Finnegans

Pros: Chic venue, great beer, even better karma Cons: Probably going to be pretty crowded and loud, at least for a few months Number one reason you should go: Do you hate the hungry? No? Well go do your part as a charitable human and have a beer at Finnegans House. On St. Patrick's Day …

Fulton

Pros: Great location, vibes, and space; friendly staff; food in-house Cons: Middling beer Number one reason you should go: Having been around for almost a decade, Fulton is coming close to a Minneapolis mainstay. And with such a great location, you've got no reason not to go. Hit them up before your next Twins game …

HeadFlyer Brewing

Pros: Perfect branding, great beer, excellent bartenders Cons: I honestly can't think of a con here. Stay open later, I guess. Come 10pm we didn't want to leave, even on a Wednesday. Number one reason you should go: If you're looking for a trendy, Minnesota-centric brewery to hang out at while drinking great beer and …

Flat Earth Brewing Company

Pros: history-filled location, excellent porters Cons: spotty service, old brewery smell Number one reason you should go: If you've ever wanted to drink a quality porter in the Coliseum, Flat Earth will provide an experience pretty close to that. Go in the summer and have a couple on the patio. When it comes to breweries, …

Clockwerks Brewing

Pros: Inviting lounge atmosphere, fantastic beer, home brewer promotion Cons: No distribution of said fantastic beer Number one reason you should go: Clockwerks Brewing may be new but they've already made an indelible mark on my own mental brewery map of the Twin Cities. And the best part about Clockwerks: the beer is driving the …

Barrel Theory Beer Company

Pros: Excellent sour beers, beautifully lit space Cons: A surfeit of sour/juicy beers, not a log cabin Number one reason you should go: In the words of my friend Evan, "No one goes to St. Paul." Which is true, but anyone who follows the Twin Cities beer scene knows Lowertown is popping off right now. …

Burning Brothers Brewing

Pros: Welcoming vibes, great shandy Cons: Traditional beer styles just don't taste that great Number one reason you should go: If you love beer but never tried the gluten free stuff, it's an initiatory rite. If you have tried gluten free stuff but hated it, go to try the lime shandy I'll be honest: I …

Boom Island Brewing

Pros: Extremely laid-back atmosphere, dogs, cool entrance Cons: Graduation party feel, Belgian beers (not a con for everyone obviously) Number one reason you should go: Boom Island felt like a party I wasn't sure I was invited to. But you might be. If there is one thing that can be said for Boom Island Brewing, …

Bent Brewstillery

Pros: Interesting beer, friendly atmosphere, DOGS, cool art Cons: Failure to capitalize on Bent Brewstillery/Brew Benstillery wordplay Number one reason you should go: Go to Bent Brewstillery to taste the only 6% ABV orange juice you'll likely ever encounter and listen to CFO Brenda Blume extol the virtues of Kristi Abbott's cut paper art...then go …

Bauhaus Brew Labs

Pros: Strong identity, friendly and interesting atmosphere Cons: What can I say? Number one reason you should go: In the world of Twin Cities breweries, the dynamic Bauhaus Brew Labs hits close to the heart of what a brewery means and should be for its guests: a place of warmth, style, play, and good beer. …