It’s not exactly breaking news- many people enjoy beer, and they enjoy places where beer is made and served. There’s no shortage of this in downtown Sioux Falls.



“I think it’s been really fun to watch how much it’s grown over the past couple years,” Hannah Louwagie of Sioux Falls said.



“I love the fact that there’s so much choice and variety, that we have so many new brews that come up all the time,” James Livermont of Sioux Falls said.



Woodgrain Brewing Company is one venue brewing on-site. Remedy Brewing Company does the same just a few blocks away. And across 8th Street from Remedy is Monk’s House of Ale Repute. This is where Gandy Dancer Brew Works concocts their craft.



“In the last two and a half, three years, the brewery scene in downtown has absolutely exploded,” Jason Currie-Olson, co-owner at Woodgrain Brewing Company, said.



“As the first down here that started brewing, it’s pretty awesome to see it kind of grow around the area, especially what we have going on here in the east bank, as well as right across the river,” John Berkness, head brewer at Gandy Dancer Brew Works, said.



Also downtown are Hydra Beer Company, Fernson Brewing Company, and Prairie Berry East Bank, although their local beer isn’t made on site.



“I would say the brewery scene in downtown Sioux Falls is growing exponentially, especially in the past two years or so,” Riann Reurink, lead event coordinator at Prairie Berry East Bank, said.



Patrick Engel, tap room general manager at Fernson on 8th, says the presence of other breweries actually helps.



“We’re businesses, so there’s going to be a bit of competition, but I think anything that’s good for this downtown location, and anything that’s good for downtown Sioux falls in general, is positive for Fernson,” Engel said.



Currie-Olson has similar thoughts at Woodgrain.



“We have not seen a negative impact of the added breweries,” Currie-Olson said. “Hydra added their beer hall, Remedy is the newest functional brewery downtown, and we cannot say that we’ve seen a negative impact on our business. In fact, just the opposite.”



“We’ll talk to some of the other guys, across the street, across Phillips, and it’s, yeah, we like to give each other a little guff here or there, but at the end of the day, it’s a family, we take care of each other, and we really promote the local scene,” Tyler Jepperson, co-owner of Remedy Brewing Company, said.



Hyrda Beer Company co-owner Chad Petit also has good things to say.



“Growing. Promising. I think people willing to take that chance and get involved in the industry is fantastic,” Petit said.



The scene can still catch up, too.



“There’s a lot of very talented people involved, very determined people,” Petit said.



And that’s what’s needed.



“It’s going to take that in order to have this type of industry take root and stay established,” Petit said. “It’s not an easy business to be in.”



So, is this brewery scene oversaturated?



“I think there’s a limit, I think there’s a cap,” Currie-Olson said. “I don’t think we’re there yet. It’s possible that we will reach that.”



“No, I don’t think it’s oversaturated,” Berkness said. “We see people every day that have been to one, then they come here, then they go to a different brewery.”



With variety the spice of life, that may be the case with the hops in these brews, too.



“To me I think the more the merrier,” Petit said.



“I don’t think we have too many. It’s great to have the variety,” Livermont said.



“I think that it’s fun that there’s all these different opportunities,” Louwagie said.



And maybe with space for a few more.



“I do, yep, especially with, to tie in what’s going on with the rail yard development and all the other major land developments going on,” Jepperson said.



With these options, it looks like more than just the customers benefit.



“The more breweries that are involved and being active, it benefits all of us. If someone comes to our place and they really enjoy what we do, their next natural progression is to go to the other guys,” Petit said. “And vice versa.”









Woodgrain- FacebookTwitter

Remedy- FacebookTwitter

Prairie Berry- FacebookTwitter

Monk’s House of Ale Repute/Gandy Dancer- FacebookTwitter

Fernson- FacebookTwitter

Hydra- FacebookTwitter



