This year’s limited edition State Fair beer is called The Villain, a black lager brewed by brewer Gabe Smoley. Early notes on the beer from Smoley’s notepad: “The working concept for this year will be a hybrid Schwarzbier brewed with a Kolsch yeast. The beer will be jet black, weighing in around 4-4.5% ABV. It will be lightly hopped and have a mild, slightly roasty flavor – but will drink very clean. A traditional Schwarzbier lager recipe will be followed, but the hybrid ale/lager yeast strain will give the flavor profile a little more character — possibly tart and fruity. Special brewing malt will be utilized to make this beer uniquely dark, but it will drink like a lager, which should be perfect for the typically-balmy State Fair weather.”