Dan Justesen, the creator and owner of Utepils Brewing
I often wonder many things about a brewery when I'm traveling, and I rarely get to meet the person who created it. It just happened that I posted on social media about a Kolsch from Utepils Brewing. My friend Daniel Stewart, who works in the craft beer industry, saw the post and said he knew the owner, Dan Justesen. Daniel offered to connect the two of us, which was awesome!
Dan was gracious enough to spend a couple of hours on a Friday afternoon with my wife, me, and our two friends to share the brewery’s story. I have to say Mrs. Joe Java-Stout was sitting at the edge of her seat, and that has never happened before!
As we walked up to the brewery, I could tell this was no little brewery. Dan first opened it over eight years ago. Back then, it spanned 18,000 sq. feet; now, it boasts around 30,000 sq. feet of brewing equipment, the Fernweh taproom, and an outdoor beer garden. As we met Dan, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with writing down the notes from this superb storyteller!
The best way to start is to learn how Dan got into brewing. During his time as co-owner and president of Vine Park Brewing (established in 1995), an on-premise brewing experience, he realized it was all about helping people have fun during the brewing experience. Over time, people would come in knowing that the folks at Vine Park Brewing would do most of the work for them, but they did get to discover the key steps in the beer brewing process and enjoy the final product.
In 2015, Minnesota enacted a law allowing breweries to sell growlers of beer. The new law quickly changed who the customers were, starting with people from local neighborhoods coming to purchase beer. Initially, Vine Park Brewing was one of only three establishments in Minnesota to serve growlers. Over time, customers began to travel from further away to enjoy the early stages of craft beer's growth in Minnesota.
Taps containing all of the wonderful European-styled beer
Ewald the Golden - Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
Initially, in 2014, Dan began developing a business plan for a brewery. Seeing the success of growler sales in 2015 only increased his desire to build something bigger. After attending some beer festivals and pouring beer, Dan discovered his calling in engaging with people about something they enjoyed - craft beer.
In 2015, Dan embarked on several ventures to learn more about craft beer, including participation in the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) and a brewing class in Munich, Germany. It was an eye-opening experience to learn about the tradition of brewing, especially how each city had its unique style of beer. Perhaps the most unexpected experience was a beer vending machine located in the hotel lobby where Dan stayed.
Dan was now convinced it was time to open a brewery and made one last attempt to convince his business partner. His business partner wasn’t ready to make such a big commitment, so Dan parted ways and began construction of the brewery in 2016. Utepils Brewing would become the home of the sixth-largest brew house (50 barrels) in Minnesota when it opened its doors in 2017.
The brewing kettles and all of the equipment was built in Bavaria.
So, how do you stand out from other breweries? Dan told us that he remembers many breweries focusing on making IPAs. It seemed that everyone wanted to create something with more IBUs (International Bittering Units), and they kept adding more hops to out do their competitors. On the other side of the IPA craze was the hazy IPAs, with breweries touting the fruit-forward, less bitter version of this style.
For Dan, it was all about keeping it simple. Make it local, fresh, and good. Now this is where the story gets interesting—it’s almost like a poker player with an ace in the hole. The ground on which the brewery was built was formerly the site of a water bottling company. The artesian spring water, available from historic wells, was a bonus in crafting incredible beer.
So, I was thinking that Dan has access to great water and attended beer school in Germany, so it must be an all-German beer brewery! I was way too narrowly focused, as Dan’s passion was to brew the finest European-style beers from ingredients from Europe. Now I understand how Utepils can stand out in the 200+ breweries that exist in Minnesota!
Dan explained that if you are staying true to a style, such as an Altbier from Düsseldorf, Germany, or a Kolsch from Cologne, Germany, you must use the ingredients, like malts, that are local to the area where the beer style originated. To brew a Czech Pilsner, you need local hops, which can require research and an understanding of how to source them effectively. Dan described a trade alliance between the Czech Republic and its partners to get better access to the hops. There is an annual event, and Utepils has been selected multiple times to serve their fantastic beer at it.
The difference in these styles of beer would be most noticeable to someone who has experienced the beer from its origin in the world, such as my good friend Paul, who was with us. For others like me, the fact of making a beer as close as possible with the ingredients from that region is mind-blowing!
Several elements in the taproom bring the charm of a European brewery to Utepils Brewing. The copper kettle pictured above comes from the Fuschen Brewery in Düsseldorf, Germany. Fuschen Brewery was established in 1848 and was one of the original Alt breweries. European brewery tradition is to reuse these items in their taprooms or other public-facing areas of the brewery.
The cool Utepils sign at the bar
It was time to grab a beer, but I was afraid to leave the table because all the stories were so intriguing. I returned, and Dan was discussing some of the brewing practices from centuries ago. The pure magical part of the brewing process was catching yeast from the wild, the wind from a local bakery, or some other crazy means.
For example, Kveik yeast originates from Norway and was captured from the wild. Today, it is known for its distinctive citrus and spice characteristics. In Norwegian farmhouses, the tradition was to preserve the yeast by drying it and passing it down to the next generation. Kveik is believed to be the original dried yeast!
Other less sophisticated ways were used, such as capturing some yeast, storing it on the ceiling, and bringing it down for the next time you brewed. Brewing with yeast like this had to be unpredictable in terms of the results it would yield. It’s wild because I've been to a brew day where I counted live yeast cells under a microscope to ensure the quality of the yeast! The fact that they were able to brew beer successfully then seems unbelievable.
The unique flight boards at Utepils
I know by now, you are thinking, Joe, when are we going to find out more about the beer, and what does Utepils mean? I'm glad you asked, and I had to get the t-shirt with the meaning on the back so I can share the story with others. Utepils is a Norwegian word that translates to “Enjoying your first beer in sunshine after a long, dark winter.” I can completely relate to that, living in Nebraska, where we seem to have six months of winter. That first beer on the patio on a sunny day is something I look forward to every year!
Now to the beer! A special thank you to Eric Harper, head brewer, for bringing all these outstanding beers to life in Minneapolis! Let’s talk about the five beers in the very cool ski flight board, going from left to right.
Skolsch is a Kolsch with a deep straw color that leans into bready notes. The soft, clear body is complemented by a mild dose of hops, balancing out well in this 4.9% ABV ale.
Helles is a 5.1% ABV Munich-style lager that is malty and crisp with just a touch of honey notes. The light hop bitterness comes from hops grown in Germany’s Hallertau region.
Alt 1848 is a German alt beer brewed in the tradition of a brewery founded in Düsseldorf in 1848. This Altbier has a deep copper color, and its notes change as it warms. A lot of caramel and a hint of hop spiciness for me in this incredible 5.4% ABV beer.
Ewald the Golden is a Bavarian-style Hefeweizen that combines pale wheat with malted barley, resulting in a light-bodied beer. I'm not a big fan of Hefeweizens, but this one I thoroughly enjoyed! I think it was a combination of just a hint of banana notes and the body of this 5.2% beer that made it more enjoyable than the ones that have strong banana and clove notes.
Pontoon Afternoon is a 4.9% ABV raspberry Kolsch that is refreshingly light with subtle raspberry notes. An excellent patio beer that you can savor in the sun!
One that was not in the flight is a Czech-style Pilsner. This Pilsner is brewed with Czech-grown barley and hops. It also uses a Czech Lager yeast strain. I love a Czech Pils that has a subtle hint of sweetness, and this does! To date, this is the best Czech-style Pilsner that I have ever had!
The brewery features notable elements, including paintings created by Sean Gray. There are many in the brewery that depict how advertisements were made hundreds of years ago through imagery. I would love to do a blog just about them someday!
From the Utepils website: “Sean captured an Utepils moment with five friends raising a glass of delicious pilsner. The stained glass frame features a mix of hops and barley, the core ingredients of beer. The rushing creek and green grass are a nod to our biergarten, and the Siberian iris is always one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Sunshine. Friends. Beer.”
Additionally, the large patio is an excellent place for people to gather and enjoy a beer. Utepils hosts many festivals, such as the annual "Artepils" event —a weekend-long art festival featuring local vendors, music, and food trucks. If you're looking for another favorite, you must attend their Oktoberfest celebration!
What an amazing time at Utepils Brewing! As we were wrapping up, Dan described the amount of time he puts into answering questions people have on social media about the beer and the brewery. This is a great commitment to helping others understand about the Utepils experience. In addition, he spent several years serving on the board of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild to help grow the vibrant beer community of the state.
Thanks to Dan, his wife, and the wonderful staff for their hospitality! This is a brewery you must visit.
Prost!
