Lager-forward, big patio
Bauhaus Brew Labs
A Northeast taproom with a full-block beer garden. Lager program is the focus, the food trucks rotate well, and the live music programming is genuinely good. One of the best public-square experiences the metro has, summer or winter.
Hop-forward, big sour program
Indeed Brewing Company
A Northeast brewery with a serious sour program alongside the everyday lineup. The patio is large, the rotating tap list is consistently exciting, and the team takes their barrel-aged releases as seriously as the daily drinkers.
Cooperative, lager-forward
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
A consumer-owned cooperative brewery in Northeast. The beer ranges from a classic pilsner to one of the best wild-fermentation programs in the upper Midwest. The taproom is unfussy, the prices are fair, and the cooperative ethos is real.
Globally-inspired, broad range
Insight Brewing
A Northeast brewery whose program reaches across global brewing traditions, from Japanese-inspired lagers to German weissbier to American IPA. The taproom is comfortable and the rotating menu always has something you have not had before.
Cider house with a beer-garden vibe
Sociable Cider Werks
A Northeast cider house with the most dog-friendly patio in the city. They take hops as seriously as they take fruit, the rotating cider menu always has a wild card, and the room turns into a four-legged social hour by 4pm.