These are the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies and Drinkies winners

The Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies and Drinkies competition crowned its two newest champions on Aug. 1, with a panel of judges selecting the Ferris Mule from the Old Wisconsin Sipper Club and the Beer Cheese Lava Cake from WürstBar as winners in the Drinkies and Sporkies categories, respectively.

Finalists for the 10th annual competition were announced in June with a roundup of 12 mouth-watering — and potentially puckering — food and drink entries. A panel of judges that included local chefs and media personalities gathered at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater on the fairgrounds to decide and announce the winners.

The Ferris Mule is a nonalcoholic drink with a rich, burgundy color made with ginger beer, fresh blackberries, lime juice and agave nectar, and topped with a rosemary sprig and a lime wheel. The Beer Cheese Lava Cake is made with salted Milwaukee Pretzel Company slider buns filled with beer cheese soup and topped off with hot honey and red pepper flakes.

Both items were highly anticipated by the judges even before they tried them.

“I had high expectations and this exceeded them,” judge Melanie Ricks, a local radio personality and in-game host for the Milwaukee Bucks, said about the Ferris Mule beverage. 

Fellow judge Sandra Dempsey of Source Ten and Estados Unidos USA gave the drink’s presentation high marks.

“Even if this is nonalcoholic, nobody would know. It makes me feel like I’m part of the crowd,” Dempsey said. 

The panel was also complimentary of the Beer Cheese Lava Cake creation. The dish is made in partnership with Milwaukee Pretzel Company, and judge Adam Pawlak, chef-owner at Egg & Flour Pasta Bar, appreciated that collaboration. 

“I love to see some Milwaukee-working-with-Milwaukee action,” Pawlak said. 

State Fair CEO Shari Black thanked the competitors for participating before announcing the winners. 

“We had some really crazy offerings,” she said.

The judging ended with whoops, cheers, celebratory hugs and some solid snack options for the Wisconsin State Fair which runs Aug. 3-13. 

More:State Fair hours, tickets, discounts, carry-in policies and other need-to-know info

More:From Ludacris to Shaggy, the top concerts to see each day at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair