My wife and I recently celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. Last Thursday, actually. If you're scoring at home that means we were married 7/7/07. Let it go. This story begins 21 months earlier. Carolyn and I met briefly in the summer of 2005 while we were both in separate relationships. A few months later I called her and asked if she'd go out with me. She agreed. She was a friend of a friend and knew this call was coming. I knew she wasn't the Applebees type (thank goodness) so I suggested a burger and beer joint. She liked the idea. And it would change my life forever.
THE BEGINNING OF A TRADITION
October 14th, 2005 I took her to Maxwell's American Pub on Washington Ave in downtown Minneapolis. I remember one of the first things she said to me. The waitress had just taken our drink order when Carolyn leaned in and said, "Oh good, you drink". I didn't know how to respond. Turns out she had recently dated a former drinker and dates with him were either drinkless or awkward. It's been a catch phrase that we've joked about ever since.
Moving right along... If you've never been to Maxwell's, most of the tables are situated along one of the perimeter walls. Each table has a black and white photo of some famous Minneapolis landmark. The table we chose on our first date we've dubbed The Grain Belt Table. On the wall was a nice shot of the famous Grain Belt bottle cap billboard near the Hennepin Avenue bridge. I learned that night that she had never seen it before so I made a point of crossing the bridge on our way home. It was as beautiful as any unlit billboard in pitch black night can be. Did you see it? We eventually went back to see it in daylight and it became, along with Maxwell's, one of our favorite spots.A PROPOSAL
July 14th, 2006 Fast forward nine months. Her parents had season tickets to the Twins that year. Most often it was Carolyn and I who used them. Maxwell's is very close to the Metrodome and we'd usually stop there before games. I knew in December that I was going to ask Carolyn to marry me and I always knew I would do it on our nine monthiversary. I had to do it at Maxwell's where it all began. 
There was a home game that evening and that would be my guise. Just another pregame at Maxwell's. I also went there for lunch that day. I met a friend who was a photographer, but whom Carolyn had never met. I asked her earlier to secretly shoot the events of the night. Lunch was our reconnaissance mission. I also spoke with the manager. I told him my plan and asked if he could reserve the Grain Belt table for us. He said they don't reserve tables on event nights. Understandable. It was game night and Maxwell's would be busy. So I asked, "How about this? You mark the table reserved and when that becomes that last empty table in the place you take the sign off". He agreed.
The night went perfectly. She was unsuspecting, although she did on one occasion mention that she thought someone was taking a lot of pictures in our direction.
I asked, she said yes.
Carolyn's parents threw us a fantastic engagement party. A great surprise that evening was that Carolyn's mom had a neighbor make a couple of cakes. They were modeled after pictures of Maxwell's and the Grain Belt billboard. Pretty impressive.
There was a home game that evening and that would be my guise. Just another pregame at Maxwell's. I also went there for lunch that day. I met a friend who was a photographer, but whom Carolyn had never met. I asked her earlier to secretly shoot the events of the night. Lunch was our reconnaissance mission. I also spoke with the manager. I told him my plan and asked if he could reserve the Grain Belt table for us. He said they don't reserve tables on event nights. Understandable. It was game night and Maxwell's would be busy. So I asked, "How about this? You mark the table reserved and when that becomes that last empty table in the place you take the sign off". He agreed.The night went perfectly. She was unsuspecting, although she did on one occasion mention that she thought someone was taking a lot of pictures in our direction.
I asked, she said yes.
Carolyn's parents threw us a fantastic engagement party. A great surprise that evening was that Carolyn's mom had a neighbor make a couple of cakes. They were modeled after pictures of Maxwell's and the Grain Belt billboard. Pretty impressive.July 7th, 2007 We got hitched.
DISASTER STRIKES!
February 20th, 2008 A fire breaks out in the Maxwell's building! Fortunately no one was injured but the space above the pub sustained serious damage. Maxwell's itself had mostly water and smoke damage. The air was so cold that the water from the fire hoses froze to the building making for some bittersweet photographs. Click HERE to see some of them! The fire was devastating and we, too, were devastated. What if they never reopen? What if they have to condemn the building? What if they have to tear it down? That would have ranked right up there with the day Sherlock's Home closed in 2001. I'm still mourning that day, but I digress. Agonizing days turned into weeks and we finally heard Maxwell's was going to
rebuild. Great news! But... what if it looks nothing like it used to? We waited anxiously. They said it would take four months. While we waited the bar hired on a new manager - Rosie. He turned out to be another friend of a friend. He heard our story and knew we would be coming in on (re)opening day. September 13th, 2008 Seven months after the horrible fire they reopened. And it looked darned near exactly like the original. Phew! Carolyn and I were welcomed by Rosie. And to our surprise we were presented with a framed and matted black & white photo of the Grain Belt billboard. We were honored to say the least. It turned out to be a great evening of reminiscing, making new friends and new memories.
ANOTHER CHAPTER
August 24th, 2010 Now if you're reading this you probably already know that I am a brewer by trade. I should note that it was this wonderful woman who got me started in brewing. For my 30th birthday in '05 she bought me a homebrewing kit. Since then a lot has happened. My starter kit ballooned, I went to brewing school, quit my day job, interned for a large craft brewery and happened to land a job with none other than the brewery that makes Grain Belt beer. That's right, as an employee of the August Schell Brewery I assist in the entire process of producing Grain Belt beer. Coincidence? Even the Maxwell's pint glasses have Grain Belt on the other side. Fate? It brought my wife and me together. Irony? Call it what you will but one thing will always remain true; Grain Belt beer has touched my life in so many different ways that it will always be special to us. It must run in the family. My dad, a lifetime New Yorker until he met my mother, still drinks Grain Belt forty years later. It's the beer he fell in love with while he fell in love with my mom.
July 11th, 2011 Raise your glass (or can).
Here's to the continued success of Grain Belt Beer. May it be around for generations, quenching thirst and making memories. Cheers!
