The Great Minnesota Beer Experiment: The 2026 State Fair Lineup

The Great Minnesota Get-Together has become one of the best beer releases in the Midwest, because every August Minnesota’s very best breweries show up with their weirdest, most "wait... what?" ideas and let two million fairgoers be the judge. The 2026 lineup might be the most chaotic collection of brews yet, and I mean that in the highest possible regard. We've got traditional hop-forward IPAs, crisp lagers, fruit ales, and… condiment beers, which is something I didn’t in a million years think I would be blogging about.. but here we are. So grab your fair map, hydrate accordingly, and take a walk with me through every new beer hitting the fairgrounds this year, stop by stop.

Aldo's Burgers

Huckleberry West Coast IPA — Pryes Brewing Company

Fair Description: Juicy huckleberries bring a unique twist to this hop-forward West Coast IPA. Delicate notes of wild berries complement the citrusy hop character and crisp, dry finish, creating a perfect balance of fruity flavor and bitterness.

My Take: If you’ve never had a huckleberry before, think of a blueberry with a brighter, tarter edge. It’s not the first fruit I would pair with a traditional West Coast IPA, which is exactly why it caught my attention. Pryes is layering wild berry notes with a classic hop-forward framework, so I’m expecting citrus, a little pine, and that resinous bitterness that defines the style before the huckleberry adds a subtle tart-fruit counterpoint on the finish. The challenge here is keeping the fruit expressive without softening the crisp, dry character that makes a westie what it is. If they hit that balance, this has all the makings of a genuine sleeper pick for the 2026 fair season.

Ball Park Cafe

Homer Black Pepper IPA — Surly Brewing Co. | IPA

Fair Description: Piney hops and bright grapefruit flavors meet Zanzibar black peppercorn in this one-of-a-kind IPA. Dry, crisp and lightly peppery on the finish.

My Take: This is another IPA that immediately piqued my curiosity. Zanzibar black peppercorn isn’t your run-of-the-mill black pepper; it brings bright citrus, subtle floral aromatics, and a noticeably softer spice profile than the pepper sitting on most dinner tables. The question is whether that pepper character integrates with the hops or competes with them. Surly’s pine-forward, grapefruit-driven IPA base gives it a strong foundation, and I can see the peppercorn adding lift and complexity rather than simply cranking up the spice. I know “Peppercorn IPA” sounds off-putting, but this strikes me as an offering that’s likely to drink far more familiar than the name suggests.

Rare Candy Pink Lemonade Sour — Elm Creek Brewing Co. | Kettle Sour

Fair Description: Tart, fruity kettle sour made with real pink lemonade. When life gives you lemons, squeeze every last drop out of summer!

My Take: A Pink Lemonade Sour feels tailor-made for the Minnesota State Fair. On paper, it's the kind of beer you want in your hand while weaving through the fairgrounds on a hot August afternoon. The challenge for Elm Creek will be balancing bright, refreshing lemonade character with enough acidity to keep it from drifting into candy-sweet territory. That's a difficult line to walk, but I've had the pleasure of trying beers from their Rare Candy series before, and they've shown they know how to build expressive fruited sours without sacrificing drinkability. If this one lives up to that track record, I expect it'll be one of the fair's standout offerings.

Tropic North — Back Channel Brewing Co. | Fruit Wheat Ale

Fair Description: A fruit wheat ale made with pink guava, prickly pear and tangerine. Juicy tropical notes and citrus flavors lead to an incredibly clean finish.

My Take: Fruited wheat ales have long been a staple of warm-weather drinking, and Back Channel’s take leans fully into that summer-ready profile. The combination of pink guava, prickly pear, and tangerine brings layers of tropical fruit and bright citrus without overpowering the clean, refreshing nature of the style itself. This feels like Cancún in a glass, with the wheat malt providing the soft, bready backbone needed to keep those vibrant fruit notes balanced. At 5% ABV, it’s the kind of beer built for wandering the fairgrounds without weighing you down.

Coasters

Mango Heat — Indeed Brewing | Mango Lager

Fair Description: Juicy mango lager with an exciting "Minnesota spicy" sizzle. A bright background of citrus keeps it cool and refreshing from the first sip to the last.

My Take: Mango is one of those quintessential summer fruits, and pairing it with a crisp lager base feels like a no-brainer for a hot day at the fair. The biggest question mark here is the “Minnesota spicy” twist. Is Indeed adding a pepper element directly into the brew, or are we getting something closer to that sweet-and-spicy chili-lime/chamoy style mango combination that has become a summer favorite? Either way, the pairing makes a ton of sense. The juicy tropical character of the mango should play beautifully with a clean lager, while that little kick of heat keeps you coming back for another sip as you make your way around the fairgrounds.

Dino's Gyros

Pink Lemonade Lager — Indeed Brewing | Lager

Fair Description: Sweet and tart pink lemonade in a refreshing lager, this is a nostalgic summertime staple. Brewed perfectly for a sunny day at the fair followed by a rockin' night in the Grandstand.

My Take: We may officially have a pink lemonade situation on our hands this fair season. Between Elm Creek and Indeed both putting their own spin on the nostalgic summer staple, pink lemonade has somehow gone from the neighborhood drink stand to one of the most talked-about flavors on the beer lineup. The real challenge with a beer like this is taking that familiar sweet and tart profile and translating it into something that still drinks like a lager. Indeed’s crisp, clean base should give the lemonade character room to shine without letting the beer drift too far into soda territory. If they can strike that balance, this has the potential to be one of the most approachable fair beers of the season.

Watermelon Sea Salt Lager — Castle Danger Brewing | Japanese Rice Lager

Fair Description: Crisp Japanese rice lager with watermelon flavor and subtle notes of tropical lychee and ripe mango. Light, approachable and smooth with a hint of sweetness. Capture the joy of fresh watermelon on a hot Minnesota summer day.

My Take: This is easily one of my top three beers people should be trying this fair season. Castle Danger is taking the delicate, ultra-refreshing foundation of a Japanese rice lager and turning it into what sounds like the ultimate summer sipper. The watermelon should bring that unmistakable fresh-cut sweetness of a slice enjoyed on a hot August afternoon, while lychee and mango add a tropical layer that keeps the beer from feeling one-dimensional. The addition of sea salt should sharpen the fruits natural brightness and add enough contrast to keep the beer crisp rather than sweet.

The Frontier

Galaxy IPA — Fulton Brewing | American IPA

Fair Description: Galaxy hops bring flavors of citrus and tropical fruit notes in this American IPA. Made with a blend of 2-row Munich and Carafoam malts to create a smooth, balanced backbone. Each cup has a shimmering finish, making every sip feel ready for liftoff.

My Take: In a fair lineup filled with fruit concoctions and unconventional adjuncts, there is something refreshing about a beer that embodies the “less is more” ethos. Galaxy hops are one of the most recognizable hop varieties in modern IPA brewing, known for delivering layers of tropical and stone fruit character. Paired with the malt bill, this should provide the balance needed to showcase those hop-driven flavors without being overly hop-aggressive. For those who still appreciates a classic IPA hop profile, this is likely going to be what they’re searching for.

The Hangar

Aurora Tropical Drift — Castle Danger Brewing | Hazy IPA

Fair Description: Passion fruit, pineapple and mango blend in this hazy IPA. Flavored with mango, peach, light vanilla and orange juice from the classic Aurora Haze, with an added burst of tropical fruit. What a tropical twist!

My Take: I really like the direction Castle Danger is taking with this one. Passion fruit, pineapple, mango, and peach already bring plenty of juicy tropical character, but the addition of vanilla is what makes Aurora Tropical Drift particularly interesting. It should push the beer toward that soft, almost milkshake-like territory without relying on lactose, with the vanilla adding a touch of sweetness to round out the fruit and complement the hazy malt profile. The hop and fruit combination should work hand in hand here, with the tropical hop character reinforcing the passion fruit and citrus while the stone fruit and vanilla add another layer underneath.

Peach Perfect — Boulevard Brewing Co. | American Wheat Beer

Fair Description: Juicy peach flavor pairs perfectly with soft citrus notes in this American wheat beer. Light, smooth and easy drinking, it delivers a crisp, fruit-forward sip that's made for summer.

My Take: Peach wheat ales have become a staple of American craft brewing, with beers like Shiner Peach Wheat, Breckenridge’s Palisade Peach, and O’Fallon’s Wheach helping showcase just how well this style works. It has endured for a reason; the soft, bready character of a wheat beer creates an ideal canvas for juicy peach flavor, resulting in something that is both refreshing and approachable for new and seasoned craft beer enthusiasts.

Boulevard isn’t trying to reinvent that with Peach Perfect either, rather leaning into an offering that has proven itself successful time and time again. The addition of soft citrus notes should help brighten the finish, keeping the peach character vibrant without allowing the beer to become cloyingly sweet.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp — Bad Weather Brewing | Lager

Fair Description: Bright fruit notes are balanced by tart rhubarb. This lager is brewed with real strawberries and rhubarb and celebrates a classic Minnesota flavor in every sip!

My Take: Strawberry rhubarb is one of those combinations that feels inseparable from Minnesota summers. The sweetness of ripe strawberries paired with the sharp, almost citrus-like tartness of rhubarb has been a staple of Midwestern desserts for generations, and Bad Weather is taking that familiar profile into a completely different direction. The challenge with a beer like this is preserving the crisp, clean nature of a lager while still allowing the fruit character and dessert aspect to shine. This is going to be a really approachable offering for those looking to venture into craft!

Luther Auto Pit Stop (Formerly The Bandshell Tavern)

Hazy Pineapple Whip — Castle Danger Brewing | Hazy Pale Ale

Fair Description: Pineapple puree and marshmallow flavoring give this hazy pale ale a tropical, creamsicle-inspired twist. Bright pineapple, vanilla and citrus notes create a lightly sweet sip with a smooth finish.

My Take: Imagine this: you’re walking through your favorite Disney park on a sweltering summer afternoon, Dole Whip in hand, melting before you’ve even had the chance to enjoy it. Sounds great? Now take that and make it a beer. Sounds even better, right? That’s what Castle Danger appears to be chasing with Hazy Pineapple Whip. Pineapple puree and marshmallow should bring that familiar creamy, almost soft-serve character, while the hazy pale ale base adds citrus and tropical hop character to keep the beer from becoming cloying.

Mancini's al Fresco

Pomelo Pils — Indeed Brewing | Pilsner

Fair Description: Pomelo flavor balances the crisp, lightly hoppy character of this pilsner. Sharp citrus notes and a clean finish come together to create a harmony only matched by the feeling of floating through Ye Old Mill.

My Take: Another fun fruit-forward beer, this time leaning into citrus rather than berries, and what better citrus than pomelo? Pomelo has all the best qualities of grapefruit: that familiar tang and subtle bitterness, but with a softer, less aggressive profile and a gentle sweetness that reminds me of honey. That makes it a fascinating fit for a pilsner, where those citrus characteristics can play alongside the beer’s crisp malt profile and more pronounced hop character without overwhelming it.

O'Gara's at the Fair

Lemon Agua Fresca Lager — Castle Danger Brewing | Lager

Fair Description: This summery American lager is filled with notes of fresh citrus and prickly pear. Sweetness and a touch of tartness balance and brighten up this summer drink.

My Take: Lemon and prickly pear sounds like an overwhelmingly refreshing combination for a summer masterpiece. These two could not be more different in terms of fruit character, with lemon bringing an incredibly bright, acidic citrus punch while prickly pear leans softer and more subtly sweet. Put the two together over a really solid American lager base and I think Castle Danger has something special here. This is the kind of beer I’m reaching for when it starts heating up!

Miraculum Old Fashioned IPA — Pryes Brewing Company | IPA

Fair Description: Orange and cherry flavors blend with Miraculum's signature hop character. Drawing inspiration from the classic old fashioned cocktail, this fruit-forward IPA delivers familiar flavors in a delightfully different form.

My Take: This is a pretty clever concept when you think about it: an Old Fashioned is already built around bittering agents, so why not let the hops do the heavy lifting? Orange and cherry bring the familiar fruit character of the cocktail, while the hop profile provides the bitterness that ties the entire beer together. The fun part will be seeing how those flavors translate once you swap whiskey for an IPA. If the orange can brighten up the hop profile and the cherry adds enough sweetness to round out the bitterness, Pryes may have found a pretty clever way to turn a classic cocktail into a beer.

Pryes Brewing Pavilion

Find it: West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater

Soft Serve Royal Peach Beer — Pryes Brewing Company | Fruited Sour

Fair Description: Luscious peach flavors and a bright, refreshing tartness shine in this fruited sour now reimagined in irresistible soft serve form. It's smooth, creamy and packed with juicy fruit character. Try it with Royal Raspberry as a twist cone! Exclusively at the Pryes Brewing Pavilion.

My Take: This one is fun. Pryes is taking a fruited sour and quite literally turning it into soft serve, serving its new Royal Peach beer in a cone rather than a glass. The peach and tartness should shine just like you’d expect from the beer itself, but the frozen, creamy offering changes the experience while giving fairgoers a pretty delicious way to cool off and catch a nice buzz. If you were a fan of last year’s Royal Raspberry, this feels like an easy addition to the must-try list!

Ragin Cajun

Find it: In The Garden, southeast corner of Dan Patch Avenue & Underwood Street

Blue on the Bayou — Boston Beer Company | Fruit Beer

Fair Description: Bright blue raspberry flavor and Twisted Tea come together in this colorful, easy-drinking beer that's sure to make waves. A splash of Southern charm with a Minnesota twist.

My Take: This is probably one of the most unabashedly mass-market offerings in the lineup, and that’s okay. Blue raspberry and Twisted Tea are two flavors with a pretty broad appeal, and combining them into an easy-drinking 5% beer is about as approachable as it gets. There’s nothing particularly experimental happening here, but not every beer at the fair needs to push the boundaries of craft brewing. For the casual fairgoer who wants something fruity, sweet, colorful, and safe, Blue on the Bayou should have no problem covering those bases for you!

RC's BBQ

Find it: North side of West Dan Patch Avenue between Liggett & Chambers streets

Juicy Apricot Tangerine Hazy IPA — Pryes Brewing Company | Hazy IPA

Fair Description: Apricot and vibrant tangerine flavors meet a soft, hazy IPA. Notes of juicy stone fruit and citrus lead to a smooth finish. This fruit-flavored beer is perfect for pairing with the rich, smoky flavors at RC's BBQ.

My Take: This might be one of the best beer-and-food pairings on the entire fairgrounds, especially with what RC’s BBQ will be throwing down. The apricot and tangerine bring sweet, bright fruit character that plays incredibly well with the tangy flavors of barbecue sauce, while the hop character lends just enough bitterness to cut through the richness of the meat. Add in the smoke to round it out and you have a match made in heaven.

Limapeño Kölsch — Rush River Brewing Company | Kölsch

Fair Description: A kölsch infused with fresh limes and habanero and jalapeño peppers make for a refreshing burst of citrus with a touch of heat. Clean and just a little picante, this delivers a flavor combination that is both unexpected and incredibly drinkable.

My Take: Lime and pepper is one of those pairings that shows up everywhere from street food to summer cocktails, and Rush River is bringing it to the fair on the back of a Kölsch. The lime should deliver that bright, zippy citrus punch, while the jalapeño adds a fresh vegetal pepper note and the habanero brings a little heat on the backend. The Kölsch base should bring a clean, crisp character that gives the citrus and spice plenty of room to shine without letting any one flavor dominate.

Rooted & Wild by Snack House

Find it: Inside the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum (also pouring at Sabino's Pizza Pies)

Old Ranch Hand — Dual Citizen Brewing Company | Cream Ale

Fair Description: A ranch dressing-flavored cream ale blending smooth malt with hints of buttermilk, herbs and spices. Served with a savory ranch-seasoned salt rim, adding a tangy kick and complements the beer perfectly.

My Take: Here it is. The one you’ve been scrolling for. A ranch dressing cream ale served with a ranch-seasoned salt rim, because apparently we’ve reached that point in the Minnesota State Fair beer arms race. All jokes aside, the cream ale base actually makes a surprising amount of sense here. Its soft, slightly sweet malt character should give the savory ranch flavors something to work against, while that seasoned salt rim brings the entire beer together. If this somehow ends up being good enough to order a second one, I genuinely won’t know how to react. Either way, Aleluminati will be at the Coliseum conducting very important…”research”.

Shanghai Henri's

Find it: International Bazaar, north section

Midway Sparkling Ale — Summit Brewing Company | Sparkling Ale

Fair Description: Sparkling ale with a zesty lemon-lime kick to it. Crisp with a clean, low bitter finish. Perfect for a fair day!

My Take: “Sparkling Ale” piques my curiosity. Summit doesn’t give us a ton to work with here, so I’m left wondering if we’re looking at something inspired by the Australian Sparkling Ale. A highly carbonated, crisp, dry beer that’s borderline spritzy in drinkability, or if it’s something entirely different. Either way, the lemon-lime addition sounds like a pretty solid fit. That bright citrus should play nicely with the carbonation, while the low bitterness keeps this firmly in refreshing summer-beer territory.

Tejas Express

Find it: Inside The Garden, north wall

Watermelon Sour — Pryes Brewing Company | Sour Ale

Fair Description: Fresh melon flavors shine alongside a crisp acidity, creating an easy-drinking sour. Cool, juicy and tart, this watermelon sour brings the taste of summer to every glass.

My Take: Watermelon is notoriously difficult to get right in a beer. It can either disappear completely during the brewing process or come out cloyingly sweet. Anchoring it to a sour ale is a strong way to avoid both. The acidity should balance the watermelon’s natural sweetness, keeping the fruit bright and juicy without letting it drift into candy land. This is one I’d encourage just about everyone to try, whether you’re a beer enthusiast or just looking for something refreshing to drink at the fair.

Mango Habanero Beergarita — Leinenkugel Brewing Co. | Beer Cocktail

Fair Description: Sweet mango and zesty citrus flavors meet a kick of habanero in this frozen beer margarita. Blended with honey wheat beer, it's a sweet-heat sip with a frosty finish.

My Take: Mango brings that unmistakable tropical sweetness, the citrus should give it that kick of flavor you know and love, and the habanero adds heat to keep things interesting. Blending all of that with a honey wheat beer and serving it frozen feels like the kind of State Fair logic I can get behind. This is less about dissecting a beer and more about finding something cold, fruity, boozy, and refreshing while the August sun is beating down on you.

And there you have it. The 2026 Minnesota State Fair beer lineup, in all of its weird, wonderful, occasionally questionable glory.

Some of these will be instant favorites. Some will be better stories than beers. And at least one of you is going back for a second ranch beer, which I genuinely cannot wait to hear about.

Try something weird, drink something you love, and enjoy the best state fair in the U.S.A.

Cheers!!!