Surly Narrows Destination Brewery Sites to Four

Surly Brewing Co. has narrowed the possible locations for its "destination brewery" to three cities in the metro area, including two sites in Minneapolis.

The Brooklyn Center-based brewer with a cult following has spent months looking for the perfect place to build a $20 million facility, complete with restaurant, beer garden and event center. It was made possible by a 2011 change in Minnesota state law, known as the "Surly Bill," that allowed brewers to sell pints of their beer on the premises.

Cities across the area have been laying out the red carpet, but the company said Tuesday that only three remain on the short list: Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center and an unnamed "inner suburban" location.

One of the possible sites in Minneapolis is 3171 SE. 5th St., a former food processing plant just east of the University of Minnesota. That location is a stone’s throw from the future Central Corridor light-rail line.

Another Minneapolis location in is the Bassett Creek Valley redevelopment area, which is west of Interstate 94 and north of Interstate 394, said Tom Hauschild, Surly’s real estate adviser. He said one challenge is that the area is largely zoned residential.

Hauschild said the Brooklyn Center location would involve "multiple properties," which he declined to identify.

The other suburban location remains a mystery. "In the last couple of weeks, Surly has also been approached by another inner suburban location that is substantially larger than the brewery plans, and may change the project scope, but is considered a short list option too," the company said in a statement.