A new style of beer festival—Unlabeled: A Blind Tasting Showdown

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St. Paul, MN – The Growler Magazine is proud to announce the launch of a brand new beer festival event series, never before seen in Minnesota or the U.S.—Unlabeled: A Blind Tasting Showdown.

Similar to other beer festivals, Unlabeled will allow attendees the chance to sample dozens of beers from different breweries.

The twist? The tasting is 100 percent blind and only one specific beer style will be poured at each event in the Unlabeled series. Each beer will be “unlabeled” and guests won’t know which brewery made which beer until the grand reveal at the end of the event.

At Unlabeled No. 1, happening on July 18 at Upper Landing Park in St. Paul, attendees will be able to sample up to 48 Minnesota-made Hazy IPAs and use the custom Unlabeled app (soon to be available for Android and iOS) to rate each beer’s aroma, flavor, appearance, mouthfeel, and overall impression, according to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines.

“The Unlabeled event series was inspired by the blind tastings that The Growler’s editorial staff and BJCP-certified judges have held in the past and have published in the magazine,” says The Growler’s editor-in-chief Brian Kaufenberg. “Every time we have done one of these blind tastings—whether it’s IPA, Oktoberfest, Pilsner, or Porter—we have been surprised by the results. Popular breweries have not made the cut to the final round, while new breweries have taken home top honors.”

Fun and informative, the Unlabeled series of events seeks to bring this unique tasting experience to the public. Unlabeled will be the perfect opportunity for seasoned beer drinkers to test their palates and for craft beer newbies to get acquainted with Minnesota breweries and specific styles of beer.

“Blind tasting is a great way to shed any preconceptions a drinker has of certain brands and get down to what really matters—the quality of the beer in the glass,” Kaufenberg says. “We hope that Unlabeled will open people’s eyes to the breweries making top notch beer in Minnesota.” Find a Craft Brewery

2019 Unlabeled Events

Unlabeled No. 1: Hazy IPA (Tickets now on sale)

When: Thursday, July 18, from 5:30–9:30 P.M. (sampling concludes at 9 P.M.)

Where: Upper Landing Park, 180 Shepard Road, St. Paul

Tickets: General Admission: $50 | Designated Driver: $20

To purchase, visit growlermag.com/unlabeled or in person at The Growler’s offices at 360 Toronto Street, St. Paul, MN 55102 during business hours, Mon–Fri from 9 A.M.–5 P.M. (cash only)

Unlabeled No. 2: Oktoberfest (Tickets on sale 7/19 at 12 P.M., CST)

When: Thursday, September 19, from 5:30–9:30 P.M. (sampling concludes at 9 P.M.)

Where: Upper Landing Park, 180 Shepard Road, St. Paul

Tickets: General Admission: $50 | Designated Driver: $20

To purchase, visit growlermag.com/unlabeled or in person at The Growler’s offices at 360 Toronto Street, St. Paul, MN 55102 during business hours, Mon–Fri from 9 A.M.–5 P.M. (cash only)

About The Growler Magazine: The Growler Magazine is a monthly print and online publication, founded in June 2012. It has grown into an essential resource for those interested in fresh perspectives on the world of craft beer, food, spirits, arts, the outdoors, makers, and more. Based in earnest curiosity and a passion for sharing untold stories with depth and substance, The Growler exists to cover and contribute to all things craft. growlermag.com.