The Sauna Talk Craft Brewery Series continues. We first interviewed Omar Ansari, founder of Surly Brewing, inside his wood fired sauna, episode here.
Today, we head up to Duluth, Minnesota to Sauna Talk with Ben Hugus, co founder of UUrsa Minor Brewing.
You will hear similarities with these conversations as there is a parallel to the craft brewing industry and sauna.
In this episode of Sauna Talk, Ben Hugus, co founder of Ursa Minor Brewing, talks about the camaraderie and collaboration involved with starting Duluth’s 8th craft brewery.
“We all get along. We share ideas and we all benefit by helping each other out” he says.
Ursa Minor Brewing Company collaborated with Larsmont Cottages this year for Sauna Days, bringing their craft beers and even a special batch of Sauna Beer, specifically made for this past weekend’s sauna gathering (by the shores of Lake Superior!). The nuances of the beer are quite special. (hint: spruce tips!).
Normally we Sauna Talk on the sauna bench, yet we recorded this episode in front of a live audience at Larsmont Cottage’s main lodge.
Please share a toast with us as we hope you enjoy this warm, wide Sauna Beer conversation with Ben Hugus, Ursa Minor Brewing
7 thoughts on “Ben Hugus, Ursa Minor Brewing, discusses his Sauna Beer and the goodness of sauna from Duluth, Minnesota”
Is the name of the brewery ‘Ursa Minor’ or ‘Ursala Minor’?
Love what you are putting out there, good stuff, keep at it please.
Ursa. If I said “Ursala” at any time during the interview, I blame the Sauna Beer.
Thanks Drew for the kind words and encouragement. I LOVED this episode!!
Funny thing about craft beer and sauna. Sitting at our local craft brewery one cold winter night with a friend, I broached the topic of some help with a weekend frame up of a 12 x 8 shed that I could build a sauna in. Tyler was an apprentice carpenter at a local friends timber frame business at the time. Anyhow, some beers and some napkin designs became a lovely timber framed sauna milled from a stack of old cedar power poles I had on the farm. Which incidentally, I had acquired from the power company for beer and whiskey a number of years prior. As a home brewer I find the connection between craft beer and sauna is simply natural.
Beautiful. Agreed. There is chemistry to home brewing and it aligns with good climate in the hot room. The Jazz Trio of Heat Transfer could parallel the three primary ingredients in beer. Each are critical, and so is the right mix.
Not only the three ingredients of hops, grain and water but the brew process itself bears a striking resemblance. Mash at 160 degrees, boil the wort and then cool down for fermentation. It really is magical, need to get home from work for a sauna and a home brew!
Cheers,
Steve
Steve
Maybe we could do a follow up post to The Jazz Trio of Heat Transfer and have us riff on a joint article relating craft brewing to zen and the art of sauna maintenance.?
Sounds fun, let me think on it and I’ll send you some notes to embellish.
Cheers