Brewery Updates in Minnesota (2019)

You should start seeing LOWBREWCO beer across northern Minnesota between Fargo and Duluth in the near future! Could cans be in the future too? Possibly

 

That's one of the Tod Fyten-owned brewing companies, along with Stagecoach/Mantorville (Stagecoach being the brand, Mantorville the company name) and St. Croix. You may remember Fyten as the guy who supposedly was going to buy NorthGate and even took over managing it but backed out right before it closed. The St. Paul address is just a company headquarters. I believe Fyten long has owned the building; my understanding is that he has a number of real estate holdings around the state. Fytenburg has been a client brewing company for decades and has had beer in stores, although it's been years since I can recall seeing it. Last I heard, the contract brewers were Lake Superior and Cold Spring, but that was under the old ownership at Lake Superior. Fyten does (or at least did; it's hard to keep track) have a tiny brewing system at Mantorville, and some Fytenburg-branded beer has been brewed and kegged (but not bottled) there. There was some talk years ago that the St. Paul location would be turned into an actual brewery and taproom, and I believe Fyten originally intended to put a brewpub there in the 1990s, but those plans seem to have fizzled long ago. Fyten also supposedly was going to open a St. Croix taproom in Stillwater. He even personally told me at a beer festival in October 2015 that one would open in November 2015; suffice it to say that didn't happen. There's always a lot of talk with Fyten.

@Chaz, it should come as no surprise, is the resident Fyten expert. He should be able to fill in details and provide corrections/clarifications.

 

Haha! Here we go again!

This question has come up every few years for the past 30 years. The short answer is that there is no brewery there, and I doubt if there ever will be. Every ten years or so Tod makes noises about opening something there, but it never materializes. At this point, I'll only believe it when I'm sitting at the bar there drinking my second pint.

 

They are very early in their planning, but recently heard about Hidden Falls Brewing from friends of the folks behind the venture. I was told they hope to open in a temporary space somewhere in the Twin Cities to begin building their brand, but once St. Paul's old Ford plant site truly begins to see redevelopment and buildings going up, they would locate permanently somewhere in that vast area. No website developed yet (despite what is shown on Facebook), but they are on Twitter and Instagram.

Here's what they've revealed so far, from their last Facebook post:

Thank you to all of our friends who we invited to our big announcement party.

We know some of you weren’t able to make it, but we want you to know you're a big and important part of our community. If you still haven’t heard, we are going to start a new brewery in the Twin Cities called Hidden Falls Brewing. We're sure to have more events so you’ll have other opportunities to follow our progress. In the meantime, email/call/or find any of us in person if you have any questions.

For those of you who did attend, we’re pleased you were able to join us on such an exciting day with family and friends.

Here’s how you can help Hidden Falls Brewing succeed:

-Spread the word
-“Like” our social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
-Tell us what you like/dislike in taprooms/brewpubs
-Let us know what talents/resources you have that we can use (carpentry, electrical, architect, IT, contacts [government, Ryan Cos., developers, RE], etc., etc., etc.]
-Money: we’re not asking for it now, but there will be an opportunity to invest and get benefits (free beer!)

ABOUT HIDDEN FALLS BREWING
• Multiple communal spaces for a variety of customers
• Outdoor/patio seating, and if building design allows for it, a possible rooftop/open space
• Several craft beer offerings, including beers with a high local market demand
• 6-8 taps, eventually expanding to 12-20
• Food will not be prepared on site
• A casual gathering spot catering to a diverse clientele
• A 21st-Century taproom, created for a 21st-Century Community

ABOUT HIDDEN FALLS BREWING LOCATION
• Unlikely for commercial buildings to be built at the Ford Site until at least 2021
• Hidden Falls Brewing has not secured a location for development and purchase or lease at the site
• Hidden Falls Brewing’s current plans are to find an alternative location to begin operations
• Once development at the Ford Site progresses sufficiently, Hidden Falls Brewing plans to seek space there
• We might convert initial location into production-only, or move operations to the new location, or convert initial location to a brewpub to allow Hidden Falls Brewing to open a second location
• The choice will be made depending on market conditions, the success of the initial location, Hidden Falls Brewing’s ability to negotiate an acceptable purchase or lease at the Ford Site, and other relevant factors

Thank you!

Hidden Falls Brewing
Hassan • Tomas • Dean

 

The real kicker here is whether or not you’d want to drink more than one pint of Tod Fyten’s beer.



Seriously though, if this ever happens I will eat every one of my 37 trucker hats.

 

Yes. Tod Fyten owns this label and Mantorville brewery. Rumor has it he is the CEO/Operating Manager (I don't know his exact title.) of Barley John's in New Richmond.

 

He has had way too many ideas and not much in terms of execution. He keeps buying properties or whatever but then nothing seems to open. Did he ever open that taproom in Stillwater?

 

That’s one of the best rumors you’ve fielded yet, Brian. Pretty sure nothing came of it.

“Watch this space for news of our upcoming Stillwater project.”

(Copyright 2012)

Edited (third mfin’ edit!):
https://mobile.twitter.com/stcroixbeer?lang=en

2017 was the last post:
“Local woman-owned business offering distinctive ales and stouts in a pub-like setting. Our new location in downtown Stillwater planned for winter 2018.”

 

Indeed, he does.

To be fair, it’s far too easy to goof on the guy, and I’m surely guilty of doing as much.

He really isn’t a bad dude, and has a pretty keen insight into the local industry at a very particular level. On the other hand he’s just so darned busy that he can’t seem to make some of his grander plans work out.

With that being said, here’s a 2014 vintage article from the ever authoritative City Pages, in which he prognosticates. It’s worth considering for the sake of comparison with what’s happened in the intervening years:

http://www.citypages.com/restaurant...-industry-this-things-going-all-local-6600879

 

Iron Exchange Tavern and Brewery in Maple Plain announced their opening on Facebook

"Gather around the bar, friends. One week from today, on Friday December 13th beginning at 11AM, we will be OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!"

 

I pass by this place every day. It came together rather quick. I'd be very surprised if they were brewing yet, I've seen tanks though. There was lots of activity in the kitchen and bar area.

 

Push-back against the "wellness" surcharge...

Arden Hills man sues Blue Plate Restaurant Co. over ’employee wellness’ charge

"In a recently filed class action lawsuit against the Blue Plate Restaurant Co., Ashbach contends in five counts that the charge amounts to theft, fraud and unjust enrichment. According to the lawsuit, it was unclear whether the 3 percent fee was optional or mandatory, or whether all employees would benefit from it.

The lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County District Court toward the end of November by attorney Jon Farnsworth of Minneapolis-based Spencer Fane, seeks $50,000 in damages."

 

PawPrint Brewery in Chatfield just got the final inspection approval for the ok to brew beer.

 

Haha. Where do I start? First hats off to this guy. These local restaurant chains are making a killing off of beer sales and are opening new location after new location. If they have the money to do this, why dont they have money to pay their employees?

 

They also received a nice tax break from congress.

 

As 2019 comes to a close and this thread starts to wind down to make way for a 2020 thread it seems Minnesota did get 20+ new breweries as predicted this year.

I didn’t visit any big standouts this year but thought Thesis in Rochester came out of the gate strongest and continue to have good beer lineups .

Any other ones jump out from 2019 that impressed ?

 

I've visited all of the breweries that opened this year in the greater Twin Cities area. I think Thesis is the only one that opened this year elsewhere in the state that I've visited, and I wasn't impressed. Schram Haus, if you count it as a new brewery,* would be my number 1, with ONE coming in a strong second. Both of those already are producing well above average beer, in my opinion. Then there's a big gap. The next grouping for me ("decent to pretty good so far") would be Inver Grove,** Pig Ate My Pizza, Oldenburg, and Yoerg,*** probably in that order. I'll also give a plug to some really good breweries that opened in late 2018 like Ursa Minor, La Doña, and Uncommon Loon that might've opened too late to get much attention in best of 2018 lists.

* It's a new location and concept of the existing Schram Vineyards, but it has a mostly different lineup of beers.
** A second location of the existing Lakeville Brewing Company brewpub but with brewing on site
*** New in 2019 as a brewpub; existed for a couple of years prior as an associated client brewing company

 

I visited Thesis when they were open about 3 months and they had it down pretty good but again it’s only an opinion. I liked One as well and do plan to visit them again soon , a lot of people liked Falling Knife but I have not made the effort to visit them as yet .

I second La Doña- that place is great and if I lived closer to it I would visit it more.

 

I thought La Dona concept and atmosphere far superior to their beer on my visit. I know I am in the minority of people that have been there in respect to their beer. I have been very impressed with Schram Haus and the beer. The larger brewhouse was bit of a step back as far as technology is concerned, but the brewer seems to have that thing really dialed in. Have not been disappointed in a beer I have had there.

Was not really impressed with beer at Little Thistle or Under Pressure but each had its own taproom highlights. Kind of disappointed in myself that I have not visited Oldenburg yet but I think the almost instant for sale tag scared me off for a reason.

 

I also meant to add that Little Thistle had the most thought about taproom that I have experienced. My usual pet peeves, I could not bitch about one. If the beer was better and the crowds larger, I may have had a different experience.