Click on any of the photos below to view each team member’s bio!
Owner/General Manager
Owner/Business Manager
Owner/Head Brewer
Dog Ambassador
From prehistoric caves, laboratories, thunderstorms, and hot tubs to forests, dreams, and showersโideas of all shapes and sizes come to us in a myriad of waysโbut the best ideas are almost always conceived over a couple of beers among friends. The Marine Corps. Shark Week. Buffalo Wings. The Ironman Triathlon. AndโฆPaddlefish Brewing Companyโthe first brewery in St. Peter since Engesser Brewery Distributors threw in the towel in 1942. That is over eighty years without selling โpure grains of keg beer distributed in single service containersโ (as an old advertisement of Engesserโs quipped.) It goes without saying that that is eighty years too long. Thankfully, a trio of beer lovers named Eric Johnson, Luke Dragseth, and Dave Long are bringing a brewery business back to this fine town in the fall of 2023.ย
This is the story of how St. Peterโs first brewery in over 80 years came about. It begins, as it should, with some damn good beer. At Paddlefish Brewing Company, everything worth talking about begins with damn good beer. In this case, we must raise a glass to Paddlefish head brewer Luke Dragsethโborn and raised in โBrew Cityโ Milwaukeeโfor concocting and sharing his delicious home-brewed Cream Ale for his friends at Gustavus Adolphus College. One of those friends lucky enough to imbibe that batch was none other than owner and business manager Eric Johnson. With Lukeโs Cream Ale nourishing his friends in body, mind, and soul, Eric got an idea and joked that heโd like a chance to sell Lukeโs product. The idea germinated unseen until Paddlefishโs entrepreneur extraordinaire was enjoying a cold one at Bent Paddleโanother Gustie-owned breweryโand that seedling of an idea that sprouted as a joke among friends transformed into a gloriousย visionย to create St. Peterโs very own brewery and taproom.
So after spending hours crafting and perfecting the best beer recipes using equipment in his dorm room, Luke is elevating his talents to the next level. Eric, having put several thousand miles on his feet completing the many tasks of a brewery business manager is also ready and so is their industry expert Dave who has been busy developing the brand and stepping up his managerial skills. The ultimate goal of selling Lukeโs damn good โkeg beer in single service containersโ is fast approaching. Stay tuned for all the ways you can join the fun and contribute to our mission to become St. Peterโs finest community-oriented brewery, a place where you can enjoy some of the best damn beer in the state among your friends for years to come.ย
And now our beloved beer fans, this is where Paddlefish Brewing Companyโs story is almost ready to merge with your own. With gratitude, excitement, laughter, humility, nervousness, and a whole lot of passion, we simply canโt wait to raise a glass of Paddlefish pure grains together!
The Saint Peter Art Stroll is stopping by Paddlefish this weekend!
Weโre proud to host father/son duo James & Ryan Pedersen, whose welded metal works capture the beauty of the modern landscape. Youโve probably already admired one of their piecesโwe loved it so much that itโs a permanent part of Paddlefish (check out the last slide!).
Even better, the Art Strollโs own printing press will be hereโso you can print your own Art Stroll t-shirt while you sip on a pint! ๐บ๐จ
At Paddlefish, we believe great beer tastes even better when itโs shared in community, surrounded by creativity. Come raise a glass with us and celebrate Saint Peterโs artists this weekend.
#Paddlefishbrewing #mncraftbeer #drinklocal #saintpeterartstroll #mnbreweries
๐๐ Oktoberfest is back, and itโs ON TAP NOW! Our rich, malty, perfectly balanced seasonal brew is here to remind you that life is better with damn good beer and good company. ๐บ๐
Mark your calendarsโweโll be hosting our annual Oktoberfest celebration on October 4th this year in the taproom! More details coming soon, but we promise itโll be worth the wait.
Grab your crew and come pull up a stool this weekโletโs raise a glass to community, good vibes, and a season of unforgettable sips. ๐ป
#Paddlefishbrewing #mncraftbeer #drinklocal #mnoktoberfest #mnbreweries
Weโre honored to partner with Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership for Crafting Community this Thursday, Sept 18 from 6โ8pm ๐
Come raise a glass with us in support of affordable housing and the incredible work SWMHP is doing. 15% of beverage sales go directly to support their mission.
Weโll have:
๐ช Decorated artisan cookies
๐จ Coaster painting (yep, paint your own & take it home!)
๐ถ Live music in the taproom by Chris Bertrand
๐ฅ Momoโs Tibetan Dumplings food truck parked out front
๐บ And of course, damn good beer
At Paddlefish, community means everythingโand weโre proud to come together around a great cause. Hope to see you there!
From before we opened our doors, Dave and his VW bus Sweet Pea have been part of the heartbeat of Paddlefish. Sweet Pea parked in our tap room became a landmark in its own right, even inspiring our On the Road Again Cherry Sour.
Now itโs time for a new chapter: Dave and Sweet Pea are heading back out on the road. Sheโs off to camping trips and new adventures, and while that means we wonโt see her parked outside the taproom anymore, the mark theyโve both left on Paddlefish will always be part of our story.
Daveโs passion, kindness, and dedication to building community have shaped this place in so many lasting ways. So many of you have gotten to know him since we first opened, and his presence around the taproom will truly be missed.
We also want to give a shoutout to his wife, Natalie, whose vision and design turned our space into the cozy, welcoming taproom it is todayโa place where community can gather and connect.
So hereโs to Dave, to Sweet Pea, and to always finding your way on the road again. ๐ป Weโll miss youโand weโll be glad to see you pull up again sometime soon!
Paddlefish Open Mic has truly been making a splash in the local scene, attracting performers of all genres every 3rd Tuesday from 6-8pm. Come see for yourself this coming Tuesday, Sept 16th!
๐ Fall is on our doorstep, and that means itโs Red Owl season. ๐ฆ๐บ
Brewed in honor of the old Red Owl grocery store that once called our building home, this amber ale has become one of our communityโs all-time favorites. With hints of caramel and biscuit, itโs smooth, malty, and perfect for easing into sweater weather while we all count down the days until our Oktoberfest is ready.
Whether youโre cracking a 16oz can at home or pulling up a chair in the taproom, Red Owl Amber is a taste of Paddlefish history โ and a reminder that the best beers are the ones we share together. โค๏ธ๐ป
Swing by the brewery this weekend and join us for a pint!
#mncraftbeer #amberale #drinklocal #craftbeer #craftcommunity #paddlefishbrewing
Plenty of reasons to raise a pint this September ๐ป From open mic nights to art strolls, doormat painting to trivia battles, weโre all about damn good beer, building community, and keeping it fun.
โ๏ธ 9/12 โ Canceled: Squid City Slingers wonโt be rocking the taproom this time. Weโll get them back soon!
๐บ 9/13 โ Tap 2025 Shakopee: Road trip! Join us and other breweries in Shakopee for a day of beer tasting.
๐ค 9/16 โ Open Mic Night: Celebrate our local music communityโevery 3rd Tuesday right here in the taproom.
๐ 9/18 โ Crafting Community Fundraiser: Sip a pint, paint wooden coasters, and support affordable housing with SWMHP.
๐ผ 9/20โ21 โ Saint Peter Art Stroll: Cold beers + local art = the perfect weekend. Featuring Ryan & James Pedersen!
๐จ๐ 9/24 โ Doormat Painting: Grab a pint and create your own spooky-season welcome mat.
๐ง 9/25 โ Initials Game Live: Trivia Mafia brings the funโcome play with your community.
Come share a brew, support local, and be part of the community that makes Paddlefish what it is. ๐๐บ
Love is in the airโฆ Meet Rose Hops IPA ๐น๐บ
Brewed this summer for a pretty special occasionโour head brewer & co-owner Luke Rose tied the knot with Maya Rose! ๐๐ Together, they designed and brewed this beer with a West Coast backbone and hazy hop vibes (Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, Vic Secret & El Dorado for days). It even made its first appearance at their wedding, poured alongside our rebranded summer shandy (named after their tortoise, Luna ๐ข).
Itโs bright, floral, tropical, and just a little romantic. โค๏ธ
Oh, and we werenโt kidding when we said small batchโฆ weโve only got TWO kegs of this one. When itโs gone, itโs gone. ๐
Come raise a glass to the Rosesโand to the community that makes celebrations like this even sweeter. ๐ป
#paddlefishbrewing #mncraftbreweries #drinklocal #mncraftbeer #craftbeer
We had such a great time at the Heritage Meadows Open House last week in St. Peter! ๐ป
We poured our Gustie Golden, Red Owl Amber, and First Apostle Porter, and got to share stories (and plenty of smiles) with the folks who call Heritage Meadows home.
Nothing we love more than good beer and good conversation with our community! ๐๐
๐ฝโจ Restroom Chronicles: Volume II โจ๐ฝ
Not all heroes wear capesโฆ some carry wallpaper samples! Big shoutout to Natalie, our interior designer (and Daveโs wife), who brought these restrooms to life and tied them perfectly into the Paddlefish brand.
We thought itโd be fun to highlight them this week because even a quick stop should feel like part of the Paddlefish experienceโฆand because weโre flush with pride about them.
From palette boards to the big reveal, each restroom has its own Minnesota-inspired theme:
โญ The North Star โ bold, timeless and totally stall-worthy
๐ The Aurora โ geometric energy + bowl-d green tones that brighten things up.
๐ The Boundary Waters โ moody gray + water-inspired flow for a calm escape.
Swipe through to see the before โก๏ธ after story of each one. Which one is your next pit stop??
๐ถ โWe fancy likeโฆโ ๐ฝโจ Who says brewery bathrooms canโt have style?
At Paddlefish, weโve got not one, not two, but THREE uniquely designed restrooms, all thanks to our interior designer, Natalie Long (wife of co-founder Dave Long).
Each one has its own aesthetic and feel:
โญ The North Star โ bold & classicโจ๐ The Aurora โ bright & stylishโจ๐ The Boundary Waters โ calm & refreshing
So the real question isโฆ which one is your pick??
๐ถ๐ป Happy National Dog Day!
Bring your pup to Paddlefish this Tuesday and get $1 off your pint.
๐ธ Donโt forget to snap a pic and tag us ๐ @paddlefishbrewing with #paddlefishpup ๐ถ We love seeing your four-legged brew buddies! ๐พ
๐โจ Thatโs a wrap on One Last Splash!
What an amazing day celebrating the end of summer with all of you! From beer poking ๐ฅ, beer floats ๐จ๐บ, fresh-popped kettle corn ๐ฟ, and BBQ ๐ to giant Jenga, coloring tables, and plenty of rockinโ in the sunshine โ๏ธ, we couldnโt have asked for a better day!
A huge THANK YOU to our vendors, partners, and every single person who came out to make it special. ๐
#OneLastSplash #PaddlefishBrewing #CommunityCheers
Flagship (and flashback) Friday!๐ป
๐ฆ Red Owl Amber โ 5.3% ABV | 17 IBUs | Smooth, toasty, perfectly balanced. Malt-forward with notes of caramel + biscuit.
Our building once housed a Red Owl grocery store back in the 1960s and 70s and we still hear stories from folks who worked here as cashiers, bookkeepers, and stockers. We even have customers who bring in old relics for us to showcase and also some who sport a Red Owl t-shirt. Who remembers when this corner was the Red Owl? What memories do you have?
From what we know, this Red Owl switched over to SuperValu in 1982, later became Total Entertainment in the 90s (movie rentals anyone? ๐ฅ๐ฟ), and eventually transformed into Paddlefish Brewing after other businesses have come and gone. Remember others?
We havenโt found many photos of the 90sโ2000s era so if you have them (or more Red Owl memories or other photos), please share! We love seeing the history come alive!
Red Owl Amber: Smooth, toasty and owl-ways on point ๐ฆ
No friend? No problem. BOGO means twice the beer for me. ๐บ Thanks @hoppassport
Another great turnout for Open Mic last night! Lots of new folks, plus our awesome regulars. Thanks to our wonderful staff holding down libations, @chasedburkhart / Chase D. Burkhart Music for hosting, and everyone who came out to support the performers and spread the good vibes. #openmic #originalmusic #allgenreswelcome
From St. Peter to the Last Frontier! ๐
Meet Eric Buetow, repping Paddlefish all the way up in Fairbanks, Alaska! Eric made a stop at PF during his Gustavus reunion a couple of months ago and fell in love with our Gustie Golden Ale, as well as the whole taproom. Now heโs proudly spreading the word about our brewery wayyy up north, and we couldnโt be more honored.
Thanks for the support, Eric! Gusties and Paddlefans are all over the place! ๐
Sent to us by PF Lifetime Member, Margot (#34!) Thanks for sharing the love!
๐ธ Do you have a photo of you or someone else repping Paddlefish from afar? Tag us @paddlefishbrewing for a chance at being seen in the social spotlight!
Hold the blue button to get your beers faster!! ๐
New on tap: Baby Eleanor! โค๏ธ Gus has been promoted to big brother, and Chloe + CJ are soaking up all the newborn snugs. Huge congrats to our resident design wizard, Chloe! Sheโs responsible for all of those beautiful beer labels and signs you love.
โ๏ธ One Last Splash is coming! ๐บ๐ฆ
Weโre closing out summer with:
๐บ Beer Floats โ Red Owl Amber + Caramel, First Apostle Porter + Coffee Ice Cream, Sour + Raspberry or Lemon Sorbet (beer poking too!)
๐ฅค Root Beer Floats for the kids
๐จ Kidsโ craft area + rubber ducky fish pond
๐ School Supply Drive with SWMHP โ Bring supplies & get $1 off your first beer
๐ Sweet Peaโs cousin making a special guest appearance!
#OneLastSplash #PaddlefishBrewing #BeerFloats #RootBeerFloats #BackToSchoolDrive #SweetPeasCousin
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