Scott Johnson, founder of St. Paul's family-run BlackStack Brewing, dies at 62
- Patrick Kennedy
- Jan 24, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: May 9, 2024
Entrepreneur Scott Johnson introduced people to new beer as an importer and then founder of BlackStack Brewing.
Scott Johnson had long wanted to start a family business. When the so-called "Surly bill" became law in 2011, allowing craft breweries to open taprooms and serve their beers on-site, he saw his opportunity.
In 2017, Johnson and his family opened BlackStack Brewing with a taproom and event space in the American Can building in St. Paul's Midway-Hamline neighborhood.
City officials had considered razing the old canning factory, once used by companies including Hormel, Swift & Co. and Armour & Co. Then a California-based developer bought the building in 2013 and set about refurbishing and repurposing it.
Its looming, backlit smokestack was within view of the family's home in Prospect Park and proved the inspiration for the brewery's name.
The business was a family affair from the beginning, with Johnson's wife, Shawne Murphy-Johnson, responsible for business operations and their children Murphy, Cooper and Quinn handling a variety of roles.
Johnson died in his sleep in early April at age 62. It was sudden; his family said he hadn't been suffering from any illness.
"He was always a people person. I think part of what was really appealing about the taproom law was that it was public-facing," said Cooper Johnson, who had taken on a lot of the front-of-the-house responsibilities at BlackStack. He really thrived with hosting people every single day."
Besides loving great beer, Scott Johnson was also a huge music fan. A memorial service will be held May 4 at BlackStack.
Read the full article here
It’s so sad to hear about Scott Johnson’s sudden passing; he built such a warm, family-focused brewery rooted in local history. I plan to capture moments from his memorial service and use GifToMP4 to turn animated clips into smooth videos to share with fellow beer lovers. His passion for beer, music and connecting with people will surely be remembered by everyone who visited BlackStack Brewing.
Reading that the brewery's name came from the backlit smokestack visible from their home, and how the 2011 taproom law sparked the family venture, makes me reflect on how tetris -like building a life and business can be - fitting pieces of opportunity, place, and passion into a cohesive picture during my morning scroll.
It's not just about a happy glass of beer; it's about the tangible legacy of seizing a policy change to build community space, which feels both analytical and quietly remarkable.
I am absolutely heartbroken to hear about Scott Johnson passing away at 62. Blackstack Brewing has been such an important part of the St. Paul community, and that is directly because of his vision and dedication. I still remember my first visit to the taproom and being blown away by the atmosphere he built for families and beer lovers alike. Running a family-run brewery takes an incredible amount of passion, and you can find some great photos of those early days over at AI people search freewhich really capture his spirit. My thoughts are with his family and the entire Blackstack team during this difficult time. He will be deeply missed.
A good photobooth website makes everything super easy to use.
You can take pictures anytime without any setup.
Really helpful for quick and fun photo sessions.