Northgate Brewing

This was probably one of the worst experiences at a brewery I have ever had. The bartender was the rudest and most condescending guy that I have had the opportunity to interact with in the past several years. My partner and I went in on a Sunday and grabbed a seat at the bar. The were full but not swamped. I asked to try a sample of the beer and got attitude about it. I asked for a recommendation bc I didn’t like the one I tried and didn’t want to ask for another sample and got more attitude. Thankfully the beer I ended up selecting was good which is the reason for the two stars because if if was only based on service this place would have received zero stars. I will never go back because a brewery is supposed to be a community atmosphere focused on learning about beers and this person was rude and mean. No thank you! No matter how good the beer is that is unacceptable.

Walking in here is like you’ve just traveled thousands of miles and are now in Jolly Ol England. It really feels more like a pub than a taproom. Plenty of seating with a long bar, big booths, and plenty of tables. They have a couple TV’s but I feel like they are only there for people to cheer on their favorite Premier League team. Not much of a late night spot but they are open till midnight on weekends. Right on the corner of Broadway and Harding, with Wander North just down the way in the same building.
They have some quality beer here. Couple of my favorites are Maggies Leap (4.9%) and Stronghold (7%). Stronghold is a dark porter, but easy to drink. Their anniversary Imperial Red (8.5%) was also delicious. I have yet to try their flagship beer, the Walls End, but its on the to-​do list for my next visit. I feel like there is something for everyone here. A good mix of high and low ABV, as well as a good mix of styles. I brought a buddy who doesn’t drink beer a lot and even he found something he liked. Solid brewery, cheers!

We were welcomed here the first time by a friendly staff and have made this our number one go to brewery. Excellent drinkable beers that have English pub style flavors. I love the fact that they have their own vibe going on (they are different from other tap rooms). If you haven’t tried them, make the very short trek to Northgate Brewing and hoist a pint.

One of the best breweries in the Northeast area. We keep coming back! I tried the Maggie’s Leap here on Friday night, it was good, a bit sweet and not too heavy. Only 4.9% alcohol, so not too bad. Walls End is another staple here, we actually bought it at the liquor store to try it out before we even went to Northgate.
However, my favorite is the Stronghold. Their Robust Porter. This is the Beast of Beers. The King Pin of the brewery. I tried it at their Anniversary Party, and I have loved it ever since. It’s dark, it’s smoky, it’s rich and it’s magical. It only comes in a tulip glass, and it’s around 9% alcohol. It makes me very happy.
Northgate’s location is ideal because it’s right next to Wander North distillery, another favorite of mine. It’s right off the 35W by Stinson so getting here is fast and easy. If you’re hungry they usually have Food Trucks during the warmer season. Otherwise, the Quarry center is close by and there are the usual fast food chains available. My guess is that if you are into some high quality craft beers, usually you would be into good quality craft foods too, but hey, I do enjoy a nice Whopper sometimes, maybe even some Taco Bell if it’s late!
Well done Northgate. Definitely one of our favorite breweries!

Found this place while brewery hopping on our anniversary trip. Solid lineup of what seemed like mostly English beers when we visited. The couple pints we each had were good and the price was right.

Good beer, so many on nitro!!! It was a wonderful evening, great bartenders and fun beer, what else could you ask for

Tasty beers in a slightly industrial area off the beaten path with fresh pizzas. Good service: really friendly bartenders that actually want to chat with you AND they know about the beers they’re serving you! Always a bonus. I really liked their beers (you can order a flight), considering the fact that I live in Portland, Or: home of the amazing beer. There was even a ping pong table!

This brewery focuses primarily on producing extremely drinkable British-​style session beers. Even the hoppiest beer they make is incredibly well balanced. The staff is incredibly nice, and this place isn’t as packed with hipsters as some other nordeast taprooms are — so it’s a good experience all around. You can buy some snacks (nuts and such) and there’s usually a food truck, with the schedule found on the taproom website. This place is a bit hard to find — it’s a nondescript entrance in a nondescript building — aim for the door closest to Broadway. But it’s worth finding.

Its the only place ive been where the remember me. very uplifting! Good beer too

This is beer made by beer lovers. I really enjoyed both of their IPAs. The beertender was friendly and knowledgeable and the space was clean and spacious, so it would be great for a group of friends. They also take part in a trivia night on Thursdays, which I’m dying to try. Great spot!

Some MN beer connoisseurs have been quenching their thirst with NorthGate brews since 2012, but it wasn’t until they opened their taproom (in late 2014) that I really dove in. I can’t believe it took me so long, because they’ve got it goin’ on! I would almost bathe in their beer if that weren’t sacrilegious (and a waste of good beer). They always has a pretty good list of taps (7 or 8 each time I’ve been there). They specialize in British style session beers, so many of their brews are well balanced (not too hoppy) and under 5% ABV. Since I’m a big fan of British beers, I’m a big fan of NG. Here’s my take on a bunch of their brews:
Golden Smash (golden IPA) — This just might be my favorite NG brew. It’s a really unique IPA. Golden in color, citrusy and refreshing. 4.5÷5
Get Together IPA — It’s a hop forward, but very drinkable session ale (lower in ABV than most IPAs). 4.5÷5
Wall’s End — A refreshing English brown ale with a bit of body. ⁴⁄₅.
Redheaded Piper — A well balanced Irish red ale. Not overly bitter. ⁴⁄₅
Stronghold — A robust, smoky porter. ⁴⁄₅
Here’s Your Fraking IPA — This is a standout in NG’s beer menu (apparently created after the founders were asked one too many times what their hoppiest beer was). It’s a double IPA coming in at just over 8% ABV with a slight citrus and woodsy flavors. 3.75÷5
Parapet ESB — One of NG’s highest ABVs, it’s a solid ESB with a fair amount of bitterness. 3.5÷5
Maggie’s Leap: This English sweet stout has coffee notes and is a wee bit smoky. It’s best on nitro, but there are better stouts in town. ³⁄₅
Like a lot of breweries, they’re tucked away in a warehouse building in an industrial part of Minneapolis (on the corner of Broadway and Harding St.). They’re currently in the process of building a patio, and it will be dog-​friendly, so I think we just might be spending a little more time at NorthGate this summer!
Oh, and one last thing… Have a growler you want filled? Well they won’t fill other growlers, but they will EXCHANGE yours for one of theirs (so just make sure you’re ok parting ways with it).
Cheers!

I’m so glad we finally got to visit Northgate! It has been on my list for some time!
A bit off the beaten NE brewing path — down Broadway, past Boom Island, Dangerous Man, Indeed, 612, Bauhaus, Sociable… off Harding St in a little unassuming parking lot, you will find the charming tap room of Northgate.
I was meeting the hubs Thursday after work for a couple pre-​birthday (his) beers. I arrived first, around 4:30, and there was still plenty of parking in the lot. I sidled up to the bar and ordered their Stronghold, a porter made with local cold press. Perfect start! It wasn’t too heavy which can be my main issue with the dark beers. I sipped merrily away, chatted a bit with the bartender learning about the brewery (they just started canning, but not in house. Opened this fall. Should be patio seating soon). You can see some of the brewery through an open walkway, though they do keep it blocked off to prevent people from wandering in there.
The taproom itself is nicely set up. Not too big, but plenty of bar seating and tables and booths throughout.
Hubby showed up as I was finishing my first beer. The bartender comped his first beer (happy birthday!), and he ordered the «here’s your fraking IPA». Gotta love the name, so fitting in this hop saturated beer market! He enjoyed it. My next beer was their Maggie’s Leap on nitro. Man, what a delicious beer. First, the nitro, making it so creamy! It’s labeled as a «sweet stout», which I’d never heard of, but would say it’s an accurate description. I finished up with the Wall’s End, an easy drinking English brown.
Definitely something a little different from your Dangerous Man and Indeed. No crazy infusions or styles, with a focus on English style ales. The beers they do have are solid. I would go back again and again for the porter and the stout on nitro. It’s not crazy crowded, at least not yet, that could be do to the newness of the location and also the location itself. But it works for me, I prefer that to standing shoulder to shoulder like I would be at other places.
Looking forward to coming back!

It’s kind of off the beaten path, but easy to find. I have been here a few times and never been disappointed! The staff are friendly, the vibe is chill and there is a beer for everyone. Also, there is a foosball table off to the right, and on Thursdays they host trivia. If you are hungry, they also have a typical rotation of food trucks.
On to the beer, why I came, of course! Honestly, English style session beers didn’t mean much to me, so I opted to start off with a flight. I enjoy dark beers mostly, but dislike when coffee is any part of that process. So, right away Maggie’s Leap was out. I ended up drinking Fiddle Smasher and Parapet (sp?) as my drinks of choice. Fiddle Smasher was my favorite with the plum fruit accents, and it is 8% ABV. We played a board game, while sipping our beer for hours here. I’d definetly go back!

Naah. Beer is not that great. Was sitting at the bar, couple near us asked the (hothead, idiot) bartender what the conspicuously holstered knife on his back was for? He replied, ‘WHY.’ Not a question, just a flat how-​dare-​you-​question-​me.
A week later I stopped in to refill a growler. To the same guy, said ‘I’d like a growler of {light beer}.’ He replied, ‘ALL we have is Parapet and English Brown Ale’.
I asked ‘What is the Parapet?’ He said ‘It’s an ESB’.
I figured out that it stands for ‘extra special bitter’. I also recalled Insight is a few blocks away and doesn’t staff tools, and they have better beer.

Yup, I approve of this message. This place focuses on making English ales, which my husband and I love. All their beers are super solid and they often have something random and special on tap.
Now, the space is poorly marked (which adds to the allure to me), so be prepared to find yourself in a random warehouse neighborhood. The taproom has a great atmosphere, like an English pub. They have a killer game stash too! They often have a food truck on hand, which always makes me happy. Service is a little it or miss– there a couple «too cool for school» guys that work here… wah wah.
They sell growlers and flagons (which is a quart, I believe), and I like having options. Only weird catch, they seem to have a «flight of the day», which makes me think you can’t build your own flight. Which always annoys me, because it seems like its the same amount of work, either way.

The beers were all really good. The option of a Flagon growler was a fun takeaway. I know the space options are limited in that area and the buildings, but if they can’t have an outdoor drinking space, it would be nice to have some more windows put in so you don’t feel too bad about being in there on a nice day.
Overall another great MN brewery!

I used to buy growlers from Northgate in the old place off California St. Their staple beers are great. I love walls end and maggies leap. I continue to like those in the new space as well. The taproom has a good atmosphere to it. It reminds me more of a traditional pub more than anything.
In the few times I’ve been to the new taproom, I’ve wanted to try something new that they’ve created. It seems I’m always picking the wrong thing that doesn’t taste the best or good at all to me. Now when I visit I stick with the staples that I know and love.

If my girlfriend didn’t work across the street from this place, there is no way we would’ve known about it.
Tucked away in an area mostly comprised of trucking companies and warehouses, Northgate has only a single neon ‘Open’ sign to alert thirsty beer seekers of its existence.
Maybe it’s for this reason that they’ve devised so many tools to entice patrons: cheap beer, free foosball, a shelf of board games (also free), and the occasional food truck.
I’m jealous that my girlfriend gets to work across the street from this happy hour gem. I’d be coming here way too often during the week to spend the evening geeking out with a game and a nice craft beer… probably their nitro stout!

My lady and I go here on Fridays’ after work. She goes with the Walls End and I usually hit the Stronghold. We make it a destination for when we have out of town visitors to show them excellent Minnesota breweries! The atmosphere is very friendly. Aside from being friendly for those looking just for a happy hour beer there is session half pints or pints, they also include a few craft sodas. I haven’t tried the sodas but it’s another option that they offer so I compliment them on that gesture. If you are with a party make sure you grab a table or two or even a large booth and grab a board game to have some fun. Also, on the weekends they have food trucks and tastings. Overall this place is a great addition to the Northeast! I always look forward to picking up my lady from work to go grab a pint since it is right next to work! Keep up the awesome work Northgate!

What an unexpecting bar/​brewery… It’s hard to find if you’re not really looking and it’s definitely not a place you accidentally find — but it’s totally worth it when you do.
Try the sweet stout! Maggie’s Leap!

Finally got a chance to make it out to their new taproom location (tried going on opening day, but so did everyone else in the twin cities, so that didn’t work out too well in my favor). Glad I was able to make it out there when it was less crowded. Got a chance to chat with the staff and get some more insight into the brewery and some education on the various beers. Amazing staff and very helpful.
We happened to get a deal online for 2 flights (which allowed us to try all 8 beers on tap), 2 pints and a growler to take home (haven’t broken the seal on it yet, the wknd needs to get here quicker) for a steal of a price of $ 22. I believe the deal is still out there on living social, which i suggest getting if you plan on ever visiting this spot (which you should). Even if you don’t get the deal i would suggest making a trip out there and checking out their taproom, as you will NOT be disappointed in their beer offerings.
Parking didn’t seem to be an issue, since they have a pretty big space available to them. Like all tap rooms there is always the mystery food truck that shows up on the wknds, so no reason to leave the taproom for quite some time. For those that require distractions other then beer, conversation, ocassional game on the tv, there is always the foosball table to occupy your time with and make a friend or two.
Ended up leaving with some souvenir flight glasses, sweet!

So impressed with this place! My friend and I went brewery hopping this afternoon and this was the last of 3 we stopped in, and probably my favorite. Hard to find breweries open on a Sunday! We snuck in around 5:20, about 40 minutes before they closed, but we were determined to at least check it out.
We split 2 flights of 4 beers (their seasonal and their flagship flights) so we could sample everything that they had on tap. I must say, I usually only find a beer or two per brewery that I really like or find memorable. But here there was only 1 beer out of 8 that I didn’t care for! And I never like wheat beers, so no surprise there. Their pumpkin beer, Pumpion, was really sweet and smelled of pumpkin pie, yet the sweetness was in no way sickening. I also really enjoyed their Session IPA and Amber Ales, though the names are escaping me. All of the beers were incredibly drinkable, but didn’t taste like run-​of-​the-​mill beers you could get anywhere else. My only disappointment was that they’d just run out of their Nitro Stout and I LOVE beers on nitro. Looks like I’ll have to stop in again sometime.
The bartender was also super friendly and chatted with my friend and me as we were some of the last customers there. When I brought up my obsession with heavy metal breweries, he even offered to throw on some metal tunes for me and introduced me to some new metal. Awesome! Nothing goes hand in hand like good beer and good music. The place is smaller than some of the other taprooms in Minneapolis, with normal ceilings instead of the usual tall ceilings and open layouts of some of the others. I found it cozy and comfortable.