The Blog

Happy New Year! We hope you had a great 2013 and wish you the best in 2014. This past year was the first full calendar year for Indeed Brewing Company, and what a year it has been! Here are some of the highlights of 2013:

Increased Production, Distribution & Staff
Indeed Brewing's production capacity increased in January and is scheduled to increase even further in 2014. These expansions have made Indeed Brewing Minnesota's fastest-growing brewery, and a new partnership with Dahlheimer Beverage means you'll be able to find our beers in more restaurants, bars and retailers around the state.

As part of these expansions, we've seen our staff grow from eight at the close of 2012 to 21 in 2013!

Our beer lineup has grown!
In 2013, we canned three seasonal beers in addition to our two year-round flagship beers, bringing our canned lineup to five! Shenanigans Summer Ale, Sweet Yamma Jamma Sweet Potato Ale andStir Crazy Winter Ale joined Day Tripper Pale Ale and Midnight Ryder American Black Ale in 2013, and you can expect to see them all again in 2014.

In addition to the rotating seasonal lineup we also released five specialty beers: Hot Box Imperial Smoked Porter, Burr Grinder Coffee Ale, LSD Honey Ale, Haywire Double American Black Ale and Old Friend Holiday Ale. We also released two Fresh Hop beers and launched the taproom-only Derailed Series, which includes six beers to date!

Two Successful Events in the books
This year we hosted special events at the taproom for Art-A-Whirl and the second annual Hullabaloo Fall Beer and Music Fest. An estimated combined audience of over 8,000 people joined us for these two events to enjoy live music on our outdoor stage and (of course) some special beer releases.

Awards & Recognition
In 2013, we also managed to rack up an impressive collection of awards, many of which were voted on by Indeed fans. The year’s accolades include:

City Pages Best of the Twin Cities 2013
Best New Brewery

Minnesota Monthly Best of 2013
Best Taproom

The Growler Kind of a Big Deal Awards 2013
Best Fruit/Spice Beer, Sweet Yamma Jamma
Best Pale Ale/Session Ale, Day Tripper,
Best Summer Seasonal, Shenanigans Summer Ale
Best Wheat Beer, Shenanigans Summer Ale
Best Brewery (Honorable Mention)
Best Beer Label (Honorable Mention), Day Tripper
Best Fruit/Spice Beer (Honorable Mention), LSD Honey Ale

What to look forward to in 2014
Next year promises to be another great year. We’ll add a sixth canned beer to the lineup our seasonal IPA, Let it Ride. We'll produce new specialty beers, and the availability of all our special releases will increase. We’ve already begun to plan this year’s Art-A-Whirl and Hullabaloo festivities and are excited to see these events grow each year. Of course, we’ve got plenty of other plans that we’re looking forward to sharing with you!

From the Indeed Brewing family to all of you, we wish you a great holiday season and a happy New Year. Thanks for all your help in making 2013 great!

The holidays are right around the corner, and it’s one of our favorite times of year. We love it because it's a time to come together and there’s nothing like seeing old friends. In that spirit, we’re proud to announce the return of Old Friend holiday ale, which will be on draft and in bottles at the taproom starting tomorrow!

Old Friend is our limited release holiday ale brewed with fresh ginger root and family harvested honey. Swirling with the flavors and aromas of the holidays, Old Friend is a malty, ruby-colored limited release exclusively on tap at the Indeed Brewing taproom.

To celebrate the occasion we're also tapping a keg of 2012 Old Friend alongside the 2013 release. Both versions will be available only at the taproom for a limited time. So come by our place, step out of the cold and share in the warmth of a visit with an Old Friend.

Old Friend Description:

Season’s greetings! Your Old Friend is in town. We may only see each other once a year, but when we do it’s something special. Old Friend is a limited release holiday ale with fresh ginger root and a hefty dollop of family harvested honey. This fireside companion has a deep ruby-colored body with layers of malt complexity and an intense ginger aroma. Give thanks and reflect on the good year past with an Old Friend  by your side. Cheers! (7% ALC. by VOL.)

Add this to the Thanksgiving Day menu, Sweet Yamma Jamma Glazed Sweet Potato JoJos! Chef Erick Harcey of Parka in Minneapolis created the perfect side dish to pass around this year's Thanksgiving Day table. It’s sweet, it’s savory, and it’s made with Sweet Yamma Jamma Sweet Potato Ale! These tasty bites will be appearing on the menu at Parka starting next week too. So if you don’t feel overly confident in the kitchen you can still give them a try. Enjoy!

It’s Winter Beer Season at Indeed Brewing. We know not everyone gets excited about the return of winter, so we’re doing our part to make the season a little more fun for everyone. That’s why we offer a robust lineup of seasonal and specialty beers that you’ll only find during the cooler months. This year’s lineup of winter seasonals includes Stir Crazy Winter Ale and Old Friend Holiday Ale. Two of our specialty collaboration beers return as well including, Hot Box Imperial Smoked Pepper Porter and Burr Grinder Coffee Ale.

First up is the return of Stir Crazy, our seasonal winter warmer. However, this year you’ll notice something different about your returning friend. “Last year people enjoyed the cask versions that contained chocolate and vanilla so much that we decided to incorporate those ingredients into the recipe this year,” said Indeed Brewing Co-Founder Rachel Anderson. “These sweet notes really complement the existing flavors of raisins, caramel and brown sugar.”

You’ll be able to find Stir Crazy at the taproom and your favorite bars and restaurants starting in early November, with an official release event at Pizzaria Lola on November 12. As an added bonus, you’ll also be able to find it at local liquor stores. We’re proud to announce that Stir Crazy will be the fifth Indeed Brewing beer to be canned. Look for it in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans at your favorite local liquor retailer.

Next up is Old Friend, our limited release holiday ale brewed with fresh ginger root and family harvested honey. Swirling with the flavors and aromas of the holidays, Old Friend is the perfect companion for those nights by the fireplace. Look for this malty, ruby-colored ale on tap and in stores in 750 ml bottles starting mid November.

Because the holidays are the perfect time for camaraderie and goodwill, the season is the perfect time for the release of our collaborative beers. Look for more information about Hot Box Imperial Smoked Pepper Porter, our collaboration with South Minneapolis’ Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub, after the snow starts to fall. And when you see Burr Grinder Coffee Ale, our collaboration with Dogwood Coffee, you’ll know that spring is right around the corner. But with winter seasonals like these, who wants the season to end?

For a complete list of locations that offer Indeed beer, visit: www.IndeedBrewing.com.

Stir Crazy Winter Ale:
A new season means new adventures. We created Stir Crazy Winter Ale to warm you from within during the coldest time of year. Our sturdy winter warmer is brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla, raisins and brown sugar. Layers of malty goodness create a dark ruby color and satisfying notes of chocolate and rich caramel, while pulverized raisins and brown sugar provide a fruity complexity. Bundle up and enjoy! (6.5% ALC. by VOL.)

Old Friend Holiday Ale:
Season’s greetings! Your Old Friend is in town. We may only see each other once a year, but when we do it’s something special. Old Friend is a limited release holiday ale with fresh ginger root and a hefty dollop of family harvested honey. This fireside companion has a deep ruby-colored body with layers of malt complexity and an intense ginger aroma. Give thanks and reflect on the good year past with an Old Friend by your side. Cheers! (7% ALC. by VOL.)

Indeed Brewing Company beer will soon be available to more craft beer fans around Minnesota. Today, the company announces plans to increase its production capacity and distribution area in response to the overwhelming demand for its locally crafted beer. With the production increase, Indeed Brewing has become the fastest-growing brewery in Minnesota and is poised to become one of the 10 largest breweries in the state.

The expansion includes additional cellar tanks, production equipment and the hiring of additional employees at its existing 13,000 square-foot facility in NE Minneapolis, as well as a new distribution partnership with Dahlheimer Beverage.

This expansion is Indeed Brewing’s second since its founding in 2011. In January, Indeed Brewing announced a $250,000 expansion that doubled the company’s initial capacity from 3,200 BBLs to 6,400 BBLs. With the new expansion, Indeed Brewing is on pace to produce 12,000 BBLs in 2014, beating the company’s projections for its fifth year in business and positioning it as the sixth-largest brewery in the state.

Indeed Brewing will add a set of two 60 BBL fermenters and one 60 BBL bright tank in January, followed by a matching set in April. During the summer, the brewery will add new 120 BBL tanks in an old boiler room currently being converted to house the equipment. Additional equipment purchases include a hop cannon for dry-hopping beers and a separator, which will improve the consistency and shelf-stability of Indeed Brewing’s beer. The company also anticipates the hiring of an additional brewer and three to four additional full-time staff.

“Currently the demand for our beer is greater than our supply,” said Indeed Brewing Co-Founder Tom Whisenand. “We’re excited to bring our beer to more consumers, while also adding equipment to increase quality and consistency. Craft beer consumers in Minnesota are getting more and more sophisticated, so it’s important we are able to meet both the demand and the quality expectations they have for Indeed.”

Indeed Brewing’s beer will reach a new segment of the fast-growing craft beer audience thanks to its new partnership with Dahlheimer Beverage. The distribution company will help Indeed Brewing reach an even wider audience thanks to an expanded distribution area. Starting November 1, Dahlheimer Beverage will distribute Indeed Brewing’s beer to the outer Metro area, stretching from St. Cloud in the northwest to Mille Lacs in the north and the Wisconsin border to the east.

"Dahlheimer Beverage is very excited to team with Indeed as a distributor partner," said Nick Dahlheimer, General Sales Manager of Dahlheimer Beverage. "Quality in craft beer is a top priority for any distributor looking to expand their portfolio and Indeed Brewing has delivered that from the start. Indeed’s quality and consistency exhibits their passion for craft beer in and we are excited for the opportunity to represent their brands."

“Dahlheimer is a company that really understands and loves craft beer,” said Indeed Brewing Co-Founder Nathan Berndt. “Partnering with them allows us to refocus our internal distribution efforts on our core area around the Twin Cities, helping us bring our beer to our audience as efficiently as possible.”

###

Indeed Brewing Company Brewing was founded in 2011 by friends Rachel Anderson, Nathan Berndt and Thomas Whisenand and is located in Northeast Minneapolis. Their aim is to bring more quality craft beer to Minnesota and have fun while doing it. It is this passion for beer and adventure that inspires Indeed Brewing Company to create their one-of-a-kind handcrafted brews.

As an invested member of the community, Indeed donates at least one percent of its annual sales to local and national non-profit organizations as part of One Percent for the Planet, an organization and movement that encourages corporate philanthropy for the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.

More information visit http://www.indeedbrewing.com

Downloads: Images and Logos

Head Brewer, Josh Bischoff, left, and Assistant Brewer Matt Pollock remove spent grain from the mash tun during while brewing beer at Indeed Brewing Company. (Photo Scott Cohen)[/caption]