spices, different things in there.
Q: That’s a very fair answer. More people should say meatloaf. But to bring it back here, what do you do at the brewery?
JB: I pour beer and talk about books.
Q: Are you full time?
JB: No, I’m the Monday girl in the summers. During the school year, I’m a special ed para. When school goes back in, the winter hours start, so they close Monday. And when school lets out, I come back on Mondays and hang out and talk about books. [laughs]
Q: So when you’re not a para at school or pouring beer here, what do you do for fun?
JB: Read books. [laughs] And I pretend to be a runner; I dabble. I like to hang out with my chickens. And I like to go camping.
Q: First thing you said was books, and you also said you like to talk about books. What are some of the books that you like to read?
JB: I’m smut girl. [laughs] I like dirty romance. Yeah, definitely romance. I dabble in thrillers, but I’m definitely a romance reader. Chef Kyle (Lussier) really wants me to read “East of Eden.” It’s on my shelf, but I feel like that’s above my pay grade. Some day I will get there.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
JB: Augh, this was the one I was struggling with. Fun slash interesting? I don’t know what to say, like, I’m originally from Detroit? Umm… I really like Coney dogs! So in my hometown of Rochester Hills, Michigan, there’s a Coney Island called Lipuma’s. And whenever I go back to visit, that’s either the first place I eat at or the last place I eat at before I come home.
Q: For anyone who might not know, what makes a Coney dog a Coney dog?
JB: Chili sauce. No beans. Mustard only. And onions. Delicious. Ahh, I love it. And chili cheese fries.
Q: Lastly, if you were stranded on Mars, alone, with all the things you’d need to survive, what (1) musical album would you want to have with you, what (2) book would want to have with you, and what (3) utensil/tool would you want to have with you?
JB: It would probably be Adele. I don’t have a favorite though.
Q: Any Adele album. And what book?
JB: “The Great Alone,” by Kristin Hannah.
Q: I thought you were gonna say “East of Eden.” [laughs]
JB: Hahaha… like finally!
Q: And what tool or utensil?
JB: [thoughtful pause] Q-Tips. Yes, Q-Tips. I like Q-Tips. I don’t leave the house without a thing of travel Q-Tips with me. They’re in my car. So yeah, Q-Tips.   

~

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 -

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Locker Room - Coleraine

• MJ’s - Pengilly

• Gosh Dam Place - Deer River

• S&S Bottle Shop - Deer River

• Rocket’s - Cohasset

• 38 Outpost - Grand Rapids

• Great Outdoors - Pengilly

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Grill - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquors - Grand Rapids

• Sammy’s - Grand Rapids

• Hotel Rapids - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews - La Prairie

• Frontier Liquors - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquors - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

Bigfork and Marcell -

• Timberwolf Inn - Marcell

• North Star Lake Resort - Marcell

• Frontier Sports - Marcell

Greater Range -

• Burnt Onion - Biwabik

• SuperOne Liquor - Virginia

• KM Corner Store - Nashwauk

• SuperOne Liquor - Hibbing

• SuperOne Foods - Hibbing

• Keyboard - Chisholm

Ely -

• Mike’s Drive In Liquor

• Ely Liquor

• Boathouse Brewery

• Insula

• Stinky Pete’s Tiny Weed Shop

BINGO, PRIDE, and Tasha's Secret Hobby

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

If You're a Tie-Dyed Dad on a Mountain Bike, This Post Is For You!

This is a rather controversial stance to take, but we’re nothing if not brave here at Klockow Brewing: we wish the wind would let up a little bit.
A more popular opinion that we tend to hold is that tie-dye shirts will never go out of style and that they’re the epitome of being awesome! Everyone should have at least three. We know that this is a popular opinion based on the turnout at our Tie Dye Day this past Sunday, where people young and old filled the taproom and our patio to twist and rubber-band up nearly our entire stock of white T-shirts, plus who knows how many shirts and skirts and bandanas that they just brought themselves.
The only problem with tie-dye shirts is that it takes 24 hours for the dye to set, so no one at the brewery on Sunday was able to show off their amazing works of art. Fortunately, we live in a digital age and social media is all the rage, so we’ve encouraged everyone to share pictures of their creations with us so that we might share them with you, the people. Stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook pages for some examples of the good work our clientele has made.

Literally while writing the blog in the taproom, Scott Endorf walked in wearing the shirt he made last Sunday!

It should be noted that it’s not too late to have a little piece of last Sunday! Like I said above, we went through “nearly our entire stock.” All the rest got dyed by Tasha and our hippy guru Therese Nett, and will be for sale in the taproom soon! Also, a huge thank you Ashley Brubaker and Kelly Erickson for volunteering to help over the weekend. The day went smooth in no small part because of your help!

Did you know that this Sunday is Father’s Day? And what’s more, did you know that your average dad likes the occasional beer? I’ve been told as much, at least. And furthermore, did you also know that Sunday is double points day for our rewards program? If you’re not following the logic, what we’re saying is it might be a good day to bring your dad to Klockow Brewing this Sunday for a few pints and to sign up for our rewards program, if you haven’t already. You get a point for every dollar spent, and you get a dollar off every 10 points! Not only that, but they keep accruing and don’t expire. Maybe you too could be the next to join the 3,000 point club (do the math, that’s a hellava discount on your tab)!
And be sure to tell Nathan your best dad joke while he pours your beer, too. (Do you know when a joke becomes a dad joke? When the punchline becomes ap-parent!)

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Taylor Draper
Question: How long have you been a regular here?
Taylor Draper: Let’s see, since the quarantine. Since 2020, and at that time, of course, it was very limited. But yeah, I think that was the first time. I remember that, obviously, because that time was so rough and this was one of the few escapes that was really pleasant.
Q: In that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
TD: Right now, it’s the BHK-NA (Non-Alcoholic). Other than beer, I do like the Dukka Water (hopped seltzer water). But previously, when I did drink beer a lot, it was Traveling Jack (West Coast IPA).
Q: What about the NA do you like?
TD: I like it because it still captures some semblance of a brown ale. I don’t feel like I’m sipping on water or something that isn’t craft made. It tastes good!
Q: And when you’re not drinking Klockow beer or Dukka Water, what do you like to drink?
TD: I like the… we call them fizz waters. I don’t know the right word for it, but they have a lemon flavor. Um, soda water! But they have a store brand lime flavor at SuperOne, and it’s really good.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods?
TD: Well, I just had an encounter with curry. The curry chicken tacos Gus made (Singing Chihuahua Taco Truck) were fabulous. Blew me away!
But I guess it depends on how you define “favorite.” Like last meal before the electric chair?
Q: Sure.
TD: In that case, I’d go macaroni and cheese with some bacon.

Q: So what do you do for work?
TD: Oh boy, ok, well, part-time college instructor, teaching psychology classes. And then I test kiddos for autism. And then the third job is I work with probation in Itasca County. They’ll refer me recidivist, or serial criminal offenders that need some structured programming to build life skills, problem solving, and ultimately to not reoffend.
So those three. And I always have two, but I never have three going on at the same time.
Q: When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
TD: I fell in love with mountain biking! This was just like a month ago. [laughs] But I love it! Just can’t get enough of it. It kinda reminds me of surfing back in California. So I really enjoy that. That and maybe reading.
Q: You ride the Tioga Trails?
TD: Yes.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
TD: Let’s see… I really enjoy shuffle board, but I haven’t played in years.
Q: So what is it about shuffle board that’s so intriguing to you?
TD: I think the simplicity I’m attracted to. I used to play back home with some buddies, have some beers. And the game was so easy to play, but it still had a competitive edge to it. And it’s very mild-mannered, very finesse oriented.
Q: Last question, if you were offered the chance to meet a great-great-great grandparent, or a great-great-great grandchild, as an adult of course, who would you rather meet and why? So to go into the past or into the future.
TD: I would go back because I’d like to steer the family away from inter-generational trauma. We had… there were a lot of twists and turns in our family history; we don’t even know who my grandpa’s father was. That’s beside the point. But I would go back because every family is a system, and all systems have their problems, and I think I could make it better. And that might affect the ultimate future down the line.
Q: Ok, so you’d want to change things?
TD: Yeah, I think so. I don’t think I’d want to go back for any other reason.

~

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 -

• Unwined Up North

• Ravenstone Abbey

• Locker Room

• Rocket’s - Cohasset

• NoPo Kitchen

• Hollywood Bait

• Eagle Ridge Golf Course

• Sugar Lake Lodge

• Antler Store

• Pokegama Grill

• Pickled Loon

• Eagles

• SuperOne Foods South

• SuperOne Foods North

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Bottles and Brews

• Pokegama Plaza Liquors

• SuperOne Liquors - Grand Rapids

• S&S Bottle Shop - Deer River

• Frontier Liquors

Bemidji Area -

• Liquor Lodge - Turtle River

• First City Liquor

• Lakeview Liquor

• Northern Offsale Liquor

• Beehive Offsale Liquor

Int'l Falls & Kabetogama -

• SuperOne Liquor - I Falls

• Ash Trail Lodge

• The Rocky Ledge 

Making Hippy Art, Donating Blood, and Finding Out What Nathan Thinks of Brunch

Ah, June. Save for the June Bugs, which are a disgusting disgrace to the mere concept of life, a perversion of all that could be beautiful in this world, it’s a pretty darn good month. We’ve seen sunny weather but still have had no shortage of rain, so the world is back to green again! Especially since we were all so worried about another drought after the odd winter we just had, this all seems rather optimum! The liquid of life is feeding the flora.
Another drought that we want to avoid is a blood shortage. Which is why Klockow Brewing is hosting a blood drive today and tomorrow, June 5 and 6. The Memorial Blood Drive Van is in the parking lot as we speak, here from 12:30 until 7:30 today and 11:30 to 5:30 tomorrow. Sign up online at www.mbc.org/searchdrives (sponsor code 4858), or contact Trudy at tyoungren@mbc.org or at (218) 740-1542, or Gary at (218) 591-3002. There are still openings available!
(Btw, there are Girl Scout cookies too!)

We just had a great past weekend, featuring the artistic stylings of Tom Page and his collection of paintings, “Women with Attitude.” Page had a number of his works on display, all portraits of various women with a story to tell about how their particular form of “attitude” has brought them to where they are, or where they have yet to go. In addition to the artist talk, several of the women from the series were present and spoke as well about their experiences.

But maybe you’re the type of person who wants to make their own art. Well, are you in luck, because this Sunday we’ll be once again doing our Tie Dye Day at the brewery! Our good friend Therese Nett will be here to help guide everyone through the process of creating their very own original piece of wearable art, along with some visual aids to help you see in advance what the different tying techniques will create. We will have white Klockow-branded T-shirts for sale for $15 (price includes the dying), or you can bring your own white shirt or bandana and can tie dye them for just $5! Event goes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Amanda showing off a pre-dyed shirt.

And when you’re all done with your hippy-wear, don’t forget to bring your vinyl records to the taproom for our monthly Board Game and Records Day! You, the adoring public, are invited once again to bring your favorite records to help us play DJ for the day, as well as to try to organize a slew of group board games throughout the taproom! Who will conquer the world in RISK? Who is the smartest at Trivial Persuit? Something something something Settlers of Catan! All day the second Sunday of every month.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Nathan Bergstedt (Interviewed by Tasha Klockow)
Question: How long have you worked at Klockow Brewing Company?
Nathan Bergstedt: That’s actually a complicated question because I first started here when the place opened, and worked here for about a year. Then I left for about four years, but came back. And I’ve been here for about another two. So three years, but not in a row.
Q: In that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
NB: I don’t drink too much beer anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. Found out it didn’t agree with my stomach as much as it used to. But I gotta go back to the OG favorite, the Downwind Smoked Chocolate Stout.
Q: I’m so glad you didn’t say Supply Line! [laughs]
NB: Yeah, everyone else’s favorite is Supply Line, apparently! Amanda was the first to not say that, I think.
Q: What draws you to Downwind?
NB: My first loves with beer were IPAs, like so many other people. But I started moving away from them, and the first style of beer that I really latched onto - I didn’t drink a lot of them, but I loved them - were porters and stouts. And that was a particularly good one: real rich; loved the smoked character; the dark chocolate notes that goes so well with that dark malt. Just an extremely well-crafted beer.
Q: Would you say that your love for dark beer, porters and stouts, came before the Porters & Poetry event, or after?
NB: I dunno. There was probably some overlap. Porters & Poetry largely came about through its wonderful alliteration.
Q: So if you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what are you drinking?
NB: I’ve really become a wine geek in the last few years. So most often, at home, probably a wine. A little more specific than that, red wine… I’m doing a very good job at explaining myself here. But yeah, I really like Pinot Noirs and Nebbiolos, but also like richer, fuller wines like Cabernets as well. And that’s in addition to cocktails. Over COVID, I drank a lot more than usual like everyone else, but I turned it into fancy drinking by building up a home bar and making elaborate cocktails.
Q: Would you say that a lot of what you drink is in relation to what you’re eating?
NB: Not necessarily, though I do enjoy pairing wine with meals as well. That does come into play, but not always.
Q: So sticking with that, what are your favorite foods?
NB: I don’t know. I don’t do favorites very well. But whereas I don’t do favorites very well, I gotta say, as a genre of foods, it’s gotta be brunch! I’ve come to a point in my life where I take such care in making brunch dishes that my wife and I have started a Instagram page just for our brunches. And for food porn in general, but mostly brunches. It’s randstedt_brunch.
Q: And also, you have a three-drink per meal minimum?
NB: For brunch, yes. Otherwise it’s just breakfast.
Q: And also it’s not all alcoholic, it’s usually a coffee drink, an alcoholic drink…
NB: Yeah, it could be whatever! It’d be a little weird, but it could be nothing but alcoholic drinks… might suggest you have a problem. But it has to be three drinks minimum, otherwise it’s just a potentially fancy breakfast. You need to have some sort of a spread, otherwise it’s not fulfilling its goal of being the completely unnecessary, yet fulfilling, meal that brunch is.

Q: I appreciate your passion for brunch. So what do you do at the brewery?
NB: The vast majority of my time here, I’ve been a beertender. I’ve been the guy you see here on weekends. But lately, the last several months, I’ve been involved with events coordinating and social media work, including writing for this blog!
Q: So what do you like to do outside of the brewery for fun?
NB: I’m an avid bicyclist. I’ve done some bike touring. But I’m also a writer. I like writing poetry, plays; I’m working on an adaptation of Macbeth right now. The plan is for that to grace the stage at the Reif Center this fall.
Q: Any bike tours that you have on the bucket list that you’re dreaming about?
NB: I don’t know if this is ever going to happen, but it would be amazing to bikepack across Scotland. You know, really work your calves because it’s pretty mountainous, but then occasionally hit up a distillery and maybe have a bit of whisky and then carry on my way and try not to fall over. [laughs]
Q: What’s fun/interesting fact about yourself?
NB: Since we were just talking about bikepacking, my very first such trip was actually along the Mississippi River starting here in Grand Rapids all the way to St. Louis, Missouri. That was an amazing adventure! I think that fits firmly in the fun fact category.
Q: Would you want to go do the other half?
NB: Yeah, and at the time it was part of the plan, but that may or may not ever happen. There might be other trips that just happen instead.
Q: The last question, if you could be friends with any fictional character, who would it be and why?
NB: Hmm, the problem is that there are so many fictional characters that are entertaining, and you love them as characters, but in no reality would you want to be friends with them! [laughs] They’re entertaining because they’re awful!
Actually… so between my wife and I, she is easily the bigger Lord of the Rings fan. So I feel like she’s the one that should give this answer, though she would appreciate me saying this: Gandalf. Because, first of all, he’s basically this low-level god, and so he’s immortal and lives forever and has these various powers that he may or may not use. And the fact that he could means that who knows what life might come in store by hanging out with him!? But also, you might just hang out and smoke weed! He has a special penchant for people, well, let’s face it, like us, who just like to hang out and eat and drink. I think that he’d be an amazing friend to have.
Most of his life in Middle Earth is just hanging out with people. He doesn’t have to go on adventures, but he will!
Q: I think that that is THE answer. [laughs]

~

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-

• Sugar Lake Lodge

• Smoke on the Water

• Pokegama Grill

• Pickled Loon

• SuperOne South

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor

• UnWined Up North

• Cedar Creek

• 38 Outpost

• Boulder Taphouse

• SuperOne Foods North

• Dutch Room

• SuperOne Liquor

• Eagle Ridge

Klockow's Summer Hours and Amanda's Adobo and Cocktail Hour

As I write this, it is just after noon on Wednesday, May 29, year of our lord 2024. And there are customers in the taproom. Which means that summer hours are now in effect! We’re now open every day at noon, including Monday!
It’s relatively quiet as people acclimate to the new change, and school isn’t even officially out yet, so full-swing summer culture hasn’t quite happened yet regardless of what side of Memorial Day we’re on.
And that’s just fine. In fact, we all could use the breather after the weekend we had here at the brewery! Friday and Saturday saw a clear uptick in business as summer tourism came to town for the long weekend. And on Sunday…
PANOPTICON!!!
Metal heads traveled from both coasts to this small little hamlet in northern Minnesota to see a rare live performance of Panopticon for their Roads to the North album’s 10 year anniversary. The stage was decked out with stacks of amps and extra lights, the floor was cleared of all tables, and the brewery was opened up with a secondary bar and for a little extra space for the nearly 200 people in attendance to spread out. And the walls reverberated from the deafening sound of the atmospheric black metal that sprung from every string and drum.

We’d also like to give an extra special thanks to Woman Is The Earth for coming all the way from South Dakota to grace our stage, as well as all the die-hard fans who traveled so far to be here on such an amazing night. And who could forget Kyle and Spencer, who set up the sound and lights. A mighty thank you to all involved!

Woman is the Earth

But now we look to the future. If the past was a metal concert, then the future is clearly an art gallery (that’s an obvious thing, right?). In another rare public appearance, local painter Tom Page will be filling the taproom with pieces from his Women with Attitude collection, a series that focuses on the strength, individuality, and je ne sais quoi that makes up the “attitude” of his various models.
”I found all the participants in this series of paintings to be lovely women. They were enjoyable to be around, spoke freely of their interesting lives, appeared engaged in self-empowerment working toward the future,” said Tom at the beginning of his artist statement.

The gallery will be up from 2 p.m. until close at 9. Additionally, there will be both artist as well as model talks at 4 p.m., where attendees will be able to get further insight and stories from the women involved.
As we look even further yet into the future, what is most interesting is what we’re not finding. With summer means any number of summer activities, and an all-too-short look at what the sun is capable of when it’s trying. So whereas we will be continuing with various miscellaneous events, we’ll be putting a couple of our Sunday Funday events on hiatus for the next couple months. Drink & Draw with Lily and Storyteller Sunday will return this September, so enjoy your Sundays off! Come this fall, we expect lots of drawing and storytelling.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Amanda Lussier
Question: How long have you worked here?
Amanda Lussier: I’ve worked here since December of 2020.
Q: And in that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
AL: I’ve thought about this a lot, because as you know, my go-to is Traveling Jack or One Aught. But I have, like, a top 5 of Klockow beer, and they’re all on the malty side. Beatrice is probably my number one. Hays on Tay Scotch Ale. Woodland Legacy Lager; big fan of that. The Münchkin Oktoberfest is one of my favorites! And the last one is Siduri’s (Garden Saison), because it’s me and Tasha’s (Klockow) and Marit’s (Bjordal) beer!
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
AL: Well, you’re my cocktail buddy (staff interviewer, Nathan), so given the chance, my favorite cocktail is the Last Word. I love to sip on something that is elegant and wonderfully crafted. And honestly; can I mention this; your Espresso Negroni is one of my favorite cocktails too! [laughs] Can’t wait to have that again.
Q: Sticking with the general theme, what are some of your favorite foods?
AL: Hmm, I mean, I love food. Probably any type of Asian food: Thai food, Vietnamese food, I grew up with Filipino food. I’d say that my favorite dish ever is my mom’s adobo.
Q: Adobo. What is that?
AL: It’s chicken or pork that’s essentially braised in a soy sauce vinegar mixture, with garlic - lots and lots of garlic - and bay leaves. That’s a big one for that flavor. Serve that with rice, it’s fantastic.
Q: That does sound good. That sounds like my new favorite food! [laughs] Bringing it back home a little bit, what do you do at the brewery?
AL: I am a beertender. I pour beer, talk with our favorite regulars, and - I shouldn’t say that - and others. [laughs] Mainly, I love working here. So whenever the Klockows need help, I will help in any capacity. I will work off-sale events, special events like Frozen Fairways. I’ll label cans if they need it. If they need assistance on the canning line, I’ll do that too.

Amanda Lussier

Q: What are some of the things you like to do for fun outside of work?
AL: I mean, speaking of favorite foods, I love eating and I love dining. I love talking about it with friends and family members. Love talking about service and experiencing good customer service. Outside of that, in town, I love going to karaoke almost every Friday. And yeah, in general, spending time with Kyle, my husband, and our dog and cat.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
AL: Ok, I’ve thought about this briefly, and I’m excited to say that I’ve just worked a lot of different jobs. I don't think a lot of people know that about me.
So out of college, I graduated with an art degree, so I worked in art museums for about three and a half years. In between major jobs, I’ve always been in the industry, bartending or serving. So after working in art museums, I got really interested in craft beer. So I worked as a beertender and that lead to brewing beer and working in production, and that was like completely out of my wheelhouse! And honestly, all of that lead me back to loving hospitality. And I think that is a strong suit for me.
Q: And the last question, if you could be the supreme dictator of this country long enough to make one edict, what would it be and why?
AL: Oh. Ooh. Uh. That is a loaded question! [laughs]
Well, affordable healthcare for everybody, because everyone deserves that. Everyone deserves access to taking care of their bodies and their minds without having to pay a lot, you know. I’m getting emotional! Our bodies are so valuable, and so are our minds! And our families and our partners and friends. We deserve that.

~

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 Drops this Week:

Local, etc -

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Rocket’s - Cohasset

• Eagle Ridge - Coleraine

• Locker Room - Coleraine

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Bottles & Brews - La Prairie

• Sammy’s Pizza - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Pickled Loon - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Grill - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquor - Grand Rapids

McGregor -

• Mark’s Bar

• The Craft House

Duluth & Superior -

• New Scenic Cafe

• Dovetail Cafe

• Woodland Liquor

• Fitger’s Wine Cellar

• SuperOne Liquor - Pike Lake

• Boulder Taphouse - Superior

Mary's Memorial Day Metal!

Hello all!
It’s nearly time for Memorial Day weekend. This means many things; for starters, it’s a day of remembrance for those who’ve fallen in battle in service to the United States. It’s also the traditionally recognized start of summer, when school is let out and warm weather festivities are officially out in full swing! As such, Klockow Brewing will be starting our summer hours next week; open 7 days a week, opening at noon every day!

Well, with some exceptions. Memorial Day weekend also means it’s time to rock out with Panopticon this Sunday!! We’ll be closed for our normal business hours on Sunday, May 26, and we’ll still be closed on Monday, May 27 in order to recoup after a crazy weekend. That also means that there will be no, I repeat, NO OPEN MIC this month.

So aside from all that housekeeping on letting y’all know about our hours of operation, we’re super excited about the concert this weekend! Many people don’t realize that our own Andy Klockow is a heavy metal superstar, playing bass for Panopticon and regularly touring Europe where a bulk of their fans reside. And this year marks the 10 year anniversary of their seminal album, Roads to the North, which they’ll be playing in its entirety. What’s more, the show is going to open with South Dakota metal band Woman is the Earth! This SOLD OUT show will be one for the atmospheric black metal books.

And when we say sold out, we mean 100% sold out! We’ve been hearing from a lot of people excited to come to the show, but if you don’t already have tickets, we’re sorry to have to disappoint you.

But at the end of the day, we’re still a brewery. And that means beer. In addition to some of your regular favorites, be sure to have a pint of Lundr’s Lager and Sonntagsleerung Northwoods Lager this weekend, retapped just for the musical occasion. What’s more, Chase the Grain Northern IPA will be officially released this weekend, in all its sprucy, smoky, hoppy goodness.

Chad’s Meat Wagon gracing the parking lot of Klockow Brewing Co.

Post Memorial Day weekend, we’re looking forward to a grand summer, and that in part means food trucks! Do you know who we’re always excited to see but who has actually been here all winter long? Why Chad’s Meat Wagon, of course! As the only winterized food truck in Grand Rapids, we’ve been proud to partner with him for many years now, especially when he comes out with new menu items like smoked meatloaf or smoked burgers (not regular menu, only ever on special)! But summer means many different events, so Chad will sadly be torn away for various company BBQs, festivals, etc. Though as they say, if you love somebody, let them go. For if it’s true love, they will surely return. And since we’re talking beer and BBQ, you know we’re all in it for the long run! Catch Chad’s Meat Wagon at Klockow this Friday, from noon to 6 p.m.!

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: taproom regular Mary Procopio
Question: How long have you been a regular here?
Mary Procopio: Since the day they opened! And there were so many people in here, we had to stand back by the trash cans when we got our beer. It was chaos, because no one knew they had to come [up to the bar] to get beer. Our son had to tell us that!
Q: What’s your favorite Klockow beer?
MP: I would say Supply Line [Hazy IPA].
Q: That’s been a popular choice amongst the people being interviewed!
MP: Yeah, and I noticed that too!
Q: When you’re not drinking Supply Line, what do you like to drink?
MP: I like the Ursa Minor Galactic Face Slap [Hazy IPA]. It’s just like Supply Line but a little bit sweeter, little bit lighter. Otherwise my go to at home is Sierra Nevada Hazy IPA.
Q: You definitely like your hazy IPAs.
MP: I do. I’m pretty stuck on them.
Q: Sticking with this general theme, what are some of your favorite foods?
MP: I would almost say everything because I cook a lot, but… I like Mexican. I like to make soups. I like to make casseroles. Salads! Well, of course there’s always desserts, but that’s own thing.
Q: Ok, so what is a favorite dessert?
MP: I would say cheesecake. I like to make different cheesecakes. Well, and cookies. And banana bread! I have so many bananas right now. Everyone’s gonna get banana bread (Laughs)!

Mary Procopio with her favorite beer, Supply Line Hazy IPA

Q: What do you like to do for fun?
MP: You know me, I’m the crafter. I’m always doing multiple crafts. And I also like to play in the garden, which finally now it’s getting to be that time, if it would ever stop raining!
I started out sewing American Girl Doll clothes for four years. Then I got burned out, and I went to gnomes! I probably did four years of gnomes, and now I’m burnt out on gnomes. So now I’m trying to diversify; make a little of that, a little of this. Mostly home decorations. Who knows what I’m going to do?
Q: What would be a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
MP: Hmm, well, I’m the 12th child out of 13… I grew up in Indiana… Oh, one fun thing would be when Joe and I got married, I was the one who proposed! And he had to buy the cake and flowers and find the preacher.
Q: So you’re the one who proposed to him?
MP: Yep. His parents were coming out to see him, and I said, “We might as well just get married.” And he said, “Well, that’s a good idea.” And we went from there!
Q: You know, having spent a bit of time with both of you, I can see that happening.
MP: Kind of backwards, but it works; 43 years this year!
Q: And the last question, if you were given a week to spend $1 million, what would you buy and why? No stocks or bonds or anything like that.
MP: Hmm, how about if I built myself a shed, heated, which would be my own craft area that’s mine. Plus we would go on lots of vacations!
Q: So you’d pre-buy a bunch of vacations too?
MP: Yep, and of course I’d buy a lot of people beer (Laughs)! But yeah, I don’t think I could spend that much! Or, well, if I could buy a house, I’d do that. Because I’d want it on a lake.

~

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 Drops this past week:

Local, etc -

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquors - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews - La Prairie

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Locker Room - Coleraine

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Balsam Store - Balsam

• Bear Ridge Pizza - Cohasset

• Tavern on the Range - Bovey

• The Great Outdoors - Pengilly

• Kocian’s - Deer River

• Gosh Dam Place - Deer River

• Winnie Trading Post - Deer River

• S&S Bottle Shop - Deer River

Westworld -

• Doreset Corner - Park Rapids

• Red River Liquor - Akeley

• Liquor Depot of Staples

• Continental Divide Brew Pub - New York Mills

• Vegas Liquor Store

• Brew Ales & Eats - Perham

• Landmark Liquors - Perham

Marcell, Bigfork, etc -

• Hayslips - Talmoon

• Frontier Sports - Marcell

• North Star Lake Resort - Marcell

• Snowshoe Liquor - Marcell

• Wilderness Bar - Bigfork

Greater Range -

• Silver Creek - Virginia

• Rocket Liquors - Virginia

• SuperOne Foods North - Virginia

• SuperOne Foods South - Virginia

• SuperOne Liquors - Virginia

• SuperOne Foods - Hibbing

• SuperOne Liquors - Hibbing

• Keyboard Liquor - Chisholm

• Burnt Onion - Biwabik

Ely, etc -

• Trapline Liquor - Embarass

• Ledge Liquor Store - Tower

• Ely Liquor

• Boathouse Brewery

• Insula

• Stinky Pete’s Tiny Weed Shop

• Zup’s

Superior -

• 7 West Taphouse - Superior

The Post Where Zach Talks Grilling and We Learn About Storytelling and Saisons

Hello all!
Like the most steadfast of armies, time marches on. Is it truly mid-May already? Are we in actuality on the threshold of summer? Yes, and as evidence of that, we’ll be hanging out with our friends at Rapids Radio tomorrow at their Kick Off to Summer BBQ, where we’ll be giving out samples and enjoying burgers from S&S Meats! If you want to know more or just have an affordable lunch with some decent company, swing by Rapids Radio at 507 SE 11th Street in Grand Rapids between noon and 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 16. You can chat with the DJs, and if you’re lucky, get to talk to Nathan from Klockow Brewing while he pours you a sample.
Also looking forward, this being the third week of the month, it is time once again for Storyteller Sunday at the brewery! For those who are unfamiliar, Klockow has teamed up with Michael Goldberg, producer of KAXE’s weekly Stay Human radio show, which shares stories from local and regional writers on a host of different topics. And each month on the third Sunday (part of our Sunday Funday series), we open our stage for a live version of the show from 1 to 3 p.m. This month’s topic: Growth! So think flowers, then think about yourself, and all the ways that you’ve grown as a person professionally, personally, and periodontically (sorry, couldn’t think of another P-word; though if your teeth are in fact growing, please consult your local periodontist). And once you’ve done that, come to the brewery to share with the community your achievements so that we might celebrate them with you!
Unless, of course, it’s the teeth thing.

The late great Aaron Wenger. Before his recent passing, he was a regular favorite on Stay Human and Storyteller Sunday.

NEW BEER ALERT:
Well, not exactly “new,” as we’ve been making Siduri’s Garden Saison for some time now; it’s just coming back again! As winter turns to spring and spring to summer, there are fewer things better than an easy-drinking, flavorful, spritzy saison, and Siduri’s Garden is a fine example of what you should be reaching for.
And for those of you who don’t know what a saison is, we hope your life outside of beer nerd-dom is healthy and fulfilling. But if you want to know, it’s a style of beer that originally hails from Belgium, influenced by the farmhouse ales born out of the pastoral settings of northern France around the Belgian border. Those beers were often made out of what just happened to be around, which was largely malted spelt with only a small amount of barley. For added flavor, other ingredients such as ginger and orange zest were common.

Modern practices have changed some of the ingredients, but the flavor profile has remained the same. Our Siduri’s Garden continues the tradition of added ingredients and uses ginger, coriander, rosemary, and grains of paradise.
It’s not out yet, but keep your eyes peeled for this delightful brew on tap and in cans soon!

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Zach Wood

Question: How long have you worked here?
Zach Wood: Ooh, that’s a really good question. I wanna say 4ish years, but I think I’ve been full-time now for about a little over 2 years.
Q: And in that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
ZW: I don’t have to think twice about that: Supply Line (Hazy IPA). Well, Double Dry-Hop Supply Line. I’ll get a little fancy on that; I like that. Also, it’s kind of a way of hinting to Andy that we need to do Double Dry-Hop Supply Line again if he reads this.
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
ZW: (Sigh) How much time do we have? So much. There’s so many good breweries that I feel terrible if I’m going to leave half of them out. Um, lately it’s been a lot of Ursa Minor; big Drekker fan; Junkyard, who I wish was in the area, but when I can find it is phenomenal; Bemidji Brewing is awesome. It’s awesome that they are here. I’m going to say “awesome” so many times, so edit “awesome” out if you would.
Q: Or I’ll just include that sentence.
ZW: You could. You definitely could. Um, yeah, there’s just so many good ones. Falling Knife! Oh, and RBC (Rapids Brewing Company).
Q: Sticking with the theme of things we like to ingest, what are some of your favorite foods?
ZW: Again, how much time do we have? As much as needed? So like anybody in their late to mid 30s, you have to pick something that you’re going to get really into, and smoked meats became my thing. So pretty much anything on the grill. I love grilling in the summer, in the winter, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is.
Ribs, pulled pork, brisket… Supper underrated: smoked cream cheese! Fantastic. Super easy, and people always love it.
Can’t go wrong with tacos either.

Q: So what do you do at the brewery?
ZW: Whatever they need me to do! I do a lot of the local sales here. I’ll bartend when needed. Driving Max and Andy insane in back trying to learn how to brew. Yeah, just whatever needs to get done that week or that day.
Q: Are you trying to learn the brewing side because you want to become a brewer?
ZW: Yeah, that’s the ideal situation, for sure. No secret on that one. You can ask Andy and Max on that!
Q: What do you like for fun?
ZW: I like to grill a lot! (Laughs) Recently picked up the game of golf. I am absolutely terrible at it, but so far I’m just enjoying it with the summer coming. So I’m learning the ins-and-outs of that.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
ZW: Oh, that’s a good curve ball. Wasn’t ready for that one.
The first thing that comes to my head — it was so long ago — but I used to play music all the time and was fortunate enough to go and do a small U.S. tour with a bunch of really good friends that I grew up with. We were on the road for 32 days and played 28 shows… to maybe 29 people. (Laughs) But it was still just an absolute blast. Just terrible punk rock music. Hopefully we were in tune. But it was a lot of fun. Lot of great memories from that.
Q: When was that?
ZW: Probably 2008 or 2009, I believe.
Q: The last question, if you could commit a non-violent crime with impunity, which one would you pick and why?
ZW: Ooh, that’s a great one. I mean, the low-hanging fruit is to rob a bank, but I don’t need that. That’s not my style. But the first and the stupidest thing that comes to my mind is to smuggle illegal fireworks for the Fourth of July! (Laughs) I don’t know why, but that was the first… I mean, because the state of Minnesota won’t let you have the fun fireworks and so it’d be like “hell yeah, we’re gonna have good fireworks this year!”
~
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 drops this past week:

Local, etc -

• Sugar Lake Lodge - Cohasset

• Timberlake Lodge - Grand Rapids

• Municipal Liquor Store - Remer

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Red Eye - Swan River

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Pickled Loon - Grand Rapids

• Eagles Club - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquors - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods North - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Foods South - Grand Rapids

• Dutch Room - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Lake Store - Grand Rapids

• SuperOne Liquors - Grand Rapids

• Frontier Liquors - Grand Rapids

Twin Cities & Surrounding Areas -

• Ombibulous

• South Lyndale

• Stinson

• Isanti Municipal Liquor Store

• Vintage Pub - Askov

Brainerd Lakes Area -

• Jack Pine Brewery

• SuperOne Liquor - Baxter

• SuperOne Liquor - Crosby

St Cloud Area -

• Westside Liquor - East St. Cloud

What Do Plants, Yoga, and Crowe Have in Common?

Hello all!

Sometimes all you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy a taco. Fortunately, Singing Chihuahua Taco Truck is back on their regular routine of setting up in the Klockow parking lot, every Wednesday and Saturday. We do love our food truck comrades here at the brewery, so it's always a cause for celebration when they make their way back after the winter break.

Gus proudly waving the taco flag.

(I don't know when any of you will be reading this, but if you stop by their truck on a day when the special is garlic chicken tacos, get them! I mean, provided you like garlic, because they are definitely something for the garlic lover in your life.)

Speaking of garlic, er, um, because it's a plant... this friday Klockow is hosting a Plant Exchange! (How's that for a segue!?) It's a spring tradition here at the brewery, to give some space to our favorite neighborhood green thumbs to hob knob with one another, make some trades, and of course a few sales as well. And so especially since this Sunday is Mother's Day, it could be a perfect time to find a bit of greenery for the woman who gave you everything.

And with all that extra oxygen that you'll be getting from the plants you picked up on Friday, maybe you use that breath for some brewery yoga on Saturday morning! (I have a feeling that my segues are getting better!) Brewery Yoga with Kelly will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, and is a free one hour vinyasa yoga session. We just ask that participants make a minimum $10 donation for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. And, as per usual, be sure to stick around afterward for a pint to rejuvenate yourself.

Kelly Erickson

And on Sunday (sorry, I'm completely out of segues), we will be doing our monthly second Sunday Board Games and Records Day! Wanna organize a game with friends, or otherwise want to just try to recruit a willing person to join your campaign, we're your place! Have some records that you want to knock the dust off of to listen to while you down a pint, then look no further. Just another part of our ongoing Sunday Funday antics.

NEW BEER ALERT:

This might be a bit early to say too much about, but we got a new beer coming out. For those in the know, Panopticon, the world-famous black metal band whom our esteemed owner/head brewer, Andy Klockow, happens to play bass for, will be kicking off an upcoming tour by performing at the brewery on Memorial Day weekend. So in honor of the concert, a beer must be born! And so the Klockow/Hammerheart collaboration Chase the Grain Northern IPA came to be! This slightly smoky, spruce tipped IPA is brewed with Nugget Hops and Kviek yeast and named after the last song on Panopticons album "Roads to the North," which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary.

"It's tongue-in-cheek because literally everything we do is chasing grain," joked Andy regarding his brewing process.

Keep your eyes peeled, your ears open, and your nose to the grindstone for further news of Chase the Grain's release.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: long-time regular at the taproom, Brian Crowe

Question: How long have you been a regular here?

Brian Crowe: I think only about three years, as a regular. It hasn't been that long. It took me awhile to actually come here, and I don't know why.

Q: What's your favorite Klockow beer?

BC: I don't necessarily have a favorite. I have multiples that I like a lot. Supply Line (Hazy IPA), One Aught (Cold IPA), Siduri's Garden (Saison); depends on the season, depends on the day.

Q: If all those are on tap, which one would you pick?

BC: Probably Siduri's Garden, because it's the least likely to be on tap! Or just for a short amount of time, I mean.

Q: When you're not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?

BC: Mountain Dew Kickstart Fruit Punch. It's my coffee.

Q: Sticking with the theme, what are some of your favorite foods?

BC: A lot of smoked barbque. Ribs. I like smoked fish. And I've become a fan of sushi!

Q: What do you do for work?

BC: I'm employed by Pepsi Cola as a service technician. Which means I fix anything that dispenses Pepsi products; bar guns, fountain machines, coolers, vending machines. I've done just about every job in the company over 25 years.

Q: What do you like to do for fun?

BC: Camping, curling, and hanging out by a bonfire!

Q: What's a fun/interesting fact about yourself?

BC: That's difficult. I can't think of anything... Only thing I can think of is that I've participated in BBQ contests, rib contests. In three years, we went from 9 out of 10, to third. It was ribs.

Q: Was there a secret to your success?

BC: Yeah, and it's a secret! But we did change the recipe. We went from 9th, to 7th, to 3rd, and it was the last year that we changed the recipe.

Q: And lastly, if you could be transported back to any time or place in history, when and where would it be and why?

BC: Oh gosh... Actually, the land rush days when everybody was claiming their lands, where it was a free-for-all run to stake your land, I'd like to go back and see that. That's kind of a cool thing; now it takes so much to get a piece of property. Back then, well, you had to work hard on it to make it work, but you worked for what you got. Now you work for everything but you can't get as much.

~

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

Maibocks and Tacos and Max, Oh My!

Hello all!
And happy May to y’all as well! We were happy to close out the month with such an amazing turnout for our 2nd annual Erste Mai festival! The bands… amazing. The fans… second-to-none. The taco truck… a savior of tasty sustenance.
“I don’t think it could’ve gone any better,” said Tasha Klockow. “Everyone seemed to have a really good time!”

We want to thank Mitch McCarroll of Underground Til Sundown and Angie Erickson for helping organize the show, Dan-o & the rest of the staff at Rapids Radio and Malachy Koons & the rest of the staff at KAXE for help in promoting the show, Itasca Light & Sound, Singing Chihuahua Taco Truck, Borealis Creamery, Amanda Lussier who was behind the bar all day, the huge crowd of fans that showed up, and especially the bands: Modern Day Wasteland, Smalltown Sindrome, Southpaw, Loss Leader, Battery Eyes, and Underground til Sundown. And we can’t wait to do it again, so mark it down now; Der Erste Mai at Klockow on April 26, 2025.

But it is May now, so that can only mean one thing: Maibocks! “Unofficially” tapped last week to be on in time for the festival, today marks the official start of our The Pits and The Pitless Maibock beers. The cherry and non-fruited styles, respectively, have been annual hits here at the brewery. And what’s more, we listened to the requests from guests last year and made sure to can both of them for off sale! Far too many people asked if they could buy cans of our Maibock to go, and we sadly had to turn them down. Not this year, though! So c’mon down for a pint and take a 4-pack home.

Also by popular demand, we have a new Shrubbery flavor! Last week we released our Cherry Hop 10mg seltzer to little fanfare, but still great delight. Similar to the Lemon Hop, the Cherry Hop Shrubbery operates with subtle flavors but with a softer acidity and nice tartness thanks to the cherries. Find it at a grocer near you, or of course just at the brewery.

Upcoming this weekend will be Andy Klockow sightings outside of the brewery. Friday is the monthly First Friday Art Walk in downtown Grand Rapids, and Andy will be pouring beer alongside the Free Range Food Co-op folks at the parking lot kitty-corner from Old Central School for their site announcement party. And on Saturday, Andy will be representing at Rapids Brewing Company for their annual Lager Fest. We’ll be bringing Stranger Ranger American Light Lager (classic), Betrunkener Onkel Dunkel Lager (hilarious), and The Pitless and The Pits Maibock and Cherry Maibock (yes, they are in fact lagers, too). So by all means, hit up our friends at RBC this Saturday… just so long as you have a KBC beer! And, of course, be sure to take a selfie with Andy to prove you found him.

We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do: Max Chamberlain
Question: How long have you worked here?
Max Chamberlain: A little over six and a half years now. October 2nd, I believe was my first day, 2017. So 25 days before the actual opening is when I started.
Q: In all that time, what is your favorite Klockow beer?
MC: I would have to break it down into two categories, because it’s hard to compare a regular beer that we make weekly, monthly, or even seasonally to something that is barrel-aged. So my favorite beer, and I might be a little biased, would be the Magic Roundabout (bourbon barrel-aged imperial vanilla stout. Full disclosure: Max wrote the recipe for the Roundabout Vanilla Stout).
But if I had to pick something that is not barrel-aged, it might be the Münchkin Oktoberfest. 
Q: When you’re not drinking Klockow beer, what do you like to drink?
MC: I’m a very simple person. I don’t actually drink that much in general… so most commonly, if you see me sipping on something, it’ll be just plain ol’ water! But, you know, I have a couple cups of coffee every morning. Otherwise something in the evening… Diet Pepsi has always been big in my family. My parents drink it all the time, so if I want something sweet and carbonated, I’ll reach in the fridge for one of them.
But if I had to pick one thing, I’d say water is it.
Q: Sticking with the theme of things we like to ingest, what are some of your favorite foods?
MC: It’s a basic answer, but I’ll almost never turn down pizza, if offered. And I’ll often go out of my way to find it! Besides that, I dunno… lots of stuff with steak. Like I like it a grilled steak just by itself, but also steak that’s been seasoned, grilled up, and put in something, like a burrito, or beef and broccoli, or stir fried. Or sliced up on a sandwich. Or beef curry!

Q: So what do you do at the brewery?
MC: I make the beer. I was an assistant brewer for about a year or two before my promotion and update to my business cards that I hand out to nobody.
Every day there’s something to clean: the fermenters that we brew into, the brite tanks where the beer gets carbonated before it gets canned, the canning line itself, the floors and walls in general so that we’re cooking in a sanitary place. Then on average, twice a week we actually brew beer. And that’s as simple as get some hot water, add some grain to it, pull out the sugar, boil the sugar, add hops, throw it into a fermenter and add yeast, let it do its thing for a couple of weeks, carbonate it, can it, keg it, and drink it!
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
MC: If I’m not at work, I’m right next door at the gym. It’s my de-load space, I suppose. Stressed out? I’m gonna go to the gym. I’m bored? I’m gonna go to the gym. I’m tired, but I don’t wanna be? Gonna go to the gym.
Q: What’s a fun/interesting fact about yourself?
MC: Oh man, let’s see, what do people consider interesting? Just something I like to do? I mean, I’m pretty quiet, so you wouldn’t guess, but I really enjoy arguing about nonsensical things! You wanna have a debate about how useful bread is in a diet? What’s your favorite type of egg? I’ll tell you why you’re wrong if you say scrambled eggs!
Q: Last question, if you could have dinner with one famous person, living or dead, who would you pick and why?
MC: That really is a tough question. Like you hear that question every now and then, but I’ve never really given it much thought.
The only one who comes to mind for me is the author of “One Piece,” Eiichiro Oda. It would be interesting to see what I could get out of him, because it’s been 27 years he’s been writing this story! And still, he’s the only one who actually knows how it’s supposed to end. And in my head, it’s like, do I actually want to know how it ends, or do I want to keep enjoying it? Even in the story, there’s a part where the main character meets someone who essentially did his job in the past; he knows all the answers, you could ask him right now and he could tell you what the treasure is that they’re looking for; but he said no, if I don’t find it out on my own, I don’t want to find out at all.
So would it be fun to know how the story ends? Would I keep reading if I knew? I don’t know if I would. So my question to him might be more like where did all his influences come from? There’re some that are well-known, like previous authors before him. Some of the illustrations that he uses are basically ripped from mythologies all across the globe. And his inspiration to start the story came from an old cartoon called Vicky the Viking. So he was like, “Vikings are cool. They’re basically pirates. I’m going to write a story about pirates.” So I’d love to learn how he does his research, how does he find inspiration in so many things, and yet bring them all together into one cohesive story?
~
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 drops this past week:

Local, etc. -

• Bear Ridge Pizza - Coleraine

• Rocket’s - Cohasset

• NoPo Kitchen - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Zorbaz - Grand Rapids

• Pickeled Loon - Grand Rapids

• Dutch Room - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Bottles & Brews - Grand Rapids

• Super One Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Super One Foods - South Grand Rapids

Duluth & Superior -

• 7 West - Superior

• Super One Liquor - Cloquet

• Super One Liquor - West Duluth

• Super One Liquor - Pike Lake

• New Scenic Cafe - North Shore

• Dovetail Cafe - Duluth

• Woodland Liquor - Duluth

• DECC - Duluth

McGregor -

• Mark’s Bar

• Willey’s

Welcome to Klock Talk!

Hello all, and welcome to the debut blog post by your favorite neighborhood beer broker, Klockow Brewing Co.! Klock Talk (or the Klog, if you wanna be like that) will be a weekly newsletter where you can find information on new brews, where such beer can be found outside of the brewery, upcoming events, and even a bit about the people that make this place what it is!
This is a honey of a week to start the blog because we got new beer and a huge event happening! And they happen to be related to each other. The second annual Erste Mai Punk Music festival is happening all day on Saturday, April 27. There’s no cover, but simply ask a $15 donation, all of which will go to the bands! The taproom is gonna get rocked by the likes of Modern Day Wasteland, Smalltown Sindrome, Southpaw, Loss Leader, Battery Eyes, and headlined by Underground til Sundown.
Speaking of the headliner, the guys from Underground til Sundown actually worked with our head brewer, Andy Klockow, to make a special release beer just for the occasion. Tornadogenesis Pub Ale (pronounced Tornado Genesis) is an easy drinking British-style ale, a sessionable brew made to hoist along with a crew of your mates while you drink to the good ol’ days. In other words, it’s the perfect beer to drink at a day-long music festival.

And since it is all day, folks are going to have to eat. Fortunately, we’re also seeing the seasonal return of The Singing Chihuahua Taco Truck this Saturday, as well as the fine folks at Borealis Creamery for your dessert!
If this isn’t enough music for you, be sure to come back on Sunday for our last-Sunday-of-the-month open mic, hosted by Ditty Wish! Definitely show up if Erste Mai inspired you to do some performing yourself.
This weekend will be the culmination of a busy April here at Klockow Brewing. Aside from the usual Sunday-Funday events each week, we kicked off the month with the return of Porters & Poetry for National Poetry Month, followed by the Books & Brews book fair the next week. It was a blast working with our friends at Wildflower Bookshop, and everyone who came that day seemed to agree!
Then the next week was our first ever 48 Hour Band Contest, which busted all expectations. This was our version of an event that has a history in the Minneapolis music scene, and organized with the help of McKeon Roberts and Kai Stenlund, both of whom had formerly competed in the cities. Our contestants showed up on Thursday evening, where they threw their names in a hat and were randomly assigned to each other, making four freshly-minted bands that had only two days to come up with a 10 minute set. And they didn’t disappoint. The taproom was packed and each band brought their A-game, playing everything from folk to metal to country to punk. Taking top prize was The Mockups, comprised of Angie Erickson, Avrielle Schneider, and Zach Nichols.
This week has already seen the Grand Rapids Farmer’s Market spring fundraiser, which we’re happy to announce has surpassed their goal! Money raised will help with all the work-a-day stuff that helps the organization stay in the business of bringing farm fresh goods to the community. Be sure to check them out each Wednesday and Saturday morning all summer long!
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. Next week we’ll be getting to know a member of the staff in our segment “We Barley Know You, But We Hop to Change That. It’s the Yeast We Can Do.”

The Klockow Staff

Beer drops this past week:

Westworld -

• Continental Divide Brew Pub - New York Mills

• 1894 - Perham

Local, etc. -

• Smoke on the Water - Coleraine

• Sammy's - Grand Rapids

• Eagles - Grand Rapids

• Boulder Taphouse - Grand Rapids

• Super One Liquor - Grand Rapids

• Pokegama Plaza Liquor - Grand Rapids 

• Bear Ridge Pizza - Coleraine

• Red Eye - Swan River

• S&S Bottle Shop - Deer River

• MJ's Resort - Pengilly

• Great Outdoors Bottle Shop - Pengilly

• Timberwolf Inn - Marcell

• Shoeshoe Liquor - Marcell

• Antler Store - Bigfork

Range -

• Marge's Liquor - Eveleth

• Super One Liquor - Virginia

• Super One Liquor - Hibbing

• Super One Foods - Virginia (Shrubbery)

Ely -

• Insula 

• Mike's Drive-In Liquor

• Ely Liquor

Misc -

• Revelation Ale Works - Hallock (Dukka Water)