The Butcher

Y-ker Acres is comprised of two entities; the Farmers and Brian Merkel of Y-ker Meat Co. Together and with other helpers they use their talents, creativity, and grit to make extraordinarily delicious products!

The Butcher, Brian Merkel

Brian has worked in whole animal butchery all over the country, focusing on humanely raised, heritage breed animals from small farms for places like Dickson’s Farmstand Meats in NY, Belcampo in CA and Marrow in Detroit. From 2017 until 2019, he helped open the Hewing Hotel in Minneapolis, where he developed their whole animal butchery, dry-aged beef and dry-cured charcuterie program with Y-ker Acres and other northern Minnesota farms. In the spring of 2019, Brian decided to get closer to the source and move with his family to Duluth, where he has partnered with Y-ker Acres to help expand their wholesale and direct-to-consumer offerings.

He believes animals should not only be raised properly, but aged, seasoned and cooked properly as well. He sees the craft of butchery and charcuterie as a creative practice that’s rich in cultural history and expandable in scope. He’s been known to pontificate on a good meat to bun ratio while enjoying a large glass of natural wine or good craft beer.

Careful, he may sneak a ham down your chimney.

Shop/Butcher Inquiries
Brian Merkel | brian@ykeracres.com
(734) 904-3112