It wasn’t Black Friday, the premiere of a new Star Wars film or the impound lot the day after a snow emergency. Instead, the long line of people on 13th Avenue and 2nd Street NE were anxiously awaiting the release of Dangerous Man’s Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout aged in bourbon barrels.
“I’ve been here since about 8:40 a.m.,” laughed J.D. Hovland of Moundsview. Hovland has been coming to Dangerous Man for roughly four of the five years it’s been open. When asked what makes Dangerous Man stand out from the other breweries, Hovland said, “The integrity. They’ve been committed to keeping it small, keeping it the highest quality as possible before expanding. I really respect that.”
Just before the doors opened at noon, owner and head brewer Rob Miller walked outside with his father to shake hands with the many people waiting in line. “Thank you so much … this means a lot to us,” he said as he shook their hands.
Afterward, Miller walked back through the alley to the brewery. When asked how he feels after seeing the people lined up for his beer, Miller said, “Overwhelmed, incredible, it’s beyond what I ever thought. It’s amazing to see the support. This couldn’t happen anywhere else.”
Below: More than a hundred people lined up outside of Dangerous Man to grab a bottle (or two) of their exclusive Chocolate Milk Stout aged in bourbon barrels. Only 1,000 bottles were produced. Bottle #1 went to J.D. Hovland of Moundsview, who was the first in line at 8:40 a.m. on Jan. 20, and proudly displayed the first bottle at the door. “I’ll probably share the first bottle with friends and hang on to the other for a year to see how it ages,” said Hovland. (Photos by Mike Madison)