Black Frost Distilling
New Ulm

Terroir (a distinctive taste of place) is a term typically associated with wine, but Black Frost Distilling makes it apply to their whiskies. Locally-grown rye, corn, wheat, and barley are mashed, fermented, distilled, and barrel-aged separately to show each grain at its finest before blending them together to make whiskey. 

Black Frost also makes rum from Louisiana blackstrap molasses. Settle in for a drink at the distillery’s cocktail lounge, which serves tropical rum drinks, seasonal sippers, and classic whiskey cocktails.

Brother Justus Whiskey Company
Minneapolis

Named after a real-life bootlegging monk who helped keep Minnesota families out of poverty during Prohibition, Brother Justus serves cocktails in a soothing, airy tasting room. Whiskeys are made from local barley and aged in Minnesota-grown white oak, and the cold-peated whiskey is flavored via a process the distillery invented. 

The cocktail menu shows off the whiskey at its finest, from simple, spirit-forward old fashioneds to concoctions that incorporate the distillery’s line of luxury liqueurs. Basic and in-depth distillery tours, both of which include a tasting, are offered regularly.

Cantilever Distillery + Hotel
Ranier 

At Cantilever Distillery, guests can get a drink, spend the night, and explore nearby Voyageurs National Park the next morning. Located within view of Canada, Cantilever leans into its remote location with rustic-chic hotel rooms and a rooftop sauna and hot tub. Downstairs at the distillery, the bourbon, gin, vodka, and rye whiskey are crafted with Minnesota grains. 

Stop by the cocktail room for a wide-ranging lineup of creative, spirit-forward cocktails and easy drinking classics, plus a full food menu. Sign up in advance for the regularly scheduled guided tours, which include a spirit tasting. 

Dampfwerk Distilling
St. Louis Park

Inspired by 200-year-old German recipes, Dampfwerk Distilling’s herbal liqueurs go big on flavor, from sweet, refreshing peppermint to spicy rye. Similarly, the grape, apple, and pear brandies are made with a whole-fruit fermentation process for a full-bodied flavor. 

Dampfwerk also uses their hand-hammered copper still to produce gin, single malt whiskey, and German-style caraway aquavit. Settle in for a complex cocktail or a spirit tasting flight in the chic cocktail room or schedule an in-depth private tour to learn more.

Dashfire
Minneapolis

Dashfire began as a bitters company before expanding into spirits production, which explains why the distillery’s gift shop is stocked with unique housemade bitters like chai, mission fig fennel, and hibiscus. Spirits have an experimental, botanical-forward vibe, like an orange bourbon liqueur. 

The cocktail lounge evokes mid-century style with mod furniture, a record player, and a collection of vinyl. Sip a martini or take a chance on an offbeat drink you won’t find anywhere else, like the Whole Banana, a banana rum-based drink with green peel tincture.

Far North Spirits
Hallock

Not only is it the northernmost distillery in the contiguous United States, Far North Spirits is one of the country’s few estate distilleries. That means distiller Michael Swanson grows the non-GMO rye and heirloom corn used to make his spirits within a mile of the distillery, on land that’s been farmed by his family since 1917. 

That sense of place comes through in the distinct flavor profiles of their richly-flavored single varietal rye whiskeys. The distillery also produces floral-forward gins and Nordic-spiced rum. Far North’s cozy cocktail room is open Saturday evening and tours are available by appointment. 

Ida Graves
Alexandria

Made with organic, sustainably grown grains and hand-crafted in small batches, Ida Graves' spirits elevate cocktails into something truly special. Its amaro features locally foraged gentian roots, spruce tips, and pine cones, and its delicately-flavored vodka is distilled from raw Minnesota honey. 

Keep an eye out for limited runs of unique spirits like sumac limoncello. The seasonal cocktail room offers tours and tastings and is surrounded by native grasses and wetlands.

Norseman Distillery
Minneapolis

Founded as Minneapolis’s first legal distillery since Prohibition, Norseman Distillery’s name nods to many Minnesotans’ Scandinavian heritage. However, the extensive spirits lineup takes inspiration from around the world: Danish-style aquavit, pineapple rum, and agave-based “Tehkeela.” 

The selection of bitters draws on tastes closer to home, like local farm-fresh rhubarb. Order a drink at the distillery’s laid-back cocktail room or seasonal dog-friendly patio, or sign up for a tiki cocktail workshop that includes hands-on instruction and recipes to take home.

Panther Distillery
Osakis

Founded in 2010 as the state’s first legal whiskey distillery, Panther Distillery produces cold-aged spirits that experience the extremes of Minnesota’s climate. Various buildings in the area, including a former creamery and a dairy factory, have been repurposed as aging spaces; some barrels take up to seven years to achieve the perfect flavor. 

All grains are grown within 30 miles of the distillery and flavored whiskeys are infused with local ingredients like maple syrup, apples, and buckwheat honey.  Distillery tours are free, and whiskey tastings are available at the gift shop. 

Vikre Distillery
Duluth

Located in the shadow of Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge, Vikre Distillery’s spirits combine Lake Superior water with the Northwoods botanicals. Boreal gins are flavored with woodsy cedar, bracing juniper, or delicate spruce, and the Sugarbush Whiskey is finished with maple. 

The distillery’s intimate cocktail room feels like a stylish friend’s loft (complete with a fireplace) and frequently hosts live music and other events. Distillery tours are available by reservation, with options including free public tours, a deep-dive behind the scenes, or a private tasting experience.

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