Our Top 10 Minnesota Breweries
Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful to live in Minnesota, a state with so many great breweries and we’re thankful we get to visit so many of them when we’re camping. Beer tourism is the best! So as we’re counting our blessings this year, we thought we’d share our 10 favorite Minnesota breweries.
We know taste is subjective, we’ve picked most of these breweries because we like their beers and the ambiance of the brewery. If your favorite isn’t on the list, as the kids say “don’t @ me!” You’ll see a theme here, most of our favorites are dog friendly. If our dogs can come with, it’s more fun for everyone.
We’re not even close to visiting all the breweries in the state. What are your favorite breweries? Leave us a comment and we’ll go try it! Cheers to beers.
10. Fitgers
The quintessential “must-do” in Duluth. The building is very cool and dog friendly with plenty of choices for dining and lake-looking.
Jamey’s favorite: El Niño IPA. Sams favorite: Big Boat Oatmeal Stout.
9. Voyageur Brewing Co
A great brewery in Grand Marais and one last chance for a Minnesota OR American beer before you hit Canada. Fun taproom, old style lodge feeling, dog friendly patio. Have a pizza at Sven & Ole’s and then have beer!
Jamey’s favorite: Devil’s Kettle. Sams favorite: Palisade Porter.
8. Surly
Minnesota’s most famous brewery. Originally basically in our backyard, until Omar got Minnesota to change the laws and he built the destination brewery and gastropub. Dog friendly patio and beer garden, very open and family friendly. Worth a visit if you’re in the area!
Jamey’s favorite: Abrasive Sam’s favorite: Darkness.
7. Wicked Wort
A really cool taproom with two bars upstairs with their brewing equipment on the first floor. Dog friendly patio (although we’ve seen dogs inside!) and ONLY 21+ so leave the kids at home. Jamey likes this one for the cribbage tournaments!
Jamey’s favorite: Brut IPA Sam’s favorite: Showgirl Raspberry Wheat.
6. Bent Brewstillery
Tucked away in an industrial space in Roseville, this taproom is one of a kind, and dog friendly! Inside you’ll find several old pinball machines and a bidet in the bathroom. If you get hungry, they’ll make you a Heggies Pizza. They also make spirits and are working to change Minnesota laws again so they can serve beer and spirits in one place under one brand. We just made it legal to buy alcohol on Sundays, Minnesota is slow with changing liquor laws.
Jamey’s favorite: Maroon & Bold. Sam’s favorite: Dark Fatha.
5. Inbound
Great location downtown and very dog friendly inside! A great place for a pre or post Twins or Timberwolves game drink (or hey, maybe both!). They even have craft soda and kombucha for your non-drinking friends.
Jamey’s favorites (he couldn’t pick just one): Minnemosa Brut IPA and Super G Lovshake Sam’s favorite: Peanut Butter Milk Stout.
4. Castle Danger
After you’ve explored the town of Two Harbors, hiked around Gooseberry Falls and photographed Split Rock Light House, rest up with a pint or three here. Overlooking Lake Superior, Castle Danger has a dog friendly patio and tasty beer. Take a short walk over to Do North Pizzeria and grab a tasty meal to go with those pints.
Jamey’s favorite: Ode IPA Sam’s favorite: Castle Cream Ale.
3. Portage
So nice, we went there twice … per day while we were visiting Walker, Minnesota. This brewery is a cool space with a great patio with a lake view, fun games and dog friendly inside and out. We got there by car and bike and met some friendly folks who got there by boat, this place has something for everyone. The staff became our local friends (I mean, we did go there like four times) with recommendations for tourist ideas.
Jamey’s favorite: Hopjus APA Sam’s favorite: Twins Fields Apricot Table Beer.
2. Dangerous Man
This brewery is the only one on the list that isn’t dog friendly, but its still very high on our list because the beer is so good. This taproom gets pretty full quickly, so be ready to get up close and personal with lots of people. But the beer makes it worth feeling like a sardine. Dangerous Man makes some of the best beers in the state.
Jamey and I agree on the best beer here – a 50/50 mix of their Peanut Butter Porter and Chocolate Milk Stout. Some people call it the Peanut butter Cup. It’s tasty!
1. 56 Brewing
If they’d let him, Jamey would rent a room at this brewery and live there. Their taproom is super dog friendly inside and out and they even have dog-theme days (see, Howl-O’Ween and Corgi racing!). We’ve been frequent fliers of 56 since they first started brewing in a tiny spot around the corner and have enjoyed watching them move into their cool building and become even better at brewing great beer.
Jamey’s favorite: Nose Hair Bender Sam’s favorite: Walnut Joy.
