Pickle Lemonade and Cream Puff Soda: Previewing Wisconsin State Fair's latest drink offerings
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin State Fair returns this week with some new tempts for your taste buds.
Last year's unexpected hit was pickled pizza. This year's might be pickled lemonade.
"This year, slushies, slushies and more slushies," said Benno Weigel, owner of Benno's Concessions.
This ice cold 2024 edition's got pickle juice, lemonade and crushed ice.
"You just want to try it. You're curious and you're kinda wondering, what am I gonna think of this? And I guarantee you're gonna love it," said Tim Gill, vice president of Benno's Concessions.
Pickled lemonade is just one of Benno's Concessions' new non-alcoholic creations.
These are the tried and true. "Vodka lemonade, frozen margarita, and dragonfly lemonade with a dragonfly clip," said Gill.
Sangria slush, strawberry daiquiri, and cold fashioneds also make the list.
The Frozen Bar is just outside The Micro, which has about 60 craft beers on tap.
We asked, "What goes on in here?"
"Mayhem. A lot of people have a lot of fun. If you drink the last beer, kill the keg, last beer in the keg, we got a buzzer that goes off, we yell your name out," said Weigel.
"It's our 29th anniversary, we've got some surprises out there if you go to Benno's Concessions.com or KegKiller.com."
The family-run business is especially busy this week.
"So this is the cooler for The Micro. We talked about the beer lines coming in and starting somewhere. I figured it out the other day, I have 156 things that you plug in that get cold, so we have to go in and check all that stuff too," said Weigel.
There's also a new Leinenkugel's cherry beer slushy. And Benno's has a new pop-up soda shop at State Fair Park too, called "Sodalish."
"I think it's gonna be a hit," said Gill.
Sodalish has a Happy Birthday to the Cream Puff drink, made with cream soda. Another drink is sparkly and purple.
Benno's has five beverage locations at the fair, each providing a unique tasting experience.