Brau Brothers Beer: Where To Buy And Enjoy It

The Brau Brothers Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery based in the small town of Lucan, Minnesota, with a population of about 200 people. The brewery has been in operation since 2006 and distributes its beer to five states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa. The brewery offers a variety of beers, including Sheephead Ale, Moo Joos Oatmeal Milk Stout, Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale, and Rubus Black Blackberry Imperial Porter. These beers can be found at various locations within the distribution states, such as Top Ten Liquors, JL Beers - Burnsville, and Williquors Sioux Falls.

Brau Brothers Brewing Company's location

The Brau Brothers Brewing Company is located in the small town of Lucan, Minnesota, about 150 miles southwest of the Twin Cities. With a population of about 200 people, Lucan is the kind of place you could drive through without noticing. The brewery has been operating in this location since 2006, when the Brau brothers moved their business from a 2-barrel brewpub in the heart of Lucan to a large steel warehouse on the edge of town.

The address of the Brau Brothers Brewing Company is 1010 E Southview Dr, Marshall, MN 56258-2401, United States. The company can be contacted by phone on +1 507-929-2337.

The Brau brothers chose to set up their brewery in their hometown of Lucan, rather than move to a more beer-friendly area, in order to maintain a strong sense of community. This commitment to their roots is reflected in the fact that every bottle of beer produced by the company is labelled with the words "Lucan, Minnesota ... Population 220".

The Brau Brothers Brewing Company is now the largest hop yard in the area and also grows its own barley. The company distributes beer to five states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.

Beer types and flavours

There are two main categories of beer: ales and lagers. Ales are brewed at warmer temperatures than lagers, with top-fermenting yeast, typically between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. This results in a faster fermentation process and a more complex flavour profile, ranging from fruity and spicy to bitter and hoppy. Most craft beers are ales. Lagers, on the other hand, are brewed at cooler temperatures, around 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit, using bottom-fermenting yeast. They are known for their crisp, clean taste and smooth, refreshing qualities.

Within these two main categories, there are numerous beer types, each with its own unique flavour profile, ingredients, and production methods. Here are some of the most popular beer types:

• India Pale Ale (IPA): Known for its bold hop flavours and aromas, IPAs originated in England in the 19th century and have since evolved into various subcategories, including American IPA, Double IPA, and New England IPA. IPAs are characterised by their high hop bitterness, which provides a distinct and often intense floral, citrus, or piney flavour profile.
• Stout: A dark and rich beer, stout originated in the United Kingdom and has gained worldwide popularity for its distinctive colour and smooth finish. Stouts feature mid-to-high alcohol levels and pair well with a variety of foods, from roasted meats to rich desserts. Irish dry stout, made popular by Guinness, is characterised by its dry, roasted malt flavours with hints of coffee and chocolate. Oatmeal stouts, on the other hand, are brewed with oats, resulting in a smooth, silky mouthfeel and notes of roasted coffee and chocolate.
• Porter: Porter is a dark and robust style of beer that originated in 18th-century England. Similar to stout, porter is characterised by its deep brown-to-black colour. However, it uses malted unroasted barley instead of unmalted roasted barley, resulting in a complex flavour profile that often includes notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. American Imperial Porter is a bolder variation, known for its higher alcohol content and intense flavours of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee.
• Pilsner: Pilsners are light, crisp lagers with a clean, refreshing taste and a golden colour. They became popular in what is now the Czech Republic and Germany and are perfect for hot summer days. The German Pilsner, also known as Pils or Pilsener, has a pale golden colour, a floral hop aroma, and balanced bitterness. Czech or Bohemian Pilsner is another popular variation, known for its rich malt character and spicy hop aroma.
• Wheat Beer: Wheat beer is made using wheat as the malt, giving it a refreshing and crisp taste. American pale wheat beer is a light and easy-drinking variation, brewed with a significant proportion of wheat in addition to barley. Berliner Weisse is a traditional German wheat beer that is low in alcohol content and often served with flavoured syrup to balance out its sourness. Hefeweizen is another classic German wheat beer, brewed with a large proportion of wheat and a distinctive yeast strain that produces flavours of banana and clove.
• Pale Ale: Pale ale is a popular beer style known for its balanced flavours of hoppy bitterness and malt sweetness. American pale ale is hop-forward, while English pale ale has a more earthy hop character. Blonde ale is a lighter and more delicate version of pale ale, focusing on crisp, clean flavours and a subtle malt sweetness.
• Bock: A traditional German style, bock beer has gained worldwide popularity for its rich malt character and robust flavours. Traditional bock is a strong lager known for its malty sweetness and deep amber-to-dark brown colour. Weizenbock is a wheat bock beer that combines the characteristics of a traditional bock with the fruity and spicy notes of a wheat beer. Maibock, or Helles Bock, is a pale bock beer that is lighter in colour and body.
• Brown Ale: Brown ale is a malt-forward beer with a deep amber-to-dark brown colour and flavours of caramel, nuts, and toffee. English brown ale, also known as Northern English brown ale, emphasises toasty, biscuity, and caramel flavours with minimal hop bitterness. American brown ale is a modern take on the traditional style, with a balanced flavour profile that combines malty sweetness with moderate hop bitterness and notes of caramel, chocolate, and nutty flavours.
• Belgian Ale: Belgian beers are known for their spiced fruity flavours and high alcohol content. Belgian-style ale encompasses a wide range of styles, from fruity and spicy to complex and yeasty. Belgian pale ale offers a balanced maltiness and hop bitterness, while Belgian tripel is a stronger ale with a higher alcohol content. Belgian saison, or farmhouse ale, is a rustic style originating in the French-speaking region of Belgium, known for its fruity and peppery yeast character.

These are just a few examples of the diverse range of beer types and flavours available to suit every palate and occasion.

ABV percentages

The ABV percentages of Brau Brothers Brewing Company beers vary from 4.2% to 8.9%. Their Old No. 56 Light Beer, for example, has an ABV of 4.2%, while their Cream Stout has an ABV of 4.5%. The ABV of their Pale Ale is 5%, and their Pilz, a traditional Bohemian Pilsner, is 5% ABV as well. The ABV of their Ring Neck Braun Ale, a nutty English Brown Ale, is 6.8%, and their Sheep Head Ale, a hoppy ale, has an ABV of 7.7%. The ABV of their Scotch Ale, which balances sweet malt with Scotch smokiness, is 7.3%. Their Rubus Black, a Blackberry Imperial Porter, has an ABV of 8.5% according to one source, and 8.9% according to another.

The ABV percentages of their other beers include the Moo Joos Oatmeal Milk Stout and the Moo Joos Red Velvet, which both have an ABV of 5.8%. The ABV of their Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale is 7.6%, and their Blueberri Sour Kettle, brewed with blueberries, has an ABV of 4.4%. Their Mango Kettle Sour, brewed with mangoes, also has an ABV of 4.4%, and their Peach Kettle Sour is 4.4% ABV as well. Their Raspberry Kettle Sour has an ABV of 4.4%, and their Strawberry Cheesecake Kettle Sour is also 4.4% ABV. The ABV of their Village Tart, a sour ale with notes of bret, green apple, raspberry, and grape, is 8.5%.

Buying options

Brau Brothers Brewing Company is based in Lucan, Minnesota, and distributes its beer to five states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.

You can buy Brau Brothers beer in-person at the brewery in Lucan, or at the following locations:

• JL Beers in Burnsville
• The Savage Tap in Savage
• Corner Tap in Omaha
• 3 Squares Restaurant in Maple Grove
• Backlot Taphouse in Omaha
• New Bohemia in St. Paul
• North Loop Galley in Minneapolis
• The Barrel House in Sioux Falls

You can also order online from the following websites:

• BeerMenus
• Untappd
• BeerAdvocate

Customer reviews

"I brew what I like to drink," says Dustin Brau, CEO and brewmaster of Brau Brothers Brewing Company. And it seems that sentiment is shared by many of the company's customers. With a range of unique, fun, and locally sourced beers, Brau Brothers has become a favourite among craft beer enthusiasts in southwest Minnesota and beyond.

One of the company's most popular beers is the Sheephead Ale, an American Strong Ale with a 7.7% ABV. It's described as having a "very pale amber pour [with a] white head" and a refreshing, yet deep and flavorful taste. The balance of spicy herbal hops, citrus, and grass of American hops, along with heavily toasted and chocolate malts, makes it a perfect winter beer.

Another well-loved brew is the Moo Joos Oatmeal Milk Stout, which, with its full and creamy mouthfeel and oily texture from the toasted and flaked oats in the mash, has earned praise from customers like Jeanne Schaum, who enjoyed it at New Bohemia- St. Paul, and Mike Kavan, who drank it at HopCat. The Moo Joos variety also comes in different flavours, such as Red Velvet, Blood Orange, and Tiramisu, all of which have been well-received by customers.

For those who enjoy a sour ale, the Brau Brothers Blackberry Kettle Sour is a great choice. Light in body and moderately hopped, it's soured with a traditional kettle souring process and often blended with natural fruit flavours. The Brau Brothers Blueberri Sour Kettle is another option in this style, and both have proven popular with customers like Matt Johnson and gabeknudson, who have left positive reviews on Untappd.

The Ring Neck Braun Ale, a nutty English Brown Ale, is also a hit with customers like James Pedersen, who enjoyed it at the Brau Brothers Brewing Co. tavern. With its sweet notes and high ABV of 6.8%, it's a beer that delivers a punch without compromising on flavour.

Overall, the Brau Brothers Brewing Company has developed a loyal following among craft beer drinkers, particularly in southwest Minnesota, where they have set the standard for craft beer in the region. The company's commitment to local sourcing and unique, fun beers has earned them a dedicated customer base that continues to grow.

Frequently asked questions