Fall Minnesota Microbrewery Tour

Football is well under way, the leaves have turned into splashes of colors, and the sun sets a bit earlier each night. It’s at this time of year some of the best seasonal beers make their appearances. This is particularly true in beers from Minnesota microbreweries. The combination of hops, malt, spices, and fresh Minnesota water creates a menu of fall brews that will make anyone’s autumn a little more festive. Because of this, we’ve compiled a short list of some of the best fall beers from microbreweries in Minnesota.

Summit Brewing’s Oktoberfest

It can’t be fall without an Oktoberfest brew, and Summit Brewing’s Oktoberfest is a fantastic option for those seeking a fall beer. This award winning Märzen style beer is a great way to celebrate fall with a bit of German flair.

Jack’d Up Autumn Ale from Third Street Brewhouse

A newer player in the fall brews is Jack’d Up Autumn Ale from Third Street Brewhouse. This beer is jacked up with pumpkin spices, as well as a combination of six different malts. With a taste of both malt and spice, this ale goes down like water in the fall.

Canal Park Brewing Company’s Joyride Antic

Another excellent Oktoberfest beer comes straight from the shores of Lake Superior. Canal Park Brewing Company’s Joyride Antic will make everyone feel a little German. The brewer even states this beer is for those who like, “Schnitzel, schätzl, barli and spätzl.” For a truly awesome experience, head to Duluth, grab a stein of Joyride Antic, and drink it with a view of some of the most beautiful water in Minnesota.

Oktoberfest from Lift Bridge Brewing Company

Another excellent option is Oktoberfest from Lift Bridge Brewing Company in Stillwater. Everything but the Minnesota water is European in this pleasantly malty brew. The company says this lager, “is perfect for times when the mornings turn crisp and the afternoon sun is still warm on your face.” That sounds like a good fall beer to us.

Surly WET

If you’re looking for a fall IPA, look no further than Surly WET. This IPA is made with the fresh picked hops and has both piney and fruity flavor. The ingredients that go into this beer are so good, you’d almost think all the brewer had to do was add water.

Roof Rack Lager from Bent Paddle Brewing Company

Another brew from Duluth is Roof Rack Lager made by Bent Paddle Brewing Company. This Vienna-style Lager is the perfect way to end the paddling season. So pull your canoe out of the water, put it on the roof rack, and enjoy fall with Roof Rack Lager.

These are only a few of the fine fall beers offered by microbrewers in Minnesota. Find one you love, or try them all. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. However, always remember that without water, none of these seasonal beers would be possible.

Bullert Wins Honorary Member Award

Having over 35-plus years of experience in the water industry, it’s no wonder Mr. Bernie Bullert was recently honored by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) with an Honorary Member Award.

This annual award is presented to three individuals whose knowledge and accomplishments in the field of water supply entitle him or her to special recognition. Candidates must have knowledge and accomplishments in water supplies at international, government, association, and section levels.

Steve Scheinder (left), Manager of St. Paul Regional Water Services, and Bernie Bullert (right), Honorary Member Award Winner

Bullert is currently the Director of Water Treatment and Distribution Services for the City of Minneapolis, where he has improved the division’s performance both fiscally and operationally. As a long-time AWWA member, he has significantly contributed to the water industry as a consultant and long-time public servant.

Bullert’s devotion to improving drinking water standards while eliminating taste and odor issues has positively impacted potable water as a primary public service. He has served over a million customers by leading the two largest water supplies in Minnesota, the City of St. Paul and its counterpart, Minneapolis. He has also assisted numerous communities as and Engineering Consultant.

Bullert attributes his success to his dedication, persistence, and love of and commitment to the water business, both from a professional and volunteer perspective. “It’s good to enjoy what you do, when you enjoy what you do, you’re successful,” says Bullert. “It’s not just work, it’s fun.” His membership in multiple professional water organizations shows the breadth of his passion and knowledge for sustainable water systems and their importance to communities.

Bullert exemplifies what it means to be an honorary member of AWWA; constantly seeking solutions to improve public health, protecting the environment, strengthening the economy, and enhancing the quality of life deserves such recognition.

Opportunities for a career in the water industry should be considered by individuals who understand the importance of sustainable water and the impact it has on both locally and internationally. Bullert states, “It’s a very good business, it’s always there, and it’s always needed. It takes a certain amount of work, but it’s a very reliable career.” He believes the public takes water for granted to a certain degree, but it is an invaluable resource and that those who maintain it should be devoted. 

Minnesota's Most Established Water Systems

Major cities began developing around major water systems before today’s easy methods of transportation were ever even invented. Water systems provided a trade route, mode of travel, and provided small cities and farms with an abundance of fresh water for agricultural usage and consumption. Humans never strayed too far from fresh water sources, because it was integral to their survival. Here’s a look at five of the most established water systems in Minnesota.

Minneapolis, MN

Established as the Minneapolis Water Treatment & Distribution Services in 1867, it wasn’t until 1872 when the city of Minneapolis utilized the Mississippi as a primary resource outside of providing water to firefighters. It is currently the largest water system in the upper Midwest.

Quick Facts:
· The average annual withdrawal is 21 billion gallons.
· The Minneapolis Water Treatment & Distribution Services averages 57 million gallons per day.
· Filtration, disinfection and sedimentation are all processes undergone to purify drinking water.
· It’s one of few cities to soften water at a centralized softening plant-removing 65k pounds of hardness a day.
· The network of water mains responsible for providing tap water approximates at 1,000 miles.

St. Paul, MN

Water distributed through a system consisting of 1.1k miles of water mains provides fresh tap water to the City of St. Paul and surrounding communities. Due to the topography of the city, nicknamed ‘The City of Seven Hills’, water in the distribution requires to be pumped twice to maintain sufficient pressure to high-lying areas.

Quick Facts:
· The original piping was made out of lead, which have since been converted to copper pipes.
· ‘Reduced pressure’ service areas require pressure-reducing valves to reduce dangerously high pressures cause by downhill flow.

St. Cloud, MN

The St. Cloud Water Treatment Facility was established in 1907, when nineteen wells were sunk in Hester Park using a pump house and filtration plant to provide for the City Water Works. Proving to supply an inadequate service, the wells were capped. In 1954, the city constructed a new water works system by refurbishing the previous building, which was expanded and completed in 1994.

Mississippi River, St. Cloud, MN

Quick Facts:
· The expansion in 1994 increased water treatment from nine to 16 million gallons per day.
· A well that sunk in 1907 flowed until the early 1990’s until it was capped.


Duluth, MN

Lake Superior serves as the primary source of drinking water via the City Water Treatment Plant. The Plant sends the water through a filter, disinfects it with chlorine, which is then pumped to reservoirs throughout the city. The Public Works and Utilities Department was formed out of a 1999 merger, designed to increase operational efficiency while decreasing overall costs.

Quick Facts:
· The Department is responsible for water, natural gas, sanitary sewage and storm water services; infrastructure is also a responsibility.


Rochester, MN

Candice and Hemlock lakes have supplied the town with drinking water since 1876. Lake Ontario water is purchased from the Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) as a supply supplement, where it is treated at MCWA’s Shoremont Treatment Plant. Both Hemlock and Shoremont treatment plants use similar processes including coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. 

Hemlock Lake, Rochester, MN

Quick Facts:
· Three 100-year-old pipelines provide the city with water treated from the Hemlock Filtration Plant via gravity.