TWO HARBORS, Minnesota — Castle Danger Brewery is saying so-long for now to its growlers. The Two Harbors brewery is required to stop selling growlers once its current license expires Oct. 1 because of a state law.
Fans of Castle Danger have been lining up at the brewery all weekend to get one last growler.
"Yeah, it's been so nuts," said Jamie MacFarlane, chief financial manager of Castle Danger. "We've got all sorts of people out the door. It's been really busy in Two Harbors."
30% of Castle Danger's taproom revenue comes from growlers. MacFarlane said they are working on adding to their winter event schedule to help boost profits but said, "it's not going to make up 30% but we can try."
Minnesota law says once a brewery produces more than 20,000 barrels of beer a year, they can no longer sell off-sale product from its brewery.
Castle Danger reached that cap last year and other breweries—like Indeed Brewing and Lift Bridge Brewing—aren't far behind.
Those in favor of the cap say it's there to support a three-tier distribution system.
The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association told KARE 11 in July that "Minnesota has a thriving craft beer industry, and laws, like growler regulations, do not need to be changed to accommodate already thriving businesses who want additional advantages over other smaller businesses. Small and medium-sized production breweries have great competitive advantages over regular family-owner liquor retailers with their tap room."
But those against the growler cap disagree.
MacFarlane pointed to the 750 barrel cap that says once a brewery sells 750 barrels of beer in a year in any off-sale container currently legal in the state, the brewery can no longer sell any off-sale product. MacFarlane said they are not advocating for this cap to be changed but they are advocating to change the 20,000 barrels of production cap. They want to see that one raised to 250,000.
"There's already a cap on what you can sell in a year. So there is a 750 barrel cap of what you can sell in off sale in a year and we support that because... it protects our distribution partners and our liquor stores," MacFarlane said. "So what we're trying to do is raise the 20,000 barrel cap to... if you have a taproom, you can sell growlers. You'd still be restricted on the amount you can sell in a year but that's totally fine. That helps and protects everybody."
A petition by Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point) called "Save the Growler in Minnesota" surpassed 10,500 signatures. Sen. Housley previously introduced legislation to change the growler cap and vowed to keep pushing for the change in the next legislative session.
Monday is the last day people can get a growler at Castle Danger. They're holding an event Monday 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. called "Growler Hiatus Hurrah."
"I'm sure there's going to be somebody who's going to be really excited to be the last person to buy the last growler," MacFarlane said, laughing.