On Tuesday March 17, 2020, in accordance with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s Executive Order aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, my local breweries closed their taprooms and moved to an off-sale only business model. I visited three of them on my way home from work purchasing crowlers at each and even coming home with a new hoodie. Two of the three breweries I visited Tuesday had turned their bar areas into crowler filling operations. One had set up tables so that only one person could be in the establishment if social distancing is being adhered to.
I wasn’t the only one. I saw several social media posts from people I know doing the same. Perhaps the one that brought me the most joy was from a friend in the Twin Cities who sent a video of him pouring Bad Weather’s Bohemian Pilsner (I love that beer) into one of the pilsner glasses we gave him and his wife for their wedding. He sent it as a good-natured taunt, but it provided a chance for us to briefly reconnect in a chat and make sure all of our people are still well in these crazy new times.
Almost everyone who owns or works in one of 180+ breweries in Minnesota does so out of a deeply held passion for beer. Many of them left better paying, more stable work to follow their dreams. Now those dreams may be dashed by forces out of any of our control. It’s not just breweries, if you have a favorite local beer bar or restaurant they are affected by this too. Get out there and patronize them if they remain open at all. Commit to buying those crowlers and growlers. Commit to getting takeout once a week from that favorite place. Few, if any, of us can single-handedly keep a place afloat, but many small actions can yield big results.
We don’t want to see any of our favorite places taken down by this.
I wasn’t the only one. I saw several social media posts from people I know doing the same. Perhaps the one that brought me the most joy was from a friend in the Twin Cities who sent a video of him pouring Bad Weather’s Bohemian Pilsner (I love that beer) into one of the pilsner glasses we gave him and his wife for their wedding. He sent it as a good-natured taunt, but it provided a chance for us to briefly reconnect in a chat and make sure all of our people are still well in these crazy new times.
Almost everyone who owns or works in one of 180+ breweries in Minnesota does so out of a deeply held passion for beer. Many of them left better paying, more stable work to follow their dreams. Now those dreams may be dashed by forces out of any of our control. It’s not just breweries, if you have a favorite local beer bar or restaurant they are affected by this too. Get out there and patronize them if they remain open at all. Commit to buying those crowlers and growlers. Commit to getting takeout once a week from that favorite place. Few, if any, of us can single-handedly keep a place afloat, but many small actions can yield big results.
We don’t want to see any of our favorite places taken down by this.
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