![]("//site-jg3xhs3p.dewsecdn1.dotezcdn.com/uploads/o/d6553ac358094eed90a7d4d9c95f3857.png?v=242102084925")
Every brewery name has a story behind it. Some are inspired by family tradition, some by clever brewing terms, and some by jokes scribbled on a napkin late at night.
For us, the name Kinney Creek Brewery is deeply rooted in Southeastern Minnesota history, local geography, and the journey that brought craft beer back to Rochester after nearly a century away.
To answer the question we get all the time — yes, Kinney Creek is a real creek. It runs just south of town near Predmore, Minnesota. Long before the brewery existed, the creek was already woven into Southeastern Minnesota’s story.
When it came time to name the brewery, founder Donovan Seitz wanted something that felt authentically local. Not trendy. Not manufactured. Something people could recognize and connect with. As it turns out, Donovan’s brewing journey actually started right there next to Kinney Creek.
The name reflects where we come from and who we brew for: Rochester and the surrounding communities.
As much as this story is about local roots and community connection, it is also about bringing independent craft brewing back to Rochester after generations without it.
Rochester’s last production brewery was shut down in 1922 all thanks to the dark era known as Prohibition. Even after Prohibition ended in 1933, outdated laws and regulations made brewing beer within city limits nearly impossible.
For decades, the idea of a production brewery in Rochester remained just that — an idea.
Then came someone stubborn enough to change it.
For more than two and a half years, Donovan worked tirelessly to help overturn Rochester’s outdated alcohol laws and push the city toward a modern craft beer future. It was a long process filled with city meetings, endless negotiations, mountains of paperwork, and probably more frustration-induced beers than anyone could count — but the mission never changed: bring brewing back to Rochester.
On December 7, 2012, Kinney Creek Brewery officially opened its taproom doors.
It wasn’t just the opening of a brewery — it marked the beginning of a new chapter for Rochester’s craft beer culture.
From the very beginning, Kinney Creek Brewery was built to be more than just a place to grab a pint.
It became a gathering place.
Over the years, Kinney Creek helped encourage changes to local laws surrounding craft beer sales, including off-sale purchasing hours and Sunday sales. The brewery also became the first production taproom in Rochester to serve cooked-to-order food like Heggies and Firehouse Pizza — something that now feels completely normal, but at the time was another step forward for the local brewery scene.
Today, Kinney Creek continues to evolve while staying true to what made it special in the first place: community, creativity, and a passion for craft beverages.
Whether you stop in for a flight, live music, bingo night, a few cans to go, or just your favorite regular pour, you’re a part of the story too.
Because Kinney Creek Brewery was never just about beer.
It was about creating a place where people could gather, connect, celebrate, and feel at home — one pint at a time.
And that story is still being written every single day.
Not bad for a little creek south of town.