4th Annual Tacoma Craft Beer Festival 2012 August 29, 2012
WHEN: Saturday September 1st, 11AM to 8PM
WHERE: At the 21st Street Park on the Foss Waterway; 2101 Dock Street, Tacoma WA 98402
HOW MUCH: $25 pre-sale online, $30 at the door, $10 Military discount off the Pre-sale ticket price (Active, Retired, Veteran, Reserves) at the door only with military ID.
Admission gets you a 5.5 oz commemorative taster glass and 10 tasting tokens. Additional tokens are $1.50. There will be games, live music and over 50 brewers! This event is 21 and over only. I will see you there!
Cheers!
Liz
Brewing for a Cure August 8, 2012
Dick’s Brewing Company
Second Annual Beer for a Cure
Centralia, WA based Dick’s Brewing company is giving back; and in a big way! For the second year in a row the brewing company is holding the Second Annual Beer for a Cure event featuring live music, a homebrew competition and awards ceremony. Throughout the day a silent auction will take place, while food and pints fresh from the brewery will be on sale. Proceeds from the event will go to the American Cancer Society.
Professional brewers from Dick’s Brewing Company in Centralia have volunteered to help judge the homebrews and give the amateur brewers some words of advice on how to improve their crafts.
WHEN: Saturday, August 18th, 2012, 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: 3516 Galvin Road, Centralia
For more info on how to enter your homebrew or on the event itself visit their website: www.dicksbeer.com.
What better reason to drink beer than to help find a cure!
Cheers!
Liz
2012 Oregon Brewers Festival…revisited! August 6, 2012
For 25 years Portland, OR has been the home of the Oregon Brewers Festival, or “OBF.” The festival is one of the longest running craft beer festivals in the country, and also one of the favorites. I have attended the OBF for a few years and it just doesn’t get old! Drinking beers from all over the country, meeting people from all walks of life, and spending the weekend in one of the prettiest “big” cities I have ever been to; it doesn’t get much better than that.
Held each year on Portland’s Waterfront Park, this four-day event hosts brewers from all parts of the U.S. and features live music, food, and even some souvenir vendors. Large tents and long tables provide plenty of shade and mimics the beer fests held in Germany. Imagine, being surrounded by thousands of beer enthusiasts that want nothing more than to hang out and enjoy the newest creations that you can’t get every day! It’s great fun but now to the important part: the beer!
So many beers, so little time! There were over 80 beers being served. I tried many of them but because I didn’t want to be hauled away in an ambulance, I could not try them all. So many of the beers I tried were incredible, but for the sake of time I will give you my top five favorites.
#1) Double Dry Hopped Delta Pale Ale – Boundary Bay Brewing – Bellingham, WA (5.6%ABV, 45 IBU) – My
favorite of the day! Boundary Bay uses and the newer Delta hop to create a lovely, spicy note. Munich and 2-Rows malts along with Northwest ale yeast give this pale ale a dry and crisp body with a nice citrus finish. Perfect for the hot day!
#2) Kili Wit – Logsdon Farmhouse Ales – Hood River, OR (5.5%ABV, N/A IBU) – On a hot day there’s sometimes nothing better than a nice Wit beer. This traditional farmhouse ale if brewed with organic African coriander this tasty wit is rich with spice and clove. Malty, smooth body and rich, spicy finish. Good stuff.
#3) Electric Beer – Electric Brewing – Bisbee, AZ (5%ABV, 35 IBU) – One of my favorite beer styles is German Kölsch. And Electric Brewing really impressed me with their version. Castle Cara 8, Castle Pils and Weyermann Pils malts create a full flavored, but light bodied beer. Notes of honey are present in the nose and taste and the finish is wonderfully spiced. I mean this in the best possible way; the flavor was reminiscent of Golden Grahams cereal. Another great summer beer!
#4) Saison the Beach – Lompoc Brewing Co. – Portland, OR (5.5%ABV, 25IBU) – If you like sour fruit and spices, then this beer is for you! The aroma is floral and spicy. The body is peppery and spicy with a dry, sour fruit finish. Lompoc used a potpourri of ingredients to create this little beauty: Perle and Crystal hops, Pale, Weyermann Pils, wheat, biscuit and rye malts. They have outdone themselves.
#5) Dirty Blonde – Paradise Creek Brewery – Pullman, WA (6.3%ABV, 22 IBU) – On a day as hot as the one on the day of the festival, this beer sure did hit the spot. Living up to its name, Dirty Blonde is a very well-balanced, medium-bodied beer. Spicy and malty with a touch of flowers. A little higher in alcohol, but quite refreshing.
Kudos to all of the brewers for showing us how much fun can be had creating something a little different! And kudos to the organizers for making every festival as fun and safe as possible. I always have a great time at the brewers festival and will continue to attend every year until my taste buds dry up.
Cheers!
Liz
http://paradisecreekbrewery.com/
Info about Electric Brewing can be found on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/DavesElectricBrewpub
25th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival July 17, 2012
WHEN: July , 2012
TIME: Thurs through Sat, taps are open from Noon to 9:00pm. Sun, taps are open from Noon to 7:00pm.
WHERE: Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, OR
HOW MUCH: Free! You heard correctly. Admission into the festival grounds is free. BUT, in order to partake in the beer drinking fun you must purchase a 2012 festival mug for $6.00 and tokens for the tastings are $1.00 each.
This year Eighty-Two craft breweries from all over the country will be offering more than 30 styles of handcrafted brews. A Buzz Tent will offer more than 50 rare and specialty beers, and this year will feature the debut of a Sour Tent.
The festival takes place right on the waterfront and the light rail is only a block away. There will also be plenty of bicycle parking. I will be there with bells and maybe I will see you there too!
Cheers!
Liz
What to do on Father’s Day weekend? June 13, 2012
WHEN: Friday, June 15 4-9pm (21+ Only) Saturday, June 16 11am-9pm (Families Welcome) Sunday, June 17 11am-6pm (Families Welcome)
WHERE: Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA
HOW MUCH: Friday – $15.00 tickets available online or at the door and includes a tasting cup and 5 tasting tokens. Sat & Sun – $25.00 tickets available online or at the door and includes a tasting cup and 6 tasting tokens. Designated drivers are only $5.00.
65 breweries will be bringing over 200 different beers. Live music, good food, and wine & cider tasting are just a few of the other activities at the festival. What do you do with the kids? Craft booths, a kids playground and a root beer garden will entertain the tykes.
So grab your Dad and spend a great weekend enjoying some amazing craft beer!
Cheers!
Liz
2012 Gig Harbor Beer Festival May 21, 2012
Last weekend the beer Gods truly smiled on me. The sky was blue, the temperature was perfect, and the first annual Gig Harbor Beer Festival was held less than a block from my home! Who could ask for anything more? As usual, for the sake of length I will share my top favorites of the day.
Local Logger Lager (Everybody’s Brewing, White Salmon, WA) – 4.8% ABV The best beer of the event! Clean and crisp with a honey sweetness. Saaz and Golden hops create a light hoppiness that does not overpower the sweetness. Golden Grahams cereal came to mind immediately. A truly delicious beer!
Hulaweizen (7 Seas Brewery, Gig Harbor, WA) – 5.6% ABV A very different beer for this brewery. A lovely wheat beer
brewed with coconut water and lemon grass. The pungent sourness of the lemongrass really comes through balancing out the sweetness of the coconut. I really hope 7 Seas makes this beauty one of their permanent beers!
Dog Zebra (Valholl Brewing, Poulsbo, WA) – Wonderfully hoppy beer! This lovely IPA had a lot of great citrus flavors and bite. The aroma was like walking through a grapefruit orchard. Wish I had more!
Agate Pass Amber (Hood Canal Brewery, Kingston, WA) – 5.5% ABV Fruity and hoppy, this well-balanced beer had notes of honey and pears. Not too sweet, not too hoppy. Great beer for a hot summer day.
Autumn Scotch (Der Blokken Brewery, Bremerton, WA) – 7% ABV I love scotch ales, but this one takes the cake! Thick, malty and sweet, Autumn Scotch has an unusual butterscotch aroma and flavor. The body is more on the fuller side and the finish has a “candy-like” sweetness. This is a great beer for kicking back and relaxing.
The festival, for the most part, was very well-organized. Unfortunately, the organizers seem to have made the same mistake most first time festival organizers make and misjudged the expected attendance. Most of the brewers were out of beer by 4:00 and the festival still had three hours to go! The use of available space for the festival goers was another issue. The festival surrounded a huge gazebo that had tons of shade. This area was blocked off and not assessable to the festival goers and instead used to store boxes of t-shirts and the token booth (1 guy, 1 table). We were forced to squeeze into what little shade we could find and had to stand as there we no chairs or tables anywhere. I also feel this would have been a great opportunity for the surrounding restaurants to have a small food cart or something in the area. Instead festival goers had to leave the festival, walk to the restaurants, and wait for over an hour for food.
I had a great time and, of course, the beer was the best part. With a few tweaks, Gig Harbor should have a heck of a festival next year!
Cheers!
Liz
Coming Soon: Wingman Brewing’s new tasting room, Gig Harbor Beer Festival, and some new summer beer releases! May 16, 2012
Upcoming event… April 25, 2012
WHEN: Saturday, May 12th, 2012.
TIME: Noon-7:00pm
WHERE: Uptown Gig Harbor Pavilion (4701 Pt. Fosdick Dr.)
ATTENDING BREWERIES:
- 7 Seas Brewery
- American Brewing Company
- Der Blokken Brewery
- Dicks Brewing Company
- Everybody’s Brewing
- Harmon Brewing Co.
- Hood Canal Brewery
- Port Townsend Brewing Co.
- Silver City Brewery
- Sound Brewery
- Valholl Brewing Company
Pre-sale tickets are $20 or $25 the day of the event. Admission includes a 2012 commemorative taster cup and eight taster tokens. 21+ up only. You can purchase tickets through the festival website, www.gigharborbeerfestival.com or from www.brownpapertickets.com.
I will definitely be there!
Cheers!
Liz
Upcoming event: Hand Truckin’ @ Latona April 16, 2012
Local Brewery and Pub Toast Earth Day with Ten Mile Hand Truckin’ Event
Two Dozen Volunteers Trek Beer From SODO to Green Lake to Promote Neighborhood Walkability
Event Name: Hand Truckin’ @ Latona
Venue: Latona Pub; 6423 Latona Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115
Description: A unique Earth Day celebration for beer lovers and supporting a more walkable community. Enjoy a beer and socialize with walking enthusiasts, pedestrian advocates and craft brew lovers. This event benefits Feet First, the only organization in Washington working to ensure there are walkable communities across the state. Your ticket gets you a Feet First pint glass and a big frothy mug of Two Beer’s limited edition Hand Truckin’ Wheat Ale. Prior to the event, volunteers will transport the ale 10 miles on foot from SODO to Greenlake in order to make this a zero-carbon event (call to be part of the great beer hike). Hand Truckin’ Wheat Ale is a bright-colored draft with a soft, slightly fruity aroma that is both brisk and refreshing. This beer is a tribute to people powered beer transportation, Mother Earth, and Feet First’s continued efforts to save lives, improve health, and expand economic growth in Washington.
When: April 22, 2012 (Earth Day). 2pm- 4:30 pm (there will be a press event with speakers and photo op at 2:20pm)
Price: $20
Tickets Website: http://feet-first.ticketleap.com/two-beers-a-pub-and-a-nonprofit/
Contact Name: Lee Warnecke
Contact Email: lee@feetfirst.org
Visuals: (Image: http://feetfirst.info/KegsAlongBGTrail.jpg ) The unveiling of the Feet First Chicken, the organization’s new mascot designed by staff at Seattle Central Community College’s Apparel Design program. Dozens of volunteers hand trucking kegs on foot from SODO to Green Lake. Friends and neighbors celebrating Earth Day by enjoying a glass of hand trucked ale at Latona Pub.
Pacific Northwest Beer Chick 