Minnesota Beer Day Returns November 1st to Celebrate State’s Brewing Heritage

(KNSI) – November 1st marks the second annual Minnesota Beer Day, a celebration officially recognized by the state legislature to honor the beverage’s deep roots in Minnesota.

Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild’s Director of Government and Industry Relations Bob Galligan told KNSI News that beer was essential to the early pioneers of Minnesota’s towns. “The brewing culture helped build a lot of these communities. That’s kind of why we like to say it’s the beverage that helped build a state.”

The boiling process and alcohol content made beer safer to drink than untreated water. “I don’t think enough Minnesotans really remember the history and heritage that beer has in the state, especially being next-door neighbors with such a beer-heavy state like Wisconsin,” said Galligan.

To honor the state’s beer legacy, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is organizing statewide celebrations featuring special promotions, brewery tours, and limited-edition commemorative pint glasses at 58 locations. In central Minnesota, Bad Habit Brewing in St. Joseph is offering unlimited beers with the purchase of a glass for $30, and Lupulin Brewing Company in Big Lake is selling the pint glasses for $25 with unlimited pours; however, some exclusions apply.

Minnesota’s brewing history dates back to 1848, when Yoerg Brewing was founded in St. Paul. Minnesota Beer Day’s date was chosen to honor John Orth Brewing, the predecessor to Grain Belt. He started making beer on November 1st, 1850, in what is now Minneapolis, as the second brewery in the Minnesota territory. Grain Belt is currently brewed at August Schell Brewing in New Ulm, the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the United States. The date also has additional significance because on November 1st, 1895, the Minneapolis Brewing Company placed an advertisement seeking a name for their new brew, which ultimately became Grain Belt.

Minnesota’s craft brewers produced between 525,000 and 527,000 barrels of craft beer last year, ranking 13th in the nation for barrels produced annually.

The celebration was officially established in 2024 when both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature passed resolutions declaring November 1st as Minnesota Beer Day.

See all the locations taking part in the celebration by clicking here.

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