Tapping into Two Harbors
In the throes of tourist season, North Shore brewery Castle Danger has opened a taproom in downtown Two Harbors. Since 2011, husband-wife owners Clint and Jamie McFarlane have operated their nanobrewery at a resort they run 12 miles northeast of Two Harbors, offering limited growler sales and draft accounts. Besides the taproom, the relocation and expansion allows them to install a canning line. The taproom has been keeping temporary Friday and Saturday hours, but look for an official grand opening and growler sales this month.
17 7th St., Two Harbors, 1-218-834-5800, castledangerbrewery.com
In other North Shore news ...
Farther up the North Shore, a second brewery is planned for Grand Marais. Last year news broke that the Gun Flint Tavern is converting into a full-fledged brewpub and now Voyageur Brewing Co. is destined for the tourist haven. Spearheaded by three local families, Voyageur hopes to open by year's end in a Hwy. 61 space across from Grand Marais Harbor.
Pints and ponies
South metro residents who passed on driving to Duluth for last weekend's All Pints North might get their suds fix at Saturday's Canterbury Beer Fest. It's the same price, and the lineup pales in comparison, but hey, admission includes horse racing. Swill samples from local and national breweries including Summit, Bauhaus Brew Labs, MillerCoors (sigh), Sierra Nevada and Bad Weather (fingers crossed they saved some of the pilot-batch harvest cream ale they brought to All Pints North).
6-10 p.m. Sat., 21-plus, $35-$55 ($10 designated driver), Canterbury Park, Shakopee, 952-445-7223, canterburypark.com
Kraftskiva #3
Block-party season continues this weekend with the Bachelor Farmer's third annual Kräftskiva bash. The crayfish-eating party features plenty of scrumptious shellfish and other Bachelor Farmer eats, Fulton beer and drinks by the normally basement-dwelling Marvel Bar staff. Plus, music from lush alt-country-ish rockers BBGun, twang-psych trio Night Moves, Haley Bonar and DJ Jonathan Ackerman.
5-10 p.m. Sat., 50 2nd Av. N., Mpls., 612-206-3920, thebachelorfarmer.com
