With the 2010 Minnesota Republican State Convention taking place today in Minneapolis, it only seems appropriate to spotlight a beer with a local connection. The original Grain Belt Brewery was in Northeast Minneapolis. Today, the August Schell Brewery in New Ulm brews and bottles the Grain Belt line of beers. Earlier this month they introduced Grain Belt Nordeast:
Named after the hardworking neighborhood where the original Grain Belt Brewery established its roots back in 1893. ‘Nordeast’ is an endearing term which comes from the Northern and Eastern European immigrants and their language which helped shape Northeast Minneapolis. This amber American Lager is our way of honoring the storied past of Grain Belt and the people who helped to make it legendary! Cheers!
A beer named after a rough and tumble neighborhood seems to fit the bill for what could be a rough and tumble GOP convention.
Clear bottle. Label has a definite retro look with classic Grain Belt logo and bottle cap with Nordeast name in font with European look in front of a green background with gold lines.
Beer Style: American Amber Lager Alcohol by Volume: 4.7%
COLOR (0-2): Very clear amber 2
AROMA (0-2): Malty with some breadiness too. 1
HEAD (0-2): Off-white color. Not much volume and fades quickly. 1
TASTE (0-5): Mostly malt and sweet with light bitterness at the finish. Surprisingly smooth . Light-bodied, very think mouthfeel, and definitely drinkable. 2
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Crisp, but empty. 1
OVERALL (0-6): Don't expect too much from this beer and you won't be let down. I was actually prepared to be disappointed, but wasn't. Grain Belt Nordeast is not a great beer mind you. However, it ain't half bad either. If you're not a fan of Grain Belt Premium you might find this less sweet alternative more to your liking. 2
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 9
