Marta Christianson introduced her friend and business neighbor, John Hayes, from the Enki Brewing company in Victoria. John’s establishment has been open for 2 ½ years, and he spoke to us first in March 2014. At that time, there were 43 craft beer companies in Minnesota; now there are over 100, placing the state 17th in the nation. Although the small-brewer industry is growing, John did not think the larger manufacturers are worried about losing much of their sales. Most independent brewers welcome the “competition” because they spread the interest and promote attention to craft beers. Minnesota legislation has supported his industry, although not seemingly in a logical way. Enki’s business strategy has stayed the same in the midst of rapid changes, much as our Four Way Test remains a constant within the Rotary world. Trust, Loyalty and Integrity remain values for Enki. Their mission is “To make the world a better place, two beers at a time.” For those reading the labels on the two bottles of beer from Enki, John explained the numbers indicate the percentage Alcohol By Volume (ABV) and International Bitterness Units (IBU), which represents the amount of hops used in the beer. Higher # = more “hoppy” taste.
For more information about Enki, visit their Tap Room at 7929 Victoria Drive, Victoria, MN 55386. Phone: 952-300-8408. On line: http://www.enkibrewing.com/
