Blacklist Brewing Co. | Duluth, MN
Beer Trip: Blacklist Brewing Co. in Duluth, Minnesota
With each visit to Duluth, we’ve become more and more impressed with the craft brewery scene the area has to offer. Blacklist Brewing Co. in the heart of downtown is just the latest example, with a wide range of brews and a great taproom.
The Brewery
Blacklist blends into the downtown scene when passing by, but once inside the front doors, you’ll discover just how big this place is. A 15-person curved bar lines the side wall of the room, and there are tons of tables and chairs spread about. Near the front door, they have an elevated stage with an overhead garage door directly behind it.
During the warmer months, they open up this door and let the music echo down the block. There are a handful of pinball machines and dart boards around the space, but the real treasure lies in their own ax-throwing lanes: a first we’ve seen at a brewery! We even learned about trivia and Mario Kart tournaments happening regularly to keep the place hopping.
The Beer
With no expectations walking in, we were excited to see 16 different beers on tap. They divide their menu into three categories: 1) Light/Crisp/Sour, featuring several golden ales, a wheat, and a few lagers, 2) IPAs, which had 4 varieties on this visit alone, and 3) Darks, which included 3 different stouts. We were fortunate to meet Brian, one of the owners and the head brewer, and he was kind enough to show off his basement brewery, where all the magic happens. They have a much bigger setup than it might appear from the exterior, and we were told that Blacklist currently has about 4 beers that are distributed across the state of Minnesota.
With so many beers to choose from, we had to settle for just a few and decided to let the locals pick the brews that we should try. Though hesitant at first, their Kind of a Big Dill ended up being our favorite. This golden ale tastes just like drinking a dill pickle, but is just subtle enough to tell that it’s still a beer. So many pickle beers taste like you’re drinking the juice straight from the jar, but this one is well-balanced, and we highly recommend it. They even serve it with a baby gherkin on the draft! Our one regret upon leaving is not trying the Spruce Imperial IPA. Several people suggested it, but at 9.5% ABV, we ultimately went with other options. We’ll return someday for this one!
Food, Merch, & More
You won’t find a full kitchen at Blacklist just yet, but they are nearing a project kickoff to add a full food lineup to their offerings. For now, they can cook you a frozen pizza or soft pretzel and have a freezer full of locally made ice cream. Their non-beer options include multiple seltzers, including several with THC in typical Minnesota fashion. The merchandise at Blacklist consists of shirts, ball caps, and snow hats. You can also get many of their beers available to go, in either a growler or cans of 4 to 6.
As we travel the country visiting breweries, it’s always fun to see the places that are thriving and growing. Blacklist is certainly one of those, and we can’t wait to pay them a visit after their renovation. Until then, we’ll enjoy seeing their menu in liquor stores throughout the state.
Cheers!
