About us
The story & the crew.
The gift
On his 21st birthday, James received a homebrewing kit from his craft-beer loving older brother, Sean. This sparked a passion that resulted in James creating and brewing nearly one hundred unique beer recipes over the next few years.
The first boil kettle.
Inspecting a batch.
The name
“Up the wooden hill” — their late grandfather’s peculiar expression for going upstairs to bed. His entrepreneurial spirit, family tradition, and quirky humor inspired the brewery’s name.
2017 · The space
Broke ground on a long-vacant 9,000 square foot warehouse in Edina, transforming it into a production craft brewery and taproom.
The space before construction.
Ground work.
March 2018 · Open
Opened as the first brewery and taproom in the City of Edina and soon added a kitchen to the taproom.
Setting up the new brew house.
2023 · The expansion
Doubled the size of the taproom, expanded our event center, and built a larger kitchen.
The Brewer’s Ballroom.
The expanded taproom.
Owners, brothers, brewers
James Ewen
“Given my background in nanotechnology, I particularly enjoy the science of brewing. The creative process of crafting so many new flavors from just water, hops, malt and yeast is incredible. I love sharing my beer with others, receiving feedback, and educating them about brewing methods.”
Sean Ewen
“As a doctor turned serial entrepreneur, my ethos is to improve the lives of others. I love how Wooden Hill accomplishes this in many ways. Not only does our beer and food bring joy to so many, but we’ve also made Wooden Hill a great place to work by challenging industry norms and always seeking to provide value to our team.”
Taproom Leads
Gregg Hodgson
Taproom Supervisor
Kristen Cervenka
Taproom Manager
Tommy Guddal
Taproom Supervisor
Culinary Team
Nick Jungers
Sous Chef
Kyler Curtis
Sous Chef
Riley Burke
Sous Chef
Dakota Paulson
Kitchen Supervisor
Production and Distribution
Montana Davis
Head Brewer
Jeremy Churchill
Brewer & Cellarman
Tyke Pederson
Head of Canning Operations
Events Team
Brittany Violet
Director of Events
Mia Gambucci
Graphic Design Lead / Event Coordinator
Shea Swenson
Administrative Assistant / Event Coordinator
Facilities Manager
Max Fry
Facilities Manager
General Manager
Josh Bauer
Director of Hospitality & Operations
Founders
James Ewen
Co-Founder & Director of Brewing Operations
Sean Ewen
Co-Founder & Chief Beerpreneur
Ready to join the crew?
Apply for open roles at Wooden Hill.