Minnesota craft beer with a Latin influence.” This is the main point that Sergio Manancero arrives at as we discuss the genesis of La Doña Cervecería, the latest taproom to open its doors in Minneapolis’ Harrison neighborhood. The fusion of Manancero’s heritage and Minnesota’s craft beer scene extends beyond the beer filling the glasses at … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Copper Crow Distillery in Bayfield, Wisc.
October 9, 2018 by
Lake Superior’s South Shore is one of the world’s most legitimately spellbinding places. Add the character of a mighty, ever-changing body of fresh water to a series of tightly knit, remarkably welcoming little communities, and you’ve got a spot that invites visitors to return again and again. For Copper Crow Distillery owners Curt and Linda … [ Read more]
Now Open: Gravity Storm Brewery Cooperative in Austin, Minnesota
September 26, 2018 by
Jimmy Buffett fans know that his music has a certain vibe, one that evokes escaping to an island to relax. With Gravity Storm Brewery Cooperative, former teacher Brian Davis has created an escape of his own, leaving behind a career in education to open a brewery in downtown Austin, Minnesota, just across the street from … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Ursa Minor Brewing in Duluth
September 25, 2018 by
Mark and Ben Hugus brewed their first batch of Big Bad John Double IPA five years ago, the day after their father’s funeral. “The first batch was brewed with the whole family,” Ben says. “Mark, myself, uncles, aunts, our sister—everyone was there and had a hand in it.” What they knew then held true as … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Clutch Brewing Company
September 12, 2018 by
Jordan Standish and Max Boeke have been friends since the sixth grade. They spent their middle school years together, and when high school came, Jordan moved up north. About a year after graduating, he got a job with a local beer distributor and spent his weekends visiting Max with plenty of craft beer in tow. … [ Read more]
Now Open (or Damn Close): BeerClub Brewing in Mora
September 7, 2018 by
Riding motorcycles across the peaks and valleys of the Alps provides an incredible thrill each year for Jon Gorham, Pat Gorham, and Fred Holm. But one of the most exciting moments of their journey waits at the end: savoring stein after stein of German beer at Oktoberfest in Munich. The friends’ love of beer extends … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Little Thistle Brewing Co. in Rochester
August 20, 2018 by
Dawn and Steve Finnie aren’t like most people currently opening a brewery. That’s because Little Thistle Brewing Co., soon to open in Rochester, Minnesota, isn’t their first. Following the elation of opening Grand Rounds Brewpub in 2015, Steve, co-owner, managing partner, and head brewer, and his wife Dawn, who lent a hand with the brewpub’s … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Torg Brewing in Spring Lake Park
August 15, 2018 by
For Dave and Debbie Torgersen, brewing was simply supposed to provide a fun activity to do together. Something they could dabble in as Dave approached retirement from the U.S. Army, something they could get more serious about once his 30-year military career was officially finished. “We went overboard very quickly. It became an obsession,” Debbie … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): 608 Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin
August 6, 2018 by
Phil Humphrey doesn’t mince words when he talks about his favorite beer styles and what he wants to brew at 608 Brewing Co. “We’re focusing more on the newer, trendier beer styles—you could say the New England IPA for sure,” Phil says of the soon-to-open La Crosse, Wisconsin, brewery. About four years ago, Phil really … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Angry Hog Brewery & Taproom in Austin, Minnesota
July 27, 2018 by
Angry Hog Brewery & Taproom may be new to residents of Austin, but its location is anything but. The building for a long time was home to Jimmy’s Fish and Seafood and Fine Meats, which sold its products in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. According to Angry Hog’s co-owners and brewers, Joe Bower and Kevin Jones, … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Studio Distilling
July 26, 2018 by
Rye whiskey can be a lovely thing, but it can also be a challenge. “Peppery” is the common adjective lobbed at the grain, which suffered a century of neglect before American distillers once again started to treat it with respect. Studio Distilling is one such producer, and they open today in Midway St. Paul for … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): 11 Wells Cocktail Room
June 28, 2018 by
When it comes to local distilleries, we’ve learned to take their timelines with a handful of salt. Construction delays are inevitable. Permitting, licensing, inspections, and label approvals are at the whim of bureaucracy. Recipe development, especially for aged spirits, can be difficult if not agonizing. This is all to say, we don’t fault a distillery … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Brother Justus Whiskey Company
June 8, 2018 by
In the never-ending debate on how long a whiskey needs to age, Phil Steger of Brother Justus Whiskey Company offers a fresh take. While many consider the job of an oak barrel to be “smoothing out” a spirit—giving the liquid time to breath, mellow, and evolve—Steger thinks that may be asking too much. “We want to show … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Rustech Brewing in Monticello
May 22, 2018 by
It seems these days that the most successful way to revitalize a city’s downtown area is to add a brewery. So when longtime residents and husband and wife duo Bill and Penny Burt approached the city of Monticello last year inquiring why the zoning laws prohibited a brewery in their town, it started the ball rolling … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Bobbing Bobber Brewing Company in Hutchinson
May 17, 2018 by
Looking at a map of Minnesota’s breweries, there’s a significant gap in the Hutchinson area. For 29 miles, there’s not a brewery to be found. For the last four years, Dan Hart and Lane Wanous worked to change that. And on May 23, Bobbing Bobber Brewing Company will finally open its doors in Hutchinson. The taproom … [ Read more]
