Gotta cram in as much patio dining as we can before the temperatures drop! We hit up Fair State Brewing Cooperative in Northeast Minneapolis on New Beer Thursday. That’s when the brewery unveils limited-edition releases like Keller Kazbek, an unfiltered German-style pilsner with a thick, pillowy layer of foam on top. The brewery recently acquired a Czech-style tap; getting a proper pour takes about four minutes because it has to be pulled ever so sloooooowly.

Other upcoming releases for New Beer Thursday include a maple porter (Midnight Boil) on September 24, a cold-press hard coffee with vanilla and coconut sugar (Joementum) on October 1, and collaborations with St. Paul’s BlackStack and Anaheim’s Bottle Logic — a Double IPA and pastry stout, respectively — on October 8 and 15.

In addition to the brisk and hoppy Kazbek, we downed two other small-batch standouts: Watergate Salad (a neon green sour inspired by the Midwestern “salad” made with pistachio, pineapple, marshmallow, and Cool Whip) and Chill State (the double dry-hopped IPA collab with Modist pictured up top).

If you decide to go, pre-book your patio table for 60 to 90 minutes through Tock and don’t forget to bring a mask; you’ll be expected to wear it when moving about the beer garden. Note: The entrance to the patio is located off the alley. The host will take your temperature before seating your party; outdoor tables are spaced far apart and there is hand sanitizer available at the host stand.

Pro tip: Order grub from nearby Minnesota Barbecue Co. and pit master Kale Thome may personally deliver it to your patio table. We called in a couple of delectable brisket sandwiches, a tub of baked beans, and smoked cauliflower and now we can die happy.

Fair State Brewing Cooperative
2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN; 612-444-3209.