American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
(Photo courtesy Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild)
Minnesota has a vibrant craft beer scene that deserves national attention. On April 20th the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild celebrated the best beers of the year and we’ve all the big winners for you.
This year’s Brewers Cup Competition evaluated 450+ beers from over 90 Minnesota breweries and brewpubs.
Submissions in 23 style categories were blind-tasted by 20 beer judges and the top three awarded. Guild members also voted for Best Member Volunteer, Best Allied Trade Member, Best Collaboration Beer, Best Art & Design, and Most Innovative Brewery this year, which is kinda cool.
Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Failing Knife Brewing took Best in Show for its Tomm’s Lager followed by Fulton Brewing (300 IPA) and The Freehouse (No. 68 Red Lager).
And here are all of this year’s big winners…
American Lagers
1st Place: Falling Knife Brewing Company, Tomm’s
2nd Place: Third Street Brewhouse, Mn Gold
3rd Place: Shakopee Brew Hall, Cinco De Shako
American Wheat & Cream Ales
1st Place: Canal Park Brewing Company, Clear Waters Cream Ale
2nd Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Co., North Star Cream Ale
3rd Place: Heavy Rotation Brewing, Farmer Frank’s
American Amber, Blonde & Pale Ales
1st Place: Invictus Brewing Company, Blaine It On The Rain Amber Ale
2nd Place: Birch’s On the Lake, Birch’s Blonde Ale
3rd Place: Omni Brewing Co., Lake Day
Pale Lagers
1st Place: Giesenbräu Bier Co, Hildy’s Helles
2nd Place: Bauhaus Brew Labs, Wonderstuff
3rd Place: Bauhaus Brew Labs, Grass Hopper
Amber Lagers
1st Place: Wooden Ship Brewing Company, Vienna Lager
2nd Place: Snarky Loon Brewing Co, Smoke Fest
3rd Place: Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Oktoberfest
Dark Lagers
1st Place: Fitger’s Brewhouse, Brewhouse Bock
2nd Place: Shakopee Brew Hall, Vincent Van Goat
3rd Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Bonspiel Bock
Czech Lagers
1st Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Czch Plz
2nd Place: Talking Waters Brewing Co, Reality Czech
3rd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Dance In The Rain
German Pilsners & Export Lagers
1st Place: Utepils Brewing Co, Anniversary Pils
2nd Place: Thousand Lakes Brewing Company, Tent Pitcher
3rd Place: Inbound Brewco, Laser Loon
American IPAs
1st Place: Fulton Brewing, 300 IPA
2nd Place: Giesenbräu Bier Co, Bavarian Gangsta
3rd Place: Third Street Brewhouse, Hop Lift
Hazy IPAs
1st Place: Birch’s On the Lake, Hazy IPA
2nd Place: Omni Brewing Co., Fad
3rd Place: Portage Brewing Company, Lost 40
Double & Specialty IPAs
1st Place: Venn Brewing Company, Chronicopia
2nd Place: Klockow Brewing Company, One Aught – Cold IPA
3rd Place: Surly Brewing Co, Furious
German Ales
1st Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Little Düssel Do Ya
2nd Place: Clutch Brewing Company, E’s Alt
3rd Place: Waldmann Brewery, Hefeweizen
Strong Ales
1st Place: Fitger’s Brewhouse, Starfire Reserve
2nd Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Block Heater
3rd Place: Imminent Brewing, Lionel’s Strong Ale
Belgian & Monastic Ales
1st Place: Klockow Brewing Company, Billy Bumbler
2nd Place: Wooden Ship Brewing Company, Grapefruit Rosemary Saison
3rd Place: Fergus Brewing Company, By The Grace Of Quad
English, Scottish & Irish Ales
1st Place: Ursa Minor Brewing, Equanimity
2nd Place: Back Shed Brewing, Excellent Sweater Bud
3rd Place: Uncommon Loon Brewing Company, Celtic Fire
Brown Ales & Porters
1st Place: Saint Paul Brewing, Crooks’ Haven
2nd Place: Heavy Rotation Brewing, London Calling
3rd Place: Big Axe Brewing Company Llc, Berserk Squirrel Brown Ale
Stouts
1st Place: Torg Brewery, Wander Well
2nd Place: Warrior Brewing Company, Barbarian
3rd Place: Sunken Ship Brewing Company, Aran Sweater
Hard Seltzers
1st Place: Indeed Brewing Company, Real Magic: Yerba Mate Ginger
2nd Place: Sunken Ship Brewing Company, Minimum Wake
3rd Place: Omni Brewing Co., Bear Necessities
Wood-Aged Beers
1st Place: Chanhassen Brewing Company, Carver County Reserve
2nd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Barrel God Cuvée ’20/’21/’22 Blend
3rd Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Foundation II
Fruit & Spice Beers
1st Place: Venn Brewing Company, Cosmosis Pinã Colada
2nd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, Royal Raspberry Sour
3rd Place: Sleepy Eye Brewing Co., Stay Pucked
Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beers
1st Place: Warrior Brewing Company, Valkyrie Pumpkin Ale
2nd Place: Bauhaus Brew Labs, Mostly Umlauts
3rd Place: Wooden Ship Brewing Company, Where Have I Bean Your Whole Life?
Wild, Sour & Funky Ales
1st Place: Falling Knife Brewing Company, Cumulonimbus
2nd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Rene V.2
3rd Place: Locale Brewing Company, Arcadia
Specialty Beers
1st Place: The Freehouse, No. 68 Red Lager
2nd Place: Indeed Brewing Company, Mexican Honey
3rd Place: Bad Weather Brewing Company, Zwickel Pils
Best in Show
1st Place: Falling Knife Brewing Company, Tomm’s
2nd Place: Fulton Brewing, 300 IPA
3rd Place: The Freehouse, No. 68 Red Lager
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Member Volunteer – Ashley Hauf, MNCBG Board President
Outstanding Allied Trade Member – ABV Technology
Best Art and Design – Lupulin Brewing Company
Best Collaboration Beer – BlackStack Brewing and Team Nevertheless – “We’re Not Waiting”
Most Innovative Brewery – Modist Brewing
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Congratulations to all this year’s winners…Live long and prosper!
