Waldmann Brewery in St. Paul: The Quaintest Brewery You Ever Did See

The moment you step inside Waldmann Brewery & Wurstery, their commitment to historic preservation becomes very clear. Living in a 160-year-old building, everything from the whale fat lanterns on the tables to styles of beer pay homage to the history of the site. What was originally a saloon built in 1857 is now a German-style brewery and wurstery and just about the quaintest taproom I’ve ever seen.

Waldmann uses horizontal fermenters in the brewing process, a nod to the 1800s and a setup that is ideal for German-style lager fermentation. Right now, they’ve got four solid German beers on tap: an Oktoberfest, a dunkel, a hefeweisen and a pilsener. They’ll be adding a dampfbier soon and in the winter, a dunkelweisen and a dobbelbock. I had the dunkel on my visit and it was some smooth German-y goodness.

The brewery’s commitment to historic preservation goes so far that they have been designated a public good corporation. This means they’ll focus more on providing a historically accurate experience than on profit. They’ll also have their space open for community and nonprofit groups and for school and other tours.

I will definitely have to come back again to dig into the food. The charcuterie plates looked mouthwatering! I would recommend Waldmann to anyone looking for a unique and interesting experience as you enjoy some local beer.