I recently had the privilege to visit Memphis, Tennessee. I had never been to Memphis, and my first stop in the city was the Ghost River Brewing Company. I was excited to see a city through its brewery. Like most visitors, I did not know anything about the Ghost River, so the tour began with an explanation. There is no real river named Ghost River. … Continue reading Ghost River Brewing Company: Memphis, TN
For America’s craft beer fan, a visit to New Belgium’s headquarters in Fort Collins is an obligation. I knew a few random facts about their employee benefits and the beers, but seeing it made it more real. Before going, I heard it was an equal employee owned company, which is true. After working at New Belgium for a year, employees are given a bicycle. Founder … Continue reading New Belgium Brewing Company: Fort Collins, CO
There is plenty of activity in the Midtown area of St. Louis. The Cortex Innovation Community is a technology startup hub, and the redevelopment of the old Armory building will have a similar impact on employment. Saint Louis University and Washington University have campuses very near all of the developments. Fortunately for Twisted Roots, they are right across the street from the Armory construction. They … Continue reading Twisted Roots Brewing: St. Louis, MO
Chesapeake Brewing Company is the only craft brewery in the city of Annapolis! Until two months ago, they were the only one in the entire county. How can an eastern seaboard state like Maryland still struggle to produce breweries and ease liquor laws? I was shocked to learn of the state of affairs in Maryland, and the co-owner of Chesapeake is far more unsettled. In the main … Continue reading Chesapeake Brewing Company: Annapolis, MD
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4 Hands has been open in the LaSalle Park neighborhood of Saint Louis since 2011. Focused on new creations, they supplement their widely recognized year-round offerings with funky flavors. Continue reading 4 Hands Brewing Company: St. Louis, MO
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At press time, Exile Brewing Company is the largest production brewery in Iowa in 2018. I first wanted to understand why Exile is their name. RJ Tursi, Exile’s founder, comes from an Italian-American family. His grandfather immigrated to the United States where he was welcomed by the Statue of Liberty. Some know its other name, “The Mother of Exiles.” That’s how the company’s name came about. … Continue reading Exile Brewing Company: Des Moines, IA
Nebraska Brewing Company (NBC) stands tall as a truly homegrown brewing company, with roots deep in the city’s history. Paul and Kim Kavulak began home brewing in 1992 before they started the first Nebraska Brewing location in 2007. Their flagship beer, the Cardinal Pale Ale, is named for the Cardinal Bar in South Omaha, owned by Paul’s grandparents. The owners also remain proudly committed to … Continue reading Nebraska Brewing Company: La Vista, NE
Kansas City Bier Company is a little piece of Germany nestled right in the Waldo neighborhood of the city. The location is a perfect spot for the biergarten, bierhalle, and the children’s play area. KCBC is wholeheartedly committed to Germany. I spoke with the founder, Steve Holle, about how his German heritage, knowledge of the German language, and his time in Germany learning traditional brewing … Continue reading Kansas City Bier Company: Kansas City, MO
Scriptown Brewing Company is located in the heart of the Blackstone District in Omaha. I sat down with Scriptown’s owner, John Fahrer, to talk about what it’s like to hold some key real estate in the Omaha beer scene since late 2014. In his own words, John says Scriptown is about “classic examples of traditional beer styles.” These beers are the basics. They produce many styles … Continue reading Scriptown Brewing Company: Omaha, NE
If you have ever visited the mid-sized port city on Lake Superior, you know that Canal Park is the tourism center of the city. Canal Park Brewing Company is located in the heart of the Park. Opened in 2012, the local owners renovated an industrial mattress spring factory on Lake Superior to open up their brewery. The building stands only 100 feet from the water … Continue reading Canal Park Brewing Company: Duluth, MN
DC Brau started in 2011 on the eastern side of Washington, DC. It is still within the city limits, but it is essentially right on Maryland’s state line. After opening in 2011, it was Washington DC’s first brewery since 1956. It quickly shot up to become the largest brewery in the city. In 2017, they produced 15,000 barrels of beer. Not only do they produce … Continue reading DC Brau Brewing Company: Washington, DC
Benson Brewery is located in the historic Benson neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. In the summers, the beer garden in the back draws many for late weekend nights. Benson Brewery focuses on the food as well as the beer that they serve. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought this was a restaurant. While they create great food, their beer was the original idea. … Continue reading Benson Brewery: Omaha, NE
Barn Town Brewing Company’s name and decor completely fit the Iowa farm stereotype. This doesn’t mean you should write them off as a run-of-the-mill brewery. Barn Town is less than a year old at press time and ready to battle with the goliath competitors in the Iowa beer game. They are already expanding their fermentation vessel capacity and struggling to meet demand. (Note the tap … Continue reading Barn Town Brewing Company: Des Moines, IA
HammerHeart Brewing Company is located in the outer reaches of the Twin Cities suburbs, far enough north to draw a following from the rural communities outside the suburbs. Co-founders Nathaniel and Austin had a vision for HammerHeart based in Norwegian brewing tradition after Austin landed a position with the Norwegian brewery Haand Bryggeriet. Minnesota’s strong Scandinavian heritage makes this a great spot for the idea. … Continue reading HammerHeart Brewing Company: Lino Lakes, MN
Bad Weather Brewing Company is only steps from the Waldmann Brewery, which we featured immediately before this post. Co-founders Joe and Zac had the ultimate vision for Bad Weather back when they were only home brewers in their garage. The early stages of Bad Weather began at Lucid Brewing Company in Minnetonka, where they borrowed some space for making the first few batches of beer. … Continue reading Bad Weather Brewing Company: Saint Paul, MN
Waldmann Brewery and Wurstery occupies the oldest commercial building in the Twin Cities. It originally opened as a German saloon back when the city of Saint Paul only had about 10,000 settlers. It is amazing that this building has survived this far. For those interested in the history of the Twin Cities, specifically the German immigrants, this is a brilliant new way to live in … Continue reading Waldmann Brewery and Wurstery: Saint Paul, MN
The Saint Louis Brewery is facility that makes Schlafly Beer. The brewery is the largest locally owned and independent brewery in the city of Saint Louis. At its pre-Prohibition peak, the city had over 120 brewpubs. Three reasons in particular make Saint Louis a great beer city: German immigrants: Germans know beer. Good water supply: The Mississippi River is the longest in the continent. Rich … Continue reading The Saint Louis Brewery: Saint Louis, MO
Avery Brewing Company started in 1993 and became the first Colorado brewery to package an IPA. Due to Avery’s history of being a pioneer in the Colorado beer industry, many milestones were reached. In its first full year of being open, the brewery brought home a gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest. The lobby walls are littered with magazine articles that covered Avery … Continue reading Avery Brewing Company: Boulder, CO
Goat Patch Brewing Company in Colorado Springs is a brand-new brewery located east of the Garden of the Gods. Opened in a renovated elementary school, its property occupies what used to be a special education classroom. To use the bathrooms, exit out the back door and walk down the hallway to the original bathrooms. It’s a very unique idea that highlights their commitment to their … Continue reading Goat Patch Brewing Company: Colorado Springs, CO
Town Hall Brewery in Minneapolis is a brewpub located near the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and the Seward neighborhood. Immediately next to the brewery is the Courtyard Marriott, the Official Hotel of the NFL. Views of U.S. Bank Stadium are only steps from the front door of Town Hall. Town Hall’s brewpub license does not allow distribution through a distributor, but they can operate … Continue reading Town Hall Brewery: Minneapolis, MN
Lakes and Legends Brewing Company has been open for only two years in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. Its location is only a few blocks away from Orchestra Hall, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and Nicollet Mall (and the Hyatt where the NFL brass will be staying for Super Bowl 52). Needless to say, this locations will be teeming with life during the festivities. Lakes … Continue reading Lakes and Legends Brewing Company: Minneapolis, MN
Surly Brewing Company is a staple of the Minnesota beer community. Omar Ansari, Surly’s owner, is the son of German and Pakistani immigrants. Omar was given a beer kit in the mid-nineties, kept brewing as a hobby for a few years, and released a beer to celebrate the birth of his first child. It was a total hit. From then, he began to explore the commercial implications … Continue reading Surly Brewing Company: Minneapolis, MN
Confluence Brewing Company began in October 2012, so they just celebrated their 5-year anniversary. Their name comes from the fact that the building lies only a mile away from the point where the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers join near downtown. Confluence is located on the Meredith Trail bike route. This stretch of bike path connects with about 80 miles of trails running in and around … Continue reading Confluence Brewing Company: Des Moines, IA
This post is part of our Omaha Beer Week series. Please check out our page to learn more about breweries in the 402! ShearonSuds.com/omahabeerweek Kros Strain is a new brewery that has been open for less than six months at the time of this post. Scott Strain and Bobby Kros spent some time working at Nebraska Brewing Company before joining forces to open up their own … Continue reading Kros Strain Brewing Company: La Vista, NE
Farnam House is located in Omaha’s growing Blackstone District, focused on traditional European recipes. Continue reading Farnam House Brewing Company: Omaha, NE
This post is part of our Omaha Beer Week series. Please check out our page to learn more about breweries in the 402! ShearonSuds.com/omahabeerweek Infusion Brewing Company is a new business with a deep respect for the history of its location. The business was established in the Benson neighborhood of the city, a chic hub of culture featuring many restaurants, concert venues, and multiple breweries. … Continue reading Infusion Brewing Company: Omaha, NE
August Schell Brewing Company is the second-largest family-owned brewery in the United States, second only to Yuengling in Eastern Pennsylvania. Schell is currently in the sixth generation of family ownership. Schell’s tour was so comprehensive that I will need to break this post into a few sections: Brewery History, Beer Reviews, and Pictures. Feel free to scroll to the header that interests you most. The … Continue reading August Schell Brewing Company: New Ulm, MN
This post is part of our Omaha Beer Week series. Please check out our page to learn more about breweries in the 402! ShearonSuds.com/omahabeerweek Vis Major only started on August 18th, 2017. It has opened in the Center Street corridor near the Hanscom Park and Field Club neighborhoods. Conveniently, it is right across the street from Abelardo’s burritos, which is open until 4am. Each business … Continue reading Vis Major Brewing Company: Omaha, NE
Before I begin the more in-depth descriptions, please read and remember this one thing: Volunteer. When your tour guide asks for volunteers, do your part. You will not be sorry. Boulevard Brewing Company started in 1984 after founder John McDonald had a “beer-piphany” during a trip to Europe. Until 2006, the entire operation was run out of a 35-barrel brewhouse. In 2006, the company spent … Continue reading Boulevard Brewing Company: Kansas City, MO
This post is part of our Omaha Beer Week series. Please check out our page to learn more about breweries in the 402! ShearonSuds.com/omahabeerweek The Lucky Bucket began in 2008. At the time, management was looking to make it into a combined brewery and distillery. Unfortunately, Nebraska laws prohibited the distillation of spirits. In the meantime, while they were waiting for the state legislature to … Continue reading Lucky Bucket Brewery and Cut Spike Distillery: La Vista, Nebraska
Shearon Suds 