twin cities metro area
ENKI Brewing
This western suburb brewery recently moved to a new location in Victoria. just down the road from their previous location. Unfortunately, I have not been to the new location yet, which is supposed to be much larger with a good-sized outdoor patio. When I was at the taproom, there was a small selection of about 6 beers on tap, each a different style. I tried their flight and the I like the hefeweizen the best. No restaurant food but there is a food truck that stops by. Location: 1495 Stieger Lake Lane, Victoria Updated: May '15
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ENKI Flight
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Urban Growler
West Saint Paul brewery with a 12-tap selection heavy on IPAs but also includes a mix of year-round beers and seasonal beers with an occasional barrel-aged stout in the mix. There is a somewhat limited menu of food available for lunch and dinner. Location: 2325 Endicott Street, St Paul Updated: Dec '14
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Cowbell Cream Ale
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NorthGate Brewing - Permanently Closed (3/1/18)
As you might guess from the name, this northeast Minneapolis brewery focuses on British-inspired beer. They quickly outgrew their original location, moving within the first 2 years of operation. There are 8 taps pouring a nice variety of beer and they never seem to have 2 of the same style pouring simultaneously. Nice sized taproom with plenty of seating, a couple of TVs and a small outdoor patio. Food is available via a food truck, which changes daily. Location: 783 Harding Street NE, Minneapolis Updated: Jun '17
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Bar Area
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Excelsior Brewing
This brewery is located in the small town of Excelsior bordering Lake Minnetonka. The brewery itself is a couple blocks off the lake. There are around 12 taps split between their year-round beers, seasonal beers and some small-batch brews. Casual atmosphere as you might expect being in close proximity to the popular lake. Ample space inside as well as some outdoor seating to enjoy live music on some nights (Friday, Saturday and perhaps other week nights). No food served on-site but you can order food at the bar from local restaurants. Location: 421 3rd Street, Excelsior Updated: Jul '16
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Brewing System
Bar Area
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Insight Brewing
Northeast Minneapolis brewery offering up to 12 taps of uniquely-named brews. Each beer has a neat fictional short story behind the name for enjoyment of both the name and the beer. No food served here but there are food trucks that stop by. Stop in on Tuesdays for some trivia. Location: 2821 East Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis Updated: Aug '15
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Flight at Insight
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Maple Island Brewing
Located on the eastern border of Minnesota along the St. Croix River, which separates Minnesota from Wisconsin. The outdoor patio provides a nice view of the river while enjoy a beer and enjoy great summer weather. No food served but menus are available to order something from numerous local restaurants. They make a great ice cream brew (I Scream Brew) which uses ice cream from a local ice cream shop. It had a really nice caramel aroma together with a caramel/peanut butter flavor. Great summer beer! Location: 225 Main Street North, Stillwater Updated: Jul '17
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Brewing System
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Fair State Brewing Cooperative
Excellent northeast brewery that is actually a cooperative. Membership has some privileges but nonmembers are always welcome. Heavy focus on farmhouse ales and sour beers but their beer choices are not limited to just those styles and they even brewed up a lager or two. A new brew of varying types is offered every Thursday. Trivia can be played once a week. Friendly barroom with some outdoor seating available. Food truck occasionally stops by or you can order from menus of nearby restaurants that deliver. As they say - Love it! Own it! Location: 2506 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis Updated: Apr '17
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LACTOBAC 13
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Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
South Minneapolis brewery located just outside of the city center in close proximity to the ballpark, football stadium and basketball court for the Minnesota sports teams. It is also across the street from the Republic (noted on page 2 and near the West Bank of the U of MN. It is both a brewery and restaurant with lots of indoor seating and a nice outdoor patio serving up 20 taps of great beer and a good variety of food. One of my favorite times of the year to visit is February when they have their barrel-aged week. I never miss it! Great place to stop in before or after a sports game. Location: 1430 South Washington Avenue, Minneapolis Updated: Mar '17
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Barrel-aged Belgian Strong Bruin Ale
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Indeed Brewing Company
One of several Northeast Minneapolis breweries located within close proximity to one another. They recently opened up another taproom within the same building, but unfortunately, because they are somewhat disconnect from each other, you can't bring beer back and forth. So you basically need to pick one of them to enjoy their beer which includes some great flagship year-round selections, seasonal beers and their Derailed series of experimental beers. Unfortunately, the beer is not exactly the same between taprooms so check the menu first. Thrown into the mix is their awesome Wooden Soul series of sour beer and barrel-aged beer. This place gets very busy and each time I've been there, it's been quite crowded with a long waiting line to order in the main bar. Don't let this deter you though, as the beer is worth the wait. There is always a food truck parked outside. Location: 711 NE 15th Avenue, Minneapolis Updated: Apr '17
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Indeed
Main Taproom
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Fulton Brewery
Fulton Brewery started as a gypsy brewery working out of a garage in Minneapolis. They eventually opened up their own brewery and taproom on the fringe of the warehouse district downtown and just 2 blocks from the Minnesota Twins baseball park. This place is usually busy anyway but being so close to the ballpark it gets very busy before and after baseball games. As they continued to grow, they moved their main brewing location off-site, but still in Minneapolis, and the original location still serves at the taproom with the original brewery used for experimental beers, barrel-aged beer and collaboration beers. There are up to 15 beers served on tap and you can grab some food from the food truck parked outside. Location: 414 North 6th Avene, Minneapolis Updated: Jan '15
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Great Waters Brewing Company
Saint Paul brewery and restaurant just a couple blocks away from the Minnesota Wild hockey arena. They offer a full lunch and dinner menu to go along with their beer. Convenient place to stop for food and a beer before a hockey game. Location: 426 St Peter Street, St Paul Updated: Dec '14
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St Andrews Cross
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Hammerheart Brewing Company
In my opinion, Hammerheart doesn't get the recognition it deserves. This may be partly due to the taproom being located in the north suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Or it may be because they are a heavy-hitting brewery, serving up 12 taps of strong beer (typically around 8-11% ABV) with heavy metal music blasting from the speakers. Don't expect to find any sessionable ales here. They focus on brewing beers inspired by Norse and Celtic culture. Once of the owners did an internship at Haand in Norway, which just happens to be one of my favorite Scandinavian breweries. You'll also see a good selection of smoked beers or rauchbiers and some real nice barrel-aged beers. No food served but a food truck stops, usually on Saturdays. If you don't want to venture beyond the Mpls/St. Paul city limits, you can find their beer in a number of Mpls bars. Fortunately, I live very close to them so I've been to the taproom several times to enjoy their great beer. You should too! Location: 7785 Lake Drive, Lino Lakes Updated: Jan '17
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Olaf the Stout
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The Herkimer Pub & Brewery
Small batch brewery located in the Uptown area of South Minneapolis. They began brewing beers based on Reinheitsgebot in 1999 but have since deviated from that. This makes them one of the oldest brewries in Minnesota. They don't brew a huge variety of beer and perhaps offer the least variety of any Minnesota brewery. You can get typical pub fare here and takeout seems to be very common as I noticed during my visit. Some outdoor seating is available during nonwinter times. Location: 2922 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis Updated: Jan '15
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Oatmeal Stout
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