2021 BREWERS CUP AWARDS

Results are in on the 2021 MN Brewers Cup, the state-wide, blind taste-test competition for Minnesota breweries and brewpubs!

This year, the Brewers Cup Competition had 450 beers entered from 85 breweries and brewpubs in the state. Beers were submitted to 26 categories based on beer style. Submissions were judged blind by 20 beer judges based on how well each submission represented the standards of its style. The top three in each style category, along with the top three overall, were announced at an industry-only awards ceremony on November 18, 2021.

View winners in each category below, including member-voted awards for Best Collaboration Beer and Best Art & Design.

Ready to drink some Minnesota beer? Find a brewery near you!

Best in Show

1st Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Roasty Toasty Porter
2nd Place: Venn Brewing Company, Venn Pils
3rd Place: Unmapped Brewing Co., Tonka Lite

American Lagers

1st Place: Unmapped Brewing Co., Tonka Lite
2nd Place: Falling Knife Brewing Company, Tomm’s
3rd Place: Third Street Brewhouse, Minnesota Gold

German Pilsners

1st Place: Venn Brewing Company, Venn Pils
2nd Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Haha Pilsener
3rd Place: Indeed Brewing Company, Pils

Pale Lagers

1st Place: Talking Waters Brewing Co., Festbier
2nd Place: Giesenbräu Bier Co, Hildy’s Helles German Lager
3rd Place: Utepils Brewing Co, Helles

Amber Lagers

1st Place: Stormking Brewpub and Barbecue Llc, Stormking Oktoberfest
2nd Place: Clutch Brewing Company Llc, Noktoberfest
3rd Place: Sleepy Eye Brewing Co., Luebbert Lager

Dark Lagers

1st Place: Thesis Beer Project, Outfly
2nd Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Herrnberger Dunkel
3rd Place: Shakopee Brew Hall, Hard Headed Dreamer

Czech Lagers

1st Place: Chapel Brewing, Dukes Pilsner
2nd Place: Lake Monster Brewing, Como Claw Pilsener
3rd Place: Talking Waters Brewing Co., Reality Czech

American Wheat & Cream Ales

1st Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Company, North Star Cream Ale
2nd Place: Ursa Minor Brewing, Constellation Cream
3rd Place: Pantown Brewing Company, The Classic Cream Ale

American Pale Ales

1st Place: Three Twenty Brewing Co., Diddy Pale Ale
2nd Place: Day Block Brewing Company, Citra Pale Ale
3rd Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Pay It Forward Pale Ale

American Blonde & Amber Ales

1st Place: Excelsior Brewing Co, Big Island Blond
2nd Place: Stormking Brewpub and Barbecue Llc, River Pig Red Ale
3rd Place: Fulton Brewing, The Lonely Blonde

American IPAs

1st Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Code 3
2nd Place: Unmapped Brewing Co., No Trace
3rd Place: Fulton Brewing, Fulton 300 Mosaic IPA

New England IPAs

1st Place: Ltd Brewing Co., Creative Haze
2nd Place: Luce Line Brewing, Foggy Bottom
3rd Place: Eastlake Craft Brewery, Got Dang!

Double & Specialty IPAs

1st Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Sessionista
2nd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Blissful Ignorance
3rd Place: Venn Brewing Company, Chronicopia

Belgian & Monastic Ales

1st Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Lone Trekker
2nd Place: Blacklist Brewing Co., Or de Belgique
3rd Place: Unmapped Brewing Co., Quadruplication

English Bitter, Irish & Scottish Ales

1st Place: Torg Brewery, Kilted Yoga
2nd Place: Ursa Minor Brewing, Equanimity
3rd Place: Little Thistle Brewing Co, Brave Woman

German Ales

1st Place: Torg Brewery, Libidinous
2nd Place: Utepils Brewing Co, Alt 1848
3rd Place: Take 16 Brewing, Country Mile Kölsch

Strong Ales

1st Place: Jack Pine Brewery, Big Buck Barleywine
2nd Place: 10k Brewing Llc, Wee-Heavy
3rd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, 2021 Lost Moon

Brown Ales & Porters

1st Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Roasty Toasty Porter
2nd Place: Bald Man Brewing, Tupelo Honey Brown Ale
3rd Place: Omni Brewing Company, Shanty Town

Stouts

1st Place: Ltd Brewing Co., Nightmare
2nd Place: Pantown Brewing Company, Drop Forge Milk Stout
3rd Place: Thousand Lakes Brewing Company, Breakfast For Supper

Imperial Stouts & Baltic Porters

1st Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Company, Dark Skies
2nd Place: Lift Bridge Brewery, Barrel Aged Silhouette Imperial Stout
3rd Place: Warrior Brewing Company, Barbarian

American Wild Ales

1st Place: Locale Brewing Company, Sibling
2nd Place: Locale Brewing Company, Aromaticity
3rd Place: Revelation Ale Works, Deviation:02

Sour & Funky Ales

1st Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Acid Factory Gose
2nd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, Royal Raspberry Sour
3rd Place: Barrel Theory Beer Company, Simply Ravishing

Wood Beers

1st Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Barrel God Cuvée – 2020/2021 Blend
2nd Place: Giesenbräu Bier Co, Nova Praha Med Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout
3rd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, 2021 Barrel Aged Lost Moon

Fruit Beers

1st Place: Lift Bridge Brewery, Mango Blonde
2nd Place: Lake Monster Brewing, Purple Rain
3rd Place: Inbound Brewco, Jam Bam

Spice, Herb, & Vegetable Beers

1st Place: Excelsior Brewing Co, Spresso Milk Stout
2nd Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Cold Press Black Ale
3rd Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Dry Bean Coffee Blonde Ale

Specialty Fruit & Spice Beers

1st Place: Bauhaus Brew Labs, Guavatron
2nd Place: Bad Weather Brewing Company, Due Date 5
3rd Place: Venn Brewing Company, Lunarising

Experimental & Specialty Beers

1st Place: Modist Brewing Company, False Pattern
2nd Place: Indeed Brewing Company, Mexican Honey Imperial Lager
3rd Place: Inbound Brewco, Mn Rice

Best Art and Design – Lupulin Brewing Company

Best Collaboration Beer – Double Local Dream Mirror by Modist Brewing Company, Blackstack Brewing Company, and Fair State Brewing Cooperative

Best Member Volunteer – Dawn Finnie, MNCBG Board President

Outstanding Allied Trade Member – BSG CraftBrewing