Photo by Deb Gau The taproom was open for the first time in weeks at the Brau Brothers Brewing Co. in Marshall. The business got the word Friday that it could re-open, after working to develop new operating procedures and safety plans.

MARSHALL — Seats at the bar were filled up, and the Brau Brothers taproom in Marshall was buzzing with activity for the first time in weeks.

“We missed everybody,” said Brau Brothers C.E.O. Dustin Brau, as area residents and taproom regulars came in Friday afternoon.

The Brau Brothers Brewing Co. re-opened its taproom Friday, after being closed since Sept. 19. Since that time, Brau said the business has gone through some changes to comply with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. While customers might just think of Brau Brothers as a taproom, Brau said, the brewery is a food manufacturing business. Because of that, Brau Brothers is overseen by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

MDA documents said Brau Brothers was notified in September that its license for operating a wholesale food processing/manufacturing facility was revoked. The notice said the business was in violation of a March settlement agreement, with requirements that would bring the brewery and taproom back in compliance with Minnesota food laws.

The notice said the violations included Brau Brothers having a lack of written procedures for its manufacturing and retail operations, hand sinks that did not meet state plumbing code, and violations like improperly stored food utensils, and opened foods not being properly date-marked.

Brau Brothers re-applied for a license, and was given a list of actions to take. A new licensing agreement with the MDA said an Oct. 17 inspection found that facility and equipment violations had been corrected.

Brau said the brewery received word on Friday that it could re-open. During the time they were closed, he said Brau Brothers developed new standard operating procedures and a plan for HACCP, or hazard analysis critical control points.

According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, HACCP is a seven-step process a food producer can use to develop safety control measures for food processing. Several different types of food establishments are required to have HACCP plans, including establishments that cure or smoke food, use food additives for preservation or to change food, or use a reduced oxygen method for packaging food.

While it was good to be open again, Brau said the brewery was affected by the month of downtime.

“We are going to be playing some catch-up here in the next few weeks,” he said. The holiday season is normally a busy time for the brewery. And at this time of year, the taproom also sees increased business from day trips, hunting season, and local events. “We’ve missed some of that,” Brau said.