USA, MN: South x SouthEast Minnesota Brewing Company hopes to launch in mid-to-late June

At a spot that is so recognizable to southeast Minnesotans driving along Highway 52 is a new blue barn, KAAL reported on May 8.

“We’ve looked at, what does southeast Minnesota look like to us? And we’ve said you know it’s a lot of farms, hence we have a barn structure. It is laid back and people aren’t in a rush,” said Ann Fahy-Gust, master brewer and co-owner of South x SouthEast Minnesota Brewing Company.

The new brewery sits at the site of the former Pine Cheese Mart, and most recently the Von Klopp Brew Shop. But behind the new project is a familiar face.

“This project is definitely a labor of love at this point,” said co-owner Tessa Leung, who you may recognize from Grand Rounds Brewing in Rochester.

“I grew up here. I’m – I’m from Stewartville, and I am a small town gal,” Leung said.

For months, the project was going along smoothly.

“The construction piece has gone as planned. We’re able to do everything because construction’s considered essential,” Fahy-Gust said.

But for weeks now they’ve been at a standstill.

“Our plumbing permit has been at the state for nine weeks. A lot of the builders submitted plans early on when this was starting to unfold, and since everything’s handled in the order it was received, we’re now behind,” Fahy-Gust said.

This means their opening day, which they had originally hoped would be sometime in May, is now out of their control.

“All a matter of timing with the city and the state right now, along with when is the governor going to open things, and how is he going to open it,” Leung said.

At this point, the hope is to open in mid-to-late-June.

When business as usual returns and people can gather once again, South x SouthEast will be waiting.

Grand Rounds Brewing will be changing, too, with Leung’s husband taking over as the sole owner.

In the coming weeks, a new restaurant, name, and concept for the downtown Rochester space will be revealed.

09 May, 2020