It’s been a long time coming but your voices have been heard. With your support, we did what many have tried and failed to do – we overturned a long-established liquor law and are now allowed to sell pints of our beer at our brewery.

Now we’re going to build a “Destination Brewery.”

This all started as a big idea last summer. Jim Mott, Surly employee #5, had a great experience in an Austrian brewery while on vacation in Europe. He had enjoyed great beer being served right where it was brewed. He showed me a brochure from that brewery and I turned to Todd Haug, Surly’s head brewer, and said, ‘Why can’t we do the same here in Minnesota?’ Why couldn’t Minnesotans gather and socialize over a Minnesota beer right where it was being brewed? Visiting and dining at a brewery is a part of beer culture in many parts of the world – beer lovers could do it in Austria, they could do it in California and Oregon, but they couldn’t do it here – and that didn’t make sense to us.

We knew we could make this big idea a reality and change the law, and we knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the Surly way is not the easy way. Initial efforts fell on deaf ears – it seemed as though laws that were written after Prohibition were set in stone. But we didn’t stop there – we knew Minnesota’s beer culture was strong, we knew people would get behind a movement that would allow them to enjoy their favorite beer at a great destination, just as Jim did in Austria. It was time to get focused. It was time to get loud. It was time to Get Surly.

To us, this wasn’t just about beer. This was about creating jobs, increasing state tax revenue and stimulating our local economy. In 2008, the Minnesota beer industry helped create $2.5 billion in revenue and we knew our plan would not only increase that figure, but would also create 85 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs. This bill was about bringing people to Minnesota and helping Minnesota’s economy as much as it was about beer. And, it was about community and bringing people together to enjoy great beer and an experience. We believe our “Destination Brewery,” complete with a bar/restaurant, beer garden, and event center, would do just that.

From the moment we announced plans for our $20 million “Destination Brewery” to when Governor Mark Dayton signed our bill into law, Surly Nation has supported us at every turn. We literally would not have been able to change a 78-year old law and overcome tough, established opposition if it weren’t for Surly Nation writing letters, making phone calls and getting their voices heard. Minnesota is evolving as a beer state and we want to help that along. There are great things ahead.

The next step is to make our plans concrete. We know we have the law behind us now and more importantly, we have the power of the Surly Nation behind us.

Cheers To You!
Omar Ansari
Founder, Surly Brewing Co.
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