Raise a Glass! 6 Minnesota Beers Now Tops in Nation

Minnesota brewers are raising their glasses a little higher this week, as six of their beers just scored major medals at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

That's right, from bold stouts to crisp lagers, these nine different award-winning brews are putting the North Star State on the national beer map, and are now tops in the country in their respective categories.

Even though I'm from Wisconsin, the state that's long been proud of its tradition of brewing beer, I've been saying for a while now that some of the best craft beers can be found right here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. And now you don't just have to take my word for it, either.

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The recent results of the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championships totally confirm my claim. Here's more about the contest, which was held in May of this year in Oxford, Ohio:

The U.S. Open Beer Championship is a premier event celebrating brewing excellence, saw over 8,000 beers submitted from breweries across the nation. Representing more than 170 diverse categories and subcategories, these entries showcased the creativity and craftsmanship of American brewers.

And after the judges tasted their way through all those entries, here are the nine different award-winning Minnesota beers that won medals this year:

• Single Hop Pale Ale
  Bronze: Basic Decency from Venn Brewing in Minneapolis
• Imperial Stout Specialty
  Bronze: Clarabelle Milk Stout from Lakeville Brewing Company
• Imperial Red Ale
  Gold: Better Off Red from Inver Grove Brewing Company
  Bronze: Resin Rapture from Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake
• German Altbier
  Gold: Alternative Medicine from Lakeville Brewing Company
• Marzen/Oktoberfest
  Gold: Oktoberfest from Spilled Grain Brewhouse in Annandale
• Smoke Beer
  Gold: Smoke on the Porter from Beaver Island Brewing Company in St. Cloud
• Barrel-Aged Strong/Porter Extreme
  Bronze (tie): Barrel Gold Cuvée - 2025 Blend from Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake
• Barrel-Aged German Lager
  Silver: BA Doppelbock 2024 from Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake

So, big congrats to all these brewers and breweries! You've made Minnesota proud! Now, in addition to these nine beers, if you're looking to try some other incredible brews made right here in the Gopher State, keep scrolling to check out some of the highest-rated breweries from across the state!

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