Brewery Profile

Yoerg Brewing Company

A visit here connects present-day Saint Paul beer drinking with one of the city’s oldest brewing stories. The company traces its origins to 1848, before Minnesota became a state, and is recognized as Minnesota’s first commercial brewery. Anthony Yoerg brought Bavarian-style brewing methods to the Midwest and used caves along the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul, helping place the city within an early brewing corridor that also included Milwaukee and St. Louis. The original business ended in 1952 after a historic flood and the death of the last surviving Yoerg son, then returned in 2016. Today, visitors to the Historic Dayton’s Bluff hillside location find a taproom centered on revived historical Yoerg recipes made on-premise, with a broader European beer focus behind the bar.

Travelers exploring beer in the Upper Midwest often look for lager traditions, German influence, local brewing history, and places that show how immigrant brewing practices shaped the region. This stop fits that pattern more through continuity and context than through novelty. Bavarian brewing is part of the company’s identity, while the current beer selection also reaches beyond its own production. The taproom keeps a substantial list of imported European beers, with emphasis on German and Belgian options, and carries a notable inventory of Monastery beers. For visitors who like comparing local interpretations with imported examples, that mix can make the stop more than a single-pint visit. It is also a useful counterpoint to newer craft taprooms, because the story here begins in the territorial era and continues through a modern revival.

For planning purposes, the taproom is the place to confirm the day’s pours, including which Yoerg beers are available and what imported selections are currently in stock. Food is part of the visit rather than an afterthought, with a menu that has included Usinger’s bratwursts, pub pizzas, charcuterie plates, and Bavarian pretzels. Those choices fit the brewery’s German and broader European emphasis and make it a practical stop for visitors who want a beer-focused outing with something to eat on site. The known draw is not a large list of amenities or a production tour, but the combination of Saint Paul brewing history, on-premise revived recipes, imported European bottles or drafts, and a setting on Dayton’s Bluff that ties the present taproom to the city’s older beer culture.

The Yoerg Brewing Company traces its origins to 1848, predating Minnesota statehood, establishing it as the state's first commercial brewery. Founder Anthony Yoerg pioneered Bavarian-style brewing techniques in the Midwest, utilizing caves along the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul, which contributed to the city's early brewing reputation alongside Milwaukee and St. Louis. The original operation ceased in 1952 following a historic flood and the death of the last surviving Yoerg son. The company was revived in 2016, resuming the production of the historical Yoerg beer recipes on-premise. The current location on the Historic Dayton's Bluff hillside focuses on serving its own brews alongside a substantial selection of imported European beers, emphasizing German and Belgian varieties, and maintains a significant inventory of Monastery beers. The establishment offers a food menu featuring items such as Usinger's bratwursts, pub pizzas, charcuterie plates, and Bavarian pretzels.

Website available

378 Maria Ave, St Paul, MN 55106, USA, St Paul, Minnesota, 55106

Phone: (651) 330-2076

Website: http://www.yoergbeer.com/

Hours: ["Monday: 12:00 – 9:00 PM","Tuesday: 12:00 – 9:00 PM","Wednesday: 12:00 – 9:00 PM","Thursday: 12:00 – 9:00 PM","Friday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM","Saturday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM","Sunday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM"]