Friday, February 25, 2011

Celebrate Beer!

Photofile from Wend Magazine

It’s still dark, wet, and cold. What better way to pass the last of winter’s chill than with good friends sharing a golden pint of ale? Beer is not for everyone’s palate. But there are now so many breweries across the country, just about every taste bud can find a happy flavor that makes them go mmmmm. And lucky us, we have the perfect opportunity to find that perfect beer with the Sacramento Beer Festival. Valentines Day may bring out the wine and chocolate, but March and upcoming St. Patrick’s Day brings out the golden nectar of the gods – beer!


10 Days of Beer
Starting today, Feb. 25th through March 6th, there will be an abundant flowing of tasty beers. So many brewers, so few nights. And just about everyone is getting into the act. Nugget Markets are offering beer tasting on certain dates.  Capital Garage downtown is having a Stouts and Chocolate night. Bonn Lair is hosting the Sacramento Women’s Brewers Association. Come on guys – women who can make a fine beer. How great is that? The list of beer and fun events goes on and on. Bike shops promoting a race and environmental responsibility – with green beer, of course. A ping pong tournament. Old School Happy Hour at the Monkey Bar with $1 beers. A free Bluegrass concert at Hoppy Brewing. A scavenger hunt. Pizza and beer. Music and beer. Classes on beer making. There is something going on every night all over the Sacramento area. And i checked – many of these events are pretty inexpensive considering all the beer you get to sample.


The Stranger the Name, the Tastier the Beer
OK – that may not be true, but like a really cool record label or book cover, quirkiness and creativity get our attention. A great name for a beer is like the top SEO hit of blog advertising. And the stranger, more creative, and funnier the name, the more we want to try it. Especially if there’s a really good – and highly unlikely – tall tale to go with it. Here’s a list of names i came across that i would love to sample: Moose Drool Brown Ale, Double Bastard Ale, Portsmouth Kate the Great, The Perfect Storm/The Mother of All Storms (the name has been changed to protect the innocent – or trademark infringement), Supplication, La Fin du Monde, and i certainly have to try a beer with the name “Darkness” – by Surly Brewing Company no less. With so many jaunty names and saucy labels, it may take the rest of my life to sample them. I should start tonight.


Party with a Responsible Friend
All this partying though must be tempered with one thought – getting home safely. Before you go out, find a responsible friend – yes, i know you have one, we all do – and give them a healthy gas tip so they don’t feel quite so bad about ferrying all of us inebriated people home.  Whatever you do, DON'T DRIVE DRUNK!

Cheers!

For the home of all things brewing...Sacramento Beer Festival...
http://sacramentobeerweek.com/





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