Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Annandale, MN
- 4 Paws Marketing
- May 17
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 12
If you ever find yourself cruising the small lake towns west of the Twin Cities and are looking for a place to make a pit stop with great bevs—and a great sour—I recommend you check out Spilled Grain Brewhouse in Annandale, MN. Don't let the small town fool you, they've got a grea thing going in this town of 3,500! Tucked behind a simple building that blends right into their Main Street, it’s the kind of place that reminds you not to judge a drink by its location (or a brewery by its strip-mall outside appearance).
Drinks:
The sour on tap during my visit was Peach Please!, checking in at a 4.5% ABV. As the name suggests, it’s peach-forward with a bit of tartness. The real win? It wasn't the overly berry-forward route that many breweries go with their sour and went in a more laid-back direction. I truly enjoyed it.
While I’m here for the sours, I couldn't help but try out their Innuendo Seltzer, it sounded interesting, with a mix of passion fruit and guava, and I wasn't wrong. Not many seltzers get a second look from me anymore, but this one was pretty good.
Spilled Grain’s lineup is simple and is heavy on hoppy IPAs and strong ales (check out Tripel Horse, False Hope, and Bearded Man if you like traditional beer), but the they constantly rotate their taps and sometimes feature a fruited sour so it's definitely a worthwhile stop for us sour lovers. They also have a few craft cocktails available, and some MN-based sodas as well.
Score: 4/5 – the peach offering was a solid start and I brought another option home that wasn't on tap that day.
Food:
No kitchen here, but you don't have to go hungry. Like many brewery spots they have a few snacky options—pretzels and Luige’s pizza that they’ll throw in their pizza oven for you.
And, even better, there was a food truck on site during our trip: Sweet Winks, cooking up burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and some tasty looking hand-cut fries.
If you're heading that way and might want to grab a bite, check their website or social media for the food truck schedule.
Dog Friendliness:
This part was a bummer—no dogs allowed inside, which meant Harley and Storm had to hang in the truck while we checked it out. It was around 40 degrees that day (they were fine, don’t worry—we’re not monsters, the windows were open), but it was way too cold for the patio.
The positive? There is a patio, and it looked like a great spot to bring the pups when the weather is decent. Since our campsite is nearby in Howard Lake, this one’s going to be on the regular go-to list once summer kicks in.
Rating: 2/5 – not fully dog-friendly inside, but patio pups are welcome.
Atmosphere:
Walking into Spilled Grain felt a little like stumbling into a Minnesota version of Cheers. When the squeaky door opened, heads turned—standard small-town bar —but the initial curious stares gave way to an enjoyable afternoon.
The space is surprisingly large - you wouldn't guess it from the outside, with plenty of seating, and even a big couch, a giant TV, and tons of board games to pick from. Whether you want to sip on your own or bring a larger crew, there’s a table for you. They also appear to be expanding, so they are doing something right.
Rating: 4/5 - quaint, rustic, and a place I could spend an afternoon
Merch & More:
Don’t sleep on the swag here! For a small-town spot, Spilled Grain has a shockingly large selection—and it goes way beyond the basics. You’ll find:
Hats, tees, long sleeves, and buffalo plaid flannels (a must-have in Minnesota).
A broad range of custom glassware like tulips, pints, tasters and some I've never seen before.
An insane selection of accessories: beach towels, sunglasses, backpacks, keychains, bottle openers, koozies, and even branded playing cards.
They clearly understand how important it is to have strong branding, and it’s easy to see the pride they have in their roots. Whether you're expanding your home bar glass selection or just want a reminder of a small town brewery, you’ll find something worth bringing home with you. I will definitely be grabbing something next time around to rep this one.
Merch Score: 4.5/5
Overall:
Spilled Grain is a great reminder that good sours don't have to come from an urban taproom. This one’s perfect in my book, a great sour, and all the stuff you need for a stress-free afternoon just a short drive from the lake or your campsite.
Spilled Grain definitely won’t be a one-and-done visit. With a patio calling our name, dogs ready to check it out next time, and the dream of walking in to a “NORM!” shout one day, Spilled Grain is officially on my "we're going back" list.
Overall Vibes: 4.5/5
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