Brau Brothers Brewing Company - Ringneck

Pouring a deep, mahogany-like, reddish-brown hue capped by a light tan head, Ringneck looks good in our glasses as we move in for a sniff. Named in honor of a famous species of duck that calls Minnesota home, this brew started life as a fall seasonal before being elevated to year-round due to popular demand. On the nose, we picked up quite an inviting malt profile offering notes of toast, brown bread, mild roast, moderate caramelization, and a touch of earthy spice. Look for all these notes to translate onto the palate where this brown ale expands with layers of caramel, toasted grain and bread, touches of cocoa powder, hints of coffee, an undercurrent of dried fruit, and a mild hop bitterness which adds a lightly spicy balancing element to this brew's hint of sweetness. Brewed with a British hop variety and a British cask-style yeast strain, the brewers were definitely going for an English-style brown ale versus what is usually the more bombastically hopped American version. Its medium body and easygoing nature make it a joy to drink on its own, but it also makes for a very food-friendly brew. We'd steer towards grilled meats and vegetables, which will play off the beer’s dash of lingering roastiness; or, try a plate of English-style cheeses like Cheddar, Cotswold, and Gloucester, or a slice of chocolate or coffee cake. Cheers!

Straight out of college in 1999, Dustin Brau and his wife, Mary, bought a restaurant in the small town of Lucan, MN (approx. 200 residents), which they named BrauHaus. In order to attract more of the local population to come enjoy a meal in town, the duo decided to begin offering their very own BrauHaus beers made on-premises, thus turning their homebrewing hobby into a legitimate microbrewery. Their tiny 2-barrel system was barely enough to keep up with the demand of their restaurant, so in 2006 they moved their beer production to a larger building in Lucan. It was at this time that Dustin's brothers, Trevor and Brady, joined the enterprise, and their father, Dale, joined in to help too. With space to brew more beer, the team could now take the business to the next level. Brau Brothers Brewing Company was officially founded. A bottling line was installed and their beer began flowing out of the town of Lucan to retail accounts throughout the area. Additionally, they began farming their own hops and barley on a few acres of nearby land.

In 2013, an even bigger step was taken when Brau Brothers moved to an even larger facility in the city of Marshall, several miles to the west. BrauHaus was closed in order to focus entirely on the brewing company, which now enjoys 37,000 square feet of space, 3,500 of which is devoted to barrel-aging, allowing Brau Brothers to produce a wider variety of beers, including sours, not to mention their own line of sodas. The brewery's Tap Room offers over two dozen taps and, in addition to providing tasty pub fare including burgers, pizza, and sandwiches, also offers growler fills so visitors can take plenty of beer home with them. For more info, contact them at 507-929-BEER, or visit www.braubeer.com.