A cask ale legend closes

In spite of more than 7000 currently online in the US, we continue to receive new brewery announcements almost daily…Unfortunately with more breweries in operation than ever before, we’re increasingly learning of closings as well.

St. Paul’s oldest brewpub, Great Waters Brewing Company, will close its doors for the last time on November 18.

The brewpub, which opened in 1997, issued a public announcement on its Facebook page on Saturday afternoon that it would be closing its doors for good.

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Great Waters Brewing Company

November 10 at 1:59 PM · 

It is with a heavy heart and sadness that I must pass along the following message:

Since 1997 Great Waters Brewing Company has been serving a thirsty and hungry public. It was announced today that we will be closing the doors after serving over 3 Million pints of beer! Our last day of operation will be November 18, 2018.

Great Waters opened in downtown St. Paul years before the Xcel Energy Center was built and was one of the first breweries to come along in many years. By the end of this year, there is expected to be 145 breweries in Minnesota.

Proprietor, Sean O’Byrne would like to say thank you to all of the customers, friends and vendors and landlord who were part of the success. He would also like to thank all of the loyal and hardworking employees who have come and gone over the years. Many of them were part of the Great Waters family for over 15 years!

It’s time to toast a beer to great people and great beer! Thank you everyone.

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When Great Waters first opened, it was one of the few independent Minnesota breweries in operation, but now with more than 150 craft breweries currently online in the state, as the company noted in its Facebook announcement, “competition is at an all-time high.”

Great Waters set itself apart from most other Minnesota breweries with its cask beer program, a primary British style of beer which is experiencing its own set of problems in the UK. Cask ales are naturally carbonated and typically served slightly warmer than American styles of beer.

And unfortunately after its 21 years in the biz, Great Water’s run is coming to an end this weekend.