Must-Try Local Brews

Beer expert and author Robin Shepard offers ten Minnesota-made beers you should drink today

Image credit: METRO

Recommended by the Editor

It Takes a Village

Beer 101

By: Robin Shepard |   February 2012   |  From the print edition

+ Bender, Surly Brewing Company, Brooklyn Center. A perfect example of how Surly plays outside the common beer style definitions, Bender displays a combination of characteristics of oatmeal stouts or brown porters, but with a hoppy edge.

+ Gale Force Wheat, Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors. This Hefeweizen has a sharp, hoppy bite (brewmaster Clint MacFarlane calls it a “Hopiweizen”). It’s assertive up front, yet wonderfully balanced by the banana and clove flavors that kick in at the end.

+ Great Northern Porter, Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul. Summit’s second beer was introduced in 1987 and promptly took home a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Its light, caramel start and firm chocolate background matches especially well with a cold Minnesota winter.

+ Lake Superior Special Ale, Lake Superior Brewing Company, Duluth. Lake Superior’s flagship brew is a North American take on the classic British pale ale. The imported English ale yeast and Cascade hops give this beer a complex and spicy flavor profile. Won a silver medal at the World Beer Championships in 2002.

+ Mango Mama, Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis. A citrus-y twist on the brewpub’s IPA. Fresh mango in a cheesecloth bag is dropped into the fermenter and left for a week or two, creating a distinctive fruity edge. The assertive fruitiness blends incredibly well with the hoppy flavor.

+ Park Point Pilsner, Fitger’s Brewhouse, Duluth. This German-style pilsner is a signature beer of brewmaster Dave Hoops (brother of Town Hall brewmaster Mike Hoops). Utilizing Czech Saaz and Hallerau hops, Park Point boasts clean flavor with a crisp, hoppy background and finish.

+ Rubus, Brau Brothers Brewing Company, Lucan. This imperial porter is perfect for those who enjoy beer as dessert. Rubus’s roasted-chocolate maltiness gives way to sweet blackberry tones that linger in the finish.

+ Scotch Ale, Brau Brothers Brewing Company, Lucan. This beer-festival favorite starts with seven different malts and Styrian Goldings hops before being fermented with Scottish yeast. Allow this beer to warm slightly and you’ll really notice the smooth, peat-smoked malt.

+ Snowstorm, August Schell Brewing Company, New Ulm. Just like snowflakes, no two Snowstorm seasons are alike. Each year, Schell’s brewmasters select a secret recipe for this winter warmer. Some versions have gone on to become regular beers, like FireBrick and Schell Stout. Expect a big beer with aggressive, malty flavor.

+ West Side, Harriet Brewing, Minneapolis. This Belgian IPA shows off West Coast hops like Summit and Cascades and pairs them with the fruitiness of Belgian yeast. Harriet’s flagship beer has a firm, hoppy background with a hint of grapefruit bitterness that adds some dryness to the finish.

+ Shepard’s book, Minnesota’s Best Breweries & Brewpubs: Searching For The Perfect Pint (University of Wisconsin Press, 2011), includes his reviews of each and every Minnesota beer.