Barley Johns Brew Pub

7/5/2008 11:47:58 AM, saturday, july 05, 2008
I read the reviews saying this was small, but wow! I could imagine what this place would be like without the patio. We pretty much all agreed the food was decent but over priced. They had a great tap selection with maybe 6 house beers and 6 guest beers. They had bigfoot, furious, southern tier, and a few others as well. Service was nice. The waitress and staff were friendly. She balked when I ordered 4 growlers to go, but it wasn’t too difficult to convince her I was serious. Overall a nice little place.

6/10/2008 7:55:01 PM, tuesday, june 10, 2008
Wow! This place is cozy. I think there was room for 6 people at the bar. The dining area was also quite small. While the place was small, the beers were big. They had both Dark Knight and Rosies Ale on (as well as 4 more of their brews and 5 or 6 guest taps). The food wasn’t to shabby either. Waitstaff was friendly and helpful. If I ever get back to Minneapolis, I would not hesitate to visit again.

3/17/2008 4:54:23 PM, monday, march 17, 2008
Visited on the day of their 8th Anniversary (a Sunday). We were lucky to get there early as the place filled up very quickly with people who soon spilled onto the patio despite the brisk March Minnesota air. I still can’t believe how small the place is. Sometimes good things come in small packages, I guess. I’m told that it was an A&W restaurant in its former life. The bar was short, but people crowded around it nonetheless. The food was decent pub fare. I had some interesting beers. They had about 10 or 11 house beers on tap the day I visited. If you’re looking to fill up a growler keep in mind that Minnesota law does not allow brewpubs to fill up growlers on Sunday.

2/11/2008 6:49:46 PM, monday, february 11, 2008
A fav of mine. Be careful if you’re going with a party of 4 or more on a busy night. The only thing Barley Johns has going against it is its size. If it’s summer, you should be okay with the patio seating. But, if it’s winter or so, call ahead and reserve a table. As for the beers, they’re great! The Wild Brunette and the Stockyard IPA are good spins. I can’t wait for their barrel aged yumminess!

12/25/2007 9:43:34 AM, tuesday, december 25, 2007
I go here when I need a great tasting, dark, high ABV beer. The ambiance is nice in the summer when one can sit outside and they’ve got some live music. Rosie’s Old Ale is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

12/17/2007 10:40:16 PM, monday, december 17, 2007
This place has a bit of clash in it. The ambiance is like a Perkins on the inside and a parking lot for a patio. The servers are not shy about talking about the patio patrons if you happen to be at the bar. Don’t even think about seating yourself or you will get corrected. The beers they brew are quite good. I usually get the IPA, and then a growler to take home. Rumor has it that they bought an Organoleptic Hops Transducer that they run their IPA through. Seems to be working because the beer tastes great. And although the staff has its own character, it all works. I have and will go back.

12/10/2007 8:33:56 PM, monday, december 10, 2007
Tiny place that is really easy to miss if you aren’t careful. Nothing too special ambiance-wise, just a very small bar and a number of tables that you can sit at. Waiter was friendly and quick to serve usdidn’t ask him much about beer as I knew what I wanted already though. As far as selection goes, there was dark knight and rosies, along with a seasonal, the regular pub ales and a handful of guest beers. Only had dark knight, and although a little spendy, it wasn’t as bad as I had expected.

10/22/2007 4:44:04 PM, monday, october 22, 2007
Great beer. The beer here is always fresh and always good. They brew true to the style. Their two specialty beers are outstanding. The food is a little pricey and the service can sometimes be sketchy but overall a definite must visit.

10/18/2007 9:46:14 PM, thursday, october 18, 2007 [ Updated wednesday, october 24, 2007 ]
One of the nicest beer tourist spots I’ve ever encountered. My lady and I were in Twin Cities area, up from Austin, TX. I had done my research and knew that Barley John’s would have what we were looking for - especially in the high alcohol strong/old ales dept. We were not let down. Server Robert Rydland(sp?) hooked us up with much beer knowledge of the brews of the house and the region, offered some dank samples, suggestions and brew dork history. BJBP is a nice smaller joint with quaint dining room and bar. Wild Brunette, Rosie’s Old Ale (five stars! like mead or a well-aged barleywine) and Dark Knight (intense aroma and taste of bourbon from barrels) are all must-drinks. Worth the flight and drive. Expect it to be our new spot when we finally move to the Twin Cities.

8/14/2007 6:57:23 AM, tuesday, august 14, 2007
Bought a sampler, a bunch of high grav beers and an organic pizza. Beers and food were GREAT! Food was a bit expensive though. Waitress was excessively nice. Very cool little patio area with vines and a garden out front of the brewpub.