Tag Archives: JL Beers

From the Fargo Forum on 7/10/2013 – https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=1&article_id=405664

FARGO – The Fargo-Moorhead area’s first JL Beers was the launching point Tuesday for a major expansion of the brand.

Mike Wright, who heads a Minneapolis-based company called FABAB NE, put pen to paper and signed a franchise agreement he and the originators of JL Beers hope will be just the first of many such arrangements.

Randy Thorson, who developed JL Beers with business partners Warren Ackley and Lance Thorson, said franchising will enhance the growth of the company and potentially take it nationwide.

Wright expects the buzz will be substantial when he opens his first JL Beers in north Minneapolis this fall, with more stores expected to follow.

“Social media helped out significantly in other JL Beers areas, we’ll do that as well,” Wright said, adding: “The beauty of it is, when people come in and experience what JL Beers is, I think they’re really going to find it’s a great spot.”

Area expansion

The first JL Beers opened in November 2009 at 518 1st Ave. N. in downtown Fargo.

There now are stores in Fargo, West Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks in North Dakota, as well as in Moorhead and Sioux Falls, S.D.

Another Fargo location is planned for south Fargo by this fall, and another Sioux Falls store is scheduled to open early next year.

Wright, whose business interests include a number of Famous Dave’s restau-rants, said he has known Randy Thorson for about 10 years and he was on hand when the first JL Beers opened.

“I’ve followed their success as they opened several stores in multiple states, and I decided to be the first franchisee,” Wright said after signing the business papers Tuesday.

JL Beers is known for its hamburgers, fresh-cut chips and fries and the wide variety of beer kept on tap.

It’s also known for its small restaurant footprint and its slogan: “Seating for 1,000 … 47 at a time.”

With the birth of the JL Beers franchise, Ackley said the slogan might be tweaked a bit:

“Now, we’re going to franchise 1,000 franchisees, one at a time,” Ackley said.

In the December 7th issue of the Fargo Forum newspaper, they featured an article about the JL Beers app for moble phones to help customers keep up with JL Beers’ ever-changing selection of tap beers, read, write and share beer reviews, and keep a diary of personal consumption and tasting notes.

You can see the full article here: JL Beers says” ‘Tap that App!’

To download the app, visit http://jlbeers.com/apps or search for JL Beers in Google Play or the Apple app store.

22 different Bell’s beers will be on tap at the Downtown Fargo JL Beers this Thursday starting at 4:00.  Don’t miss out this chance to taste some of their more rare brews while talking to the Bell’s rep and maybe taking home some Bell’s swag.

Here is the list of the Bell’s beers that will be on tap:
Hopsolution (Double IPA)
Black Note (Imperial Stout)
Christmas Ale (Scottish Ale)
The Oracle (Double IPA)
Consecrator Doppelbock
Cherry Stout
Sparkling Ale (Tripel)
Raspberry Ale (Fruit Beer)
Bourbon Barrel Aged Batch 9000 (Strong Ale)
Double Cream Stout
Expedition (Russian Imperial Stout)
Third Coast Old Ale
Java Stout
Smoked Vienna (Lager)
Oatmeal Stout
Wedding Ale (American Wheat)
Rye Stout
Le Pianiste (Biere De Garde)
Le Contrebassiste (Biere De Garde)
Deb’s Red (Amber)
Hell Hath No Fury (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
Two-Hearted

Just in time for the weekend, some new beers on tap:

Brau Bros 100 Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale is on tap at Sickies Garage and JL Beers Moorhead.

JL Beers Moorhead also has tapped Reverb, Black Cauldron, Fall Fest, Brett Beer, Shaddock, and Sierra Nevada Imperial Red.

JL Beers West Fargo just tapped Crow Peak 11th Hour IPA, Boulder Freshtracks, and Lucky Bucket IPA.

JL Beers Downtown has just tapped or will soon be tapping:
Hacker-Pschorr Dunkle Weisse
Goose Island Pere Jacques 2011
North Coast Pranqster
Abita Pecan Harvest
Bell’s Java Stout
Goose Island Sofie
Deschutes Black Butte XXIV
Southern Tier Pumking