Top 2017 Brewery that opened in 2017 (LIST TOP 3)

Utepils for sure #1.

I'll have to think of 2 and 3 though......

 

1. 12welve Eyes (St. Paul): This one may be a slow-burner for many people, and as of now it’s a polarizing choice, but I’m confident it will catch on eventually. It's the kind of brewery that you'd find in a mature market like Portland, Oregon, but it sits in the immature market of the Twin Cities. Its beers tend to lean dry at a time when the drinking public is heavily demanding sweet, but that poises it for acclaim when (please be when, not if) the pendulum swings back. Strong across a large variety of styles and only getting better.

2. Shakopee Brew Hall (Shakopee): Well-executed beers that represent slight twists on classic styles. The head brewer clearly has a great knowledge of brewing history. Highly promising.

3. Utepils (Minneapolis): I was skeptical of its business plan of mostly traditional German styles with a big initial investment and a focus on distribution in a very crowded market, but so far it’s putting out impressive product. In particular, Utepils can brew a German wheat beer with the best of them. I’d like to see a larger variety of offerings; not necessarily non-German styles, even if it already brews a few of them, but there’s still a lot of room to experiment amongst German styles.

Honorable mention: Unmapped (Minnetonka): Its strength has been English-derived styles rather than the Belgian styles it originally intended to emphasize. Belgian styles are notoriously difficult for American breweries to dial in, but, if Unmapped ever is able to do so, it can be a real force in the Minnesotan craft beer scene.

Dark horse: Waldmann (St. Paul): Surprisingly interesting spins on German styles from a brewery that seemed to emphasize only its (admittedly very cool) building during its run-up to opening. I haven’t tried enough of its beers yet for it to challenge my top three, but I'm hoping it does when I do.

@ZAP, I agree that Roets Jordan, Waldmann, and Shakopee Brew Hall would be up your alley, although I'll note that Roets opened in late 2016.

 

1. Utepils
2. Unmapped
3. Back Channel

I like more traditional take on beer and do not think NE IPAs is the be all and end all of the beer world. But besides Utepils, I have not been to any of the MSP breweries. I have been to Shakopee Brew Hall but their IPA was so sub par, I could not put them on any list.

 

1) Barell Theory
2) Utepils
3) Who else opened in 2017 in the Twin Cities?

 

Tough, since I really haven't visited many that have opened up this year. In fact, I've only visited 3 that have opened this year.

Here is the order of those 3, off the top of my head

#1 Blackstack
#2 Barrel Theory
#3 Starry Eyed

 

We should put together a list of breweries opened in 2017. Here's what I can think of off the top of my head:

Barrel Theory
Venn
Hoops
Waldmann
Utepils
Blackstack
Unmapped
Back Channel
Union 32
12welve Eyes
Broken Clock
Imminent
Tanzenwald

 

I'm assuming the whole region is fair game, but the only new for 2017 breweries I've been to are Barrel Theory and Pivo (Calmar, IA). BT gets the nod, but Pivo is very good as well.

 

1. Barrel Theory- great IPAs and wicked awesome taproom

2. Unmapped- all beers have been solid and they keep 12 or so on tap. The taproom is also really nice.

3. Utepils

 

My top three would be.

1.) Black Stack LOL.
2.) Barrel Theory
3.) Utepils

 

1) Barrel Theory - Known for IPAs but their Stouts, Sours and Berliners are also damn good
2) Black Stack
3) Utepils

 

I like Black Stack, great taproom, and that Local 755 is pretty solid now that it's dialed in. That being said, I find their overall selection, or lack there of, off putting. It's been awhile since I've been there, but the last time I was, I think they had maybe five or six beers on tap, and aside from the IPA, none were anything I was very excited about.

 

Couldn't agree more!

 

Chapel Brewing in Dundas
Giesbenbrau Bier Co. in New Prague
Ward House Brewing in Waseca
Island City Brewing Co. in Winona
Karst Brewing in Fountain
Shakopee Brewhall (well, Shakopee)
14 Lakes Brewing in Cross Lake
Portage Brewing in Walker
Revelation Ale Works in Hallack
Klockow Brewing in Grand Rapids
Three Twenty Brewing in Pine City

 

Remedy Brewing in Sioux Falls opened in July and is excellent. The brewery/taproom is in part of an old railroad freight building, but is all new inside. They've come out with 22 beers so far, in a variety of styles. Their Hefeweizen is outstanding. Remedy is located in what has become the Sioux Falls beer district, with three brewery/taprooms and four non-brewery taprooms, and more coming in 2018.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/49734/

 

Unmapped
Barrel Theory
Utepils

 

I'm hoping the following is a complete list of breweries opened in Minnesota in 2017. I utilized the extensive database at the other site. I welcome corrections and omissions. For ease of typing, I've left out any special characters in the names. In alphabetical order:

1. 12welve Eyes (St. Paul)
2. 14 Lakes (Crosslake)
3. Alloy (**** Rapids)
4. Ashby Brewing Company (ABC) (Ashby) - No taproom
5. Back Channel (Spring Park)
6. Barrel Theory (St. Paul)
7. BlackStack (St. Paul)
8. Brew D'Etat (Burnsville) - Client brewer
9. Broken Clock (Minneapolis)
10. Chapel (Dundas)
11. Cuyuna (Crosby)
12. Dona Chela Cerveceria (Minneapolis) - Client brewer
13. Giesenbrau (New Prague)
14. Gluek (Golden Valley) - Client brewer
15. HeadFlyer (Minneapolis)
16. Hoops (Duluth)
17. Imminent (Northfield)
18. Island City (Winona)
19. Karst (Fountain)
20. Klockow (Grand Rapids)
21. Loony's Brew (Ranier)
22. Portage (Walker)
23. Revelation Ale Works (Hallock)
24. Roma (Willernie)
25. Shakopee Brew Hall (Shakopee)
26. Starry Eyed (Little Falls)
27. Tanzenwald (Northfield)
28. Three Twenty (Pine City)
29. Union 32 (Eagan)
30. Unmapped (Minnetonka)
31. Utepils (Minneapolis)
32. Venn (Minneapolis)
33. Waldmann (St. Paul)
34. Ward House (Waseca)

 

Most complete new brewery. From branding, taproom, down to sheer quality of beer is Utepils & that’s what matters most - Quality.

Honorable Mention to these 2017 breweries ;

Barrel Theory and Blackstack .

 

I'll say Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines

 

Alright...

1. Utepils

The rest not ranked,

Unmapped, Back Channel and Hoops