Fair State Brewing – MNBeer – Craft beer information from the Twin Cities, Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul and beyond

Five Oktoberfest Celebrations Worth Checking Out

By Ryan Tuenge on September 12, 2024in August Schell Brewing Co., beer events, breweries, Fair State Brewing, Fulton Brewing Co., general beer, history, Summit Brewing Co., Utepils

Grab your pretzel necklaces and dust off that lederhosen or dirndl that’s sitting in your closet. Steins will be knocked all over the state of Minnesota in the next month. Minnesota has a huge population of Germans and New Ulm in particular has the highest reported population of German ancestry in the country.

The history of this celebration originated on the 12th of October, 1810 in Munich, Germany to celebrate the royal wedding of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

As far as the beer goes, you may have noticed there are a couple varieties. One is a Marzen and the other, Festbier.

Marzen: Brewed in March and lagered until ready, this beer is similar to a Vienna Lager and has a nice malt backbone to it. They generally come in at 5.5-6.5 ABV and boast a beautiful amber hue with a clean and dry finish. Some local examples would be Schell’s Oktoberfest, Summit Oktoberfest, and New Glarus Staghorn.

Festbier: This style tends to showcase German Pilsner Malt and is pale in color. They tend to fall in the same ABV range but are more approachable to the average beer drinker. Some local examples would be Fulton Oktoberfest, Fair State Festbier, and Utepils Receptional Festbier.

As far as the festivals go, you can’t go wrong with any of the following:

Schell’s: There’s no better atmosphere than the backdrop of New Ulm, Minnesota for Oktoberfest. Peacocks, historic architecture, and the home of one of Minnesota’s oldest German breweries. The Marti family is not only a fantastic group of brewers, but a family that knows hospitality. I’ve been in this industry for many years, and Jace and crew are some of the best people around. Without Schell’s there is no history and one stop at the brewery will give you the best representation of what a brewery should be. For the most authentic version of this celebration, this is the trip to make. Hotel reservations are highly recommended.

October 12th from 10:30am-5pm

Admission: $10 general admission. Kids 12 and under are free.

Fulton: This iteration of Oktoberfest was voted by Wall Street Journal as one of the best in the country! This event pours draft beer in steins only and you will need to purchase tokens to grab a fresh pour. There will be traditional German staples served such as brats, Bavarian pretzels, and meterwurst. There will also be live entertainment in the form of music and dance throughout the day.

September 20th from 4:00pm-10:00pm
September 21st from 12:00pm-10:00pm
September 27th from 4:00pm-10:00pm
September 28th from 12:00pm-10:00pm

Admission: Free!

Fair State Co-op: Fair State will be hosting two days of Oktoberfest complete with flash tattoos, food, a stein hoisting competition and music while also celebrating 10 years in business. Members will be able to start an hour earlier which means you should get in on that membership if you haven’t already. Expect some fantastic pretzels from Aki’s Bakery and sausages from Sweet Lou’s and music from bands such as The Hill Top Pines, The Right Here, Lutheran Heat, and Night Jobs.

September 20th 12:00pm-10:00pm (members at 11:00am)
September 21st 12:00pm-10:00pm (members at 11:00am)

Admission: Free!

Surly: Surlyfest is proof that there is no party in town like a party at the Surly Beer Hall. These folks pull out all the stops on the way to a good time. It starts with their Marzen style Oktoberfest which is rich, malty, and finishes dry and pairs well with their stellar food lineup featuring pierogis, stuffed cabbage, chicken spaetzle, pork schnitzel, sauerkraut croquettes, and Rueben frites. Surly is well known for hosting some amazing bands and this year is no different. Lighter Company, Fenixdion, and Rhino will be taking the stage outdoors complete with the gorgeous backdrop of the Beer Garden.

September 21st All Day

Admission: Free!

Utepils: There isn’t another brewery in the Twin Cities that does German beers like Utepils. One visit to the brewery and you’ll know you’re in for fantastic lagers and a good time. Utepils is hosting Oktoberfest for two weekends (beginning tomorrow) and will feature a ceremonial keg tapping and a cribbage tournament. The food highlight is Gerhard’s Brats and Northeast Pretzels. There will also be music, kids activities, and the essential meat raffle. A Minnesota staple. Shuttles will be running back and forth throughout the events from Anwatin Middle School.

September 13th 11:00am-Close
September 14th 11:00am-Close
September 20th 11:00am-Close
September 21st 11:00am-Close

Admission: Free!

Remember to tip your beertenders and to arrange for a ride home. Don’t be a jerk!

Prosit!!!

Ten Iconic Minnesota Beers

By Ryan Tuenge on November 30, 2021in August Schell Brewing Co., Barley John's, Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Fair State Brewing, Fulton Brewing Co., general beer, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Steel Toe Brewing, Summit Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co.

Minnesota has a rich brewing history dating back to the mid 1800s. Breweries such as Wolf Brewing in Stillwater, Minneapolis Brewing Company, Schell’s Brewing, and Hamm’s in St. Paul paved the way for the many breweries we enjoy here today.

It’s really pretty incredible to think how large the brewing scene has become once again, especially amid a society so hell bent on counting every calorie they put in their bodies. But here we are in the middle of a pandemic—with nothing but time to reflect on what got us here.

Here are ten beers that have helped define what local brewers are capable of. Some have been around for over 50 years, and some were formulated and brewed within the last ten years.

Schell’s Pils – A classic version of what a German Pilsner should be. One could argue that this recipe was one of the better American-made versions in production the past 30 years. Clean, crisp, and refreshing—this beer could be found in most brewer’s refrigerators across Minnesota. The brewery has since dropped this from their lineup, but here’s to hoping it makes a comeback.

Summit EPA – This is the first craft beer that many Minnesotans were introduced to. Anything outside of a standard American Lager was hard to come by around here, even in the 90s when many across the country were drinking beer from Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam, Deschutes and many others. Mark Stutrud brought this recipe to life back in 1986 and it’s still every bit as good today.

Surly Furious – Many were skeptical when they saw this beer in 16 oz. cans (thanks Linda Haug) on the shelves of liquor stores. A hoppy red ale in cans? This revolutionized the way people thought about packaging beer here in Minnesota. Oskar Blues had been doing this since 2002, but Surly had the foresight to put their boldest beer in larger cans for sale in four packs.

Dangerous Man Peanut Butter Porter – Often imitated, but never duplicated, this beer has converted plenty of “non-beer drinkers” to craft beer fanatics. This is literally Minnesota’s “dessert beer” and rightfully so. It tastes like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in liquid form, a gem amongst many imposters. Their recipe for success in Northeast is simple. Brew unique beers that people will love, and they will come and spend their money.

Minneapolis Town Hall Masala Mama – Ask any homebrewer, brewer, or beer nerd around town what their favorite IPA was 15 years ago, and they’d say it was Masala Mama. This was the best IPA recipe in the Midwest and was the brainchild of Mike Hoops who still runs the show over at their Seven Corners location. This is easily the most influential IPA ever to be born here in Minnesota.

Fulton Lonely Blonde – The craft beer for your dad, uncle, or cheap beer crushing friend. This beer is full of flavor but is approachable to all who try it. Minnesota patios sell a ton of this from April through October and year-round for that matter. This is your perfect boating beer, and one that I keep in my fridge on the regular.

Fair State Roselle – This is a perfectly executed Kettle Sour that is an ideal choice for any wine drinker or sour beer fan. Roselle is tart, fruity, and floral and it set the standard for what local brewers are doing within the sour beer category.

Steel Toe Size 7 – Before the “haze craze” people actually used to appreciate a good West Coast IPA. There is no better example of the style than the one made in St. Louis Park. This beer is far from balanced with big citrus notes and a clean finish. There’s a reason why this is their number one seller.

Grain Belt Premium – This was once brewed by the Minneapolis Brewing Company right after Prohibition ended. Now this clean, Minnesota classic adjunct lager is made by Schell’s Brewing Company who bought the recipe back in 2002. Corn and blueberry notes come through in this legendary beer which can be found at any dive bar across the Twin Cities.

Barley John’s Wild Brunette Wild Rice Brown Ale – A classic Brown Ale from one of the original brewpubs in town. Roasty malts and subtle chocolate and vanilla satisfy the palate in this classic Minnesota beer. Homebrewers in the Twin Cities have long admired this underappreciated offering, and it’s still being made some 20 years after being introduced. Find this one on tap at the brewpub located in New Brighton.

Cheers!

Fair State Mixed Culture

By ryan on May 16, 2019in Fair State Brewing

We’re about a month out from a very cool event organized by out friends at Fair State, Mixed Culture. if you’ve never experienced Mixed Culture, strap on your beer drinking cap (?) and head to Fair State on Saturday, June 15th for a variety of rare beers from some of Fair State’s favorite breweries, with offerings ranging from sour beers to pale ales, lagers and ciders. We’re told that most of the offerings are not normally available in Minnesota, so you may not want to miss out!

Mixed Culture is broken up into sampling sessions – 1-4pm and 6-9pm. Tickets run $55 and can be purchased here. There are also early access passes available for those of you who want an extra hour to sample. Early access for the first session is sold out, but as I write this, early access to the evening session are still available here for $65.

Tickets include admission, unlimited samples during your session and a sweet Mixed Culture glass.

Minnesota BBQ Co. will be on site all day and selling smoked meats, classic sides, and all the fixings.

Guest Breweries:

Fair State and Askov Finlayson team up against Climate Change

By Ryan Tuenge on May 7, 2018in Beer Ingredients, Fair State Brewing, general beer, hops, new beer

Fair State Brewing and Askov Finlayson have teamed up in the fight against climate change with a beer they are calling Keep the North Cold. Askov Finlayson is an apparel company that is known for their commitment to the environment through their “Give 110%” business model.

“Celebrating the North means protecting it, too,” said Askov Finlayson VP of Environmental Impact & Policy Adam Fetcher. “Conventional farming is a big contributor to climate change, which threatens our winters and our best outdoor traditions. We’re proud to support scientists and advocates working to create a future where perennial crops fill our fields and our planet can stay healthy. And partnering with our forward-thinking friends at Fair State has been a blast.”

This Golden Ale utilizes locally grown Kernza (from various farms across Minnesota) which is a perennial grain that produces a large root system up to 10 feet deep in the soil. This root system absorbs a ton of carbon and is known to feed large populations of people where it’s grown around the globe. The Cascade and Chinook hops that were used to make this beer were grown locally at Mighty Axe Farms up in Foley, Minnesota.

The beer itself is a lawnmower beer featuring a light body and earthy undertones from the Kernza. This would make for a great fishing beer or out in the backyard by the grill with friends. Pair it up with some grilled halibut and a citrus salad on a warm summer day. You won’t regret that decision…

Fair State Mirror Universe Review

By Ryan Tuenge on March 14, 2018in Fair State Brewing, general beer, new beer, tap rooms

Haze is all the craze right now and Fair State Brewing seems to be embracing (sorry Niko) this trend. Their collaboration with Modern Times out of San Diego called Spirit Foul was a hit so it’s no wonder they’re going forward with this popular IPA style. Throw in a Star Trek reference and you have my attention. Here are my thoughts on Mirror Universe.

Like all hazy IPAs this looks like grapefruit juice in a fancy glass. Pineapple and papaya come through in the nose and in the flavor but the level of bitterness is very low. This feels like a mouthful of juice, similar to drinking a mimosa. Overall a nice version of the style and very similar to Spirit Foul which is still their best hazy IPA.

Modist is still the local darling when it comes to this style, but don’t sleep on Fair State. They seem to do everything pretty damn well. Grab a four pack of Mirror Universe if you don’t believe me.