I confess. This wine enthusiast never much liked beer—until just last year, that is, when I sampled a splendid flight of craft ales, stouts, porters, and bocks from assorted microbreweries.
I dare say that the experience was hop-alicious!
And, apparently, I am not alone in my ignorance of the recent “good beer revolution.”
“Women love beer. They just don’t know that they love beer until they’re given a really great craft brew in front of them,” claimed Holly Todd, local beer enthusiast and event director of the California Festival of Beers. “If you’ve had Bud Light all your life, you don’t know that beer is something that is special.”
Handcrafted beer is very different from the mass-produced, American lager-style light beer. Defined as brew made by small, independent, and traditional yet innovative breweries producing fewer than six million barrels a year, craft beer makes up just five percent of the U.S. beer industry, but the fan base is fierce.
“A lot of people who are really into wine appreciate a good craft beer just as much as a good bottle of wine,” said Kady Fleckenstein, who’s organizing Santa Ynez Valley Craft Beer Week, May 12 to 20.
It’s the first time there’s such a week dedicated to beer tasting in Northern Santa Barbara County. “The reason is, we all of a sudden now have enough breweries to really promote the area as a beer destination,” Fleckenstein said.
Craft Beer Week kicks off with the inaugural Buellton Brew Fest on Saturday, May 12, from noon to 4 p.m. at River View Park.
At least a dozen breweries will pour their craft beers, including Figueroa Mountain, Firestone Walker, Blue Moon, Gordon Biersch, Heretic, and Stone Brewing Company.
Ticket holders receive unlimited tastings, a meal, and a souvenir beer glass. Advance tickets are $25 ($35 at the door). Tickets are for sale at buelltonbrewfest.com.
Wandering Dog Wine Bar in Solvang is offering a special class on Tuesday, May 15, called “Lagers vs. Ales.”
Later during Craft Beer Week, Wandering Dog will pour an IPA beer flight and will offer a beer and cheese pairing flight.
Put your palate to the test on Tuesday, May 15, during a beer vs. wine dinner at Los Olivos Cafe. Chef Chris Joslyn will create a five-course meal that will pair well with both Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company craft beers and Santa Barbara County wines.
“I think that’s gonna be a lot of fun to compare, because you get to pick out what you like better with each course,” Fleckenstein explained.
Bin 2860 Wine Shop in Los Olivos has more than 99 bottles of beer on the wall. During Santa Ynez Valley Craft Beer Week, Bin 2860 will open one each of its 120 different bottles of beer, six at a time, available to taste.
Go to syvbeer.com for more information and for the new Santa Ynez Valley beer trail map, debuting in time for Craft Beer Week.
Another event this May has craft beer aficionados swooning: the 26th annual California Festival of Beers, at the Madonna Expo Center in San Luis Obispo, May 25 to 27.
Organizers expanded the event this year from one day to three, and they’re bringing in more brewers than ever before: 70 brewers and 300 different types of beer.
Attendees will taste everything from microbrewery beers to domestics, local and regional craft brews, and even some rare, monk-made brews coming over from Belgium and England.
“These are beers that they only create when they are basically raising money for the monastery, and when it’s gone, it’s gone,” California Festival of Beers’ Todd said.
Friday night, May 25, offers an intimate beer tasting dinner, featuring gourmet food from local chefs. The 22 participating breweries include local favorites Tap-It Brewing Co., Central Coast Brewing, Firestone, and SLO Brew, plus California cult favorites Lagunitas, Stone Brewing, Heretic, 21st Amendment, and Cismontane.
“The only beers they’re allowed to bring in to that event are the very rare release beers that are not easily accessible and will not be poured on Saturday,” Todd said.
She explained that this event is for people who like to have conversations with the brewers: “It’s totally unique. It’s the event if you love beer and you love talking about beer.”
Ciserone and world-renowned beer expert “Dr. Bill” Syzak will provide cigar and beer pairings Friday night. Tickets are $50 for Friday.
Saturday, May 26, is the festival’s popular Grand Tasting in the Madonna Meadows. Attendees taste beer from 70 brewers. Tickets are $75 and will sell out fast.
Sunday at the festival is the American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned home brewing competition and symposium. One winner from this event goes on to the association’s national competition. Medal-winning brews will be available for tasting on Sunday.
During the competition, listen to the brewers’ panel discussing topics such as “Women and Beer,” “Hop Cultivation,” and “Cellaring your beer.” Sunday tickets are $50.
“It’s a lot of really interesting educational topics for the beer nerd, basically,” Todd said. “There are so many beer nerds! They love their beer, and they will travel for it.”
If you are a “beer nerd” who lives large, live it up as a VIP. The $200 VIP pass gets you into all three days of the festival, plus it gives you access to a luxury cabana, complimentary food, and free parking on Saturday.
And you will feel even better knowing that 100 percent of the proceeds from the festival go to Hospice SLO.
“This is the event that keeps the doors open and the services free to the community,” Todd said. “This is the event that provides all of that.”
For ticket information, go to californiafestivalofbeers.com.
Sun wine and food writer Wendy Thies Sell favors fruity ale, but sometimes sips oatmeal stout. Contact her at wthies@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 3, 2012.