JULY FEATURED BREWER
SEVERANCE BREWING CO.
Severance Brewing Company began working toward its goal of “severing ties in life and drink” on August 2, 2019.
“The brewery started with the idea of Mark Stavenger and I severing ties from our day-to-day jobs that we both comfortably had for a decade and jumping in to something new,” said head brewer and co-founder Scott Heckel.
Heckel says that while he brews, his co-founder and taproom manager Stavenger works with their staff to make a strong team.
As Heckel says, they stray from the norm of following different style guidelines, starting with an idea for the final beer and working backwards.
And despite their best efforts to start smoothly, Heckel says that didn’t happen.
After opening, Severance only caught the last couple shows with Levitt at the Falls before being thrust into winter, a time when breweries tend to be less popular, according to Heckel.
Then 2020 brought COVID-19.
“It’s been challenging,” said Heckel.
Severance pivoted with to-go items and began taking online orders. At the start of summer they opened up the outdoor patio to create additional seating.
Located in downtown Sioux Falls in The Cascade at Falls Park building, the brewery features an industrial look alongside rustic textures. According to Heckel, the taproom is inviting, kid-friendly, and has a few “Easter eggs,” including a shuffleboard table, bag hooks, and even changing tables in both gender bathrooms.
Another of the brewery’s hidden features is its commitment to is sustainable operations, according to Heckel.
“We have a 15-barrel hot liquor tank, and that allows us to actually capture the water that we use to chill the beer coming out of the brew kettle,” he said.
By reusing that water, Heckel says the brewery saves about 13,000 gallons of water per year. Additionally, the yeast used for their brews doesn’t need to be temperature controlled.
“We can allow the yeast to ferment at upwards of 90 degrees without getting any off flavors in the beer,” he said. “It does save a substantial amount of energy from our glycol system.”
According to its website, the brewery sends its “spent grain to a local farmer near Brandon to help feed over 600 head of cattle.”
Severance recently had some good news, receiving a gold Crushie Award, and was named one of the top four Coolest Taprooms across North America by the 2020 Craft Beer Marketing Awards.
“Despite all the hardships that we’ve come across in the first year here,” sad Heckel, “I don’t regret leaving my corporate job for one minute.”
Blood Orange Pilzenus Americanas
Summer American Pilsner | ABV: 3.5% | IBU: 11
A summer staple at Severance, the Blood Orange Pilzenus Americanas is a light-bodied beer. According to Heckel, it’s intended as a stepping stone into drinking macro beers.
605 Brewers
Take a look at what other tasty brews are being served up around the state.
MINER BREWING COMPANY
DR. VALENTINE
Imperial Red IPA | ABV: 8.7% | IBU: 85
BEN’S BREWING COMPANY
MANGO WHEAT
Fruited Wheat | ABV: 4.8% | IBU: 16
WOODEN LEGS BREWING COMPANY
SCORPION HUGS
Scorpion Pepper Chocolate Stout | ABV: 6.4% | IBU: 56
SAWYER BREWING CO.
STRAWBERRY WHIP
Sour Ale with Strawberries & Vanilla | ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 23
A HOMESTEAD BREW
BARREL AGED KIWI SOUR ALE
Wild Sour Ale | ABV: 5.0% | IBU: 10
BUFFALO RIDGE BREWING
MAIBOCK
Maibock | ABV: 6.7% | IBU: 21
FERNSON
MARGARITA GOSE
Kettle-Soured Ale brewed with Agave & Sea Salt | ABV: 7.0% | IBU: 4
REMEDY BREWING CO.
ROFLCOPTER
Imperial Hazy IPA | ABV: 9.1% | IBU: 42
LOST CABIN BEER CO
RC LOCAL
West Coast Triple IPA | ABV: 11.6% | IBU: 110
