To find Wabasha Brewing Company head south across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Paul then continue up the hill past the Wabasha Street Caves. Tucked on Wabasha Street is a non-descript, two-story storefront. A sign on the sidewalk out front suggest that this is where you should enter, but drive around back to find the taproom. The building’s rear is even more non-descript, but the orange door and newly established hop vines suggest that something more interesting is going on inside.
Entering the taproom is a bit like stepping into someone’s home. It’s tiny – maybe cozy is a better descriptor. Cream-colored, brick walls and wood tones give it a warm, comfortable feel. It is a bit like a living room turned bar. I was reminded of intimate, cellar bars that I frequented in Germany.
The brew house is crammed in behind the bar. There is only room for a couple of fermenters. The plan was to start big with the brewery, easily the most expensive piece of equipment. Brewing capacity is ensured from the start. When planned expansions occur fermentation tanks can be added as space allows.
The taproom’s intimacy encourages friendly interaction. I’m actually not the most social person, but I chatted up everyone seated with me at the bar. It wasn’t terribly crowded on the Thursday night of my visit, but I can see how it could get tight on a busy Friday or Saturday. And there is only one restroom for a bunch of people drinking a bunch of beer. Did I mention that expansion is planned?
The beer at Wabasha was a mixed bag – varied both in style and in quality. Nothing was terrible, but some were better than others. A couple of cloudy ones suggested to me that not enough conditioning time was given to let them settle. But it could also be that cloudy was the brewer’s intent.
My favorite was Peter Wheat. Don’t let the name fool you, there is no wheat in this beer. It’s named after a comic book character created in the 1940s to advertise bread. Peter Wheat the beer is a Germany-style Kristal weizen made with corn instead of wheat. It’s got a creamy mouthfeel and light sweetness with faint, corny overtones. The banana, clove, and bubblegum notes of German, wheat-beer yeast are present, but remain fairly subtle. Higher than expected alcohol gives it a pleasant warming.
Lawnmower porter is a tasty, low-alcohol brown porter with a lovely chocolate brownie character. Low caramel and toast background notes round out the profile. It finishes dry, making it a good summertime dark beer.
West Side Popper was a surprise. I really don’t like pepper beers. I want my food as spicy as you can make it, but not my beer. This light, jalapeno infused cream ale gave a light bite on the finish, but was not overwhelming. It was amply balanced by a smooth, malt sweetness. The pepper flavor was kept to a minimum as well.
Red Bonnet Amber – a cherry infused amber ale – was indistinct – like it couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. A touch of caramel was there. A hint of tart cherry was there. But neither was really able to assert itself. Both were muddied by some unwelcome yeasty flavor that was foreshadowed by the murky appearance.
429 Wabasha St S
St Paul, MN 55107
(651) 224-2102
Thursday – Friday: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
