Canal Park Brewing Co in Duluth

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If you're up this far north you have to stop in Canal Park Brewing Company.  It's a big space right on the shore of Lake Superior with an outrageous outdoor patio and some awesome brew.  The menu isn't bad either with typical bar fare along with their own touches like Pickled Herring and Beer Can Chicken.

I went for their 40 Acre Saison right away, served in a tulip.  It's light and refreshing like a Farmhouse Ale should be, but watch the kick- it's 7.6% abv.  I also went for the Nut Hatchet, which is a World Beer Cup Winner.  It had aroma of roasted nuts and 7 grain bread and a smooth taste of brown sugar with toffee- I'd have liked it with a Black & Bleu Cheeseburger.

The bar crowd was pretty lively and I actually started up a conversation about sports with a local Minnesotan and a guy from LA.  If I visit again, I'll be sure to take the tour.  This is another place to mark on your list to visit in Duluth.

Windy City Wine Guy Hits Lake Superior

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Lily & I on Lake Superior

After I hit the big "40" combined with my mother's recent passing, I realized you can't take time for granted.  I've always had wanderlust and now is always the time to continue traveling.  I always enjoy travel because it involves new experiences, culture (especially food!), scenery and people.

Lately I've been trying more local travel for a number of reasons: 

- Cost of travel and all involved has recently gone way up  

- Ground travel is far more economical in comparison to air 

- Everyone in this country has great spots to hit in an 8 hour or less driving radius

And that brings me to my latest travel: Duluth, Minnesota.  The city has a storied history of trains, ships and Lake Superior.  I'll be checking out all of this and local food & breweries to let you know about this great Northern town and help you put it on your travel list.