Buying Beer in Minnesota

Not from Minnesota so can't comment a whole lot. But this will point you in the right direction.

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/10

http://seekabrew.com/distro/index.html

 

Breweries: Indeed, Steel Toe, Town Hall, and Dangerous Man!

Stores: Zipp's, Ale Jail, Four Firkins. All great spots!

 

All excellent and I would add to this...

Breweries: Flat Earth and Lift Bridge

Stores: France 44

Also, some people say that they are visiting the Twin Cities, when they are really maybe staying further away. If you happen to be South of the cities you have to hit Blue Max and if you are NorthWest of the Cities, check out Princeton's Liquors.

 

ovalde

 

I'd go to Harriet if there's some nice weather in the evening. There's typically a food truck, live music, and an eclectic crowd in a laid back atmosphere. It's in an industrial building and they open the doors at night allowing beautiful skyline views. Wodan Weizen is a crazy good summer beer that allows for unique drinking experience that many people haven't tried- think tapioca, banana, and cloves.

 

Barley John's, a brewpub in New Brighton, is always worth a try. They have great happy hours and sell growlers. Their Wild Brunette and Old 8 Porter are solid. http://www.barleyjohns.com/

 

maybe you should clarify what styles of beer you are looking for, that might help us narrow down the recommendations. it appears nearly every brewery in town has been mentioned. personally I like poor decisions, but they generally don't have your typical blond, amber stout and ipa.

 

Brau Bros. Rye Wyne Ale

 

If you are looking to take home I'd suggest Surly Furious, Bender and Bitter Brewer. Indeed shenanigans and day tripper. Steel Toe Size 7 and Sommer Vice. This would give you a nice mix of styles being made here. Also, all of these could probably be found at The Ale Jail or Four Firkins depending on where you will be location wise. Steel Toe has limited distribution, I'm not sure who else carries their products.

I'm leaving out brewpubs and taprooms. There are great ones here with growlers.

 

An important FYI:

You can't buy beer on Sunday in MN! Get to that store on Friday or Saturday if you are coming fo rthe weekend.

 

name some, please

 

Dangerous Man and Town Hall do growler fills and have a great reputations, I've yet to try Dangerous Man, but I'm going to at the Summer Beer Fest tomorrow.

Lucid, Indeed, Lift Bridge, Fulton are a few that bottle and I believe have tap rooms, maybe growlers. All receive high praise. I enjoyed most of the offers I've had from these breweries as well.

Also 612, Pour Decisions, Great Waters…so many I can't remember. The market here is exploding for the good of us all!

 

And if you are ever in Duluth, MN Fitgers Brewhouse rarely makes a bad beer…and the Gale Force Wild Rice burger can't be beat!

 

If he should be so unlucky as to visit the Twin Towns on a Sunday, he can always do what the locals do. And besides, I hear that Casanova even has Three Floyds in stock from time to time!

 

I was lucky enough to discover a vintage Green Flash IPA a month or so ago. The same batch is probably still on the shelf.

 

I recently was in the twin cities and stopped by the Ale Jail in St Paul. I would highly recommend that place, every beer they have seems to be available in singles.

 

Even though I've gotten burned on Green Flash and the recent Dreadnaught, I still make the effort to get to Casanova. The growler fills and Toppling Goliath still make it #1 in the Metro for me.

 

Wodan Weizen is the best American brewed hefeweizen brewed in MN and possibly the US. Not up to Schneider or Weihenstephaner, but drinking it fresh from the tap is hard to beat.