Photographs by Caitlin Abrams
Du Nord Craft Spirits
Du Nord Craft Spirits
Du Nord
Du Nord’s Longfellow distillery—the first cocktail room in the metro—has a chill neighborhood vibe that’s less about crazy mixology and more about solid drinks (with a side of cribbage).
Wander North
Wander North is a spartan cocktail room in Northeast with arguably the best local whiskey: its Unchartered collaboration with local brewers. Tattersall, another Northeast standout, is the blueprint for the cocktail rooms of the future. Plus, it’s expanding its space for production and events.
Norseman
Norseman
Close by to Wander North, Norseman has a great social space and chilled-out taproom, and also churns out edgy spirits like strawberry rhubarb gin and organic bourbon barrel-aged rum.
Lawless
Lawless is a small, windowless cocktail room in south Minneapolis that puts up bright, spectacular drinks. Go for a tiki drink in a coconut painted gold, or try your hand at a DIY drink, where you pick your ingredients and they do the mixing.
J. Carver
Waconia’s J. Carver proves that the ’burbs can support a cocktail room, even one in an aesthetically awkward former car dealership. Must be the tasty cocktails coming from behind its bar.
Vikre Distillery
Vikre Distillery's compelling distillations add an innovative dimension to the beer-soaked drinking scene of Duluth, and its tours are a must-do.
Loon Liquors
Loon Liquors
Loon Liquors woos city folk down to Northfield with its creative spirits. Sip its signature Loonshine, made from barley and wheat, and filtered through birch charcoal.
11 Wells
11 Wells is still working on its tasting room, but currently offers exciting dinners and events among the machinery in its historic St. Paul building.
Far North
Far North, located up near the Canadian border in Hallock, offers field-to-glass spirits made with rye grown right outside its front door.
Isanti Spirits
Isanti Spirits of Isanti County is one to watch, thanks to its gin made from juniper grown on the property as well as the forthcoming tasting room built in a pole barn.
