Best barrel-aged beers: Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery - Best of MN 2016

Town Hall brewer Mike Hoops first put beer in a bourbon barrel in 2000, well before barrel-aging was a thing. That beer won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival. It's been all uphill from there. The program now includes 12 varieties of barrels including wine, bourbon and rye whiskey. Hoops has developed an understanding of just what kind of flavor each barrel type will deliver. He goes to the distilleries himself in search of the perfect wood, then builds his beers to suit the barrels. With selections ranging from a vinous, strong saison to black and boozy imperial stouts, the brewery's annual Barrel-Aged Week in February is an event not to be missed. 1430 Washington Av. S., Mpls., 612-339-8696, townhallbrewery.com

Best of Minnesota 2016

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