What's the best beer in the state? Winners of the Minnesota Brewers Cup announced

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild held a blind tasting of more than 450 beers from nearly 100 breweries and brewpubs in the state to name this year's winners of the Minnesota Brewers Cup. The awards were announced last week in St. Paul at the group's annual conference, which had been on a pandemic-induced hiatus since 2019.

Tomm's American lager from Falling Knife Brewing Co. was named best in show. The Minneapolis brewery with a 149-seat taproom (783 NE. Harding St., fallingknife.beer) opened in 2019.

"This is the beer we brewed for ourselves while we were building the brewery," said Tom Berg, Falling Knife's co-founder and chief brewing officer. "We're so proud."

The other best in show winners showcased both the old and the new.

Fulton Brewing's 300 IPA took second place; it's a beer co-founder Ryan Petz said the Minneapolis brewery (414 6th Av. N., fultonbeer.com) has been making for almost 10 years. "It's really exciting that people still love this beer the way they did 10 years ago," he said.

Rounding out the best in show was No. 68 Red Lager by The Freehouse (701 Washington Av. N., freehousempls.com). Head brewer Alex Doering said the beer was designed especially for competition, so it was the first time the Minneapolis brewery made it. "I'm super pumped about our team who designed it from the ground up," he said.

In addition to the best in show awards, Minnesota beers were recognized in 23 categories. The top three in each style were given awards; here are the first-place winners in each. For a full list, go to mncraftbrew.org.

American lagers: Falling Knife Brewing Co., Mpls., Tomm's

American wheat and cream ales: Canal Park Brewing Co., Duluth, Clear Waters Cream Ale

American amber, blonde and pale ales: Invictus Brewing Co., Blaine, Blaine It On The Rain Amber Ale

Pale lagers: Giesenbräu Bier Co,, New Prague, Hildy's Helles

Amber lagers: Wooden Ship Brewing Co., Mpls., Vienna Lager

Dark lagers: Fitger's Brewhouse, Duluth, Brewhouse Bock

Czech lagers: Arbeiter Brewing Co., Mpls., Czch Plz

German pilsners and export lagers: Utepils Brewing Co., Mpls., Anniversary Pils

American IPAs: Fulton Brewing, Mpls., 300 IPA

Hazy IPAs: Birch's on the Lake, Long Lake, Hazy IPA

Double and specialty IPAs: Venn Brewing Co., Mpls., Chronicopia

German ales: Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Duluth, Little Düssel Do Ya

Strong ales: Fitger's Brewhouse, Duluth, Starfire Reserve

Belgian and monastic ales: Klockow Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Billy Bumbler

English, Scottish and Irish ales: Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, Equanimity

Brown ales and porters: St. Paul Brewing, St. Paul, Crooks' Haven

Stouts: Torg Brewery, Spring Lake Park, Wander Well

Hard seltzers: Indeed Brewing Co., Mpls., Real Magic: Yerba Mate Ginger

Wood-aged beers: Chanhassen Brewing Co., Chanhassen, Carver County Reserve

Fruit and spice beers: Venn Brewing Co., Mpls., Cosmosis Pinã Colada

Spice, herb and vegetable beers: Warrior Brewing Co., Duluth, Valkyrie Pumpkin Ale

Wild, sour and funky ales: Falling Knife Brewing Co., Mpls., Cumulonimbus

Specialty beers: The Freehouse, Mpls., No. 68 Red Lager

The nonprofit Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild was founded in 2000 and now has more than 180 brewery members. The Guild promotes Minnesota's brewing industry by sponsoring festivals and special events, including the Minnesota Brewer Cup, All Pints North and the Brewed in Minnesota exhibit at the State Fair.