LEAVING MINNESOTA Craft distillers and brewers begin operations in neighboring states as entrepreneurial growth is limited by arcane laws
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hen Tattersall Distilling opened their major expansion in River Falls, Wisconsin on December 1, 2021, it became the first craft distillery to join an exodus of Minnesota craft brewers, expanding across state lines because of laws limiting their growth. Minnesota’s current craft distillers license allows for tasting rooms, cocktails, bottle sales (limited to one 375 ml bottle per customer per 54
day) and exemption from the state excise tax – providing (among other things) the distillery produces no more than 40,000 proof gallons a year. The problem for Tattersall was they grew to 39,000 in 2019, then began turning down contract distillation business to stay under that cap. Above 40,000, they would have to close the tasting room, pay state excise tax on
Written and photographed by Andrew Faulkner
those initial 40,000 proof gallons, and face a licensing fee increase from $4,000 to $20,000, said Tattersall co-founder Jon Kreidler. “We tried to change the law, you know. We had lobbyists working with us. We worked with our distillers guild and had relationships with different Congresspeople, but nothing was happening,” he said. “And we had to do what was right for us.” W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M