Our History
Midwest pioneers. Except with copper kettles instead of covered wagons.
In 1986, Summit founder Mark Stutrud set out to rediscover the traditional brewing methods behind the great handcrafted
beers that once flowed throughout the Midwest. Ever since, we’ve been painstakingly brewing beer as stimulating, complex
and rich in character as the people who share it.
1986 – Humble beginnings
Summit Brewing Company remodels the space of an old truck parts company on St. Paul’s University Avenue. We install a brewhouse from Heimertingen, Germany, and begin test brewing. After much experimentation, we proudly release our EPA and Great Northern Porter – in kegs only.
1987 – Early success
Great Northern Porter wins first place at the Great American Beer Festival®. We begin bottling in the fall and introduce our first seasonal, Summit Christmas Ale.
1988 – The experimentation continues
Summit Sparkling Ale is first brewed, the area’s first blonde ale.
1989 – Why stop at 12 ounces?
Summit Maibock is introduced in 22 ounce bomber bottles.
1991 – Roll out the barrels
We complete our first major expansion, increasing capacity from 5,000 to 12,000 barrels per year.
1993 – The more, the merrier
Summit introduces Hefe Weizen, India Pale Ale and Altbier. The brewery leases an adjacent building and installs the “beer pipeline” connecting it to the original building. Annual capacity reaches 16,000 barrels.
1995 – How do you say “growing pains” in German?
Summit purchases a copper brewhouse from Hürnerbräu, Ansbach, Bavaria, and places it in storage for two years. As a search for a new brewery site begins, capacity on University Ave increases to 34,000 barrels.
1996 – Breaking new ground
Summit purchases 4.2 acres in the Crosby Lake Business Park in Saint Paul. Groundbreaking takes place in July of the following year as keeping up with demand becomes increasingly difficult.
1998 – Summit on the move
Test brewing begins at the new brewery location with total transition completed by December.
1999 – The little brewery that could
Summit Brewing reaches one percent market share of all beer sold in Minnesota. Woo-hoo!
2000 – Entrepreneurial spirit
Mark Stutrud is honored to be named a Finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year as well as North Dakota Business Innovator of the Year (Mark’s home state).
2001 – Bohemia meets Bavaria
We introduce our take on two other traditional styles: a true Czech Pilsener and Märzen-style Oktoberfest.
2002 – An 8,000 mile beer run
The Summit “Good Will Beer Tour” travels to the UK and Germany to share our brews with the most discerning beer drinkers in the world. We share pints, swap stories and hear what they have to say about Summit – recording it all for radio listeners back home.
2003 – More Summit on tap
The brewery introduces special limited release beers, beginning with Oatmeal Stout followed by ESB and Scandia, a Belgian Style Wheat.
2004 – Local honors
Summit receives the Duebener Award from the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce. This award recognizes organizations that exemplify growth, excellence, risk, diversity and innovation. All things we heartily embrace at Summit.
2006 – A birthday blowout
The Summit Big Brew 20th Anniversary celebration on Harriet Island exceeds all attendance expectations. 11,000 Summit friends toasted 20 years of brewing excellence.
2008 – This one’s for you, Herb
Summit is honored to receive the HERBIE Award, inspired by Saint Paul native and hockey legend Herb Brooks, from the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce. HERBIE stands for Humanitarian, Enterprising, Resilient, Bold, Inspirational and Ethical. The award is given to a local individual or company that demonstrates those qualities through significant public service and dedication to the community.
2009 – The year of brewing boldly
Summit introduces Horizon Red Ale, an intensely aromatic cross between an IPA and Amber ale. We also launch the Unchained Series, limited release batches designed to showcase our individual brewers’ skills and creativity. The first is a German Style Kölsch from brewer Mike Miziorko, followed by a 90/- Scottish Style Ale from brewer Eric Blomquist.
2010 – Bronze beer, gold medal
Extra Pale Ale wins a gold medal in the Classic English-Style Pale Ale category at the 2010 World Beer Cup® and a silver medal in the same category at the Great American Beer Festival®. The Unchained Series kicks into high gear with an India Style Rye Ale from brewer Mike Lundell, a Belgian Style Golden Ale from brewer Eric Harper, and an Imperial Pumpkin Porter from brewer Nate Siats.
2011 – Skol to a quarter century!
Summit celebrates its 25th anniversary. Here’s to everyone who has clinked pints, bought rounds, showed support, extended praise, offered critiques, joined us on the town, stayed late, and shared their passion for great beer with us over the years. Cheers!
Summit Extra Pale Ale
Brewed year-round
The brew that launched a brewery.
A pioneer in craft beer (hey, that rhymes), Summit EPA has been gracing the pint glasses of serious brew lovers since 1986. Bronze color. Gold medal-winning flavor. With caramel, biscuity malts superbly balanced with an earthy hop bite and juicy citrus.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
12.0º P
BITTERING UNITS
45
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
5.2%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Light bronze, 12.5° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Horizon, Fuggle, Cascade
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
1986
Summit Pilsener
Brewed year-round
Czech, please.
Authentic Saaz hops from the Czech Republic give our Pilsener just the right amount of spicy floral aroma. With a crisp, refreshing malt backbone and lightly spiced hops, it’s a taste of the Bohemian life.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
11.0º P
BITTERING UNITS
25
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
4.8%
MALTS UTILIZED
Moravian 37, Caramel
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Golden, 5° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Vanguard, Saaz
YEAST
Bohemian Lager
ESTABLISHED
2001
Summit India Pale Ale
Brewed year-round
Nirvana. Now available in 12 packs.
This traditional English style was originally brewed with extra hops to help it survive the voyage to India. Our IPA is enlightened by spicy herbal hops with a hint of caramel malt sweetness.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
14.0º P
BITTERING UNITS
65
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
6.4%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel, Special B
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Bronze, 16° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Northern Brewer, East Kent Golding, Target, (dry-hopped: East Kent Golding)
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
1993
Summit Great Northern Porter
Brewed year-round
Next stop…Malt City.
Originally named after London market workers who popularized this brew, we dubbed our Porter with a nod to the majestic railway stretching from St. Paul to Seattle. Roasted malts offer up coffee notes leading to a slightly sweet, chocolatey finish. All aboard!
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
13.2º P
BITTERING UNITS
45
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
5.6%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Black, 60° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Northdown, Fuggle, Cascade
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
1986
Summit Horizon Red Ale
Brewed year-round
A richer shade of Red.
An inspired hybrid that blurs the boundaries between IPA and Amber styles. The exceptional blend of American hops (including the harder-to-find Horizon variety) gives it an intense pine, citrus and earthy character in the nose and on the tongue.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
13.3º P
BITTERING UNITS
60
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
5.7%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel, Wheat, Cara Red, Black
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Amber, 22° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Summit, Horizon, Amarillo, Cascade (dry-hopped: Cascade)
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
2009
Summit Maibock
Brewed in the Spring
Pronounced “My bock.” As in “Keep your hands off my bock.”
This traditional German style earned the nickname “liquid bread” because it was brewed by monks to help them get through Lenten fasting. Moravian 37 malts and Czech Saaz hops give it a toasted sweetness with a little spice in the finish.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
15.0º P
BITTERING UNITS
40
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
6.5%
MALTS UTILIZED
Moravian 37, Munich
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Dark Blonde, 9° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Saaz, Mt. Hood
YEAST
German Lager
ESTABLISHED
1989
Summit Hefe Weizen
Brewed in the Summer
A cloudy beer for sunny afternoons.
The quintessential summer seasonal beer. The wheat gives it a light, zesty taste with notes of banana and clove in the finish. Some yeast is intentionally left behind after partially filtering the beer to give the brew its characteristically cloudy appearance.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
11.2º P
BITTERING UNITS
20
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
4.8%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Wheat (55%), Caramel
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Blonde, 6° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Tettnanger
YEAST
German Hefe Weizen
ESTABLISHED
1993
Summit Oktoberfest
Brewed in the fall
Hold the bottle up to your ear. You can almost hear the polka.
Brewed in the classic Märzen style with Northern Brewer hops from Germany. Rich, toffee malt flavors up front with a clean hop finish as crisp as the autumn air. Unfortunately, like the fall colors, this seasonal beer is gone before you know it.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
16.2º P
BITTERING UNITS
29
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
7.3%
MALTS UTILIZED
Moravian 37, Caramel, Munich
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Bronze, 15° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Northern Brewer, Tettnanger, Saaz
YEAST
German Lager
ESTABLISHED
2001
Summit Winter Ale
Brewed in the Winter
Comforting as a down blanket. And way better tasting.
One taste and it’s easy to see why the Brits call this style Winter Warmer. Nutty, roasted malt flavor with hints of coffee, caramel, cocoa and a dash of hop spice. It’ll warm your cockles. Whatever those are.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
14.5º P
BITTERING UNITS
36
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
6.1%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel, Carafa II
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Brown, 42° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Willamette, Fuggle, Tettnanger
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
1987
-
Summit Unchained Series
Released Periodically
Venture off the beaten beer aisle.
The Summit Unchained Series gives our brewers free rein to create any beer style they want. To reinvent obscure traditional brews. To choose the finest, rarest and (gulp) spendiest ingredients. The result? Small batches. Huge flavor.
Summit Oatmeal Stout
Brewed year-round
A taste you won’t find everywhere.
While its cascading rich black color will be familiar to Stout enthusiasts, ours is decidedly different. It's made with naked oats from the UK, for one. Smooth and slightly sweek, with hints of coffee, caramel and chocolate. Sold only on draught in select places.
ORIGINAL GRAVITY
13.3º P
BITTERING UNITS
36
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
5.1%
MALTS UTILIZED
2-Row Pale, Caramel, Oats, Crystal, Roasted Barley, Chocolate
COLOR, (DEG L.)
Pitch black, 92° L
HOPS UTILIZED
Northern Brewer, East Kent Golding, Fuggle
YEAST
Ale
ESTABLISHED
2004