The legend of the 22 northmen
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In 1362 22 Northmen traveled thousands of miles from the land of the Vikings to Alexandria, Minnesota. They traveled far, risked much, overcame great obstacles and arrived with a powerful thirst. We’re not sure if the 22 Northmen came to America specifically looking for beer, but we’d like to think so.

As Viking descendants ourselves, we wanted to honor the 22 Northmen and embrace their BEERVENTUROUS® spirit.

The 22 Northmen legend and name come from the Kensington Runestone. A local legend and on-going debate.

Our beer mission
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BEERVENTUROUS ® is our motto and driving force behind our beers. We focus on three main categories: Craft Lagers, Adventurous Ales & Original Blends. Using unique, premium, worldly ingredients to achieve the perfect brew is what we strive for.

— Craft Lagers —
Inspired by the brisk latitude and rooted in tradition, we craft lagers with precision and nuance using time honored techniques.

— Adventurous Ales —
Embracing the Viking adventurous nature and brewed for the bold north, we construct exciting ales using simple, real ingredients and a modern approach.

— Original Blends —
Our most experimental category. Our original blends utilize our winery connection to create unique hybrids, co-fermented and wood-aged beers that embody our spirit and estate.

MEET THE BREWER
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Keith Hefley — Head brewer

Hefley has been on an 18 year journey through the mid-west craft beer scene, beginning with his childhood on a corn and wheat farm in Southeast Colorado. In his words,

“I’ve been moving grain my whole life.”

After High school, Hefley didn’t have a clear career path, but knew he wanted to experience more than life at the farm so he moved to Fort Collins where a fake ID gained him access to an amazing craft brewing scene. He still refers to this time in his life as his

“Undergraduate Beer Degree”.

An avid skier, Hefley soon found the western slopes of Colorado beckoning and enrolled at Western State College in Gunnison. His microbiology professor opened Gunnison Brewery where Hefley got his first paid brewery job doing dishes.

He quickly progressed to assistant brewer and eventually head brewer. Hefley spent 8 years at Gunnison Brewery, but Gunnison’s micro-300 barrel size, limited the number of styles they could produce. Hefley was hungry for a broader brewing experience and scored the lead brewer position under Dave Hoops and his very talented team at Fitger’s in Duluth where he remained for 2.5 years.

“I gained so much experience under Dave. We literally worked on over 100 different styles of beer,” says Hefley.

An opportunity to move back home, and develop his own beer style came with an offer to remake the beer program at Shamrock Brewing in Pueblo, Colorado. It was during Hefley’s 4.5 years at Shamrock that he really honed his personal style. In addition to earning a box of medals at numerous beer competitions, one of his most popular creations during his Shamrock days, is still distributed in over 50 states.

Aligning life, family and work brings challenges and opportunities and eventually led Hefley to St. Louis where he was invited to operate the 4204 Main Street Brewing Company, which he describes as more of a production beer facility. “My two years in St. Louis taught me a lot about shelf stability and consistency, which is critical when you’re widely distributed,” explains Hefley. “But I found it cramped my style, which is what interested me in the opening at 22 Northmen. I wanted to get back to having more artistic freedom and less focus on large scale production and the demands of distribution.”

the longhouse taproom
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Inspired by Viking architecture from around 12th Century, the 22 Northmen Brewery is a place for people to not only experience great beer, but to also experience Viking living. 

exterior

The exterior of the longhouse features dark vertical siding with black windows & roof. The longhouse incorporates unique architectural elements common in old Scandinavian buildings such as steep roof pitch and extended eaves.

Interior

As you walk in, you are greeted by a large stone two-sided wood-burning fireplace. The interior walls are covered in reclaimed wood from a 200 year-old church. As you look up, you will see the 6’ round chandeliers that were made by our owner - Kim Bredeson. There is plenty of seating with gathering tables and an upper loft area.

Upper Level

The upper level features additional seating with a more intimate atmosphere. Perfect for a romantic date or a private group. 

Photos of the Longhouse