Town Hall Brewery - Craft Brewpub in Minneapolis

My husband looks back on our summer trip to Minneapolis and writes about one of his favorite beer finds.

On the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis, just past the Metrodome, lies Town Hall Brewery.  Unlike the more widely available Minnesota brews by Surly and Summit (some of which have been distributed out of state), Town Hall beers are only available at the brewpub.  I was eager to try these only-in-MN beers, especially their famous IPA, Masala Mama.

I stopped by on a Sunday afternoon to sample some of their fantastic brews.  Fortunately, they have tasting flights available (five 5oz pours for $7 or $9) which can be supplemented with additional 5oz tastes. The brewpub has a stellar lineup that includes lagers, pale ales and dark ales.  I tried the refreshing Dortmunder lager and two robust dark beers: the Abominable (a coffee porter) and the Black H20 Oatmeal Stout.  

However, the highlight of the visit was the Masala Mama (6% ABV) - a crisp, hoppy, and balanced American India Pale Ale with tons of malt flavor.  There were three versions of this IPA on tap:  regular, cask, and a mango version (I didn't really like this last flavor).  The cask version definitely stole the show, and is one of the best versions of an IPA I have ever tried.  Too bad this isn't available outside of MN!

Town Hall Brewery is located at 1430 Washington Ave. South in Minneapolis, MN.