10 Minnesota Breweries You NEED To Visit

Here at SelfEco, we have a seemingly endless thirst for local beer. We're so obsessed that we even developed a NEW compostable beer sampler glass that looks and feels like plastic, but can actually be tossed in your organics bin for curbside compost pickup. MPLS folks, have you heard about the new Organics Recycling program?! Pretty neat stuff.

Anyway, there's just no way we can rank our top breweries in order of favorites since all of them are so great. So here they are, in no particular order:

Summit Brewing Company

St. Paul

Before the brew rooms were a mandatory neighborhood check-in point, Summit was quietly tucked away in St. Paul, putting out the only beers able to compete with the big boys. Years later, they continue to put out new brews that set the standard all other breweries are required to follow.

Fulton Beer

Minneapolis

One of the first taprooms on the scene, Fulton created demand so high for their beers that the crew soon had to move operations to a warehouse in the Northeast to keep up with the demand, which hasn't really flagged, meaning that while other craft brewers may come and go, the original little brewery that could... um, doesn't.

Indeed Brewing

Northeast Minneapolis

It's not an accident that Indeed's logo has a hint of a smile in it, or that you'll be doing just that when you try one of their typically canned brews, which include things like the L.S.D. Honey -- the former of which is what Jessica Alba must have been on when she agreed to do the later.

Lift Bridge Brewery

Stillwater

As brew pubs go - We really like Lift Bridge. It looks like an old coffee shop that converted and built a massive brewing/distribution facility on the back end. They have a nice south facing store front, perfect for sipping outside on a warm day. Inside they have the community tables, free popcorn (nice plus), and great beer. They do 6 beers for a flight, and you can mix them up without a surcharge vs other places that have a set list of the beers some of which you want to try and some not. The staff is super friendly, and the menus clearly describe each beer.

612 Brew

Northeast Minneapolis

Bros before hoes, but brews before dudes -- we’ve got priorities, man. This group of friends banded together inside a revitalized warehouse space, put up an Adam Turman mural, set the stage for live music, and started producing some incredible suds.

Bent Paddle Brewing

Duluth

On the scintillating shores of Lake Superior, this brewery is using the pristine drinking water of Duluth to turn out increasingly quaffable beers. Each brew they release seems to be better than that last, proving that this is one young brewery to watch.

Surly Brewing

Minneapolis

Started by Omar Ansari, Surly led the charge to make it legal for Minnesota production breweries to sell pints of their own beer on their own premises. Their new facility offers plenty of bike racks, the craziest patio we've ever been to, and a killer food menu too.

Schell's Brewery

New Ulm

There are a few rules that all men can live by: 1) never start a land war in Asia, and 2) don’t question the Germans when beer is involved, especially when said German beer is Schell’s, one of the few older, established breweries that can compete with the younger, more new-fangled suds-makers.

Harriet Brewing (Now Closed)

Minneapolis

Started by people... um, not named Harriet, this European-style brewery slings more than a dozen creative brews and boasts a taprooms that hosts a killer line-up of music, food trucks, and sweet events.

Steel Toe Brewing

St. Louis Park

Better than a boot to the face, these outstanding beers are being churned out by hard-working brewers in St. Louis Park. Their small-batch brews, exclusive to the brewery, keep their stools filled... with people who keep their bellies filled with STB brews by picking up a bottle or six to go.

Brewery descriptions taken from Thrillist, Yelp, and the brewery's websites.