From July 22-26, Mike Munson played 10 breweries in 5 days. This trip was spread out between larger breweries with beer halls, to family run farms. I was lucky enough to tag along with him and document the tour, blogging it daily on The Growler’s web blog. The goal was to celebrate the thriving, diverse local brewing scene, and pair it with some great local music. I’d say it was a success.
Many readers of The Noisy Neighbor know Mike well, either through his Sunday night residency at Ed’s, or his work in the Old Fashioneds. For the past couple of years, he’s been making the rounds, sounding better each time. He released his first record late last year, and is prepping its follow-up, a recording of the debut record’s release party show at Ed’s, with Mikkel Beckmen on percussion.
The first two nights of the tour kept us relatively local. Our first stop was Wyndfall Cyder at Hoch Orchards. Cidermaker Rob Fisk is diligently working on this upstart cidery, hoping to have product available later this year. The samples were refreshing (especially the hopped hard cider), the people were wonderful and inviting, and Mike’s loose, lively set near the family’s pool was a lot of fun. From there we went to Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse, WI where Mike played a mellow evening set to a casual crowd, while I took in the six-beer sample flight, with the two stouts standing out for me.
The second day brought us to Wenonah Brewing, who kindly opened up on a Wednesday for us, and Mike set up outside to a crowd that continued to grow until the last song. After a little social time, we packed up and headed up the highway to Reads Landing Brewing Company. For a Wednesday, that place was packed, and Mike set up near the front of the building and played to a crowd that sipped and tapped along. Afterward, owner/brewmaster Bob took us downstairs for a tour of his well-done brewing setup before we made our way home for the night.
Day three brought us up to the Twin Cities for an afternoon gig at Bang Brewing, a new place in St. Paul. Their brewery is a round grain silo, and we were instantly taken with the brewery, the beers, and proprietors Jay and Sandy’s hospitality. They were kind enough to open for us on an off day, and Mike was set up outside for a fun, cool set of blues until wind brought us inside for a short time, before finishing back out in the sun. This place was so much fun, and I cannot wait to go back. After that, we trekked over to Fulton Beer in downtown Minneapolis for a patio set with Mikkel Beckmen. Many familiar faces joined us there, including Joe from The Growler, Ed Hoffman, and Jay and Sandy from Bang. The two saisons Fulton was serving were fantastic, and their All Star Game one-off, called Designated Bitter, was my favorite of theirs. After a trip to the 331 club to visit friends, we crashed at our friends Brandon and Leah’s place before our next stop.
Day four took us up to Duluth, which naturally meant a stop at The Brewhouse for lunch and some Fitger’s beer. From there we went to visit Dave Hundrieser, who along with Mikkel Beckmen, accompanied Mike at both Bent Paddle and Carmody Irish Pub. Bent Paddle was packed. I had their sample flight and enjoyed every sip. Mike and the guys played a well-received set to a good sized group. After Bent Paddle, we went back to the Hundrieser’s for dinner before heading to Carmody for a late set. Mike’s set was a huge hit here, as people cleared out tables and chairs for dancing and stomping. Mike obliged the chants for an encore before we went back to crash for the night.
The last day brought us back to the Twin Cities, with an afternoon stop at Harriet Brewing. This arty, airy space was a lot of fun, and Mike’s set was met by a lively crowd. I had their flight, and their beers were all well-made and enjoyable on a warm sunny day. The Luv Jus Belgian Wit was my favorite of the bunch. After packing up, we headed to St. Paul for the last stop at Summit Brewing’s fantastic beer hall. What a place! Mike set up on the patio, we had plenty of familiar faces there, and Jay and Sandy from Bang Brewing even closed their own place down early to join us! After enjoying some Saga straight from the source, we had the Summit folks open the gift shop for us before saying goodbye. We then hit the road for home and made it back to Winona a little after midnight.
All in all, it was a fun, fast trip to some exciting places. And taking in ten sets of Mike’s music wasn’t bad either! We were treated to good weather, good folks, and gracious hosts. Thanks to everyone involved for a great experience, and make sure to check these places out if you’re in the area. Keep up with Mike to see when and where he will be playing, and support your local breweries and musicians. Cheers!