If Minneapolis were one big high school, Tony Zaccardi would win the vote for class president in a landslide—but he wouldn’t be happy about it. In fact, he’s the most humble, unassuming 43-year-old popular kid you could ever meet. Before becoming the owner of the iconic Palmer’s Bar in Minneapolis’ West Bank in 2018, Zaccardi … [ Read more]
10 Bars for 2020: James Ballentine VFW
July 30, 2020 by
For veteran members of post 246, reopening means returning home to their community This article is part of our “10 Bars for 2020” feature. Read more stories of bars that are defining this moment in drinking. If you spent any amount of your 20s in or around Minneapolis, the odds are high that you’ve haunted … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Elm Creek Brewing Co. in Champlin
July 6, 2020 by
Now Open (Or Damn Close) is supported by underwriting partner Maltwerks, a Midwest malt house focused on genuine relationships in offering quality, locally produced, traceable malt. The Growler maintained full editorial control over the content. The city of Champlin has its first brewery—and the response has been overwhelming. Just two weeks after Elm Creek Brewing’s … [ Read more]
Artist Profile: Illustrating a moment in history with Andres Guzman
July 2, 2020 by
What began with yet another horrifying act of police violence against an unarmed black man has grown into an international social revolution. And with that came an explosion of public art. Starting at the corner of 38th and Chicago in South Minneapolis, murals memorializing George Floyd have spread as far as Berlin, Nairobi, and a … [ Read more]
Brewing in the Time of COVID: To ensure their survival, Minnesota breweries have had to get creative
July 2, 2020 by
In the time since March 16, when it was announced that Minnesota’s bars and restaurants would only be allowing takeout service, breweries across the state have been in a constant state of flux. Though some breweries saw the storm approaching and started ramping down production in the weeks leading up to the state’s lockdown, the … [ Read more]
Ramsey Louder, the first black man to co-own a brewery in Minneapolis, resigns from company
June 26, 2020 by
Head brewer and co-owner Ramsey Louder announced his resignation from ONE Fermentary & Taproom on June 26, saying in a statement on his Facebook page, “I’ve realized that my vision and values differ from those of ownership of ONE.” Louder is the first Black man to co-own a brewery in Minneapolis, and the second in … [ Read more]
Bill introduced to temporarily expand on-site sales for Minnesota’s craft breweries and microdistilleries
May 7, 2020 by
After a major public push last week led by the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, a bill has been introduced that would temporarily allow breweries and distilleries some retail flexibility. HF 4640, authored by Rep. Liz Olson and Rep. Sydney Jordan, would allow breweries whose taprooms have been closed by executive order to sell six- and … [ Read more]
Artist Profile: Sam Soulek found his calling through design
April 3, 2020 by
Cover artist Sam Soulek’s interest in graphic design was born on a fateful summer afternoon from an unexpected source: a TV ad for an art school’s video game design program. “I didn’t know design was even a thing,” he says. “But I knew video games were a thing, and I had to have this stupid … [ Read more]
The Growler’s Tourism Guide 2020: Road Trip Playlists
April 3, 2020 by
Find more great travel ideas in The Growler’s Tourism Guide 2020 The difference between dreading the endless hours on long, lonely stretches of highway and cherishing the open road as an essential part of your vacation can all come down to the soundtrack. If you tailor your playlists for an array of variables—mood, landscape, time … [ Read more]
Artist Profile: Breathing new life into Native legends with Marlena Myles
February 24, 2020 by
Though she may appear a mythical being on the cover, Zitkála-Šá was a flesh-and-bone Dakota Sioux translator, writer, musician, teacher, and activist. Taken by missionaries from her home in 1884 on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota to a Quaker boarding school in Indiana, she became one of the first of the Dakota Sioux … [ Read more]
Hot Stuff: Finding the source of Minnesota’s thermaculture boom starts with a trip to the Iron Range
January 27, 2020 by
Deep in the remote Iron Range of northern Minnesota on the shores of Lake Vermilion sits the quiet town of Tower, population of about 500. The Minnesohhtan accents here are as thick as they come—right on Main Street, Uffda Thrifts & Gifts shares a building with UBetcha Antiques & Uniques. The town has a rugged, … [ Read more]
Artist Profile: To see into the future, Patricio DeLara looks to the past
December 23, 2019 by
Patricio DeLara has no interest in committing to any one medium. He much prefers to focus on the idea he’s trying to portray and then find the style best suited to represent it. This fluid creative process has opened doors to a wide array of media, from painting to graphic design and illustration—and looking ahead, … [ Read more]
2019 Year in Review: Minnesota’s Arts and Culture Scene
November 26, 2019 by
As we flip back in our mental Rolodex to remember the standout cultural and artistic happenings of 2019, we can generally sort the year’s events into three piles: good, bad, and…complicated. With a quick glance at the year’s headlines, things might appear grim: world leaders are running amok, and irreversible climate change is becoming … [ Read more]
3 Minnesota Cideries take home awards from U.S. Cider Open
November 19, 2019 by
Three Minnesota cideries took home awards from the sixth annual U.S. Open Cider Championships, with the final round of judging held in Buffalo, New York. Duluth’s newest craft cideries shined. In the Perry & Pear Cider category, Wild State Cider won bronze with their Pear Cider, while Duluth Cider garnered a gold medal in the Anything Goes … [ Read more]
New brewpub, Iron Exchange Tavern & Brewery, coming to Maple Plain
November 11, 2019 by
Maple Plain will soon be getting its very own brewpub, The Iron Exchange Tavern & Brewery. Complete with house-brewed beer, guest taps, a full food menu, and a house cocktail program, the project located at 1500 Howard Avenue is led by wife-husband duo Mary and Todd Murley, with Todd working as the head brewer. For … [ Read more]
