Midwest Nest Magazine
  • Home
  • Latest Issues
  • Features
    • design & diy
    • culture & lifestyle
    • cuisine
  • design challenge
    • Design Challenge 2021 with SCHEELS
    • Detail Photos - Design Challenge 2020
  • About
    • sponsorships & events
    • awards
  • Contact

midwest cuisine

Summer's Crafty Cuisine

7/1/2020

0 Comments

 

[Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Minn]

Story by Tracy Nicholson 
Photography by Kristen Perala Creative ​
Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, restaurant, bar, Midwest Nest Magazine
With plans to span nearly every mile of local lakes country, first, we headed east to Brew Ales & Eats in the beautiful vacation town of Perham, Minn. In the midst of charming boutiques, coffee shops, cafés, and florists, Brew's rustic-modern dining experience is a welcome retreat with a must-try menu. In addition to their current lunch and dinner menu, they're now serving up a brand new brunch menu, complete with morning-inspired cocktail flights. When we heard the Mini Brunch Flight included a Pineapplemosa, Pizza Mary, Tropical Screw-up, and a Toasty Roaster - we put down our coffee and grabbed a prime spot on the patio. ​
Read Digital Magazine
Annie Palubicki, Britt Belquist, Cassandra Hahn, Brew Restaurants, Midwest Nest Magazine
From left, Annie Palubicki - Assistant Manager, Britt Belquist - Owner, Cassandra Hahn - District Manager of Brew Restaurants

Crafting Casual Cuisine

In 2011, Alex and Britt Belquist were happy to start small, leasing a tiny bar space in the back of the old Station House in Perham, Minn. Nine years later, their humble beginnings paved the way for tried and true restaurateurs, reinventing casual cuisine, one restaurant at a time. Beyond Brew Ales & Eats, the Belquists are partners with Shelby and Chad Terstriep in Brew Bird (Fargo) and City Brew Hall (Wahpeton), with an additional partner, Eric Myhre in the up and coming 701 in Fargo. They are also partners in Up North Pizza Pub (East Grand Forks) with Jesse Johnson and Kyle Cash.

The Belquists worked with Fargo architect, Chris Hawley, on the Brew's impressive building design, opening their doors to patrons in 2013. Brew Ales & Eats was actually the first restaurant that Hawley ever designed. The result is an eclectic aesthetic of modern-rustic elements flowing from the main level bar, to the upper loft and outdoor patio. To add the finishing touches, Mary Jordheim created custom art pieces using vintage beer cans.

"At the time, craft beer wasn't really a thing around here. Alex and I had been living in Minneapolis and I worked at a couple of bars where craft beer was huge, with over a hundred beers on tap. We loved it and knew we needed to bring it here and expose people to this type of experience. With the name, Brew, we had intentions to possibly brew our own beer one day, but then the craft beer world took off and we decided to focus on food and bringing in a variety of locally crafted beer. 
Brew Ales & Eats, Perham restaurant, Midwest Nest Magazine

Made-from-Scratch Menu

With Brew's creative head chef, John Hart, and sous chefs, Sue Ayers and Vincent Shimanek, guests can expect a variety of casual and upscale cuisine that will please every palette. “We really set out to bring unique food that you wouldn't normally see in this area," said Belquist. "We specialize in burgers and bar food, but everything we serve has a unique flair. We use really fresh, made-from-scratch ingredients and we're adding more entrees and appetizers each year, like our Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap." 

"The Brew Burger is always a favorite, but our goat cheese quesadillas are also really popular. They have grilled chicken, bacon, goat cheese, and candied walnuts - then they're topped with a balsamic reduction and served with our homemade citrus chimichurri. It's definitely different, but once people try it, they usually come back for it," said Belquist. 

Another of Brew's summer favorites is their unique spin on bbq nachos with house-fried tortilla chips, smoked pulled pork, and homemade cilantro crema. If you love homemade dipping sauces, they've got 11 - everything from housemade citrus chimichurri and french onion, to beer cheese, hot honey mustard and chipotle aioli. 

"Gouda pickles with chipotle aioli are the number one selling menu item year-round," said Belquist. "We use dill pickle spears with smoked gouda cheese, then they're fried in a crispy egg roll wrapper." Brew also has daily soup specials year-round, six salads and five Pub Plates with items like steak frites, bbq ribs, pork tenderloin and beer-battered fish and chips. 
made from scratch menu, Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Midwest Nest Magazine

Let's do Brunch!

Because brunch is always a good idea, Brew has just started offering a brunch menu that can be ordered from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Fridays and Saturdays. Try their Corned Beef Hash, Breakfast Poutine, or Breakfast Tacos with egg, pork sausage, cheddar, guacamole and cilantrapeño. If you need a little more kick, try the Spicy Creole Hash, or the Hangover Burger with peanut butter and jelly, egg and bacon. They also have Brew Beignets and Avocado Sourdough Toast with roasted tomato, red onion and smoked gouda. 

Mini Brunch Flights

If you decide to pair your breakfast with Brew's new Mini Brunch Flight, you won't regret it. This $13 cocktail flight is a tasty offering of Pineapplemosa, Pizza Mary, Tropical Screw-up, and a Toasty Roaster made with Stumbeano's cold press coffee and macadamia nut liqueur.
brunch, Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Midwest Nest Magazine

Chill Out!

Hot summer days are made for chill sips from Brew's 24 beers, including Perham brewer, Cyrus Bickell of Disgruntled, and Brett Doebbeling's Drastic Measures Brewing out of Wadena, Minn. You'll also find 24 house-crafted cocktails, along with seven ice cream and sorbet float options. One of their most popular summer drinks is the Rhubarb Spritzer with Absolut Citron, housemade rhubarb simple syrup, fresh lemon and lime juice, Sprite and club soda. Not a fan of rhubarb? Test your taste buds with their Lavender Lemon Sangria, Ginger Mojito, Spicy Skinny Margarita or Key Lime Pie Martini. 

"We have the best staff and so many who have been with us from day one," said Belquist. "We really like research and development, so it's been fun to work with the team, collaborating on the cocktail menu, and coming up with a ton of great ideas that people haven't seen before. Annie and Cassie worked hard to fine-tune the recipes and put it all together."

Brews + Boutiques

"We love being in Perham - you cannot beat this downtown," said Belquist. "It's definitely a destination with so many different boutiques, gift shops, salons, coffee shops and home design stores. Everyone works so well together and our chamber of commerce and EDA do an awesome job bringing ideas for different events to draw people here, even in the winter months. We've also started working with Sarah Carlson of Theisen Design Studios to give the restaurant a facelift with new interior paint, new bar front and new furnishings!" 

"I remember about eight years ago when I told people where I lived that I was going to work for Brew; they said no one would want a craft beer bar. Perham is different, it's a really progressive community for being such a small town. They do want new, exciting things and it's a really passion-driven community," said Cassandra Hahn, Brew Restaurant's District Manager.
Beer, cocktails, Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Midwest Nest Magazine

Patio, Indoor & To-Go!

With Minnesota's strict guidelines for dining out, Brew Ales & Eats is taking every precaution to ensure a safe dining experience inside and on the patio. "We screen all of our employees before they clock-in and everyone wears masks. We use single-use menus and we're still at 50 percent capacity with tables six feet apart," said Belquist. "We also have hand sanitizing stations at each entrance." This month, they still may have limited hours, so before you dine, check their Facebook page for updates. 

GET THE RECIPE: 

Brew's Rhuberry Float

  • 2 - Scoops Lemon Sorbet (see recipe)
  • 1 oz. - Strawberry Purée
  • 1 oz. - Rhubarb Simple Syrup
  • Top with Sierra Mist
> Spike with Limoncello Liqueur or Citrus Vodka
Brew's Rhuberry Float, Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Midwest Nest Magazine

Lemon Sorbet

  • 3 C - Simple Syrup
  • 1 1/2 C - Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. - Lemon Extract
  • Zest of 2 Lemons
Mix well, pour into ice cream maker. Store in sealed container.
For more information, contact: 

Brew Ales & Eats 
  • 124 East Main Street, Perham, Minn. 
  • 218.346.5932
  • info@brewperham.com 
  • brewrestaurants.com
Britt Belquist, Owner, Brew Ales & Eats, Midwest Nest Magazine
BRITT BELQUIST Owner - Brew Ales & Eats
Read Digital Magazine
Brew Ales & Eats, Perham, Midwest Nest Magazine
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Midwest Nest Magazine is a monthly print and digital publication that focuses on culture around the upper midwest.

    Archives

    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019

    Categories

    All
    701 Eateries
    Alexandria MN
    Anna Macy
    Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
    Banquet Hall
    Ben Myhre
    Blackbird Woodfire
    Blackboard
    BREW
    Cafe
    Camp Lone Tree
    Chef Sara Watson
    Cocktail Recipe
    Cocoa Mix
    Coffee Cake
    Cookie Recipe
    Coteau Des Prairies Lodge
    Dessert
    Detroit Lakes MN
    Drink Recipes
    Emy Miller
    Fargo ND
    Fine Dining
    Havana ND
    Healthy Dining
    HODO
    Homemade Snickers
    Houchin's Charity
    Indulgence Baking Company
    Joe Brunner
    Kayla Houchin
    Lake Home
    Lake Le Homme Dieu
    Laneil Skaff
    Lasagna Soup
    Lure Lakebar
    Marty And Jessica Larghe
    Max Parker
    Mediterranean Cuisine
    Mezzaluna
    Minnesota
    Mixology
    Molly Yeh
    Moorhead MN
    Nichole Hanson
    Nichole's Fine Pastry
    Nikki Berglund
    Perham
    Philippino Recipes
    Pizza
    Ramshackle Pantry
    Recipes
    Restaurant
    Restaurant Remodel
    Ryan Nitschke
    Salad Recipe
    Sesame Breadsticks
    Shantel Fagerholt
    Shea Syverson
    Sol Ave. Kitchen
    Stone Town Grill
    Streudel Nut Coffee Cake
    Taylor Snelling
    Terri Trickle
    Thomsen Cabin
    Thomsen Homes
    Trever Hill Design
    Veggie Veggie Dip
    Vergas
    Whipped Mascarpone Frosting
    Winter Fruit Salad

    RSS Feed


Picture
Client Portal
© 2020 Midwest Nest LLC
Site powered by Rick Rea
Terms and Conditions  |  Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Latest Issues
  • Features
    • design & diy
    • culture & lifestyle
    • cuisine
  • design challenge
    • Design Challenge 2021 with SCHEELS
    • Detail Photos - Design Challenge 2020
  • About
    • sponsorships & events
    • awards
  • Contact