2023 :: DRINK BEER, THINK BEER :: SANDY BOSS FEBBO OF BANG BREWING, BREWING WITH ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
What’s it like being an organic brewery in 2023? Harder than you might think, but getting a little better, “I love hearing about breweries that are not trying to be everything to every one,” says host John Holl. “The ones that were founded with a sense of purpose and continue to stick with it. Headed into the Craft Brewers Conference in 2022 in Minneapolis, I heard about Bang Brewing, just over the river in St. Paul. It’s an organic brewery, with a low profile, robust local following, and a strong sense of identity.” Sandy Boss Febbo of Minnesota’s Bang Brewing is the guest on this episode of the Drink Beer, Think Beer podcast.
(BANG / PATAGONIA PROVISIONS)
2023 :: RACKET :: HOW A SMALL ST. PAUL BREWERY BECAME PART OF A GROUNDBREAKING PATAGONIA COLLAB
Bang Brewing is one of 11 U.S. breweries, including Allagash and Sierra Nevada, that’s brewing crisp Kernza Lager. Sandy says that the Boss Febbo have been fans of Patagonia for a long time Back in 2013—months before Bang Brewing opened its doors—the couple stopped by a book signing for The Responsible Company, the business book from Patagonia founder/owner Yvon Chouinard and longtime employee Vincent Stanley. There, they met Stanley, who mentioned, in the offhand manner of a guy signing dozens of books for fans, that Chouinard was really into beer. Maybe one day, he mused, Patagonia and Bang Brewing would work together.
(VIA FOOD&WINE / GETTY IMAGES)
2023 :: FOOD & WINE :: PATAGONIA’S BREWERY COLLABORATIONS AIM TO HELP THE PLANET, ONE CRAFT BEER AT A TIME
Eleven well-known craft breweries will each make their own beers using a sustainable grain called Kernza. “Patagonia is thrilled to partner with these value-aligned breweries, all driven by delicious flavors, high quality ingredients, and responsible business and brewing practices,” said Paul Lightfoot, general manager of Patagonia Provisions. “Craft beer drinkers want great tasting beers made with clean ingredients that are better for the planet, and we look forward to bringing these beers to Patagonia customers and all beer lovers.”
PATAGONIA PROVISIONS/AMY KUMLER
2023 :: MEN’S JOURNAL :: KERNZA IS HOW BEER SAVES THE PLANET
Beer can’t save the world single-handedly, but Patagonia and 11 of America’s best craft brewers believe it can more than do its part. Patagonia Provisions, the food arm of the outdoor gear company, has since 2016 been collaborating on beers with Kernza, a regenerative, perennial grain that leaves its soil in better shape every season. This year, to show the grain’s potential in our favorite fizzy beverage, the outfitter teamed up with Sierra Nevada, Russian River, Rhinegeist, Allagash, Bang Brewing, and seven more environmentally-conscious brewing peers to create a sudsy spectrum of Kernza beers.
(COURTESY OF PATAGONIA PROVISIONS/PHOTO CREDIT: AMY KUMLER))
2023 :: AMERICAN CRAFT BEER :: PATAGONIA AND 11 CRAFT BREWERIES MAKE BEER USING SPECIAL SUSTAINABLE GRAIN
In an effort to scale organic and Regenerative Organic Certified ingredients, Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage business of outdoor apparel company Patagonia, has announced a new alliance with several American craft brewers…This inaugural cadre of breweries each produced an original easy-drinking Kernza lager, co-branded with Patagonia, brewed with regionally-sourced organic ingredients, and made available in their local area.
BANG BREWING
2023 :: CRAFTBEER.COM :: FIVE UNIQUE PLACES TO DRINK A BEER
These five U.S. breweries all make good beer. But for folks who have been there, they know that they’re in for an experience that doesn’t just stop there. There are stories behind each one, and they go beyond the beverages they serve. Bang’s brewery and taproom, dubbed The Bin, is a custom built prefab grain bin…established by husband and wife duo Jay and Sandy Boss Febbo who wanted to build something unique, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. As for the beer? It’s 100 percent organic. While Sandy says that many visitors are attracted to the distinctiveness of The Bin, they’re also drawn to the ever-changing list of rare beers. Bang also offers a serene beer garden, set amongst a natural prairie backdrop. It’s the perfect complement to an experience that’s already second to none, both in setting and in conservational focus.
PERENNIAL PANTRY
2023 :: BRING ME THE NEWS :: MINNESOTA COMPANIES DEBUT NEW FOODS, WHISKEY, MADE WITH KERNZA PERENNIAL GRAIN
Climate-conscious snacks and pantry staples are becoming easier to find. In St. Paul, small-batch brewery Bang Brewing has been brewing beer with the grain since 2017.
THE LAND INSTITUTE
2023 :: PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE :: PERENNIAL GRAINS: FOR BEER, BREAD AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
Saint Paul’s Bang Brewing, which uses organic ingredients, has tried Kernza for some of its recipes. Co-owner Sandy Boss Febbo likes its potential and hopes it will be a favorite of consumers down the road “I think when people think about the environmental impact of what they consume they definitely think about what’s on their plate before they think about what’s in their glass.”
DAVID ALVARADO
2022 :: GOOD BEER HUNTING :: SEEDS OF CHANGE — THE PROMISE (AND CHALLENGES) OF NEW BREWING GRAINS
“The brewers who are already incorporating Kernza are doing so very intentionally, with environmental issues top of mind. At Bang Brewing, Boss Febbo is working on a series called Perennial Percent, producing beers that include just 1% Kernza in the grain bill. It might not sound like a lot of grain, but she explains that it’s a way of modeling recipe development for larger regional or macro brewers, whose volumes mean that their support could make a substantial difference in the demand for Kernza.”
Twin Cities PBS
2022 :: TPT ALMANAC :: KERNZA | A NEW GRAIN
“I recently tried TINY a 1% Kernza IPA at Bang Brewing in Saint Paul, It’s one of two Kernza beers on the menu. The Owner/Brewer says even just 1% could make an impact if more breweries followed suit. (Owner/Brewer, Boss Febbo, says) ‘I really think that individual actions matter and how we tend our land, how it’s farmed, how we support soil health and water health — is a big deal’.“
THE LAND INSTITUTE
2022 :: GREAT LAKES ECHO :: PERENNIAL GRAINS: GREAT FOR BEER, BREAD AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
“Bang Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota, started working with Kernza in 2017, said Sandy Boss Febbo, the brewery’s co-owner and co-brewer. From its prefabricated construction, and native prairie and wildflower beer garden, to their use of all organic ingredients, the brewery was built with sustainability in mind, Boss Febbo said. So when they had the chance to brew with Kernza, they jumped on it. Kernza brings a nuttiness, as well as some spice, to the beers it’s used in. But its flavor changes depending on where it’s grown, a quirk similar to wine grapes that likely stems from deep roots, Boss Febbo said.
BRIAN PETERSON, STAR TRIBUNE
2022 :: STAR TRIBUNE :: SAINT PAUL GROUPS PLANT HUNDREDS OF TREES TO HELP NEIGHBORHOODS THRIVE
“Sandy and Jay Boss Febbo, owners of Bang Brewing, allowed the Creative Enterprise Zone to establish a gravel yard (adjacent to) their property last year to (tend) trees before they're planted in the ground. This year, the couple is helping water and tend to the saplings. "Any action that moves us toward more greening is beneficial," Sandy Boss Febbo said. "We are a dedicated organic brewery. Land and water stewardship is central to what we do and it's central to our community."
THE NEW BREWER - BREWERS ASSOCIATION
2022 :: THE NEW BREWER :: HIDDEN GEM
“Bang Brewing (2320 Capp Rd) is a one-of-a-kind experience inside a cozy grain bin that seats up to 50, with ample garden space surrounding the property. With a sustainable focus, they use organic ingredients and double down with a cordial vibe where everybody knows your name”
KURT BOONE
2021 :: UP MAGAZINE :: BANG IT! MURAL MEET 2021
“BANG IT ! MURAL MEET was held from May 20-23 2021 as the kick off event of Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival. In the Creative Enterprise Zone a city recognized industrial area in St. Paul, Minnesota. Showcase as a live mural painting event curated by Peyton Scott Russell. It feature early-career artists whose primary discipline is rooted in graffiti and street art. The opportunity to develop as a recognized public art muralist. The event also showcase advance students from Spray Finger Graffiti Education Program. A quote from curator Peyton Scott Russell from Chroma Zone webpage describe the event in more detail. “I have coined the name “Bang It ! Mural Meet to imply going hard and being focused on your craft, having a positive, aggressive impact on community, making a statement, being heard, meeting new artists and building a professional portfolio. It’s the main reason I’m seeking Graffiti Writers/Artists & Street Artists to open new avenues of community relations and to help provide opportunity to my community and culture. It also relates to the location of this event — Bang Brewing Company.”
ASHLEY SULLIVAN
2021 :: PARK BUGLE :: BANG BREWING FINDS OPPORTUNITY IN TOUGH TIMES
“We operate with a quadruple bottom line: people, planet, purpose, profit. Intentionally small. We have an opinion. We believe change happens by individual actions. Our scale and approach are about brewing awesome beer with the best ingredients in a space that allows us to share how we think it can be done. Better. With less. And every day is a reminder that we make our living one beer at a time.”
BANG BREWING
2020 :: MOSES ORGANIC BROADCASTER :: BANG BREWING, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TEAM UP TO CREATE ORGANIC BREWERS ALLIANCE
“The Organic Brewers Alliance is a start-up effort created to facilitate connections amongst organic brewers and organic farmers, maltsters, millers, and other producers. It aims to act as a conduit for the spread of information, products, and resources between current and future organic brewers and producers. This network will encourage the creation of stable markets for organic producers, connect brewer-to-brewer for establishing cooperative purchasing, help brewers source local or hard-to-find organic ingredients, and foster national support and demand for regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices. The market for organic beer and brewing ingredients is much smaller than conventional brewing, but the Organic Brewers Alliance aims to change this.”
JACOB JUNGERS
2020 :: CIVIL EATS :: CAN THE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY GRAIN KERNZA FINALLY HIT THE BIG TIME?
“Kernza is the product of decades of research by The Land Institute, which is developing other perennial crops in hopes of helping “displace the industrial, disruptive system of agriculture.” And 10 years after the research institute trademarked it, it’s proving to be a promising ingredient. “It works in beer, it works in crackers, pasta, salads and bread—and it’s delicious,” says Boss Febbo. She’s confident that when more people learn about the grain’s environmental benefits, “they’ll realize it’s a no-brainer.”
AUDREY RAUTH
2020 :: THE MINNESOTA DAILY :: GOING ‘AGAINST THE GRAIN’: UMN ESTABLISHING TOOL TO CONNECT FARMERS TO BREWERS
“In a partnership with the local Bang Brewing, University students are developing a searchable map to connect breweries with the organic grains they need.”
NOAH FISH, AGWEEK
2020 :: AGWEEK :: ST. PAUL BREWERY, U OF M TEAMS ESTABLISH ORGANIC BREWERS ALLIANCE
“In an effort to create a network of brewers and farmers who are using sustainable and organic practices, Bang has teamed up with the University of Minnesota to create the Organic Brewers Alliance.”
CYRIL CATON, CC VIA FLICK
2020 :: MPR NEWS :: ST. PAUL BREWERY, U OF M TEAM UP ON ORGANIC BREWERS ALLIANCE
“The rise in craft breweries means more people are drinking local these days. But it might surprise you to learn that a lot of the ingredients going into those brews aren’t local at all, and they’re likely not organic. Bang Brewing in St. Paul and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Minnesota are working together to change that. They’re launching the Organic Brewers Alliance, in the hopes of connecting brewers with farmers who are using sustainable practices.”
CAITLIN ABRAMS, MSP MAGAZINE
2020 :: MSP MAG :: YOUR GUIDE TO MINNESOTA PILSNERS
“An all-organic, local, and sustainably farmed pils with tremendous energy and vitality, Bang’s pils tastes earthier and more rustic than any other in town and is irresistible because of it.”
VIA THIS AMERICAN LAND
2020 :: THIS AMERICAN LAND :: FOREVER GREEN
“Researchers in Minnesota are developing perennial food crops that could revolutionize American agriculture.”
VIA PRAIRIE SPORTSMAN
2020 :: PBS PRAIRIE SPORTSMEN :: PADDLES AND KERNZA
“…an eco-friendly perennial that has potential in…beer.”
VIA PBS
2019 :: PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND :: HOW A NEW GRAIN COULD HELP COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE
“And, it turns out, Kernza’s great for brewing. Another local pioneer is Sandy Boss Febbo of the Bang Brewing Company in Saint Paul…has put four Kernza beers on tap.”
VIA CITY OF ST. PAUL
2019 :: BLOOMING SAINT PAUL :: AWARD WINNER, GOLD/LIFETIME
“Award for a business or institution that has beautified their storefront, plaza, grounds or outdoor seating area in an exemplary manner.”
2019 :: BRAUWELT :: BRAUEN MIT MEHRJÄHRIGEM GETREIDE?
Kennen Sie Kernza | Der Klimawandel stellt die Landwirtschaft vor zunehmende Herausforderungen – kreative Lösungen sind gefragt. Eine davon könnte mehrjähriges Getreide sein. In den USA gibt es Pioniere, die mit gutem Beispiel voran gehen und sich etwas trauen. Zu diesen Pionieren zählen Sandy Boss Febbo und ihr Mann Jay, Gründer von bang brewing, St. Paul, USA. Sie brauen mit Kernza®, einer neu gezüchteten Queckenart, die ein bis zu drei Meter tiefes Wurzelsystem ausbildet und bis zu sechs Jahre lang fruchtbar bleibt. Das ist natürlich nicht reinheitsgebotskonform, aber ein Blick über den Tellerrand lohnt sich allemal, wenn es um das Thema Nachhaltigkeit geht. Die BRAUWELT sprach mit Sandy Boss Febbo über die Besonderheiten dieses mehrjährigen Getreides, die Einsatzmöglichkeiten beim Bierbrauen und die Unternehmensphilosophie ihrer Brauerei.
LEILA NAVIDI, STAR TRIBUNE
2019 :: STAR TRIBUNE :: ALL ABOARD AND THIRSTY
“.6 mile from the light rail. Look for the silver grain bin. You can’t miss it. The round space feels bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside…it is intimate. The taproom is right in the brewery. From grain to yeast, every beer at Bang is 100% organic. One favorite is Farm, a farmhouse-style beer…"
2019 :: PIONEER PRESS :: IT’S PATIO SEASON! HERE’S THE GUIDE TO OUR FAVORITES
“…100 percent organic brewery in a grain bin can fit plenty more patrons on a warm weather day. While there enjoy the rain gardens, natural prairie and wildflowers."
MINNEVANGELIST VIA INSTAGRAM
2019 :: BUZZFEED :: 20 TWIN CITIES TAPROOMS TO VISIT
“St. Paul's most sustainable taproom serves ace organic ales (no milkshake IPAs or pastry stouts here!) from a custom-built grain bin on a secluded lot full of native plants and wild flowers. Swing by one weekend this summer for wood-fired pizza and a supremely dramatic sunset.”
ASHLEY SULLIVAN FOR CARA MAGAZINE
2019 :: AER LINGUS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE :: TWICE AS NICE
“Bang Brewing is unlike any other taproom in the Twin Cities, or, the rest of the country for that matter. Housed in a custom grain bin and serving a streamlined draught list of stictly organic ales. It’s about as small batch as beer gets. Show up around sunset on the weekend for dramatic views and the charred yet chewy Neapolitan-style pies of Northern Fires Pizza.”
RICK NELSON VIA STAR TRIBUNE
2019 :: STAR TRIBUNE :: 6 RESTAURANTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN ST. PAUL
“Peisert and his crew are now making their first-rate pizzas at an outdoor setup on a four-days-a-week schedule outside this sustainably minded brewery, playfully forged from a two-story grain bin (well done Alchemy Architects) and specializing in meticulously made organic lagers and ales …Beer, pizza and fresh air, an ideal summer-in-Minnesota combination.”
2018 :: MSP MAGAZINE :: WHERE TO SUPPORT WOMEN-RUN ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE TWIN CITIES
Sandy Boss Febbo is the majority owner in Bang, a most excellent organic brewery surrounded by native prairie plants, and a leader in brewing with perennial Kernza.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GRANT CORNETT, HELLO ARTISTS FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
2018 :: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC :: MENU OF THE FUTURE
“…and Bang Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota, offers a Kernza-forward brew.”
THE LAND INSTITUTE/PROVIDED
2018 :: CORNELL CHRONICLE :: KERNZA
“…a blonde ale made by Bang Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota…”
2018 :: CHARLIE AWARD :: FINALIST
“Beverage Innovator A professional who is doing innovative work with wine/beer/spirits, either as a brewer, mixologist, sommelier, craft soda producer or bartender”
2017 :: GROWLER MAGAZINE :: TRAILBLAZERS
“In addition to being the only brewery in Minnesota using exclusively organic ingredients, Bang has also been experimenting with the agricultural side of beer.”
2017 :: THE NATION :: THE GRAIN THAT TASTES LIKE WHEAT BUT GROWS LIKE PRAIRIE GRASS
“…the university has given several other local food vendors the chance to experiment with the new grain. A local microbrewery called Bang now makes a Kernza beer named Gold.”
2017 :: BLOOMING SAINT PAUL :: AWARD WINNER
“Award for a business or institution that has beautified their store front, plaza, grounds or outdoor seating area in an exemplary manner.”
2017 :: PIONEER PRESS :: PET FRIENDLY PATIO
“Upon arrival, Fido gets a treat from Minnesota-based organic snacks and food company Raw Bistro.”
2017 :: 507 MAGAZINE :: BANG BREWING GOES GRAIN TO GLASS
“A connection to the land isn’t a catchphrase but a way of life at Bang, where all the beer is organic. They brew in an American craft style that strikes a healthy balance between traditional and experimental.”
2017 :: PIONEER PRESS :: BEST PATIO
“A recent expansion of the existing brick patio now includes a steel-covered pavilion area providing some shade and additional picnic-bench seating. A fire pit with chairs is another new seating option. While there, enjoy the rain gardens, natural prairie and wildflowers.”
2017 SUSTAINABLE SAINT PAUL AWARDS :: WATER QUALITY & CONSERVATION
“Honoring individuals, businesses, and organizations that demonstrated outstanding commitment to responsible water management and conservation of water resources.”
MINNPOST PHOTO BY BILL LINDEKE
2016 :: MINNPOST :: RUNOFF AND RAIN GARDENS
“With its new patio, opened this year, the brewery has achieved a new level of sustainable architecture.”
AARON DAVIDSON
2016 :: GROWLER MAGAZINE :: BREWER PROFILE: BANG BREWING’S JAY AND SANDY BOSS FEBBO
“The first thing to know about Jay and Sandy Boss Febbo is that their stories are best told when both of them are there to tell them. Where Jay remembers things in sweeping panoramas, Sandy recalls details like specific dates and measurements, pivotal moments in a conversation, and how the light looked as it reflected off the bright greens of a northern Michigan hop field during harvest. Separately, the information informs. Told in unison, it sings.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOFF WARNER
2015 :: SUSTAINABLE SAINT PAUL AWARDS :: GREEN PRODUCTS AWARD
“The brewing center is a uniquely purpose built facility with an emphasis on green design and environmental stewardship. The entirety of the highly efficient operation is housed in a 1,300 square foot partial pre-fab grain bin designed in concert with STP’s Alchemy Architects.”
2015 :: BIÉRES ET PLAISIRS
“Difficile de trouver microbrasserie plus cool que Bang Brewing Co.”
STAR TRIBUNE
2015 :: STAR TRIBUNE :: BEST TAPROOM IN SAINT PAUL
“The corrugated steel corn crib looks out of place among the warehouses in an industrial district north of University Avenue, but the only grain in this bin is used to make beer, because this is the home of Bang Brewing.”
TJ TURNER FOR MINNESOTA MONTHLY
2015 :: MN MONTHLY :: BEST NEW BREWS
“Bang focuses on a limited line of clean and distinct brews created with organic hops and a casual house-party atmosphere…”
2015 :: METRO TRANSIT COMMUTER CHOICE :: HONORABLE MENTION
“Bang Brewing hosts the only on-street bike parking corral in St. Paul.”
MSP MAGAZINE
2014 :: MSP MAG :: BEST OF THE TWIN CITIES
“If you're going to have a brewery and taproom all in one room, you might as well maximize the space and make it circular. And since you're making it circular, you might as well just go ahead and use a 1,300-square-foot grain bin as your structure.”
GAFFER PHOTOGRAPHY
2014 :: ARCHITECTURE MN :: TIP TOP TAP
“Bang Brewing’s building, designed by Alchemy Architects, is new construction, but it inventively reuses old materials. The deck, for example, is composed of heavy wood planks that used to surface Minneapolis’ West River Parkway along the central riverfront, and owners Sandy and Jay Boss Febbo clad the wall behind the bar with wood fencing discarded by a neighbor. Jay laughs that the material cost them ‘zero dollars per lineal foot.’”
SUMMIT BREWING COMPANY
2014 :: STAR TRIBUNE :: BREWING TOGETHER, COLLABORATION BEERS
“For In Cahoots, Stutrud and Summit brewer Mike Lundell joined forces with fellow St. Paul outfit Bang Brewing to revive a sparkling ale that Summit discontinued in 1994 (no relation to Summit’s new knockout Southern Cape Sparkling Ale). Mining Summit’s vault and naming the beer “Mark” after Stutrud was Bang’s idea — a nod to the microbrew pioneer, but made in accordance with Bang’s all-organic ethos.”
ALCHEMY
2013 :: ARCH DAILY :: BANG BREWING / ALCHEMY ARCHITECTS
Bang Brewing Company was opened 2013 by a husband and wife team who established the first 100% organic brewery in the Midwest. The owners wanted the building and the process to reflect the qualities of their product…Selecting a purpose-built grain bin saved on build costs, and provided a high volume to exterior surface area ratio for energy and material conservation.
ISABEL SUBTIL / HEAVY TABLE
2013 :: HEAVY TABLE :: BANG BREWING IN ST. PAUL
“With its off-the-beaten path location, unique space, thoughtful product and overall ethos, Bang Brewing has admirably transformed a sliver of forgotten industrial wasteland into a bright, warm, and promising organic brewery. It all comes together so nicely and unexpectedly, we leave feeling like there might not be a problem in the world a little beer can’t solve.”