See The New Tilion Article In This Week’s Cannon Falls Beacon

by Ken Haggerty

Tilion Brewing Company LLC is a start-up which plans on opening a production brewery and taproom this Fall on Mill Street in downtown Cannon Falls in the old Stone Mill building across from the Cannon River Winery.

The owners are hosting informational meetings for potential investors this month. One of three partners in Tilion, Chris Larson, says they are looking to raise the remaining money for construction costs for building improvements to the interior.

The first meeting is Thursday, March 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.at the Winery.

A second meeting is set for Saturday, March 19 at the Cannon Falls VFW from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Meetings will offer information on the business venture and will include a limited Tilion beer sampling. Over 21 can register for limited spots at the meetings at tilionbrewing.com. If unable to attend, investing information is available at the website.

Tilion is offering equity ownership to Minnesotans over the age of 21. The minimum investment amount is $5,000 and it includes an ownership stake in Tilion Brewing Company as well as two free beers for life in the taproom every day of operation.

Investments are offered under the Small Corporate Offering Registration (SCOR) program, registered with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

Tilion is Larson and his brother, Scott, and life-long friend Ryan Seabright. All three are Rochester natives.

Chris Larson had originally bought Scott a brew kit as something the two could enjoy together before Scott deployed to Afghanistan. While Scott was deployed, Chris became more and more involved in brewing, eventually buying more and better equipment and making his own recipes from scratch.

Around 2013, the three partners started to get serious about the idea of opening a brewery. In 2015, partnering with the Cannon Falls Economic Development Authority and the Grow Cannon Falls group helped move the plans forward.

Chris Larson said they want to be a destination brewery and Cannon Falls is in a good location for that between the Twin Cities and Rochester. He said Cannon Falls is already a destination for bikers, canoers, tubers, Fair-goers, Winery visitors, and other Festival and event attendees. Tilion hopes to capitalize on that aspect of Cannon Falls with its site situated right above the Little Cannon River falls.

Larson said there are other similar businesses in Faribault, Northfield and Red Wing that could be tied together to form a brewery trail tour, similar to what area wineries have done.

They also hope to embrace the entire “Made-in-Minnesota artisan movement” by welcoming various craftsman to display wares at their taproom. He mentioned potters, bowtie makers, cheese and honey makers as some examples.

The business plan is to be a production brewery with a taproom, not a brew pub. They will not operate a kitchen, but hope visitors bring food in from other Mill Street establishments. A catered Friday Night Fish Fry is an event Larson envisions as a possibility down the line.

Chris Larson’s day job for 15 years has been a consultant in the restaurant business and he says he knows the challenges involved in that industry.

Once the brewery is up and running, Larson said they aim to sell 64 ounce growlers, 32 ounce growlettes, 715 ml cans, and 22 ounce bombers (traditional crown capped bottles).

Hours would be similar to the Winery, possibly Wednesday through Sunday to start.

There would be six flagship beers with quarterly rotated seasonal beers.

The Tilion name is based on an Icelandic word meaning “to craft.”