The Good Life – September-October 2014

“
Beer is our craft, but Drekker is about much more
than the content of the glass. It’s about what happens
when a few of those glasses get raised together. We
really think that when people connect around beer,
some really cool things can happen.
”
— Co-Founder Mark Bjornstad
16
Their fingerprints are all over their
new downtown Fargo production
brewery and taproom as well. Located
in the Cityscapes Plaza building at 630
1st Avenue North, Drekker Brewing
Company will open to the public in
early October. The four owners worked
alongside their contractors through the
dog days of summer, re-finishing and
painting walls and prepping the space
for electrical and plumbing updates.
They chose and designed furniture
and artwork to create the casual,
comfortably industrial atmosphere
they wanted. They custom-designed
their 10 barrel brewing system. And
they integrated their taproom and
production brewery, taking customers
even closer to the product in their glass.
“The bar kind of wraps around
the cold room and then continues to
wrap around the brewery, so you’ll
see the brewhouse in the back, you’ll
see the fermenters near the bar,” said
Bjornstad. We really want people to see
how their beer is made, see the people
making it and talk about what they like
in it. We want people to get as close to
their beer as possible.”
And there’s plenty of beer to try.
Drekker Brewing Company offers a
rotating selection of year-round and
seasonal beers, some of which will
only be available at the taproom. The
company’s six year-round beers (a
porter, Black IPA, American IPA, Irish
Red, American Wheat and a Pale Ale)
will be always available in the taproom.
Drekker Brewing Company will also
offer three to five seasonal or occasional
beers, starting with a fall-friendly
Oktoberfest brew when the weather
cools and pumpkin ales and stouts for
winter. Summer beers will experiment
with various refreshing wheat beer
combinations, including some inspired
by desserts and cocktails. The brewery
aims to offer a beer for everyone, not
just craft beer enthusiasts.
“We wanted a variety of beer,”
explained Bjornstad. “They’re true to
style, but people will be surprised at
how drinkable and approachable they
really are. Our beers are really mild
bodied and full flavored.”