Breweries Opening in the Minnesota 2017

I can't like this post enough, & I've been preaching this for a couple of years. Most people drinking 'craft' aren't neck-deep in the rabbit hole like most of us, they're just looking for something with more flavor that Michelob. These breweries with flaws so obvious to many of us are just one more flavor of craft beer to a lot of people (including plenty of people I know).

 

612 has baffled me for years, I don't know how they can stay successful. I've had a few beers there I would call average, the rest were well below average, or flawed. It's in a prime location, even though it's less than 3 blocks from 3 other breweries who all make better beer.

Eastlake could probably survive solely off their location even if their beer never improves. I've had some awful beer there, but all the awesome food options in the Midtown Global Market bring me back at least once a year.

Another one is Lakes & Legends. They had a really really rough start. I haven't been back since, but heard they've made huge improvements (someone else would need to verify). Again...the location is amazing and even while going through their rough start they didn't seem to have any shortage of customers.

Canal Park is another example. Great location...sub par beer, but they seem to be doing OK. I don't think a brewery could fail in Canal Park honestly (but we'll soon find out if it can sustain two...).

As others have said, I think location is the biggest contributing factor for new brewery success right now. At least in urban areas like the Twin Cities. Other really good breweries in smaller areas will obviously be just fine like Disgruntled and Junkyard to name a few, and perhaps rural areas can sustain subpar breweries because their residents don't have any better options (or don't know better options exist).

We've been talking about the "craft beer" bubble for quite some time, and while the lengthy post above stated that craft beer growth has slowed, I don't think we need to worry about the bubble bursting anytime soon. But perhaps, at least in the Twin Cities, we're experiencing a taproom bubble?

 

Rye IPA + Sour Patch Kid flavoring = profit

 

FTFY

 

When I went to Lakes and Legends in December, I didn't have anything that convinced me that they had improved since their opening. They are on my watchlist along with Clockwerks. Clockwerks is in an even more crowded location and had an arguably more disastrous opening than L&L. They recently hired a real brewer, so I expect they will at least improve their quality in the coming months. Even if quality improves, their beer lineup is generic styles that provide them with no differentiation.

 

The cost I heard for Waconia Brewing was $1.25 million (I heard this second hand FWIW). They lease their space.

 

Regarding Utepils I'm not familiar with that part of Minneapolis that much. Is that a decent area? Where does it get sketchy in north Minneapolis?

 

I haven't been to 612 in quite a while but I have to respectively disagree about Eastlake- I have never had anything I would consider sub-par and flip side, many that I thought were very good! Dank Aaron for one, is a very good DIPA that I have enjoyed very much and I know a lot of people don't go for the style but their double black IPA on now (2nd anniversary offering), I think is excellent.

 

I didn't see it mentioned before, but Utepils got all of their licenses just before the new year and brewed their first batch on Wednesday. They are scheduled to pour at the Winter Beer Dabbler on February 4th. I guess they can start paying off that $5.5 million of debt.

 

Agreed, granted it's a single data point but I saw a late version business plan from Bauhaus and it suggested they opened for just about $2 mm. I'd be shocked if Utepils and those like it are investing $4-$5+ mm to open.

 

I've only been to Eastlake once about a year ago but thought they were decent enough at the time.

 

L&L was packed Thursday night. Took a while to get a beer. Location and taproom.

The last time I was at Eastlake, the fruit flies where attacking me and the beer tasted like beer line cleaner. I haven't been back.

 

Received their Conditional Use Permit from the city of Spring Park:

http://lakerpioneer.com/2017/01/06/spring-park-approves-new-cup-for-brewery-taproom/

Hattip to "footbalm" at the other site.

 

Utepils,

a Pilsner, Alt and Kolsch?

Yes, please.

 

I've sat down with Dan and can say with certainty that project is now north of $4 million. He's known from the beginning there's still room in our market for a brewery of their intended caliber and props to him for successfully pouncing on it.

 

Cool, I don't pretend to know more than I do, I'm excited to get in there and see what they can do. Well made German beers are right up there with some of my favorites.

 

I could not agree more. I got excited when Bauhaus opened with a seemingly german lager like slant....but it is just all americanized like you state....not saying it is bad but I just would appreciate someone other than Schells (which is great) doing some true German style beers. To be honest I think Fulton Standard is a kickass vienna style lager....really loving that beer.

 

It is tough getting the 'German style' malt profile from any American base malt in a single step infusion mash schedule. German hops and yeast are pretty easy to use but unless the brewer knows how to use German malt, American malts will be the choice ('just add water, stir and it is converted').

BSG does sell Weyermann German malt but it might be more expensive than Rahr (WAG - haven't looked at the price sheet). Without a bit of brewing process magic, using slightly under modified pils malt, local craft breweries will have a better chance to mimic those German styles.

 

MNPost asks:

"Has the brewery boom peaked?"

https://www.minnpost.com/business/2...nesota-went-down-2016-has-brewery-boom-peaked