Beer Camp Across America

Looks like a great time with many great brewers. Sunday July 20th in San Diego, $65 admission and 5 hours of beer. Six other cities are on this tour. Hope to see a few Berserkers there.

Just looked at the list of participating brewers for the NC stop. Wow! Not sure I’d get out with my liver intact, but am going to see if I can figure out a way to find out.

Wow. That looks crazy!

Searchin’ for a 12-pack fo sho.

Almost certain we are going to the San Diego event. A little more strong-arm work on Dana and she will will come around.

I’m hitting the one in Chico on the 19th.

Not only did Dana come around, she is tying this to a couple of work days in her San Diego office so her company will pick up the lodging cost.
I married a smart lady!! Hope to see some Berserkers there.

So cal costcos should have them this week, not sure what it’s like up where you are. They are selling em 24 pack for $38. INSANE deal.

not too terribly insane. Local shop has half racks for $20. Whole foods is $23.

Bevmo 26

Hell, in that case, it is a screamin’ deal! I’m truly surprised we’re that much cheaper up here with all of our liquor taxes.

For all of my Los Angeles friends, here is a way to try all the beers in the these special Beer Camp tasting parties. My local beer hall, BarrelHouse 101 in Ventura is hosting one on July 17 and I will be there. Have fun!!

This is the link to a small write up in the LA Weekly about these events.
http://www.laweekly.com/squidink/2014/07/07/sierra-nevadas-beer-camp-across-america-a-traveling-festival-with-collaboration-beers-and-tapping-parties

As part of the major Beer Camp push taking place over the next month, several L.A. bars are hosting tapping parties both before and after the San Diego festival date, where hard-to-come-by kegs of all 12 collaboration beers will be on draft and, at some locations, special menus will be available for pairings. More dates and places may be added to this list as distributors allot their shipments, but the following are the ones we know for now (check with each individual location for specifics on their event):

•Wednesday July 9, 5 p.m., Matt Denny’s Ale House, Arcadia
•Thursday, July 17, Lucky Baldwin’s Trappiste, Pasadena
•Friday, July 18, Select Beer Store, Redondo Beach
Wednesday, July 23, Surly Goat Bar, West Hollywood
•Thursday, July 24, Timmy Nolan’s Tavern, North Hollywood
•Wednesday, July 30, 6 p.m., Beachwood BBQ and Brewing, Long Beach
•Thursday, July 31, The Glendale Tap, Glendale

Okay Atlantans, sitting at Brick Store Pub in Decatur (yeah, it’s Saturday before noon, shut up). Anyway, this Thursday they’re putting all 12 on tap with tasting flights of 6 each. Cheers

Just went through the first flight, the lighter beers. Firestone Torpedo Pilsner had a nice finish, New Glarus There and Back was great with the fish tacos, and the Ballast Point Elecric Ray was a beer I could drink a lot. The Allagash Myron’s Walk, Russian River Yvan the Great and 3 Floyd’s Chico King were good as well. No duds in the bunch, and glad to have a 12 pack to revisit. Oh and by the way, to the festival in San Diego on Sunday.

hmmm I thought the beers were too… sierra nevada’y. Just too much bitterness and hops without balance. They were fine, not anything special tho.

Saw a stack of 12 packs at Whole Foods in Napa, hopefully it lasts a few days because I can’t buy one right now.

Had 'em all on tap at a tasting today. I’m usually a straight-up, more bitter the better, IPA guy. But my favorite of the batch was the Bell’s collab that’s an Imperial Dark Ale.

Bearcamp was very good.

Lots of saisons for a warm day.

Eye of the Hawk from a keg.

Loads of people, but short waits. The crowd was very friendly and in good spirits throughout.

The March 4 Marching Band was stellar. They will be performing at all the Bearcamp stops.

Free water, too!

The food was served by food trucks, so each stop will have its own array of cuisine.

My taste buds wear out after consuming a total of 400 IBUs. I would say, overall, that hoppy beers did predominate.

There were some very good sours, however, and a good representation from the dark beer side.

Pliny the Elder was there, and Speakeasy poured some nice beers.

We got 30 of the 12 packs in my store today. Didn’t really promote it other than an e-mail blast to our customers. Completely sold out by 1:00, the business it created for a Tuesday was absurd. I’d say only 2 of the 30 customers only bought the beer camp pack.

This Sunday at Navy Pier. I have to figure out how much I have to do on Monday