Hackamore Brewing Sets A High Bar
Brewery openings have always been a mixed bag, at least around Colorado. Some breweries open with sub-par, flawed beer on tap, and many don’t have all the bells and whistles figured out right off the bat. This happens so often that many beer enthusiasts are often heard saying “go back in a month when they have it figured out” or “these are just the first batches, they’ll get better.”
Grand opening events should be the best foot forward for a new brewery and a showcase of how they will delight customers not only with their product but their space and aesthetic. There are certainly breweries that really nail the customer experience and beer right out of the gate, and I got an opportunity recently to witness a brewery that hit the nail on the head, opening-wise.
In the last weekend in April I had the privilege to attend the soft and grand openings of Hackamore Brewing in Chanhassen, MN and I was blown away by the polish of their buildout and opening. The entire brewery is built around the customer in a way that doesn’t put brewing or beer on the back burner by any means, but also elevates the customer’s experience on the other side of the bar.
Opening with 6 flagship beers on tap – including a cream ale, hazy IPA, double IPA, American light lager, stout, and a strawberry rhubarb fruited sour – all of which were high-quality offerings, the product will keep thirsty customers coming back. The ‘Let’s go Hazy’ IPA – a nod to the artist formerly known as Prince, whose Paisley Park home is nearby; and the ‘Can Crusher’ Cream Ale were favorites of mine during my visit. All their flagship beers have art designed by a local tattoo artist and the artwork is featured prominently around the space. They plan to expand their beer offerings to additional styles in the near future.
The polish on the taproom is too good not to highlight as well. A virtual golf simulator, a small arcade area, a pop-up kitchen (until they get their own kitchen ready to serve burgers and other bar fare), a merchandise area that feels like a golf pro shop (they also have branded golf apparel) catch the eye at first. This all wraps around the brewhouse, encased behind glass walls to show off the stainless-steel heart of the Hackamore operation (or showcases the brewers in their habitat enclosure, however you’d like to interpret it). Their 5-barrel system will serve them well as traffic stabilizes post-opening; though they have plenty of room to expand their brewing operations with ample space for additional tanks as demand grows.
In my opinion, this is one of the most solid brewery openings I have been to recently, and I believe they will succeed based on the beer and the customer experience. If you’re in the Minneapolis area, make it a point to check out Hackamore Brewing in Chanhassen when you can.
Check out our photos below:
