Duluth, Minnesota and the North Shore 

Essential brewery stops: Bent Paddle, Castle Danger, Voyageur Brewing

As people say, the North Shore is the French Riviera of the Midwest. Okay, no one says that. But now is the perfect time to realize what Minnesotans have known for a while: The North Shore is a Midwestern paradise in the summer, and it's prime beer country. It’s not a tiny jaunt from Duluth to Grand Marais -- get a designated driver! -- but the gorgeous drive along Lake Superior is loaded with beers that will make you say “oh ja” like you’ve lived in Minnesota your whole life. Many of the breweries in the area have a woodsy, hidden-gem feel. They’re Minnesota’s secret getaways, filled with kind, slightly passive-aggressive people playing stump or talking smack over a game of cornhole.

In Duluth (let’s call it the Marseille of Minnesota) there are barge-loads of quality breweries, but you can’t pass up Bent Paddle. Its Barrel-Aged Double Shot Double Black is legendary, and there are plenty of other options for whatever your palate desires. Just a bit up Highway 61, you’ll find Castle Danger, best known for its Cream Ale and incredible name. (Castle Danger is actually the name of a city, but that’s 11 miles from Two Harbors, where Castle Danger Brewery is located. Go figure.) The taproom has plenty to offer, especially if you like a spacious patio and yard for tossing bean bags while working your way through a Red Hop India-Style Red Ale. When you hit Grand Marais -- the Nice of this jaunt -- don’t miss Voyageur. It’s not as well-known as the other two since those breweries can popular beers, but Voyageur embodies everything that’s enjoyable about breweries along the North Shore, and that includes damn good beer. -- Dustin Nelson

To read the original article and see all of the thirteen secret beer scenes, follow this link to the thrills.com website.  https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/best-beer-cities-in-the-us