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Craft Brewing Business

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Enjoy a virtual tour of Surly Brewing’s Minnesota home with Head Brewer Ben Smith

November 11, 2020 Keith Gribbins

Surly Brewing Co. ’s Beer Hall, Beer Garden and Pizza Upstairs spot are closed indefinitely, so, sadly, the virtual tour above is as close as you’re going to get to visiting Surly’s beautiful Minneapolis destination brewery. In particular, Surly Brewing’s indefinite closing of its magnificent Beer Hall ( look at this place) is a depressing bellwether of the pandemic and a big heartbreaker for any craft beer fan.

The Beer Hall closed Nov. 2 but not before temperately shutting down because an employee tested positive for COVID-19. At the same time, some Surly employees were looking to unionize .

Surly has not had an easy go of late, but let’s set all that aside for a second and enjoy Surly’s extremely awesome destination brewery. Think happy thoughts! Head Brewer Ben Smith gives us a 10-minute tour showing off 600-bbl fermenters, snazzy mill room, epic brew deck with kettle, whirlpool, lauter tun, giant packaging hall and (the most amazing part of the tour) the futuristic cellar. Smith is a great guide, teaching the brewing process along the way.

Hopefully, this walk-around keeps you excited about visiting Surly when it opens back up. Until then, grab some Surly beer on shelves and enjoy the tour.

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Surly Brewing Co.

Surly Brewing Co. is a Twin Cities-based craft brewery. Back in 2004, Omar Ansari, an obsessed homebrewer, had the idea of converting part of his parents' abrasives factory into a brewery. With the support of his family, and with the help of accomplished local brewer Todd Haug, they began brewing beer in 2006, named after the anger fueled by the inability to find good beer: Surly was born. Now, nearly a decade on and thanks to the support of Surly Nation, Surly Brewing has become one of the largest and most popular breweries in the state and its beer can be found all over Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Chicago. Surly's philosophy? Really, it's better poured than spoken or written.

Surly Brewing Co. 520 Malcolm Ave SE Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414

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Discover the story of Surly Brewing Co. in Minnesota

• December 7, 2023 December 7, 2023

Embarking on the Surly Brewing Adventure: A Story of Passion, Pints, and Pioneering

Picture this: in a beer -tour/” title=”Explore the Best Craft Brews in Fergus Falls: 4th Annual Beer Tour”>Minnesota landscape dotted with numerous lakes and brimming with Midwestern charm lies a rebellious enigma that’s reshaped the local craft beer scene – Surly Brewing Co . Founded by the hands of a dreamer with a penchant for hops and a secret family recipe up his sleeve, Surly has transformed from a humble corner in an abrasives factory to a towering figure in the American craft beer saga.

The Humble Beginnings: From Abrasives to Ales

Omar Ansari , a homebrewing fanatic turned trailblazer, chose to flip the script on his family’s business legacy, Ansari Abrasives (a.k.a Sparky Abrasives), ushering in an era of malty goodness. On a transformative night of December 30, 2005, Bender – an oatmeal brown ale – flowed for the first time, signaling the dawn of Surly Brewing’s explosive entrance into the beer realm. This wasn’t just any beer; it was a bold proclamation of the exceptional brews that would soon become synonymous with the Surly name.

An Unstoppable Rise: From Local Legend to National Success

Fast forward through kettle boils and hop additions; over a rollercoaster of two decades, Surly Brewing has not only conquered but thrived, becoming the 42nd most colossal craft brewery in the United States as per the Brewers Association’s 2022 rankings. Don’t take my word for it; just hit play on the video above and witness the sheer magnitude of this beermaking behemoth.

The Birthplace of Surly Nation

Surly Brewing is much more than a manufacturer of beers; it’s the heart of an entire community fondly known as Surly Nation . This gritty clan from Minneapolis, Minnesota, rallies behind a brand that’s notorious for not just pushing boundaries but obliterating them. Surly’s aggressive branding paired with its cheeky, irreverent spirit has etched a permanent mark in the Midwestern craft beer discourse.

Festivals and Laws: Brewing a Cultural Phenomenon

Surly Brewing is the mastermind behind Darkness Day, a yearly celebration kicking off since 2007 that draws throngs of stout lovers eager to worship at the altar of Darkness, Surly’s enigmatic Russian imperial stout. But the brewery’s influence extends beyond just festivities; it reaches into the very halls of legislation . Enter the “Surly Bill,” a game-changing piece of legislation passed on May 24, 2011, that allowed production breweries like Surly to sell their precious creations on-site. This legislative triumph was more than a mere boon for Surly; it was a catalyst that sparked a statewide brewery and taproom renaissance.

The Surly Destination Brewery: A Mecca for Beer Aficionados

In December 2014, Surly bid farewell to its Brooklyn Center taproom roots and opened the doors to its crown jewel, the Surly Destination Brewery. Nestled in the welcoming arms of Minneapolis’ Prospect Park neighborhood, this 50,000 square-foot marvel offers a tapestry of experiences. Here, beer enthusiasts can traverse a myriad of delights, from a cutting-edge brewhouse to a capacious beer hall, a charming beer garden, a resourceful company store, an elegant event center, a tantalizing pizza restaurant, and even a vibrant Festival Field concert venue. Indeed, it is a miraculous evolution for a brewery that started as a segment of an abrasives factory.

Shaping the Future: The Ongoing Legacy

The journey of Surly Brewing Co. is much more than a business expansion—it’s a heartwarming chronicle of innovation, familial bonds, and a thirsty, supportive community. This tale rings as a clarion call to dreamers and beer crafters far and wide, affirming that with a sprinkle of ingenuity and heaps of passion, you can catalyze a brewing revolution. Delve deeper into this inspiring yarn and gallivant through Surly Brewing’s rich history by checking out the video above – it’s sure to stir the soul of every hops aficionado. Cheers to Surly, the brewery that dared to be different, and in doing so, showed us all how beer can do more than just quench thirst—it can ignite a cultural flame.

Engaging With the Pint-Pouring Pioneers: Join the Conversation

The story of Surly Brewing is one that inspires chatter, shares, and toasts among legions of dedicated beer lovers. Whether you’re a die-hard member of Surly Nation or a newcomer to the craft beer odyssey, your voice adds to the rich narrative of this brew-centric powerhouse. So, pull up a bar stool, crack open a can of Bender, and join the conversation; let’s talk beer, innovation, and the mavericks that redefine our sudsy horizons.

Dustin is a writer about craft beer and a professional brewer in the city of Chicago. He has written for several magazines and has over a decade of experience in the beer industry. He is currently working on a book about the history of beer in Chicago.

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Surly Brewing Company

• Great for outdoor dining
• Great for craft beers
• Good for groups

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• Dining style Casual Dining
• Price $30 and under
• Cuisines Brewery, American, Beer Garden
• Hours of operation Mon–Thu 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri–Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
• Phone number (763) 999-4040
• Website http://www.surlybrewing.com/
• Payment options AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
• Dress code Casual Dress
• Executive chef Ben Peine
• Location 520 Malcolm Avenue South East, Minneapolis, MN 55414
• Neighborhood Northeast Minneapolis
• Cross street Malcolm Ave SE & 5th St SE
• Parking details Private Lot
• Public transit A quick walk from the Prospect Park Green Line light rail station, and easily accessible via the 30, 6, and 63 Metro Transit bus routes.
• Additional Beer, Beer Garden, Delivery, Gender Neutral Restroom, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access

What 422 people are saying

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• 4.5 Service
• 4.6 Ambience

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Dined on October 31, 2020

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Surly Brewing Company is rated 4.6 stars by 422 OpenTable diners.

520 Malcolm Avenue South East, Minneapolis, MN 55414

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Surly Brewing Company

Stacy Brooks

March 24, 2023

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The Best Restaurants & Bars In Minneapolis

The city’s largest craft brewery also has the largest taproom, a huge space with communal high-top tables and 33 taps. Surly Furious IPA is a top seller, and the annual release of Darkness, a Russian imperial stout, is nearly as anticipated as opening day at Target Field. Between the deck and massive patio, there’s plenty of outdoor seating, and the taproom frequently hosts outdoor maker’s markets, concerts, and other events.

The full food menu features tacos made with heirloom corn tortillas from Nixta Tortilleria and pretzels from Aki’s Breadhaus . There’s also an upstairs pizza joint serving New Haven-style pizza that’s open in the evenings and on Saturdays—try the potato and rosemary-topped Walter White.

Protect Your Trip »

7 Minneapolis Breweries to Visit

Have a flight at some of the best breweries in the Twin Cities.

Courtesy of Bill Hickey

Lakes & Legends Brewing Co. houses a family-friendly taproom with a focus on Belgian and farmhouse ales.

In Minneapolis-St. Paul , the craft brewery scene is booming. "It's almost like you can't throw a stone without hitting a brewery," says Lisa Heath, W insider at the W Minneapolis - The Foshay . Indeed, ever since 2011, after a Prohibition-era law was tossed out and newly signed legislation allowed breweries to sell pints of their beer in-house, Minnesota breweries have busted out everywhere.

Today, taproom tasting has become a popular local pastime. Still, with so many options, where's a visitor to begin? U.S. News asked some of the city's experts to share a few of their favorite brew-sampling spots.

Surly Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Surly Brewing Company

"One of the top breweries to visit would be Surly Brewing Co .," says Kristen Montag, senior public relations and communications manager at Meet Minneapolis, the city's tourism association. Instrumental in passing the legislation that jump-started the whole Twin Cities taproom business, Surly has since morphed into a massive beer destination, she says – with a 50,000-square-foot complex that's still packing in crowds, collecting awards and offering one of the best brewery tours around.

[Read: The Best Hotels in Minneapolis-St. Paul .]

Located in the Prospect Park area of Minneapolis, its mega beer hall serves up some 24 Surly beers on tap as well as a full menu of top-notch food. Beer hall hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. Daily brewery tours are $5 when you sign up on-site.

Fulton Brewing Co.

"One of my favorites, without a doubt, is Fulton," says Kirk Williams, concierge at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis . Beer lovers and baseball fans flock to the laid-back North Loop taproom. Its proximity to Target Field makes it a popular pre- and post-Minnesota Twins baseball game stop. Founded by homebrewers operating from a south Minneapolis garage in 2006, Fulton Brewing Co . nowadays sells its Lonely Blonde across the Upper Midwest.

Its production has expanded to a second off-site brewery in northeast Minneapolis, with eight times the square footage of the downtown location. Still, the experimental beers and taproom exclusives are produced and poured in the downtown facility first. Food trucks nearby feed brewerygoers whether they're sitting inside or on the chill patio. It's open during all Twins home games. When the team isn't playing, hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. It's closed Monday. Currently, the brewery isn't giving tours.

Dangerous Man Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Max Lee

Housed in a former bank in northeast Minneapolis, Dangerous Man Brewing Co . has been a Twin Cities hot spot and local favorite since it opened in 2013. On weekends, it's crazy crowded, with lines out the door. High-quality and thick, hoppy small-batch beers are one of its fortes, including its "really fantastic Peanut Butter Porter," Heath says. "They sell it in growlers, and it sells out within hours almost every single day that they have it."

Concentrating on its beer selection and forgoing food service, Dangerous Man Brewing is located near some of northeast Minneapolis' best eateries. The brewery provides takeout menus and encourages visitors to eat at the communal tables in its small, friendly space. The taproom is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. It's closed Monday. Currently, the brewery is not giving tours.

Indeed Brewing Co.

Tucked in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, Indeed Brewing Co . is definitely one of the more popular breweries in the Twin Cities, says Michael Mckenzie, bellman at the Hilton Minneapolis . Beer drinkers come for the sunlit taproom and dog-friendly patio as much as for the craft brews.

With 16 tap lines to choose from and a food truck always nearby, it's a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon – whether sipping Indeed's signature Day Tripper Pale Ale or sampling a brew like Mexican Honey Imperial Lager. The taproom is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. It's closed Monday and Tuesday. It offers free tours on Saturdays, though advance online registration is required.

Bad Weather Brewing Co.

[Read: The 12 Best Things To Do in Minneapolis-St. Paul .]

"Untethered and Unpredictable," just like Minnesota's weather, is how Bad Weather Brewing Co. in St. Paul's West Seventh neighborhood describes its ales. The industrial-style taproom is super family-friendly, and is as popular for its free vintage arcade games and outdoor patio (where cornhole is always set up), as it is for its dozen-plus noteworthy beers.

All of Bad Weather's brews have weather-related names: Its flagship Windvane, a red IPA, "stands strong through all types of weather and is a great fit for all seasons," according to its description. Migration, a seasonal blonde ale, is "brewed for the calm before the storm." Inside, the brewery has menus from local spots that deliver, and outside, food trucks are parked near the patio most days. The taproom is open Monday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. Free tours are available on weekends, and advance online registration is required.

Summit Brewing Co.

The iconic Summit Brewing Co ., also in the West Seventh neighborhood, is a St. Paul brewery standby that has been turning out award-winning beers like its Summit Extra Pale Ale and Summit Great Northern Porter since 1986, Montag says. The full lineup (approximately a dozen) can be tasted in its huge beer hall and taproom – a big group gathering spot for families and friends.

[Read: The Best Times to Visit Minneapolis-St. Paul .]

The place is filled with communal tables and in warm weather, the outdoor patio is always popular. A changing array of food trucks feeds the masses. Beer hall and taproom hours are Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Free tours are available Tuesday through Saturday. Tour hours vary, and reservations are required.

Lakes & Legends Brewing Co.

Located in the Loring Park neighborhood of downtown Minneapolis, Lakes & Legends Brewing Co . encompasses the first floor of a luxury rental high-rise. The sprawling space houses a family-friendly taproom with a focus on Belgian and farmhouse ales. Many of its patrons live within walking distance, and dogs are welcome inside, which gives the whole place a genuine community vibe.

Filled with large rustic tables, Adirondack chairs and even some artificial turf, the brewery makes a great wintertime retreat as well. "You can play lawn games year-round," Mckenzie says. "It's really fun." Local food trucks are parked outside Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The taproom is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. It's closed Monday. Free tours are available by appointment, generally on Fridays and weekends.

To experience more of what Minneapolis-St. Paul has to offer, check out the U.S. News Travel guide .

Tags: Travel , Vacations , food and drink , Minneapolis

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Surly Brewing Company

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

Have a craving for some good New Haven style pizza then you have to try Surly’s pizza located upstairs at their brewery. The clam hitchhiker pizza is off the hook good I only wish they left the clams in the shell on the pizza. The... Spicoli pizza is also very good. Don’t forget desert the Darkness Tiramisu is so so good. The beer is fantastic as well. Seating can be a pain as the seating up stairs is very limited, however there is a fair amount of outdoor seating when weather permits. They also have 8-10 pinball machines for the kids to keep busy while you enjoy one more after diner beer. More

While visiting my friend in Minneapolis, we went to Surly for drinks/dinner. When we arrived the wait was very long for a table (1hour+) so we got our names on the list and went to the bar to have a drink. The bar was also... packed, so we squeezed in, ordered our drinks and stood off to the side. Once we were seated, we were seated at large picnic-style tables. The waiter is knowledgeable and fast. Overall the beer was good, the service was good just would recommend perhaps not going during such a busy time! More

Stopped for a couple beers and a pizza for dinner. Checked out the gift shop and then went upstairs for beer and pizza. Very good, I had the "I'm your Daddy" pizza that had burnt honey, thin crust and very good.

A nice summer day yet I was too cold to enjoy sitting inside with all the fans blowing on me. Even my warm-blooded husband said he was chilly. The food was good, the beer was good, but we couldn't stay any longer as it wasn't... enjoyable due to being uncomfortable. And, i get the covid precautions, but each server was a little different - either they wouldn't approach if we didn't have our masks on, or they didn't care, or a worker would certainly come within 6 feet to do something but not require our masks. Plus, we sat at a table where the sign said the table needed to be cleaned. Thanks for that. Anyway, our visit was sort of stilted with all that. BUT ... product is good (although the pronto pup is lacking for sure). More

We had a company event outside at the Surly brewery in Minneapolis Minnesota. Although we could have ordered from other restaurants nearby or in the brewery itself, we opted to get pizza from Surly Pizza Upstairs. I’m usually not the first person to suggest ordering... a pizza however I have heard great things about the pizza at this place. We ended up ordering several different pizzas so we pretty much tried every kind of pizza on the menu. It turned out to be fantastic. I loved the thin crust, it is nicely baked, crunchy, and has an amazing flavor. My favorite two pizzas were Walter White, which is a vegetarian pizza that had potato, rosemary, garlic, Parmesan and charred spring onions on it, it was I want to say one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had, and I typically like meat on my pizzas. The other pizza that I absolutely loved was called Finger Licking Good Y’all. It was amazing with lemon ricotta, seasoned cream, peppers, chili crunch, and chorizo. My mouth is watering just by writing this review. I’m going to have to go back very very soon. And of course beers are great. More

Stopped in on a Saturday evening.. had the personal pizza upstairs. NO fountain beverages for folks who don't drink beer, but had water. (I am a diabetic). Atmosphere was fun, and servers were nice. Pizza is charred... not burnt.. but KNOW that it will look... charred. Toppings were plentiful.. nice stop More

Very fun spot. Awesome seating area. Very large selection of beers. Their fruity beers are similar to radlers with lower alcohol content to allow enjoying multiple drinks. Food was great too including their tacos and hot chicken sandwich. Hot chicken is actually spicy too!

We met some family/friends for last TGIF, upbeat, great atmosphere, attentive and knowledgeable servers, wonderfully varied beer choices. Started with the pretzel--very good, and my southern husband appreciated the pimiento cheese dip. Loved the wood fired pizzas! Our group enjoyed lots of different beers, even... the dark, anise flavored one; server verified I'd be ok with that flavor before i ordered, and that was a smart query, but I liked it. We will be back when the weather is warm, to soak up the atmosphere and the wide open space. More

We enjoyed the beer and pretzel in the main taproom area and then went upstairs for their pizza. Beer was fantastic as was the service. Pizza crust was really crisp and the toppings were inventive. Will definitely return.

Started he experience outside at the picnic tables, but moved inside as rain and hail appeared! Ordered Surly lemonade, and Birthplace of Kolsch and were not disappointed. Both were easy drinking beers. Food options included Hog frites (which surprised us since it was fries with... pork and pickled veggies which were suprisingly good) and Brisket Queso. Honestly you could skip all the other food items and just order this queso by bulk! It really is that good! The only downside of our experience was the ordering by phone when we were outside. As Boomers, this threw us off our game. We would have preferred a face-to-face encounter, but we adapted. More

What a fantastic brewery not only for brews, but incredible food. Awesome rock & steel sculpture as you enter. I enjoyed their famous and highly sought after West Coast IPA Todd The Axeman at the bar and had great service. They offer a full menu... of great bites too! I had an awesome burger. Surly provide tours Tuesday-Saturday, but have suspended at this time due to COVID-19. They also have a gift store with cool merchandise. More

Our party of 6 had a fun evening at Surly. Near U Minn. Short walk from Light Rail (Green Line). Restaurant encourages ordering via QR Code, but for our large party we received full table service for beverages and food, which was much appreciated.

We were there on a very busy college game day. Service was fast and good. Pizza was outstanding and staff was friendly. If you like coal fired pizza this is a great place. Funny tv themed names for their different pizzas. Great selection of beers.

Continuing the MN brewery tour, how could I not visit Surly. We showed up right as a actually tour was about start. So we jumped right. Are guide was excellent, I wish I had paid more attention when he told us his name) the friend... I was with is a brewer & beer geek. So I know if the guide didn’t now his stuff my friend would call him out. Half way through I asked if he new his stuff& my friend said absolutely. The tour was informative & fun. (We had a good group). After the tour we went upstairs & had great pizza & meat balls, And beer of course. Visit Surly, you won’t regret it. 👍👍 More

So much fun! The beer was great-I’m not a huge beer drinker but went with my husband who is. I ordered the key lime and mango. My husband loved all 5 of the kinds he got. It was such a great atmosphere even though they... only opened back up the day before. No food from their kitchen yet, but they had a food truck you could order from. More

SURLY BREWING COMPANY, Minneapolis - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 4.5

StarTribune

Surly's dream team, the new kings of beer.

Standing on the staircase overlooking 100 or so of his 154 employees — up from just two eight years ago — Omar Ansari actually sounded a bit surly as he made his first toast to his new $30 million-plus brewery.

"Half the life of Surly has been spent getting to this, a lot longer and a lot more money than we thought it would take," he said.

Looking on with smiles as bright as the heavily hopped beers in their hands, his parents, Naseem and Dorit Ansari, were supposed to be in Florida, their winter home, when the first glasses were raised at the new Surly Brewing complex last month in Minneapolis. They didn't want to miss the moment, though.

"It's a true milestone in my life," said his father, a native of Pakistan who immigrated to the United States in his 20s with $100 to his name. Ansari's German-born mother shares much the same story.

In that not-so-long-ago era when Twin Cities area breweries could be counted on one finger and the average beer drinker didn't know an IPA from an ERA, Ansari went to his parents and asked if he could take over the family's abrasive-metals business, then fading along with America's manufacturing industry. He wanted to turn it into a brewery, then a newfangled idea in Minnesota.

This week, beer lovers from across the state will follow 44-year-old Omar and his slightly scary-looking but truly masterful brewmaster partner Todd Haug to their new facility in Minneapolis' Prospect Park neighborhood, off University Avenue near the University of Minnesota campus.

The brewery's beer hall is set to open to the public Friday night, with a high-end restaurant and outdoor dining area to come later. When it hits full production, Surly's new complex will fill more than 100,000 barrels annually — half of Summit Brewing's capacity in St. Paul, but triple the capacity of the original Surly complex in Brooklyn Center and way more than any other brewery in town.

Surly Brewing led the push for a change in state laws to facilitate this manifestation of Omar Ansari's dream. Now his new "destination brewery" could change the way breweries statewide operate, while transforming an industrial, just plain junky-looking corner of Minneapolis.

"Most breweries are building big places way out in the suburbs, where they can get land cheap and easy," Ansari said, referencing newly built tourist-oriented breweries near Philadelphia (Victory), San Diego (Stone) and Grand Rapids, Mich. (Founders).

Echoing the words of a fateful 2007 article in Beer Advocate magazine that ranked Surly the best brewery in America, he added, "We're not like most breweries."

On the morning Ansari and other Surly associates wore purple to the brewery to meet before the Vikings-Packers game (a 12-minute walk), Haug stood out like a severed thumb.

Wearing a black T-shirt by obscure Norwegian metal band 1349 — whose name was obscured by his long, stringy hair and silvery, chest-length beard — Surly's brewmaster was hard at work overseeing one of the most menial but crucial parts of any brewer's job: cleaning.

"Everything about the brewing process is going to be more precise and consistent," he bragged, staring at computer screens that monitor every facet of his new tanks. He put the new line to work just after Thanksgiving.

Haug, 45, was schooled in the wider world of beer when he was still too young to drink it legally.

As a 17-year-old guitar wiz, he joined local speed-metal band Powermad, which signed to Warner Bros. in 1987. After spending $250,000 to make an album at Paisley Park and landing in David Lynch's film "Wild at Heart," the quartet hit the road opening for the likes of Overkill and Blue Öyster Cult.

"We didn't make any money, but we got to see America — and drink a lot of beer," said Haug, whose new band is Vulgaari. "We weren't crazy partyers. We would just seek out whatever the local beer was in each city."

Between gigs, he worked part-time at Summit to learn the craft. When Rock Bottom Brewery opened in downtown Minneapolis in the mid-'90s, he landed the job as head brewer.

"You had to have some standard beers, being in the theater district," he said of his decade there, "but more and more I tried new things."

Ansari, meanwhile, was shopping around for a brewing partner. During a visit to Rock Bottom, he wrote in his notebook: "Best beers I've had in Minnesota to date."

Little did he know that he and the brewmaster had gone to junior high school together in Golden Valley, where Ansari still lives.

"Todd had a perm back then, so I didn't recognize him," he cracked.

That Ansari and Haug barely knew each other in school attests to their seemingly unlikely partnership.

Ansari is into sports and the outdoors the way Haug is into music. Looming over his partner at just over 6 feet, Ansari is clean-cut with only one noticeable tattoo (Haug has many) and in good shape (for someone who runs a brewery, anyway) with a much more affable, salesman-like demeanor. Both are laid-back, quick to laugh and hardly ever surly; the name came from Ansari's frustration over trying to find better beer.

Ansari floundered a bit before settling on an economics major last-minute at Macalester College. He didn't really know what he wanted to do after graduation. "So I went to work with my parents, which was at least work I knew," he said.

Namely, he knew how hard it is to run a business. When he was a child, his parents had to put the company through bankruptcy. Haug's folks had to do the same during a rough spell at their small publishing company. Haug also helped his wife, Linda, open Cafe Twenty-Eight, a popular eatery near their house in Minneapolis' Linden Hills neighborhood that closed three years ago, in part so she could helm the restaurant side of the new brewery.

"We both really understand from our families that there aren't a lot of handouts in business," Ansari said. "The secret is no secret: You have to work your ass off."

They did exactly that for Surly's first year, 2006-07. Haug happened to be experienced in welding — somehow not surprising — and assembled much of the brewing line himself in the Ansaris' metallics warehouse.

While Ansari's wife, Rebecca, took care of the first three of their four boys and brought home a steady paycheck, he did most of the delivering and marketing of Surly's initial two, oddly named brands of beer, Furious and Bender.

"We made 800 barrels that first year and had a hard time finding places that wanted to sell it," Ansari recalled. "Now, we're going to be making 20 times that, and we probably still won't be able to meet demand."

Competitors could quibble over how much Surly single-handedly raised demand for craft beer in Minnesota, but they can't argue the impact of the so-called Surly Bill, the 2011 state law that allowed breweries to sell their product on site — thus spawning a boom of two dozen taprooms around the state.

Surly funded a public campaign and lobbying effort for the bill with one goal: To build a destination brewery.

"The president of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild at the time told me to build it in Wisconsin, because the laws were better," recalled Ansari. "I didn't want to do that. Todd and I grew up here. We love Minneapolis, and everything you get from living in or near the city: the restaurants, the arts, the music. We wanted to not just be a part of that, but to add to it."

Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who advocated the Surly Bill and helped steer the brewery to its new site, recalled, "I was told it was political suicide to help them out and try to change liquor laws."

As he got to know Ansari and Haug, he came to understand the persona behind Surly's products: "Those guys manifest the brand. They're incredibly skilled at what they do, but they also approach their beers and their lives with a fun sense of irony."

Surly's longtime logo artist and new in-house creative director, Michael Berglund, thinks the brewery's metallic look and industrial setting build upon Ansari and Haug's original vision.

"They're guys that believe in the purity of the creative process and in creative people, especially Todd, coming from the musicians' standpoint," Berglund said. "I think that shows in their beer, and now it shows [in the new brewery]. They could've cut a lot of corners or built a much plainer-looking place in a much more boring part of town."

As he hinted in his toast to employees, Ansari knows all too well that corners were not cut.

The final price tag of more than $30 million soared from initial estimates of $20 million. Unforeseen costs ranged from extra building pylons, necessitated by soil conditions, to an environmental cleanup of the site, which for decades housed a potato-product plant. (Surly received about $2 million in federal and county grants for the cleanup, which still wasn't enough, Ansari said.)

And then there were many adaptations in the brewing equipment.

"As nice as everything is out front, we also got a kick-ass brewery that's specifically designed to make our beers," Haug noted, promising more output of the company's cult-loved but hard-to-brew brands Darkness and Abrasive (named in honor of the old Ansari family business).

Omar said the very existence of the new complex is a tribute to his parents' legacy as immigrants.

"My parents are proud of their Pakistani and German heritage," he said, "but they've always been more about the community they're in now. I did this brewery here because I believe in this community. I really think we're changing it for the better."

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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We want to give you the tools for a DIY Surly Tour Experience. You'll just need 3 things

1. This 7oz. glass with a picture of the Minneapolis brewery. 

2. Some Surly history: https://surlybrewing.com/about/surly-history/

3. The beer. Sorry, you're on your own for this one.

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