By Michelle M. Sharp, Founder and Content Creator of Meet the Minnesota Makers
| WHO: | Tilion Brewing Company | ||
| WHAT: | Craft Beers for Crafty People | ||
| SIGNATURE PRODUCTS: | Mango Milkshake, Peanut Butter Cocoa Beers | ||
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WHERE: IN-PERSON: WEBSITE: |
Cannon Falls Tap Room in Cannon Falls open Wed-Sun |
Chris Larson thought brewing beer with his brother Scott would be a fun thing to do before his brother deployed to Afghanistan with the US Army in 2008.
Enjoying their home brewed creation together after the year long deployment in a country without alcohol felt like a positive way to mark the time.
With a home brew kit from Northern Brewer on Grand Avenue, Chris set to work so that when Scott returned, the beer would be ready. “I figured I would learn how to brew beer and that would be that,” reflects Chris. “Like most hobbies, it either catches you or it doesn’t. When it catches you, you’re all in. I quickly became one of those people who told everyone I knew—hey, I home brew. Do you want to try my beer?”
FINDING A SECOND HOME
Fast forward several years and Chris, his brother Scott Larson, and friend Ryan Seabright teamed up to launch Tilion Brewing Company in Cannon Falls. Their location search started in St Paul, but a series of happy connections, coincidences, and a bit of luck brought them south to a scenic spot overlooking the Cannon River.
“Cannon Falls has been an amazing partner for building our business,” shares Chris. “They worked with us from the beginning to help us succeed. We have a wonderful synergy with the winery across the street. We’ve worked with CannonBelles since they opened and sell a lot of cheese curds in house. We are grateful to be a part of the Cannon Falls community and are humbled by their support of our work.”
Tilion brews a wide variety of beer in order to have something for everyone in their audience. On a summer day you’ll find a mix of locals, day trippers, and cyclists who stop for a drink before returning to the trail enjoying the patio views. Chris has found that they’ve become a popular rest stop for people traveling between the Twin Cities and Rochester.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The name of the brewery is full of flavor as well. They initially proposed the name Snowbank Brewing, but it turned out that someone in Colorado was 
opening a brewery under that name as well. During a trip to Iceland, Chris and his wife visited a craft beer bar in downtown Reykjavik. A discussion about the Icelandic word for “craft” inspired linguistic massaging of an old Norwegian word into Tilion.
For the founders, the word Tilion celebrated their commitment to craft beer, honored the founding partners Norwegian heritage, and simply sounded cool.
They later learned that Tilion is not an invented word. Patrons sometimes ask about the connection to Lord of the Rings given that Tilion is a Maia who guided the moon. It also turns out to be a popular male first name in the Balkans. “We learned this after developing an Eastern European following on social media. We hope some of our namesakes come to visit our Minnesota brewery one day,” laughs Chris.
BREWING CONNECTIONS
A signature element of Tilion’s brewing schedule is that it happens on weekends. “I always found it disappointing to visit a brewery and find the brew house dark. Nobody was there,” says Chris. “Even worse the lingering smell would more likely be the cleaning products than anything to do with what was just brewed.”
Every weekend Chris makes sure that guests can see and smell the magic that goes into crafting their pours. “Some say it’s a little stinky, but I think
it smells like bread baking,” states Chris. “When you add the hops there is a particular aroma that people really like. Then they’re the most likely to come over and ask me questions. I love having those interactions.”
Whether talking about the beer they’re drinking, the beauty of the building or why they’re at the brewery that day, those human interactions fuel the richness of the community. As Chris says, “It makes my day to hear that feedback, to have those interactions. It’s so important to let people be curious. It makes me feel like all the stuff we went through to open the brewery, to survive COVID, and to build our space was worth it.”
When you enter the Tilion Brewing building, you instantly have a tour of the full operation thanks to the building’s design. You can easily see the whole brew house when you walk in. The staff doesn’t schedule official tours, but they’re happy to talk you through their process and share the story of what’s on tap
WHAT’S ON TAP
Tilion’s menu boasts a lot of variety. The menu always includes hoppy things, a few lagers, some ales and something hazy. They include a lot of fruit in their beer to compliment the flavor palette of the Cannon River Winery’s wines across the street. While their light lager is consistently a crowd pleaser, Mango Milkshake, Peanut Butter Cocoa, and Key Lime Pie have enthusiastic fan followings. Chris also incorporates hints of 
marshmallow in select brews—another popular move.
Tilion’s barley is grown throughout the Midwest and malted in Wisconsin. Their base ingredients are simple: whole frozen fruit without pectins and hops directly purchased from Yakima Valley. Their beer is vegan, with the exception of those with marshmallow. There’s no fish bladder, ice or glass to clear the beer. What you see and taste is the result of real ingredients, a brewer’s care, and time.
“We invite everyone to give us a try,” concludes Chris. “We’re part of this makers’ community here in Cannon Falls. We have a really unique small town with a lot of producers for its size. Simply put, we’re an awesome place to live and visit. Come and see for yourself.”
GET IN TOUCH
Tilion Brewing is one of three makers presenting at the September 20 Taste Makers Class at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Sample their several beers from their current menu and learn more about what drives Chris to create. Register through the Arboretum website. arb.umn.edu/learn/taste-makers-cannon-falls
Visit tilionbrewing.com for more about Tilion’s craft beer for crafty people. 
Follow Tilion on Facebook and Instagram for trivia nights, what’s new on tap, and local food specials.
Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com or follow @meettheminnesotamakers on Facebook and Instagram to discover the farmers and innovators working to strengthen Minnesota’s local food networks. Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
