http://www.lucidbrewing.com/events/taproom/ I wrote them a while back, and understand that they do have tours, taproom, growler/logoed Libbey Pint glasses, and other swag for sale. Looks like there's another tour coming up -- the listing for that one is here. P.S. Three years already?!? Congratulations to Lucid!
You can get growlers to go. Also they give you 5 free samples. Limited seating but plenty of room to mover around.
Cant link to the deal directly but they have a pretty good deal on this site: http://www.twincitiessavers.com/?rd=1500deals&sta=AM "You are purchasing a VIP Brewery Tour for Four (4) people which includes: a pint glass for Four (4) people and open bar for one hour.MUST BE 21+ TO PURCHASE & REDEEM. Tours Available during Growler Tours."
Lucid does not have a taproom as we understand the term in Minnesota in the Surly Law era. It offers growlers for sale on site, and it offers tours with free samples, but you cannot show up and purchase a glass of beer per se for consumption on site. Growler sales and tours with samples were legal prior to the passage of the Surly Bill. My understanding is that Lucid's unique alternating proprietorship arrangement -- with Badger Hill (which plans to open its own brewery and taproom in Shakopee in December), Bad Weather (which is targeting 2015Q1 to open its own brewery and taproom in St. Paul), and Pryes -- creates legal complications for opening a true taproom. Nonetheless, Lucid does hope to open a taproom "in the near future" (see the end of the Heavy Table Tap Room Directory http://heavytable.com/minneapolis-st-paul-tap-room-directory/).
You do not have to go on a tour to get free samples. Just show up Friday evening or Saturday and present an ID, get 5 free samples to have on site. Last time I was there they had some outstanding beer to sample that you never hear about. It is only Lucid beers though. None of the other breweries sharing the space.
I heard Lucid doesn't have a normal tap room because they didn't want to pay for the license. Bad business if true. Hopefully when they move they will open a tap room with sales.
What islay said is much closer to what the owner of Lucid told my BBSU class a year ago, which is that because there are three breweries on premises, they would have to have three different licenses with three different point of sale systems staffed by employees of each brewery. It would be a bit of a mess and far too much trouble, but they would be looking into figuring out a way to make it work. Or, they would have to shut out the other two breweries on site from operating out of the taproom, which would be running contrary to how they are trying to do business. I don't know if anything has changed in the last year in terms of how they understand the various city and state laws
But then why not just have a Lucid only taproom? The other breweries could set up their own POS systems and area to sell if they wanted their own taprooms.
I haven't been there, so I don't know what size space they are working with and if there is sufficient area to have each brewery have a dedicated space with taplines (according to the Lucid guy, a Lucid employee would not be able to pour or touch the Badger Hill beer even if the Badger Hill employee was busy and the Lucid was not - it would need to be distinct entities in the taproom). But maybe the Lucid only taproom is what they're shooting for in the future. It would make sense to me, but I really don't know. At the time they were more concerned with establishing the brand in the market and less about the taproom aspect given their more complicated business arrangement.
It would also make sense to me that they would be going Lucid only as they expand and the other breweries move out. It seems as though Badger Hill is set to move out already. There isn't really a lot of space in there, I've been there a number of times for growler fills and was there for the Halucidation release this year. The release party is the only time you can drink there for whatever reason. It doesn't really bother me that you can't sit and have a pint there, you can get a taste of everything on tap and then take home a growler for a reasonable price. Every time I've been there the person working the bar has been friendly and knowledgeable, explaining the beers in terms of style, influences, and preparation. Duo and Goslar are top notch, IMO. Those two will keep me supporting Lucid regardless of tap room status.
I believe they intend to continue the alternating proprietorship as part of their business model. Pryes is brewing out of their facility. Both Bad Weather and Badger Hill are moving out to their own facilities.
