So, you’re coming to Minneapolis in May for the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference.
Awesome! If you’ve never been to the Land of 10,000 Lakes before, you’re in for a treat. There’s a lot here to boast about (but, because we’re Minnesota Nice, we don’t).
We’ve got the Twin Cities (that’s how we refer to Minneapolis and St. Paul together). We’ve got the Mall of America. We’ve got the number 1-ranked hospital in the country — Mayo Clinic in Rochester. We’re home to everybody’s favorite retail store Target. We’ve got some of the best music venues in the US including First Avenue. We invented Post-It Notes, the Honeycrisp Apple, Lucky Charms, Red Wing Boots and the snowblower. We’re home to top-contending professional sports teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, Lynx, Wild, and United FC. Celebrities like Prince, Bob Dylan, Jessica Biel, Vince Vaughn, Amy Adams, Chris Pratt and Winona Ryder all came out of Minnesota. We’ve got arguably the biggest and best state fair in the country, The Great Minnesota Get-Together (you’ll have to come back in August for that). And you won’t find a better place to spend all four seasons if you live for the outdoors.
You’re coming for CBC 2022, though, so let’s talk craft beer.
The Craft Brewers Conference runs May 2-5, giving you roughly four days — plenty of time — to explore the best of the Twin Cities’ craft beer scene. To help you plan your visit, we put together the following comprehensive guide to the top craft breweries worth visiting. We could have gone the data and analytics route — listing the top breweries according to review aggregate sites like Google and Yelp. While that list would have been a fairly accurate and unbiased guide of what’s what, we wanted to offer a more personal approach — after all, what better way to experience Minnesota’s craft beer scene than through the recommendations of a couple that has lived, breathed and worked the scene for over 4.5 years? For convenience sake, we’ve filtered our list below based on distance and fastest route to the brewery from the Minneapolis Convention Center where CBC 2022 will be held.
Additionally, check out our complete guide to events that are happening throughout the city at various breweries, including events hosted at First Draft by PorchDrinking!
Your Complete Guide to the Best Breweries in the Twin Cities to Visit During Craft Brewers Conference 2022
BlackStack Brewing (6.2 miles)
Few Minnesota breweries have grown as quickly in name and reputation as BlackStack, thanks in large part to distribution and the home-delivery service Tavour. Their creative and often high ABV beers and collaborations have become hot commodities by craft beer enthusiasts and favorites for social media influencers. The brewery — located in an old canning factory dating back to the late 1800’s — is now a popular hangout filled with plenty of natural light, green plants and an eclectic blend of your grandparent’s-era furniture. If you’ve got time, visit the wonderfully whimsical Can Can Wonderland next door.
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