DeRusha Eats: Indeed Brewing Opening A Tap Room
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A new Minnesota law has led to an explosion in small breweries where you can buy a beer.
That used to be illegal, but now there are at least six tap rooms open, or soon to be open in the metro area. That includes Indeed Brewing, in northeast Minneapolis, opening Aug. 10.
Tom Whisenand, Nathan Berndt and Rachel Anderson are three friends who used to work in newspapers and magazines.
When they started planning to open Indeed Brewing in the new Solar Arts Building, they just planned on being a production brewery, selling to bars and liquor stores.
But Brooklyn Center's Surly Brewing lobbied the state legislature to let local breweries sell pints of beer right inside the brewery. The Surly Bill passed and Indeed changed plans.
Next week they'll sell beer directly to consumers.
"Financially, in the long run, it will be a small percentage of overall revenue," Whisenand said. "But at the beginning, it's huge. We get the initial bump of people buying the pints directly."
Fulton was the first to open a tap room, in the shadow of Target Field. Harriet Brewing has a taproom and outdoor patio near Lake and Minnehaha. Next month, Summit will open a taproom for just one day in St. Paul.
"It allows people to come, and visit, and see the brewery, and be where the beer is the freshest," Whisenand said.
Indeed makes three beers right now, including the seasonal Shenanigans Summer Ale. It's a wheat beer with honey and lemon.
After visiting several tap rooms, it is a fun vibe. People who love local, craft-brewed beer get to hang out with the people who make the beer happen.
"Now, at end of the day, we get to enjoy a beer with the customers," Whisenand said.
