A new brewery in the metro is making noise for its family-friendly environment and tasty craft beer creations.

At Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie, beer isn't the only thing the owners value.

"We want people from all backgrounds of life to come hang out at a place that welcomes them," co-owner and head of operations Elizabeth Anderson said. "They don't even need to be interested in beer."

And the business offers more than just what's on tap. Minnesota-made craft soda is coming soon, and for those non-beer drinkers, they have a pucker-up hard lemonade customers can mix and match with different flavors on tap. There's also a kitchen serving some classic American pub favorites within a food truck-style ordering station inside the building.

Co-owner of Fat Pants Brewing, Elizabeth Anderson. A food truck has been gutted out and turned into a kitchen front at Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie. Co-owner Elizabeth Anderson checks on the Double IPA coming out soon at Fat Pants Brewing Company. Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie. The original brew kettles used at Fat Pants Brewing brewed up to two kegs at a time. Now, they're brewing up to 20. Brew kettles at Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie, brewing up to 20 kegs at a time. The 'Stout Float,' composing of locally-owned La La Ice Cream and their brewed stout on tap at Fat Pants Brewing Company. Previous Next

Elizabeth said they like their menu to be unpredictable, also featuring a build-your-own pizza option.

"In the future, we would like to curate some themed days, such as St. Patrick's Day and serving some classic Irish dishes," she said.

Elizabeth is co-owner with her step-mother and father at the brewery. Don Anderson is the head brewer, and Linda Anderson is the mastermind behind the design of the spot.

When walking through the front doors, the place gives off a cozy and intimate vibe. A fireplace is located in one corner with three television sets on the wall. A painting based on René Magritte's famous man with an apple blocking his face is hung above the fireplace. But instead of an apple, it's a hop used to brew beer. And it's not restricted to only tables and chairs — comfy armchairs, a "living area" and a patio can be found inside the establishment.

Elizabeth says the idea started small but grew dramatically in her Eden Prairie family.

"The biggest question we had going forward was, 'Could we make this happen?'" she said.

Elizabeth, 24, claims the title of youngest female brewery owner in the state and United States, based on information from national publications such as Forbes Magazine and Elizabeth's research. The previous youngest brewery owner was reported by the publication as then-26-year-old Meg Gill, President and co-founder of Golden Road Brewing, in 2015.

Elizabeth may even claim the title of the world, but that's not yet confirmed. A request to confirm information with Guinness World Records is pending.

Tommy Wiita/KSTP

"I'm not super comfortable in [with that title], as I don't want it to come off the wrong way when stating it," she said. "My parents have helped paved the way for this opportunity, along with other breweries in general. I want to continue inspiring other females in the industry and younger people in general that opportunities like this can become a reality."

"I think it's important for more women to get involved in the brewery business."

The origins of Fat Pants Brewing began with a homebrew kit and blossomed into a family-owned brewery. The establishment is also the only Eden Prairie brewery. Elizabeth said their main goal is to develop a deep connection with their customers and maintain that friendly environment. She also said the brewery's focus will be on bridging the gap between home and basement brewers to established sites.

"We would love to work with [home brewers] and feature some of them on our taps occasionally."

She also mentioned working with nonprofits at the business and focusing on reducing waste by using a compostable approach.

But how did the name come about?

"What it translates to is being comfy, hanging out, and just loosening up," Elizabeth said.

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The name arose from Don and his friend, Rick Reinert, who have been friends for 50 years and are both brewers. They were hanging out at a bar in Excelsior watching the Minnesota Vikings, and Rick arrived with Zubaz pants in which he referred to them as "fat pants." That happened seven years ago, and then the name came into fruition years later.

Most of the beers on tap all have stories behind them and family connections. Only open for about three weeks now, their most popular beverage of choice is the Monkey Grinder, which is a hoppy, bold and floral-tasting IPA.

The Bajo, an IPA session/India session ale, was named after Don's friend, Scott. Bajo in Spanish translates to 'short,' and Scott called Don that as friends often. Don is over 6 feet tall, and Scott was a "big guy." He was about 6 feet, 5 inches, weighing around 300 pounds. After Scott passed, Don named the beer after him to honor his good friend.

There are currently eight craft brews on tap, but Elizabeth would like to see that expand over time.

"Since we just started, we honestly don't have a timetable on switching out brews," she said. "However, I'd like to see us serve up to 18 [beers]."

A chocolate cherry stout is set to make its debut at the brewery soon. For more unconventional but tasty options, Fat Pants Brewing offers a stout float. The float includes La La Ice Cream, which is a company out of the Uptown area of Minneapolis.

"Customers who have seen it on the menu appear to be skeptical at first, but once there's convincing of trying it, their minds are changed, too," said Joshua Schmidt, beertender.

The company aims to remain devoted to their craft beer process. From starting with just two kegs of production to 20, Fat Pants Brewing continues an upward trend in the brewery scene.

"It started with businesspeople meeting (at the brewery), and we would like to see it grow with even more community involvement. We intend to offer a great variety of taps and beyond to satisfy the needs of our customers," Elizabeth said.

Fat Pants Brewing Company is located at 8335 Crystal View Road in Eden Prairie.