At some point most homebrewers begin to dream of starting their own brewery. I had always liked my beer, but I realized that there tends to be a brewer’s bias towards their own beer. Whenever I shared brews with others, they always liked it as well... but who doesn’t like free beer?  For me, the seed was planted when I started winning statewide homebrewing awards. It was then that I began to realize that I was making more than just "pretty good homebrew". I was making some pretty good beer! 

 

I began volunteering to judge at homebrewing competitions and sample more beers that weren't available in northern Minnesota. I quickly realized that there was much more to explore in the world of beer than I realized. I studied and tasted everything I could find regarding brewing science and beer styles. In the midst of all of the studying and research, I took the Beer Judge Certification Program test, obtained a National rank in the BJCP, and had some credentials to back up my knowledge of good beer and brewing. It was clear that this was starting to become more than just a hobby, so I began to put a bit more time and effort into the dream of starting a brewery.

 

So, after all this research and planning, how did we get going? We started small. Nanobrewery small. Brewing one hundred gallons at a time small. 

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Thanks to the support of friends, new and old, our little brewery started serving the Brainerd Lakes area with fresh, locally-made beer in 2013. Our original brewery and taproom provided the opportunity to test the waters before sinking a boatload of cash into a warehouse full of stainless equipment. And because of your continued support and our amazing team, we opened a brand-new brewery and taproom in 2017. It's been a wild ride and I'm amazed at how Jack Pine has grown.

 

I was my own worst critic during the 12 years of homebrewing. Now it’s your turn. With your help, we'll continue to provide our friends and neighbors with delicious locally-brewed beer.

 

So, stop in and give it a try!
 

Patrick Sundberg,
Owner - Founder - Brewer
Jack Pine Brewery