Photo by Deb Gau COVID-19 posed challenges to breweries like the Brau Brothers Brewing Co., said owner Dustin Brau. But with restrictions lifted for businesses like restaurants and bars, he hopes to get back to more normal operations again.
MARSHALL — It was good to see the tents, picnic tables and beer wagon being set up outside the Brau Brothers brewery again, owner Dustin Brau said.
“It’s great for us, because it feels normal,” Brau said, as workers were busy preparing for this weekend’s Hopfest event. “It’s always a fun weekend. We get to see so many people.”
There’s been a lot that wasn’t normal for the brewery over the past past year and a half. COVID-19 restrictions meant the Brau Brothers Brewing Co. had to deal with everything from a closed taproom to supply chain issues and reduced sales to customers like bars and restaurants.
“For a year, basically, we didn’t sell a keg,” Brau said. But while Brau Brothers made some changes to help adapt to the new conditions, Brau said now they’re looking forward to some more normal operations again.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected breweries and brewpubs around Minnesota. When taprooms, bars and restaurants were closed down or restricted, breweries had to change how they operated.
A survey of Minnesota craft breweries showed an 18% drop in sales across all breweries in 2020, the University of Minnesota Extension reported in March. However, sales varied significantly depending on COVID-19 restrictions.
Minnesota’s economy lost $186.6 million in economic activity from brewers due to COVID, and 1,050 jobs were affected, the Extension report said.
Brau Brothers faced challenges during the pandemic, Brau said. Normally, keg sales make up about 40% of the brewery’s business, he said. But with COVID-19 restrictions slowing demand for kegs, they shifted focus more to products like bottled beer. Even then, Brau Brothers also faced supply chain and packaging challenges.
“We’re fortunate that we bottle,” because there were shortages of materials to produce canned beer, Brau said.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans also helped Brau Brothers during the pandemic, he said.
Though the brewery was still operating during the pandemic, they weren’t producing seasonal beers or testing out new varieties.
“Our taproom, in a lot of ways, is like our sampling room,” Brau said. It would be hard gauge the reaction to new beers without that feedback from customers, he said.
When indoor dining and bars were restricted, the Brau Brothers taproom was among the Marshall businesses that switched to take-out service, and they later added a patio. They also started selling “crowlers,” a type of large can of beer.
Brau said the take-out business could sometimes be a struggle, because it wasn’t steady.
“It was feast or famine,” he said. “It was tough that way, but we got a lot of support from the community.”
After COVID restrictions lifted, customers have come back to the brewery.
“Our taproom is extra busy,” Brau said. On the other hand, keg sales are coming back more slowly.
Currently, Brau Brothers is gearing up for the winter and bringing seasonal beers back, Brau said. This week they were also preparing for the return of their annual Hopfest event in Marshall.
“The response has been fantastic,” Brau said.
The event kicks off tonight with beer, food and music, and continues Saturday with a beanbag tournament and a variety of live bands.
Hopfest at Brau Brothers Brewing Co.
Today
8 p.m.-midnight, featuring music by Shirts and Skins from 9 p.m. to midnight
Saturday
Beanbag tournament and live music
Noon-2:30 p.m. Plan B Experience
3-5:30 p.m. Broken Oak
6-8:30 p.m. Blue Drifters
9 p.m.-midnight Coyote Wild
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