Minnesota's only brewstillery is in this small Twin Cities suburb

Perfectly positioned between Minneapolis and Saint Paul is a suburb called Roseville. The city is a bit on the smaller side – just about 14 square miles large with a population of less than 40,000.

Roseville is not on a lot of people’s radar, and it wasn’t on mine until I learned it existed while I was in Minnesota for a travel blogging conference. What sold me on visiting was the fact that the city is home to Minnesota’s only brewstillery, a facility that produces beer and liquor.

Of all places! Who would have thought that the state’s only brewstillery would be in a small suburb unknown to many?

I’m not a big drinker but I won’t say no to beer – especially craft beer 🙂 So I made some time to visit Bent Brewstillery, a locally owned and operated business.

I coordinated with the marketing & events coordinator at the Roseville Visitors Association, Lindsay, to spend some time at the brewstillery. She was nice enough to give me a ride, take the tab for the beer, and show me around Roseville for a bit because I was interested in exploring the area and writing about it.

These are beer bottle labels that Bartley himself removed throughout the years.

It was a Sunday when we checked out Bent Brewstillery, and we spent some time chatting with the owner & president, Bartley Blume. He formerly worked at NASA at the Propulsion Test Lab at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

“Basically, we blew stuff up!” he said about his previous job.

Meeting interesting people like Bartley is one of my favorite things about traveling. You can read more about his professional experience (and more about the business) here, as well as a Q&A with him here. (It’s quite interesting!)

Bent Brewstillery opened in 2013 after merging with an existing brewery called Pour Decisions. It all began in 2007 when Brenda, Bartley’s wife, gave him a Mr. Beer kit as a gift.

Today, BB produces an average of 150 to 200 barrels of beer per month, which visitors can enjoy right on site. It also produces about 180 gallons of spirits per month, although they aren’t sold at the brewstillery due to state law.

Fun fact: Since it opened in 2013, BB has sold about 5,000 barrels of beer! 1 barrel = 31 gallons.

Bartley provided me with small samples of two of his liquors, and although I’m really not a fan of alcoholic beverages other than beer, I couldn’t help but appreciate the gin he makes. It’s got an herbal taste when it hits your tongue and a lingering sensation on your throat once you drink it.

Lindsay and I enjoyed beer samplers after our chat with Bartley. My favorite was the Nordic Blonde, which is the first beer Bartley made as a homebrewer and is BB’s biggest seller. I typically prefer ales and lagers when it comes to beers, but the English Mild Stout with coconut milk was pretty good, too.

Apart from the beverages and friendly owner who works at the brewstillery, BB offers an easy-going atmosphere that’s inviting whether you come alone or with other people. It’s a perfect place to kick back and spend a couple of hours enjoying some delicious craft beer.

Indoor seating
Outdoor seating
Bent Brewstillery has won awards for its beverages