The Best Beers (and Seltzers) in Minnesota for 2026

Minnesota is home to many amazing breweries. Most beer drinkers have their one or two favorite breweries to visit, and probably have their 'usual' that they like to order. (I've got my favorites, that's for sure, and I have to force myself to try something new sometimes.)

Recently, the 2026 Minnesota Brewers Cup Awards were handed out to breweries from across Minnesota who have the best beers and seltzers in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

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Best Beers in Minnesota

The awards were handed out for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place across different categories of beers. For example, there's an Amber Lager category, a Hazy IPA category, and a Porter and Stout category.

Typically, I'm going for the darker beers in the winter and the lighter, easy-to-drink beers in the summer. IPAs aren't my thing. But everyone has their own favorites, so let's break down the winners of the MN Brewer Cup, starting with the overall winners, and maybe you'll find a new favorite beer.

The best beers in Minnesota right now are...

1st Place: Ewald The Golden (German Ale) - Utepils Brewing, Minneapolis
2nd Place: Slopes (Pils) - Blackstack Brewing, St. Paul
3rd Place: District 5 (Hazy IPA) - Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park

Also, shout out to Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park who won Brewery of the Year!

Now let's get into the other great beers and seltzers that won awards this year.

Best Seltzers from Minnesota Breweries

We'll start with the seltzers (since all of the other categories are beers). Only a 1st and 2nd place were awarded in this category. Your winners are:

1st Place: The Mule - Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Edina
2nd Place: Innuendo - Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Annandale

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Best Beers from Minnesota Breweries (by category)

Now moving on to the beer categories...

Amber Lagers

1st Place: The Draftsman - Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park
2nd Place: Dreher’s Dominion - Nine Mile Brewing Co., Bloomington
3rd Place: Polar Lager - Bucks Mill Brewing, Detroit Lakes

American Amber, Brown, and Pale Ales

1st Place: Red Owl Amber Ale - Paddlefish Brewing Company, St. Peter
2nd Place: Cannon River Pale Ale - Imminent Brewing, Northfield
3rd Place: Hank And Dabs Pale Ale - Canal Park Brewing Co., Duluth

American and Specialty IPAs

1st Place: Wild Mike’s Rye IPA - Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Marshall
2nd Place: Wave Racer - Dual Citizen Brewing Company, St. Paul
3rd Place: Code 3 - Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Edina

Barrel-Aged Beers and Imperial Stouts

1st Place: Night Trekker Baltic Porter, Barrel Aged - Canal Park Brewing Co., Duluth
2nd Place: Night Witch 2025 - Lupulin Brewing Company, Big Lake
3rd Place: Batch 400 Imperial Stout - Rapids Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

British, Irish, and Scottish Ales

1st Place: Jug - Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park
2nd Place: Mill Pond Porter - Bucks Mill Brewing, Detroit Lakes
3rd Place: Copper & Crown English Pale Ale - Lakeville Brewing Co., Lakeville

Dark Lagers

1st Place: Son Of Dad - The Savage Tap, Savage
2nd Place: Cold Spring Bock - Third Street Brewhouse, Cold Spring
3rd Place: MachFest - Tremendous Brewing Co., St. Peter

Dark Strong Beers

1st Place: Dark Skies - Forgotten Star Brewing Co.
2nd Place: Augen Auf! - Tremendous Brewing Co., St. Peter
3rd Place: Doppelbock - Lupulin Brewing Company, Big Lake

Fruit and Spice Beers

1st Place: Mango Blonde - Lift Bridge Brewing Company, Stillwater
2nd Place: Big Island Citrus Blonde Ale - Excelsior Brewing Co., Excelsior
3rd Place: Girl Power - Bad Weather Brewing Company, St. Paul

German Ales

1st Place: Ewald The Golden - Utepils Brewing, Minneapolis
2nd Place: Honey-Do Kolsch - Bucks Mill Brewing, Detroit Lakes
3rd Place: Alt 1848 - Utepils Brewing, Minneapolis

German and Int. Pale Lagers

1st Place: Ossuary - Wandering Leaf Brewing Company, St. Paul
2nd Place: Pilsner, Eh? - Inver Grove Brewing, Inver Grove Heights
3rd Place: Dortmunder - Lupulin Brewing Company, Big Lake

Hazy IPAs

1st Place: District 5 - Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park
2nd Place: Off The Deep End - Luce Line Brewing, Plymouth
3rd Place: Current Obsession - Nine Mile Brewing Co., Bloomington

Pale Strong Beers

1st Place: Lone Trekker Belgian Single - Canal Park Brewing Co., Duluth
2nd Place: The Five - Sleepy Eye Brewing Company, Sleepy Eye
3rd Place: Disorientation - Unmapped Brewing Company, Minnetonka

Pils and Export Lagers

1st Place: Slopes - Blackstack Brewing, St. Paul
2nd Place: Pragmatic Pils - Pryes Brewing Company, Minneapolis
3rd Place: Shorebird Pilsner - Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Fridley

Porters and Stouts

1st Place: Moojoos Oatmeal Stout - Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Marshall
2nd Place: Dry Irish Stout - Dangerous Man Brewing, Minneapolis
3rd Place: Sister Midnight - Tanzenwald Brewing Company, Northfield

Sour, Wild, and Specialty Beers

1st Place: Over The Line - Brühaven, Minneapolis
2nd Place: Superior Swell Kettle Sour - Canal Park Brewing Co., Duluth
3rd Place: Smokehouse Porter - Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Minneapolis

Spice, Herb, and Vegetable Beers

1st Place: Salsa Dancing - Sleepy Eye Brewing Company, Sleepy Eye
2nd Place: Coffee Chocolate Golden Ale - Birch’s On the Lake, Long Lake
3rd Place: Mexican Hot Chocolate - Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Edina

Standard American Beers

1st Place: Modify Lager - Venn Brewing Company, Minneapolis
2nd Place: Minnesota Gold Light - Third Street Brewhouse, Cold Spring
3rd Place: Star Lite - Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Fridley