Partner Spotlight: Lift Bridge Brewery

Root Beer from Stillwater-based Lift Bridge Brewery was included in our well-stocked goody bag!

A Story Feast Partner at Our Inaugural Gathering

When we set out to find beverage partners for our first gathering, beer was an essential. This is the Midwest, after all! We wanted a brewery that understood what we were trying to create: a company rooted in place, committed to quality, and proud of where they come from.

Lift Bridge Brewery checked every box.

Stillwater's First Brewery Since Prohibition

Lift Bridge Brewing Company was founded in 2008 by a group of friends, neighbors, and homebrewers in Stillwater, Minnesota. It was the first brewery to operate in Stillwater since Prohibition… and when Minnesota changed its laws in 2011 to allow craft breweries to sell pints on-site, Lift Bridge opened the state's very first taproom.

That pioneering spirit runs through everything they do.

Named after Stillwater's historic lift bridge over the St. Croix River, the brewery has grown into one of Minnesota's largest craft beer producers. But they've never lost their connection to the community that raised them. Through every can, bottle, and tap pull, Lift Bridge wants drinkers to taste the history of Stillwater: the pride, the fun, and the uncompromising natural ingredients that go into every batch.

At St. John's Abbey

During our gathering, we served a selection of Lift Bridge beers throughout the dinner to give guests a taste of Minnesota craft brewing alongside the harvest feast.

And in every goody bag, guests took home a can of Lift Bridge Root Beer.

Lift Bridge became one of the first breweries in Minnesota to craft nonalcoholic root beer back in 2014, originally available only in their taproom. It's made with the same care and attention as their beer; no shortcuts, no artificial anything. Just a delicious, old-fashioned root beer that feels like a celebration in itself.

Why We Partnered

Story Feast is about place. It's about celebrating the people and producers who make a region extraordinary. Lift Bridge embodies that spirit: a brewery built by friends who believed Stillwater deserved great beer, and who've spent nearly two decades proving them right.

We're grateful they said yes.

Learn more about Lift Bridge Brewery →

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Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

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Partner Spotlight: TÖST Sparkling NonAlcoholic Beverage

TÖST was served throughout the evening and a bottle was also sent home with every guest in their goody bag

At every Story Feast gathering, we want everyone at the table to feel celebrated, including those who aren't drinking alcohol. Nonalcoholic options shouldn't be an afterthought. They should be just as thoughtful, just as delicious, and just as beautiful in the glass.

That's why we were thrilled to partner with TÖST for our inaugural event at St. John's Abbey.

What Is TÖST?

TÖST is a premium nonalcoholic sparkling beverage crafted with white tea, white cranberry, and ginger. It's dry, not sweet, developed in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs and James Beard Award winners to pair beautifully with food, just like fine wine.

All-natural ingredients. No artificial flavors. Low sugar, low calorie, and sophisticated enough to hold its own at any table.

It's the kind of drink you actually want in your glass, whether you're driving, sober-curious, abstain from alcohol, or simply choosing not to drink that evening.

TÖST not only tastes fantastic, it paired so well with the colors at our Story Feast dinner!

At St. John's Abbey

Throughout the cocktail hour and dinner, guests sipped TÖST alongside the other beverages we served. It looked elegant, tasted wonderful, and gave everyone something celebratory to raise.

And when guests headed home, each goody bag included a bottle of TÖST to enjoy later… a little reminder of the evening and an invitation to recreate that feeling of celebration at their own table.

Why It Mattered

Hospitality means making everyone feel included. At Story Feast, we believe the drink in your hand shouldn't determine whether you feel part of the toast. Partnering with TÖST helped us create a table where everyone belonged.

We're so grateful they said yes.

Learn more about TÖST →

My newsletter

Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

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Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

Interested in joining a future gathering? See upcoming events →

Photographer Spotlight: Bailey Bassen at St. John’s Abbey

Minnesota was at its autumn best on the day of our event at St. John’s Abbey.

Most of the images on this website exist because Bailey Bassen reached out with a generous offer: Would we be interested in having her photograph the event?

We'd never worked together. We'd never even met. But something about her portfolio, and her willingness to take a chance on a brand-new gathering, made us say yes immediately.

It was one of the best decisions we made.

A Leap of Faith

Photographing a Story Feast gathering is not a simple assignment. Our events unfold across hours, in multiple locations, with dozens of moving parts. At St. John's Abbey, that meant capturing:

• Three simultaneous tours spread across the monastery grounds

• A cocktail hour with 180 guests

• A multi-course dinner by candlelight in a historic dining hall

• The chefs, the partners, the details, the atmosphere

• Interviews I conducted with key collaborators

I wasn't sure how to prepare someone for all of that. So I wrote Bailey a very detailed shot list, every moment, every partner, every angle I hoped we'd capture, and trusted that it would be enough.

Then the day arrived, and we barely crossed paths. I was managing the event. She was somewhere else entirely, doing her work. I caught glimpses of her moving quickly through the crowd, camera raised, but we didn't have time to check in.

I had no idea if we'd gotten what we needed.

And Then the Photos Arrived

When Bailey delivered her files, I understood.

Every moment was there. The tours: all three of them, happening simultaneously in different corners of the abbey were captured beautifully. The food, the table settings, the candlelight. The guests laughing, the chefs plating, the pottery glowing in the candlelight. The quiet moments and the joyful ones.

I still don't know how she did it. I imagine her sprinting from the organ workshop to the pottery studio to the church to The Great Hall and back again, catching every shot on the list and dozens I hadn't thought to ask for.

She didn't just document the day. She deeply understood it.

A Joy to Work With

Beyond her stunning work, Bailey was an absolute joy, professional, easygoing, and fully committed to capturing something special. She showed up ready, asked the right questions, and then disappeared into the work with quiet confidence.

If you're planning an event in Minnesota and need a photographer who can handle complexity, move fast, and deliver images very quickly that make you catch your breath, Bailey is your person.

Nearly every image on this site is Bailey's, unless otherwise noted. We're so grateful!

Learn More About Bailey →

My newsletter

Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

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Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

Interested in joining a future gathering? See upcoming events →

Partner Spotlight: Milk & Honey Cider At St. John’s Abbey

A cider tasting at Milk & Honey Cider, photo: Jody Eddy

Some partnerships begin with an email. This one began with a bonfire.

A few days before our gathering at St. John's Abbey, we drove out to Milk & Honey Ciders, which is just down the road from the abbey, to pick up their contribution to the evening: kegs of their Estate Cider, bottles of their Pommeau, and, at their insistence, the proper tulip glasses to serve it in. They care about how their cider is experienced right down to the shape of the glass.

What I didn't expect was to stay for a tasting by the bonfire.

The Cidery

Milk & Honey sits in the rolling hills of Stearns County, just north of St. Joseph, Minnesota. The taproom overlooks their orchard, rows and rows of heirloom and traditional cider apple trees stretching toward open fields. It's the kind of place where you're invited to walk the grounds, watch the pressing operation, and settle in with a flight while the afternoon disappears.

Founded by Peter Gillitzer and partners, Milk & Honey focuses on dry, tannic, highly aromatic ciders made with minimal intervention. They source heirloom varieties from across the country, apples with names like Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Arkansas Black, and Kingston Black, and blend across multiple years of production. The result is cider that tastes like wine: complex, layered, meant to be savored.

Their motto: Let the apples shine.

That Afternoon

We arrived to pick up the kegs and ended up by the bonfire, tasting few of their crisp, refreshing ciders as the sun dropped behind the orchard. We talked about cider, about community, about what it means to make something by hand in a world that rewards speed.

The next day, they'd be pressing apples in the production room, fruit already harvested, the whole space fragrant with the aroma of bright, fresh apples. I wished I could stay for that. Next time.

Milk & Honey Cider, photo: Jody Eddy

What We Served

At St. John's Abbey, guests enjoyed Milk & Honey's Estate Cider throughout the evening. It’s dry, aromatic, and a perfect counterpoint to the richness of the meal. After dinner, we poured their Pommeau: a blend of apple brandy and fresh-pressed juice aged two years in barrels. Warm, spiritous, with notes of caramel, oak, and dried fruit. Served neat, in those tulip glasses, exactly as intended.

Visit Milk & Honey

The taproom is open Thursday through Sunday, year-round. Bring your own food, order a flight, and settle in. Each season offers something different: cozy winters by the fire, fall harvest energy, summer evenings on the patio. It's worth the drive.

Visit Milk & Honey Ciders →

My newsletter

Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

Subscribe to What's Good Here →

Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

Interested in joining a future gathering? See upcoming events →

Recipe: Vespers: A Story Feast Signature Cocktail from Brother Justus Whiskey Founder, Phil Steger

Vespers cocktail creation during the Story Feast cocktail hour at our St. John’s Abbey gathering.

Phil Steger founded Brother Justus Whiskey with a simple belief: spirits should bring people together. Based in Minneapolis, Brother Justus is Minnesota's first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition, and it's built on Benedictine values of community, craftsmanship, and hospitality.

Phil created this cocktail for the inaugural Story Feast gathering at St. John's Abbey in November 2025. The name "Vespers" refers to the evening prayer service observed in monasteries around the world, a moment of pause and reflection as day turns to night. It felt fitting for a meal shared by candlelight in a monastic dining hall.

From Phil: “This is an original cocktail called “Vespers.” It feels fitting for the occasion and the time of day, given that Vespers is the communal divine office prayed by monks in the evening. The build has monastic references too. In addition to Brother Justus, it is also made with Benedictine liqueur, as well as cream sherry and mole bitters. It’s a boozy cocktail, with a lot of richness, but is velvety and smooth, with black coffee color with ruby red refractions in the light. Perfect for end of day reflection and reverie.”

Brother Justus founder Phil Steger during the Story Feast cocktail hour. Phil not only created a signature cocktail for the event, he poured Brother Justus whiskey for our guests throughout the event.

When Megan and JD Jorgenson, founders of Maine Prairie Studio, found out about the whiskey pouring during dunner, they handcrafted a whiskey tumbler for every place setting (it’s the small one on the left). Megan and JD threw every single piece of pottery for our Story Feast event at St. John’s Abbey. It totaled over 1300 pieces of original place settings, serving vessels, water and whiskey tumblers and vases for the table. It was extraordinary.

Not only did Megan and JD craft a whiskey tumbler for every place setting, they also created enough of them to send a tumbler home with every guest in our Story Feast goody bag.

Vespers

Makes 1 cocktail

Preparation time: 5 minutes

The recipe combines American whiskey with Benedictine (a French herbal liqueur originally created by monks) and cream sherry, finished with mole bitters for warmth and depth. It's smooth, contemplative, and best enjoyed slowly, at sunset, with good company.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Brother Justus American Whiskey

• ½ oz Benedictine

• ½ oz Cream Sherry

• 2 dashes mole bitters

• Ice

Method

1. Add whiskey, Benedictine, cream sherry, and bitters to a mixing glass.

2. Fill with ice and stir until well chilled, about 30 seconds.

3. Strain into a coupe or rocks glass.

4. Serve without garnish, or with a single orange twist if you like.

   My newsletter

   Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

   Subscribe to What's Good Here →

   Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

   Interested in joining a future gathering? See upcoming events →