Best in the state, for the state

When Fair State CEO Evan Sallee decided to open a brewpub in Minneapolis in 2011, he looked to a business model popular among Midwest farmers but practically unheard of in the beer world: the co-op, in which members own part of the brand, vote to elect a board, and get a share of the profits. Fair State began with about 250 members and now has more than 1,300, whose benefits include limited-production beers, a VIP happy hour at the tap room, and access to community events sponsored or put on by Fair State.

It’s been so popular that the brewery recently expanded to a new 40,000-square-foot facility to keep up with demand for brews like the tropical pale ale Pahlay’ahlay.