Pitchfork Brewing Company, Hudson

Mike Fredricksen has had more than two decades to practice his original beer recipes, and if the response to Pitchfork Brewing's offerings is any indication, it was time well-spent. Minnesota Beer Activists called its black IPA "fantastic," its pale ale "world class," and its business "open on Sundays." The colorful tap room serves up these hops-filled treats, as well as barleywines, stouts, and other brews, in a welcoming atmosphere.