Tap Talk: Corn, Cookies Among Inspiration For State Fair Beer

It's the eve of the Minnesota State Fair.

Vendors have begun to line the streets and food has begun to fry as Minnesotans prepare for the great get-together.

While many have been salivating over the food, both new and old, for weeks, the State Fair quietly announced 11 new beers and ciders.

Several inspired by fair favorites.

For the 2016 Great Minnesota Get Together, corn, cookies and even funnel cake served as inspiration for brewers.

So, wash down your favorite fair food on a stick with some these new craft beers!

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Bent Brewstillery's Sweat Together IPA
Roseville's Bent brewed this West Coast-style IPA with the winner of the 2015 Minnesota State Fair home brewing competition, Jeff Taylor. The IPA has notes of dark pine and citrus. It's 7.3 percent ABV and 80 IBUs.
Grab this brew at the Ball Park Café, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues.

Bent Paddle's Hopmosa
Think beer-mimosa. Duluth's Bent Paddle brewed their Bent Hop Golden IPA with large amounts of orange, giving it a huge citrus flavor. It's 6.2 percent ABV and 68 IBUs.
Grab this brew at the Ball Park Café, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues.

Big Wood's Chocolate Chip Cookie Beer
Ever since the Mini Donut beer introduced the sugar-rimmed brew, other brewers have been following suit! This golden-tan malty brew features chocolate and vanilla notes and is served rimmed with semi-sweet chocolate. It's 5.2 percent ABV and 25 IBUs.
Grab this beer at Andy's Grille, located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Liggett and Nelson streets.

Bad Weather Brewing Company's Funnel Cloud
This cooper-colored brew is inspired by a classic fair food – funnel cakes. Complete with notes of lightly toasted bread, caramel and vanilla ,it's a balance of malty and sweet. It's 5.2 percent ABV with 15 IBUs.
Grab this beer at Mancini's Al Fresco, located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets.

Cannon River Hard Cider
This is a Grandstand exclusive! Cannon River creates this cider using apples from Fireside Apple Orchard in Northfield, Minn. At 6 percent ABV it has an off-dry finish.
Grab this cider at the Hildebrand Concessions, located inside the Grandstand.

Frontier's Amarillo IPA
Full-bodied and hoppy, this is the perfect beer for IPA loves. This classic IPA is light but chock-full of hops. It's 55 percent ABV.
Grab this beer at Frontier Bar, located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Liggett and Nelson streets.

Lakes and Legends Brewing Company's Sweet Corn Summer Ale
Using corn straight from Untiedt's Vegetable Farm, the same used at the Corn Roast, Lakes and Legends creates a light summer ale. The light ale is finished off with hint of sweetness and a touch of corn flavor. It's 5.1 percent ABV and 31 IBUs.
Grab this beer at O'Gara's at the Fair, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Cosgrove Street right by the main entrance.

Maple Island's I Scream Brew

The lowest beer on the bitterness scale, on this list, I Scream Brew is not only inspired by ice cream, it's flavored by it! The brew features a ton of chocolate, peanut butter and caramel ice cream from Stillwater's own Nelson's Ice Cream. It is 5.6 percent ABV and 10 IBUS.

Grab this beer at Chicago Dogs, located on the east wall of The Garden by the Ball Park Café.

Summit Brewing Company's Hop Merger White IPA
The iconic St. Paul brewery created a hazy, light IPA with a bread and wheat back. It features apricot, melon, peach, pine and grapefruit notes complete with a floral aroma, making it a perfect summer sipper. It's 6.5 percent ABV and 65 IBUs.
Grab this beer at Shanghaied Henri's, located at the International Bazaar on the north wall across from the Summit on a Stick booth.

Schell's Red Citrus Sangria Beer & Frozen Red Citrus Sangria Beer
Much like Grain Belt's Frozen Blu, this refreshing brew comes in frozen form too! Get the citrus lager alone or with a foamy, fruity frozen top. It's 4.8 percent ABV.
Grab this beer at Schell's Pavilion & LuLu's Public House at the West End Market. This is also where you can find Grain Belt's Frozen Blu.

Sociable Cider Werks' Caramel Apple Cider
With juice from Midwestern Honeycrisp, Haralson and Sweetango apples, this cider mixes hops and caramel to create a taste of fall. Each pint is also garnished with a caramel-drizzled apple slice.
Grab this brew at Giggles' Campfire Grill, located on the east side of Cooper Street between Lee and Randall avenues. This is also where the S'More and Maple Bacon Brown beers are available.

Sweetland Orchard Minnesota Mule Cider
This cider is a play on the popular Moscow Mule cocktail. The Minnesota cider is flavored with ginger and lime to give it a citrusy-zing! It's 7 percent ABV.
Grab this brew at the Ball Park Café, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues.

For fair favorites, like the Sweet Dreams Pineapple Wheat from LTD Brewing or Mini Donut Beer from Lift Bridge, or selection of other craft beer visit the Ball Park Café.

For a full list of fair-only craft beer, visit the Minnesota State Fair online.