Hello Minnesota people! I am excited to get over to your neck of the woods next week for the Great Minnesota State Fair. I grew up in Minnesota, and have been able to try some really good beers from there over the years. My question is, what beer(s) should I be looking to purchase to drink while in the St Paul/Eagan area? I enjoy the IPA side of life (although not exclusively), and am used to the NE style that is so prevalent where I live. Just looking for some friendly recommendations of obtainable beer that you would advocate your out of town friend to try. Enjoy, and looking forward to being in the 'hood soon!
Are you looking to obtain packaged products or to drink while in breweries and/or bars? Do you want to stick to the east metro, or are you willing to go to Minneapolis and potentially beyond? Since you're "used to the NE style," do you want to pursue Minnesota-made versions of that style (most of which I'm guessing you'll find second-rate) or to expand your horizons within the IPA space and find the best IPAs that Minnesota has to offer?
Sorry for the vagueness of the OP. Yes, Im looking for packaged beer obtainable at a beer store, not necessarily NE style, but any style of IPA or other seasonal style (wouldn't want a BA stout right now) you'd say was worth picking up. Obviously not looking for a shelf turd, but also don't know how much free time I'll have to drop and run to a store if something were to drop. Also, yes, somewhere I could pick it up within the Eagan/Mendota area too. For example, if you were to come here to MA, the obvious choices are TreeHouse or Trillium, but Id recommend hoppy beers from Night Shift or Jacks Abby as well.
Your best bets for liquor stores probably are Sunfish Cellars in Lilydale, which borders Mendota Heights (on Highway 13 just off of 35-E), Liquor Barrel in Mendota Heights (Google and social media still have it listed as "Mendota Liquor"), and Atomic Liquors in Eagan. As for packaged IPAs, first let me warn you that, while I love IPAs, I tend not to like New England IPAs, and most of my favorite IPAs are dry, bitter, aggressive, and challenging instead of juicy, sweet, soft, and accessible. I'll let local New England IPA fans guide you to some of their favorites (preview: Lupulin and Modist). Also, most of the best IPAs brewed in the state are not distributed to liquor stores. That said, here are some of my favorites that should be available in bottles or cans now: Surly Todd the Axe Man Surly Furious Surly Overrated Castle Danger Ode IPA Fair State IPA Steel Toe Size 7 Fulton 300 Bank Hop Lab series (different colors represent different hops; some are better than others) Indeed Let It Ride or Let it Roll (whichever is in season) Summit Sága IPA I may get around later to some non-IPA recommendations.
Modist Dreamyard and False Pattern in cans would be my vote. Lupulin Hooey and Blissful Ignorance are popular as well. I know you said you want packaged beer, but if you have time for a taproom stop, go to Barrel Theory in St. Paul. I think most would say they are the closest to emulating the NE Style IPA in the Twin Cities. They also make good fruited berliners. Barrel Theory is very new and doesnt have any distribution at this point.
Barrel Theory does have semi-regular prefilled growler releases. Follow them on Twitter. They post anywhere from a day to a few hours before the release. It might take a little work, but if you can get there within an hour of opening, you'll be able to grab a growler or two. Regardless, they're worth checking out for a pour or two. Lupulin Hooey might be a bit difficult to track down, but Blissful Ignorance, Lupulin's NE DIPA, should still be lingering on shelves when you're here. Ansari's restaurant in Eagan typically has a few solid beers on tap. If you're lucky, they might have some Disgruntled beers.
@islay , great suggestions and I have to say when I was in MN last year Saga was one of my favorites I tried. As for Breweries, I was able to go to Surly which was so gorgeous with the open fore pits and what not. I do enjoy that midwest bitterness and am not exclusive to the NE juice style so am happy to expand my taste horizons! Like I said, not looking for whales or super-hyped beer (enough out in my area already), just a good beer that you would tell a friend they would need to try when traveling thru.
Do yourself a favor and grab Summit Keller Pils and Fair State Kazbek Keller Pils. IMO the best two beers available in the Twin Cities right now.
While at the MN State Fair, here is information as to where the beer is: http://mnbeer.com/2017/08/24/the-land-of-10000-beers-and-more/ http://www.mncraftbrew.org/events/statefair. The "Land of 10,000 Beers" is located in the Horticulture building, toward the west side of the building. I have been told that the Eagan Hy-Vee "Wine & Spirits" section of the grocery store has a good selection of craft beer. As mentioned, Ansari's Mediterranean Grill in Eagan has a limited number of taps, but combined with the bottles and cans offered, has a very eclectic selection of local and regional beers. Disgruntled is a well reviewed (for juicy IPA's), relatively new brewery in out state Minnesota, but Disgruntled crowler cans frequently are available at South Lyndale Liquor in south Minneapolis. Disgruntled is just releasing a new juicy IPA https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=331858643907349 and there is a possibility that crowler cans could show up at better Mpls/St Paul liquor stores by the time you are in town. If you have time to drive to Rochester, you can call Forager Brewery and find out what crowlers are currently available. Forager makes some great beer, including IPA's. Another out state brewery making very good juicy IPA's is Junkyard in Moorhead, but Junkyard crowler availability in the metro is very hit-or-miss. As already mentioned, look for IPA's at the Barrel Theory taproom, and cans of IPA's from Lupulin and Modist. Fulton's HopStar was a big IPA hit when first introduced, but it quickly sold out, and while coming available again soon, it may not be in stores when you are in town next week. BlackStack Brewing is a brewery/taproom very close to the MN Fairgrounds, and has had several iterations of its take on an NE IPA. Also BlackStack crowlers are available at bottle shops in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Also look for Toppling Goliath IPA bombers, available at better metro bottle shops and at Hudson WI's Casanova Liquor and a couple of other stores there. If you a beer trader, I'm sure there are several members here who would be agreeable to set up a trading relationship for your MA and VT NE IPA's for beers available in MN, IA, and WI.
Steel Toe Brewery has a very solid IPA called 'Size 7', which is available in most bottle shops, in cans and bomber bottles.
There are two other Minneapolis breweries that make very good IPA's, but the beer is only available at the establishments. One is Sisyphus Brewing, which does crowlers, and the other is Town Hall Brewing, which now has four locations in the metro. Town Hall is also available at the State Fair's 'Land of 10,000 Beers' exhibit.
