As peak summer settles into the northern Midwest, my thoughts inevitably drift toward one thing: a calm Minnesota lake, a dock chair that's seen better days, and an ice-cold beer.
But then I thought to myself…what is the best lake beer? I needed some sort of sign…
Then, while driving through my neighborhood, I found my answer. A literal sign.
Unfortunately, that would've made for a very short article.
In this deep state of what can only be described as being “barley conscious” or “hoptemplating,” I wondered, what makes the best Minnesota craft lake beer?
Using Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy as the baseline, I created some basic criteria to judge:
- Is it “crisp and refreshing”
- Does it “feel like summer”
- Does it have a reasonable ABV for “an afternoon out on the lake”
- Bonus points for fun!
Based on that logic, I began my quest to find the best Minnesota craft lake beer. Skip to the end here to see which beer I deemed the best:
Placement: 9th
Beer: Fabulonimbus Clouds
Brewery: Insight Brewing
Style: DDH Hazy IPA
ABV: 7.3%
Lake Worthy-Ness: Hazy IPAs don't usually scream "lake beer." They're often heavier, higher in alcohol, and more suited for slowly sipping on a patio than crushing after jumping off the pontoon. The name alone checks the box for the fun category, and the contents backs it up. This IPA has a solid Galaxy and Citra base, with Cashmere hops to give it a smooth, subtly-melon taste. That being said, I was hoping the Citra would come through more, to give it more of a summery vibe.
Placement: 8th
Beer: Cream Ale
Brewery: Dangerous Man
Style: Cream Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Lake Worthy-Ness: Like a boat returning to the water after ice-out, Dangerous Man is back. One of the first beers to be reborn (check out our article here to see the phoenix) is the Cream Ale. Its biscuity-like flavor makes me think of shoving crackers in my face after a long swim.
Placement: 7th
Beer: Pistachio Cream Ale
Brewery: Indeed
Style: Cream Ale
ABV: 5.5%
Lake Worthy-Ness: The famous green bean beer makes a return in another Max’s beer list articles, but this list wouldn’t be complete without this lake staple that everyone already knows about, so I’ll make this quick. Tasty: yes. Refreshing: yes. Summery: not entirely.
Placement: 6th
Beer: Photo Opp
Brewery: Haggard in collab with The Savage Tap
Style: Hazy IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Lake Worthy-Ness: It wouldn’t be an Aleluminati article without a Haggard mention, right? This IPA is what every water skier dreams of: smoooooooth. That smoothness combined with some sweet berry (maybe even candy?) subtle flavors from the Anchovy hops makes this beer worthy of its spot in the boat cooler. The smoothness makes it refreshing, and Skaggs is just a fun guy to hang out with.
Placement: 5th
Beer: Dragon Blonde Z
Brewery: Ursa Minor Brewing
Style: Belgian Blonde
ABV: 6.2%
Lake Worthy-Ness: I’ve never had a Belgian Blonde before, but now I understand the appeal. Our highest ABV entrant definitely makes its presence known, but it’s here to get the party on the lake going. I had this as we were watching a storm come in over the water, and it was perfect. It perfectly embodies that cold blast of wind that comes out of nowhere.
Placement: 4th
Beer: Roselle
Brewery: Fair State
Style: Fruited Sour
ABV: 5.7%
Lake Worthy-Ness: One of the only two fruit forward beers on its list, checks that summery vibe. I personally am not a massive fan of sours, but this may be one of the few I would drink again. The fruity hibiscus notes cut through the sour “funk” I typically don’t enjoy. As the can says, it definitely has enough zip to classify as refreshing. If Minnesota Gold is a pontoon, this is the jet ski.
Placement: 3rd
Beer: Minnesota Gold
Brewery: Third Street Brewhouse
Style: Lager
ABV: 4.9%
Lake Worthy-Ness: Some already consider to be one of the best lighter beers from the land of 10,000 lakes. This no-frills lager is doesn’t try to be anything it’s not, but for this contest, maybe to its detriment. Minnesota Gold is probably the easiest beer on this list to drink all afternoon. It only lands at #3 because it feels like an everyday lager, not a beer that screams "lake day."
Placement: 2nd
Beer: Solvista
Brewery: Modist Brewing Co.
Style: Fruited Wheat Beer
ABV: 5%
Lake Worthy-Ness: The other fruit forward beer comes in at 2nd on this list. I had a lot of worries with this beer, as some fruited beers I find funky, but not in a good way. This one nailed it, not shocking coming from Modist. This beer is the Webster’s Online Dictionary pictural equivalent of having lunch on the lake. The blood orange gives it that sweet citrus that summer is known for.
Placement: 1st
Beer: Lil’ Snit
Brewery: Elm Creek Brewing Company in partnership with Northern Taphouse
Style: Lager
ABV: 4.2%
Lake Worthy-Ness: When I saw this on the shelf I had to do a double take. It’s so little! While originally created to pair with the wide assortment of Bloody Mary’s served at Northern Taphouse, the small form factor and name definitely make it fun. The 8oz format is perfect for relaxing during tubing runs. On top of that, the beer inside that lil’ can is delicious. It has that crispness from a light lager you’d want after being out all day in the sun, but it’s sweet malty finish have you recharged for the next round of your father-in-law trying to fling you off a tube.
Placement: Honorable Mention
Beer: PBR Grillo’s Pickle Edition
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Style: Lager
ABV: 4.7%
Lake Worthy-Ness: Okay here me out. I know it’s not a MN beer, but I had to put it on this list. You know when you spend all day swimming, to the point where your fingers and toes are pruning, and you’ve accidentally (or via splashing) swallowed a gallon of water, and you want something salty? This is that. On a scale of someone put a pickle in my beer, to someone put beer in my pickle, this is definitely on the light brine side. Incredibly refreshing, and dare I say, maybe helps to avoid cramping from summer fun out on the lake?
What beers would you have added to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
