Dissatisfied brewery. Satisfying brews.
The Disgruntled Brewing formula is simple: Combine our slightly-gruff, admittedly never-quite-satisfied brewers with the world’s best ingredients, and then stand back and marvel as we produce one great beer after another. Ales. Lagers. Stouts. Wheat beers. Specialties. Seasonals. German. Belgian. Russian. One taste and you’ll know this is Midwest brewing at its finest.
Here in greater Minnesota we appreciate a bit of challenge, long winters, arguing that it's pop (definitely not soda), and repeatedly assuring the 49 other states that the best childhood game is Duck, Duck, Grey Duck. Here we don't settle for easy, and if we can grumble through a May blizzard, we certainly can persist until we create the perfect beers.
180 miles north of the Twin Cities and 65 miles east of Fargo - Perham, MN is a destination worth the trip. See if you are up to the challenge and come find us, tucked away in the Northwoods of Perham. At Disgruntled Brewing, grumpiness is good , but it won't last long once you try a sip of our brews.
Grumpy is good.
Reintroducing the beer that made Milwaukee jealous:
About
WonderBrew
Peter Schroeder built a brewery outside Perham near the Otter Tail River in 1876, and hired Andrew Fellerer as brewmaster in the mid 1880’s. Andrew was trained in the craft of brewing beer with his brother at Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee.
Together the Schroeder/Fellerer pair built a reputation for quality, their beer being described regionally as ‘the celebrated lager beer of Perham.’ This lager was called WonderBrew and made the brewery well-loved throughout the Midwest.
WonderBrew became such a favorite that it released a label proclaiming it to be “The Beer that Makes Milwaukee Jealous” until a Milwaukee company did become jealous and sued. Lindenwood Park, just downhill from the brewery, was a popular gathering place for Perham residents who would gather Sundays on the lawn for games of checkers and to enjoy their favorite beer for just the standard 5 cents. Andrew Fellerer was the great grandfather of one of Disgruntled's current owners. Come sip on the past with us! Nothing tops WonderBrew but the foam.
THE VAT
Chuck Johnson, Perham local and former journalist for Perham's newspaper, salvaged a historical beer vat from the Schroeder's Northern Pacific Brewery during its demolition, recognizing its significance as a rare piece of Perham's brewing history. Johnson stored the massive oak vat in pieces for years before partnering with Disgruntled Brewing to give it a proper home.
After Johnson completed an extensive restoration involving reassembling 45 custom-cut staves, the vat was transported to Disgruntled in 2023, where it now stands as a centerpiece of local brewing heritage. The vat is not only a tribute to the town’s history but also reconnects with the lineage of Perham's original brewmaster, Peter Schroeder, through one of the brewery's new owners, Doug Huebsch.
Swing by Disgruntled to see it for yourself! And make sure to snap a picture in the vat with Disgruntled's iconic thumbs down!
Pictured Left to Right:
Chuck Johnson- led the restoration
Dave Line- assisted restoration
Dan O'Boyle- Disgruntled manager
