How Dinkytown Became an International Food Destination
Reviewing All the New Minnesota State Fair Foods
We divvied up the fairgrounds and rated the beers in each area based on their presentation, smell, taste, and name.
by Stephanie March, Alex Lodner
When we saw that there were 46 new beers, plus more ciders, seltzers, wine slooshies, and more, we knew we needed a new plan. Oh, we still did allllllll the drinking (and eating) on Day One, but we came around it a bit differently.
We figured you’re more likely to go to an area and buy a bunch of food to try, but maybe only one or two beers at a go. So we decided to collect our beverages geographically, and rank them so that you might better choose your eating and strolling beverages.
On the MSP Drinking Team (which looks remarkably similar to the MSP Eating Team), we had a nice smattering of drinkers: beer lovers, a self-professed cider girl, a college student, some who love sweet things, some who hate gimmicks, hop head and hop haters alike. A good mix, really.
We ranked each drink the same 9-point scale, with three points possible in each of the following categories: Aroma/Presentation, Name, and Taste. If you felt very strongly about a beverage, you were allowed to assign it a personal S-tier value, which gave its ranking some zshoosh. Through our VTA (very technical algorithm) we came up with a score for each and listed them here from Top Scorers to Not So Much. With some quips, as a treat.
Electrik Empress: After a year of long, slow-mixed culture fermentation in an original 1936 cypress wood lagering tank, this beer was transferred onto 6,600 pounds of plums for five more months of maturation on fruit. Electrik Empress is hazy, cotton candy pink in color and bursting with the fresh aroma of ripe plum skins. It is medium-bodied and fairly dry with a soft lemon-tart acidity and flavor of plums, lemon and pear. 5.9% ABV. 4 IBUs. Brewed in New Ulm, Minn., by August Schell Brewing Company. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
7.6 // S-tier for 2 people in the group, Dara says: Of the Starkeller beers from the last three years, this is EVERYTHING (she said it in all-caps, she did)
Strawberry Rhubarb Cider: Freshly pressed apples fermented dry then sweetened with the classic Minnesota combination of rhubarb and juiced strawberries. 6.2% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Sociable Cider Werks. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
7.5 // S-Tier for 2, especially the self-professed Cider Girl. Just really refreshing.
Freehouse & Lift Bridge Brewing Company Hay-Z: A New England-style juicy pale ale with a hint of passion fruit. 5.5% ABV. 25 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., and Stillwater, Minn., by a collaboration of The Freehouse Brewery and Lift Bridge Brewing Company. At The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, center section.
6.16 // That wasn’t too hoppy, and the passion fruit was mellow.
Bauhaus Brew Labs x Animales BBQ Co. Pitt Boss An exclusive State Fair beer collaboration between Bauhaus Brew Labs and Animales BBQ? Yes please! Feast your taste buds on this delicious blonde ale infused with juicy smoked peaches straight off the smoker at Animales BBQ. Expect this one to be slightly smokey, massively peachy and majorly crisp, with a touch of lingering malt sweetness that makes it the perfect pairing for delicious BBQ food. 5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Bauhaus Brew Labs in collaboration with Animales BBQ Co. of Minneapolis. At RC's BBQ, located east of West End, top of Adventure Park.
6 // This one divided the group. Some liked the malty peach with the heat of the RC’s better than just drinking it alone. Was hoping for more smoke.
LuLunatic: With an insane amount of Amarillo, Cascade and Chinook hops, this double dry-hopped IPA takes its inspiration from the West Coast. It’s packed with bright and citrusy hop flavors and capped off with a dry finish that will leave you raving. 7.2% ABV. 50 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Surly Brewing Co. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
6 // Bitingly bitter, in a good way.
Grain Belt Lim’: A light malt flavor with a hint of lime gives this beer a nice twist that inspires more from this unique lager. 4.7% ABV. Brewed in New Ulm, Minn., by August Schell Brewing Company, proud sponsor of the Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater. At Schells, located at West End Market, next to Lulu's.
5.3 // “My favorite part of this beer is the typo.” But also, if I was on a boat I would be crushing this.
Mango Coaster: Step right up, Mango Coaster is the best ride in town. This wheated ale is loaded with notes of mango and apricot, creating a blue ribbon-worthy beer. 5% ABV. Brewed in Decorah, Iowa, by Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
5.16 // Not really mango-y enough. Kinda flat, but not offensive.
MN Honey Chamomile Mead An ultra-special mead highlighted by honey from Upper Midwest canola hives fermented on fresh elder flower petals. 5.9% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Sociable Cider Werks. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
5 // Not a lot of mead fans in our group, but we all agreed we WANTED to like it more.
Tropical Fruit Punch White Claw Slushy: This slushy is made with Mango White Claw Hard Seltzer, Tropical Red Bull and finished with fresh fruit punch. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.
UNRANKED …. Wasn’t working when we were there.
Hawaiian POG BOLO Hard Seltzer: Inspired by a deliciously sweet Hawaiian libation, this tropical vacation for your taste buds combines the island flavors of passion fruit, orange and guava (POG) into a crushable sunset-colored hard seltzer. Place your seatbacks and tray tables in their upright position, you’re about to land in BOLO paradise. 5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Bauhaus Brew Labs. At Café Caribe, located on the south side of Carnes, east of Midway.
6.5 // There is much love for BOLO seltzer, and this was a can poured into a glass so it didn’t feel as special as the beers. But, it was still damn refreshing.
Piña Colager: If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, then here’s the escape for you! This crisp American lager is brewed with 100 percent real pineapple puree, fresh lime zest and a special blend of hops that imparts notes of coconut and tropical fruit. 4.5% ABV. 12 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Bauhaus Brew Labs. At Café Caribe, located on the south side of Carnes, east of Midway.
6.5 // There was a sugared rim, there was a nice bartender, and there was a clear scent of Coppertone at O’Malleys.
Arnold Palmer Spiked Slushy: The delicious Arnold Palmer is now in a spiked, super refreshing slushy. 5% ABV. At Coasters, located on the corner of Carnes, by Midway.
6.16 // Was this the point I started calling them slooshies? No, not yet? It was damn refreshing.
Tumbleweed Hazy IPA: Bursting with big fruit flavors, this hazy IPA is so drinkable with no bitterness as it rolls over your taste buds. 5.5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Fulton Brewing. At Frontier Bar, located on the south side of Carnes, east of Midway.
5.83 // This didn’t burst for us, but it was a fine walking and eating beer.
Coasters Mango Slushy: Quench any thirst with this smooth, fruity and flavorful slushy made with Mike’s Hard Mango. 8% ABV. At Coasters, located on the corner of Carnes, by Midway.
5.83 // Oh, this was the point. Down points for Mike, because we are homers.
Walking on Sunshine Watermelon Blonde Ale: A refreshing light blonde beer brewed with all-natural watermelon makes this a perfectly carefree summer brew. 4.4% ABV. Brewed in Eagan, Minn., by Bald Man Brewing. At Coasters, located on the corner of Carnes, by Midway.
5.33 // One high scorer felt this delivered nicely on the watermelon vibe, and made me write that.
Cannon River Naughty Shirley: A wildly refreshing twist on a childhood favorite, this grown-up version of the Shirley Temple has a hint of vodka flavor (without actual vodka), made with wine from Cannon River Winery. It evokes cheerful memories and feels like a party in a cup. 7% ABV. Wine made in Cannon Falls, Minn., by Cannon River Winery. At The Hideaway Speakeasy, located at the Grandstand, 2nd level west side.
5 // Very sweet and fun, and it scored low with the group but honestly, what do they really want from a Shirly? It’s a not a Shirly Jones, or a Shirly MacLaine, it’s a Shirly Temple dammit.
Bent Brewstillery Hideaway Sunset: Think of a Tequila Sunrise cocktail in the form of a beer. Orange, grenadine, a bit of sour and a hint of tequila flavor (without actual tequila) – raise a glass in a sunset toast! 6% ABV. 10 IBUs. Brewed in Roseville, Minn., by Bent Brewstillery. At The Hideaway Speakeasy, located at the Grandstand, 2nd level west side.
4 // You know how you take a sip of orange juice just after brushing your teeth?
Strawberry Squeeze: This blonde ale is an easy drinker with balanced sweetness, made with tasty and tart strawberry lemonade. 5% ABV. Brewed in Big Lake, Minn., by Lupulin Brewing Company. At Coasters, located on the corner of Carnes, by Midway.
3.83 // This didn’t deliver as much tart as we were hoping for.
Bomba Bull Frose All Day Slushy: Frosé all day with this summer sipper. Fusing Saint Paul, Minn.-made Gray Duck Distillery Bomba Juice spirited seltzer with a fruity fun mix of lemonade, strawberry and a kick of Red Bull served frosé slushy style. 4.7% ABV. At Dino's Gyros, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. across Old Mill.
7.33 // Slooshie love for this chiller. Fruity and pink and just a perfect accompaniment to Sweet Caroline.
Surly Epic Yuzu: The heroes and heroines of the classic epic poems sang of Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods. We’re pretty sure they were talking about this beer. Light, crisp, tart and refreshing, this exotic yuzu-infused creation is fit for peaks of Olympus. 4.5% ABV. 20 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Surly Brewing Co. At Dino's Gyros, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. across Old Mill.
6.83 // If you like yuzu, you’ll love this tart and crisp sip.
Lemon Razzicle Cream Ale: Refreshing and light like a sorbet, this pleasant summertime cream ale is pinkish-red in color with a slight tang and hint of sweetness that cleanses the palate with notes of raspberry and lemon zest. 5.5% ABV. 15 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Indeed Brewing Company. At Mancini's, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. across Old Mill.
6.66 // You def get the razz in this. Some thought it lacked the lemon as promised.
Mango Miraculum: Pryes adds a surge of fresh mango puree to its signature Miraculum IPA for a refreshing, tropical-summer-worthy twist on a longtime fave. 6.4% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Pryes Brewing Company. At O'Gara's, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch & Cosgrove, Main Gate.
6.14 // Who doesn’t love Miraculum? Hoppy and strong, with a bit of summer swish.
Tootsie Hop: A sassy raspberry and chocolate dessert ale. 7.2% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Lakes & Legends Brewing Company. At O'Gara's, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch & Cosgrove, Main Gate.
6.14 // Highs and lows on this one, but even a low scorer said they would take it and hate-drink it for the next block or so.
Bent Brewstillery Baklava Cream Ale: Brewed in the classic cream ale style, this masterpiece is flavored with vanilla, honey, lemon and walnuts to emulate the traditional Greek dessert baklava. 5.5% ABV. 20 IBUs. At Dino's Gyros, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. across Old Mill.
4.3 // This had some high marks and low marks. Make no mistake this is a dessert beer.
Cherry Berry Chill: There’s no better way to chill out than with a Red Bull Blue Edition (Blueberry) and White Claw Hard Seltzer slushie! At O'Gara's, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch & Cosgrove, Main Gate.
3.16 // Hmmmmmm … Underage Drinker’s Grape Ape?
AL: Name the fruit in this drink. We’ll wait.
Located outside the Food Building.
Hard Pink Pineapple Cider from Wild State Cider
8.57 // Turns out, we were thirsty for some cider! It was the pink pineapple that came through to really win us over.
Trippple Orange: Triple the citrus, triple the fun! Tangerines, Cara Cara oranges and blood oranges mix it up with some vanilla beans for a smoothie-style sour that’s worthy of your favorite juice bar. 7% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Modist Brewing.
7.57 // This had at least one S-tier rating and seemed to quench multiple mouths.
Keller Kazbeck from Fair State
7.14 // The beer nerds beer, this has all sorts of good basement dank to it.
Sip Hop: Citrus forward with notes of grapefruit and loads of OG West Coast hops including Centennial, Chinook and Amarillo, this hoppy West Coast IPA blast from the past sits perfectly on your palate and – just like your favorite ‘90s rap track – keeps you nodding along. 6.5% ABV. Brewed in Saint Paul, Minn., by Dual Citizen Brewing Company.
7 // Well received as the IPA you would most likely to drink with those BP fries. I good standard to sip while people-watching too.
Cucumber Summer: Bright golden with a gentle haze, tropical hop aroma and flavor, and packed with refreshing cucumber, this IPA is somehow both bold and hoppy yet refreshing and herbal. It’s the best of both worlds. 6.5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Indeed Brewing Company.
6.85 // There’s a big hunk of cuke in there, isn’t there? Some cucumber beers of the past have failed us, this one is here to save the summer.
Kirby Pucker #34 Preserved Lemon Batting third is Kirby Pucker, a rotation of brews that undergoes a second fermentation with lactobacillus. A collaboration with Moroccan Chef Hassan Ziadi, this sour hit is juicy, sweet, and mixed with summer goodness of preserved and fresh lemon. 5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Eastlake Craft Brewery.
6.71 // Next in the Kirby series is preserved lemon beer, this one hits correct without feeling like we’re sucking on lemonheads.
Chili Pineapple Express Sour: This bright, refreshing pineapple sour ale is rimmed with a light coating of Tajin chili-lime seasoning to add a little extra layer of complexity to this refreshing summer sipper. But don’t worry – it’s just Minnesota spicy ;-). 4.8% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Pryes Brewing Company
6.7 // Sprinkled Tajin on the edge is the only acceptable rim decor we’d like. Not a lot of heat, but more layers of flavor here.
Cold IPA: Cold and refreshing, just like a dip in Lake Superior, this crossover style brings together the hop smash of an IPA you know and love with the drinkability of a lager. It’s cold up here, yeah, but that’s why we love it. 6% ABV. Brewed in Duluth, Minn., by Bent Paddle Brewing Co
5.85 // It’s a crusher. When you need a beer to walk and drink, this could be your match.
Fair Mullet: You’ve had the cousin, but this IPA is more mullet, more jean jacket and all party! The perfect guilty-pleasure, pairing with fried food, music, people watching and mullet sightings! 6.5% ABV. Brewed in Big Lake, Minn., by Lupulin Brewing Company.
5.85 // The name carried this one up a notch or two. It was 90’s fine.
Crowd Control: This stand-alone New England Double IPA is packed with shoulder-to-shoulder Mosaic, Strata and Cashmere hops. 8% ABV. Brewed in Saint Paul, Minn., by BlackStack Brewing.
5.57 // This one had a few fans in the group, but didn’t really win the day, even with the 8%.
Ron Gant Was Out: An extremely approachable, full-flavored pale ale that is as crisp, clean and legal as Hrbek’s tag in Game 2 of the 1991 World Series. 5.5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Surly Brewing Co.
5.42 // Honestly can’t remember why this beer scored like this. Can’t really remember this beer.
AL: I wrote “meh” next to the entry if that helps.
Bangarang Hard Seltzer from Barrel Theory
5.42 // This one looks and smells like Red Kool-Aid, and it’s only like a fraction off the flavor.
MN Brew Together – Blue Macaroon: Celebrating the best of our state – much like the Minnesota State Fair – this pastry lager is brewed with pilsner malt, almonds, milk sugar, marshmallows, vanilla bean, lemon, coconut and blue spirulina. Is it blue? Oh yeah. 5.5% ABV. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., and Rochester, Minn., by a partnership of Modist Brewing and Forager Brewery.
4.71 // It’s a blue crapht beer. If you like shiny sweet blue things, you’ll be mesmerized. Maybe they should have called it SQUIRREL.
Bririta: The crisp, light flavors and slight floral scent of Round Lake Vineyards & Winery’s Brianna blend with Island Oasis Margarita mix for a pure-paradise tropical sipper, garnished with a slice of lime. 4.8% ABV. At Giggles, by Lee & Cooper at North Woods.
8 // Wow. A blendy, frosty, marg like cup of love from Giggles. And you should SEE their new back-bar ordering system … it’s S-tier.
Sunny Brianna: The semi-sweet and crisp profile of Round Lake Vineyards & Winery’s Brianna combine with Island Oasis Hurricane mix, garnished with an orange slice or cherry. 4.8% ABV. Wine made in Round Lake, Minn., by Round Lake Vineyards & Winery. At Giggles, by Lee & Cooper at North Woods.
7.6 // No idea why these slooshies brought us to happy town, but they did.
Olive Lager: This olive-infused golden lager is a nod to the classic Midwest Martini and is sure to be endlessly satisfying. 5% ABV. 15 IBUs. Brewed in Minneapolis, Minn., by Insight Brewing. At Giggles, by Lee & Cooper at North Woods.
3 // Salty olive water. But Steph liked it enough to carry it around for a while.
Green Apple Caramel Sour: With a profile of tart green apples and caramel, a favorite treat is now in a drinkable sour. 4.5% ABV. 10 IBUs. Brewed in Mankato, Minn., by Mankato Brewery. At the Hangar Building, located in the North End, by the pets.
4.8 // Here’s what. At the Hangar, you can get this and the following three beers in a sampler pack of four for $16. That’s worth the try on these. Maybe skip that honey one.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake’d Up: Everything you love about Cake’d Up Beer with notes of vanilla cake and pineapple goodness. 5% ABV. 15 IBUs. Brewed in Mankato, Minn., by Mankato Brewery. At the Hangar Building, located in the North End, by the pets.
4.4 // This is a cakey beer.
Cherry Limeade Blonde: Sweet cherry flavor melds with tart, aromatic lime peel and puree to harken back to carefree summer days of bike rides, water balloon fights and swimming pools with friends! 5% ABV. At the Hangar Building, located in the North End, by the pets.
3.2 // If you spent the summer between sixth and seventh grade drinking fruity beer.
Hangar Honey: This melon wheat beer features the strong aroma of melon with slightly wheaty, sweet, crisp highlights. 4.8% ABV. 18 IBUs. Brewed in Cold Spring, Minn., at Third Street Brewhouse. At the Hangar Building, located in the North End, by the pets.
Food and Dining editor Stephanie March writes and edits Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s Eat + Drink section. She can also be heard Saturdays on her myTalk107.1 radio show, Weekly Dish, where she talks about the Twin Cities food scene.
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