Jack Pine Brewery: From Garage Hobby to Baxter's Community Hub

Picture a math and physics major hunched over a brew kettle in his garage, meticulously logging temperatures and pH levels while his buddies sample the results. For 12 years, Patrick Sundberg perfected his hobby—not because he dreamed of running a brewery, but because he loved the science behind fermentation. Then one day, he looked around the Brainerd Lakes area and realized something was missing: there wasn't a single craft brewery within 100 miles.

That observation changed everything. In January 2013, Sundberg opened Jack Pine Brewery in Baxter, becoming the first person to brew commercial beer in the region since Prohibition ended 90 years earlier. What started as a modest operation in a garage-style space, brewing 100 gallons at a time, has evolved into something far bigger than beer—a community gathering place that locals call their "living room."

The Accidental Entrepreneur

Sundberg never intended to become Mr. Pine, as regulars now call him. The double major worked quality control and engineering jobs around central Minnesota, content with his steady desk work and air-conditioned office. But weekend home brewing offered an escape from spreadsheets, and his involvement with home brewing clubs across the state sparked a realization: Minnesota's craft beer scene was exploding everywhere except here.

"I started Jack Pine to get away from my desk job," Sundberg admits with a laugh. "I loved technology and science, but I got sick of working at a desk. So I turned my hobby into a career."

The transition wasn't impulsive. Sundberg spent four years building a business plan, attending brewery startup courses at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, and working with the Small Business Development Center at Central Lakes College. He brewed his signature Duck Pond Nut Brown Ale 20 to 30 times as a home brewer before ever selling a pint. His wife Sara—affectionately known as "Money Lady" around the brewery—initially worried about the risk but eventually came around as the numbers started to make sense.

"When I could convince her it wasn't a dumb idea, that was the turning point," Sundberg says.

Timing proved crucial. Just as Sundberg was planning his launch, Minnesota passed the taproom law in 2011, allowing breweries to sell pints directly to customers on-site. That high-margin revenue stream made small startups like Jack Pine viable. When the brewery opened its doors in January 2013, it joined just 38 other craft breweries statewide. Today, that number exceeds 200.

Video Credit: Lakeland PBS

The Science of Small-Batch Brewing

Walk into Jack Pine's production area, and you'll find Sundberg's engineering background on full display. Temperature controls, water chemistry readings, and detailed brewing logs reflect his belief that great beer requires both art and science. But despite the gleaming stainless-steel equipment in the current facility—opened after outgrowing the original location—the work remains physically demanding.

"People think we've got fancy automation now, but we're still throwing 50-pound hoses and raking grain by hand," Sundberg explains. "You've got to be a really big brewery before you can just punch buttons and brew."

That hands-on approach extends to recipe development. Sundberg's Dead Branch Cream Ale, the brewery's light, easy-drinking brew, draws inspiration from pre-Prohibition styles—crisp, refreshing, and approachable for newcomers. For more adventurous drinkers, there's Vengeance, a jalapeño cream ale that won medals despite Sundberg's personal aversion to spicy food.

The pepper beer emerged almost by accident. As part of a community-supported agriculture program, Sundberg received a huge bag of jalapeños and had no idea what to do with them. As a "true born and bred Minnesotan where ketchup is spicy," he chopped one up as a joke and threw it in a growler of Dead Branch. The fresh pepper flavor melded surprisingly well with the beer's light profile.

"I can do about half a glass of Vengeance, and that's about it for me," Sundberg admits. "But balancing heat and flavor without making it taste like drinking salsa—that's where the science comes in."

More Than Beer

For someone who describes himself as an introvert—"I need equal time alone after socializing to recharge"—Sundberg has become an unlikely community figure. Beyond running the brewery, he serves on the Baxter City Council, recently navigating the contentious 210/371 highway vote. But it's the taproom that reveals his biggest surprise: Jack Pine isn't really a beer business at all.

"We bring people together," Sundberg says. "We happen to do that with beer, but our main goal is to be a third space—a community living room."

That philosophy comes alive twice monthly through Pints for a Purpose nights, held the first and third Wednesday of each month, when local nonprofits receive a portion of the evening's sales. Sundberg books these partnerships a full year ahead—the entire 2026 calendar is already committed to organizations ranging from youth sports programs to food shelves and animal rescues. While summer dates naturally pack the taproom, even January Wednesdays draw neighbors willing to brave subzero temperatures for causes they believe in.

Families play cribbage at the tables. Dogs lounge on the summer patio. The brewery hosts fundraisers, private events, and gatherings that have little to do with alcohol consumption. Sundberg stocks non-alcoholic options alongside his award-winning beers because he knows not everyone drinks—but everyone needs a place to belong.

"Seeing people gathered here, having a blast—that feeds my heart and soul way more than the beer does," he reflects.

Navigating Industry Headwinds

Like craft breweries nationwide, Jack Pine faces challenges. Last year marked the first time production dipped as Americans drink less beer overall. Sundberg experimented with THC-infused beverages but plans to discontinue them due to slow sales. He's learned that not every trend fits his brand—and he refuses to put the Jack Pine stamp on anything he doesn't fully believe in.

Competition has also evolved. When Jack Pine opened, it stood alone for about 18 months. Now several breweries operate in the Brainerd Lakes area. But Sundberg welcomes the company, viewing fellow brewers as collaborators rather than rivals. They share ingredients, cross-promote each other's events, and collectively create beer tourism that benefits everyone.

"We all have our own niches," he says. "When there were three of us, people started coming up to hit all the breweries. That's good for everybody."

The brewery's current focus prioritizes consistency and community over expansion. Sundberg still personally approves every recipe, maintains detailed brewing logs, and ensures each pint meets his exacting standards. At its core, Jack Pine remains what it's always been: a neighborhood spot where the beer is good, the welcome is warm, and everyone knows your name—even if they insist on calling you Mr. Pine.

Legacy Beyond the Pint Glass

Ask Sundberg what he's most proud of, and the answer comes quickly: raising his two kids—one was just a year old when the brewery opened—while building a business that created countless memories for strangers who became friends.

"Whether we keep doing this or not, those memories won't go away," he says. "That's what matters."
If the brewery closed tomorrow, Sundberg would return to home brewing in his garage, content to tinker with recipes and temperature logs. But he'd miss the social aspect—connecting with people over a pint, seeing neighbors gather for no reason other than to be together.

For now, Jack Pine continues pouring beer and building community in equal measure. The brewery's Fall Festival, Jacktoberfest, draws hundreds of people who return year after year not just for the beer, but for the feeling of belonging. That intangible quality—the sense that this place is theirs—might be Sundberg's greatest achievement.

In an era when small towns struggle to maintain gathering spaces and craft breweries face economic pressures, Jack Pine proves that success isn't just about profit margins or production volume. It's about creating something that outlasts the beer itself: a place where neighbors become friends, where families make memories, and where a math geek with a passion for fermentation accidentally built what every community needs—a living room where everyone's welcome.

Have you visited Jack Pine Brewery or another local gathering spot that feels like community? I'd love to hear what makes these places special to you. Email me at joshua@lakesareanewsletter.com.