Article by Loren Green

Building a Flight of Minneapolis Fall Beers

The beer scene is rapidly changing. Just a few years ago, the term “fall seasonal” meant dark-hued beers, complemented by whimsical takes on pumpkin spice and smoke. Even the term “seasonal” is less common nowadays, with taprooms favoring a rotation of limited beers that fit the season but aren’t always available for months at a time. Minneapolis has developed a vibrant brewing scene that allows beer fans to enjoy their favorite beers and discover new flavors in many ways. There are small, neighborhood joints and large beer halls, each with its own atmosphere and ambiance. This list captures that diversity with some local highlights.

Bauhaus Brew Labs – Pröst Modern (4.7% ABV)

Every flight needs a crisp and clean light-bodied beer. This is a fall seasonal Helles-style lager that is toasty and sweet, neatly balancing light honey tones with floral hops for a bready base with a touch of earthiness and corn tortilla flavor, plus a subtle melon and berry brightness underneath. A perfect beer for cool and crisp, yet sunny days. It is served on draft at the brewery and can be purchased in cans in a seasonal Bootbox mixed pack (6 cans of Pröst Modern and 6 can of Schwandtoberfest Märzen-style lager). With a light toasty note, the Helles lager is a nice lighter option to pair with the darker fall beers, Oktoberfests and beyond.

Located in Northeast Minneapolis, Bauhaus brews German-inspired beers with modern ingredients, including non-alcoholic and hard seltzer options. There is typically a food truck on site, including frequent partnership with Animales Barbecue. Founded by the Schwandt family, the brewery hosts an annual Oktoberfest celebration named Schwandtoberfest, taking place Sept. 21, 2024.

La Doña Cervecería – Oktubrefest (5.9% ABV)

Speaking of Oktoberfest beers, it can be difficult to make a traditional beer style like the German Märzen lager stand out when almost every brewery makes one. La Doña delivers a malt-forward, copper-in-color lager that’s crisp and refreshing, but with a drier profile as compared to the caramel-heavy flavors at many other breweries. Oktubrefest is still traditional: it offers a sweet aroma of toast and subtle candy corn, but the beer itself is roasty, with a honey-like undertone that sticks on the tongue but doesn’t dominate the experience. This beer pairs with the changing leaves: it has a sweet vibrancy, but it’s earthy, with subtle nuttiness, and surprisingly dry for the style. Due to the lager fermentation process, it finishes with a clean, smooth finish. Available beginning in October.

La Doña is in the Harrison neighborhood and features a bright, Latino-inspired color scheme and decor, as well as house-prepared tacos. Animales Barbecue, mentioned as a food truck earlier, will soon open a restaurant next door. La Doña is throwing a 6 year anniversary party with beer, cultural dancing, soccer and more on October 5th, 2024.

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub – Wild Rice Amber Bock (7.0% ABV)

Amber bock is a classic fall style, but Northbound adds a Minnesota twist with the inclusion of wild rice. The aroma gives caramel and honey-forward impressions, leading to a bold beer that’s suited to the cooler fall evenings. The caramel and honey flavors are the first to hit the tongue, then they grow into a rich nuttiness that would pair well with truffles, juicy red meats, and berries. While it is rich in flavor, the wild rice adds an earthy element for balance. It’s bold, but it’s not a decadent dessert beer. The lager base is clean and smooth, making it easy drinking but big on flavor. It’s somewhere in between the extremes – just like the fall.

A brewpub by design, Northbound offers a full barbecue menu and cocktails in addition to their house made beers. They offer a bustling patio as the weather allows, tucked tightly into the mostly residential Standish neighborhood near the Blue Line.

Padraigs Brewing – N.E. Porter (5.2% ABV)

Near-black in color, N.E. Porter is dark in color but mid-bodied and approachable. The roasty beer begins on the mellow side on first impression, with a building flavor that progresses from slightly sweet and bready roasted malt into a coffee-esque bitterness, ultimately merging all of those flavors for a roasty beer with hints of both sweetness and bitterness that finishes with a light, lingering milk chocolate element.

Maintaining brewing tradition, the porter is named for where it is produced: Northeast Minneapolis. As a whole, Padraigs emphasizes traditional Irish brewing methods and ingredients. Their taproom offers a classic pub vibe with an open view of the brewhouse and a seasonal patio that perfectly captures the aesthetic of the neighborhood.

Surly Brewing Co. – Darkness (12% ABV)

Released each year as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, Darkness is a cornerstone beer for Surly. This annual limited release is an imperial stout that pours jet black with dominant roasty flavors of coffee and chocolate. Like any beer this big, a warmer temperature will bring out layered flavors, with Darkness presenting notes of cherry, raisin, dates, and figs. It’s a big beer in every way, yet it has a deceptively silky body that separates it from other imperial stouts. Darkness Day 2024 takes place October 5 with live music, special variants, bottle sales and more. The beer releases in limited supply on Oct. 5 and then hits the general public on Oct. 31.

Surly, in Prospect Park, is a large destination beer hall with two restaurants, ample outdoor seating, and an amphitheater for concerts. They pour more than 20 taps, including many hard to find recipes.

There are more fall brews to be found...

Keep in mind that taps are frequently changing and there are many more high quality fall flavors worth seeking out on a visit. Additional fall beers are available at Fulton, Indeed, Utepils, Inbound BrewCo, and many many more.