Granite City--Minnesota Born Iowa Raised

Every city  you go in the country there are brewpubs big ones and small ones and everyone of them has a story. Here in Iowa we house a different kind of brewpub, Granite City Food & Brewery. Granite City opened up its first brewpub in St Cloud Minnesota. Since then they have opened 25 other Granite City locations. After they opened their third brewpub they developed a special pattented brewing process , fermentus interuptus. With this process they now do the majority of the brewing in our very own Ellsworth, Iowa , making it a true Iowa beer. So even though Granite City has its roots in Minnesota it has grown as a company from its wort hub in Ellsworth. Before fermenting Granite City will send the sugar rich wort across the midwest where it is pumped into the brewpubs fermenters and allowed to start fermenting.
I had only been to a Granite City once before to enjoy their Sunday brunch and didnt have the pleasure to enjoy their amazing beers. So I thought it only neccessary to make a trip up to Clive to take a look around and try a glass or two of what Granite City has to offer. I met with Brent the brewery manager at the Clive location and he showed me how the wort was pumped into the brewery where it started fermenting and then eventually was pumped into brite tanks to be served. Brent who has been at the brewery for awhile started out homebrewing as so many that get into brewing do. He was in sales for awhile and eventually landed a job working for Granite City, where he worked his way up to become the brewery manager. Granite City educates all of their brewery managers to be able to monitor the whole fermenting and briting process. Even though Brent isn't the owner nor developed the recipes for Granite City, I could tell as he poured me samples of each of the beers that he takes pride in what he and Granite City does. Granite city has amazing food a great atmosphere and awesome beer, and if you haven't had a chance Go!!! If you can't make it to one of the three Iowa locations in Cedar Rapids Davenport or Clive then check out their website and find where you can purchase their beer on the shelves. Granite City has recently started bottling their Northern Light Lager, Brothers Benedicts Bock and the Duke of Wellington Pale Ale throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota.
After you have done one of the two things or both you will have to come out to the Iowa Craft Beer Tent and meet some of the people actually involved with Granite City which will be bringing their Northern Light Lager, Brother Benedict's Bock, Duke of Wellington Pale Ale and possibly their seasonal. Check in next time on "My Brewing Adventure"