2026 MN Brewers Cup Awards Recap and Winners List

On Thursday, April 9th, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild put on the MN Brewers Cup Awards at the Airport Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota.  The MN Brewers Cup is a beer competition with breweries in the guild.  There were 18 categories judged this year.  For the first time, there was a Brewery of the Year award given.

This was my 4th time being at the MN Brewers Cup Awards. Last year, I had the absolute honor of co-hosting with Anthony Jennings from the Black Brewers Podcast and Elle Rhodes, Co-Founder of Brewing Change Collaborative. This year, I was bumbled to be invited back to host the awards all by myself.

As a fervent supporter of the Minnesota craft beer scene, I feel a kinship to the community-focused breweries that span the entire landscape of our great state of Minnesota. It gives me immense pride in my state to see so many great brewers and beers recognized by peers in an industry that keeps getting better, year in and year out, despite immense challenges-socially and economically-that are foisted upon them.

A Healthy and Dynamic Minnesota Craft Beer Scene

I know, I know, that heading sounds crazy, right? Let me explain. Each and every year I have been to the MN Brewers Cup Awards, I have seen breweries recognized that absolutely fly under the radar. This always serves as an important reminder to get out of your regular routine and visit different places. A brewery that fits that mold for me is Klockow Brewing out of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. A few years ago, they won several awards and I had not really heard much about them. Last year, after winning a few more awards, Andy Klockow approached me and we chatted about their desire to do a podcast. Long story short, I visited their brewery and we had a fantastic beer conversation.

Yes, there have been severe challenges to breweries in the last year. Rising raw ingredient costs, a drinking population whose habits have shifted, and Operation Metro Surge have all complicated an already challenging industry. Through all of that, the brewers have done what brewers do, they tap into their passion and creativity and brew craft beers that are a liquid invitation to enjoy something wonderful.

2026 MN Brewers Cup Award Winners

Here is the list of the categories and subsequent winners of those categories. The actual style of the beer is italicized after the name of the winning beer. Some of these beers are year-round offereings, and some of them are seasonals. I encourage you to plan a visit to these places to congratulate them in-person for their award and inquire when you can enjoy the beer on tap.

Standard American Beers

Third Place-Forgotten Star Brewing– Star Lite American Light Lager

Second Place-Third Street Brewhouse-MN Gold Light American Light Lager

First Place-Venn Brewing– Modify Lager Pre-Prohibition Lager

German & International Pale Lagers

Third Place-Lupulin Brewing-Dortmunder German Exportbier

Second Place-Inver Grove Brewing-Pilsner, Eh? International Pale Lager

First Place-Wandering Leaf Brewing-Ossuary Munich Helles

Amber Lagers

Third Place-Bucks Mill Brewing-Polar Lager Vienna Lager

Second Place-Nine Mile Brewing-Dreher’s Dominion Vienna Lager

First Place-Back Channel Brewing-The Draftsman Vienna Lager

Dark Lagers

Third Place-Tremendous Brewing-MacHfest Dunkels Bock

Second Place-Third Street Brewhouse Cold Spring Bock Dunkels Bock

First Place-The Savage Tap-Son of Dad Czech Dark Lager

Pils & Export Lagers

Third Place-Forgotten Star Brewing-Shoebird Pilsner German Pils

Second Place-Pryes Brewing-Pragmatic Pils Czech Premium Pale Lager

First Place-BlackStack Brewing-Slopes German Pils

German Ales

Third Place-Utepils Brewing-Alt 1848 Altbier

Second Place-Bucks Mill Brewing-Honey-Do Kölsch Kölsch

First Place-Utepils Brewing-Ewald the Golden Weissbier

British, Irish, & Scottish Ales

Third Place-Lakeville Brewing Copper & Crown English Pale Ale Strong Bitter

Second Place-Bucks Mill Brewing-Mill Pond Porter English Porter

First Place-Back Channel Brewing-Jug British Brown Ale

Porters & Stouts

Third Place-Tanzenwald Brewing Company-Sister Midnight American Stout

Second Place-Dangerous Man Brewing-Dry Irish Stout Irish Stout

First Place-Brau Brothers Brewing-Moojoos Oatmeal Milk Stout Sweet Stout

American Amber, Brown, & Pale Ales

Third Place-Canal Park Brewing-Hank And Dabs Pale Ale American Pale Ale

Second Place-Imminent Brewing-Cannon River Pale Ale American Pale Ale

First Place-Paddlefish Brewing Company-Red Owl Amber Ale American Amber Ale

Fruit & Spice Beers

Third Place-Bad Weather Brewing Girl Power Fruit Beer

Second Place-Excelsior Brewing Big Island Citrus Blonde Ale Fruit Beer

First Place-Lift Bridge Brewing Mango Blonde Fruit Beer

Spice, Herb, & Vegetable Beers

Third Place-Wooden Ship Brewing Mexican Hot Chocolate Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

Second Place-Birch’s on the Lake Coffee Chocolate Golden Ale Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

First Place-Sleepy Eye Brewing Salsa Dancing Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

Hazy IPAs

Third Place-Nine Mile Brewing Current Obsession Hazy IPA

Second Place-Luce Line Brewing Off The Deep End Hazy IPA

First Place-Back Channel Brewing District 5 Hazy IPA

American & Specialty IPAs

Third Place-Wooden Hill Brewing Code 3 American IPA

Second Place-Dual Citizen Brewing Wave Racer American IPA

First Place-Brau Brothers Brewing Wild Mike’s Rye IPA Rye IPA

Dark Strong Beers

Third Place-Lupulin Brewing Doppelbock Doppelbock

Second Place-Tremendous Brewing Augen Auf! Doppelbock

First Place-Forgotten Star Brewing Dark Skies Baltic Porter

Pale Strong Beers

Third Place-Unmapped Brewing Disorientation Belgian Tripel

Second Place-Sleepy Eye Brewing The Five American Barleywine

First Place-Canal Park Brewing Lone Trekker Belgian Single Belgian Single

Sour, Wild, & Specialty Beers

Third Place-Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub Smokehouse Porter Specialty Smoked Beer

Second Place-Canal Park Brewing Superior Swell Kettle Sour Berlinner Weisse

First Place-Brühaven Over The Line Classic Style Smoked Beer

Barrel-Aged Beers & Imperial Stouts

Third Place-Rapids Brewing Batch 400 Imperial Stout Imperial Stout

Second Place-Lupulin Brewing Night Witch 2025 Speialty Wood-Aged Beer

First Place-Canal Park Brewing Night Trekker Baltic Porter-Barrel Aged Specialty Wood-Aged Beer

Hard Seltzers

Third Place-There was no award given for third place in Hard Seltzers

Second Place-Spilled Grain Brewhouse Innuendo Hard Seltzer

First Place-Wooden Hill Brewing The Mule Hard Seltzer

Best of Show

Third Place-Back Channel Brewing District 5 Hazy IPA

Second Place-BlackStack Brewing Slopes German Pils

First Place-Utepils Brewing Ewald the Golden Weissbier

2026 Brewery of the Year Award

The Brewery of the Year Award is new this year. It was given to the brewery that had accumulated the most points based on the number of awards. It was actually a tie, so the tie-breaker (Number of first place awards) was used to break the tie. Back Channel Brewing is your Minnesota Brewers Cup Brewery of the Year. This should surprise nobody as their name has been synonymous with quality and popularity for years. This award is well-deserved and I hope that everyone who has worked so hard to create this incredible craft beer brand feels the love.

Minnesota Craft Beer is Stronger Together

As the ceremony wrapped up, Bob Galligan, Director of Government and Industry Relations, gave his remarks. I always look forward to hearing Bob speak because his words are both measured and fiery. This year’s message was that craft brewers need to work together to survive. I appreciate and believe this message is spot-on.

As a craft beer fan of breweries in Minnesota, we have a responsibility as well. We need to support the places we love. Whether that means going for a beer of finding their beer in the liquor stores shelves, that is how we can show our love. This doesn’t just mean beer. Many of the Minnesota craft breweries are providing all sorts of beverages, both with and without alcohol because they understand that breweries should be for everyone in the community. Breweries are tapping into the interests of their own communities; something that AB-InBev cannot do. Let’s show up for that.

I am grateful for what the guild does to help promote and support its members. I thoroughly enjoyed hosting the MN Brewers Cup and take part in a night of joy and celebration for so many people that I have gotten to know. Jess Talley (Executive Director) and Lindsay Darling (Events Manager) did such a fantastic job organizing and promoting the MN Brewers Cup. The Minnesota craft beer scene is strong, and it is because each one of us plays a role in supporting them. Let’s keep doing that!

If you liked this article and want to support A One Pint Stand, consider joining our Patreon.  There is some great bonus content that our Patreon supporters enjoy that give a fun peek behind the scenes.