MNBeer’s Minnesota Beer Challenge
The guy behind MNBeer.com has been challenged to drink only Minnesota beers for the rest of 2007. Can this be done? Is it a good idea? What are the risks?
Putting My Money Where My Beer Is/Goes
I’ve been challenged to consume only Minnesota beers for the rest of the year.As an advocate for beer in Minnesota, this doesn’t seem like a terrible idea, once one gets past the notion that I like a lot of beers from around the US and abroad. Could I do it?
It sounds like a great idea to me. I currently have only Minnesota beers in the house – Summit Extra Pale Ale & Grain Belt Premium – and could live on just those two if I had to. Giving up Leinie’s could be tough. For me, the toughest part would be finding sources of Minnesota beers when traveling. For example, would I be able to find a Summit in Croatia?
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:44 pm
It came as more of a joke fueled by local beers more than anything. I think I’m going to take it and roll with it.
February 4th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
This an easy challenge for me to embrace, maybe not a challenge at all since I haven’t been traveling. You should give yourself an exemption for traveling, because when traveling it is all about experiencing that which the other country exposes to you–in other words, enjoy that Croatian beer and save the MN beer for MN drinking.
Now, for domestic travel, you would have a tougher choice–drink the local micro-brews there or work hard to find the MN beer outlet (for example, when in Arkansas…personally, I think I would go for the experience angle and at least try the Razorback beer or whatever it might be called).
I’ve been leaning that way for years from a standpoint of supporting the local economy and keeping my two cents away from the corporate giants–Miller (owned by South African) and Anheuser-Busch (while USA-based as far as I know, it is still big outta state corporate to me).
I even cut way down on my Leinies, when I heard they were bought by Miller, and substituted Summit and Surly when I had a choice.
And, actually as a side benefit of my ‘support the local econ’ approach, I stumbled into the value of micro over macro-brewing in the quality and taste of beer. Mmm, beer.
February 4th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I’m drinking a great Minnesota Beer Right now, brewed by yours truly. An even better challenge is to not buy any beer for home consumption for a year, only the ingredients for beer. Think of the tax savings! Pawlenty might have to supplement the state’s income with another “fee”..