BlackStack Brewing
BlackStack Brewing is a family-owned craft brewery in Saint Paul, Minnesota producing hop-forward craft beers, the Real Trees THC seltzer and gummy line, and operating a 20,000-square-foot taproom with community events and event space in the historic American Can Building.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSaint Paul Island, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BlackStack Brewing does
BlackStack Brewing is a family-owned craft brewery founded in 2017 and headquartered in a 20,000-square-foot taproom space within the historic American Can Building (built in 1889) at 755 Prior Ave N in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The brewery produces an extensive portfolio of hop-forward craft beers with a flagship Local 755 Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV) and styles spanning lagers, pilseners, sours, and experimental high-ABV releases; a stated cadence of 4-6 new beers weekly signals a high-rotation, small-batch model. Production is supported by foeder fermenters for barrel-aged and fruited sours, and the team is led by a tenured Director of Brewing Operations (Cyrus, since 2017) and a Director of Production (Bella, since 2021).
In 2023, following Minnesota's THC legalization, the company launched the Real Trees sub-brand of hemp-derived delta-9 THC seltzers and gummies, extending its beverage portfolio beyond alcohol. Distribution within Minnesota is handled by Artisan Beer Company under a partnership announced January 17, 2024, complementing the direct taproom channel and a Square-powered e-commerce store selling merchandise and e-gift cards. Pricing is anchored by the Local 755 Happy Minutes ($0.75 pint for 7 minutes and 55 seconds at 7:55pm daily), $15 all-you-can-drink Kölsch Night programming, and standard 4-pack retail pricing of $12-14.
The company serves primarily Minnesota craft beer enthusiasts through taproom visits, packaged retail, and recurring community events (Trivia Night, Plant Bingo, Kölsch Night, food truck partnerships, semi-private event space rentals). A secondary persona consists of THC beverage consumers served via the Real Trees line. Distribution is concentrated in a single Minnesota market with stated intent to expand across the Upper Midwest. Notably, founder Scott Johnson died in April 2023, and the company appointed David Mosher as President in March 2024 to professionalize management alongside continued family ownership led by matriarch Shawne Murphy Johnson and children Murphy, Cooper, and Quinn. BlackStack has earned regional recognition (Hop Culture's 12 Best Breweries in Minnesota, VinePair's Most Underrated Midwest Brewery) and a 2024 Bronze Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in the International Pilsener Category for its Slopes pilsener, and was featured on Netflix's Love is Blind Season 8, Episode 9.
BlackStack Brewing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BlackStack Brewing
- Legal name
- BlackStack Brewing
- Website
- https://blackstackbrewing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BlackStack Brewing is a family-owned craft brewery in Saint Paul, Minnesota producing hop-forward craft beers, the Real Trees THC seltzer and gummy line, and operating a 20,000-square-foot taproom with community events and event space in the historic American Can Building.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BlackStack Brewing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Brewery
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)
Keywords
Where BlackStack Brewing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul Island
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BlackStack Brewing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Taproom Beer Sales: Direct beer sales at the taproom location, including drafts and packaged beer (cans). Primary revenue stream.
- Online Merchandise Store: Online store through Square for merchandise and e-gift cards.
- Distribution Sales: Distribution through Artisan Beer Company for Minnesota market, covering restaurants and liquor stores.
- THC Beverages: Hemp-derived THC seltzers and gummies sold under the Real Trees brand, launched after Minnesota THC legalization in 2023.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LOCAL 755 Happy Minutes - $0.75 pint special |
| Subscription | Monthly | Kölsch Night - $15 all-you-can-drink |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Local 755 4-pack pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | THC Seltzers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
BlackStack Brewing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BlackStack Brewing is a craft brewery that produces an extensive portfolio of hop-forward beers, including the flagship Local 755 Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV) plus lagers, sours, pilsners, and experimental high-ABV styles. The company also produces hemp-derived THC seltzers and gummies under its Real Trees sub-brand launched in 2023, and operates a 20,000 square-foot taproom and semi-private event space in the renovated 1889 American Can Building at 755 Prior Avenue North, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Product overview
BlackStack Brewing operates as a family-owned craft brewery offering a diverse portfolio of products centered around their craft beer (IPAs, lagers, sours, and experimental high-ABV styles), complemented by the Real Trees THC sub-brand (seltzers and gummies) launched in 2023, True Stone coffee, and a taproom/event space service. The company's core strength is hop-forward beers, with their flagship Local 755 Hazy IPA as the anchor product, while the THC line represents a diversification into hemp-derived beverages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Real Trees: Hemp-derived THC seltzers and gummies product line launched in 2023 following Minnesota's THC legalization. Includes flavors such as Blood Orange Guava, Honeycrisp Apple, Minnesota Mule, Strawberry Kiwi, Blackberry Lemonade, and Lemonade Iced Tea.
Products and services
- Local 755 Hazy IPA The flagship hazy IPA named after the brewery's 755 Prior Ave N address, brewed with Amarillo, Azacca, and Citra hops over two dry hop additions at 6.8% ABV. Targeted at adult craft beer enthusiasts who favor hop-forward hazy IPAs.
- Craft Beer Portfolio An extensive and ever-evolving portfolio of hop-forward craft beers including hazy IPAs, lagers, sours, pilsners, cream ales, Italian Pilsners, barrel-aged sours, and experimental high-ABV styles (up to 14% ABV), with approximately four to six new beer releases per week. Targeted at Minnesota craft beer enthusiasts.
- Real Trees THC Seltzers Hemp-derived delta-9 THC sparkling beverages sold under the Real Trees sub-brand, available in 5mg and 10mg MN Hemp Derived Delta 9 THC doses across flavors including Blood Orange Guava, Honeycrisp Apple, Strawberry & Kiwi, Blackberry Lemonade, and Minnesota Mule (Ginger Lime). Targeted at adult consumers seeking legal, regulated THC beverages in craft formats.
- Real Trees THC Gummies Hemp-derived delta-9 THC gummies under the Real Trees sub-brand, with each gummy containing 5mg THC in flavors including Blood Orange Guava, Strawberry & Kiwi, and Blackberry Lemonade. Targeted at adult consumers seeking legal, regulated THC edibles.
- True Stone Coffee Specialty coffee offerings including espresso, lattes, cold brews, and hot and cold teas served at the taproom to expand it into a daytime destination. Targeted at visitors to the BlackStack taproom in Saint Paul, MN.
- Taproom and Event Space A 20,000 square-foot taproom and event space inside the historic 1889 American Can Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, featuring a 40-foot bar, board games, trivia nights, live music, and sports viewing. The north end (the Stackroom) accommodates 50-100 standing or 40 seated guests for semi-private events with full bar service. Targeted at individual visitors and groups hosting celebrations, parties, and corporate events.
Quantifiable outcome
- Bronze medal in International Pilsener Category at Great American Beer Festival
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use BlackStack Brewing
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BlackStack Brewing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
BlackStack Brewing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Artisan Beer CompanycoreArtisan Beer Company acquired the distribution rights to BlackStack Brewing's portfolio in the Minnesota market. BlackStack's unique offerings and consistent quality have made them a long-time favorite among beer enthusiasts in Minnesota. This partnership expands BlackStack's reach to more Minnesota consumers through Artisan's distribution network.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BlackStack Brewing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fulton Brewing Company: Minneapolis craft brewery operating a taproom and distributing through regional wholesalers in the same Minnesota footprint as BlackStack, with broadly comparable product positioning.
- Dangerous Man Brewing Company: Minneapolis craft brewery running a neighborhood taproom with limited in-house distribution and a rotating experimental tap list that mirrors BlackStack's release cadence and style range.
- Castle Danger Brewery: Two Harbors, MN craft brewery with taproom destinations and broader Minnesota distribution; similar Midwest craft positioning and direct competition for regional tap placements.
- Modist Brewing: Minneapolis-based craft brewery that operates a taproom and produces hop-forward beers, including direct collaborations with BlackStack (e.g., "Sillky Tropical" double-DH oat milk IPA). Most comparable Twin Cities peer by brewing style, scale, and distribution reach.
- Indeed Brewing Company: Minneapolis craft brewery with taproom, rotating experimental lineup, and regional distribution of hop-forward styles; comparable in scale and product cadence to BlackStack's 4-6 weekly releases model.
- Surly Brewing Co. Twin Cities craft brewery with a destination taproom, broad distribution across Minnesota, and an India Pale Ale / hop-forward portfolio that overlaps directly with BlackStack's hazy/IPA focus. Same regulatory and retail channels.
- Bent Paddle Brewing Co. Duluth, MN craft brewery with taproom and Minnesota-wide distribution; overlapping hop-forward portfolio and family/founder-operated origin story akin to BlackStack's Johnson-family model.
Broad incumbents
- Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major national craft brewery (originally founded in Petaluma, CA) historically imported to Minnesota by BlackStack founder Scott Johnson; portfolio and hop-forward IPA focus overlap meaningfully with Local 755 positioning.
- Bell's Brewery: Michigan-based established craft incumbent with broad regional distribution; comparable on hop-forward IPAs but operates at multiples of BlackStack's scale and a wider multi-state footprint.
- Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. Iowa craft brewery with national recognition; overlaps on hop-forward style leadership but at substantially larger scale with broader distribution, making it an aspirational peer against which BlackStack's Upper Midwest expansion will be benchmarked.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BlackStack Brewing social profiles
Digital presenceBlackStack Brewing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BlackStack Brewing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
BlackStack Brewing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BlackStack Brewing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BlackStack Brewing
What does BlackStack Brewing do?
BlackStack Brewing is a craft brewery that produces an extensive portfolio of hop-forward beers, including the flagship Local 755 Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV) plus lagers, sours, pilsners, and experimental high-ABV styles. The company also produces hemp-derived THC seltzers and gummies under its Real Trees sub-brand launched in 2023, and operates a 20,000 square-foot taproom and semi-private event space in the renovated 1889 American Can Building at 755 Prior Avenue North, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Is BlackStack Brewing a public or private company?
BlackStack Brewing is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was BlackStack Brewing founded?
BlackStack Brewing was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BlackStack Brewing based?
BlackStack Brewing is headquartered in Saint Paul Island, United States, in the North America region.
How does BlackStack Brewing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Taproom Beer Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Merchandise Store, distribution Sales and THC Beverages.
Who are BlackStack Brewing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fulton Brewing Company, Dangerous Man Brewing Company, Castle Danger Brewery, Modist Brewing, Indeed Brewing Company, Surly Brewing Co. and Bent Paddle Brewing Co.. Broad incumbents are Lagunitas Brewing Company, Bell's Brewery and Toppling Goliath Brewing Co..
Does BlackStack Brewing have an API?
No public API is recorded for BlackStack Brewing.
What industry is BlackStack Brewing in?
BlackStack Brewing's product category is Craft Brewery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.