We'll be heading thru MN in a couple of weeks and I'm planning to hit Hammerheart (LOVE rauchbiers!) and maybe Surly. Can anybody recommend other breweries that produce rauchbiers and brews in the stout family? As this point our itinerary is basically wide open! Thanks!
Hammerheart no longer has a taproom. The owners/brewers moved to Ely and are doing distribution sales only. Here are three suggestions in the metro area, the first two are closer to Surly than the third: Waldmann https://waldmannbrewery.com/the-beer-2/, there is a Rauchbier on the menu Town Hall https://townhallbrewery.com/minneapolis-downtown-town-hall-brewery-drink-menu, has a couple of stouts, a Cascadian Black IPA, and several barrel reserve offerings Back Channel https://www.backchannelbrewing.com/menu, scenic location on Lake Minnetonka and a stout offering along with several lagers and IPAs.
Bummer about Hammerheart! Any stores in the area that might have a good selection? Sounds like I'll have to head into downtown Minneapolis after doing further research... Thanks for the heads up!
My favored store for getting Hammerheart beer is France 44, https://www.france44.com/. And you can check their site for available Hammerheart beer. Checking today there are five available beers from this brewery including a hot pepper porter.
If you would like a selection of Hammerheart and mostly Minnesota brewed beer go to Ombibulous in Minneapolis . Every beer is kept cold and sold out as singles . Located at 949 E Hennepin Ave.
If you go to Waldmann for the rauchbier, you may as well also stop at Bad Weather just around the corner. They currently have a Polish Grodziskie on tap, brewed with 100% oak smoked wheat malt. Very nice, and only 3.3%.
If you were in outstate MN, I could recommend a great store to go to for Hammerheart - cough, hint cough. If you can find Lundar's Lager from Klockow Brewing, I would get it in a heartbeat.
Since we're driving, I'll certainly be outstate for more miles than not... As for Lundar's Lager, I've added it to short but growing list. Thanks!
If you're coming across Wisconsin, I would suggest stopping at Casanova beer/liquior store in Hudson WI on the WI/MN border. Great selection of WI & MN beers and your last opportunity to grab some New Glarus beer, (WI only). https://www.casanovaliquor.com/
Thanks guys! Mrs Lizard has added Decorah, IA, to the itinerary, so we'll be entering MN through Hudson, WI, and leaving via Toppling Goliath. @Victory_Sabre, still looking for outstate store/brewery suggestions (Cough, hint, hint, cough)!
Princeton Liquors on 494/Bass Lake Road in Maple Grove is small yet deep with craft. If you make it to Duluth, Hoops has a Smoked Hefe that is great, Warrior has a couple of great stouts. Big Axe in Nisswa has some BBA stouts. Bad Habit in Saint Joseph has some very nice brews including a new chili beer I gotta try. As mentioned above, Waldmann has a Rauchbier (be aware that they do not brew IPAs, Hazies. Just German stuff). Klockow in Grand Rapids has a Smoked Chocolate Stout that I like called Downwind. Elm Creek in Champlin has very good beers. There's a ton! Enjoy your trip!!
So many choices. I don't know how far you're going north. If you are I would highly recommend BeerClub in Mora. In the St. Cloud metro, I would have to recommend all 3 - Bad Habit, Beaver Island, and Pantown. Going south, which I don't do much, because then I have to deal with the cities, I'd say LTS, and Forager in Rochester. Unless things have drastically changed, avoid Kinney Creek in Rochester. There's some new ones in Rochester since I was last there, but I know nothing about them. I did stop at Karst Brewing in Fountain, MN last time I went to TG back in 2019. It was ok from what I remember.
Of course if you head SW you're headed into Schell's country. There's Badger Hill in Shakopee, Paddlefish in St. Peter, there's a little brew pub in Mankato called LocAle, and then there's August Schell's in New Ulm. The B & L bar in NU has literally ALL the Schell's beer on tap.
I didn't mention Schells, just because it didn't seem like he was headed in that direction. If you're at all headed that way Schell's is a must stop in New Ulm. While there, hit Domeier's German store, Herman The German monument, and the Kaiserhoff bar. I also have to say Black Frost Distilling is damn good.
With the exception(s) of TG & Pulpit Rock, I would forego all of the other recommended stops for a chance to visit Schell's Brewery in New Ulm MN. Not only does Schell's produce fantastic beer, the location is one of the most historical and beautiful brewing destinations in the USA and the city of New Ulm is embedded with traditional German heritage. The original brewery, owners home & grounds are truly sites to see! The museum is an extra bonus with all the Schell's breweriana from pre-prohibition to present. Highly recommended for a beer geek traveling through MN! PS, if you have time while in Iowa, check out this location close to Decorah: https://www.bilyclocks.org/the-bily-brothers The most amazing grandfather clocks built by two brothers in Spillville in the early 1900's. Seeing these clocks and hearing how the brothers built & carved each item is astonishing! Safe travels & enjoy your time in dah nort woods, ya U betcha!!
There is a current Hammerheart release, https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31326/178250/, Von Winterherz Verhasst, which is a smoked Hefeweizen. From the dates of previous reviews this has not been available for at least five years. This is a very sublime smoked Hefe, with esters of cloves and banana, wheat malt, and campfire meat smoke. Available in a 4-pack of 16oz cans at the better beer stores that carry Hammerheart beers.
