Click on any of the photos below to view each team member’s bio!
Owner/General Manager
Owner/Business Manager
Owner/Head Brewer
Dog Ambassador
From prehistoric caves, laboratories, thunderstorms, and hot tubs to forests, dreams, and showers—ideas of all shapes and sizes come to us in a myriad of ways—but the best ideas are almost always conceived over a couple of beers among friends. The Marine Corps. Shark Week. Buffalo Wings. The Ironman Triathlon. And…Paddlefish Brewing Company—the first brewery in St. Peter since Engesser Brewery Distributors threw in the towel in 1942. That is over eighty years without selling “pure grains of keg beer distributed in single service containers” (as an old advertisement of Engesser’s quipped.) It goes without saying that that is eighty years too long. Thankfully, a trio of beer lovers named Eric Johnson, Luke Dragseth, and Dave Long are bringing a brewery business back to this fine town in the fall of 2023.
This is the story of how St. Peter’s first brewery in over 80 years came about. It begins, as it should, with some damn good beer. At Paddlefish Brewing Company, everything worth talking about begins with damn good beer. In this case, we must raise a glass to Paddlefish head brewer Luke Dragseth—born and raised in “Brew City” Milwaukee—for concocting and sharing his delicious home-brewed Cream Ale for his friends at Gustavus Adolphus College. One of those friends lucky enough to imbibe that batch was none other than owner and business manager Eric Johnson. With Luke’s Cream Ale nourishing his friends in body, mind, and soul, Eric got an idea and joked that he’d like a chance to sell Luke’s product. The idea germinated unseen until Paddlefish’s entrepreneur extraordinaire was enjoying a cold one at Bent Paddle—another Gustie-owned brewery—and that seedling of an idea that sprouted as a joke among friends transformed into a glorious vision to create St. Peter’s very own brewery and taproom.
So after spending hours crafting and perfecting the best beer recipes using equipment in his dorm room, Luke is elevating his talents to the next level. Eric, having put several thousand miles on his feet completing the many tasks of a brewery business manager is also ready and so is their industry expert Dave who has been busy developing the brand and stepping up his managerial skills. The ultimate goal of selling Luke’s damn good “keg beer in single service containers” is fast approaching. Stay tuned for all the ways you can join the fun and contribute to our mission to become St. Peter’s finest community-oriented brewery, a place where you can enjoy some of the best damn beer in the state among your friends for years to come.
And now our beloved beer fans, this is where Paddlefish Brewing Company’s story is almost ready to merge with your own. With gratitude, excitement, laughter, humility, nervousness, and a whole lot of passion, we simply can’t wait to raise a glass of Paddlefish pure grains together!
Happy 4th of July from Paddlefish Brewing! 🇺🇸
We’re rolling right from the parade to the pint!
🍺 First 20 guests after the parade get $1 off their first pint!
📸 Plus—spot Sweet Pea (our vintage VW bus) in the parade?
Snap a photo, tag us @paddlefishbrewing or show a beertender to enter to win a free crowler!
🍖 And don’t worry about food—Doc E’s BBQ will be serving all day until 8pm!
We’re opening right after the parade (~10:45am) and staying open until 10pm.
It’s gonna be a red, white and brew kinda of day! 🇺🇸
🎉 Happy Birthday to the Crowler King himself—Jason Eggers! 🎉
Whether he’s slingin’ hazies or stacking cans like a legend, Jason keeps the beer flowing and the party going.
He loves a good DDH, a Guinness in London, and thinks Jaws 4 deserves justice.
Cheers to custom cakes, trampoline tales, and the guy who could definitely handle a beer pool in Austria.
Happy Birthday, Jason! 👑🍻
🚨 Say hello to your new favorite membership: The Monthly Paddle Pass 🍻
For just $25/month, you’ll get:
✅ BOGO beers every day (max 1 use/day)
✅ 1 FREE crowler every month
✅ 1 FREE brewery tour each month (Always the last Sunday of the month at 1PM!)
✅ 10% off merch, crowlers and growlers
✅ Early access to new beer releases
🎉 The first 10 members get their very own ceramic mug to use at the brewery! Just ask your beertender if you made the cut and then you can choose any available mug!
🧡 Sign up online via the link in bio or scan the QR code in the taproom!
🚨 This Week at Paddlefish! 🚨
📅 June 25–30
New beer release, food trucks, karaoke, brewery tours… and a Monday sing-along 🍻🎶
🍺 WED 6/25
• Happy Hour 12–4pm ($1 off pints)
🧠THURS 6/26
• Russell’s Traveling Kitchen 4–8pm
• Initials Game Live 7–8:30pm
🎤 FRI 6/27
• Panta Ta Ethne (Puerto Rican eats!) 4–8pm
• New Beer Release: Polka Night Hefeweizen 5pm
❌ POSTPONED: Karaoke (Stay tuned for our rescheduled date!)
🍖 SAT 6/28
• Doc E’s BBQ 12–8pm
🌮 SUN 6/29
• Taco Taco 12–5pm
• Paddlefish Brewery Tour 1pm – $20 (includes beer!)
🎶 MON 6/30
• ⚠️ Taproom reserved until 6PM for a private group
• 🕕 Beer & Hymns 6–8PM – Everyone welcome!
• 🍖 Food by Brick House Meats
📣 Taproom Reminder!
We’ll be CLOSED TOMORROW (Saturday, June 21) for a private event — thanks for understanding!
But TODAY we’re OPEN and rockin’:
🎶 Live music with Trent Shaw from 6–9pm
🍔 Fatbellies BBQ from 4–8pm
Come kick off the weekend with some collllllld brewskis in the hot weather, and some hot BBQ with some cooool tunes 🍻
We’ll be back slinging beers and high fives with our normal hours on Sunday. Cheers! 🍻
Paddlefish Open Mic every 3rd Tuesday from 6-8pm is going so well! Our host Chase D. Burkhart Music / @chasedburkhart has cultivated a fun and welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages, talents, and ability levels. He`ll even play guitar for folks who just want to sing with some heads up beforehand! Our next event is coming up July 15th, so mark your calendars and come enjoy the great vibes yourself!
OPEN MIC TONIGHT!!! 6-8PM, all ages and abilities welcome! Be sure to sign up right away on the physical paper upon your arrival, and be thinking about what type of beverage (tasty N/A options available) you want to try! There are a couple exciting new brews on gap, plus our gold standards 😉
See you there!! @chasedburkhart #openmic
🍺 New Beer Drop Alert 🍺
Katie’s Ale – 7.2% ABV
We brewed this historical ale-style bock in partnership with the Women of the ELCA to honor the 500th anniversary of Martin & Katie Luther’s marriage.
🍌 Notes of banana & clove
🔥 Fermented warm, cold conditioned
📜 Inspired by Reformation-era brewing
$1 per pint supports the Women of the ELCA.
We held a DIY doormat painting night a couple of weeks ago and it was a blast! From “Buzz Off” to “Moove On In,” the creativity was flowing 🍻🎨
We love putting on unique events like this. Got another fun idea? Drop it in the comments!
It’s also going to be an eventful weekend, especially this Friday…
🍺 Katie’s Ale releases Friday @ 7pm (A tasty and unique beer—it’s a German Eisenbock!)
🎶 Matthew Aitch live Friday @ 6–9pm
🌻 Also catch us pouring at the Young John Denver Fest in Minnesota Square Park starting @ 5pm
🎉 Happy Belated Birthday to the one and only Auntie Wendy—the legend behind Auntie Wendy’s Kettle Corn and a true Paddlefish favorite!
She just wrapped up her incredible career at Gustavus and is kicking off retirement the right way—with a bag of her famous kettle corn and a half drank/half full pint of her go-to beer: Jolly Giant. 🍿🍺
Wendy, we’re so lucky to know you (and snack on your kettle corn). Cheers to your next chapter—and to another great year ❤️ Make sure to raise a glass and grab some of her infamous Kettle Corn in the taproom!
🎯 PAUSE CHALLENGE: Try to land on your favorite Paddlefish Flagship Beer! Screenshot and send back when you get the perfect match! 🍺
Unboxing one of our new beer signs has never been so exciting.
Make sure to try our new Sauna Beer this week! 4%ABV, easily crushable for a hot, sauna-like day.
🧖 Introducing our SAUNA BEER! A botanical Nordic lager brewed in collaboration with @superiorsaunas and inspired by the steamy stillness of a northwoods sauna.
🌲 Brewed with white pine needles, elderflower, eucalyptus, juniper berries, and birch leaves, it’s a layered yet easy-drinking lager that tastes like sitting deep in the woods after a good sweat.
🌿 At just 4.5% ABV, it’s perfect for crushing without consequence — light, botanical, and crisp.
And yes, we’re serving it with a cedar stir stick on the side to add a hit of sauna aromatics.
Releasing today at 5 PM, only at Paddlefish 🍻
🍻 JUNE EVENTS UNLOCKED at Paddlefish 🔓
Fri. June 6
🧖♂️ 5 PM – Sauna Beer Release (Botanical Nordic Lager)
🎶 6–9 PM – Live Music: Traveled Ground
Tues. June 10
🎨 6–8 PM – Paint & Sip Night (link in bio)
Fri. June 13
🎶 6–9 PM – Live Music: Matthew Aitch
🍺 7 PM – Katie’s Ale Release (German Eisenbock)
Tues. June 17
🎤 6–8 PM – Open Mic Night
Fri. June 20
🎶 6–9 PM – Live Music: Trent Shaw
Sat. June 21
⚠️ Taproom CLOSED for private event
Thurs. June 26
🧠 7–8:30 PM – Initials Game Live!
Fri. June 27
🎤 6–9 PM – Karaoke Night
🌮 Hungry? Be sure to check our food truck calendar on our website or the FB Events tab to see who’s rolling in each night!
🎥 We were honored to be back on Kato Living this past Friday to talk about our World Beer Cup win and the return of our gold medal–winning Scandinavian Raw Ale, Vinter Liv! Huge thanks to hosts Jackson (who couldn’t get enough of the beer) and Nataliya for having us on the show! Your enthusiasm about the win means so much to us.
🚨 Our re-release event on Sunday was a wild one!
We sold out of our final keg of Vinter Liv in just 40 minutes! We know some of you drove a long way and missed out, and we’re truly sorry. But don’t worry, we’ll be brewing it again in a few months, and we promise to keep you posted on the return.
📺 Missed the segment? Check it out [link in bio]!
🍺 And if you’re craving something equally botanical and refreshing, our next New Month, New Beer release drops this Friday at 5pm—a Sauna Beer brewed with white pine, elderflower, birch leaves, juniper, eucalyptus AND cedar wood. It’s like stepping into the North Woods in a pint glass—crisp, relaxing, and just 4.5% ABV. More on that tomorrow!
A huge shoutout to everyone who rolled through for our Road Trip Celebration and helped us raise a glass to John Jensen last week! The man is a legend—VW lover, Paddlefish superfan, and cancer survivor.
To mark the occasion, John commissioned a custom trophy for the “1st Annual Johnny Drive In”—topped with the phrase “Let the Good Times Roll,” a perfect nod to our one-year anniversary theme earlier this year :)
These are the kinds of celebrations we live for at Paddlefish, especially when they’re all about community.
We had chrome classics in the parking lot, Squid City Slingers jamming inside, VW cookies, and the debut of our custom VW flight boards. Pictured are our two Road Trip Raffle winners who got to take her out for the first spin!
(🚐 Want to try the VW bus flight board? Just ask your Paddlefish beertender for a Road Trip Flight!)
It’s definitely nights like this that remind us why we do what we do—bringing people together over great beer, good music, and shared stories. Whether you’ve been here 48 times or it was your first Paddlefish pint, this community always shows up with incredible heart!
🎉 Happy Birthday to one of our favorite faces behind the bar—Ryan! 🍻
You’ve seen him slingin’ pints and holding it down on busy weekends as Taproom Manager, but did you know…
🧠 He can wiggle his ears
🎖️ He’s a military vet, former police officer, and now studying nursing (career #3!)
🍕 He’d eat pizza every day, no questions asked
🎄 Favorite movie? Christmas Vacation
🐶 He’s team dogs, team coffee, and team Jolly Giant Hazy IPA (his favorite beer on tap!)
🎶 Dream Concert: Eric Church
If you see him this week, wish this guy a happy birthday!!
Big moment at Paddlefish—U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar stopped by to congratulate our team on bringing home a World Beer Cup Gold for our Vinter Liv Scandinavian Raw Ale!
She also spent time hearing our story and learning the real challenges small breweries face like rising costs, labor, and distribution.
You might be wondering, “Did she try the Vinter Liv?” Yes, and she loved it!
We’re proud to celebrate our craft, our team and our amazing community that built Paddlefish with us. We’re also proud to represent Minnesota craft beer and even prouder to do it from St. Peter. 🍻
🎉 Sunday, June 1st, 2-4pm: Vinter Liv Re-Release Event. One keg remains—when it’s gone, it’s gone! (Until we brew the next batch in a couple of months!)
🎣 Big congrats to Jason Heidemann; our Fishing License Raffle winner from our May 10th Fishing Opener Celebration!
He finally reeled in his prize the other day and celebrated the right way, with a pint of Pearly Gates Irish Dry Stout and some sunshine by the bus. 🍻☀️
Congrats, Jason and happy fishing! 🐟🍺
We’ve got a doozy of a week! From Initials Game to Vinter Liv’s gold-medal return, to a new digital monthly membership, it’s GBOTH (gonna be off the hook)!
🇺🇸 Monday – Memorial Day
Open 12–8PM
$1 off pints all day
$2 off for veterans, active military & first responders
🍎 Tuesday – Educators & Member Appreciation
$1 off all day
🔥 Wednesday –
Smokin’ Lady BBQ | 4–8PM
Charm Bar (DIY keychains, etc!) | 6–8PM
🎟️ Limited spots left – link in bio
🌮 Thursday –
Russell’s Traveling Kitchen | 4–8PM
The Initials Game | 7PM
🍽️ Friday –
Pep Island Food Truck | 4–8PM
🍖 Saturday –
S&B BBQ | 5–8PM
🏅 Sunday –
Yoga + Beer | 10–11AM | $20
Vinter Liv Re-Release | 2–4PM – LAST KEG of the gold medal batch!
🎉 Paddle Pass Membership Launch!
BOGO beers, monthly crowlers, and more for $25/month! Sign up on our website starting June 1st or talk to your beertender!
Which day are we seeing you? 👀
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