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.
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Really touched by this tribute to Scott Johnson — having worked in small-scale brewing and family-run operations myself, I know how much heart, knowledge, and personal touch goes into building a brewery that becomes a community hub. I’ve spent years researching and experimenting with brewing setups, and one thing that often goes unnoticed by visitors is how much controlling the environment impacts quality — in some of my own projects, using a smart AC controller to maintain precise temperature made a huge difference in fermentation consistency and overall comfort in the brewing space. Scott’s legacy isn’t just in the beer he made, but in the thoughtful care he put into every part of the process, which is something any aspiring brewer…
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