Do you like free beer? Do you like free tours? Do you like doing things in a group? If so, this is the place for you! I've been here twice now, and it was even better this time. I learned a little more and had a great guide. She was awesome and knew pretty much everything there was to know about Summit. The tour is free, but they would like you to bring a canned good for a food shelf. So grab a can of green beans and make your way to St. Paul. The tour starts out with about a 20 min long intro to Summit. They talk about the start of the company, when the first keg was sold and so on. It is really entertaining and informative. After that, you tour the brewery. Again, it takes about 20-30 mins and you get to see where your fav brews are made. Awesome. Side note, all of the "Sampler" cases are filled by hand, one by one. Pretty impressive. After that, you are brought back into the room where you started. Only this time, you get to use your 3 tokens for free beer!! They have about 4-6 beers on tap. So make sure to try 3 different kinds. Why not, it's free. Also, if one of your friends can't drink all of their beer, don't worry, you can use their tokens! So bring a lightweight. read more

I've been drinking Summit since I was... , well, since 1997. I had never toured a brewery until last weekend. I have to tell you, it's really cool! First, it's free, and you get three beer tokens at the end of it. I was expecting maybe those pours you get when you do a beer flight at a brewpub - the four ounce glass dixie cups of beer, but they actually gave us three full ten-ounce pours. But the main thing truly is not the free beer. It's the tour itself. They give you the whole "here's how we do beer" thing, but also they devote a surprising portion of the tour to the history not only of Summit, but of the MPLS/St.Paul beer culture. They are not afraid to mention all the other breweries in town that used to exist and that have recently started fermenting, because Summit has become such an institution that they are secure with their place in local suds culture. The tour itself doesn't take long, but they don't shoo you out afterwards, and the guides are more than happy to answer your questions for ages after it's over about brewing, private bookings, the quality of St. Paul's municipal water supply, anything. If you are a local, you have no excuse for not having seen this. If you are traveling through town and like beer, this is a spectacular way to kill two birds with one stone. Come sample some of St. Paul's finest, and learn how it's made, too. All without spending a thin dime. My only gripe is that I wish they offered specific tours for those of us who homebrew: "so you people know what's in beer - let's talk about how your process and ours are different." etc. But that we can probably chalk up to limited resources. No matter what your level of beerphilia, though, this is an afternoon well spent. read more

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I liked the Summit tour. It felt like St. Paul. From the very rehearsed powerpoint yet tinge of made by an intern, to the other tour guides pounding drinks before leading us around at the bar, to simply being free. I liked it. The beer is generous, the tour is informative but sadly, you don't get to see everything made on a weekend. They only run the machines during the week, in the mornings. That's half the fun! It's like a "How It's Made" real life TV show. I thought we'd see that but it's not that huge and I'm sure security is a beast. I've been to a few brewery tours. I've been to Anhauser Busch, Surly and numerous gastro pubs and I think this is a better than average tour that's easy to get to and well worth an outing with some friends. If there's a concert in St. Paul or some sort of activity that you need to cross the dreadful Mississippi, I'd schedule this beforehand to loosen up the day. Just book it early cause it quickly fills each weekend because it's free. read more

Love this place. Always fun and stuff going on. It's mostly a picnic style seating, so prepare to snuggle up when it's busy. The only bad thing about this place is it's hardly open. read more

Given that Summit is a pretty large brewery, I expected it to feel like a very impersonal taproom. Absolutely not the case though!! The beertenders clearly were passionate about the beer! I feel like there's no need to comment on the beer because it's Summit. You know what it tastes like and you already like it. Or don't. Whateva. There were a couple of taproom specials, which were highly rated by our group. If you look closely on your way in or out, you'll note that their decorative potted plants on the patio are actually edibles!! Peppers and cabbage and the like. So cool! Please note, there's no option to tip when you pay with a credit card so bring cash! Or use the taproom ATM. read more

We were at the Brewery around 4 on Saturday 25th. The whole time we experienced horrible behavior of children and no parental responsibility to have the run around the tables, scream, bother all the customers. The parents uncaring who they disturbed as long as they didn't have to be bothered by them. Finally after running around the whole place disturbing all the customers and the parents had no clue how to parent customers left. When leaving the fathers were still drinking and had them in the entrance to exit bothering customers leaving. I no 2 customers told the staff we were leaving because the disruption the children were causing and it made to unpleasant to stay any longer. The staff never once spoke to the parents about their continuous disruption screaming/running around the whole bar. So not only did the parents act irresponsible, so did the staff for not asking them to have their children behave or leave. Oh did I fail to point out that the parents (fathers) were driving these children home after 5 hours of drinking. read more

I love beer and I'm naturally curious as to how things are made, so when I had the opportunity to tour Summit Brewery, it was a no brainer! I am not sure what the traditional tour protocol is, but my group started in a room that can be described as 'cafeteria-meets-summer camp' where we were instructed to head to the bar and try whatever we wanted while given a quick history lesson from Carey Matthews, Summit's marketing coordinator. Throughout the course of the evening I had a Red Ale, EPA and IPA, but I think the IPA was my favorite. The tour was informative and brief, and Carey did a great job catering to the interest (advertising) of our group throughout. I was a little surprised that some of the rooms indoors managed to feel more chilly than Minnesota in February, so I'd suggest bringing a jacket along if you're prone to shiver. I had to save my favorite tidbit of info for last: Due to regulations, they're not able to charge you for a pint on the premises. Breweries are the new bars! read more

It's tough to give a place with free beer less than a stellar review. I think I love the Summit brand more than I actually like beer. Having been on the tour probably 6 times (embarrassing? no.) I was pretty impressed with last Saturday's 330pm tour and how they are shaking it up to compete with the profusion of micro breweries popping up in our dear town. No more reviews of hops, malts, or that scientific hodgepodge that used to span the 30 minute lesson; the team reviews more detail on the brews on tap and actually walking through the ever growing tank-room. Then... onto the tasting! 3 10 oz pours... meaning 30 ounces of pure oatmeal stout delight. My only recommendation would to have pints of coffee flavored haagan daaz as a side dish. Hey now - it's my review. read more

I hate to do it but the tour was a big letdown. It's not really a tour, it's more of a presentation. The "guide" was alright but we didn't really see anything "in action". You can't drink beer until after the tour, which to me is kind of silly since you're sitting there anyways but it's their rules I guess. Perhaps I'm harsh because I've been to a few tours before but this one is nothing special. The beer on the other hand, is very good and the tour and tasting is free, which is nice. I would suggest going to a different brewery for a tour but if you want to hear a quick history lesson and get some free beer this is a good place to go. We also went to Flat Earth afterwards since it was less than a mile away. They don't give tours but they give lots of free samples and the beer is better. ;) I'll be trying to see a better brewery tour soon ... I've heard Surly's is better. read more

Man, I LOVE this place! It has such a great beer-hall vibe! I love this place all year, but around Christmas time its extra cozy. Anyway, the tour they offer is very quick, but you get 4 4-ounce samples to try, so you might as well do it. After that, grab a board game and a full size beer for a mere $4 and settle in. They always have really tasty food trucks on site too, and some less common beers on tap, like the ones from their Unchained series, which I HIGHLY recommend. read more

I haven't done the tour yet but I was here for an event in their main hall / drinking room and it was a lot of fun. The beers were free, the employees extremely nice and the suds were delicious! They previewed their Saga IPA. It's way hoppier and spunkier than the current IPA. The brewery has come so far since the EPA....they have the Summer, the Horizon Red, Dinkel Weisen, Oatmeal Stout, Pilsener and more. Anyway, I've been a Summit fan for more than a decade (sounds weird to say!) and it was cool to finally pay their operation a visit. The brewery is professionally run, clean, organized, and everything is handled well by friendly people. read more

I have been here a couple of times now and I cannot say this is as good as it gets because I have yet to visit any other breweries, but I am most assuredly a fan of this brewery as well as the beer. I forgot the tour guides name, but he was very funny and knew how to deliver an entertaining tour. I was here for the Saturday afternoon tour and it was packed. They split the tour in two and there were still 50 plus people in each group. This was the first real time my brother and dad had tried craft beers so it was great to get the three free sample tokens. I hate paying full price at a bar to try something knew just to find out I don't like it. Apparently these ladies sitting next to us did not like the beers so they gave us four more tokens. So I got to enjoy five different beers and take a tour of a brewery for free. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon. I only wish the bottling line was running because I have a fascination with seeing things being produced. Maybe I will take a Tuesday afternoon off of work some time and see it in action. read more

This is a fun thing to do if you are visiting on the weekend and like local breweries. Having been to a few brewery tours (Miller, Guinness) this was a different feel since it is a smaller shop. The Powerpoint seemed a little forced and or tour guide must've been on his first week because he struggled with his talking points and answering questions. I also know how beer is made so was probably less interested than other parties who have never been on a brewery tour. BUT, the most important thing is the beer! You get 3 8 oz pours, and considering the tour is free this is definitely worth checking out to try their diff brews! Oatmeal Stout was my favorite, Pilsner also good, and the season Octoberfest was quite tasty! read more

I hate it when real life interferes with my ability to Yelp. You get a total of three 12oz beers at the end of the tour. I'd have preferred to try 6 smaller choices. The beers also all come at the end. It would have been nice to spread them out throughout the tour instead of just before driving home. Remember that "beer has food value but food doesn't have beer value." read more

I think anyone who likes beer, local business, environmentalism or free stuff would love this. It's not a far drive from the center of St. Paul. You get free beer (a full tasting menu at another place that could run like 11$). The gift shop is good too, we bought two really nice pint glasses for not too much. I do think the tour could spend a little less time on how great the Summit EPA is but then again, I hate EPAs in general. I really loved how they talked about Finnegan's which is a non-profit craft brewery that uses some of Summit's materials and helps the homeless. (I'm specifically going to buy that now that I am aware of it.) Thanks Rachel! She did a great job and was really funny for a tour that could be really boring. read more

Came here from out of town and took the brewery tour. It was very informative and interesting. Part of the tour included 4 sample pours which gave you a good amount of selection from their beers. When the came to beers this was where they fell short. If you are in search of unique craft beer this is not your spot. Only 1 IPA on tap and a bunch of pale ales. Their beers fell short on taste as well. It seems that Summit has become too big to go back to the roots of small batch craft brewing. For a Saturday night at 7pm the place was dead which is not a good indicator. While they have been a round since 1986 they appeal to the masses. However, there are better options if you are looking for craft beers in the Minneapolis and surrounding metro area. read more

The tour was free! The beer Free! But when I toured the place I couldn't buy any beer and that made me a sad panda. Hopefully the laws in MN have changed so you can take home some Summit ales. I didn't have time to go to the local bars that the guide suggested. Cool place though no sales that day. read more

So wait Did nobody else have an entirely backwards tour? Came here on Saturday with a crew of my friends to do the tour. Starting with packaging, then fermentation, then how we get beer started. Wait.. what? Other than that, we had a a great time. Gave 3 generous pours at the end which is always a nice plus. Oh and it's FREE. Just a little bit confused as to the order of our events. read more

This is one clean and organized place! I love this place and it looks like it is really worker friendly. The tour was informative and fairly quick. The beer there is tasty. My only qualm with the tour is that you're only given 3 tickets for beer and they have 7 or 8 on tap to try. How about giving us more tickets to try all the beers and maybe a smaller glass (or bigger). read more

Wanna relax on a big patio with your dog and a great beer? Here's your place.. They do have the big hall which you can sit in and enjoy your choice of beer, but even better they have a huge patio outside that has a lot of seating and tables to enjoy yourself. They are very dog friendly and even had a table set up while I was there to purchase your dog a treat. Also set up in the parking lot was a dog was, kinda random but neat since a lot of pups were out there. I noticed a lot of people that biked up here to grab some beers too, they had little posts to lock your bike up. I'm sure it's not the same truck here everytime, but they did have a food truck parked outside if you wanted to grab some grub too. Onto the beer.. I'm not too familiar with Summit beers, so I asked the ladies behind the bar what they recommend and they were very knowledgable and I ended up getting exactly what I wanted. I believe it was called Summer? How fitting. Definitely want to come back on a lazy day and play some board games over some tasty beer! Forgot to mention, they do Brewery tours! I did not get to do one yet, but I hear you get FREE BEER!!! read more

Great taproom with a ton of great beers to try! Cool gift shop too.. Lots to look at. Reasonable prices. Time it right for a free brewery tour and samples!! read more

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Have been to the taproom twice in the past year... Yesterday I went specifically for a tour... I felt our guide, Melinda, was very well informed and made the tour enjoyable...rather than "here's the boring facts, just follow along".... I liked that we were given random facts...about what the property was before Summit bought it, and how much they bought it for... It was more than "we brew beer, we sell a lot of it"... read more

I kinda wish they had walk in brew tour options here. I love the three FREE BEERS. Holy crap. Pumpkin porter? I'm on it like grommit. Actually, I have one in my fridge right now. Actually, its 1120 am on a Tuesday. Sounds like a good time to crack one. The beer leaders kind of pull you through to the end, assuming we just are there for the free beer. Pretty informational, and I think I might go again. Oh, and free beer. read more

We took the tour with another couple & had a good time. We were in the earliest group & the tour was full, so we split off into 2 groups. Luckily, we were in the chronologically-correct tour. Lots of fun facts, most that I cannot remember. My favorite part was seeing them bottling the beer! Really cool & way faster than I could comprehend. You get 3 tokens for samples. If it hadn't been so early (10a) & we had a DD, we would have gotten after it! However, after one I felt buzzed so I switched over to the delicious root beer. The tour is free, so GO! read more

I am surprised there aren't more reviews for the Summit Brewery. If you haven't been on a tour yet and are considering it, you should totally schedule one. Sarah G. highlighted the tour well and I agree make sure you book ahead in advance. We waited almost a month to get in on a Saturday afternoon in the summer. It is well worth it and of course it is free. I have been on other free brewery tours and so far this was the best. The tour guide was knowledable and didn't bore us to death. He knew we were all ready to get use our drink tokens. On top of it all, the beers were a decent size. The week I went they had a new beer that had a 9% alchohol content, they of course only allow you to have one of those beers while at the brewery and for good reason. One was enough for me. Summit should consider selling cases at the brewery or selling growlers of beer. My boyfriend loves the Oatmeal Stout and is bummed he can't get it at many places. He would have bought 2 growlers full of that stuff. Otherwise, all in all it was a great experience. read more

Fun time! It's free! And they give you tokens for free beer after the tour! Show your home town pride and take the Summit tour! read more

1st time visiting. Really good tap room. Had the Saga IPA on happy hour pricing which was $5 for a 16 oz pour. Food truck offers food outside. Visit if you haven't. It is worth the beer. read more

Summit Brewing - Summit Saga IPA. - Breweries Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

They may remind you once or twice, but there is great aspect of the tour: FREE BEER! The tour was good, and Summit's brewery is a little larger than I expected, but they send more beer out of state than I thought too. The tap room is really nice too, making the post-tour tasting even better. read more

We took a tour of the Summit Brewery on a Saturday afternoon. Make sure you call ahead to reserve your spot as it took us 2 weeks to get in. The first part of the tour is "mind-numbing, but important none the less" (tour guide's words, not mine!) And he had a valid point, but the tour itself is quite interesting. If you are interested in seeing what Summit's idea of 2 weeks of beer is like, make sure you pay attention in the cooler at the end of the tour. The real reason to take this tour is for the 3 free beer tokens you receive at the end of the tour. It is a great opportunity to sample beers you may not have tried before and get a taste of the Oatmeal Stout, which is not sold in bottles. Make sure you stop in the Gift Shop for all those Summit goodies that you cannot live without, like a keychain bottle opener (you never know when you might need one!) read more

Summit Brewing is one of my all time favorites in the Twin Cities. The taproom is a big open space that is simple with community tables and large windows. The beertenders have always been super friendly and willing to help you make the right choice of their extensive selection of beer. Everything I've tried here is good and I was glad that their summer beers were on tap- I tried 3 of 4! The patio is nice as well and looks out onto a small wooded area. It is a hidden gem in the warehouses of St. Paul off Shepard Road. read more

Someone earlier said it best: this place is perfect. I enjoy some Summit beers, but I would not consider myself a big fan. Don't get me wrong, they produce some good beers. But, what Summit does even better than making beer is have a tremendous beer hall located in an obscure area, and provide a friendly and informative tour. 3 stars on the beer/5 stars on the beer hall and tour. A must see if you're a beer fan in the area. And, Summit has a great swag store. read more

The beer was incredible and the bartenders were even better, very friendly. My trivial mind worked and helped out, a little. The food truck was god too. If I am in the area again I will stop back again for a pint or two or... read more

Lame, boring, and old. Beers weren't the greatest either. Not interested in going back..

It's not hard to come by Summit beers but the brewery itself is also an enjoyable experience. Their beers are great of course; the Saga IPA and winter ale hit the spot during our last visit ($5/each). On a Thursday evening, it was moderately crowded with groups and a few organizations but we didn't have any problem finding a parking spot in their lot or a table inside. I love how they host community events and would enjoy taking a tour here at some point. I love the high ceilings, open spaces, and general vibe. It doesn't feel too crowded or get overly loud, and maintains a classic beer hall ambiance. Summit wouldn't necessarily be my number one brewery to visit in the summer or when the weather is nice, but the cozy atmosphere inside is what would keep me coming back time and time again in the colder months. The staff is friendly, there is a food truck on site, and they have decent choices of board games. read more

This place has been around since the late '70s. Quite a fixture in the Twin Cities area. I tried their Saga IPA, Nitro stout, and a couple of others. Everything was solid as was the space there. I was there for a private event but I'm sure this place would normally be rocking. Good prices as well. I'll be back for sure whenever I'm in the area. read more

i love Summit's beer. i love Summit even more for FREE! oh yes, and there's the fun of visiting the brewery itself, my first tour. because i'm a nerd, i love learning the history of places and about how food and drink are made. it was news to me that so much work goes into making beer! the tour guide was this sweet, friendly guy, who i learned was just a homebrewer who happened to love Summit and later became a volunteer. being a fairly small company in the beer world and relatively young (f. 1986), Summit has a fairly small facility in St. Paul. the entire tour takes about an hour in total. then you finish off by cashing in your wooden tokens (you get three per person) for a 12-oz taste of one of the brews in season. those are some generous pours...so much good beer for FREE! next time i'll have to bring along friends who can use up my extra tokens. anyway, it was a fun (and did i mention FREE!) experience...definitely a good place to bring visitors or just throw back a few w/ some friends. and remember: don't drink and drive. read more

Good beer, nice tap room. But their tables and benches need replaced/upgraded. They are old and rickety. My husband was terrified his bench would give way and he'd end up on the floor. read more

Great atmosphere & great beer! The outdoor area is super relaxing and fun! We had a few good beers, played a lot of corn hole and had some great food from the food trucks! Will be back again! read more

The tour of this brewery is fine. Its fun to see the inner workings of a large scale micro brewery. The drag is, the two times I have done the tour it has been poorly led by volunteer, and each time the volunteer clearly wasn't completely up to speed on the product or process. Which is sort of a drag when you think about when you go to Flat Earth or Surly, and the owner or brewer are there giving the tours, which has got to get old, but they are doing it. I wish the tours of Summit were less often, and more special, and made so by being led by someone who plays a role in the business and who can answer questions. It makes a beer consumer feel more like a part of the family, and less than simply a consumer of their product. Oh well, we're still damn lucky to have a good brewery like Summit in St. Paul, and I have been showing my support through small cash donations made at various locations for a long time. I just probably won't go back to do their tour any time soon. read more

I thoroughly enjoy Summit beers. I wish their brewery wasn't in such an odd location. The tour is really good and you learn a lot. I only wish they gave you a tasting. They have more beers than I think most people realize and it would be nice to be able to try several of them at once. Also the bar area is not very lively. So 4 stars for the beer and the tour. Probably 2 for the room itself. Aside from the actual wood bar there is no character in the room. read more