Minneapolis craft beer pioneers Fulton and Finnegans joining forces

Two groundbreaking downtown Minneapolis breweries are coming together to form a new kind of craft brew residency in the city's North Loop.

Finnegans and Fulton were at the forefront of the local craft brew revolution. On Tuesday, Finnegans Brew Co. announced it will shift production from its East Town location and move into the Fulton Brewery complex in the North Loop (414 6th Av. N.). Finnegans beer will now be brewed inside Fulton's production facility, and its taproom will serve both Fulton and Finnegans brews while also leaving room for collaboration.

The idea came together, as so many do, over a pint. "I'd reached out to them," said Jacquie Berglund, Finnegans founder, CEO and "Rambunctious Social Entrepreneur," as she's identified on her business card. "And the ideas just started flowing."

"Jacquie and I have known each other for years," said Ryan Petz, Fulton's CEO. "She was among the first people we met in the industry. She's a passionate and charismatic individual. And I've always had an affinity for her brand."

Both brands started small during a time when craft brewing was mostly coming out of home operations from curious people who just loved great beer.

"I was a one-woman operation for nine years," said Berglund. She started Finnegans in 2000 with one beer recipe for a full-flavored Irish ale and a passion for social change. Through its years and growth, Finnegans' mission has always been to turn beer into food by dedicating a portion of its sales to food shelves across the Upper Midwest. It was the first beer with a charitable plan at the heart of its business plan.

Elsewhere in Minneapolis, four buddies were making beer in a south Minneapolis garage for the pure love of the brew. Jim Diley, Peter Grande, Brian Hoffman and Petz were friends just tinkering with ideas at just the right moment in beer history — 2009. In a matter of years, the friends went from huddling around a burner in deep winter in that garage to plotting how to turn this lark into full-time jobs. After a launch party in October 2009, other craft beer-curious restaurants started stocking kegs and the brand quickly took off.

"We needed to evolve and we went big, and it's a been an absolute honor to be a part of that development," said Berglund. "We innovated in downtown and I'm grateful for that." The area didn't even have a name yet; the location was just referred to as "near Target Field."

Demand for Sweet Child of Vine, Lonely Blonde and their growing lineup of beers soon exceeded production capabilities at the taproom, and a larger facility was acquired in northeast Minneapolis.

Fulton kicked off a race to open taprooms all over the metro area. But Finnegans took a breath before jumping into that realm.

"It was very humble," said Berglund. "I started with volunteers and building momentum around people wanting to give back to the community through beer. When the laws changed, I was the only beer without a taproom."

Berglund and Finnegans went big with the taproom launch, opening on St. Patrick's Day in 2018 at 817 5th Av. S., in a neighborhood that was undergoing redevelopment. The facility and taproom were about 13,000 square feet with outdoor space for a patio, live music and events. The business had grown from just Berglund to around 150 employees. And the new building allowed them to share production with other startup craft brews, too.

Things might have continued to evolve until March 2020 arrived and the whole world shifted.

"We're in a very challenging business where model pivots are necessary for all of us small breweries," said Petz. "We are not operating in the same landscape that we were in 2019. Everyone is looking for an evolution in their business model going forward."

For Finnegans, downtown has been a significant challenge. Workers haven't returned to the office in full strength and traffic is low. "When I reached out to Fulton I said, 'We're the urban breweries. Maybe this is a chance that 1+1=3,' " said Berglund.

"There's a brand fit there," said Petz. "We're saying it's the duo you didn't know you needed."

Finnegans' taproom will close on Aug. 31. The space will become Mosaic, with plans to expand the third-floor event space and for "a new concept to be unveiled." Production of Finnegans beer will move to Fulton's, which by fall will have Finnegans on tap. The shop will stock Finnegans apparel and crowlers, too.

"And this clears the way for more events," said Petz. That means Finnegans' St. Patrick's Day party is on for 2025 and maybe there will be more collaborations.

"It will be the same," said Petz of the city's first taproom that fans have come to know and love, "but more."