twin cities metro area
By our last count, Minnesota has more than 135 breweries with at least 80 of those in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan area. One particular hot spot is Northeast Minneapolis where there are several breweries in close proximity to one another. So close that you can easily walk between them as there are just a few blocks separating them. If you are touring breweries by bicycle, then there are many more easily within your reach - more than you could, or would, want to visit in the same day. So get out and enjoy beer in the land of sky blue water.
Bald Man Brewing
This place is very new. They opened up just two weeks ago on August 27, 2016. As you would expect everything is brand new and shiny. It is also obvious they spent a lot of money to build this place, it is very large with additional area to expand their brewing capacity. The interior is classic brew pub with dark wood, steel and with a very high ceiling. All the brewery tanks are in the same large room as the bar. The also have a small patio area out the back door. They have 5 beers available now, but will soon be adding a few more seasonal to fill out their beer selection.
Location: 2020 Silver Bell Road, Suite 28, Eagan Updated: Sep '16
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Bald Man Bar
Bald Man Brewing
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Badger Hill Brewing
Badger Hill is located in an industrial park in the city of Shakopee, just south of Minneapolis. They moved in during 2015 after out growing the space they shared with Lucid Brewing (now named North Loop BrewCo). This facility is large with a full canning operation. They had 10 beers on tap with some regulars and a few limited release beers. They have a food truck on some days of the week. However, not Saturday when we visited. Luckily, there are many local Shakopee restaurants who deliver to Badger. The Brewery has a 3-ring binder with menus and phone numbers to order your food. This made it very easy to order food. We had a pizza and it was excellent. We also asked one of the guys wearing a Badger Hill shirt a few questions on a couple of their beers which he was happy to discuss with us. He then offered us a little tour of their brewery. It was very interesting to hear there history and what they are working on now. At the end of the tour we said thanks and learn the guy who gave us the tour was Broc, one of the brewery's founders. Location: 4571 Valley Industrial Boulevard South #500, Shakopee Updated: Jul '16
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Badger Hill Beer List
Canning "Hop Hill" Pale Ale
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Boom Island Brewing Company
Boom Island is located just north of downtown Minneapolis. The name was inspired by a log sorting station on Boom Island in the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. This is a nice small place with the true feel of a craft beer place, with a handful of creative craft beers. Their beers are Belgian inspired and some are made using strains of Belgian yeast from Belgian brewing innovators. The bartender was friendly and very knowledgeable. Location: 2014 Washington Avenue North, Minneapolis Updated: Aug '17
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Entrance (Back of Building)
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The Freehouse
This is a much larger restaurant and a bit fancier and upscale than your common craft beer brewery. They have a full restaurant and a separate bar area. It looked like they have 4 standard brews on tap and then another 4 they periodically rotate. They also serve a number of guest beers. Location: 701 North Washington Avenue, #101, Minneapolis Updated: Feb '15
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Freehouse Barleywine
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Sisyphus Brewing
Situated on the western edge of downtown Minneapolis off Hennepin Avenue, Sisyphus Brewing always seems busy with a fair amount of energy in the place. They have only 4 beers on tap. However both times I was there, at least one of their beers was sold out. This is good and bad. People like the beer, however they need more brewing capacity or need to plan better. Location: 712 Ontario Avenue, #100, Minneapolis Updated: Mar '17
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Sisyphus Brewing
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Eastlake Craft Brewery
A small brew house in the Midtown Global Market on Lake Street in South Minneapolis. The location is unique as the Global Market has about 20 to 40 food stands and restaurants. You can take the food from these places into the brewpub and eat it along with your beers. Eastlake has about eight beers on tap, available in tulip glasses or pints. We ordered flights for the variety. As usually with flights, you like some much better than others. My favorite was “The Raccoon And The Bear”. This is honestly a truly unique beer. This red ale is brewed with fir tree tips and cedar, giving it an immense pine/outdoors flavor. A bit overwhelming at times, however they is what makes it so wonderfully unique. Location: 920 East Lake Street, #123, Minneapolis Updated: Apr '15
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Eastlake Craft Brewery
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Steel Toe Brewing
Excellent brewery and Taproom. They recently expanded their inside seating area, which was need as their old taproom was rather small. They also have a nice area of tables and chair in the parking lot. It does have a unique microbrew environment as it is in an industrial park. They have a very good selection of beer; a few regulars like their Size 7 IPA, a collection of seasonal beers and a couple barrel-aged beers if you are lucky. Location: 4848 W. 35th Street, St. Louis Park Updated: Jul '16
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Steel Toe
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Angry Inch Brewing
Angry Inch is located on the very southern edge of the Mpls/St Paul metro area. Due to the location, it's much more a local hangout than a destination brewery. But that doesn't lessen the quality of the beer. There was a nice selection of 6 beers on tap as each was a different style. Nothing fancy on the inside, but then again, you're probably just going for the beer and camaraderie. Outdoor seating available to enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors and a beer. Location: 20841 Holyoke Avenue, Lakeville Updated: Sep '16
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Angry Inch
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Lakeville Brewing
Located less than a block away from Angry Inch, this brewery was the busier of the 2 the night we visited. More than likely, this was due to the pub food that is served here. The beer is on an equal par for quality as Angry Inch. Not as open on the inside as its neighbor, so a very different feeling and less conducive to large group gathering, unless your going for the food. Location: 8790 Upper 208th Street West, Lakeville Updated: Sep '16
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Lakeville Brewing
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Wild Mind Artisan Ales
A summer entry into the Minnesota craft beer scene, Wild Mind focuses on sour, wild and farmhouse style beers. There are the first brewery in Minnesota purely focusing on these styles of beer. Wide open area on the inside and plenty of outdoor seating available. Two large garage doors open up on the west side of the building to let everyone enjoy Minnesota's summers and sun. The sours are still in the barrel-aging process and should be available at the beginning of 2017. I will definitely be back when they start hitting the taps. But there are still 16 taps pouring some very unique styles of beer. There are even a couple of ciders, if that's your preference. A food truck occasionally stops by or bring in your own food from nearby places. Location: 6031 Pillsbury Ave South, Minneapolis Updated: Dec '16
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Bar Area
Wild Mind Artisan Ales
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Republic
This is perhaps the best craft beer bar in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. Republic has been named one of the top 100 craft beer bars in America by Draft Magazine. With more than 100 taps serving up Minnesota craft beer as well as beer from some of the better breweries in the U.S. They also pour a few ciders as well as some generic international beers that you can find just about at any craft beer bar. I have been here many times enjoying a variety of beer that you might not find elsewhere in town. There is a huge outdoor patio but the University of Minnesota West Bank location is on a busy street so rush hour traffic can be a little noisy. But afternoon and evenings are extremely enjoyable outdoors. Nice food menu for lunch or dinner. Location: 221 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis Updated: Mar '17 |
Flight of Cascade Brewing Specialty Sours @ Republic
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Surly Brewing
Surly is probably the best know brewery in Minnesota, in part due their huge domestic distribution channel and in part due to their new taproom and brewery in Minneapolis which is truly one of the best destination breweries to track down. "Huge" doesn't do this place justice. There is a huge multi-level beer hall and restaurant and a just as huge outdoor area for congregating with existing friends and new-found friends. As is the case with most well-known breweries, this place can be hectic, crowded and difficult to find seating. but don't let that stop you from enjoying some really good beer. And if you are in town during Halloween, check out the Darkness Festival at the original brewery location in Brooklyn Center, which is a huge overnight bottle-sharing line-up of people waiting for the Surly Darkness Imperial Stout release. This is a place you don't want to miss and you will probably be back again and again. Location: 520 Malcolm Avenue SE, Minneapolis Updated: Jan '17
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Brewing Beer @ Surly
Enjoying the Night Outside @ Surly
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