A Visitors Guide to Minneapolis/St.Paul

I would definitely add Republic 7 corners to the list.

 

Agreed, Republic should be at the top of this list for visitors seeking beer bars.

Edited, I shouldn't make sarcastic jokes that could be misinterpreted as mean spirited, damn internets.

 

Generally I think this is a good list. I will continue to sound like a broken record by promoting Sisyphus among Minneapolis breweries. I personally don't think that Harriet, Urban Growler, or especially Tin Whiskers merits special mention. Both Republic locations belong on the Minneapolis bars list, as does Muddy Pig on the St. Paul list. I get the joke, but including Sporty's isn't helpful if you want this thread to be a one-stop resource for visitors. I'd add South Lyndale Liquors and France 44 to the Minneapolis bottle stores list. Booze Mart is a good option, but I just want to clarify that it's in West St. Paul, and there are many other good options in the suburbs.

 

I agree with @islay on Tin Whiskers. How did you put them ahead of Summit? Even with their inconvenient taproom hours, they're still worth enumerated mentions before one Tin Whiskers endorsement.

Excellent list otherwise and a grand idea! I always thought there should be a travelling forum with well modded conversations like these, one per region or metro area, stuck on the first page.

 

There's Heritage Liquor in Maplewood, which isn't too far from Saint Paul, unless that doesn't count.

 

What's Summit? Chopped liver? I don't understand the lack of respect for them by some here.

 

Sporty's has consumed all the remaining respect. Not enough left to go around.

 

I would edit as follows, based on personal experience:
1) Add Republic 7C
2) Add Summit for St. Paul Breweries
3) Delete Booze Mart. They do have a good selection, but the staff lacks knowledge, IMO.
4) Add Elevated and Stinson to Mpls craft beer stores.

 

Lift Bridge? I know they're in that nether region of not quite the metro and not quite outstate but they still put out a good solid lineup.

Fulton? If anyone's visiting in the warmer months and catching a Twins game it's kind of hard to pass up a solid brewery a couple of blocks away from the ballpark.

Casanova's? Again, not technically even in the state but if someone from outside of the region is looking for some New Glarus or Toppling Goliath goodness to go with their Minnesota beers, it's kind of hard to top a 20-40 minute detour. Not to mention they're your closest option for Sunday sales...at least until the legislature wises up and changes that law later this year.

I'm also still debating if 612 is worth the list or not. I'd think if Bauhaus is on the list then they probably should just for the same way Bang and Urban Growler kind of co-exist. You can park at either and make a very short walk between the two. I'll let others debate the merits of this though.

In all seriousness though, my hat's off to you @leezy. I thought about doing something like this but figured I'd miss the mark in a few areas and didn't want to deal with the onslaught of follow up comments from hacks like myself! More power to you though!

 

I would even add Sociable Ciderwerks to the NE Minneapolis "Brewery District" since it is so close to the other ones listed. They always have a few beers available and all of the ones I've had have been very well done.

 

I would add Lift Bridge to the outstate section.

I would also add Muddy Pig to the St. Paul bar list.

I would personally take Harriet off the list, and while I do enjoy Urban Growler, I don't think it's a convenient enough location to be on any "must stop" list, especially for St. Paul. It's much closer to Surly than anything else on the list from St. Paul.

As far as @SudsSavant comment on 612...I would skip it. Too many other breweries in the area to waste time there, IMO.

 

It is too bad BA doesn't present its place database in a useful way.
RB place ratings are usually all I need when traveling to a new metro.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/ratebeer/?path=/places/states/23/

 

I might be in the minority, but I personally just don't get the beer-boner for Summit. Don't get me wrong, they make good beer, and the beer hall is a cool place - I just don't think it's a "must stop" for out-of-towners. I work across the street, and I've been dozens of time - really dig the place, but if a friend is coming from out of town I have many other suggestions that are higher on the list.

If I'm being completely honest, and as an east-sider it pains me to say this, I don't really think anything in St. Paul is a "must stop." There isn't anything on the east side that Minneapolis doesn't do equally or better, in my humble opinion. I'm sure some will disagree... I just know if I had 24 hours to spend in the cities, I would be heading to Minneapolis and NE, not St. Paul.

 

I'd add Insight and Boom Island and drop Harriet and/or Bauhaus. I really do need to give Bauhaus another shot, but I was underwhelmed the one time I went there. For St. Paul breweries I'd add Great Waters. As a brew pub it has more of a restaurant vibe, but they do make excellent beer. And, yes, I'd also drop Sporty's from the Minneapolis bars list. It's a decent local bar with good taps, but isn't a destination "beer bar" by any means.

Overall, though, these things get really subjective. I like Boom Island, for example, because it's a smaller more intimate place and usually isn't packed (unlike many of the NE Minneapolis spots). They also make really good beers.

 

I really have to disagree about Great Waters. That would be just about last on my list of St. Paul breweries to stop at. I'm not saying it's bad...but destination brewery? C'mon...

And you do need to give Bauhaus another shot. The waters get muddy in Minneapolis/NE because there are so many options, but I think Bauhaus is legit.

 

Is there stuff in the taproom better than what they put out in bottles? I've been pretty underwhelmed with everything I've tried from them, but have never had any of their beers on tap.

 

And I've never had their bottles. I was there with a friend who recently made a beer pilgrimage to Belgium. He was impressed with Boom Island and, to me, that said a lot, but I also just straight up enjoyed their beers.

 

I remember they had carbonation issues with the first batch of bottling, at least mine did, but that has been a couple of years now. The last one I had from them was the Wit which just seemed too watered down. Again, all in bottles, so maybe there is a difference.