Reflected in the Mississippi, the neon Grain Belt sign is one of the most beloved pieces of commercial signage in Minneapolis, and the brewery behind it is one of the oldest industrial buildings in the city. Grain Belt beer was first brewed in 1893 by the Minneapolis Brewing Company, which consolidated several smaller operations to compete with large national brewers. At its peak in the mid-twentieth century Grain Belt was the dominant regional beer of the Upper Midwest, and the phrase on the label — the Friendly Beer — became genuine Minnesota vernacular.
The brewery closed in 1975 when national brands squeezed out regional competitors, and the buildings sat vacant for two decades, a local symbol of industrial decline. The complex was renovated beginning in the 1990s and today houses offices, apartments, and event space. Grain Belt Premium itself was revived and is now brewed by Schell's in New Ulm, about ninety miles southwest of here.
The original neon sign was restored in 1993 and has been glowing ever since, visible from Dinkytown and the University District across the river.