A look at Kilstone Brewery

By Krissy Ness

Two months ago Kilstone Brewery opened in Fargo. Located on Seventh Street in north Fargo, this brewery is tucked among the many warehouse buildings in an industrial area. The owners of Kilstone Brewery started their business among family and close friends.

As a resident of the Fargo-Moorhead area, I think it is a great thing to see in our community. Actually, my first thought about Kilstone was, “No, it is not a sheep farm!” (If you Google Kilstone as of right now you will be lead to a farm. Instead type in 764 34th St N Suite R Fargo, ND, and you will see the signs pointing to the great brewery.)

As you walk up to the facility, you will be greeted by happy patrons relaxing on the front patio and drinking a wide variety of beers, from the Watermelon Wheat to the Rock’n Bossanova Brown. One of the first things you see when you walk in the door is a beautiful nature mural painted on the beer cooler by “Artguy” Chuck Hues, a close family friend. I found the space very inviting, not only due to the warm lighting, but also because of the friendly staff!

I had the chance to sit down with Brock Wigen, one of the brewers, and I asked him a few questions about his business. Meanwhile, Brock served me a wonderful flight of beer -- but we will get more into that in a little bit.

HPR: Who built this beautiful bar?

Brock Wigen: My cousin and uncle built this bar together.

HPR: Who is the owner of Kilstone, and who do you have working here right now?

BW: My father, Randy Wigen, is the owner along with the help of my mother. My brother, Grant, and I are the brewers, and we work in the taproom on a day-to-day basis.

HPR: How did you come up with the name Kilstone?

BW: (Laughs) I wish I had a great story to tell you, but ultimately, Randy, my father, wanted the word rock or stone in the name and we agreed on this.

HPR: What is your best-selling beer?

BW: Our Watermelon Wheat is selling like crazy, and to add a little kick to our wheat beer we include a slice of watermelon on the side of the glass as a garnish.

HPR: What new beers can we look forward to tasting from Kilstone?

BW: We have an imperial IPA and a porter waiting to be tapped!

HPR: When can we expect to see Kilstone distributed around the Fargo area?

BW: Our short-term goal is to get set up in the tap-filling stations at Happy Harry’s, and our long-term goal is to be distributing within the year.

Watermelon Wheat(ABV 4.2, IBU 19) It’s delicious. I am not a typical wheat drinker. In fact I have only found a few that really impressed me, and the hint of watermelon in this beer really gives it a juicy kick. There is a hazy, off-yellow color, and a medium body with a heavy scent of watermelon on the nose right away.

Iron Stone Irish Red(ABV 5.2, IBU 20) This victory malt has a semi-nutty flavor,transparent red color and a light body, and it is easy to drink on a hot summer day.

Polyphonic Pale Ale (ABV 5.3, IBU 64)This ale is burnt orange in color, light bodied, smells sweet on the nose, and is made with centennial and cascade hops. Starts sweet, with an unexpected bitter tingle on the tongue, and finishes crisp and clean.

Cheap Date Golden(ABV 4.2, IBU 19) With a golden color, light body and corn-like scent on the nose, it is the perfect beer for those who don’t want an overly hoppy beer. This would be a great beer to take to the lake and enjoy.

Session IPA (ABV 4.7, IBU 92) Come get this experimental Session IPA while you still can. With a translucent copper color, light bodied and at 4.7 percent ABV, this is a great session brew to enjoy, with a nice easy finish.

Rock'n Bossanova Brown (ABV 4.5, IBU 30) This one has a beautiful brown/deep-red color. Victory malt gives it the nutty flavor and taste. This one is easy drinking with a slight sweet finish.

Don’t forget to grab a pin, t-shirt, glassware and, of course, a growler when you visit Kilstone. You will be met with a friendly face and a great beer!