Photo via Heavy Rotation Brewing Company

Heavy Rotation Brewing Co. wants you to think of its beer like your favorite record — something you really like and come back to often. As the name suggests, co-owners Ken Smith, Scott Smith and Josh Denny have combined their love of beer and music to create the concept of their new nanobrewery.

“We really wanted to have something of our own and don’t have any investors,” Ken Smith, who is also the marketing coordinator for Utepils Brewing. “And we want to keep our focus on the taproom experience.”

Located in Brooklyn Park, Heavy Rotation is the city’s only brewery and taproom after the closure of Blue Wolf Brewing Co. last November. As a nanobrewery, the beer selection will be on a “heavy rotation” since they plan to brew in small batches with their three-barrel system.

Heavy Rotation have plans for weekly live music in the brewery’s airy 3,000-square-foot space once they open on April 8. Reclaimed wood found throughout the taproom came from a Brooklyn Park-based business called Rustic Revival Barnwood. There will also be a 1,800-square-foot outdoor patio.

“With a smaller system, we can really cater to the neighborhood. Three weeks may be the longest a batch will be on tap,” Denny says, head brewer who was previously at Wicked Wort Brewing Co.

Photo via Heavy Rotation Brewing

The nanobrewery will open with 8 beers, with the potential for up to 16 beers on tap at full capacity. Heavy Rotation’s three flagship beers will include Lean Into It, a hazy IPA. Denny recommends the hazy IPA as a gateway into craft beer with its fruit forward profile. A Snack Pack stout will rotate flavors such as raspberry and caramel chocolate cookie bar.

Lastly, a German-style beer such as a hefeweizen will be available on tap when Heavy Rotation opens. The brewery also plans on offering a lager, pale ale, and a Belgian-style beer. Denny says he eventually would like to add barrel-aged sours and seltzers to their lineup.

Scott Smith, Ken Smith’s uncle, rounds out the team. He became interested in craft beer when his nephew began working at Utepils Brewing.

“I was a Coors Light drinker and now my favorite are stouts. It was a complete turnaround — it was such a fun experience to try all the different types of beers,” Scott Smith says. “Most people may think [craft beer] is a stretch, but I recommend it for everyone to try.”

Smith, who works for Culligan, helped to set up the water system to remove impurities before Denny creates the water profiles for his beers.

“We’ll have some of the freshest beer in the area,” says Ken Smith. “It’s a growing and diverse area. This spot is screaming for a brewery. The response from the neighborhood has been positive and it was great working with the city.”

Scott Smith says the brewery will be kid- and dog-friendly. In addition to live music, there will also be trivia nights, yoga, events featuring music and art, barbeque cooking classes on the patio, and an upcoming stand up comedy show featuring notable comedian and beer enthusiast with Zane Lamprey.

Composite, photos via Heavy Rotation Brewing Company

Head Brewer: Josh Denny
Beers: Lean Into It Hazy IPA, Wreckless Abandon Witbier, Snack Pack Pastry Stout, Farmer Frank Cream Ale, Final Finals Kolsch, Zwickelbier, BP Pale Ale, Tasty Waves Hazy IIPA
Address: 9801 Xenia Ave. N, Brooklyn Park 55443
Hours: Tue-Thu: 3-10 pm; Fri: noon-10 pm; Sat: 11 am-10 pm; Sun: 11 am-8 pm
Food: Outside food permitted
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