The MN Brewers Cup is the state-wide, blind taste-test competition for Minnesota breweries and brewpubs! This event showcases the innovation and mastery of the craft of brewing in our state.
This year, the Brewers Cup Competition had nearly 450 beers entered from over 90 Minnesota breweries and brewpubs. Beers were organized into 22 categories based on style, and entries were judged blind by 38 beer judges based on how well each submission represented the standards of its style. MNCBG brewery members also voted for four member-voted awards: Best Member Volunteer, Best Allied Trade Member, Best Collaboration, and Most Innovative Brewery. For the first time ever, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild Event Volunteer of the Year was awarded to MNCBG volunteers Jeff & Tatiana Allen.
Competition results were announced during the industry-only MN Brewers Cup Awards Ceremony on April 11, 2025, at the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Hotel in Bloomington. Winners are listed below along with our past winners from 2024 and 2023.
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2025 MN Brewers Cup Award Winners:
Best in Show
1st Place: Boom Island Brewing Company, Punkin Pie
2nd Place: Luce Line Brewing, Maibock
3rd Place: Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Bearded Man Old Ale
Specialty Beers
1st Place: Brühaven, Over the Line
2nd Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Wild Brunette
3rd Place: Waldmann Brewery, Rauchbier
Wood-Aged Beers
1st Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Night Trekker Baltic Porter – Barrel Aged
2nd Place: Locale Brewing Co., 2024 Anniversary
3rd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Night Witch 2024
Spice, Herb, & Vegetable Beers
1st Place: Boom Island Brewing Company, Punkin Pie
2nd Place: Thousand Lakes Brewing Company, Give’er The Beans
3rd Place: Venn Brewing Company, Choconut
Fruit & Spice Beers
1st Place: Blackstack Brewing, Uncut Jams
2nd Place: Thousand Lakes Brewing Company, Sassy Redhead
3rd Place: Uncommon Loon Brewing Company, Force of Nurture
Wild, Sour, & Funky Ales
1st Place: Bad Weather Brewing Company, Winter’s Night
2nd Place: Locale Brewing Co., Many Moons
3rd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, Idyll Forest – Soiree
Strong Beers
1st Place: Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Bearded Man Old Ale
2nd Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Doppelbock
3rd Place: Sleepy Eye Brewing Company, Five
Belgian & Monastic Ales
1st Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Bridge Hanger
2nd Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Tripels Is Best
3rd Place: Saint Paul Brewing, Dubbel Agent
American Amber, Brown & Pale Ales
1st Place: Klockow Brewing Company, Bhk
2nd Place: Nouvelle Brewing, Lucky Rooster
3rd Place: Omni Brewing Company, Lake Day
Stouts
1st Place: Sunken Ship Brewing Company, Aran Sweater
2nd Place: Brau Brothers Brewing Co, Moojoos Oatmeal Milk Stout
3rd Place: Thousand Lakes Brewing Company, Breakfast For Supper
English Brown Ales & Porters
1st Place: Heavy Rotation Brewing Co., London Calling
2nd Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, Towering Pines
3rd Place: Bear Cave Brewing, Bearly Nutty
English, Scottish, & Irish Ales
1st Place: Sunken Ship Brewing Company, The Old Crown
2nd Place: Bent Paddle Brewing Company, 14
3rd Place: Padraigs Brewing, Red Chimney Irish Red Ale
Double & Specialty IPAs
1st Place: Falling Knife Brewing Company, Cosmic Trailblazer
2nd Place: Modist Brewing Co, Dreamyard
3rd Place: Montgomery Brewing, Haze Against the MacHine
Hazy IPAs
1st Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Boss Battle
2nd Place: Blackstack Brewing, Local 755
3rd Place: Headflyer Brewing, It Was All A Dream – Juicy
American IPAs
1st Place: Wooden Ship Brewing Company, Pattern of Pieces
2nd Place: Lake Monster Brewing, Depth Charge Juicy IPA
3rd Place: Nine Mile Brewing, Statement Of Westy
German Ales
1st Place: Utepils Brewing, Ewald The Golden
2nd Place: Blacklist Brewing Co., Royal Hefe
3rd Place: Bucks Mill Brewing, Kolsch Style Ale
German & Nz Pils & Export Lagers
1st Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Dortmunder
2nd Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company, Haha Pils
3rd Place: Schells Brewery, Notorious Pils
Czech Lagers
1st Place: Back Channel Brewing, Jagr
2nd Place: Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Dark Czech Lager
3rd Place: Unmapped Brewing Company, Purgatory Pilsner
Dark Lagers
1st Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Midnight Elf
2nd Place: Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Eagle 5
3rd Place: Schells Brewery, Bock
Amber Lagers
1st Place: Schells Brewery, Firebrick
2nd Place: Klockow Brewing Company, Lundr’s Lager
3rd Place: Bucks Mill Brewing, Polar Lager
German & International Pale Lagers
1st Place: Luce Line Brewing, Maibock
2nd Place: Fulton Brewing, Chill City
3rd Place: Utepils Brewing, Helles
American Blonde, Wheat, & Cream Ales
1st Place: Shakopee Brew Hall, Cinco De Shako
2nd Place: Excelsior Brewing Co, Big Island Blonde Ale
3rd Place: Uncommon Loon Brewing Company, Speckled Loon Cream Ale
American Lagers
1st Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Hill Style
2nd Place: Elm Creek Brewing, Elm Creek Light
3rd Place: Back Channel Brewing, Lake Maker