Surly Brewing Company
{{short description|American brewery}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox Brewery
| name = Surly Brewing Company
| logo = Surly Brewing Company logo.png
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image = File:Surly Brewing Company, Minneapolis - Sign (43787161302).jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| location = 520 Malcolm Ave SE. Minneapolis, MN 55414
| owner = Omar Ansari
| opened = 2005
| production = {{convert|47757|usbeerbbl|hL|lk=on}} in 2013.
| website = {{URL|http://surlybrewing.com/}}
| active_beers =
{{brewbox beer|name=Furious|style=India Pale Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Logic Bomb|style=Juicy Pale Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Hell|style=Lager}}
{{brewbox beer|name=One Man Mosh Pit|style=Hazy IPA}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Axe Man|style=India Pale Ale}}| seasonal_beers =
{{brewbox beer|name=Surly Lemonade|style=Lemonade Beer}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Wet|style=Wet-Hop IPA}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Abrasive|style=Double IPA}}
| other_beers =
{{brewbox beers|type=Special Release}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Darkness|style=Russian Imperial Stout}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Smoke|style=Oak Aged Smoked Baltic Porter}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Tea Bagged Furious|style=Dry Hopped Cask India Pale Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Tea Bagged Bender|style=Dry Hopped Cask Brown Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Pentagram|style=Wine Barrel-Aged Brett Dark Ale}}
{{brewbox beers|type=One Time Release}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Sausage Fest|style=Smoked Belgian}}
{{brewbox beer|name=One|style=Imperial Lager}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Two|style=Cranberry-Infused Dark Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Three|style=Braggot}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Four|style=Milk / Sweet Stout}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Five|style=Wine Barrel-Aged Brett Dark Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Syx|style=American Strong Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Seviin|style=Belgian Strong Dark Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Eight|style=American Oat Wine}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Nein|style=Dunkelweizen}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Ten|style=Old Ale}}
{{brewbox beer|name=Eleven|style=Quadrupel}}
}}
The Surly Brewing Company is an American craft brewery with facilities in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and initially stood out for primarily canning beers, rather than bottling. Initially available only in and around the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the company expanded distribution to include all of Minnesota and at least 12 states and several international markets. During the early 2010s, Surly experienced rapid growth, with production of 21,000 barrels in 2012, 28,000 barrels in 2013, and 47,757 barrels in 2015.{{cite news|last1=John|first1=Ewoldt|title=Frothy Minnesota market might not bear much more craft beer|url=http://www.startribune.com/thirst-for-craft-beer-showing-little-weakness/381849511/|accessdate=14 August 2016|work=StarTribune|publisher=StarTribune Media, LLC|date=11 June 2016}} Surly's brewing system in Brooklyn Center is a 30 beer barrel (BBL) Sprinkman, one of four identical systems produced by Sprinkman of Wisconsin.{{cite book|last=Shepard|first=Robin|year=2011|title=Minnesota's Best Breweries Brewpubs: Searching for the Perfect Pint|publisher=The University of Wisconsin Press|location=Madison, Wis.|isbn=978-0-299-28244-8|page=118|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vh3hwPSB5DYC&q=sprinkman%20%22surly%20brewing%22%20-wikipedia&pg=PA118}} The Minneapolis location has a 100 barrel system.{{cite web|title=Surly Beer Hall Opens|url=http://mnbeeractivists.com/newsfeed/surly-beer-hall-opens|website=Minnesota Beer Activists|accessdate=14 August 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314235008/http://mnbeeractivists.com/newsfeed/surly-beer-hall-opens|archivedate=14 March 2015|date=19 December 2014}} The beer hall in Minneapolis features many events including live music and trivia.
Despite sharing a similar name and being headquartered in the U.S. state of Minnesota, the brewing company and Surly Bikes are separate enterprises. An agreement between the two companies allows the bicycle manufacturer to display the single word "Surly" on its products.{{Cite news|title=A Tale of Two Surlys|url=https://growlermag.com/a-tale-of-two-surlys/|last=Zoss|first=Jeremy|date=10 October 2012|work=The Growler}}
History
File:Surly brewery, Minneapolis, on opening night - 1.jpg
Surly Brewing Co. founder Omar Ansari had been homebrewing since 1994. After apprenticing at New Holland Brewing Company in Michigan and enlisting Todd Haug of Minneapolis's Rock Bottom Brewery, Surly Brewing began brewing in Brooklyn Center.{{cite web |url=http://www.surlybrewing.com/brewery/surly-brewery-history.html |title=Brewery: History |publisher=Surly Brewing Co. |access-date=2013-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502144204/http://www.surlybrewing.com/brewery/surly-brewery-history.html |archive-date=2 May 2013}}
In February 2011, Surly announced that it intended to open a restaurant and beer garden, which was expected to cost US$20 million. The new facility would also increase its brewing capacity to approximately 100,000 barrels. This type of installation was not in line with Minnesota's liquor laws, however. With the help of the Surly Nation, fans of the brewery's beer, some members of the Minnesota Legislature were convinced to propose changes in order to allow it. Minnesota's three-tier liquor sales system would not allow breweries to distribute their beer for retail sale and sell on the brewery's premises, as a brewpub does.{{cite web |last=Lussenhop |first=Jessica |url=http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2011/02/surlys_20_million_brewery.php |title=Surly's $20 million dream brewery: A first look |publisher=City Pages |date=9 February 2011 |access-date=2013-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228232929/http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2011/02/surlys_20_million_brewery.php |archive-date=28 February 2013}} After just a few months, changes to Minnesota's liquor laws that would allow Surly to sell beer for consumption at the proposed BrewPub, were passed in an omnibus liquor bill introduced by Rep. Jenifer Loon (R - Eden Prairie) and Sen. Linda Scheid (DFL - Brooklyn Park).{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/122750759.html |title=Cheers to passage of the 'Surly bill' |publisher=Star Tribune |date=30 May 2011 |accessdate=2013-02-26}} Known as the "Surly Bill", this bill was signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton on 25 May 2011.{{cite web |last=Lussenhop |first=Jessica |url=http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2011/05/surly_bill_is_law.php |title=Surly bill is now law |publisher=City Pages |date=25 May 2011 |access-date=2013-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228232935/http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2011/05/surly_bill_is_law.php |archive-date=28 February 2013}}
In 2012, Esquire magazine selected Surly Brewing Company's CynicAle 16 ounce as one of the "Best Canned Beers to Drink Now" in a February article.{{cite web|url=https://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/805/best-canned-beers-to-drink-now/|title=Best Canned Beers to Drink Now|publisher=Esquire magazine via Yahoo news website|date=2012-02-22|access-date=2012-02-22|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222213508/http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/805/best-canned-beers-to-drink-now/|archive-date=22 February 2012}}
Surly purchased an {{convert|8.3|acre|adj=on}} plot of land in Prospect Park, Minneapolis for its $20 million brewery in April 2013. Surly secured $2 million in environmental mediation grants from Hennepin County to address more than a century's worth of accumulated industrial pollution at the site.{{cite news|last=Roper|first=Eric|title=Surly buys Minneapolis site for $20 million brewery|url=http://www.startribune.com/local/west/203135661.html|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=15 April 2013}} Their new brewery and taproom opened in December 2014.{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Tim|title=Surly Brewing taps to start flowing in new age of beer|url=http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/12/19/surly-brewing-complex-opens|accessdate=16 April 2015|work=MPR News|date=19 December 2014}}
In 2016, Surly was featured on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri.{{cite news |work=City Pages (Minneapolis, Minnesota) |last=Jones |first=Hannah |title=Mathematically Speaking Guy Fieri Loves Minnesota |date=26 April 2018}}
In 2020, Surly announced it would layoff 150 employees and indefinitely close its 350-seat beer hall, pizzeria, events center, and retail store in Minneapolis.{{Cite news |title=Surly Brewing Co. to close its destination beer hall in Minneapolis|url=https://www.startribune.com/surly-brewing-to-close-mpls-beer-hall-in-november-150-to-lose-jobs/572295702/|last1=Nelson|first1=Rick|date=3 September 2020|work=Star Tribune|last2=Norfleet|first2=Nicole}} The company said the decision was a result of an employee contracting COVID-19 and declining revenue due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |work=Minnesota Star Tribune |last=Klecker |first=Mara |title=Surly closes beer hall after employee contracts COVID - “The hits just keep on coming,” the brewery said in a Facebook post. |date=5 October 2020}} The company said sales at its on-site location were down 82% from the prior year, and it was no longer profitable.{{cite news |work=Minnesota Star Tribune |last=Nelson |first=Rick |title=Cheers! Surly Beer Hall to reopen - It’s been rolling out barrels all along but June 1 date set for its destination site.|date=1 April 2021}} However, the announcement of it came just days after employees announced their intention to unionize under Unite Here Local 17 that represents restaurant and hospitality workers. Some labor leaders felt the move by Surly was retaliatory and filed unfair labor practice charges.{{cite news |work=Minnesota Star Tribune |last=Klecker |first=Nicole |title=Surly now supports union election but still closing beer hall |date=25 September 2020}} The vote to form a union failed by one vote in October 2020.{{cite news |work=Minnesota Star Tribune |last=Norfleet |first=Nicole |title=Surly Brewing employees fail to form union |date=9 October 2020}} It reopened in June of 2021.{{cite news |work=Saint Paul Pioneer Press |last=Fleming |first=Jess |title=Surly on track for partial June 1 opening — facility will ramp up in stages |date=6 May 2021}}
Distribution
For the first several years Surly was only available in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area due to limited supply. An initial expansion to Chicago was reversed in June 2010 to ensure they could reliably serve the brewery's home market.{{cite web|last=Sudo|first=Chuck|date=15 June 2010|title=Citing Need To Meet Demand in Home State, Surly Brewing Pulls Beer From Chicago Market|url=http://chicagoist.com/2010/06/15/citing_demand_in_home_state_surly_b.php|work=Chicagoist|publisher=Gothamist, LLC|access-date=23 May 2011|location=Chicago|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618113553/http://chicagoist.com/2010/06/15/citing_demand_in_home_state_surly_b.php|archive-date=18 June 2010}} In November 2013, Surly re-entered the Chicago market, being offered at over one hundred different bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in the Chicago metropolitan area. This expansion included canned and kegged Surly Cynic, Hell, Bender, Overrated, and Coffee Bender, with some Chicago liquor stores carrying select Surly specialities when available.
[https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/11/07/surly-brewing-to-return-to-chicago/ Surly Brewing to return to Chicago], Chicago Tribune, 7 November 2013, Josh Noel{{cite web|last=Surly Brewing|title=Get Surly in the Chicago Metro Area|url=http://www.surlybrewing.com/newsblog/?p=1189|publisher=Surly|accessdate=5 March 2014}} In early 2015 Surly expanded its distribution to include Iowa{{cite news|last1=Lawler|first1=Joe|title=Minnesota's Surly beer, Doomtree headed to Des Moines|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/02/25/minnesota-brewery-bringing-new-beers-hip-hop-town/24004977/|accessdate=16 April 2015|work=Des Moines Register|date=1 April 2015}} and also aimed to include Wisconsin by the end of the same year.{{cite news|last1=Held|first1=Tom|title=Minnesota's Surly Brewing offering tasting in Bay View ahead of Wisconsin entry|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/03/26/minnesotas-surly-brewing-offering-tasting-in-bay.html|accessdate=16 April 2015|work=Milwaukee Business Journal|date=26 March 2015}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://surlybrewing.com/}}