The Bent Paddle Brewing Co. brewery team is made up of two married couples who have an abundance of professional craft beer industry experience. Located in a 10,600 square foot building in West Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, the brewery has 30-barrels and recently announced plans for expansion. Pints and growlers (glass or stainless steel) are available at the taproom with a selection of rotating beers including a nitro tap. Look for a local food truck every Thursday June through November. Hours: Wednesday & Thursday: 3-10pm, Friday: 3-11pm, Saturday: 1-11pm.

In the summer of 2011, Bemidji Brewing Company was founded by Tom Hill, Justin Kaney, Tina Hanke, and Megan Betters. The group launched a Kickstarter campaign which successfully raised its funds by early 2012. They've since expanded their brewing system and moved into their very own location in downtown Bemidji and opened the taproom in July of 2013. Expect to find at least four beers on tap, with at least one option served on nitro--like their robust porter--as well as craft sodas. Pours are offered in 5 oz tasters and 16 oz pints or you can try a variety of beers on the sampler paddle. Growlers are also available. Hours: Thursday–Saturday: 4–9pm.

Launched in 2010 and located in Walker, Leech Lake Brewing Company specializes in keg- and bottle-conditioned British-style ales, including the staples: Loch Leech Monster Scottish Ale, Driven Snow Robust Porter, and 3 Sheets Imperial IPA to name a few. The brewery is visible from the taproom and tours of ten or more are available if you call ahead. Pints, samples, and growlers are available. Hours: Friday: 4-6pm, Saturday: 2-6pm.

Third Street Brewhouse is a brand which makes its home in Cold Spring Brewing Company. While Cold Spring Brewing Company has been around since 1874, the recently transformed $12 million brewhouse has state of the art equipment and highly experienced brewers who create the brand's craft beers. It was launched in 2012 and headed by Summit alum, Horace Cunningham and Bob McKenzie, formerly of Minneapolis’ Rock Bottom Brewery. The taproom offers $4 pints and $5 flights of beers including Lost Trout Brown Ale and Rise To The Top Cream Ale. Hours: Fridays 4-8pm.

Formed in the spring of 2006, Brau Brothers brews all-malt craft beers out of Lucan near Marshall. Though it has been brewing for years, it is one of the newer taprooms in the state, opening its doors mid-October. They use locally-sourced ingredients and just outside their doors have the largest hopyard in the upper Midwest flanked to the north by their own estate barley field. The brewery houses ten fermenters, a fifteen barrel brewing system, and six copper finishing tanks that create a wall separating the brewhouse from the bottling line. Pints, including Moo Joos Milk Stout and Sheephead Ale IPA, are poured from a vintage 1956 fire truck tap-line. Growlers are also available for purchase. Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11am-11pm.

Mankato Brewery became the first production brewery in the community since 1967 when co-owners Tim Tupy and Tony Feuchtenberger founded it in 2010. They decided to to turn their home-brewing hobby into a business and brought on brewer Mike Miziorko, formerly of Summit and officially launched in January of 2012. The brewery itself consists of a 15-barrel brewing system housed in a 24,000 sqare foot space, making it ideal for events, live music, and rounds of indoor bag toss. They offer pints and growlers in the taproom including their flagship beeer, Mankato Original, an easy-drinking Kölsch, Haymaker IPA, and most recently their Mint Stout. Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 4-7pm, and Saturday: noon-5pm.

Kinney Creek was launched in 2012, Rochester's first brewery to open since the last one was shut down during prohibition, and its taproom opened earlier in 2013. Located just a mile outside of the downtown area, the brewery was started after former wine-maker, Donovan O. Seitz, took a trip to the Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston. Inspiration and homebrewing resulted in the 10,000 square ft brewery and taproom thereafter. Kinney Creek sources as many of its beer ingredients as possible from local neighbors producing fresh, eco-friendly beer including two of their year-round brews, an ESB and smoked porter. Pints and growlers are available at the taproom. Hours: Thursday-Saturday: noon-10pm