Coffee Brew Debut

A fusion of local small business and a joy for quality beverages united beer and coffee lovers last night at Common Roots Cafe on the corner of Lyndale Ave. S. and 26th St. in Uptown, Minneapolis. The event is one of a series of locally focused sessions being hosted by the less than year-old establishment that prides itself on providing an eco-friendly atmosphere where customers can purchase organic, local and vegan food and drink.

Just as local is Surly Brewing Company, whose Brooklyn Center facility has seen so much activity since the industry newcomers debut in 2006 that they are already expanding. While tours remain on hold until Spring, the craftsmen continue to produce a line of highly drinkable beers that are available in 50+ Minneapolois/St. Paul establishments, others across the state of Minnesota and a few lucky spots in the Chicago area.


These two booming area namesakes joined forces to release a unique beer that unites the roasted flavors of coffee beans from (yes another Minnesota business) Tea & Coffee Unlimited in Linden Hills. The beer saw it's debut at a few other area bars in the last week, however the unique nature of this event was that it wasn't being held in a bar, rather in a place normally reserved for mochas and espressos.

What may be the most uncommon aspect of Common Roots is that ownership took it upon themselves to secure a liquor license and offer a universal location for beverage lovers. Mornings and around lunch you can find the shop packed with students, entrepreneurs and freelancers pounding away on their laptops. By 4:00 the mood shifts to a playful vibe as laptops are packed away and others getting off of work filter in for happy hour- featuring $3 local beer and $3.50 wine.

Those gathering Wednesday night were lucky to have tasted the newest addition on tap: The Surly Coffee Bender. For $4.93 (with tax) I was able to enjoy the concoction in the company of roughly 150-200 others hoping to taste the limited release. After a few sips of the dark liquid I could see why it won a gold medal at last year's Great American Beer Festival (The Academy Awards of beer). Coffee Bender is light in carbonation, smooth in it's drinkability and extremely flavorful with a mix of sweetness and slight bitterness that compliment its' rich texture. At 5% alcohol and 25 IBUs it's a beer that is to be sipped and enjoyed, just like your favorite cup of coffee.


Surly promises to serve the Coffee Bender at tastings, festivals, special events and eventually tours, but you likely won't find it on tap many places; this brew is produced in small 20 gallon batches. If you're craving Surly, or at least curious, you can still find their four signature beers: Bender, Furious, Cynicale and Darkness across the Twin Cities. As their facility grows, production will increase and availability will become more widespread.

For other local tastes, checkout some of the upcoming beer events at Common Roots:

January 31st- Flat Earth's Pale Ale tasting (free samples) 5-7pm
February 2nd- Brau Bros. Pale Ale tasting (free samples) 8-10pm

Summit Brewing Company- Tour and Tasting
A group of 7 other beer loving individuals and I visited this neighborhood staple for another glimpse into the brewing process and of course, a free tasting. Overall the facility is impressive; extremely clean and spacious. The craft brewery is not in operation on the weekend, but we were able to see where each wort is boiled, yeast ferments and the brew is bottled. Our tour guide was rather uninformed, but it was his last day on the job and may have been doing some sampling of his own. A cool fact is that all tours are given by volunteers who are paid in free cases of beer- a fun way for aficianados to connect and get the hook-up.

The Summit brand has been in production in Saint Paul for twenties years and is now served in bars and liquor stores across the midwest. Their signature brew, the EPA, leads diverse list of selections that also includes a Pilsner, an IPA and a Porter amongst other seasonal options. I was not overly impressed with their year-round options. However, their limited release Oatmeal Stout, brewed with caramel and dark malts, was highly rich in flavor.

If you're around the Twin Cities checkout the tour for yourself. They ask that you call ahead for a weekend reservation. More Information: SUMMIT BREWERY TOUR