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Want to be our next Featured Brewer? Contact our marketing department at marketing@midwestmicrobrews.com to find out how! |
The Herkimer Pub & Brewery Brew Reviews |
MidwestMicroBrews, 118 S. Washington Street #402B, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 |
The Herkimer Pub & Brewery 2922 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55408 Phone: (612) 821-0101 Brewmaster: Gustavo Vale |
History
The Herkimer Pub & Brewery is a welcoming brewpub in the hip Lynlake area of Uptown, Minneapolis. Established in the late
‘90s, the Herkimer offers a 1920s atmosphere and is the only brewpub in Uptown Minneapolis.
The aspect of the Herkimer we find most intriguing is its diversity. The brewpub offers American food and a rotating selection of
German lagers made by a Brazilian Brewmaster!
Head Brewer Gustavo Vale was born in Brazil. His passion for beer started at a young age (teens practice responsible drinking in
some countries). He moved to Pennsylvania and started a career in Graphic Design. Eventually the friendly Brazilian moved to
Germany for a brewing apprenticeship. While in Germany, Vale says he felt at home. This guy loves unfiltered German beer. He
spent his time there mastering the craft of beer-making before moving to Minnesota in March of 2008 to begin his first head-
brewing position at the Herkimer. There, he enjoys staying true to the root of his passion – German lagers.
The Restaurant
The restaurant is often full, but never feels crowded. The clientele ranges in age and relies heavily on loyalty. There are many
“regulars” who frequent the Herkimer and like to try a different beer each time.
The first thing customers see when they enter the Herkimer is the beautifully-shined steel brew tanks. Vale says more than half
of his job as Brewmaster consists of cleaning and making sure the brewery looks spotless. The Herkimer is stylistically designed
with booths and a long, island bar. It’s well-known for its shuffleboard table and weeknight leagues (we couldn’t help but notice
the “Cleveland Steamers” are currently winning the Tuesday night league).
The menu is simple, but the food is remarkable. The Herkimer is well-known for its award winning mini burgers and sweet
potato french fries. During our visit, MWMB staff enjoyed a plate of nachos, a footlong chili dog, a mushroom and swiss burger,
and a fried egg sandwich. Needless to say, we all went home satisfied.
Finally, we feel obligated to mention the Herkimer is a Packer bar. You should see this place on Sundays. It is filled to the brim
with cheeseheads. Vale says it’s great for business because Wisconsinites love their beer (who would’ve known?).
The Beer
Vale says, “Beer is like cooking. Everyone has their own version of a steak. Every Brewmaster has their own version of a beer.”
While the beers offered at the Herkimer have remained the same, Vale says the Herkimer “regulars” noticed a change when he
started as head brewer: less filtration. The Brazilian Brewer says he prefers unfiltered because he doesn’t want to strip his brews
of their character.
The Herkimer brewery specializes in German lagers and ales, and is best known for its Sky Pilot Kellerbier (or cellar beer), a
pilsner that won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.
Although the Herkimer brews up to 17 different beers, it always has six in rotation, depending on the season. Here are the six we
tasted:
Appearance - Light and clear. Looks like a gold medal.
Smell - Clean, light aromas of malt. Hints of fresh-cut sweet corn.
Taste - Smooth, but with a hint of bitterness that lingers after a sip. Light enough to drink all night, but complex enough to keep
your taste buds entertained.
Overall - Whenever a customer asks for “something that tastes like a Bud or Miller Lite,” they get a Handy’s, and they're always
pleasantly surprised.
Sky Pilot Kellerbier
Appearance - Light and unfiltered. It looks like apple cider with cloudy apple sediment.
Smell - Whole-wheat bread baking in the oven. Grass. Some floral hop aromas are there too.
Taste - Crisp and sweet on the tongue, yet tastefully bitter on the throat. Rich hops and lots of sharp flavor. This medium-
bodied beer has a lingering aftertaste that will leave you wanting more.
Overall - A true Frankish original. We really enjoyed this award-winning brew.
Vienna Country Bier
Appearance - Reddish-bronze, rich copper and cloudy. The clean white head had decent retention.
Smell - Fresh roasted almonds and pecans. Light hints of vanilla and caramel come through.
Taste - Smooth and warm with a hint of caramel. An easy-to-drink red with a lighter taste than we expected. This mildly-fruity
beer with minimal hops will fill your mouth, but not your stomach.
Overall - This Austrian-style country beer was another one of our favorites. The fact that it’s on Herkimer's ABV high-end at 6-
7% alcohol has nothing to do with it (well, maybe a little)!
Alt
Appearance - Its copper color is difficult to distinguish from the Vienna Country on appearance alone. The medium-t0-thick,
off-white head left some substantial lacing that stuck around.
Smell - An inviting, strong smell of hops stings the nostrils and gets us excited to taste this German form of a pale ale.
Taste - We weren’t let down by the taste. What exciting flavor! The Alt is brewed with two types of hops at four stages. The hops
are rich, thick, and smooth – and linger for quite some time.
Overall - This is truly a great session beer for the hop-fanatic. We weren’t surprised to hear it, too, won a gold medal at the
Great American Beer Festival.
Bock
Appearance - Dark amber color. Looks filtered, but it’s not. The fluffy, tan-colored head left some gorgeous web-like lacing
around the glass.
Smell - Smells of fresh-roasted malt hit first, but then we noticed delicate scents of fresh fruit and spring flowers.
Taste - Sweet vanilla taste goes down like a delicious sandwich. Not terribly thick, but packs quite a punch of flavors. This
brown lager offers a refreshing malt flavor with a soft aftertaste.
Overall - Brewed traditionally in the spring to celebrate the coming of warmer weather, the Bock is the Brewmaster’s favorite,
and one of ours, too!
High Point Dunkel
Appearance - Medium-bodied, oatmeal-stout-like appearance. Inviting, caramel-colored head with excellent retention. Sticky
lacing persisted.
Smell - Toasted wheat. Brown sugar. Yeast. A bit sour. Just a faint trace of hops.
Taste - Roasty taste with a smoky finish and a just a trace of chocolate aftertaste. There’s nothing overpowering about this
“night starter” brew.
Overall - This Munich-style Dunkel with complex maltiness should be drunk slowly to cherish all the flavors it has to offer.
The Herkimer Pub & Brewery is a welcoming brewpub in the hip Lynlake area of Uptown, Minneapolis. Established in the late
‘90s, the Herkimer offers a 1920s atmosphere and is the only brewpub in Uptown Minneapolis.
The aspect of the Herkimer we find most intriguing is its diversity. The brewpub offers American food and a rotating selection of
German lagers made by a Brazilian Brewmaster!
Head Brewer Gustavo Vale was born in Brazil. His passion for beer started at a young age (teens practice responsible drinking in
some countries). He moved to Pennsylvania and started a career in Graphic Design. Eventually the friendly Brazilian moved to
Germany for a brewing apprenticeship. While in Germany, Vale says he felt at home. This guy loves unfiltered German beer. He
spent his time there mastering the craft of beer-making before moving to Minnesota in March of 2008 to begin his first head-
brewing position at the Herkimer. There, he enjoys staying true to the root of his passion – German lagers.
The Restaurant
The restaurant is often full, but never feels crowded. The clientele ranges in age and relies heavily on loyalty. There are many
“regulars” who frequent the Herkimer and like to try a different beer each time.
The first thing customers see when they enter the Herkimer is the beautifully-shined steel brew tanks. Vale says more than half
of his job as Brewmaster consists of cleaning and making sure the brewery looks spotless. The Herkimer is stylistically designed
with booths and a long, island bar. It’s well-known for its shuffleboard table and weeknight leagues (we couldn’t help but notice
the “Cleveland Steamers” are currently winning the Tuesday night league).
The menu is simple, but the food is remarkable. The Herkimer is well-known for its award winning mini burgers and sweet
potato french fries. During our visit, MWMB staff enjoyed a plate of nachos, a footlong chili dog, a mushroom and swiss burger,
and a fried egg sandwich. Needless to say, we all went home satisfied.
Finally, we feel obligated to mention the Herkimer is a Packer bar. You should see this place on Sundays. It is filled to the brim
with cheeseheads. Vale says it’s great for business because Wisconsinites love their beer (who would’ve known?).
The Beer
Vale says, “Beer is like cooking. Everyone has their own version of a steak. Every Brewmaster has their own version of a beer.”
While the beers offered at the Herkimer have remained the same, Vale says the Herkimer “regulars” noticed a change when he
started as head brewer: less filtration. The Brazilian Brewer says he prefers unfiltered because he doesn’t want to strip his brews
of their character.
The Herkimer brewery specializes in German lagers and ales, and is best known for its Sky Pilot Kellerbier (or cellar beer), a
pilsner that won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.
Although the Herkimer brews up to 17 different beers, it always has six in rotation, depending on the season. Here are the six we
tasted:
Appearance - Light and clear. Looks like a gold medal.
Smell - Clean, light aromas of malt. Hints of fresh-cut sweet corn.
Taste - Smooth, but with a hint of bitterness that lingers after a sip. Light enough to drink all night, but complex enough to keep
your taste buds entertained.
Overall - Whenever a customer asks for “something that tastes like a Bud or Miller Lite,” they get a Handy’s, and they're always
pleasantly surprised.
Sky Pilot Kellerbier
Appearance - Light and unfiltered. It looks like apple cider with cloudy apple sediment.
Smell - Whole-wheat bread baking in the oven. Grass. Some floral hop aromas are there too.
Taste - Crisp and sweet on the tongue, yet tastefully bitter on the throat. Rich hops and lots of sharp flavor. This medium-
bodied beer has a lingering aftertaste that will leave you wanting more.
Overall - A true Frankish original. We really enjoyed this award-winning brew.
Vienna Country Bier
Appearance - Reddish-bronze, rich copper and cloudy. The clean white head had decent retention.
Smell - Fresh roasted almonds and pecans. Light hints of vanilla and caramel come through.
Taste - Smooth and warm with a hint of caramel. An easy-to-drink red with a lighter taste than we expected. This mildly-fruity
beer with minimal hops will fill your mouth, but not your stomach.
Overall - This Austrian-style country beer was another one of our favorites. The fact that it’s on Herkimer's ABV high-end at 6-
7% alcohol has nothing to do with it (well, maybe a little)!
Alt
Appearance - Its copper color is difficult to distinguish from the Vienna Country on appearance alone. The medium-t0-thick,
off-white head left some substantial lacing that stuck around.
Smell - An inviting, strong smell of hops stings the nostrils and gets us excited to taste this German form of a pale ale.
Taste - We weren’t let down by the taste. What exciting flavor! The Alt is brewed with two types of hops at four stages. The hops
are rich, thick, and smooth – and linger for quite some time.
Overall - This is truly a great session beer for the hop-fanatic. We weren’t surprised to hear it, too, won a gold medal at the
Great American Beer Festival.
Bock
Appearance - Dark amber color. Looks filtered, but it’s not. The fluffy, tan-colored head left some gorgeous web-like lacing
around the glass.
Smell - Smells of fresh-roasted malt hit first, but then we noticed delicate scents of fresh fruit and spring flowers.
Taste - Sweet vanilla taste goes down like a delicious sandwich. Not terribly thick, but packs quite a punch of flavors. This
brown lager offers a refreshing malt flavor with a soft aftertaste.
Overall - Brewed traditionally in the spring to celebrate the coming of warmer weather, the Bock is the Brewmaster’s favorite,
and one of ours, too!
High Point Dunkel
Appearance - Medium-bodied, oatmeal-stout-like appearance. Inviting, caramel-colored head with excellent retention. Sticky
lacing persisted.
Smell - Toasted wheat. Brown sugar. Yeast. A bit sour. Just a faint trace of hops.
Taste - Roasty taste with a smoky finish and a just a trace of chocolate aftertaste. There’s nothing overpowering about this
“night starter” brew.
Overall - This Munich-style Dunkel with complex maltiness should be drunk slowly to cherish all the flavors it has to offer.
| Featured Brewer Archives |
Titletown Brewing Company Green Bay, Wisconsin Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Central Waters Brewing Company Amherst, Wisconsin Stone Cellar Brewpub Appleton, Wisconsin Arbor Brewing Company Ann Arbor, Michigan Detroit Beer Company Detroit, Michigan The Herkimer Pub & Brewery Minneapolis, Minnesota Copper Canyon Brewery Southfield, Michigan Sun King Brewing Company Indianapolis, Indiana Vintage Brewing Company Madison, Wisconsin |