USA, MN: Wabasha Brewing Co. to open in St. Paul

Wabasha Brewing Company, the first craft brewery to open on St. Paul's West Side, hopes to have its tiny taproom open in time for the new year, twincities.com reported on December, 14.

The upstairs taproom has a 33-person capacity, but it's temporary. Co-owner Chris Kolve said he and his two business partners will begin construction soon on a larger, downstairs taproom that will accommodate 90 people.

Kolve said he and buddies Josh Tischleder and Brett Erickson had been brewing on a one-barrel system in Erickson's garage when they decided to take the plunge and open their own brewery.

"Everybody had been telling us we brew great beers and we should open a brewery," Kolve said. "That talk turned into a few beers one night, and we decided to do it."

Wabasha Brewing will come out of the gate with a wide variety of beers, including a porter, a cream ale, an IPA, an imperial stout, a brown ale, an amber and some seasonals, Kolve said.

17 December, 2014