Explore History

Brunswick House Constructed

Our Public House, also known as the Brunswick House, was constructed in the logging town of Stillwater, Minnesota to serve as the first lodgehouse for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a pioneering fraternal organization. About a decade later, the Brunswick family purchased the house and made it their family home. The house remained in the family until 1968.

Historic St. Croix Brewery Founded

Our roots date back to the original St. Croix Brewing Company founded in the winter of 1858 by Gerhardt Knips in Stillwater. The brewery was located on the north end of the city adjacent to Minnesota’s first courthouse and capitol building, the Tamarack House. Like many early pioneer breweries of the valley, it served the local loggers of the area. The brewery experienced several years of success before being sold in 1877.

St. Croix Brewery Building Razed

During the following decades, the St. Croix Brewery building was used for various mercantile interests, most notably as a tavern. In 1935, the former brewery building was razed to make room for the Highway 95 realignment. Today, an historic marker on the sealed cave entrance of the original St. Croix Brewery memorializes the Tamarack House.

St. Croix Brewery Revived

As the modern craft brewery movement was kicking off in Minnesota, a local homebrewer unearthed and revived the St. Croix Brewery. He kicked off the exciting rebirth with the brewery’s inaugural beer, an American original, called St. Croix Maple Ale.

Fyten Family Purchases Brewery

After partnering with the company’s previous owner for a brief time, Tod, a legacy Minnesota craft brewer and brewing industry publisher, purchased the company and renamed it the St. Croix Brewing Company, a nod to its namesake. Several years later, St. Croix Brewing Company developed and introduced Minnesota’s first craft cream ale, St. Croix Cream Ale.

St. Croix Purchases Brunswick House

After operating as a contract brewery for many years, the St. Croix Brewing team looked at opening a taproom for the first time and purchased the historic Brunswick House on Chestnut Street, saving the city’s oldest standing building from potential ruin. That same year, Madeline became owner of St. Croix and the St. Croix Cream Ale received a gold medal in the Beverage Testing Institute World Beer Championship.

St. Croix Brewing Co. & Public House - Opening Soon

After nearly a decade, we are nearing completion of an amazing restoration and labor of love, transforming the 176-year-old building into a 21st century taproom brewery and public house!