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The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild has dusted off its keg-shaped crowns to dole out the 2026 MN Brewers Cup Awards.
While there aren’t actually keg-shaped crowns, 34 craft breweries and brewpubs around the state earned awards and bragging rights to being among the state’s best during an event on April 9.
“Not only is it a night of celebration of the industry, but it is an opportunity for breweries of all sizes to show off the fact that Minnesota is making exceptional beer,” says Bob Galligan, the guild’s director of government and industry relations.
“With the judging being blind tasted, the brewers receive honest feedback about their beer, allowing them to continue sharpening their skills. And if their skills are already sharp enough, we are given the pleasure of watching the Brewers of MN hoist their trophies high.”
Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park earned the brewery of the year title, and its District 5 hazy IPA placed third in the best in show award.
The top honor in best in show went to Utepils Brewing’s Ewald the Golden, which had placed first in the German ales category. Second place went to Blackstack Brewing’s Slopes, which had finished at the top of the pils and export lagers category.
Here’s the complete list of winners from the 2026 MN Brewers Cup Awards.
Brewery of the Year
- Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park
Best in Show
- 1st Place: Utepils Brewing, Ewald the Golden
- 2nd Place: Blackstack Brewing, Slopes
- 3rd Place: Back Channel Brewing, District 5
Standard American Beers
- 1st Place: Venn Brewing Company, Modify Lager
- 2nd Place: Third Street Brewhouse, MN Golden Light
- 3rd Place: Forgotten Start Brewing Co., Star Lite
German & International Pale Lagers
- 1st Place: Wandering Leaf Brewing Company, Ossuary
- 2nd Place: Inver Grove Brewing, Pilsner, Eh?
- 3rd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Dortmunder
Amber Lagers
- 1st Place: Back Channel Brewing, The Draftsman
- 2nd Place: Nine Mile Brewing Co., Dreher’s Dominion
- 3rd Place: Bucks Mill Brewing, Polar Lager
Dark Lagers
- 1st Place: The Savage Tap, Son of Dad
- 2nd Place: Third Street Brewhouse, Cold Spring Bock
- 3rd Place: Tremendous Brewing Co., Machfest
Pils & Export Lagers
- 1st Place: Blackstack Brewing, Slopes
- 2nd Place: Pryes Brewing Company, Pragmatic Pils
- 3rd Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Shorebird Pilsner
Fruit & Spice Beers
- 1st Place: Lift Bridge Brewing Company, Mango Blonde
- 2nd Place: Excelsior Brewing Co., Big Island Citrus Blonde
- 3rd Place: Bad Weather Brewing Company, Girl Power
- 1st Place: Sleepy Eye Brewing Company, Salsa Dancing
- 2nd Place: Birch’s On the Lake, Coffee Chocolate Golden Ale
- 3rd Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Mexican Hot Chocolate
Hazy IPAs
- 1st Place: Back Channel Brewing, District 5
- 2nd Place: Luce Line Brewing, Off the Deep End
- 3rd Place: Nine Mile Brewing Co., Current Obsession
American & Specialty IPAs
- 1st Place: Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Wild Mike’s Rye IPA
- 2nd Place: Dual Citizen Brewing Company, Wave Racer
- 3rd Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, Code 3
German Ales
- 1st Place: Utepils Brewing, Ewald the Golden
- 2nd Place: Bucks Mill Brewing, Honey-Do Kolsch
- 3rd Place: Utepils Brewing, Alt 1848
British, Irish, & Scottish Ales
- 1st Place: Back Channel Brewing, Jug
- 2nd Place: Bucks Mill Brewing, Mill Pond Porter
- 3rd Place: Lakeville Brewing Co., Copper & Crown English Pale Ale
Porters and Stouts
- 1st Place: Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Moojoos Oatmeal Stout
- 2nd Place: Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Dry Irish Stout
- 3rd Place: Tanzenwald Brewing Company, Sister Midnight
American Amber, Brown, & Pale Ales
- 1st Place: Paddlefish Brewing Company, Red Owl Amber Ale
- 2nd Place: Imminent Brewing, Cannon River Pale Ale
- 3rd Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Hank and Dabs Pale Ale
Dark Strong Beers
- 1st Place: Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Dark Skies
- 2nd Place: Tremendous Brewing Co., Augen Auf!
- 3rd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Dopplebock
Pale Strong Beers
- 1st Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Lone Trekker Belgian Single
- 2nd Place: Sleepy Eye Brewing Company, The Five
- 3rd Place: Unmapped Brewing Company, Disorientation
Sour, Wild, & Specialty Beers
- 1st Place: Bruhaven, Over the Line
- 2nd Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Superior Swell Kettle Sour
- 3rd Place: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Smokehouse Porter
Barrel-Aged Beers & Imperial Stouts
- 1st Place: Canal Park Brewing Co., Night Trekker Baltic Porter- Barrel Aged
- 2nd Place: Lupulin Brewing Company, Night Witch 2025
- 3rd Place: Rapids Brewing Co., Batch 400 Imperial Stout
Hard Seltzers
- 1st Place: Wooden Hill Brewing Company, The Mule
- 2nd Place: Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Innuendo
- 3rd Place: No Award Given