Minnesota is often derided as a so-called fly-over state that folks on the coasts never consider visiting. And for many Minnesotans, that suits them just fine. They know the value of their home state, especially the gem that is the Twin Cities. The same applies to Minnesota made beer. “Our breweries are relatively unassuming, maybe unpretentious,” says Jess Talley, the recently minted director of the Minnesota Brewers Guild. “That’s kind of a Minnesota cultural humility there that I think a lot of people may know as a stereotype of Minnesotans. Our brewers take a lot of pride in their work. And they should, we have a lot of amazing, award-winning beers here. But you’re not going to see a lot of Minnesotans gloating about that.”
The Twin Cities And Beyond
Once dominated by local giants Summit and and then Surly, the Minnesota beer scene has grown exponentially in recent years. There are now nearly 200 breweries around the state, according to Talley. “Beer is really becoming even more than before a massive driver of tourism, it’s revitalizing downtowns all throughout the state,” she says. “We have breweries that are incredibly engaged in their communities, breweries that are always pushing the boundaries in terms of what they’re brewing and how they’re reaching the consumer,” she says.
Talley highlights the innovative spirit of Minnesota breweries and points to brewing hotspots in Northeast Minneapolis and Midway in St. Paul (which you can easily reach by light rail), among others. “We have a bunch of breweries within biking distance from one another so there are 30 or 40 breweries basically at your fingertips when you visit downtown,” she says. But she also encourages visitors to the Craft Brewers Conference to consider getting outside the Cities. “From the metro area, it’s a pretty quick ride to get to the suburbs and some of our most award-winning and innovative breweries. If there are some breweries out there that catch peoples’ eye, I would suggest they go because they offer a different vibe, a different community, and are doing different things out there.”
To that end, the guild is coordinating CBC brewery bus tours to help visitors check out these further afield breweries. Talley and her partners have created bus tours to transport people to Duluth, Rochester, to Schell’s Brewery in New Ulm (the second oldest American brewery), and to Rahr’s malting facility. “We specifically built our brewery tours to get people out of the metro into communities that will be hard for them to travel to on their own,” Talley says.
Andy Crouch’s Suggestions For CBC Fun
I’ve spent a lot of time in the Cities, having lived there for several years during law school. I frequently return to visit friends and explore the ever growing beer scene. To conclude the fourth and final entry in this CBC series, I humbly offer a couple suggestions of my own.
Once home to the World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band, Nye’s Bar (112 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414) now occupies the physical space where the famous Polonaise Room once stood. You can still capture a little of the old spirit in this funky cocktail lounge. Check out the bar lights, which are relics of the former era.
Located downtown, Brit’s Pub (1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403) has long been a fixture with Minneapolis’s better beer drinking set. The UK inspired pub interior extends across a wide area but Brit’s is best known for its massive, grassy rooftop deck. In warmer months, pubgoers enjoy pints while lawn bowling or sitting at tables in the well manicured grounds. Perennially ranked as one of the best rooftop bars in America, Brit’s is a respite in the busy city.
Made famous by the Replacements song, Here Comes a Regular, the CC Club (2600 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408) is a classic dive bar in Uptown. Dimly lit, poorly decorated, and filled with characters, this small space balances the interests of regulars, visitors, and others looking to play music on its famed jukebox. A good end of the evening spot for one more.