I am a little late to the party, but last month I finally caught a glimpse of Summit’s new and improved Ratskeller, their taproom space. The former beer hall, which was built 20 years ago (!!) in 1998, got a revamp that’s a lot more “public”-friendly, imo. 

Big changes include:

• The bar! Now front and center when you enter the space, no need to journey into the corner for a refill. The new bar also has 4 additional tap lines.

• The seating. No more benches (yay!); they’ve been replaced with German-made chestnut chairs and tables.

• The entrance. Now looks very official.

One of my biggest beefs with Summit was always the space. It didn’t feel particularly warm or inviting, or like it was designed to serve the public as a taproom - which is because it wasn’t. Being the second oldest brewery in the state, and having built the beer hall in a pre-taproom era, the space was originally used for community organizations, non-profits, business groups. Summit still donates the space for community events on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

The Ratskeller, which is named to honor the heritage of German beer, is now much more charming and purposeful. I love the bar. It’s a 130-year-old red oak bar, which looks so much more majestic now that it’s the center of attention. If you haven’t already, make a stop by the new space. They’re doing limited batch Ratskeller-exclusive beers roughly once a month that you may be lucky enough to catch. 

For me, Summit always feels like a beer I drink at home or out and about. Perhaps the new Ratskeller will entice me to trek across the border to St. Paul a little more often.

P.S. You can check out more of my brewery experiences here!