Ranking Minnesota Breweries (May Update)

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by ZAP, May 12, 2016.

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  1. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's been a month of so since my last rankings. Here is my ever slightly changing list of the top Minnesota Breweries I have had. I decided to include all breweries this time regardless of size. Also moved a few more into the best of the best category.

    Breweries move up or down based on new experiences I have with places. Most stay about where they are.
    Biggest mover is Junkyard which continues to impress along a wide variety of styles. Bemidji, and Birch's also moving up slightly. Stopped by Nutmeg this week and they aren't serving any of their beer currently so no ranking there. LTD is #1 on my next to hit list as well as the Rochester breweries but that might be awhile before I get down there. I also aim to give Omni another try as my first stop was decent enough and the arrow may be pointing up there. I revisited Herkimer after a few years away and my thoughts did not change much there.

    BEST OF THE BEST:
    Schell’s
    Town Hall
    Fitger’s
    Summit
    Indeed
    Fair State
    Liftbridge
    Steel Toe
    Junkyard

    EXCELLENT
    Dangerous Man
    Bent Paddle
    Bemidji
    Birch’s on the Lake
    Sissyphus
    Hammerheart
    Badger Hill
    The Freehouse
    Castle Danger
    Waconia
    Bad Weather
    Lake Monster
    Northbound

    VERY GOOD:
    Lynn Lake
    Bauhaus
    Lupulin
    Enki
    Able Seedhouse
    Beaver Island
    Northgate
    Schram
    Jack Pine

    GOOD:
    Barley John’s
    Day Block
    Harriet
    Lupine
    Insight
    East Lake
    Bad Habit
    Great Waters
    Canal Park
    Disgruntled

    AVERAGE:
    Rock Bottom
    Omni
    Tin Whiskers
    Lucid
    Wabasha
    Flat Earth

    BELOW AVERAGE:
    612
    Bang
    Big Wood
    Excelsior
    Gull Dam
    F-Town
    Bent

    POOR:
    Big Axe
    Herkimer
    10K
    Maple Island
     
    #1 ZAP, May 12, 2016
  2. beerindex

    beerindex Zealot (641) Jun 18, 2007 Michigan

    You seem to have left Surly off the list.
     
    #2 beerindex, May 12, 2016
  3. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good eye...wow how did I do that. i can't edit it so I'll repost it here.

    BEST OF THE BEST:
    Schell’s
    Town Hall
    Surly
    Fitger’s
    Summit
    Indeed
    Fair State
    Liftbridge
    Steel Toe
    Junkyard

    EXCELLENT
    Dangerous Man
    Bent Paddle
    Bemidji
    Birch’s on the Lake
    Sissyphus
    Hammerheart
    Badger Hill
    The Freehouse
    Castle Danger
    Waconia
    Bad Weather
    Lake Monster
    Northbound

    VERY GOOD:
    Lynn Lake
    Bauhaus
    Lupulin
    Enki
    Able Seedhouse
    Beaver Island
    Northgate
    Schram
    Jack Pine

    GOOD:
    Barley John’s
    Day Block
    Harriet
    Lupine
    Insight
    East Lake
    Bad Habit
    Great Waters
    Canal Park
    Disgruntled

    AVERAGE:
    Rock Bottom
    Omni
    Tin Whiskers
    Lucid
    Wabasha
    Flat Earth

    BELOW AVERAGE:
    612
    Bang
    Big Wood
    Excelsior
    Gull Dam
    F-Town
    Bent

    POOR:
    Big Axe
    Herkimer
    10K
    Maple Island
     
    #3 ZAP, May 12, 2016
  4. MNBeerGeek

    MNBeerGeek Initiate (0) Jun 25, 2013 Minnesota

    I very much approve of your ranking for junkyard. They are, quite simply, fantastic.
     
    #4 MNBeerGeek, May 12, 2016
    DownyIsHungry, tgates, Nivek43 and 1 other person like this.
  5. TEdubbaD

    TEdubbaD Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Minnesota

    Where does Fulton rank?
     
    #5 TEdubbaD, May 12, 2016
  6. Nivek43

    Nivek43 Zealot (506) Mar 22, 2012 Minnesota

    Bring me all the junkyards
     
    #6 Nivek43, May 12, 2016
  7. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Boy how did I lose them from the list. Thought I had them on the others. I'll add them next time. Somewhere in the Excellent category would be my initial thought.
     
    #7 ZAP, May 12, 2016
    MNBeerGeek likes this.
  8. mjryan

    mjryan Pooh-Bah (1,571) Dec 22, 2007 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    Bad Weather?
     
    #8 mjryan, May 12, 2016
  9. HomeBrewed

    HomeBrewed Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2006 Minnesota

    Is listed in the Excellent category.
     
    #9 HomeBrewed, May 12, 2016
  10. Rob-P

    Rob-P Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2012 Iowa

    IMO Bent Paddle should be in the very top tier.
     
    #10 Rob-P, May 12, 2016
    DownyIsHungry, josephwa, BigAl18 and 2 others like this.
  11. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    I appreciate the list. I mostly agree on many of the rankings. I can maybe agree that Dangerous Man, Sysiphus and Bent Paddle are not in the top category, but still Excellent. I only have a problem when I see places like Badger Hill, Waconia and Bad Weather in their same category.
    I know it would make it more difficult, but it would be interesting if you had a ranking 1-10 to put them in. That way, you can differentiate for the top of the groupings. Steel Toe is great, but at the bottom of the Best of the Best list. Similarly the places I named early would be at the top and bottom of the Excellent category.
     
    #11 holzwama, May 12, 2016
    JMN44 likes this.
  12. KarlHungus

    KarlHungus Grand Pooh-Bah (3,315) Feb 19, 2005 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    I can't say I agree with the Lyn Lake placement. I've only been there twice, and have only had four or five of their beers. However, two of those beers were complete diacyetl bombs that shouldn't have been served. That doesn't get a brewery into my very good category.
     
    #12 KarlHungus, May 12, 2016
  13. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I've heard bad things on them but I was there about three weeks ago and sampled every beer they had on tap...ten or so...and all were very good to excellent. When was the last time you tried them? Going from there to Herkimer was a huge drop off. Yes Herkimer is not very good but LynnLake was very good with everything I had when I was there. I firmly stand by my impressions there. I got notes on my phone for everything I had. I may enter those reviews later.
     
    #13 ZAP, May 12, 2016
    Last edited: May 12, 2016
  14. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    To be honest Dangerous Man and Bent Paddle I had at the bottom of the Best of the Best category and at the last second slipped them to the top of the Excellent. Splitting hairs but they probably do belong grouped with the top group when I look at the others in each group in comparison. They probably compare better to places like Indeed, Fair State, Liftbridge and Steel Toe rather than Bad Weather, Waconia and Badger Hill (who I feel are all very good breweries as well).
     
    #14 ZAP, May 12, 2016
    holzwama likes this.
  15. KarlHungus

    KarlHungus Grand Pooh-Bah (3,315) Feb 19, 2005 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't doubt your experiences in the least bit, and being that you and I seem to have the same beer tastes and beer philosophy I will make it a priority to recheck out LynLake soon. Thanks, man.
     
    #15 KarlHungus, May 12, 2016
  16. sevenzig

    sevenzig Devotee (303) Mar 29, 2015 Minnesota

    Since I've moved to MN, Excelsior has gone from the absolute bottom of the list to the middle of Below Average. I fully expect them to reach Average by 2017.
     
    #16 sevenzig, May 12, 2016
    mkhartnett likes this.
  17. mrpeterandthepuffers

    mrpeterandthepuffers Pundit (825) Oct 24, 2014 Minnesota

    Are you ranking based on overall brewery experience or beer only?

    Bad Weather and Badger Hill both have cool taprooms but I would certainly not rate the beer as excellent.
     
    #17 mrpeterandthepuffers, May 12, 2016
    holzwama likes this.
  18. Victory_Sabre1973

    Victory_Sabre1973 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,445) Sep 15, 2015 Minnesota
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    So should I try their stuff again? Last time I had it, it was horrible.
     
    #18 Victory_Sabre1973, May 12, 2016
  19. sevenzig

    sevenzig Devotee (303) Mar 29, 2015 Minnesota

    I don't know. I live in Excelsior, but I haven't been there since my first week in town because they're always overflowing with people and I loathe crowds.
     
    #19 sevenzig, May 12, 2016
  20. ZAP

    ZAP Grand Pooh-Bah (4,048) Dec 1, 2001 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah we do seem to be on the same page a lot. Let me know what you think.
     
    #20 ZAP, May 12, 2016
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