Jack Pine Brewery Review: Fall 2016

website: http://www.jackpinebrewery.com/

Jack Pine Brewery makes a very tasty Pale Ale I have bought a few time down at the liquor store by my place. In fact, most off sale places in this area carry Jack Pine Brews, and I hadn't been to the brewery until I was driven by a chance to buy some beer on a Sunday to sip on while watching the winning Minnesota Vikings. Somehow, my beer fringe was shockingly bare on a warm, sunny fall afternoon, and I didn't want to have to settle for 3.2 at a gas station, so I hopped in the vehicle and went to Jack Pine with a dusty old growler I had laying around from a trip to Castle Danger Brewing in Two Harbors early this past spring.

I arrived at the brewery, which is located in a large garage/shop in the industrial area off College Drive in Baxter.   Upper middle class Millenials and retirees were both lurking about sipping on brews and sitting in the sun which was streaming in through the open garage doors.   This caused me to pause, as I was surprised to be in a beer hall in Minnesota in which fresh air and sunshine was not only prevalent, but was also being enjoyed by the one's imbibing.   Most of the townie bars around have an aversion to fresh air and sunlight, and smell like stale booze, musty dirty socks, and are frequented by beer soaked, Trump voting local halfwits.
The scene at Jack Pine Brewery was devoid of any slouching drunkards, but was instead filled with young professionals who I assume were visiting from out of town, as we have a real shortage of jobs to draw those types to this community.

I decided to stay and have a beer, and enjoyed the fresh air, sunlight, and great tasting brew.  The people I was surrounded by were sharing their idealistic views, and snap chatting on their iphone 7 or 8S or whatever the most recent model is....

 I popped my flip phone out of the pocket of my sweatpants and tried to pretend like I was texting someone who cared.

I finished my brew and went to the back of a long line to grab a growler.  I exchange mine for a new Jack Pine growler,  and even engaged in small talk with the tattoo sleeved hipsters waiting in line, and left with my filled growler and a feeling of hope. Good beer, good football, and Sunday beer sales made me not dread the inevitable return to work the next day.   It was my first visit to Jack Pine Brewery, but it surely won't be the last.