For a Labor Day excursion, we loaded into the car and headed over to Minneapolis, Kansas. In addition to being the home of Rock City (AKA: a bunch of cool rock formations in the middle of nowhere, leftover from the prehistoric days when Kansas was under water), Minneapolis sports a super unique facility that just so happens to include a brewery: The FARM and the Odd Fellows.
Facility probably feels like a weird word to use to describe a small-town brewery, but honestly, that’s the best way to describe what we walked into. The FARM isn’t just a brewery. It’s also an event space…and a coffee shop…and a nut roastery…and a makers’ space…and an indoor pickleball court…and a huge game room…oh, and a brewery that looks like it was placed directly in a smoking lounge from an old-timey movie. It’s kind of ridiculous along with being really cool.
The upstairs level (accessible by a flight of stairs or a really cool elevator) features a row of self-serve taps. You simply start your tab and receive a fob that activates the taps. A row of mini fridges under the taps feature chilled glasses, too. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was unlike any other brewery we’ve been to. We were also presented with a couple of complementary baskets of pretzel sticks, which was a nice bonus while we waited for our lunch. As a side note for something else we’ve never seen, the taps were hooked up directly to the bright tanks in the next room.
CP: It took me about two seconds to find the Ol’ 10w30 (extra stout, 7.6 percent ABV) on the tap wall. It’s named after motor oil, and the color did not disappoint. I didn’t even try to get a photo of the side of the glass right away. There was no seeing the black logo on it until I drank my beer down a few inches.
I was pretty proud of my pour, which had very little head on it, but despite the lack of foaminess, this was super creamy on the finish and lightly chocolatey. It was also extremely drinkable, too, though, so don’t let the motor oil comparison scare you off.
My next beer was a white stout, Shiny and Chrome (6.9 percent ABV). The nose on it was bright and extremely coffee forward. There was a lot of coffee on the flavor profile, too, but it doesn’t drink like a heavy beer. It almost has a little floral note to it. It would be a really good choice if you like dark beers but are in the mood for something more refreshing.
My last beer was the Minnebock (dunkel, 6.5 percent ABV). It was just a really solid dunkel. It had a slightly malty finish and was bright on the initial sip. If you like dunkels, you’ll like this one.
Oh, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the adult grilled cheese I ordered at the coffee shop downstairs. It was delicious, with tons of melty cheese and a bacon jam. It was messy to eat, but it was worth it.
WAW: Clem wasn’t wrong; this place was incredible. It’s a spectacle just to explore, and it makes one wonder what kind of investment someone was willing to make in such a small community. If the community doesn’t appreciate it, they certainly should.
As for “Rock City,” I tried to explain that ancient alien theorists believe those rocks are a communication device to another world, but everyone kept droning on and on about limestone deposits and the fact that Kansas used to have water here. I couldn’t believe how dumb they all sounded.
As for the beer, I started with the much-recommended “Wile Oats,” a 5.4 percent ABV beer brewed with oats, a hint of lemon and lavender. All the beers I had at The FARM and the Oddfellows were good, but this one was next level—10/10 from me. I liked this one so much I made them sell me some to take home. The lemon was bright and refreshing, and the lavender added to the flavor and didn’t make me think of soap, which I appreciated.
My next beer was much simpler in style and flavor but very refreshing: “The Page 2 Pale Ale,” sitting at 5.7 percent ABV. This was a beer featuring Kansas hops and was just an easy drinker—nothing to write home about but certainly nothing to complain about, either. Solid pale.
I tried their chile-infused mango wheat next. I am not sure this had a name, as it was an entry to a beer competition, from what I gathered. It had hints of chiles without burning your stomach and making you regret decisions. It was mild and refreshing. No complaints from me, but I would be interested to know how it did at their competition. I am typically very hit-or-miss with pepper-forward beers.
Finally, the “Doc Opp Rosemary Rye IPA” was my last beer, and it was my second favorite of the trip. This had a great blend of rosemary, malt and a light hop character while still being a clear IPA. It wasn’t a pallate wrecker, but it let you know it was there, if you know what I mean. This came in at 6.10 percent ABV and was my other choice for a to-go beer. In my estimation, this beer, the oat beer, and the pepper-inspired beer were the wildest on the menu, and all three hit home, which I thought was impressive.
One of the nicest things about this place was that you could pour as much of anything you wanted, allowing you to try lots of different beers on their menu, and between Clem and our friends, I think I got at least a sip of everything they had to offer. Everyone was super complimentary of the space and wanted to come back for one of their beer-pairing dinners they told us about. They suggested we follow them on social to keep up. I did just that, and I would recommend you do the same and schedule a trip to this very unique and fun brewery in north central Kansas. Below are a few photos of the brewery and the coffee shop downstairs.
Final Assessment
Normie Factor: Without question. Bring a normie, as worst-case scenario, they can get a latte downstairs. The beers were super approachable, though.
Freak Flag: 5/10
Vibe Check: 9/10 (This could have been in the middle of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it would have been cool.)
Smashability: 9/10
Poor ’til Payday: $ (It can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. You control the pours and how much you get. Super affordable, in our estimation)
Munchies: Check their website. There is a full menu on some nights, but when we were there, you could order some great sandwiches or get pastries from the coffee shop.
Other good info
Date Visited: Sept. 4, 2023
Is there to-go beer? Yes. They had a fridge of crowlers (32 ounce) and cans (16 ounce) and a deal for buying multiples.
Website: https://thefarmminneapolis.com/
Address: 205 West 2nd Street Minneapolis, KS, 67467
Parking and Public Transportation: Plenty of street parking
