Breweries opening in Minnesota 2015/2016

I think it would be smart for some of these new breweries to just be happy with taproom and growler sales as some are currently doing.

As for over saturation, there are plenty of areas that have a large population to support a brewery, yet do not have one. The Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville area for instance. Angry Inch will do just fine in Lakeville as there is nothing else but dive bars and chain restaurants in the area. That area could support another one or two breweries.

 

I don't disagree but there really has to be a limit somewhere. As an extreme example, Montgomery is a town of 3,000 an hour from the metro. People aren't driving down there to try their beer and I doubt too many of the town folk are going to get a beer every night to pay their bills. I just don't see how a brewery could be supported in every town.

I'm totally excited for the one in Jordan and if the beer is good I'll frequent it often. That doesn't mean I'll only go to that brewery though or go every night. If I go once a week for a $4 pint or even two I'm not going very far towards them paying their bills.

Are these small town breweries going to pull the Busch Light drinkers out of the bar and into the brewery? I guess we'll see.

 

I am amazed at the number of operations starting up, or close to opening, that have large investments but are not investing in experience - ie they are jumping right into commercial brewing from homebrewing without hiring a trained and experienced brewer. It is so different it's not even close. This is actually more true when it comes to packaging beer. In a crowded field (and getting more crowded), it is almost mind boggling that this is happening. I mean, next to underfunded brewery efforts (kickstarter appeals anyone?), this is the surest way to failure in any business. I mean, the Siebel Institute, UC Davis and all the other programs must just be a sham, right? Well, they exist for a very good reason.

For example, I believe F-Town Brewing's head brewer is a homebrewer with no commercial experience, yet, they are bringing their beers out in cans right away from what I can see? Packaged product needs to be treated differently, let alone the need to have an in-play sales channel to move product and avoid the "old beer on shelves" syndrome. Omni is in the same boat from what I see, and Angry Inch said they couldn't finish their tap room without a $25k kickstarter. That's underfunded development right there.

So - I see real trouble ahead for some, opportunity for others. To me, location is important and a big indicator of future success, but if a brewery cannot make a consistent, quality product at a profitable margin, the clock starts ticking right away. And if a brewery doesn't have an experienced brewer to jump over all obstacles which will happen, things could get very tricky for some pretty damn quick.

 

That's what I was trying to get at.

How many bars do those towns have? I grew up in Rush City (population 1600 at the time) and I think we had two. Maybe three. I'm sure some folks drove to another town to drink, too. Pine City and North Branch were slightly larger and had more bars than that. Could a very small / true micro brewery the size of Dangerous Man (or smaller) survive with lower costs and operate as a community watering hole that is very family friendly - a place you actually want to take your kids to? If they don't extend to canning / distribution...

Maybe not in every town, but I think some of these smaller towns could surprise you. Maybe don't go all barrel aged, but I think more can be supported than not. Again, will some of them fail - of course. But a lot will succeed. Not because they are "craft", but because they are as much a part of the community as the local Legion and VFW are.

 

To paraphrase: "...I see Dead Beers."

It's not oversaturation, it's Clutter. Darwin will prevail.

There is not enough QA/QC out in the real world (aka Shelf Turds and lines 13, 36, 58, 92 that are just not moving...) in this ubercluttered MSP market. It's just getting musty.

There are a few curators who try their dog-gone best but the tsunami lapping at "X" amount of shelf space, Beer-AADD (oooo, look at that new shiny beer!) and a dollar that can only go so far investing in new/old beery toys - many of those million(s) dollar breweries will fold.

It's the late 90s again, yet this time people actually own breweries instead of just contracting The Next Big Thing ("Hey barkeep, get me a Rhino Chasers Peach Honey Wheat - you know the one - Tastes Great, Less Killing!" (actual tag line)).

The scariest thing is an educated consumer. And the best thing if you're brewing proper.

 

There must be something in the air around here, because even the "Kare Bears" have weighed-in:

http://www.kare11.com/story/news/lo...beer-boom-is-there-a-breaking-point/29715155/

 

Yes:

From their website (as of right now):

 

Some minor updates:

• 10K in Anoka is making progress but clearly has some way to go: http://10kbrew.com/taproom-buildout-progress/
  
• Angry Inch’s Lakeville taproom seems to be on track, according to recent Facebook posts: 7-2-15: “Thank you to everyone that got us to our Kickstarter goal! It is so amazing to see all the support we have gotten through this process and we can't wait to be a part of downtown Lakeville!” [Image shows $30,200 pledged toward $30,000 goal.] 7-7-15: “Thank you @MayorMattLittle & Lakeville City Council Members for granting our Taproom License! We are so excited to be a part of this community! ‪#‎salut” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angry-Inch-Brewing/632502360094820
• Lucette in Menomonie, Wisconsin: Expects a July opening of its taproom, according to the 7-3-15 Minnesota BeerCast podcast. The taproom will serve pizza. http://www.twincitiesnewstalk.com/media/podcast-the-minnesota-beercast-MinnesotaBeercast/
  
• In “It’s Not a Brewery, But…” news, Urban Forage Winery and Cider House in Minneapolis, Facebook, 7-5-15: “Urban Forage is now the proud owner of 3 1000 liter stainless steel wine tanks and 4 500 liter stainless tanks!... We also put down a substantial deposit on the plumbing work for the winery today- so we have tanks, we have a plumbing contractor and are moving forward. It feels good to be making progress this weekend!” https://www.facebook.com/urbanforagewinery
  
• The Wicked Wort in Robbinsdale, Facebook, 7-7-15: “All in agreement with the city! Who's thirsty?!?” [Photo shows smiling people signing documents.] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wicked-Wort-Brewing-Co/378871585601522

 

$100 for 1 beer a month for life is way better than $1000 for 2 beers every day for life IMHO. Wish Lake Monster offered that.

 

I've been to Montgomery Brewing and, as I reported here, they make pretty good beer. Not so good that I'd say everyone has to drive there, but certainly good enough that it's worth a visit if you're nearby.

What I didn't mention before was that the taproom, though small, was filled with families. We were there on a late Saturday afternoon, so I'm sure the average age goes up in the evening. They're clearly connected with their community. They were also thrilled to have visitors from the cities,

Montgomery also has Pizzeria 201 - a farm to table restaurant that makes amazing pizza. It was clear that people commonly ordered from there. On the day we were there they'd setup their mobile wood fired pizza oven right outside the brewery.

I guess the point is that smaller towns can create their own draw and their own experience.

 

One of the head brewers used to work with me. He quit to do that full time. I'm happy to hear it's doing well and it's good beer. Not sure when I'll be down there, but hopefully soon.

 

I think its great that there are so many breweries opening. Id love to see an all barrel aged brewery! Something different!

 

Try Hammerheart, they have quite a few beers from barrels on tap at the same time.

 

Did anyone go to the F-Town pre opening party last night or the tap room today? I wanted to swing by today but have to head north to Roseau

 

I didn't have any F-ing Time.

 

Now there's an area untouched by the craft brewery movement. Roseau/Warroad/Baudette/I Falls, entire range area for the most part.

 

That area might better fall under "Breweries Opening in Canada".