A Family-Style Appetizer. Layers of red beans, dirty rice, and our homemade Monty’s creole sauce topped with cheese, with shrimp or scallops.

Our World Famous Buddy Bowl

Grain Belt Nordeast

Heineken N/A

Barrel aged in house for 4-6 weeks. The first legally bottled bourbon, Old Forester, has been aged with MN maple syrup, and our secret bitters blend. On the Rock

Otto's Maple Old Fashioned

Blue Moon Belgian White

Bud Light

Budweiser

Michelob Ultra

Mich Golden Light

Summit EPA

Miller Lite

Surly Furious

Stella Artois

Sam Adams Seasonal rotator

21st Amendment

Aperol or Limoncello, Prosecco, soda water, served in a wine glass over ice with an Orange slice or lemon slice.

Aperol Spritz or Limoncello Spritz

Indeed Rotator

Barrel aged in house for 4-6 weeks. The first legally bottled bourbon, Old Forester, has been aged with MN maple syrup, and our secret bitters blend. On the rock.

Otto's Maple Old Fasioned

Coors Light

Fulton Lonely Blonde

Schells Snowstorm

Bell’s Two Hearted

Bacardi rum, Maraschino liqueur, simple, lime and grapefruit juices. Up in a coupe glass.

Hemingway Daiquiri

Butterfly pea flower infused Fords Gin, fresh lemon, passion fruit simple syrup, and Prosecco. Served on the rocks with lemon wedge.

Float Like a Butterfly

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tbs vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Sauté aromatics

If using andouille, add the sliced sausage and cook 2–3 minutes to render some fat and brown lightly. Add the drained red beans and stir to combine.

Add sausage and beans

Add 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, Creole seasoning, bay leaf, hot sauce (if using), salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook 10–15 minutes, partially covered, allowing flavors to meld. If the mixture becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water or stock.

Simmer

Remove bay leaf. Mash about 1/3 of the beans gently with the back of a spoon for creaminess while leaving the rest whole. Stir in chopped parsley. Keep warm while preparing other components.

Finish beans

Combine 1.5 cups rinsed rice with 3 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15–18 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Cook rice

While rice cooks, heat 1 tbs oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork or beef and brown, breaking up with a spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Add diced onion, celery, green pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Cook meat and vegetables

Stir in Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the cooked rice to the meat mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.

Season and combine

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tbs butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize slightly. If using, add the sherry or white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pan; cook 1 minute to reduce.

Sauté aromatics and deglaze

Add the drained diced tomatoes and 1 cup chicken stock. Stir in Creole seasoning, paprika, cayenne, sugar, hot sauce (if using), lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning; if too acidic, add a pinch more sugar.

Build the sauce

Use an immersion blender for a smoother sauce if desired, or leave slightly chunky. Keep warm until assembly.

Finish

Pat shrimp or scallops dry. Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add seafood in a single layer and cook shrimp 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through; cook scallops about 2–3 minutes per side until golden and opaque. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Season and cook seafood

In a large shallow ovenproof baking dish (or several small individual dishes for smaller servings), spread the red beans in an even layer across the bottom (about 2 cups). Spoon the dirty rice evenly over the beans (about 2 cups), leaving a narrow rim. Pour Monty’s creole sauce evenly over the rice (about 3/4–1 cup), spreading gently.

Assemble Buddy Bowl

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the sauce (about 1.5 cups). Arrange the cooked shrimp or scallops on top in a single decorative layer.

Top with cheese and seafood

Preheat broiler to medium-high or oven to 375°F (190°C). If using broiler: place the dish under the broiler 2–3 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned—watch carefully. If baking: bake 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Bake to melt

Remove from oven, sprinkle sliced green onions over the top and serve family-style with lemon wedges on the side. Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers.

Garnish and serve

canned small red beans (drained and rinsed)

yellow onion (small), finely diced

celery stalks, finely diced

green bell pepper, finely diced

garlic cloves, minced

vegetable oil

chicken or vegetable stock

smoked andouille sausage, sliced (optional for more flavor)

Creole seasoning (or cajun), plus more to taste

bay leaf

hot sauce (optional)

fresh parsley, chopped (for finish)

salt

black pepper

long-grain white rice, rinsed

water

ground pork or beef (or combination)

yellow onion, finely diced

celery stalk, finely diced

garlic clove, minced

vegetable oil or butter

Creole seasoning

Worcestershire sauce

fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

tomato paste

diced tomatoes (canned), drained

sherry or dry white wine (optional)

chicken stock

yellow onion, finely chopped

butter

paprika

cayenne pepper

sugar

lemon juice

large shrimp, peeled and deveined (or sea scallops, about 1/2" thick)

olive oil

garlic powder

Paprika (for seafood)

kosher salt

shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

lemon wedges (for serving)

vegetable oil (for skillet)

Heat about 3.25 gal of brewing water to approximately 165°F (74°C). This will give you a mash temperature around 150°F (66°C) when you add 7.25 lb of grain (adjust for your system).

Heat strike water

Pour the crushed grains into the mash tun and slowly add the strike water while stirring to avoid dough balls. Target mash temperature: 150°F (66°C). Rest for 60 minutes.

If using acidulated malt or if pH adjustment is needed, check mash pH after 10–15 minutes and adjust to about 5.2–5.4 with food-grade lactic acid or baking acid as needed.

After the 60-minute mash, perform a mash-out by slowly raising the temperature to 168–170°F (76–77°C) for 10 minutes to stop enzymatic activity and improve wort flow.

Sparge with enough water at 170°F (77°C) to collect approximately 6.5–7.0 gal of wort in your kettle (volume depends on boil-off rate and final batch size). Aim for around 5–5.25 gal into the fermenter after boil.

Bring the wort to a vigorous boil and start a 60-minute timed boil.

At 60 minutes remaining (start of boil): add 0.75 oz Saaz hops (bittering). If using Irish moss/Whirlfloc, add it with 10–15 minutes left in the boil.

At 10 minutes remaining: add 1 tsp Irish moss or Whirlfloc (optional) and 0.5 oz Saaz hops for aroma/flavor. Add yeast nutrient if using.

Boil until time is complete, then turn off heat and chill wort quickly to yeast-pitching temperature.

Chill the wort to 48–52°F (9–11°C) for lager yeast. Transfer wort to a sanitized fermenter and aerate well (oxygenate to ~8–10 ppm or shake/splash vigorously).

Pitch the lager yeast (one pack or starter). Ferment at 48–52°F (9–11°C) until primary fermentation is complete — typically 7–14 days depending on yeast and starter strength.

After active fermentation has slowed and gravity is close to target, raise temperature slowly (diacetyl rest) to 60–62°F (15–17°C) for 48 hours to allow yeast to clean up diacetyl if present.

After rest, crash cool to 34–36°F (1–2°C) and lager (cold condition) for 2–4 weeks for improved clarity and flavor smoothing.

Measure final gravity; target FG for a light German-style pale lager is around 1.008–1.012 depending on mash and attenuation. Calculate expected ABV; this batch should yield approximately 4.6–5.2% ABV.

If bottling, dissolve 3.25 oz (approx. 92 g) corn sugar in a small amount of boiling water, cool and gently mix into the fermented beer. Bottle and cap. Condition at room temperature for 2 weeks, then cold condition for another week to carbonate and clarify.

If kegging, prime to target carbonation (2.5–2.7 volumes CO2) or force carbonate in the keg, then cold condition and serve at 36–40°F (2–4°C).

Serve cold in a straight-sided glass. Expect a crisp, light-bodied lager with soft malt sweetness, subtle noble-hop bitterness and a clean finish reminiscent of classic Midwest pilsner/adjacent lagers.

Pilsner malt (2-row pale substitute)

Pilsner malt (additional for lightness)

Munich malt (light)

CaraPils / Dextri malt

Acidulated malt (optional, for pH adjustment)

Saaz hops (bittering)

Saaz hops (flavor/aroma)

Hallertauer Mittelfrüh or Tettnang hops (substitute for Saaz if needed)

German lager yeast (e.g., Wyeast 2124/White Labs WLP830 or Saflager S-23)

Corn sugar (priming)

Water (brewhouse; treat to soft, low-mineral profile)

Gypsum / Calcium chloride

Irish moss or Whirlfloc (optional, clarity)

Yeast nutrient (optional)

Refrigerate the Heineken 0.0 until well chilled (recommended 3–7°C / 37–45°F). If you need it quickly, place the bottle in an ice bath for 20–30 minutes.

Chill bottle

Optional: fill a clean pint glass or beer glass with a few ice cubes if you prefer your beer extra cold. Note: traditional serving does not use ice to preserve carbonation and flavor.

Prepare glass

Hold the glass at a 45° angle and begin to pour the Heineken 0.0 gently down the side of the glass. When the glass is about half full, gradually tilt it upright and pour down the middle to create a 1–1.5 cm (about 0.5 inch) head of foam.

Pour

If desired, rub the rim of the glass with a lemon or lime wedge and drop the wedge into the glass or set it on the rim. Serve immediately while cold.

Heineken 0.0 (non-alcoholic lager)

Optional lemon or lime wedge

Ice (optional)

Pour 12 cups (about 2.8 L) of bourbon into a clean, food-grade 1–2 L oak barrel. If using a jar and oak stave, place the stave inside the jar and pour in the bourbon.

Combine

Stir in 1 cup of pure Minnesota maple syrup directly into the bourbon in the barrel so it dissolves and disperses evenly. Use a sanitized paddle or long spoon and mix gently for 30–60 seconds.

Add maple syrup

Add 30 teaspoons (approximately 10 tablespoons) of your house secret bitters blend to the barrel. If bitters are concentrated, distribute evenly by giving the barrel a gentle swirl or rolling the jar to incorporate the bitters.

Add bitters

Seal the barrel tightly and store it in a cool, dark place at a stable room temperature (60–70°F / 15–21°C). Age for 4–6 weeks, checking weekly. Rotate or gently roll the barrel weekly to ensure even contact with the wood.

Seal and age

Beginning at 4 weeks, draw 1–2 tablespoons with a sanitized pipette or pour a small sample to taste. Look for balanced flavors: maple sweetness, oak tannin, and bitters complexity. If too sweet or too woody, adjust by shortening or lengthening aging time; target 4–6 weeks.

Taste test

When desired balance is reached, strain the aged bourbon through a fine mesh strainer and then a coffee filter to remove any sediment or wood particles. Transfer to sanitized bottles and cap. Label with date and contents. Store upright in a cool, dark place.

Filter and bottle

Chill old-fashioned glasses briefly in the freezer or by filling with ice water, then discard water. Prepare large ice cubes or spheres (one per serving).

Chill glass and prepare ice

Measure 2 oz (60 ml) of the barrel-aged Otto's Maple Old Fashioned bourbon into each chilled old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube or sphere.

If you want an extra aromatic lift, add 1 dash of Angostura bitters on top of each finished drink.

Optional bitters

Express the oils from an orange peel over the drink by holding the peel skin-side down above the glass and giving it a quick twist; rub the peel on the glass rim and drop it into the drink as garnish.

Garnish

Serve immediately on the rocks. Recommend one large ice cube per serving to minimize dilution.

Serve

Yield: The recipe as written (12 cups bourbon) will produce approximately twelve 2-oz servings per 750 ml bottle equivalents. Adjust amounts proportionally if using a different barrel size. If you do not have a barrel, use a 750 ml bottle of bourbon with a 2–3″ toasted oak stave and age in a dark cupboard, tasting weekly.

Bourbon (Old Forester or similar)

Pure Minnesota maple syrup (Grade A or amber)

House secret bitters blend

Large ice cubes or sphere

Orange peel (for garnish)

Angostura bitters (optional, for extra aromatic top‑note)

Food-grade oak barrel (approx. 1–2 L capacity) or small glass jar + oak stave

Funnel and fine mesh strainer or coffee filter

Measuring cup / jigger

Bottles for storage (375–750 ml)

Heat approximately 14 L of brewing water to 74°C to achieve a mash-in temperature of 67°C when mixed with grist (adjust strike water volume based on system losses).

Heat Strike Water

Add grains (pilsner malt, wheat malt, flaked oats) to the strike water and stir to eliminate clumps. Hold mash at 66-67°C for 60 minutes for a balanced body with good fermentability.

Mash In

Raise mash temperature to 75°C for 10 minutes to stop enzymatic activity and aid lautering.

Mash Out

Sparge with heated water (to 75°C) until you collect ~26 L of wort in the kettle (target pre-boil volume to account for boil-off and trub losses).

Sparge

Bring the collected wort to a vigorous boil. Watch for boil-overs as wheat-heavy worts foam readily.

Bring to a Boil

At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 20 g Hallertauer/Saaz hops for bittering.

Bittering Hop Addition (60 minutes)

With 10 minutes remaining in the boil, add 10 g Hallertauer/Saaz hops to contribute subtle hop aroma and flavor.

Late Hop Addition (10 minutes)

With 10 minutes left in the boil, add the crushed coriander seeds (15 g) and dried sweet orange peel (12 g). If using whole spices, place them in a muslin bag for easier removal.

Spice Additions (10 minutes)

At the end of the boil chill the wort quickly to yeast pitching temperature (18-22°C) using an immersion chiller, counterflow, or plate chiller to minimize infection risk and DMS production.

Cool Wort

Transfer cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter. Top up to 20 L total volume with additional water if needed to reach the batch size. Aerate vigorously (oxygenate for 60-90 seconds with pure O2 or shake/splash for several minutes). Rehydrate or prepare the chosen Belgian witbier yeast per manufacturer's instructions and pitch at 18-22°C.

Aeration and Pitching

Ferment at 18-22°C for 5-7 days; expect active fermentation within 12-48 hours. Maintain stable temperature to preserve ester profile.

Primary Fermentation

After vigorous fermentation subsides (SG approaching terminal), allow 3-7 more days of conditioning at slightly cooler temps (16-18°C) to help clear and mellow the beer. Total fermentation time typically 10-14 days.