Inside Padraigs Brewing, Minneapolis’ Irish-themed brewery

Padraig is a traditional and common Irish name, the Gaelic form of Patrick. Derived from the Latin word “patricius,” it means patrician or noble; it’s the name of kings and saints.

The name also adorns one of the newest breweries in northeast Minneapolis. The Irish-themed Padraigs Brewing (pronounced “paw-drig” or “paw-rik”) now occupies the former home of 612 Brew; Padraigs’ founding partners, Patrick Carey, Jason Myrold and Steve Wankewycz, bought and renamed the brewery last summer.

Its tagline is “craft brewing with an Irish lilt.” Live Irish music frequently fills the hall. The beer lineup emphasizes styles from Ireland and the United Kingdom, which Carey believes are underrepresented in the local market. But he stresses that Padraigs is not an Irish brewery: “We’re a craft brewery, but we’re focusing on Irish beers,” he said. “We have non-Irish beers, too.”

Indeed, the beer list contains a mix of Old World tradition and New World innovation. Traditional U.K. beers like Irish red ale and English porter share taps with American West Coast and hazy IPAs, American blond ale and kölsch. The Irish stout gets a contemporary twist with the addition of almonds and honey. “You get to choose the best of both worlds,” Carey said.

But with the classic styles, Padraigs is keeping it as authentic as possible. Head brewer Dan Pund is using malts from Ireland, U.K. hops and English strains of yeast. Traditional, hand-pumped cask ales are in the works, and the brewery has purchased a dedicated “caskerator” to ensure they are served at the proper temperature.

Padraigs was born from a passion for beer and business. The founders have been beer-drinking buddies for decades, and visiting breweries is a favorite pastime. “I’ve traveled a lot. We’ve all traveled a lot,” Carey said. “And whenever I go somewhere I look up the brewery just for fun. I’ve probably been to a thousand breweries all over the world.”

Nearing retirement, the three started thinking about what might come next, and saw a business opportunity in brewing. They began talking to breweries in 2019, but the start of the pandemic the following year forced them to put their plans on hold.

“The pandemic really changed the business,” Carey said. “People’s patterns changed because we were basically sitting at home all the time. I’ve had many people come in here and say, ‘I haven’t been here for three years, four years.’”

Those shifting patterns, along with increased competition and consumers’ drinking habits moving away from beer, have created a tough environment for brewers. Brewery closings are becoming a common occurrence. It might seem to be an odd time to jump into the business.

“We thought it was a good time to get in, to be honest,” Carey said. He went on to explain that businesses are bought based on assets and revenue. With revenue down and breweries closing, there are plenty of assets on the market. “There is a lot of equipment floating around out there,” he said. “At the height of craft brewing, you couldn’t get equipment. You couldn’t get cans. There’s a glut now. So, that’s when you want to get in.”

Carey said focusing on Irish beers is a way to differentiate themselves in the market. “If you look at beer, it’s basically German and Irish-U.K.,” he said. “The first is very represented in the area, and the other is very underrepresented in the area. In our view, there is an unfulfilled promise for Irish beer in Minneapolis. Our goal is to fill that promise.”

The beers themselves also represent a known commodity.

“When people come in here and have a porter, a red ale, a stout or an Irish lager, they have a reputation,” Carey said. “I don’t have to say this is this and that is that. Can we meet the reputation? That’s our hard challenge.”

Based on the beers I sampled, the answer is yes.

Red Chimney is named for the building’s identifiable structure. Padraigs’ attention to authenticity is apparent in this Irish red ale. This malt-forward ale is led by notes of caramel and toasted grain. A subtle complement of roasted malt brings coffeelike undertones and gives an impression of dryness to the finish. Bitterness is moderate, but amply balances any malty sweetness.

N.E. Porter is an excellent example of the English porter style. Aromas of caramel, bittersweet chocolate and toasted grain foreshadow the flavors to come. A smooth, creamy mouthfeel lends the chocolate and caramel a luxuriousness on the palate. The bitter, burnt character of roasted malt is there, but isn’t the main attraction. Subtle herbal hop notes finish the picture.

Dullahan’s Dark is a honey- and almond-tinged take on the classic Irish dry stout. This is stout first, flavor second. The stout is right on. A bit of biscuity sweetness up front is countered midway by dry, coffee bean-like roasted barley. Hop bitterness is low, but the bitterness of roast more than makes up for it. Almond is a pleasantly subtle undertone that lingers in the finish. Dullahan’s Dark was satisfying from a can, but a cask or nitrogen carbonated version would be fantastic.

Honey Blonde is a clean, crisp and well-balanced American blond ale that shows off the biscuity character of the Irish pale malt that is the basis of Pradaigs’ beers. There is low malt sweetness, but the profile is generally dry and almost lager-like. Hops are light and bright with lemony citrus, herbs and a moderate, sharp bitterness.

Every brewery needs an IPA these days and Basic Instinct West Coast IPA fills that bill at Padraigs. The Irish pale malt gives it a lighter, more biscuity malt profile than most West Coast IPAs. But that’s OK. Hops are the star. This one favors lush, juicy, tropical fruits over the typical grapefruit and resin. Mango, guava and pineapple gush from the glass. Assertive bitterness lingers into the dry finish.

Where: 945 NE. Broadway, Mpls., 612-489-7100, padraigs.com.

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 2:30-10 p.m. Fri., noon-10 p.m. Sat., noon-7 p.m. Sun.

St. Patrick’s events: There’s a full lineup of events planned for the weekend. March 15: music from Irish Diplomacy from 7-9:15 p.m. March 16: the Big Woods Brass Band plays from 5-7 p.m., and the Vibe does U2 covers from 7-9:30 p.m. March 17: the Lore Weavers play from 5-8 p.m.