This month at Books & Brews, with Michael on sabbatical, Laura and Dr. Chris Powell visit Hoops Brewery in Duluth, MN. We talked with Bjorn Erickson, one of the brewers about brewing...and books. Bjorn had a great story about how he got from earning a degree in German to brewing beer. We talked about the blending of science and artistry, the hard parts of being a brewer, and the reasons Bjorn loves his job, and the numerous books and genres Bjorn reads. If you're in Duluth, we highly recommend stopping at Hoops Brewery, a family friendly place with lots of games for families and kids. You can bring your own food or get pretzels from Hoops with lots of great sauces.
Hoops Brewery The Beer We Drank: 

• Laura -- 88 Stout
• Chris -- 5050 Hefeweizen
• Bjorn -- 889 Cream Ale

Interview Highlights:

• Lake Superior, granite, and brewing -- 4:07
• The road from a degree in German to brewing -- 8:45
• On becoming a brewer -- 10:00
• Telling a story with beer -- 14:08
• Reading in High Middle German -- 27:34
• The tour begins -- 41:42

  COMING NEXT MONTH:  PTL Perrin is a military brat, voracious reader, and now writes books under the name PTL Perrin in her favorite genre, YA sci-fi/ fantasy. P.T.L. Perrin, grew up in Europe and speaks several languages.   UPCOMING EVENTS: 

• Gabriel’s Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology NEW THEME: MUSIC
• DTBD: Laura will be giving a Pub Talk at the Kitchi-Gami Club in Duluth, MN Kitchi Gammi Club | Duluth’s Premier Social Club

Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.