By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published May 25, 2016 at 5:01 PM

It’s almost summer, and the taste of beer is in the air.

Catch a whiff this Memorial Day Weekend at The Micro Craft Beer Pavilion at State Fair Park, where they’ll be tapping more than 50 brews, Friday through Sunday, during a special inaugural event called Summer Untapped.

The Micro, normally open exclusively during Wisconsin State Fair and Harvest Fair, aims to set the standard for summer beer gardens with its collection of more than 50 Wisconsin craft beers on tap. In a number of cases, folks will have their first chance to taste a number of new summer releases from area breweries.

Special new releases will include:

  • Veteran Brewing Company: A newcomer to The Micro lineup, the beer garden will be donating $1 from every Veteran’s beer sold to a Veteran's Charity.
  • Lakefront Brewery’s SMaSH Ale: A new Lakefront brew containing one malt and one hop. It's refreshing, drinkable and perfect for summer. 
  • Leinenkugel’s Beergarten Tart: A traditional Berliner Weiss, with a well-balanced tartness and a refreshing finish.
  • Milwaukee Brewing Company’s Lo-Gii: This descendent of O-Gii Imperial Wit features traditional flavors ike orange peel, coriander, and fresh ginger infused with Rishi green tea. 
  • S’Wheat Caroline: An American wheat ale created by students at UW-Madison, S’Wheat Caroline is the newest beer from Wisconsin Brewing Company.

And there’s more. Select attendees at Summer Untapped will also be rewarded for their efforts if they’re lucky enough to order the last beer from a tapped keg during the event. In classic "Keg Killers" style, they’ll be publicly celebrated and will receive a free special edition Keg Killer T-shirt. 

The event will also feature beermosas, Bloody Marys and sangria, along with classic summertime burgers, brats and hot dogs provided by Benno’s Leinie Lodge. Throw in a Saturday Cornhole Tournament and music by Matt Meyer, JDubz and Zachary Wade with Ryan McIntyre on Friday and Saturday evening, and it’s a fitting welcome for our great Milwaukee summer.

Summer Untapped is free and open to the public. Standard Wisconsin State Fair Park parking rates ($6 for cars) apply, with a special rate of $3 per motorcycle. For more information, visit summeruntapped.com

Hours for the event are Friday May 27 from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday May 28 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, May 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.