Made in Minnesota: Spring Beer & Spirits from Local Craft Producers

Spring in Minnesota = time to refresh your home bar with locally made beers and spirits perfect for the season. 

From historic breweries that have been crafting quality beers for decades to newer distilleries putting Minnesota on the spirits map, our state offers impressive options worth supporting.

Summit Brewing: The St. Paul Staple

Before craft breweries appeared in every neighborhood, Mark Stutrud founded Summit Brewing Company in St. Paul back in 1986. That's nearly 40 years of consistently good beer that launched with one standout offering: Summit Extra Pale Ale (Summit EPA). This is the beer that "launched a brewery," and it remains a crowd-pleaser whether you're buying kegs, bottles, or 12-ounce cans. It's been winning medals longer than many of us have been of legal drinking age.

Summit has expanded to include more than a dozen beers: seven year-round offerings, five seasonal brews, and a few special limited-release bottlings. 

For spring, look for Summit Maibock, a seasonal German-style blonde beer that pairs perfectly with smoked meats. It's time to fire up the grill, and this is the beer you want.

Year-Round Favorites:

• Extra Pale Ale
• Grand Pilsner
• Great Northern Porter
• Horizon Red IPA
• Sága IPA
• Hopvale Organic Ale

August Schell Brewing: 150+ Years of German Craft Beer

The craft beer movement feels new, but August Schell has been brewing in New Ulm since 1860. That makes it one of the oldest active breweries in the United States. German immigrant August Schell couldn't find good German beer in Minnesota, so he did what made sense: he made it himself. Six generations later, the family is still crafting terrific German beers.

One offering stands out as an Upper Midwest favorite: Deer Brand. Schell's has been brewing Deer Brand since before prohibition. For something more seasonal, try Goosetown, a light, citrusy Gose-style beer recently bottled that gets beer lovers excited about warming weather.

For those who enjoy something unique, check out Schell's Noble Series. These Berlin-style wheat beers (Berliner Weisse) are aged in the cypress fermentation tanks Schell's bought back in 1936. The latest addition, Dawn of Aurora, recreates a long-forgotten Berliner Weisse "Starkbier" style—a traditional German "strong beer."

Jace Marti, the 6th generation family brewmaster, explains: "We wanted to explore yet another historical variation of the Berliner Weisse style. The starkbier is a stronger version, often referred to as a Champagner Weisse."

And if you're a fan of Grain Belt (another Minnesota institution), you can thank the folks at Schell's for ensuring generations to come will be able to crack open this classic beer.

J. Carver Distillery: Small Batch Spirits from Waconia

Drive about 35 miles southwest of the Twin Cities and you'll find Waconia, a town of roughly 10,000 with buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. What Waconia offers beyond its history is a booming wine, craft beer, and distillery scene. Enter J. Carver Distillery, named after pioneer and frontiersman Jonathan Carver, Carver County's namesake.

1. Carver produces gin, vodka, bourbon, and rye whiskey in small batches with attention to detail. Their gin is what they call "a whiskey lover's gin," thanks to batches resting in Minnesota-made virgin bourbon barrels for weeks to months, depending on flavor maturity. Even the color is unique: medium amber rather than clear.

Minnesota's winter wheat makes J. Carver's 100 percent wheat vodka smooth and clean. The rye whiskey features 70 percent local rye from Clear Lake, Minnesota, and 30 percent corn from farms near the distillery. At 92 proof, it's a standout. The bourbon has a mash bill of 75 percent corn and 25 percent rye, offering sweetness from the corn and a tinge of spice from the rye. It works perfectly on the rocks or in your favorite cocktail.

Spring Cocktails Worth Trying:

Carver Bourbon Whiskey Ginger Old Fashioned

• 2 oz J. Carver Bourbon Whiskey
• ½ oz Ginger Simple Syrup
• 3 dashes Bitters

Shake and strain in a chilled martini glass or serve over ice in a lowball glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a bourbon cherry.

Grimm Farm Bees Knees with Gin

• 2 oz J. Carver Grimm Farm Gin
• ¾ oz lavender honey simple syrup
• ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Carver Vodka Bootlegger

• 2 oz J. Carver Premium Vodka
• 1 oz simple syrup
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz fresh lime juice
• 4 mint leaves

Shake with ice and strain. This Minnesota summer favorite works just as well for late spring lake weekends and patio gatherings.

Norseman Distillery: Northeast Minneapolis' Micro-Distillery

Minneapolis' first micro-distillery pays homage to the legend of the Northwood lumberjacks (and the Norsemen that many of those fellows were). Norseman Distillery in Northeast Minneapolis produces premium vodka, gin, and rum in small batches with national recognition. Their Strawberry Rhubarb Gin was called "special" in Bon Appetit—and we agree.

Norseman's Current Lineup:

• Norseman Rum Aged in a Whiskey Barrel (smooth, silky fresh oak flavors)
• Norseman Organic White Rum (versatile for sipping or mixing)
• Norseman Small Batch Vodka (Minnesota-made from farm to bottle)
• Norseman Strength Gin (at 116 proof, it won't get lost in a crowd)
• Norseman Strawberry Rhubarb Gin (limited run—grab it while you can)
• Norseman Vapor-Infused Gin (infused with 100% organic botanicals including juniper, coriander, vanilla, and citrus)

The Norseman Distillery cocktail room has become a popular destination, open six days a week with rotating food trucks. 

Spring Cocktails from Norseman:

The Dark Storm

• 1¾ oz Norseman Rum
• ⅔ oz lime juice
• Scant ½ oz simple syrup (2:1)
• 1 tsp allspice dram
• Ginger beer

Pour the first four ingredients into a Collins glass. Fill with ice and stir lightly to combine. Top with ginger beer.

Supporting Local Makers

Minnesota's craft beverage scene thrives because we support it. 

As outdoor activity season begins, think about planning visits to these breweries and distilleries. Many offer tours, tastings, and taprooms where you can experience what they're making firsthand. 

Choosing locally made options supports the makers who call Minnesota home.