The last stop of our north shore brew tour was in Canal Park at the aptly named Canal Park Brewing Company. All of us had been there before so we knew what to expect. We had planned to take it a little slower, and luckily it was quiet when we arrived.
As a relative newcomer to both the Duluth and Minnesota brewery scene, Canal Park Brewing opened roughly three years ago. They’ve got a perfect location right in the heart of the tourist center of Duluth. This also means that they’ve got a fantastic view of Lake Superior from the taproom as well as a small patio.
The interior is modern industrial with a view of their equipment behind the bar as well as from the gift shop. The building is narrow and is split into a restaurant section with regular tables and a bar area with high tops. Exposed brick walls, cement floors, and lots of glass windows make up the interior. A large blackboard wall flanked the bar area with a full list of all the beers available on tap. I love the colorful nature of these blackboards and theirs in particular had nice illustrations for each of the beers that added a little more to the experience.
I grabbed a flight, and was told that you’re able to get them as large as you desire. Unfortunately, at this stage of the night I could only handle four. Keeping the lager streak going from our visit to Thirsty Pagan, I began with the Ankle Deep Pilsner. It was straw yellow and was extremely flavorful. Crisp and clean; a very nice pilsner. The Pumpkin Ale was next and it was spicy with a more powerful pumpkin flavor than other beers I’ve had of this style. Their Nut Hatchet Brown had notes of roasted nuts, malt, and caramel. I ended with the Splendid Wood. This was a Scottish Ale and it was smooth and balanced. With a faintly smoky flavor I think it’s a good introduction to a style that can be sometimes overpowering.
This one’s a no brainer for visitors to Duluth. You’ll inevitably find yourself in Canal Park, and greeting you as you come in will be the Canal Park Brewing Company. It’s nice to see how this area has grown and I’m glad to see more variety in the buildings that are going up, especially ones where anyone can enjoy the view of Lake Superior. If you come for the view you’ll stay for the beer!
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