I'll be in Minneapolis for a work conference June 26-29, staying at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center (30 South 7th Street). Looking for recommendations for any nearby breweries, pubs, or stores I should check out, preferably walking distance locations. Thanks!
There's also this: http://www.beeradvocate.com/place/city/10/ Before "Craft Beer Tourism" hit its current stride, folks relied much more on BA's "City" pages than they did sorting through the opinions generated by an inquiry made to the local forum. The 1-5 review/rating function was (mostly) put to good use, and rankings were accurate enough that the City pages served their purpose well. I know that reviews (much less studying metro / City pages) aren't a thing anymore, but the rankings are still useful. That said... A visit to Surly's Minneapolis facility is practically a no-brainer, especially as it's about equidistant from Seven Corners and the St. Paul's emerging brewery district (which straddles the St. Anthony Park and Hamline Midway neighborhoods.) Zipp's* is also nearby, and still ranks among the best packaged beer retailers in the city. * One word of particular note: Beverage retail is not allowed on Sunday; Consider your shopping plans accordingly.
I will give WALKING recommendation's only. Brewery Taprooms: Fulton, Modist Pubs: Butcher& Boar,Mckenzies,8Th St Grill Stores: Haskells,Lunds,Whole Foods All spots i gave you are 5- 8 blocks away from Marriott you can walk (not sure if i would want to walk these alone late at night)or rent one of the Nice Ride Bikes.
Since I will be arriving on a Sunday, I suppose I'll have to rely on a pub or maybe a growler fill somewhere near. Do any of the pubs fill growlers?
Pubs do not, most breweries do. I would suggest going to Town Hall. It is walkable, but further than the other places suggested. They have a share a bike station right outside, so that could be a good option. Best beer of the places downtown.
I'd spend a few bucks on an Uber and go to Surly's taproom/restaurant/brewery in Minneapolis near Westgate. It's an incredible building with incredible beers, and an above-average menu. All of the usuals are on tap, as well as a number of taproom-only offerings. Have fun!
I always take out-of-towners to Surly and Dangerous Man. The peanut butter porter is always a hit with them.
I take a trip to Minneapolis a couple times a year and really like places like Town Hall, Surly, Indeed, etc. Last time I went I checked out Dangerous Man and maybe it was just the hype or something but I wasn't really that impressed. I had the Chocolate Milk Stout and the PB Porter. Both good but not in the same ballpark as some of the beers I've had at Surly and Town Hall.
My experience with Dangerous Man leads me to say that you are dead on with this thinking. The are good, but the hype about them is overwhelming.