A busy taproom full of people

Brewery Taps Carlson Impact Lab to Boost Mission

Thursday, June 4, 2026

By Rose Semenov

Minnesota Carlson undergraduate students in the Impact Lab partnered with a local brewery to help promote its social mission and expand its reach through events.

Dual Citizen Brewing Company, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, is community-oriented, partnering with 150 nonprofits each year through various philanthropic work. This includes hosting a different nonprofit in the taproom each month. Overall, Dual Citizen donates about $500,000 annually to local organizations. However, that work isn’t always apparent to the casual customer.

The brewery connected with the Impact Lab, in which undergraduate students take on real-world clients and develop insights under the guidance of mentors and Carlson instructors to solve business challenges. This semester, two student teams examined ways to boost awareness of the brewery’s dual-purpose mission and draw more customers to the taproom.

Crafting Solutions

Sam Diener, a junior majoring in Accounting, worked with his classmates to elevate the presence of the brewery’s mission throughout the taproom. The team developed table signage and a banner with a QR code to highlight Dual Citizen’s nonprofit partnerships.

Key Takeaways

Mission-Driven Results: Undergrads helped St. Paul's Dual Citizen Brewing Company promote its local nonprofit partnerships.

Event Innovation: Student teams designed an event playbook and launched a live music series.

Real-World Agility: The project taught Minnesota Carlson students how to communicate and navigate changing client needs.

A group of students work on their laptops in a classroom. Text overlaid on the image reads: Impact Lab Partners with Brewery

Serving Up Insights

Students from the Impact Lab worked with Dual Citizen Brewing Company to amplify its social mission and enhance its event lineup.

Video by Dan Gunderson

A sign sits on a table with a QR code for more information about a brewery's social mission.
A sign, designed by Carlson students, promoting Dual Citizen's social mission sits on a table. Photo: Dan Gunderson

“It's great for us to see that we're leaving an impact with the brewery, but also with anybody who engages with it as well,” says Diener. “Especially for something that's as important as nonprofit work, it'll be great to see that come to fruition.”

Another team focused on creating a playbook for weekly and seasonal events and outlining how to customize them for different nonprofit partnerships. Brooke Adamek, a sophomore majoring in Finance, says her team suggested launching live music Fridays. Their work culminated with a kickoff event at the end of the semester, featuring local band The Menagerie.

“The goal of the event was to bring awareness to Dual Citizen and their purpose, along with focusing on our close relation to the University of Minnesota and all the students, alumni, clients and mentors that we can impact with these nonprofits and these events that Dual Citizen hosts in the community,” says Adamek.

Refining the Draft

Students work at at table with their laptops open as they discuss event planning.
Students work on the project during Impact Lab. Photo by Dan Gunderson

Navigating challenges along the way meant gaining familiarity with ambiguity and adapting on the fly. Adamek says gaining that experience early in her academic career is crucial.

“It's constantly evolving, and your problems evolve with it,” says Adamek. “The client’s problems change day to day, and so did our project. It made me realize that that's exactly what happens in the real world.”

Establishing clear communication, Diener says, was key to the success.

“In order to deliver the impact that you want to give your client, you need to be able to communicate with them effectively,” says Diener. “Just make sure that you're kind of fostering that connection with them and your classmates.”

Topping it Off

Kyle Barck, the brewery’s director of operations, called working with the students a “highlight” and appreciated their fresh perspectives and ideas.

A band plays in a brewery.
A band, booked by Carlson students, plays at Dual Citizen. Photo: Dan Gunderson

“I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and I was able to learn from these students,” says Barck. “They gave me some insights that I never would have thought of just running through my day.”

For the students, seeing their work in action left the greatest impression.

“I really enjoyed my Impact Lab experience,” says Adamek. “You really get to make an impact in the real world, and it feels powerful. You really can do that stuff even as a student.”
 

Tags Undergraduate