Tours and samples tell story and history of Lift Bridge Brewery

The owners of Stillwater's Lift Bridge Brewery say they want to give the city, state and region something to be proud of and to call their own.

"We hope that you will join us on this quest," they write on their website.

Hundreds have, and the numbers are growing.

Last month, Lift Bridge began offering weekly public tours and tastings at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and tours of the first brewery to operate in Stillwater since Prohibition have been so popular that on occasion the owners have added a second tour on the same day.

During the week, visitors also have been dropping in hoping to get a look inside and peruse the collection of T-shirts and beer memorabilia on sale, said Trevor Cronk, director of marketing.

"Lots of people are cheering us on," Cronk said.

During the free tours, which last 45 to 60 minutes, guides tell the story of the brewery that got its start in 2008 in the basement of founder Brad Glynn and bounced around the Upper Midwest before it settled into its current facility, which previously was a dog boarding shelter and a gymnastics center.

They save the best for last, when guests can belly up to the bar and sample flavors such as Farm Girl, Crosscut, Minnesota Tan, Chestnut Hill and Hop Prop IPA, replete with labels and pictures depicting the history of the St. Croix Valley. They also can chat with the owners.

"The question we get most is, 'What's the next beer coming on line?'" said Glynn, one of the brewery's five owners, who all live in Stillwater or the surrounding area.

Brewmaster Matt Hall and his crew will begin making an Oyster Stout that should be ready by October. And an English-style barley wine with 13 percent alcohol is expected to be available by November, Cronk said.

Lift Bridge recently began selling Growlers, also known as the 64-ounce "Suds Barge" handcrafted in Stillwater. They are available from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

For now, Growlers are about the only way fans can enjoy a cold one at home. Lift Bridge's bottled beer is in short supply since the Cold Spring Brewery in Cold Spring, Minn., stopped brewing and bottling the company's bottled beer. The shortage is expected to be temporary. Lift Bridge plans to add a bottling line at its Stillwater facility at 1900 Tower Drive in the next few months, Cronk said.

The Surly bill was named for a Brooklyn Center brewery that wants to build a brewery and event center and serve its products there.