Hotlist, Bourbon, Beer, and More This Weekend June 11-17

Thursday, June 11th

No Kid Hungry

One of the year’s best events, Minneapolis' Taste of the Nation Hotlist, will be held at a new location this year. Chefs Tim McKee and Michelle Gayer will be joined by some of the Twin Cities’ hottest chefs and bartenders at Nicollet Island Pavilion for this annual event, supporting Share Our Strength and their work to end childhood hunger. Enjoy tastings of top-notch food and drinks, live entertainment, a silent auction, a wine toss, and more. VIP tickets are sold out but general admission tickets are still available.

Whiskey & Beer 101

Herkimer's Whiskey & Beer 101 series will focus on bourbon this week. Brewery Manager Matt Asay will be joined by Beam Suntory’s Brant Foehl to guide participants through a brief history, distilling particulars, a tour of the Herkimer brewery, and bourbon and beer sampling paired snacks.

Saturday, June 13th

Rock the Block

Coup d’état, Calhoun Square, and Stella’s are throwing a block party. Rock the Block will be held in the Calhoun Square parking lot and feature live music, food trucks, and beverages from nearby bars.

Twin Cities Donut Crawl

The second annual Twin Cities Donut Crawl will be held in St. Paul’s Mears Park. Nine bakeries will serve up fresh baked goodness, made even better with all-you-can-drink Five Watt Coffee.

612Brew Summer Concert Series

The inaugural concert in 612Brew’s Summer Concert Series will be held in the brewery's outdoor amphitheater. 612Brew will be serving their three flagship beers, along with unique seasonal releases during the summer long, monthly event. Special cask beers will also be made available exclusively for the series.

Wednesday, June 17

Fish Bites

Some of Twin Cities’ top chefs with be at Fish Bites, including Wyatt Evans from Heirloom and Hide Tozawa from Kyatchi and will showcase sustainable seafood dishes paired with a variety of sustainable wines at a benefit for conservation and educational programs at the Minnesota Zoo.

-Alex Lodner