Inbound BrewCo is calling last call on its North Loop taproom. The Minneapolis brewery announced it will end operations at its 701 N. 5th St. location on Dec. 31, 2026, closing the doors on a decade of pints, parties and neighborhood gatherings in Minneapolis's North Loop neighborhood.
The closure marks the end of an era for a spot that has operated in the North Loop for 10 years, according to KARE 11. Inbound BrewCo described the decision to close as difficult and thanked its customers and employees for the run. In a statement, the brewery struck a wistful tone about the milestone: “Call it retirement, other opportunities or just needing some time to pet our dogs more... whatever it is, it's the end of an era for us.”
Over the years, the taproom became more than a place to grab a beer — it hosted events and built relationships with the surrounding community, per the station's report. Customers have celebrated weddings, birthdays and other milestones inside the brewery's walls, turning it into a fixture of North Loop social life rather than just another stop on a brewery crawl.
Beer Keeps Flowing Even As Taproom Closes
Even though the taproom is shutting down, Inbound BrewCo's beer isn't disappearing from the Twin Cities entirely. The company says it will continue distribution operations after the Minneapolis location closes, with its beers remaining available at liquor stores and local bars and restaurants, the same account notes. Inbound BrewCo's own website says its beer is available across the metro area and beyond, suggesting fans outside the North Loop won't necessarily have to say goodbye to the brand itself.
There's a catch, though: once the taproom's current stock is gone, it's gone. Inbound BrewCo says it will not replenish its remaining beer supply once it runs out, effectively turning the brewery's final weeks into a race to drink through what's left. The brewery has encouraged customers to visit before the end of 2026 to celebrate its final run, urging in a statement, “Come on down and raise a pint to an incredible 10 years with us!”
Part Of A Broader Squeeze On Twin Cities Breweries
Inbound BrewCo's closure lands amid a rough stretch for craft beer both locally and nationally. In 2025, U.S. brewery closings outpaced openings for the second consecutive year, with 481 breweries closing while 300 opened, according to the Brewers Association, as reported by Twin Cities Business. Taprooms specifically had their worst year since tracking began in 2018, with 219 closing nationally compared to 151 openings, per MPR News.
The numbers behind the trend are stark. Overall U.S. beer production and imports fell 5.7% in 2025 while craft brewer volume sales dropped 4%, the Brewers Association reported. Craft beer also faced pressure in the retail market. Industry watchers point to younger generations drinking less, rising input costs, and drinkers chasing newer products like THC beverages as factors squeezing brewers, Twin Cities Business notes.
Minnesota brewers have felt an additional, more local pressure. A Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild director told MPR News that Operation Metro Surge cratered outings at Twin Cities taprooms over the winter, with some breweries seeing business drop as much as 60%. Several Minnesota breweries didn't survive 2025 at all, including Invictus Brewing in Blaine, Schram Haus Brewery in Chaska and Foremost Brewing Cooperative in Owatonna, per the same MPR account.
A Pattern Of Taprooms Closing While Beer Lives On
Inbound BrewCo's approach — shutting the physical taproom while keeping product on shelves — mirrors moves by other local breweries navigating the downturn. HeadFlyer Brewing, which operated for about a decade in Northeast Minneapolis, announced plans to close its taproom while maintaining distribution to bars and restaurants, according to the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Bauhaus Brew Labs closed in June amid financial struggles, then reopened under ABV Technology ownership, per KARE 11.
Inbound BrewCo's building itself has had a complicated recent history. The Business Journal reported that the brewery put its own North Loop building on the market, with a listing noting a lease through 2030 with options to extend. It's unclear how that listing connects to the taproom's upcoming closure, but it underscores that the North Loop space has been in flux for a while even as the brewery kept pouring pints.
For now, the countdown is on. With roughly seven weeks left before the Dec. 31 shutdown, Inbound BrewCo is betting that loyal North Loop regulars will show up one more time — or several more times — to toast a decade that, by the brewery's own account, built far more than just beer.
