Photos by Brian Kaufenberg
The Growler gets a sneak peek of NorthGate Brewing’s new brewery and taproom
Nearly two two years after pouring their first pint, NorthGate Brewing has officially moved its operations from the minuscule 780 square foot space where it all began to a 7,400 square foot warehouse on Broadway and Harding in Minneapolis. Head Brewer Tuck Carruthers took us on a tour of the brewhouse, milling room, and coolers for cold storage, and talked about dialing in brewing process on the new brewing equipment.
The brewery is equipped with a brand new Specific Mechanical 20 bbl brewhouse, allowing NorthGate to increase their production to meet demand for their English style ales. Behind the wall of 1/2 barrel kegs were dozens of firkins, which NorthGate plans to use to create a wider selection of cask conditioned ales for the brewery taproom.
The taproom is a new adventure for NorthGate Brewing, as their original location was too small to accommodate a full seating area for visitors. In addition to growlers, patrons can order a pint at the bar,* poured from two classic, stainless steel tap towers, and find a seat in a booth or at one of the dark colored low-top tables that give the taproom a distinct English pub atmosphere.
Co-founder Adam Sjogren was behind the bar at the sneak peek for the media and spoke about the lessons they learned during the taproom’s soft-openings.
NorthGate added Jim Olson to the team as the taproom manager to tackle the challenges of the new portion of the business. Olson has a background in the service industry and is looking forward to opening the doors to the public for the brewery’s Grand Opening this Friday.
Visit NorthGate Brewing’s website for more information.
* Correction: An earlier version of this story stated you could purchase a flight of beer at the bar. NorthGate will only be serving pints and filling growlers in the taproom.
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