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Nine months after breaking ground on the big-time renovation of its former beer Summit Brewing the second largest brewery in Minnesota will be opening the doors to their completely remodeled and rebranded beer hall and the Midwest’s newest craft beer destination.
Now with a new vibe, new furniture, new hours and a new name, The Summit Ratskeller, is a tribute to the warm German-style taverns loved the world over given a light and contemporary touch. And St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter will be on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony before officially opening to the public at 2 pm Thursday, July 12th.
With a new white oak entranceway that compliments the compliments brewery’s existing half-barrel-inspired art-deco design the new Ratskeller is comfortable, welcoming space where the beer-tourists and Summit fans can explore traditional, old-world beer styles as well as some of the nation’s cueing edge progressive directions.
Founder Mark Stutrud Introduces Summit Ratskeller
A Minnesota take on the German beer hall tradition, Summit’s new beer hall is reconfigured around a striking 130-year-old red oak bar.
They’ve upped their draft lines from 16 to 20 and decorated the walls with classic black and white images celebrating Summit’s proud heritage and the art of brewing.
Founded in 1986 long before craft beer was even ‘a thing’ by local homebrewer Mark Stutrud and a group of his friends in an old auto parts warehouse on St. Paul’s University Avenue, Summit Brewing grew quickly.
And in an effort to keep up with demand Summit moved into a new brewery on the west end of St. Paul, overlooking the Mississippi which continues today as their base of operations and home to the soon-to-open Ratskeller.
Over the past few year’s Summit Brewing’s fortunes have slowed…
And to weather declining sales they laid off 10% of their staff in 2017 and drastically pulled back from a once 17 state distribution imprint to strengthen their Minnesota position as well as their presence in Iowa, the Dakotas and in Wisconsin.
All image credits: Summit Brewing
