Brewpub Guide
Barley John’s
781 Old Hwy 8 SW, New Brighton, MN • 651-636-4670
Open since 2000, John Moore and a series of worthy brewers have created memorable beers to go with fine food. Wild Brunette deserves mention not just for its flavor, but as the oldest continuously-brewed wild rice beer in the country. Their barrel-aged beers, Rosies Old Ale and The Dark Knight (and The Dark Knight Returns), always go quickly. The creative seasonals are supplemented by 4–8 guest taps selected to fill style gaps in the menu of the house beers. Hop covered patio for outside seating. Growlers available. Child friendly.
Boathouse Brewpub and Restaurant
47 E Sheridan St, Ely, MN • 218-365-4301
By far the northernmost of Minnesota’s brewpubs, Boathouse offers a full range of ales with several rotating seasonals. This fall they had three coffee porters, an Oktoberfest, and other treats. The Blue Berry Blonde has become a local favorite, at least in part because of the blueberries that garnish the beer. Some recent changes to the menu have expanded the range of dishes, including several vegetarian items. While they have no guest taps, they host frequent beer dinners featuring beer from other regional craft brewers. Growlers available. Kids’ menu available.
Canal Park Brewing Co.
300 Canal Park Dr, Duluth, MN • 218-464-4790
The most stunning views of any of Minnesota’s brewpubs are at Canal Park. These aren’t limited to the vast expanse of Lake Superior—the brewhouse itself is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility with tile floors and gleaming equipment, named “Gus.” The beers run the gamut from pilsners to black IPAs, with numerous Belgian and British styles to round out the menu. One recent addition was No Grainer Pale Ale, made with 100% white sorghum. The menu is upscale pub food, with several local specialties included on the list. Kids’ menu available. Tourist friendly. Growlers available. Brewery tours Friday through Sunday.
Carmody’s Irish Pub
308 E Superior St, Duluth, MN • 218-740-4747
The classic Irish pub atmosphere is enhanced by four classic ale styles brewed year-round and occasional seasonals. Founded by a grandson of some of the founders of the old Peoples’ Brewing Co. of Duluth, it began brewing its own beer in 2010. The menu features pub food that extends beyond Irish favorites and includes some vegetarian items. In addition to their own beers, they have more than two dozen tap craft beer selections and several mass-market domestics and imports available by the bottle. Growlers available.
Dubh Linn Irish Brew Pub
109 W Superior St, Duluth, MN • 218-727-1559
While many brewpubs face space challenges, Dubh Linn has met theirs in a less typical way. Their two 40-gallon kettles allow creation of many small batches, which tend to rotate quickly but allow the brewers to experiment with different flavors and ingredients. When one of the beers becomes so popular they can’t keep up with production, they have arrangements with Bo Belanger of South Shore Brewery in Ashland, Wisconsin, to brew the additional beer at his facility. Dubh Linn offers traditional Irish pub fare along with American favorites. No growlers.
Day Block Brewing
1105 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN • 612-617-7793
Minneapolis’ newest brewpub, Day Block Brewing opened January of 2014 in the historic Day Block Building on Washington Avenue. Founders Cory Williamson and brothers Jeff and Chris Hahn created the brewery and pizzeria concept to fill the vacant first-floor space. Now, they are producing six handcrafted brews out of their 10 bbl brewhouse, and unconventional pizzas from the kitchen with toppings ranging from Hungarian bacon and pickled onions, to Chimichuri sauce and flank steak, and house-made kimchi and bratwurst. Banquet space available for rent. Growlers available.
You must be logged in to post a comment.