Back Channel Brewing named Minnesota Brewery of the Year

Back Channel Brewing Collective turned a Lake Minnetonka taproom into a statewide champion, and the win came with more than one medal. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild named the Spring Park brewery Brewery of the Year in the 2026 MN Brewers Cup Awards, a blind taste-test competition that drew 356 entries from 72 breweries and brewpubs.

Back Channel’s showing went well beyond the top overall honor. The brewery finished third in Best in Show for District 5 with its Hazy IPA, and it also took first place in three categories: District 5 in Hazy IPAs, The Draftsman in German & International Pale Lagers, and Jug in British, Irish, & Scottish Ales. With 38 judges working through 18 style categories, the result signaled that Back Channel was not winning on a single standout beer, but on depth across styles.

That breadth fits the way Back Channel has built its brand. The brewery describes itself as a destination brewery and taproom on Lake Minnetonka, with a lineup centered on high-quality small-batch beer and an emphasis on lagers, IPAs and imperial stouts. It opened in Spring Park in 2017 and was identified early on as the first brewery on the upper part of Lake Minnetonka, a positioning that has helped it stand apart in a crowded metro beer scene.

The setting is part of the business model. Back Channel’s taproom design has been tied to its lakeside patio and garage-door windows, making the waterfront feel like part of the room rather than just the view. The brewery also caters to boat traffic, with four transient slips and five total spots available during business hours in spring, summer and fall, for vessels 34 feet or less. That kind of operational detail turns a brewery visit into a lake day stop, not just another pint across town.

The award also lands during an active stretch for the business. Back Channel has summer events on deck, including BBQ, Brews & Blues on May 23 and Yacht Rock on May 30, the kind of programming that keeps the taproom moving after competition season fades. Owner Marc Makarem and beer-tender Kari Lyons have also been part of the brewery’s public face, reinforcing a hands-on identity that pairs people with place.

Back Channel’s Brewery of the Year title reads less like a one-night trophy and more like confirmation that its mix of quality, consistency and destination appeal has worked. On Lake Minnetonka, that formula is now carrying the brewery from local hangout to statewide standard.