Brewery Updates in Minnesota (2019)

For the record, Little Thistle opened in August 2018. Under Pressure opened in December 2018.

 

One Fermentory is fantastic. Forgotten Star has well made beer, if a bit limited as of opening. Falling Knife shows a lot of promise, and will benefit from a few more rounds on the brewhouse. Schram is fine. Beer was clean. Who else opened in 2019?

 

Falling Knife was a clear winner for me of breweries opening in 2019. Their beer has been top notch from the start with decent variety and a decent tap room. They have table service in their taproom which is really nice.

 

"Granite City Food & Brewery files Ch. 11, seeks sale." Granite City has corporate headquarters in Bloomington, four locations in Minnesota (St. Cloud, Maple Grove, Roseville, and Eagan), and 21 locations in other states.

From a week ago, but it never got posted: "From a Fire to Portage Brewing Company 2.0: A letter from co-founder Jeff Vondenkamp"

 

Schram Haus is interesting. It has been the only time in my life I had a burnt/scorched beer. Their Red was close to undrinkable. I guess they have an electric brewery, so the scorching makes sense, now. The rest of their lineup was just ok.

Falling Knife on the other hand, has been pretty tasty.

 

Tax cuts don't necessarily equal "tax breaks." The latter are special concessions or advantages in tax policy in which some favored groups don't have to pay taxes that everyone else does. I can't think of how that situation would apply to breweries.

If you're talking about the 2017 reduction in the federal excise tax paid by alcohol producers -- which again is in the news because it's set to expire if Congress doesn't extend it -- that's definitely not a "tax break" but rather a reduction in the taxes that breweries and other alcohol producers have to pay that very few other types of businesses do. It's a reduction in a distortion that actively disfavors breweries, not the introduction of a distortion that actively favors them, as a "tax break" would be.

 

Not surprised at all. Granite City's beer has always run right down the center line of mediocre. But since we started going to the Eagan location over a decade ago, the food has declined in quality substantially & the prices have skyrocketed. Not a good business model.

 

What is Granite City's brewing story. Where do they actually brew the beer? Do they do any part of the brewing process at the individual brew pubs?

 

They bew in IA, ship wort in trucks to franchise location where they ferment on site.

 

South by Southeast Minnesota Brewing Company (a brewery and taproom) is in planning for Pine Island, at the expense of the Grand Rounds brewpub: "Leung currently owns successful brewpub Grand Rounds in downtown Rochester. Because of Minnesota beer laws, the brewpub can't distribute beer, and she can't own a prewpub and a brewery. So, Grand Rounds will stop making its own beer and become a restaurant. The brewing equipment will be moved to Pine Island and Grand Rounds will serve South by Southeast Beer."

 

The original Granite City in St Cloud, has a functioning brewhouse. But, as far as I know it’s been ages since they brewed on it. I think the location in Sioux Falls maybe has a brewhouse as well. Anyway, the rest of the locations ferment worst shipped to them by their facility in Iowa.

 

https://www.twincities.com/2019/12/18/granite-city-restaurant-group-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/

 

I'm guessing it was a typo, but if not & you were using a play on words w/ worst-wort to alter our subconscious...Bravo! Great description of their beer!!!

 

Looks like we landed at 22 new breweries/brewpubs in 2019 in MN according to The Growler . This is worth a look .



https://growlermag.com/2019-year-in-review-beer-cider-and-seltzer/

 

Only $11,326 of economic impact per brewery. How do those numbers work?

 

I just learned the hard way that Iron Exchange in Maple Plain, a brewpub, does not yet have its own beer on tap. My fault; I should know by now to check that in advance with newly opened brewpubs. The bartender told me they're hoping to start serving house-brewed beer on January 1, but she didn't sound confident. For my records, I'm going to count it as a 2020 brewpub opening, assuming it doesn't pull a Bus Stop (opened December 2018 yet to date hasn't actually served its own beer).

 

Rendezvous Brewery in planning for Hackensack

 

There were at least 2 places that closed? 12welve Eyes and Great Waters. I can't think of any else.....?

 

Great Waters closed in November 2018.

 

I was there a few weeks before they closed too. Doesn't seem that long ago. Must be getting old.