Beer taps

Minneapolis’ 5 essential brewery taprooms

In a state littered with taprooms, these five have stood the test of time.

Bauhaus Brew Labs

1315 NE. Tyler St., Mpls.
Inside the main hall at Bauhaus Brew Labs Kyndell Harkness

With streaks of color crisscrossing its massive taproom, this is a brewery made for the Instagram era. And the beer tastes good, too. Bauhaus specializes in sessionable brews (i.e. drinkable), which makes it all the easier to snap selfies while gulping them down. The brewery’s name is a nod to a famed German art and design school that celebrated a crafty commitment to merging work and play. Let’s raise a pilsner to that.

Phone
(612) 276-6911
Website
bauhausbrewlabs.com

Dangerous Man Brewing Company

1300 NE. 2nd St., Mpls.
Customers at Dangerous Man Brewing Carlos Gonzalez

When it seems like every brewery wants to be as big as possible, this northeast Minneapolis beer maker loves its tiny footprint. The plan has worked out well: The brewery produces just enough beer to quench its growler demand and keep its funky taproom full. Also: You have not experienced a chocolate milk stout until you’ve had this one (so good it’s truly dangerous).

Phone
(612) 236-4087
Website
dangerousmanbrewing.com

Fulton Beer

414 6th Av. N., Mpls.
Glass of beer at Fulton Tom Wallace

A lot of home-brewers toil away in their garages dreaming of something bigger. These guys made it a reality. With a taste for the kind of approachable craft brews Minnesotans want, Fulton started by contract-brewing out of — gasp! — Wisconsin (to ramp up production). Today, their North Loop taproom is always bustling (complete with a kitchen housed in a 1968 Airstream Sovereign trailer), while a second 51,000-square-foot brewery in northeast Minneapolis pumps out kegs of Sweet Child of Vine and Lonely Blonde.

Phone
(612) 333-3208
Website
fultonbeer.com

Indeed Brewing Company

711 15th Av. NE., Mpls.
Customers at Indeed Courtney Perry

Three former journalism professionals wrote their own success story when they launched this popular northeast Minneapolis brewery in 2012. The craft beer biz boomed so quickly they added a second taproom a couple of years ago. These cozy nooks are the best places to get a taste of Indeed’s various limited releases, such as the Wooden Soul series of barrel-age sour beers.

Phone
(612) 843-5090
Website
indeedbrewing.com

Surly Brewing

520 Malcolm Av. SE., Mpls.
Tray of beers at Surly Renée Jones Schneider

Great breweries came before it, but Surly’s dream of a robust taproom scene changed Minnesota’s craft beer culture forever. We can all thank the so-called Surly Bill for opening up the state’s taproom regulations and the ensuing flood of 100-plus breweries. Of course, none are as ambitious in scope as Surly’s $20 million destination brewery, where hop destroyers like Furious and Abrasive flow like water. The beer hall serves adventurous foodie fare (Oysters! Trout!) even with the high-end, second-level restaurant recently closed. Not to worry, a New Haven-style pizza joint is replacing it.

Phone
(763) 999-4040
Website
surlybrewing.com