To Avoid MN Liquor Laws, Destination Distillery to Open in WI

This isn't something that we like to see... businesses moving out of Minnesota and into neighboring states.

But this is what is happening with Minneapolis' Tattersall Distilling.

It’s the only state in the country that still has 3.2% ABV beer and that limits “large” craft brewers from selling growlers. Breweries can’t sell cans, they can only sell in growlers or crowlers. Distilleries can’t sell full-sized bottles, just one 375 ml (half-bottle) per customer per day. And when a distillery gets too big, they can’t operate a cocktail room. 

We've addressed the 3.2 beer situation before.  And found that it's actually expensive for manufacturer to produce a 3.2 version of beer just for Minnesota. That is the strength of the beer sold in grocery stores and gas stations around the state.  We're the only ones who do that.

Tattersall said that they are planning to build a destination distillery this fall in River Falls, Wisconsin.  Basically because they can still run their operation in Minneapolis, but can do more with the distillery with the more relaxed Wisconsin laws across the state border.

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Oh, and by the way, the cocktail room, here in MN has been closed for months because of the restrictions for COVID. But have just recently announced that they will be reopening this coming June.  So, at least that is some good news on that front.

Personally, I couldn’t decide if I should be excited about the new facility or mad about the move of production out of Minnesota. “We’ve gotten past the anger, I think, and moved onto the excitement,” says Jon Kreidler, founder and chief officer of Tattersall Distilling.

I think that is probably the case for most of us.  The law in Minnesota does seem to have the underlying idea that you can't be too successful in this business.  If you get too big, you will be restricted.  Something seems wrong with that... maybe it will change.