Minnesota's booze business is aging well

Minnesota’s craft beer industry has blossomed into a diverse market with something for everyone, from the lovers of crisp lagers to drinkers who like dark, coffee-infused stouts.

But there's more brewing in Minnesota than just beer. Minnesota-produced wines and craft spirits are also on the rise.

The state has always had grapes and grain. Now distilleries and wineries are putting those crops to use in interesting ways.

Joy Summers, editor of Eater Minneapolis, and Leslee Miller, a certified sommelier and sole owner of the wine consulting firm Amusée, joined Angela Davis for a conversation about the state’s growing wine and spirits industries.

Listener suggestions

Hoping to try some local wines and spirits yourself? Here are a few suggestions we received from callers and folks on Twitter for you to check out.

From callers:

• Grandview Valley Winery in Belview — apparently they have great pizza, too!

• J. Carver Distillery in Waconia

• Crooked Water Spirits in Minneapolis

From Twitter:

• The science and art of breeding, growing and tasting fruit
• Performance Today host Fred Child on taking the ‘stuffiness’ out of classical music
• What makes a job worth doing?
• How philanthropy can support housing stability and racial justice