Hobby turned business, Mineral Springs now an Owatonna staple

By TOM NELSON

In addition to its taproom, Mineral Springs outdoor patio has proven popular with customers. (Tom Nelson photo)

The first operating brewery in Owatonna since the beginning of Prohibition over 100 years ago, Mineral Springs Brewery will celebrate its second anniversary of operation in November. Located in a converted industrial building at 111 N. Walnut Ave. in downtown Owatonna, Mineral Springs Brewery is a concept put together by five long-time city residents who wanted to help bring the craft brewery movement to the community.

“A lot of communities have breweries and we really wanted this type of experience for Owatonna,” said Bill Cronin, who is one of the brewery’s owners along with partners Rod Baker, Mark Knutson, Tim Pelton and Mark Sebring. “We felt this type of thing was an important asset to bring to Owatonna and it has proven to have been very well received … the brewery does seem to be a place that people enjoy and appreciate.”

The name Mineral Springs Brewery was first originated by a group of Owatonna home brewing enthusiasts almost 10 years ago. The current owners bought the name and also brought along Pelton, who was part of that original Mineral Springs group.

“It was just a fun hobby for them,” Cronin said. “There was no tap room or beer sales — it was strictly home brewing.”

The conversation to create the current version of Mineral Springs Brewery began in early 2018 and it took about 18 months for the pieces to be put in place for the grand opening of the Walnut Avenue location in November 2019.

Since that time, Mineral Springs Brewery has become a popular destination for area beer lovers looking to try a variety of unique beers in a comfortable and stylish setting. A sizable indoor taproom that features large garage doors that open on to Mineral Springs’ trademark patio,

which is the perfect setting for sipping beers during the spring, summer and fall.

“We chose this location because we really wanted patio space and being this close to the bike trail was a big benefit,” Cronin said. “We also wanted the garage door look and a food truck pad, and this location really afforded that opportunity.”

Mineral Springs Brewery has 14 taps available and it offers a variety of beer types that rotate throughout the year. Cronin noted that Mineral Springs has already created 37 different types of beer since its opening in 2019. The beers are created by the Mineral Springs team led by head brewer Mark Sebring. Of note, the brewery employs a staff of 11 along with the five owners.

Typically, Mineral Springs Brewery always try to have five or six types of beer that customers enjoy and are accustomed to such as India Pale Ales (IPAs) or cream ales. In addition, the brewery also offers a variety of seasonal or speciality beers throughout the year including unique holiday brews around St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and Oktoberfest.

“Something we do here that is unique, is that every beer we have is named after something local,” Cronin said. “Many of them are locally famous names or landmarks, which is something we have lot of fun with.”

One of the current favorites is Thunderbolt IPA, which is named after 1920s Owatonna football legend Herb Joesting. Another taproom favorite is Luverne’s Concertina Pilsner, which is named in honor of Hall of Fame concertina star Luverne Wanous.

“He was just down here last weekend,” Cronin said of Wanous, who enjoys a beer on occasion at Mineral Springs. “He loves stopping by and we love having him stop by.”

The brewery runs a five-barrel system, which allows it to provide beer for the taproom and take home sales in growlers (glass bottles) and crowlers (cans). The brewery is open Wednesday through Sunday, and is also available for private events and community functions.

Food trucks are parked at the brewery during the spring, summer and fall on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and feature a variety of cuisines from local vendors. In season, Mineral Spring also has live music on its patio on Thursday and Saturday evenings.

In the winter months, look for six igloos to pop up on the Mineral Springs patio. These unique clear plastic structures provide an enclosed and heated setting for groups of up to eight customers.

“The igloos are super popular,” Cronin said. “We did it last year because COVID was limiting our inside capacity but we learned the igloos were a pretty popular concept, so we are sticking with it.” 

Rod Baker, one of Mineral Springs Brewery’s owners, pours a glass of the brewery’s Lemond Lime Gose, a wheat beer with a touch of lime. Brewery owners enjoy using local landmarks and names when naming their beers. Lemond is a southeastern Steele County township. (Tom Nelson photo) IF YOU GO For more information, visit mineralspringsbrewery.com or call 507-413-6281. 111 N. Walnut Ave., Owatonna 507-413-6281 Hours: Wednesday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Closed on Monday and Tuesday