BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Talking Waters opened its downtown taproom in Montevideo five years ago. It has been attracting new visitors to the downtown ever since. From left are the founding partners, Nick Patton, John Skoglund and Phil Zachman. Talking Waters
Talking Waters marches onward Demand for quality craft beer stretches beyond western Minnesota BY TOM CHERVENY West Central Tribune
MONTEVIDEO — Three partners opened Talking Waters Brewing Company in 2016 to meet a need. “All three of us realized there was a lack of good beer in rural, western Minnesota,” said Nick Patton. Five years later, only one thing has changed: The demand for quality craft beer extends beyond the western Minnesota prairie they call home. Partners Phil Zachman, John Skoglund and Patton have seen steady growth in the sales of Talking Waters craft beers from the day they opened their doors in downtown Montevideo in July 2016. They’ve added vats and production capacity to grow from brewing 89 barrels of beer in the first six months of operations to a 700-barrel-a-year pace today.
They opened up with expectations that their downtown taproom would account for 95% of their sales. They’ve since discovered that the demand for their product extends as far as the metropolitan area to the east, and throughout much of western Minnesota. Today, about 50% of their product is sold off-site through restaurants, bars and liquor stores, and the remainder at the taproom. Patton said he would not be surprised to see the ratio of outside-to-taproom sales rise to 60-40, possibly 70-30 in the years ahead. Good beer explains much of the venture’s success. Talking Waters has built a solid reputation in the craft brewing industry for its beers. Along with continuing to brew their favorites, the partners continue to offer new beers on a regular basis.
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Patton and Skoglund both came into this venture as passionate home brewers, and Zachman quickly caught the fever as well. They love to research and experiment. They also credit their success to the rise in craft brewing all around the state, and the willingness of fellow brewers to share information and ideas. “It’s more collaborative than competitive,” said Patton of the craft brewing industry. “It’s like the rising tide lifts all ships,” he explained. Brewers realize the importance of quality, and know the industry will not grow if customers encounter inferior products. Talking Waters’ name is all about Montevideo’s location near Lac qui Parle Lake, which is translated from French as “the lake that speaks.”
