Eating and Drinking with The Growler's Joe Alton: Craft Beer Guide to the State Fair

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September 02, 2015

New beer at the Minnesota State Fair — Ed Schumacher looks over a cup of Schell's Octoberfest and blueberry beers, topped with frozen beer foam. The blueberry beer and foam are new to the State Fair this year, and only available at the Schell's Grain Belt booth at the new West End Market at the Minnesota State Fair.
Tim Nelson / MPR News

Joe Alton is editor-in-chief of The Growler and project director of the Beer Dabbler.

This week, Joe stops by The Current's Morning Show to provide a guide to craft beer at the State Fair. "The growth of craft beer at the Minnesota State Fair has exploded," Joe says. "The way that beer has paced culturally in Minnesota, it's good to see that reflected at the Fair."

That growth was spurred in 2007, when the fair eliminated its rule limiting beer to 3.2 percent ABV. This opened the door to craft-beer sales at the State Fair at a time when there were seven breweries in the state. Now, legislation has given approval to brewpubs serving their beers at the State Fair.

It all gives Joe Alton a lot to talk about as he runs down the various locations selling craft beer, including mention of the many State-Fair-exclusive novelty beers.

The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, located in the Horticulture Building, features 200 or more different craft beers plus an exhibition about beer in the state of Minnesota.
The Ballpark Café
Giggles Campfire Grill
Summit on a Stick
Schell's Stage at the West End Market
LuLu's Public House
Blue Barn
Grandstand

Joe and his colleagues at the Growler have assembled this locator map for craft beer at the State Fair:

See the complete article on the Growler's site.