The Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild (MNCBG) is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural ‘Land of 10,000 Beers’ Craft Beer Hall exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair from Thursday, August 23, until Tuesday, September 3, 9am until 9pm.

Housed in the Agriculture/Horticulture building, the exhibit will showcase the best of Minnesota’s craft beer industry and detail the brewing process all the way from the farm to the pint glass. It’ll tell the history of beer culture in Minnesota and highlight our state as a ‘brew-cation destination.’ There’s a root beer section for kids, a ‘brew deck’ stage for daily speakers and craft beer on tap from more than 20 Minnesota breweries.

The MNCBG, created in 2000, is now nearly 50 members strong including 35 breweries and brewpubs – growth of more than 30 percent in just 18 months. Craft beer’s sales growth in dollars was up 14 percent in the first half of 2012, and volume sales were up 12 percent, where volumes of sales of general U.S. beer were down more than 2 percent. The American craft beer revolution is both a national and statewide movement. The State Fair ‘Land of 10,000 Beers’ Craft Beer Hall celebrates this.

For daily updates on beer flights and expert presentations, check out our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/minnesotacraftbrewersguild or follow us on Twitter, @mncraftbrew.

• 3:00pm : Malting 101 – Chris German, Brewer’s Supply Group
• 6:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Surly Brewing Co.

Saturday, August 25

• 12:00pm : Homebrewing Awards – *home brewers
• 3:00pm : From Crops to Craft Beers – Professor Gary Meuhlbauer, U of M
• 6:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Olvalde Farm and Brewing Co. | Brau Brothers Brewing Co. | Boom Island Brewing Co.

Sunday, August 26

• 12:00pm : Beer History – Doug Hoverson, author of “Land of Amber Waters”
• 3:00pm : Culinary Complements – Andy Alander, Tycoon’s Alehouse | Paddy Whelan and Billy Morrisette, Muddy Waters
• 6:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Fulton Beer | Excelsior Brewing Co. | Leech Lake Brewing

Monday, August 27

• 3:00pm : Hops Agriculture in Minnesota – Charlier Rohwer, PhD, U of M Scientist
• 6:00pm : Beer Tourism – Dan Justesen, Vine Park Brewery

• 3:00pm : Craft Beer 100 – Michael Agnew, A Perfect Pint, certified cicerone
• 6:00pm : Beer Tourism – Dan Justesen, Vine Park Brewery

• 3:00pm : The New Craft Beer Consumer – Jason Alvey – Four Firkins
• 6:00pm : Art of the Cask – Matt Hall, Liftbridge Beer Co. | Chad Hilgenberg, Great Waters Brewing Co.

• 3:00pm : Brewery Showcase – August Schell’s Brewing Co. | Surly Brewing Co. | Summit Brewing
• 6:00pm : Malting 101: Why the Brewer Cares – Mark Ruark, Cargill

• 3:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Summit Brewing | August Schell Brewing
• 6:00pm : Homebrew 101 – Jake Keeler, Northern Brewer

• 12:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Finnegans
• 3:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Liftbridge Beer Co.
• 6:00pm : Brotherly Brewing – Dave Hoops, Fitger’s Brewhouse | Mike Hoops, Town Hall Brewery

• 12:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Third Street Brewhouse/Cold Spring Brewing Co. | Flat Earth Brewing
• 3:00pm : Starting in the 90s – Pete Rifakes, Town Hall Tap/TownHall Brewery
• 6:00pm : Brewery Showcase – Lucid Brewing | Mankato Brewery