A Surly Story that Led
to a Microbrewery Revolution
Toll Gas and Surly Brewing: A Case Study
With the explosion in popularity of the microbrewery over the past few years, it might be hard to believe there was once a time when finding a great craft beer wasn’t as easy as taking a drive into the trendier areas of the city, but the micro-brewery is a relatively new- and welcome – addition to the urban landscape. Leading the way of this drafthouse revolution is Minnesota’s beloved Surly Brewing Co. In 2006, Omar Ansari, an avid home-brewing aficionado enlisted the help of Todd Haug, a noted local brewmaster, to turn his family’s abrasives factory into the Twin Cities’ pioneering brewing hotspot. Known for their bold, rock-and-roll branding as well as their intensely hop-flavored lagers, ales and IPAs, Surly Brewing has led the microbrewery revolution.
The Toll Gas/Surly Brewery Partnership
Toll Gas has been a proud ally in the Surly rebellion. We jumped onboard the Surly train early, supplying them with the CO2 and Nitrogen gases needed to produce top quality drafts full of ebullient flavor. “No one wants flat beer!” says Mike Blomberg, Facilities Manager at Surly. “We heard about Toll Gas through word of mouth on the street. We knew they had an excellent reputation for being a full-service provider and for being a reliable partner, so we knew Toll Gas was the right choice to provide us with our CO2 and Nitrogen needs.” As Surly’s brand recognition and offerings have grown, so has the role of Toll Gas in their production.
“Toll Gas has helped us move to a significantly increased CO2 tank size, and always ensures that we stay ahead of our gas usage curve. They have been an integral part of our growth goals.”
Mike Bloomberg, Facilities Manager
Commitment to Service, Eye Towards the Future
When asked what Surly values the most about their partnership with Toll, Mike doesn’t hesitate. “For sure it’s their incredible commitment to service. I can’t tell you how many times we have called after hours with emergency situations, and someone is always there to help us solve the problem quickly.” As with all of our customers, Toll Gas strives to provide the needs for today, and the vision for tomorrow. Helping Surly gauge what their future needs will be and being proactive is a major factor in what has cemented this alliance. “Being with a team that knows our needs and can proactively meet them was a huge part of why we chose to work with Toll Gas,” says Mike. “They also supply all our welding gas and tool needs, so the ability to get all those needs met at one place is great for us. We would absolutely recommend Toll Gas to anyone.”
A Winning Recipe
With around 90 new beers coming out this year, we are poised and ready to support Surly Brewing Company’s exponential growth. As they continue to expand into new territories, Toll Gas will continue to provide Surly with unparalleled service and commitment to excellence so that new flavors can be developed, production stays on track, and the brews stay full of pop and power.