Quick answer
Minneapolis boasts a thriving craft beer scene, where a standard pint costs $6–$9, and the quintessential experience can be found at Surly Brewing Co. For the best beer, visit during the summer patio season or the winter stout season in Northeast Minneapolis.
- Best overall
- Surly Brewing Co.
- Top pick
- Surly Brewing Co.
Top verdicts
- Surly Brewing Co.: Go for the patio in summer (it sprawls); winter, the beer hall is cozy and rarely waitlisted on weekdays.
- Dangerous Man Brewing: 21+ only, cash-only for tips — and Friday/Saturday after 7 PM the line runs out the door.
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative: Member parties (a few times a year) are the best pours — but the regular taproom is open to the public.
Minneapolis is a legitimate craft beer destination. With 237+ breweries statewide (15th most in the country), the Twin Cities metro holds nearly half of Minnesota's total. The scene is anchored by NE Minneapolis — a walkable brewery district where you can hit Dangerous Man, Fair State, and Falling Knife in an afternoon.
Area map
1. Surly Brewing Co.
Start with:
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surly Brewing Co. | destination-brewery | budget | Minneapolis |
| 2 | Dangerous Man Brewing | ne-mpls-icon | mid | Minneapolis |
| 3 | Fair State Brewing Cooperative | co-op-brewery | mid | Minneapolis |
| 4 | Falling Knife Brewing Company | hazy-ipa-specialists | mid | Minneapolis |
| 5 | Town Hall Brewery | pioneer-brewpub | mid | Minneapolis |
| 6 | BlackStack Brewing | hype-beer-hq | mid | St Paul |
| 7 | Barrel Theory Beer Company | sours-&-stouts | mid | St Paul |
| 8 | Fulton Brewing | near-target-field | mid | Minneapolis |
| 9 | La Dona Cerveceria | latine-brewery | mid | Minneapolis |
| 10 | Pryes Brewing Company | riverfront-brewery | budget | Minneapolis |
| 11 | The Freehouse | award-winning-brewpub | mid | Minneapolis |
| 12 | Bricksworth Beer Co. | detroit-style-pizza-+-beer | mid | Minneapolis |
1Surly Brewing Co.
Destination Brewery
Verdict: Go for the patio in summer (it sprawls); winter, the beer hall is cozy and rarely waitlisted on weekdays.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Destination brewery with full beer-hall experience
- Strengths
- Known for Destination Brewery · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $5-$9 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Omar Ansari's Prospect Park beer hall is the Twin Cities brewery — 4.5 stars on nearly 4,000 reviews, the brewery whose 2011 Surly Bill rewrote Minnesota brewing law to allow taprooms statewide. Pizza, beer garden, regular events.
- What to order
- Furious IPA — the flagship that put Surly on the national map — or whatever barrel-aged Darkness release is on tap.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri15:00 – 22:30
Sat11:00 – 22:30
2Dangerous Man Brewing
NE Mpls Icon
Verdict: 21+ only, cash-only for tips — and Friday/Saturday after 7 PM the line runs out the door.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Hardcore Northeast taproom regulars
- Strengths
- Known for NE Mpls Icon · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$10 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Northeast's anchor since 2013 — 4.7 stars on 1,000+ reviews, no growlers, no distribution, no website to speak of. You drink in the taproom, and that's the entire business model. Cult standing among Minneapolis beer locals.
- What to order
- Whatever rotating coffee porter is on tap, or the Chocolate Milk Stout if it's pouring.
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3Fair State Brewing Cooperative
Co-op Brewery
Verdict: Member parties (a few times a year) are the best pours — but the regular taproom is open to the public.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Sour and lager enthusiasts
- Strengths
- Known for Co-op Brewery · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$9 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Minnesota's first cooperative brewery — member-owned, 4.8 stars on 600+ reviews, and a national reputation for mixed-culture sours and crisp lagers. Their Pils is widely cited as the best in the state.
- What to order
- The Pils, or whatever wild-fermented sour is current.
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🌐 Website
4Falling Knife Brewing Company
Hazy IPA Specialists
Verdict: Sunday afternoons are the local-favorite slot — patio open, kitchen running, no wait.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Hazy IPA specialists
- Strengths
- Known for Hazy IPA Specialists · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$10 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Northeast newcomer that punched into the local rankings fast — 4.8 stars on 400+ reviews, focused tightly on hazy IPAs and a small lager program. Smaller and quieter than the surrounding NE giants.
- What to order
- Their flagship hazy IPA, or a flight if you want to compare the IPA program.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri14:00 – 23:00
Sat12:00 – 23:00
Sun12:00 – 20:00
5Town Hall Brewery
Pioneer Brewpub
Verdict: It's a brewpub, so the kitchen is full-service — go at dinner, not just for a flight.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Beer with a full pub-food meal
- Strengths
- Known for Pioneer Brewpub · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$9 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Seven Corners pioneer — opened 1997, one of the first brewpubs after Minnesota loosened its brewing laws. 4.6 stars on nearly 1,600 reviews; the Masala Mama IPA has been a Minnesota staple for over 20 years.
- What to order
- Masala Mama IPA or the seasonal barleywine if it's pouring.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun11:30 – 23:00
6BlackStack Brewing
Hype Beer HQ
Verdict: Follow them on Instagram for can-drop announcements; lines start an hour before opening on big release days.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Hype-beer collectors and IPA chasers
- Strengths
- Known for Hype Beer HQ · St Paul
- Price / value
- $7-$12 per pour
- Why it made the list
- St. Paul's hype-IPA leader — 4.6 stars on 900+ reviews, regular Untappd top-rated releases, and the kind of taproom where new can drops sell out before noon.
- What to order
- Whatever week-old hazy IPA is in cans behind the bar.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun12:00 – 22:00
7Barrel Theory Beer Company
Sours & Stouts
Verdict: Sunday afternoons are quietest; weekend nights fill with cross-river beer tourists.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Pastry stouts and barrel-aged sours
- Strengths
- Known for Sours & Stouts · St Paul
- Price / value
- $7-$11 per pour
- Why it made the list
- Lowertown St. Paul standout — 4.7 stars on 600+ reviews, with a national-grade pastry stout and barrel-aged sour program. Smaller scale than the Minneapolis giants, but the beer often rates better.
- What to order
- A barrel-aged stout pour or a fruited sour from the cooler.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun12:00 – 18:00
8Fulton Brewing
Near Target Field
Verdict: On Twins game days the patio is packed before first pitch — go an hour after opening for elbow room.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Pre-game beers near Target Field
- Strengths
- Known for Near Target Field · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$9 per pint
- Why it made the list
- North Loop's Target Field neighbor — opened 2009 as a homebrew operation, now one of Minnesota's largest production breweries. 4.6 stars on 600+ reviews; the taproom is the easiest brewery walk from a Twins game.
- What to order
- Sweet Child of Vine IPA — Fulton's flagship, ubiquitous on Twin Cities tap lists.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri15:00 – 23:00
Sat12:00 – 23:00
Sun12:00 – 20:00
9La Dona Cerveceria
Latine Brewery
Verdict: Friday and Saturday late afternoons are happy-hour-busy; Sunday lunch is the calmest seating.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Mexican lager and full taqueria menu
- Strengths
- Known for Latine Brewery · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$10 per pint
- Why it made the list
- North Loop's first Latine-owned brewery, launched 2018 — 4.7 stars on 1,000+ reviews. Mexican lagers, micheladas, and a kitchen turning out tacos and tortas that make it as much a restaurant as a taproom.
- What to order
- Their Mexican-style lager paired with the al pastor tacos.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri15:00 – 23:00
Sat11:30 – 23:00
Sun12:00 – 20:00
10Pryes Brewing Company
Riverfront Brewery
Verdict: Sunday afternoons in summer are the patio sweet spot — busy but not full, and the river breeze is real.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Riverside summer drinking
- Strengths
- Known for Riverfront Brewery · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $5-$9 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Camden riverfront brewery — Mississippi River patio, 4.5 stars on 1,386 reviews, and one of the best summer outdoor beer setups in the city. Solid clean lager program plus a steady IPA rotation.
- What to order
- Miraculum IPA or the Pilsner; sit on the river patio if it's open.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun11:00 – 22:00
11The Freehouse
Award-Winning Brewpub
Verdict: Brunch on weekends is one of the few brewery brunch programs in town — go before 11 AM.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Brewpub with full restaurant kitchen
- Strengths
- Known for Award-Winning Brewpub · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$10 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Blue Plate Restaurant Co.'s North Loop brewpub — 4.4 stars on 1,700+ reviews, full kitchen, and a brewing program that's quietly racked up GABF medals while operating in a more dining-room-than-taproom format.
- What to order
- A flight to start, then their Belgian Wit or pale ale with the burger.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri11:00 – 00:00
Sat09:00 – 00:00
Sun09:00 – 22:00
12Bricksworth Beer Co.
Detroit-Style Pizza + Beer
Verdict: Pizza takes time — order the moment you sit down, not after a flight.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Detroit-style pizza paired with house beer
- Strengths
- Known for Detroit-Style Pizza + Beer · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6-$10 per pint
- Why it made the list
- Bryn Mawr's Detroit-style pizza-and-beer combo — 4.7 stars on 300+ reviews, with a tight in-house IPA and lager rotation built specifically to drink alongside square slices.
- What to order
- A Detroit slice and whatever house pale ale is on draft.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun11:00 – 23:00
Frequently asked questions
What is Minneapolis known for in craft beer?
Minneapolis is one of the top craft beer cities in the Midwest. As of 2023, Minnesota had 237 breweries, ranking 15th in the country. The Twin Cities metro has nearly half the state's total breweries. The scene is known for hazy IPAs, mixed-culture sours, creative pastry stouts, and a strong cooperative ethos. Northeast Minneapolis is a walkable brewery district.
What is the best brewery to visit in Minneapolis?
For a first-time visitor, Surly Brewing Co. is the quintessential Minneapolis brewery experience with its massive beer hall, pizza, patio, and live music. For the best actual beer, Redditors consistently name Fair State Brewing Cooperative and Dangerous Man Brewing. For hype IPAs, BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul is the move.
How much does a pint cost at Minneapolis breweries?
A standard pint at most Minneapolis taprooms runs $6-$9. Flights are $10-$16. Higher-ABV specialty pours can be $8-$14 for a smaller pour. Happy hour deals drop pints to $4-$6 on weekdays.
What neighborhood is best for brewery hopping in Minneapolis?
Northeast Minneapolis (NE Mpls) is the undisputed brewery district with Dangerous Man, Fair State, Falling Knife, and more all walkable. The North Loop has Fulton, Bricksworth, and The Freehouse near Target Field.
Are Minneapolis breweries kid-friendly?
Many taprooms are family-friendly during daytime hours. Surly, Pryes, and Fulton have large spaces and kids menus. Most allow minors before 8-9 PM. Dangerous Man is 21+ only.
When is the best time to visit Minneapolis for craft beer?
Summer (June-August) is peak patio season. Fall brings Oktoberfest beers. Winter is barrel-aged stout season. The Minnesota State Fair (late August) features a craft beer hall.