| Fulton Beer

FULTON BUILT A HOP FARM!

Minnesota natives are probably familiar with the saying “Knee high by the fourth of July,” an old adage commonly used to describe the progress of growing corn. This year, we're learning that the same is true for hops plants as well. We've been looking into growing hops for several years, and this year, we decided to give it a try on a family member's land near St. Cloud. Despite the cold and wet spring, we’ve made great progress in the fields. Late in March, we cleared an acre of forest blowdown and erected over 75 tamarack poles, each measuring 20 feet high. Our Cascade hop rhizomes arrived in early May, and before long we had over 1,000 plants in the ground. By the end of the summer, we’ll be building a water tower to supply fresh, clean central Minnesota spring water to the hop farm.

Why did we choose Cascade hops? Cascades are hardy and prolific growers in Minnesota’s often challenging growing environment, and it’s also the primary hop we use in The Ringer Pale Ale. While we’re a long way from declaring hop growing independence, we hope our hop farm’s yield can be used extensively in our beers. From the looks on Brian and Jim's faces, they're ready for one of those beers any moment now.

We’ll keep you updated as our hops continue to grow. If you’re interested in learning more about growing hops or lending a hand on the farm, please send an email to hopyard@fultonbeer.com.

GARAGE SERIES #3: PRESERVATION MILD ALE LAUNCHES TOMORROW

Now nearly a forgotten style, Mild ale originates from England, where less than a century ago it represented the majority of beer brewed there. At 3.2% ABV, Fulton Preservation Mild is the definition of a session beer. Six grains, including flaked oats and Britain’s prized Maris Otter, lend it a garnet brown color, silky mouthfeel and surprisingly substantial body. Preservation greets your palate with a subtle interplay of nutty, roasty, and toffee malt character. It’s so easy to drink, you’ll soon find yourself ordering another, and another – if our brewers haven’t finished it all already. There’s more to this Mild. Preservation is named in honor of local non-profit Friends of the Mississippi River. Since 1993, FMR has worked to preserve and improve the quality of the Mississippi’s waters. The folks from FMR will be joining us at the taproom launch tomorrow, and our Ful10 Fund will be donating $1,000 to support their ongoing efforts. Preservation will be available on draft and in growlers at the taproom, and you'll also be able to find it on draft at local bars and restaurants. We won't be limiting the availability of growlers, so you can get them until we run out. Better yet, growlers will be just $10, and pints can be had for just $4 (tax included, as always). No bottles this year, unfortunately.

TAPROOM UPDATE: NOW OPEN EVERY WEDNESDAY - AND WE'RE BUILDING A PATIO!

Just in time for summer, we're finishing construction on a new patio in front of our brewery. It'll be a great place to enjoy all of our taproom beers and sodas as well as food truck fare. We're working with our friends atTangletown Gardens to bring a little greenery into our urban setting, and we'll be expanding bike parking as well. We expect the patio to be open in early June, and we'll be adding finishing touches over the remainder of the summer. Also, your midweek happy hour planning just got a little easier: starting June 5th, our taproom and patio will be open every Wednesday from 3-10, Twins game or not.

YOU SAVED THE GROWLER - AND STOPPED THE EXCISE TAX

In recent months, we've asked for your support at the Capitol. First, as a member of the newly-formed Minnesota Brewer's Association, we advocated a change to the law that cut off breweries from selling growlers after they surpass 3,500 barrels of total annual production. After negotiating an increase in that limit to 20,000 barrels of production, our proposal was adopted into the omnibus liquor bill, and we're happy to report that Governor Dayton recently signed the bill into law. The law change means you'll still be able to pick up a fresh growler at Fulton and some of your other favorite local breweries as we surpass 3,500 barrels this year. Just as importantly, the ability to continue selling growlers will help Minnesota's packaging breweries continue to invest in our businesses -- which means more jobs and more local beer for everyone. Just when we thought we could be content with a good year at the legislature, we were hit with a surprise: The House of Representatives proposed a 600% increase to the state excise tax on alcohol. While small brewers such as Fulton would be exempted (at least for a while), we opposed the change because of the devastating effect it would have on the entire beer industry. The tax would have effectively raised the price of a case of beer by $3-$4. The distributors and retailers who bring our beer to you would have suffered badly, and larger local breweries like Summit and Schell's would have been tagged with tax increases of over a million dollars a year. Thankfully, the Senate flatly refused to include the tax increase, which was seen as both regressive and damaging to Minnesota's economy. We appreciate the support of everyone who called, emailed, and wrote our legislators and Governor Dayton to oppose this bill.

NEXT UP IN THE GARAGE SERIES: INSURRECTION IMPERIAL IPA

As much as we love brewing subtle, balanced beers, now and then we need to shake up the establishment. One weekend a couple of our brewers quietly brewed an over-the-top IPA on our pilot system. A few samples made it out, and before we knew it, everybody wanted some. We didn't have the tank space to make a full batch, but we soon realized that if we didn't brew more, we would have a full-scale insurrection on our hands. Then we remembered: We have a Garage Series for that. Insurrection's flavor profile is spearheaded by Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops added at a rate of nearly 4 pounds per barrel. Both hops are new breeds, and they combine to overwhelm the senses with an onslaught of citrus, white grape, and blueberry notes. An equally aggressive malt bill provides serious backbone and an ABV of just under 9%. We'll be tapping the first keg of Insurrection at our taproom this Friday, and we'll have a limited amount of growlers available this weekend and next. Starting on Monday, May 6th, you'll find Insurrection on draft around the Twin Cities. As with most of our Garage Series beers, Insurrection won't be around for too long, so grab a pint when you have the opportunity.

OVER THE LINE! SAY NO TO A 600% INCREASE IN EXCISE TAX

We try to stay out of the political fray when possible, but every now and then an issue comes along that we can't ignore. The Minnesota House of Representatives has included an increase in the alcohol excise tax that would be applied to beer, wine, and spirits sold in (not just produced in) Minnesota. For beer, that increase is a staggering 600%. While there is an exemption in place for Minnesota's smaller brewers, the tax would ripple through our entire industry and we would all feel the effects. Minnesota's growing breweries would face a massive barrier to future growth, and our established breweries such as Summit and Schell's would be impacted immediately. Out-of-state craft brewers would be less likely to ship their beer here. Bars and restaurants and liquor stores would lose sales. Distributors would likely have to lay off employees. And beer drinkers would be paying about $3 more per case. We believe that regardless of one's political leanings or views on taxation, this massive increase in excise tax is unwise policy and destructive to Minnesota's economy. If you agree that the proposed increase is unreasonable and you'd like to let our lawmakers know, you can learn more about the issue and find out who to contact at http://stopmndrinktax.org/.

BRACE YOURSELF: AMERICAN CRAFT BEER WEEK IS ALMOST UPON US

If "It's the most wonderful time of the year" wasn't already taken by some other holiday season, we would've applied it to American Craft Beer Week. It's the week when craft brewers across the country bring out their best stuff to celebrate all of the creativity and diversity our vibrant industry has to offer. We'll be out in full force every day of the week. Some of the highlights: On Tuesday the 14th, we'll be at George and the Dragon with 5 Fultons on tap, including The Expat and War & Peace. The next day, Barrio 50th & France will feature The Ringer, War & Peace, and one of the few Insurrection casks we filled. Come hungry, because the kitchen staff will be whipping up War & Peace lamb barbacoa empanadas, bacon-wrapped Sonora dogs with Sweet Child mustard, and Lonely Blonde-battered Mahi Mahi tacos. For more American Craft Beer Week events and the rest of our May schedule, click over to our events calendar.

INTRODUCING "THE EXPAT" RYE SAISON - OUR ALL NEW SPRING SEASONAL!

Though the chilly weather may have you wondering, spring is officially here. We're glad it is, because we refuse to wait any longer to unveil The Expat. The word "expatriate" is defined as someone residing outside their country or culture of origin--and thus is a word befitting Fulton's first release to utilize a yeast variety other than our house American Ale strain. Moreover, our saison yeast is of French origin, so the name is also an homage to one of Minnesota's most notable sons, F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose fame flourished as an expatriate in France during the 1920's. At 6.3% ABV, about 30 IBU, and on the higher end of the carbonation spectrum, The Expat is in line with classic definitions of the style--by the numbers, anyway. Unlike most saisons, however, The Expat is brewed with a substantial percentage of rye in the mash and is filtered prior to packaging. The result is a crisp, effervescent saison that is true in spirit to the style's heritage of fusing refreshment with a bold, spicy farmhouse character. It's a great beer to enjoy on its own in the late afternoon, but may even be better when paired with a meal. As Garret Oliver writes in The Brewmaster's Table, "With food, the best saisons are beyond versatile--they are virtually invincible." To get your first taste, join us tomorrow, April 5th, in the taproom, or just down the street at Smack Shack on Monday the 8th. It will be available for the next two months on draft throughout the Twin Cities, as well as at our taproom on draft and in growlers. Sorry, we weren't able to brew enough to bottle this year.

YOU DON'T WANT A BEER? WEIRD. WELL, GOOD NEWS: WE MADE SODAS

It's true: as much as we love beer, we'll admit it doesn't fit every occasion in life--most, but not every. And while a glass of water is usually an adequate thirst quencher, you have to admit water is a pretty boring beverage choice. Since we don't want your friends to think you're boring, we thought we'd give you a more interesting (and delicious) option: craft soda, straight from the brewery. Mikey, our head brewer and Chief #Metal Officer, knows his way around soda and has come up with two refreshing varieties to get things started: Citrus Ginger Ale and Blueberry Juniper. Like all forthcoming Fulton sodas, they're made with all-natural ingredients and cane sugar -- no high fructose corn syrup or weird, hard-to-pronounce additives that require a chemistry PhD to identify. For now, the sodas are exclusively available on draft at the taproom, at a very cool price of just $2 a glass, tax included. Be sure to check for new options when you come by, as we'll be rotating in new selections from time to time.

DIG THIS! FARM FRESH CSA SHARES FROM TANGLETOWN GARDEN, RIGHT AT THE BREWERY

If you're a fan of sustainable agriculture and fresh food, it's tough to "beet" (sorry...we have a mandate to make one veggie joke per day around here...) a CSA from Tangletown Gardens. The folks at Tangletown work a 100 acre farm and greenhouse just an hour west of here, and are gracious enough to share the fruits of their labor with the rest of us. We've partnered with them for the 2nd year in a row to offer a CSA pickup at the brewery. Just like last year, the pickup time will be 4-6 every Tuesday. (Tangletown also offers Wednesday & Thursday pickups at their store on 54th & Nicollet, as well as a Friday pickup at Solo Vino). We've found that fresh produce pairs very well with fresh beer, so if you sign up for Tuesday pickups at the brewery, you can pick up a growler as well. One more veggie joke: Why did the tomato blush? Because he saw the salad dressing.

OTHER THINGS TO DO WHILE DRINKING A BEER THIS MONTH

-- Despite the frigid temperatures, our neighbors at Target Field started playing outdoor baseball this week. The Twins have a lot of fresh young faces, so there should be some exciting ballgames this year.

-- The 4onthefloor is releasing a new album this week. Gabe & the guys believe in rock & roll, and furthermore believe in local beer, so be sure to hit one of their live shows this weekend.

-- Some of the last chances to get some of our limited beers from this winter are coming up. On Wednesday, 4/10, Stout's Pub will be tapping one of the final kegs of our Great Lakes/Fulton Collaboration Baltic Porter. Then, on Thursday, 4/18, Stanley's Northeast Barroom will be pouring 2 Gingers Barrel-Aged Libertine.

LET YOUR LEGISLATORS KNOW: WE DON'T WANT GROWLERS TO GO AWAY!

As you may already know, Minnesota's breweries are only allowed to sell growlers until the brewery reaches 3,500 barrels in annual production. Fulton and other breweries around the state are set to surpass that number this year or in the very near future. We like growlers, and we know many of you do too, so if you'd like to continue to have the option to buy growlers in the future, we need your help. We are working on a bill to allow breweries over 3,500 barrels to continue selling growlers as we grow, and our state Senators and Representatives need to know that you care too. So, take a couple moments today to call or email your local representatives. It's real easy to help: click over to http://savethegrowler.org/take-action/, type in your zipcode to look up your local reps, and contact them today. Not sure what to say? Use some of the quick talking points on the website to tell them why it's important.

OUR TAPROOM IS OPEN THIS WEEKEND, BUT THE BATHROOMS ARE CURRENTLY A LITTLE RUSTIC.

Who goes there? Nobody, hopefully.

We have good news and bad news, and they're both the same: we're remodelling our bathroom at the brewery. The good part is that we'll have much larger and somewhat nicer bathrooms. No more lines! The bad part of the news is that the taproom will be a little primitive until we've finished the project in a week or two. We rented some indoor biffies that are actually not much more spartan than our former bathrooms, so don't worry, no need to go outside. Other than that, taproom operations will be as normal.

LAST WEEKEND FOR WAR & PEACE BOTTLES AT THE TAPROOM

Those who brave the conditions mentioned above will be rewarded: we have extended War & Peace bottle sales at the taproom through this weekend. Stop by anytime today or tomorrow to pick up a few bottles ($15, tax included). Also, War & Peace will remain on draft at the taproom for the next few weeks.

LIMITED BEER TAPPINGS TO CURE YOUR SPRING FEVER

It's that tortorous time of year: the weather is getting warmer, daylight savings time is here, but we're still getting random snowstorms that dump 10" of snow overnight. It's as if the weather can't make up its mind what season it is. In an effort to give winter the final boot, we've scheduled a slew of limited release beer tappings all over town in the next couple weeks. Click the image at left to be magically whisked away to our events calendar, where you'll find a delightful variety of barrel-aged Libertine, War & Peace, and firkins for your imbibing pleasure. The next few weeks will be some of the last opportunities to enjoy these beers this year, so get them while you can. And take comfort in knowing our first ever spring seasonal is fermenting rye-ght now...

War & Peace drops on 2/23 -- and it's in bottles for the first time ever.

INTRODUCING "THE GARAGE SERIES"

We fell in love with homebrewing because every Saturday, we got to create an entirely new beer. Most were good, some were great, and others we simply chose to forget about. Homebrewing in first Jim's and later Peter's garages eventually lead to the beers our brewery is most known for today: Sweet Child of Vine, Lonely Blonde, Libertine, and Worthy Adversary. But what happens to beers that don't make it onto the everyday brewing schedule? Enter the Garage Series. It's a home for beers that don't quite fit in anywhere else. They are some of our brewers' favorite recipes, and can be experiments, infusions, aged in barrels, imperials...you name it. Garage Series beers aren't exactly seasonals; instead of being available for a full 3 months at a time, each release will only be available for a brief window each year. Garage Series releases won't be on a schedule you'd set your clock to, but you can expect to see one about every other month. War & Peace is the first release of the series, so read on to find out how to get yours.

WAR & PEACE IN BOTTLES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

War & Peace

War & Peace is back! And for the first time ever, it's available in 750mL bottles. For those who don't know, War & Peace is an Imperial Coffee Stout infused with whole bean Guatemalan Organic Dark Roast from Peace Coffee. Want some? We're releasing it on draft and in 750mL bottles at our taproom on Saturday, February 23rd. Bottles are $15 apiece (tax included), and we don't have a bottle limit, so you can take home as many as you want. Sorry, no growlers will be available. The following Monday, 2/25, War & Peace will be available on draft and in bottles across the metro. As with all Garage Series releases, it won't be available for long, so seize the day!

YOUR VALENTINE WANTS GROWLERS, NOT FLOWERS!

The Top Ten Reasons to skip the flowers this Valentine's Day: 10) We're open for growler sales on Thursday at 3:00. And we don't mark up our prices just because it's Valentine's Day. 9) Nothing says love like IPA. (Though to be fair, nothing says "not tonight, honey" like an Imperial Stout.) 8) Hoppy beers are often commended for their floral characteristics... 7) ...but flowers are generally not known for having beer-al characteristics. 6) You can have a pint in our taproom while picking up your growler. Try that at the florist. 5) You can use an empty growler as a stylish vase, which could then be filled with flowers. 4) Or, just bring the empty growler back to us for a refill. We don't refill standard flower vases. 3) A growler may even last longer than the flowers you get these days (Depending on how thirsty you are, of course). 2) If you don't have a Valentine this year, it would be weird to buy flowers for yourself. There's nothing weird about buying yourself a growler. 1) Beer tastes better than flowers.

WORTHY FEBRUARY FIRKINS

As excited as we are for the upcoming release of War & Peace, it's bittersweet because it means the end of imperial stout season is nigh. Thankfully, we have a handful of Worthy Adversary casks over the next couple weeks to help tide you over until next year. 2/14 at Republic 7 Corners: Worthy Adversary with French oak. Available as a pairing with a lovely V-Day dessert anytime after 5:00. 2/15 at Grumpy's Downtown: Worthy Adversary with coconut & macadamia nuts. Tapping at noon. 2/20 at Muddy Pig: Worthy Adversary with maple wood & vanilla beans. First pours at 4:00.

THIS WILL BE FUN: LIBERTINE AGED IN 2 GINGERS WHISKEY BARRELS AT OUR TAPROOM ON THURSDAY!

Anyone who has visited our taproom in the last six months has likely noticed the racks of oak barrels hanging out in the corner. The barrels came from the great folks at 2 Gingers, who let us borrow a dozen of them for aging The Libertine. We're happy to report that after several months, the whiskey, the oak, and the beer have melded and mellowed into a marriage of flavors that's nothing short of sublime.

Here's the details: We'll be pouring the first glass at 5:00 this Thursday, January 31st in our taproom. Pricing will be $5 for a 10 oz pour. Due to the very limited quantity we were able to produce, we won't be selling it in growlers or bottles. If you're not able to make it on Thursday, we'll be doing several more draft releases over the next couple weeks at bars & restaurants around the metro area. We'll announce them on our Facebook & Twitter feeds as they come up, so stay tuned.

TONIGHT AT BRYANT LAKE BOWL: GET A GLASS OR TWO OF OUR GREAT LAKES COLLABORATION BALTIC PORTER

Speaking of fun, limited edition beers, Bryant Lake Bowl is tapping a keg of our Great Lakes collaboration brew tonight at 6:00. The beer is a Baltic Porter, a style which you don't see much of in these parts. Judging by the reception it received at Winterfest last weekend, many of you wouldn't mind seeing it more often. Drop into BLB to say hello and enjoy one for yourself this evening.

GOT WINTERFEST TICKETS? HERE'S OUR BEER LINEUP

If you were lucky enough to get Winterfest tickets, you'll be happy to know we've pulled together a very special lineup of beers. Stop by our table on Friday and be ready to enjoy: - War & Peace - Libertine Aged in 2 Gingers Whiskey Barrels - Cask Sweet Child of Vine conditioned on Nelson Sauvin hops - An all-new Double IPA featuring Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops And if Brian has a little extra room in the back of his car, we may even bring a quarter barrel of something else along. Not going to Winterfest? Not to worry, we still have you covered. Grumpy's Nordeast is tapping a cask of Worthy Adversary conditioned with coconut and macadamia nuts at 4:00. Pat & the crew always cook up some FREE delicious food to go with the cask, so come hungry and thirsty.

NEW BEERS FOR THE NEW YEAR

With winter in full swing, the combination of subzero temperatures and lack of sunlight has cast a spell of cabin fever over the brewery. We're not doctors, but we're comfortable pretending we are, and that makes us confident that our prescription of new beers will lead us to the cure.

COLLABORATION WITH GREAT LAKES

We've long admired Great Lakes Brewing Company. Since they were established in 1988, they've brewed exceptional beers and done it while emphasizing the importance of operating in an environmentally and socially conscious manner. Needless to say, when the opportunity arose to travel to Cleveland to collaborate on an all-new beer, we jumped at the chance. Brian and Mikey got to work with the Great Lakes brewers and their 7 bbl pub system to brew a truly unique Baltic Porter recipe that incorporates molasses and Great Lakes' proprietary lager yeast. Want to know what it tastes like? We were only able to produce a couple dozen kegs, and only about half made it here to Minnesota. Our taproom doesn't even get one, so you'll have to join us at one of our release events if you want to try it. If you were quick enough to get tickets for tonight's Happy Gnome Beer Dinner or Saturday's Beer Dabbler, you'll get a chance at it this week. Next week, we'll be at Bryant Lake Bowl to tap a keg on Tuesday, January 29th. We'll have a few more release events in the upcoming weeks, so be sure to check for updates on Facebook and Twitter.

WORTHY ADVERSARY FIRKINS -- WITH SOME UNIQUE TWISTS

A Worthy pour

The Great Lakes collaboration didn't quench our thirst for experimentation; in fact, it only fueled it. Back at our Minneapolis brewery, we turned to filling firkins with some exotic combinations. First, the aformentioned 1/29 event at Bryant Lake Bowl will also feature a cask of War & Peace - a cult favorite that you'll be seeing more of soon (more on that in a minute). Next up, Buster's on 28th will be tapping a cask of "Mole" Worthy Adversary this Thursday, January 24th at 6:00. That's Mole as in "inspired by the Mexican sauce," by the way; we added cinnamon, ancho chiles, and cocoa nibs to the cask, not a small, marmot-esque mammal. The following week, we'll be celebrating Firkin Friday on February 1st at Grumpy's Nordeast with a cask of Worthy Adversary aged with macamia nuts and coconut. We've done a Worthy cask with macadamia nuts once before, and it was truly one of the best we've ever had. The addition of coconut will only make it that much better.

THE ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT LATELY (HINT: THEY ALSO HAVE TO DO WITH NEW BEERS)

The questions: "When is the War & Peace coming back?" And: "What's in those barrels?" Then: "So, when are you going to tap those barrels?" The answers, respectively, are: soon, Libertine, and very soon. If you'd like just a bit more information: War & Peace, our Imperial Coffee Stout infused with whole bean Guatemalan Organic Dark Roast from Peace Coffee, will be available in late February, both on draft and for the first time ever in 750 mL bottles. We'll be announcing an exact date shortly. As for the barrel question: Our friends over at 2 Gingers Whiskey loaned us the barrels, and we've been allowing The Libertine to age in them for several months now. We got to sample it yesterday, and we think it's ready and quite nice. By the way, we don't "tap" the barrels; after aging, we transfer the beer to a stainless steel tank for blending, carbonation, and packaging. We're now blending it and will be announcing a taproom release date very soon.

Worthy Adversary Growlers Tomorrow!

MORE TANKS, MORE KEGS, MORE BEER

We often get asked what's new around the brewery, and sometimes things are happening so fast that we can't even remember everything going on. So, today we sat down and thought about all the new projects we have in November & December. Here's a sampling of what's new: We put in a new loading dock in November. We just received a shipment of over 800 new kegs this week. By the end of December, we'll be installing a new grain silo, 2 more fermenters and another brite tank. All of this expansion means we get to make more beer, and we're now starting to expand beyond the Twin Cities! We began distirbuting beer to the North Shore in November, so if your winter plans take you that way, be sure to look for Fulton on tap and in bottles.

WORTHY ADVERSARY TAPROOM RELEASE THIS SATURDAY

That's right -- Worthy Adversary is back, and it's better than ever. Or maybe it's the same as ever, but we've just missed it a lot these last 8 or 9 months. Either way, we've been busy brewing and packaging Worthy Adversary over the past six weeks, it's tasting excellent, and this weekend we'll finally be able to share it. Worthy Adversary will be available on draft and in growlers at the taproom when we open the doors Saturday at noon. We expect a good crowd, but don't worry, there should be enough for everyone. Never had Worthy Adversary? It's our winter seasonal, a Russian Imperial Stout that punches in at 9.5% ABV. It's is a big beer in every sense, yet has the drinkability of a much smaller beer. Reminds us of something Jack Donaghy once told Liz Lemon.

MORE WORTHY ADVERSARY LAUNCH EVENTS

Worthy Bottle

After Saturday's taproom release, Worthy Adversary will be available in bars for the next couple months. To kick things off, we're doing some launch events. On Wednesday the 12th at Pig & Fiddle, Chef Stephanie will be making stout pudding to pair with your Worthy. Then, on Friday the 14th, Grumpy's Northeast will be pouring a firkin of Worthy aged on macadamia nuts. And downtown happy hour-goers take note: The Local is tapping a keg on Thursday 12/20. If you'd like a bottle or two to savor at home, you're in luck: Starting on Monday, 12/17, you'll also be able to pick up 750mL bottles in liquor stores all over the metro area. Just like Libertine bottles, these will be available in limited quantities, and priced at $10-11 each. Bonus tips: after you're finished the beer, the bottle makes a very attractive vase. Or, use it as a water bottle at work and see if that weird guy across the aisle tries to report you for drinking on the job. (Extra bonus hint: don't drink on the job, at least that day).

GIVE THE GIFT OF WARMTH THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

We've been told that our apparel makes excellent Christmas gifts -- bonus! If we had to choose, we'd still rather give a growler, but that said, there's something nice about keeping warm in a stylish manner this time of the year. If you're of the same mindset, we've got your bases covered.

Zip-up Hoodie $45 Lightweight & super soft cotton makes this a go-to zip-up that may never leave your body. Hopstar logo screened on front, "Fulton MPLS MINN Brewing" screened on back, with cool extras like thumbholes in the sleeves and a headphone pass-thru in the pocket.

Pullover Hoodie $40 You say "pullover", Harry Dunne says "no, it's a cardigan, but thanks for noticing." Grey, medium weight, featuring a skyline screenprint on the front & a hopstar on the side of the hood.

Hopstar Beanie $15 Pick up one of these hopstar beanies to cover your ears, and get a couple more to cover the stocking stuffer needs on your Christmas shopping list. Like all of our gear, you can pick it up on the gear section of our website as well as at the taproom.

Shop Local This Holiday Season! Plus, Worthy Adversary Coming Soon

IT'S THANKSGIVING (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, BEERWISE)

As lovers of food, drink, football, and naps, we think Thanksgiving is pretty close to the perfect holiday. Of course, it's about more than just stuffing yourself and heading to the couch, and that's truly what makes Thanksgiving great. We all have much to be thankful for, and taking a day to reflect can be a needed reminder of how good we have it. Thanksgiving is also one of the best times to gather with family and friends. We may be biased, but we think these sorts of get-togethers are done best with a beer or two. Whether you're staying close to home or heading over the hill and through the woods, there's a way to make Fulton part of your celebration. The taproom is open both Thanksgiving Eve (that's today, if you hadn't noticed) and Black Friday from 3-10 for growler and pint sales. If your plans don't take you past the brewery, our restaurant, bar, and liquor store friends all across the Twin Cities are ready to quench your thirst. Whatever your plans, please make sure to celebrate responsibly.

MARK IT 8, DUDE! WORTHY ADVERSARY RELEASE DECEMBER 8

It's supposed to get cold later this week, and if history is any guide, it won't start getting warmer until about March. If that's a problem, Minnesota may not be the best fit for you. But even the hardiest of us need an occasional boost during the winter months, which is why we've been busy brewing Worthy Adversary for the last three weeks. Clocking in at 9.2% ABV and redolent of chocolate, coffee, and delicious, the Worthy Adversary makes the coming of winter seem not so sinister after all. The first pints and growlers of Worthy Adversary will be available on December 8th at the taproom, and it'll start appearing all over town on draft during the next week. The week after that, you'll be able to pick up 750mL bottles in liquor stores. As Smokey said, "Mark it 8, Dude." December 8th, that is.

WE'LL SEND YOU OURS IF YOU SENDS US YOURS

Greeting Card

Holiday cards, that is. We've been lucky enough to have the support of our families through the adventure of opening a brewery. Not just our ever-patient and forgiving wives, but our parents and extended family who've jumped in along the way. If you've taken our brewery tour, you've heard the Fulton story as told by Jim's dad, Jay. Brian's wife, Katie, works full-time managing the behind-the-scenes details of getting beer to your local watering hole. And if you've visited the taproom, chances are you've probably purchased a growler from Peter's aunt Megan, or had your beer poured by Gummy (Jim's sister / Peter's wife / Fulton's taproom manager), Elizabeth (Jim's wife) Michelle (Ryan's wife), or one of Brian's or Ryan's siblings or in-laws: Lynn, Andy, Marcus, Ali, Becca, Danny, or Brock. As our company has grown, we've hired more people who have become like family too. So, as we approached this holiday season, we thought it fitting to celebrate the growing Fulton Family with an old-fashioned greeting card. We'd love to send you our card, and we'd love to get one back from you so we can display it on the cooler wall in our taproom. You can either send us your card, or just email your address to info@fultonbeer.com.