“ I do all the brewing and cleaning and my kids help clean . My wife manages the tap room and we have five employees .”
Cuyuna Brewing Company offers up to nine different kinds of beer on tap as well as nonalcoholic options such as root beer , kombucha , and Italian sodas . “ I gravitate to brewing traditional European styles of beer ,” Nick said . Each beer has a story behind it . Coming soon is a West Coast IPA and an Iowa Pines IPA .
“ People can bring their own food into the brewery or carry out from local restaurants . The brewery is dog-friendly , too . We are open every day in the busy summer months with all the tourists driving north . I am able to give tours to visitors if they want to see how we brew beer here ,” he added .
Crosby is a small town of 2,500 people and growing . Several new restaurants have opened up recently . The Huisinga family loves the community and lifestyle in Cuyuna County . Nick said there is plenty to do in the area : fishing , diving , paddle boarding , and mountain biking trails ( fat biking in the winter ).
“ The area will be a Gold Ride Center offering 75 miles of bike trails in the future . It ’ s always been a dream of mine to own my own business and now it ’ s also a family affair ,” said Nick . They are open Thursday through Sunday . Visit Cuyunabrewing . com .
Located in Nisswa , Minn ., Gull Dam Brewing , Inc . ( named after Gull Lake Dam ) is owned by Mark and Barb Anderson . Visitors are greeted by a large , functional water wheel , complete with a giant tap handle bearing the name of the brewery .
Mark Anderson , who calls the Nisswa area home , opened Gull Dam Brewing in October of 2014 . “ Barb and I were home brewers – that ’ s how a lot of breweries start ,” he said .
Mark , a pilot for business flights , and Barb , who owns a medical device consulting company , bought their 15,000 square foot space from a wood stain manufacturing company . The facility has a tap room , a huge event center , and an outdoor stage which offers live music every Friday and Saturday all summer . Mark said , “ It is the largest beer garden in central Minnesota . People can walk from the tap room into the beer garden . We are also dog-friendly .”
They have 10-foot-long German hall tables and a “ ton of kid games .” Food trucks offer food . A Traveling Art Pub visits where customers can paint a picture with an art instructor .
The taproom has 10 beers on tap all offering complex flavors and variety . The most unique
WINERIES
For wine lovers , below is a list of the wineries Up North : BURR VINEYARDS , Brandon , MN ......................................................................................... 320-815-3810 ........................................................................ burrvineyards . com CARLOS CREEK WINERY , Alexandria , MN .......................................................................... 320-846-5443 ............................................................... carloscreekwinery . com DECORSA VINEYARD & FARM WINERY , Isle , MN ................................................................ 320-676-8823 .................................................................. decorsavineyard . com DENNIS DRUMMOND WINE COMPANY , Brainerd , MN ................................................... 707-696-6936 ........................................................................................ ddwco . com DRAGON WILLOW WINERY , Long Prairie , MN ................................................................. 320-428-0456 ................................................................................. dwwinery . com EAGLEVIEW WINERY , Ashby , MN .......................................................................................... 218-747-2261 ................................................................. eagleviewwinery . com FORESTEDGE WINERY , Laporte , MN ................................................................................... 218-224-3535 ................................................................ forestedgewinery . com L ’ ETOILE DU NORD VINEYARD , Parkers Prairie , MN ....................................................... 320-298-4686 ..................................................... letoiledunordvineyard . com NORTHERN HOLLOW WINERY , Grasston , MN .................................................................. 320-266-8691 .................................................... northernhollowwinery . com SCANDIA VALLEY VINEYARDS , Cushing , MN .................................................................... 218-575-2336 ..................................................................................... svvwine . com WHISPERING OAKS WINERY , Melrose , MN ....................................................................... 320-256-7118 ............................................ whisperingoakswinerymn . com
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