Minnesota’s Twin Cities are fast becoming a beacon for craft beer. With breweries sprouting in every corner of the metropolitan area, one doesn’t need to venture very far from home to find a craft brewing taproom just waiting to please. Some of these breweries are larger than others and wow customers with their sheer size and accompaniments while others are smaller and simpler, but still not without their charms. A good example of the latter is Sisyphus Brewing, located at 712 Ontario Ave W #100, Minneapolis, MN.
Beer, Games, and…Dogs
Sisyphus Brewing is a smaller brewing operation. The brewery utilizes a 2 barrel system producing just enough beer to satisfy guests and places in the local area where Sisyphus beer is served via draft. There is no kitchen, but customers are free to bring in their own food, both for pairing with beer and sharing with friends.
The interior of Sisyphus is simple enough, with seating for about 50 to 60 people. They keep you entertained with pinball machines, shuffleboard, and board games. They also have comedy nights about once per week, to keep everyone laughing whilst they drink. And if you’re a dog lover, you will be happy to know that you can bring your pooch along for the fun. They even have dog water dishes so your four- legged friend can drink while you drink.
Let’s Try Some Brew
Sisyphus Brewing serves a variety of beers at any given time. When I was here, I sampled a total of eight beers. Here is a complete list, in alphabetical order by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Belgian Blonde Ale, 3.75
- Cake Beer, Imperial Stout, 3.5
- Double Danger, IPA, 3.75
- The First Beer We Named, IPA, 3.75
- Imperial Brown Ale, 4
- Is That a Cucumber in Your Pils?, 3.75
- Kentucky Common, 3.5
- WEEliam Wallace, Scotch Ale, 3.5
Overall Average Rating: 3.75
The Imperial Brown Ale was my favorite of the bunch, but most every beer seemed similar in overall likeability. If you want to see what’s on tap at Sisyphus, look to the television screen behind the bar. It displays all of the beers presently available, complete with the style, alcohol by volume %, and IBU level.
Leave the Usual Routine Behind
Sisyphus Brewing is one of multiple breweries I visited during the Great Beer Now Twin Cities Brewery Tour 2017 and it was also one of the smaller ones. I like to mix things up when I decide to visit breweries and I like to include popular and lesser- known establishments. I had actually heard a little about Sisyphus Brewing before, but the main thing that caught my attention was the name. Checking the brewery’s own web site, they agree that the name is an unusual one. “You might be wondering why our name so closely resembles the sexually transmitted disease that has taken from us a ‘who’s who’ of history’s greats”, the web site says. It then goes on and points out that Sisyphus is, in fact, a Greek legend- a guy who was condemned to push a rock up a hill, release and let it roll down, then repeat the sequence for eternity. It symbolizes the repetitive and routine nature of life and Sisyphus beer is the remedy to this ongoing monotony.
I visited Sisyphus Brewing late in the afternoon and I found it a good change from the more complex breweries I commonly frequent. At Sisyphus Brewing, there is nothing that really grabs your attention. There is no single, eye- catching feature. There is no individual, standout beer. There are no works of art on the walls. There is no sports bar atmosphere. At Sisyphus Brewing, you are expected to make your own fun, whether it’s playing games or meeting new people. This, I believe, is what is intended by the Sisyphus anti- legend. A visit to Sisyphus allows you to break the routine chain that is everyday life; a way to get away from the usual brewery atmosphere and enjoy your beer, the people around you, and nothing more.
One fact that actually is a little more unusual at Sisyphus Brewing is the dog- friendly atmosphere. This isn’t completely unique- I have visited many other breweries where dogs were allowed. But what is different at Sisyphus Brewing is that dogs are permitted inside the main taproom. With most other dog- friendly establishments, dogs are only allowed outside. The fact that dogs can enter the taproom might make the more germ phobic among us a little squeamish, but most will find it perfectly fine. They don’t serve food of their own here, and that is probably how they are able to get around the rules that restaurants and others have to follow.
Sisyphus Brewing personnel are as friendly as any and I struck up a good conversation with one of them about the beer they brew and the Minnesota craft beer scene. We chatted about the growth in craft beer in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and the plans for Sisyphus in the future. For now, Sisyphus seems content to continue doing what they do best: Brewing quality craft beer in an atmosphere that encourages guests to break free from routine and enjoy the gift of craft beer after a long day’s work.
Minnesota’s Twin Cities are home to some significantly large and well- established breweries but there are several that are not as well- known but just as fun and Sisyphus Brewing is one of them. This brewery does not have a sports bar atmosphere. You will not find televisions tuned to the latest Vikings, Twins, or Golden Gophers game. It’s not a glamorous place, either, and you won’t find anything that stands out in your memory as totally unique. But what you will find is friendly people ready to share a beer with you and talk about nothing that matters- something we all need a little more of as we struggle to break free from the routine nature of life itself. Pay a visit to Sisyphus Brewing the next time you’re in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
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