Brewery Updates in Minnesota (2019)

Sign now up in the North Loop:

 

Drove by the facility for the new brewery in Hackensack. Sawdust or something like that. Nice location looking out at the lake and bike trail. Sign on window said "Coming summer 2020"

Also drove by the Portage rebuild in Walker...looking close. I'd guess November. Maybe Thanksgiving. Perhaps sooner.

 

I see on Facebook Portage is saying November 23 if all goes as planned.

 

Forgotten Star opens November 16th

 

I went to Falling Knife brewery Saturday. They opened Friday. There were four IPAs, ( I like iPAs) and they were pretty good. Moderate number of people there when I arrived, but it was pretty packed when I left. The only complaint that I had was that they didn't have enough small glasses for the flights. Duh-New brewery-people want to taste what they have.

 

Fergus Brewing Company in Fergus Falls opened to the public on October 19.

Outstate Brewing Company, also in Fergus Falls, started distributing cans to liquor stores last week. The taproom is not yet open, but it seems to be getting close.

According to its Facebook page, Mineral Springs Brewery in Owatonna opens on November 8.

According to its Facebook page, Fat Pants Brewing Co. in Eden Prairie officially opens to the public on Monday, November 25. Another post implies that it's already doing some soft openings beforehand, perhaps with food only (this is a taproom with a kitchen).

Lazy Loon Brewing Company, which currently has an associated bowling alley called Lazy Loon Lanes in Norwood Young America, is working on opening a brewery and true taproom in Glencoe. According to a September 30 Facebook post, it was just waiting on the go-ahead from the city of Glencoe to start brewing and was beginning to hire taproom staff. Long a lager specialist, it's also seeking public input on which styles to brew.

CityPages covers the upcoming ONE Fermentery & Taproom (which, despite the name, is a brewpub) in Minneapolis.

Minn'Ohana Brewing in Mankato announced that it hired journeyman professional brewery worker Mike Lahti as its head brewer. The brewpub will not be opening until 2020 (given its glacial pace so far, I have to add "at the earliest").

According to a recent Facebook post, Iffy Brewing Company has its eyes on a particular site, which it wouldn't be able to take over until June 2020 based on the current tenant's lease. It's still exploring its location options.

 

This one has flown under the radar despite being in the Twin Cities metro area:

"Maple Plain is one step closer to having an upcoming brewpub, Iron Exchange Tavern and Brewery, open its doors before the New Year. Iron Exchange Tavern and Brewery owners Todd and Mary Murley are opening their brewery complete with 20 tap lines alongside full bar and kitchen before the end of 2019."

 

This would technically go in a 2020 brewery update thread, but Here it is anyways.

looks like a Brewery is being planned for Thief River Falls MN

https://trftimes.com/news/12562/brewery-to-open-next-year-in-trf

 

The Pioneer Press covers the previously mentioned Bricksworth Brewing brewpub plan for Burnsville.

Yes, everyone, please keep adding any 2020 (or beyond) planned openings to this thread. I consider this the BeerAdvocate thread of 2019 for any Minnesota brewery updates, regardless of when the plans may be implemented (i.e., "2019" applies to the thread, not to when the developments will take place). I'm sure we'll have a new 2020 thread in a couple of months, and I'm sure many of the breweries that will be mentioned in that thread will not actually open in 2020.

 

Cold Spring Brewing Company / Third Street Brewhouse in Cold Spring is expanding. None of the articles I've read about the expansion make this claim, but I bet the additional capacity is aimed more at hard seltzer and other non-beer production than beer production.

 

Falling Knife: beer was solid, but waaay overpriced.

 

I havent been there yet but I'm almost not surprised. Every brewery that opens up lately is over charging for a pint of beer to make up for the loans they have. It seems kind jumping the gun when the beer hasnt been proven yet.

 

Yep $7.41 for a beer from a new untested brewery without tipping is pushing it , even Surly has been gradually pushing up their prices - its $7.25 for a 10oz of Axeman! There are still are some solid breweries that will give you a pint of beer for $6 and those are the ones that get my hard earned money.

 

High Pines Brewing Co. is in the works for Roseville near Snelling and County Road C. It will have a taproom.

 

As quoted from Star Tribune's 2019 election coverage, concerning the Bloomington MN change of city charter vote, "Voters overwhelmingly approved the removal of a provision in Bloomington's charter that regulates alcohol sales, a move that will open the door for the first taprooms in the city.".

Following this vote, the provision, after thirty days, will be removed, and the city council will be able to write rules for allowing the establishment of taprooms.
Evidently several parties have approached city officials over the past few years about starting up a taproom. This means that proposals to the city will be forthcoming once the new rules are set up.
Could there be a Bloomington brewery/taproom running later in 2020?

 

If someone mentioned this, I missed it. There is apparently a brewery planned for the old Joe's Crab Shack location in Roseville (near Snelling and C, by the Olive Garden I think). Per the Strib, the city council approved a conditional use permit for HP. I didn't find much in a quick Google other than they are going out for bids on for planning schematics.
Presumably they are not opening this year

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...in-minnesota-2019.600503/page-16#post-6683998

 

Just heard that there’s a new brewery in planning for Zimmerman with a VERY aggressive opening target of spring 2020. Anyone able to dig anything up?

 

Looks like Portage's opening has been pushed back to December 7th.

Spend a lot of time in Hackensack and Walker area, so I'm really excited about next year.



From FB:

Construction is wrapping up, brewing has begun, and we finally have a date! It brings us great happiness to share that after almost a year of rebuilding, Portage Brewing Company will reopen its doors on Saturday, December 7.

This has been the craziest ride and we’ve encountered many obstacles - each one we’ve overcome with the support of our friends, family, the local community, and many from the brewing industry. We can’t thank you all enough, but we’re going to try.

We know you all love a good party, so our first of many thanks will be our Grand Reopening Celebration. There will be tasty local food, live music, and of course, Portage beer. Check out our event page for more details. See you soon, friends. On ahead.

https://www.facebook.com/events/698035934022563/

 

MSB has had a soft opening for the past week. Should be ready to go for the 8th.