Northgate Brewing

 

something a little different from the normal craft taproom here, its got more of an authentic english pub feel, smallish and comfortable, sort of juxtaposed to the fairly large brewing setup visible behind the window at the bar. man, looks like they have quite a bit of fermentation capacity! european soccer scarves adorn the rafters, several classic english styles are on the beer menu, and the vibe in here is good and comfortable, bustling as well. we had several beers here, i liked the shaky walls coffee brew, and the pub ale on nitro wasnt bad, but the real winner from these guys is their barrel aged barleywine, which automatically gets them my love and admiration, its one of the best i have ever had, fully serious. other beers were drinkable but much less impressive. service was just okay as well, they seemed overwhelmed by a moderately busy bar, and didnt really care to chat much about the beers or anything. good vibe in here though, and based on the barleywine, they are capable of greatness. i am glad english beer has a home in the twin cities, my kind of beer. worth checking out if you havent yet...

This is a very underrated brewery off Broadway in an industrial park next door to a distillery. Their focus is English style beers which, today are not popular styles. This place does their beers excellently to style. I am always pleased with their beers. This is a fun place to watch soccer games and the crowd there really likes to play board games. Food trucks are very common and their pours are generous. If one enjoys the delicious malty English style beers, look no further.

This brewery focuses primarily on producing extremely drinkable British-style session beers. Even the hoppiest beer they make is incredibly well balanced. The staff is incredibly nice, and this place isn't as packed with hipsters as some other nordeast taprooms are - so it's a good experience all around. You can buy some snacks (nuts and such) and there's usually a food truck, with the schedule found on the taproom website. This place is a bit hard to find - it's a nondescript entrance in a nondescript building - aim for the door closest to Broadway. But it's worth finding.

 

 

 

 

 

First time visit, came in shortly after opening, so it wasn't very busy but outdoor patio was full and several people were at the counter. Very nice, very clean, not terribly large. the folks behind the bar were nice and welcoming, interested in what kinds of beers I like. Their selection included about 9 beers, and they were happy to give samples. There was a food truck set up just before opening. I'd definitely go back again.

 

 

 

Northgates taproom is small, but well put together in that, unlike a lot of local taprooms, it is finished architecturally. It is warm and inviting with both bar and table seating. The selection is the usual Northgate beers with a few more unique offerings. I believe they have twelve taps, but I have never seen them all pouring. There always seems to be two to four beers crossed off on the menu. Being a taproom food is limited to peanuts and snack mix. Overall, I go here on occasion as I like the atmosphere, and have yet to have a bad experience. Thus, I will continue to go back.

Small pub in same industrial space as brewery. Many "English" pub elements, along with handful of nerdy touches (ie Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica decor), but still very much an industrial space. Tender and brewer slinging ales were both well-humored and helpful. Selection was mostly standard, except for an old ale and a well-built session IPA. Most beers leaned toward British-inspired session ales. Beer overall was definitely above average. They do fill growlers, and while they accept other brands' glass, I believe they swap for fills. Ample parking but location is a bit out of the way.