An epically well-rounded beerfest

Because prolonged total immersion in beer culture would eventually lead to drowning, dive in for an afternoon only at the Beer Dabbler Showcase. An offshoot of St. Paul's annual Highland Fest, the upgraded Dabbler's got the standard beerfest tent-for-all (infinite samples from 65 micro breweries like Unibroue, Odell and Abita), copious beer-ducation talks and seminars, and the introduction of a full concert lineup, as well as a homebrew competition, and the crowning of the much-desired Lord Dabbler's Cup, which he'd traditionally fill with a little bit of this and that. Soak it all up by:

Judging Sign up as an alcoholic arbiter and you'll be paired with a real one (certified by the Beer Judge Certification Program -- look it up!), and'll then be free to sample the concoctions of amateur brewers in various "contest styles" like Pilsner, German Wheat and Strong Belgian, despite no one in that category actually being worth a Damme.

Learning Get schooled in how to make beer cheese, discover local farming basics from a farm called Hippity Hops, grill Lift Bridge Brewery's Dan Schwartz on all things suds-related (no personal questions -- Dan Schwartz refuses to answer anything about his extravagant celebrity parties and supermodel dates), and hear world-class beer sommelier Michael Agnew bust "beer myths", like that one about the elderly woman trying to dry her poodle in the microwave... turns out she had actually been drinking wine.

Listening Further ingrain the vote for the winner of beer and rock at a two-stage blowout featuring the likes of Nikki and The RueMates, Maudlin, Pictures of Then, and 4onthefloor, who must be a band of psychics.

Because a man's also gotta eat -- especially a man drinking unlimited beer -- noshing's provided by a host of quality food trucks including Magic Bus Cafe, Chef Shack, and Fork in the Road, though get carried away, and while you may not be literally immersed in beer, you will find yourself under water.