The entrepreneurial genius of Minnesota beer makers

A discussion with brewers and beer enthusiasts about the opportunity and challenges in the Minnesota beer industry

Hey everybody. We're very excited for the chat today.
So far, we have a handful of confirmed guests, including Tim Nelson from Fitger's in Duluth, Dan Schwarz from Lift Bridge in Stillwater, Julia Herz from the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado, and local food writer extraordinaire, Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl. We've invited lots more people. We hope you'll join us, too.

by Jennifer Vogel, MPR News edited by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:03:47 PM
Come one, come all and add your voice to a lively discussion about the beer industry in Minnesota with the entrepreneurs and beer makers behind this growing sector.

The chat begins here today at 11:30am. Submit comments or questions now by clicking "comment" below.

The entrepreneurial genius of Minnesota beer makers A discussion with brewers and beer enthusiasts about the opportunity and challenges in the Minnesota beer industry live.mprnews.org
11:30a
Thursday, March 8, 2012

The chat is part of our series "One job at a time" that looks at entrepreneurs in Minnesota.
minnesota.publicradio.org

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:19:46 PM
Hi everyone, we will get going here at 11:30, but please jump in now to introduce yourself. And as an additional question... what is the most important thing to making good beer?

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:20:41 PM
I'm Michael Olson with MPR News. I focus on social media and edit our site Minnesota Today.

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:22:05 PM
Most important thing? Sanitation.

by Al Boyce 3/8/2012 5:22:09 PM
Hey all, I'm the assistant manager at Northern Brewer Minneapolis; a transplant from our Milwaukee store. The most important thing to making good beer is freshness of quality ingredients, and focusing on drinkability.

by Vaughn Stewart 3/8/2012 5:22:11 PM
Hello MN beer community

by Kevin from SLP 3/8/2012 5:22:36 PM
I'm Matt Hoiland, social media manager for Chicago Lake Liquors.

by Matt Hoiland 3/8/2012 5:22:53 PM
Hello Everyone,

by Scott at Red Wing Brewery 3/8/2012 5:23:06 PM
I'm Chip Walton, video projects manager for Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply. Part of my job is producing our homebrewing/craft brewing webcast Brewing TV. The most important thing is passion for the product whether at home or in commercial brewery... oh yeah, and healthy yeast.

by Chip Walton, Northern Brewer 3/8/2012 5:23:19 PM
Tim Nelson, Fitger's Brewhouse Brewery

by Tim Nelson, Fitger's Brewhouse 3/8/2012 5:23:47 PM
I'm a scientist at the U of M, part of my job is hop research.

by Charlie Rohwer 3/8/2012 5:23:47 PM
Watching HS hockey at home and chatting about MN craft beer - life is good. Volunteer with Finnegans - turning beer into food.

by Jim Mesick 3/8/2012 5:23:58 PM
Hi everyone. I am one of 2 business owners with the Red Wing Brewery. We are not open yet but are hoping to be in summer.

by Norm at Red Wing Brewery 3/8/2012 5:24:15 PM
Good morning, Ryan, editor of the Minnesota beer news site MNBeer.com. Most important? Patience.

by Ryan Anderson, MNBeer.com 3/8/2012 5:24:43 PM
Hi my name is Julia and I'm a beer lover...and I happen to also be the Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association and in charge of CraftBeer.com and American Craft Beer Week.

by JuliaHerz 3/8/2012 5:24:50 PM
I'm Scott Kolby, one of the co-founders of the new Red Wing Brewery in Red Wing, MN. My business partner, William "Norm" Norman will also be contributing. Nice to chat with you all!

by Scott at Red Wing Brewery 3/8/2012 5:24:51 PM
Good morning everyone, I'm Rob Shellman, founder for the Better Beer Society. I would say the #1 thing to making good beer is "the love" of making good beer. Also, consistency and sanitation.

by Rob Shellman, Better Beer... 3/8/2012 5:25:03 PM
Hi Julia, glad you made it in!

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:25:07 PM
Hi! I'm an avid homebrewer and interested in the process of starting a new brewery. As for the most important thing? I'd have to say "dedication".

by Doug Yoder 3/8/2012 5:25:12 PM
Hi, Dan Schwarz from the Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater. I am looking forward to today's chat.

by Dan Schwarz - Lift Bridge... 3/8/2012 5:25:26 PM
I'm Nick Stephan with Midwest Supplies. I am the social media coordinator here.

by midwestbrewing 3/8/2012 5:25:28 PM
Welcome Dan.

by Jennifer Vogel, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:26:00 PM
Greetings! I am the Marketing Coordinator for Summit Brewing, which includes all things social media and a whole lot more.

by Carey Matthews, Summit... 3/8/2012 5:26:09 PM
Great to see so many people here.

by Jennifer Vogel, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:26:17 PM
Hi Michael and Jennifer, thanks for putting the event on.

by Dan Schwarz - Lift Bridge... 3/8/2012 5:26:21 PM
Nice-lookin' group here!

by Chip Walton, Northern Brewer 3/8/2012 5:26:24 PM
Pete Rifakes with Town Hall Brewery

by Pete Rifakes 3/8/2012 5:26:49 PM
Hi everyone! This is going to be great!

by Jake Lewis 3/8/2012 5:26:54 PM
I'm President of Schells Border Batch; we do a craft beer exchange each December. Our group has about 70 members; always looking for new members.

by gator 3/8/2012 5:26:55 PM
Go small businesses and small breweries!

by JuliaHerz 3/8/2012 5:26:57 PM
I'm Al Boyce, homebrewer and Regional Rep for the Beer Judge Certification Program.

by Al Boyce 3/8/2012 5:27:11 PM
It’s no secret that the beer beer culture in Minnesota is changing radically. All the new taprooms and microbreweries are not only creating entrepreneurial opportunities, but some think we're developing a distinctive style. We’re hoping to cover those topics and more today.

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:27:23 PM
But first a few logistical matters. For those of you who can’t stick around for the whole chat, this window will turn into an archive version of the chat when it is over. The Twitter hashtag for this chat is #mnbeer. I’ll keep tabs on that stream as well. After the chat MPR’s Minnesota Today @mntoday will continue to update that hashtag with related news.

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:27:35 PM
When you get into the chat, jump on in. Introduce yourself. Also, if you have a question not for the general group, but for a specific person, please start it with “@” and the person’s name. Same goes for replying to questions. That’ll help keep the chat a bit more readable.

by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:27:52 PM
Let’s start with a larger question. What’s driving all the growth in craft beer in Minnesota? Why is this industry growing when so many others are suffering in this economy?

by Jennifer Vogel, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:28:22 PM
It keeps people sane.

by Scott at Red Wing Brewery 3/8/2012 5:29:01 PM
Hi everyone, glad to be chatting today!

by Tina Hanke, Bemidji Brewing... 3/8/2012 5:29:12 PM
I think it is all about keeping things
local.

by midwestbrewing 3/8/2012 5:29:19 PM
i think the new movement toward localism and quality matters has driven our business forward. its been a slow growth thing and we've seen it happening since we opened in 1995

by Tim Nelson, Fitger's Brewhouse 3/8/2012 5:29:21 PM
Hey, you guys are the ones that the story is about. I would love it if you could comment on your experience using Kickstarter. I am very interested in trying to move forward with a micro or nano brewery but startup capital is hard to come by at the moment.

by Luke 3/8/2012 5:30:14 PM
Partly, I think a mixture of increased awareness and education on what sort of beers actually exist and learning to appreciate them. That in turn allows more brewers to get into the game to supply these different things to the public.

by Chip Walton, Northern Brewer 3/8/2012 5:30:18 PM
@Tim - So you think it's related to the growing organic foods movement. Quality over quantity?

by Jennifer Vogel, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:30:28 PM
by Michael Olson, MPR News 3/8/2012 5:30:31 PM
Consumers are driving the growth, a taste for something different, a desire to buy local and a quality product.

by Pete Rifakes 3/8/2012 5:30:40 PM

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