Story and photos by Carmel L. Mooney, correspondent

Though I remember standing in line for green beer on St. Paddy’s Day while attending California State University-Chico in the 80′s, I now have an appreciation for a greener beer, a better beer …one that is better for me and better for the planet.

Rarely does one find such outstanding beer with such a unique history, vision and success story. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.  has not only proven itself as a superior product but it also strives to leave the planet a better place in the process.

We recently had the pleasure of touring the facility, and this brewery tour stands out as the most interesting we had ever experienced. The tasting at the end was not only enjoyable from a beer lover’s perspective but the history, craft, and education behind the experience was unforgettable.

I thought I knew a lot about beer. I’ve toured breweries in more than half the states in our country and have even tried a little home brewing but I learned a great deal and most importantly a deep appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes at Sierra Nevada. I will never look at a Pale Ale the same again.

Sierra Nevada’s commitment to green and sustainable brewing is much more than just a vision or a mission but rather a daily part of every single thing they do. They have won as many awards for their sustainable business practices as they have for their brew. Green Business of the Year, Zero Waste Management, Climate Action Champion, Environmental Awareness and Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership for Sustainable Practices, are just a few of the prestigious recognitions they have received.

The amazing part is that their beers have become famous the world over while being such amazing stewards of their resources. Recycling, composting ,water treatment, solar, bio-fuel production, water conservation, organic gardening, sustainable farming, carbon dioxide recovery, vehicle charging stations,  estate agriculture, rail shipping, and more. They don’t just talk about it, they do it and they did most of it first. With the first HotRot Composting System in the US in 2010 to the 1997 equipping of vapor condensers to utilize heat recovery, they have set the stage and raised the bar for everyone else in the industry.

The food in the restaurant features fresh, sustainable, locally sourced meats and produce through relationships with local farmers and ranchers to ensure the highest quality. They also maintain a two-acre garden to supply the restaurant and taproom kitchen. Home-baked breads are produced with brewer’s grain. Beef is produced from a cooperative effort with CSUC’s College of Agriculture and is raised naturally and free of added hormones, and best of all fed on spent grains and yeast used in the brewing process. Everything on the tables is repurposed or composted back into the gardens in a completely closed loop system.

Let’s not forget the beer. It’s not actually green in color, except for the Pale Ale label, but it’s better for the planet and better for you. Estate hops grown on the largest hop field in the state of California is just one tiny facet of these gems. Sierra Nevada is one of the only breweries in the world to produce a 100 percent estate-made ale thanks to 26 acres of estate grown barley and organic wet hops.

Because of its location at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, its brewing water is supplied by a deep snow fed aquifer. Sierra Nevada leads the way in artisan ales, lagers, stout, seasonal beers, draught-only specialties. Each offering has its own fascinating story, flavor and presence. The beers’ quality equals the experience and mission of this remarkable operation.

The next time your travels take you anywhere near Northern California, a tour of Sierra Nevada is in order. Make plans to stay for lunch. It can be a family affair or a wonderful way to relax away an afternoon for a couple on a road trip. With great food, great beer, and terrific vision, Sierra Nevada Brewing offers anyone on a road trip a thoroughly wonderful and inspiring experience.

Carmel L. Mooney is editor of our sister site Road Trips for Couples.

You might also enjoy reading “Road Trip for Beer: Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary.”

The Weekend Beer Festival Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

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American Craft Beer Week takes place across the United States through Sunday.

The St. Petersburg Beer & Food Truck Festival will be Saturday in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Berliner Bash on the Bay will be Saturday in Gulfport, Florida.

The Florida International Beer Festival will be Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

The fourth annual Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Festival will be Friday in Jacksonville, Florida.

The ninth annual East Atlanta Beer Fest will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Louisiana Beer Fest: Lake Charles will be Saturday in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The Hilton Head Beer Festival will be Saturday in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

The third annual Festival of Beers will be Saturday in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

The fifth annual Racks by the Tracks Ribs, Beer Tasting & Blues Festival will be Saturday in Kingsport, Tennessee.

The Virginia Beer Festival will be Sunday in Norfolk, Virginia.

The second annual Long Island Craft Beer Week continues through Sunday on Long Island, New York.

South Shore, Cape & Islands Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations throughout the South Shore of Boston, Cape Cod, and the islands, Massachusetts.

The FBW FirkinFest will be Saturday in Mount Airy, Maryland.

The second annual Northeast Philadelphia Beer Festival will be Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Hampton BrewFest will be Saturday in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.

Chicago Craft Beer Week runs from Thursday through May 27 in Chicago, Illinois.

The Missouri Brewfest will be Saturday in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

The World Expo of Beer will be Friday and Saturday in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

The fourth annual Northwest Brewfest will be Saturday in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

The 21^st annual Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest will be Sunday in Chilton,Wisconsin.

The sixth annual Brewers Bazaar will be Saturday in Stillwater, Minnesota.

The second annual Omaha Beer Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

The second annual Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

San Antonio Beer Week continues through Sunday in San Antonio, Texas.

The second annual Colorado Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations throughout Colorado.

The second annual Grand Valley Beer Festival will be Saturday in Grand Junction, Colorado.

The second annual Ameri-CAN Canned Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The 13^th annual West Coast Brew Fest will be Saturday in Sacramento, California.

The sixth annual Raley Field Brewfest will be Friday in Sacramento, California.

The sixth annual Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest will be Friday to Sunday in Newport, Oregon.

The fourth annual Seattle Beer Week continues through Sunday in Seattle, Washington.

The 2012 Maui Brewers Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Kahului, Hawaii.

The third annual Vancouver Beer Week will be Friday through May 26 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The Weekend Beer Festival Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

*******************************************************************************************************

American Craft Beer Week takes place across the United States from Monday through May 20.

Hogs & Hops will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 11^th annual Dunwoody Beer Festival will be Saturday in Dunwoody, Georgia.

The fourth annual Rocket City Brewfest will be Friday and Saturday in Huntsville, Alabama.

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival will be Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The second annual North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival will be Saturday in Huntersville, North Carolina.

The fourth annual Gastonia Grizzlies Beer Fest will be Saturday in Gastonia, North Carolina.

The Virginia Hops & Barley Festival will be Saturday in Powhatan, Virginia.

The Garden State Brewfest will be Saturday in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

The second annual Long Island Craft Beer Week will be Friday to May 20 on Long Island, New York.

The Maryland Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Frederick, Maryland.

Frederick Beer Week will be Saturday through May 19 in Frederick County, Maryland.

Brewfest at the Beach will be Friday in New London, Connecticut.

South Shore, Cape & Islands Beer Week will be Saturday through May 19 at various locations throughout the South Shore of Boston, Cape Cod, and the islands, Massachusetts.

Stoudt’s Brewing Anniversary Party will be Friday in Adamstown, Pennsylvania.

The 21^st annual Microbrew Festival will be Saturday in Adamstown, Pennsylvania.

The second annual Washington Crossing Brewfest will be Saturday in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.

The 2012 Pints for Pets Brewfest will be Saturday in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The fourth annual BrewFest at Mount Hope will be Saturday in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

The second annual Cleveland International Beer Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ashley’s Michigan Cask Ale Festival will be Saturday in Westland, Michigan.

Top of the Hops – Racine will be Saturday in Racine, Wisconsin.

The Rochester Craft Beer Expo will be Saturday in Rochester, Minnesota.

The second annual Colorado Beer Week will be Saturday through May 19 at various locations throughout Colorado.

The second annual North Texas Beer Festival will be Saturday in Irving, Texas.

San Antonio Beer Week will be Saturday through May 20 in San Antonio, Texas.

The fourth annual Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, Salsa, and Beer Tasting will be Saturday in Petaluma, California.

The 16^th annual Legendary Boonville Beer Festival will be Saturday in Boonville, California.

The Los Angeles Vegan Beer & Food Festival will be Saturday in West Hollywood, California.

The inaugural Buellton Brew Fest will be Saturday in Buellton, California.

The 10^th annual Sasquatch Brew Fest will be Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.

The seventh annual Fred Fest will be Sunday in Portland, Oregon.

The fourth annual Seattle Beer Week will be Saturday through May 20 in Seattle, Washington.

The 16^th annual UnTapped Blues and Brews Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Kennewick, Washington.

THE CONTEST IS CLOSED. Congratulations to Sean, whose comment was randomly chosen as the winner. Thanks to everyone else for your comments! Stay tuned for the next giveaway.

If you live near Northeast Ohio or are planning a Road Trip for Beer  to Cleveland on Friday or Saturday, May 11-12, 2012, we have  a giveaway that might make the weekend a little sweeter.

The organizers of the second annual International Beer Fest at Cleveland’s I-X Center have made available a pair of tickets to one of the three tasting sessions.

Here’s what you need to do to enter:

(IMPORTANT: If you use the Facebook comment feature, you MUST include your email address. That’s how we’ll be contacting you if you win).

Leave a comment below telling us which beer or brewery you are most looking forward to at the festival.

And here are some ways to garner additional entries.

• Follow @roadtrips4beer on Twitter, and leave a separate comment below that says you did so. If you’re already a follower, leave a comment saying so. (one additional entry).
• “Like” the Road Trips for Beer Facebook page, and leave a separate comment below that says you did so. If you’re already a liker, leave a comment saying so. (one additional entry).

IMPORTANT: There are TWO ways to comment on this post: You can use the Facebook comment feature or the “Leave a comment!” box at the very bottom. If you use the Facebook feature, you MUST include your email address so I can contact you right away. Failure to do so will invalidate the entry.

If you are not comfortable posting your email address publicly, please use the “Leave a comment!” feature and enter it there so your email will not be published.

Of course, you must be 21 to win and you may be asked to prove it.

A winner will be chosen randomly on using the Random.org service Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 1 p.m.  The winner’s tickets will be emailed by the organizers.

Good luck!

If you don’t win, here’s the schedule and pricing info. It’s a great festival. Check out our review of last year’s fest.

Tasting Sessions:

Session 1 — Friday, May 11 from 7-11 p.m.

Session 2 — Saturday, May 12 from 1-5 p.m.

Session 3 — Saturday, May 12 from 7-11 p.m.

Pricing:

Single-Session General Admission

(Choose from Session 1, 2, or 3): $45

Single-Session “VIP exBEERience”

(Choose from Session 1, 2, or 3): $75

ALL-Session General Admission

(Includes ALL 3 Sessions): $120

ALL-Session “VIP exBEERience”

(Includes ALL 3 Sessions): $200

Designated Driver Ticket – excludes alcohol sampling

(Choose Session 1, 2, OR 3): $10

To maximize the VIP exBEERience, only a limited number of tickets are available.

General Admission Ticket includes:

Admission to selected session(s)

36 tasting tickets good for 2-ounce pours each

Commemorative tasting cup

Access to all public special appearances, demonstrations and educational programming

Festival program

VIP exBEERience Admission Ticket includes:

ALL benefits of General Admission PLUS….

6 additional tasting tickets good for 2-ounce pours each

Commemorative T-Shirt

Access to VIP Brewers Lounge to enjoy select rare and/or limited edition beers

Exclusive programming

Opportunity to meet and mingle with prominent Brewers

Complimentary hors d’oeurves and food pairings

Note:  A previous version of this post had an incorrect date for the end of the contest.

The Weekend Beer Festival Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

***************************************************************************************************************

The Big Brew Beer Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Somerset, New Jersey.

The fifth annual Beer Fest at the Ballpark will be Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The second annual May Day Beer Festival will be Saturday in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The second annual Madison Craft Beer Week will be Friday to May 13 in Madison, Wisconsin.

The inaugural Craft Brews & Chicago Blues Festival will be Saturday in St. Charles, Illinois.

The second annual St. Louis Microfest will be Friday and Saturday in St. Louis, Missouri.

The 2012 Fayetteville Foam Fest will be Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The 12^th annual Craft Brewers Conference  continues through Saturday in San Diego, California.

MikroBierFest Cinco de Drinko will be Saturday in Bishop, California.

The fourth annual Orange County Beer Festival will be Saturday in Silverado, California.

The second annual Eugene Beer Week will be Monday through May 13 in Eugene, Oregon.

The inaugural Cinco de Micro Brewfest will be Saturday in Salem, Oregon.

Every so often, a brewery or distributor is kind enough to send me a sample or two of their beers, or someone hands me one because they want to know what I think of it.

The problem is, this site focuses more on traveling to good beer rather than reviewing it.

So with this feature, I pass along a few basics about the brew, give you the brewer’s take on it, and then close my eyes and use my experience and imagination to write about where the beer might best be enjoyed. Seeing how this one is a spring seasonal, and spring’s halfway done, I thought I’d best get it out of the way.

Newcastle Founders’ Ale (4.8% ABV, Pale Ale)

Brewed by: Thomas Hardy Burtonwood Limited, Burtonwood, United Kingdom

What the Brewer Says: “Only one Limited Edition is special enough to bear the name Newcastle Founders’ Ale. The name, like the star on its label, is a tribute to the heritage of the five founding brewers of Victorian-era Newcastle. Its nutty brown color, light-bodied flavor and malty dry, bitter finish will make you as proud of our heritage as we are.”

The Space and Time: You’re holed up in a hotel where you’ll be staying awhile on business, with nothing much planned for the weekends, somewhere in the United States. You read in the local newspaper that there will be an exhibition match that Saturday of a local club that participates in one of those

road trips for beer photos by Gerard Walen

weird British-type sports that you’ve never seen live – cricket, rugby, polo, “soccer.” Curiosity sets in. Arriving at the game, you order a beer – a Newcastle Founders’ Ale. Finding your seat under springtime sunshine, with a gentle wind carrying the sounds of the game on it, you take a sip. You finish it, order another, and the game actually starts making sense.

Fun Fact: The iconic five-point star on the label recognizes the five founding breweries of Newcastle, which Founders’ Ale celebrates. The label on the back says, “To Our Fivefathers.”

Where You Can Find It: Nationwide.

The Weekend Beer Festival Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

****************************************************

Cajun Café on the Bayou Spring Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Pinellas Park, Florida.

The third annual Brew at the Zoo will be Saturday in Miami, Florida.

The inaugural Brew on the Bay will be Saturday in Key Largo, Florida.

The 19th annual Folio Weekly Beer & Music Festival will be Friday in Jacksonville, Florida.

The inaugural Lake Lanier Islands Music and Beer Fest will be Saturday in Lake Lanier Islands, Georgia.

The Best Firkin Beer Festival will be Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina.

The Bacon Ball will be Friday in Louisville, Kentucky.

TAP New York will be Saturday and Sunday in Hunter, New York.

The inaugural Newport Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Newport, Rhode Island.

The inaugural Maryland Drafts and Laughs will be Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Bacon & Beer Festival will be Saturday in Boston, Massachusetts.

The 11^th annual Brewski Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania.

McCoole’s Beer Festival will be Saturday in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

PA Flavor: The Ultimate Beer and Food Pairing will be Saturday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The 14^th annual Manayunk Brew Fest Extravaganza will be Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Beer on the Vine Fest will be Friday in Madison, Ohio.

Dark Lord Day will be Saturday in Munster, Indiana.

The second annual WIDR Sliders & Brew will be Sunday in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The 10^th annual Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival will be Saturday in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The fourth annual Casanova Beer Cave Fest will be Saturday in Hudson, Wisconsin.

Hodag Hops & Vines will be Saturday in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

The Texas Beer Fest will be Saturday in Houston, Texas.

The San Francisco International Beer Festival will be Saturday in San Francisco, California.

The eighth annual Oregon Garden Brewfest will be Friday and Saturday in Silverton, Oregon.

Road Trips for Beer come in all types. Some folks will book a night or two in their favorite beer town. Others plan their vacations around breweries, festivals and other beer goodness. But few chuck most of their possessions and move into an RV so they can visit great beer destinations across the country.

From left, Gerard Walen, Maria Scarpello, Bob Lorber and Brian Devine

The couple behind TheRoamingPint.com have been doing just that for nearly two years and blogging about their adventures along the way.

Road Trips for Beer caught up with Brian Devine and Maria Scarpello at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida, joined them on the tour (third best in the country, according to legendary tour guide and funny-hat wearer Bob Lorber) and enjoyed a few pints with them afterward.

You can learn all about them on their well-designed website, which includes an FAQ section as well as a map of their journeys (Cigar City was their 181st brewery visit). The site also features interviews of fellow beer travelers, including one with Road Trips for Beer editor Gerard Walen.

Be sure to follow their adventures on Facebook and Twitter, as well.

Brian and Maria were kind enough to let Gerard film a video tour of their 29-foot motor home named “Stanley,” where he met their traveling companions Ernie, a black lab/terrier mix, and Buddha, an English Bulldog. Be sure to watch it through to the end, where they discuss how they deal with their on-the-road spats.

It’s great relationship advice!

You also might enjoy this post on my Beer in Florida blog: The Lighter Side of: Cigar City Brewing Tour.

The Weekend Beer Festival Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

***************************************************

The Old School Beer Fest will be Saturday in Delray Beach, Florida.

The SweetWater 420 Fest will be Friday to Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 10^th annual Hickory Hops Brew Festival will be Saturday in Hickory, North Carolina.

The third annual Memphis Brewfest will be Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee.

The inaugural Brew-Woo Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The 20^th annual Peoria International Beer Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Peoria, Illinois.

The third annual Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival will be Saturday in Tinley Park, Illinois.

The third annual The Big Tap In Real Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Youngstown, Ohio.

Milwaukee Beer Week will be Friday through April 27 at various locations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The fifth annual Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival will be Saturday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The third annual Milwaukee’s Taste of Great Brewers will be Friday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The ninth annual Microbrew Festival will be Saturday in Parkville, Missouri.

The fourth annual A Night at the Brew-seum will be Saturday in McAllen, Texas.

The second annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer will be Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Bay Area Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Martinez, California.

The second annual San Clemente Micro-Brew Festival will be Saturday in San Clemente, California.

The third annual Stone Oakquinox will be Sunday in Escondido, California.

The sixth annual Leavenworth Ale-Fest will be Saturday in Leavenworth, Washington.

Wanted to share this cool graphic from FrugalDad.com.

I can’t testify to the accuracy, but it seems to match up with what I know, and it is well-sourced.

Source: FrugalDad.com

Every so often, a brewery or distributor is kind enough to send me a sample or two of their beers, or someone hands me one because they want to know what I think of it.

The problem is, this site focuses more on traveling to good beer than reviewing it.

So with this feature, I pass along a few basics about the brew, give you the brewer’s take on it, and then close my eyes and use my experience and imagination to write about where the beer might best be enjoyed.

Beer: Parabola Imperial Stout 2011 (13% ABV)

Brewed by: Firestone Walker, Paso Robles, California.

What the Brewer Says: Parabola ends up being as thick as any beer on the planet with a luscious aroma and taste that are only amplified as it warms up. This beer features bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor. Parabola is best enjoyed in moderation and is a perfect beer to pair with those chocolate dessert favs.

The Space and Time: The least mathematical definition of a parabola is “a curve that is similar in shape to the rising and falling path of an object that is thrown in the air.” You cradle this bottle, though, carefully cocooning it until you arrive at your destination lest any damage occur to the precious elixir inside. You greet your friends at the bottle sharing get-together, ooh and ahh over the fine and exotic ales they have brought to taste in camaraderie. Then you pull out the Parabola. A hush descends. Smiles grow. The only decision left? Open it first, or save it for last. Either way, you win.

Fun Fact: The bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout takes twice as long to brew as any other beer that Firestone makes, not counting the time that it spends in bourbon barrels. Parabola requires twice as much malt to yield half the volume of each brewhouse cycle compared with other Firestone Walker beers. The brewers are forced to manually stir the two-ton mash to avoid scorching.

Where You Can Find It: On tap at the brewery or in a few select locations in California, while it lasts. If you know somebody who knows somebody, kegs are shipped to bars and restaurants in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Missouri, Chicago, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Only 3,500 cases of the 22 oz. bottles were released in 2011. They went quickly. The 2012 Parabola release will be in May.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

*************************************************

The Hogtown Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Gainesville, Florida.

The 17^th annual Classic City Brew Fest will be Sunday in Athens, Georgia.

World Beer Festival will be Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Thirsty Orange Brew Extravaganza will be Saturday in Johnson City, Tennessee.

The New England Real Ale Exhibition will be Wednesday to Saturday in Somerville, Massachusetts.

The 13^th annual Boston Beer Summit will be Friday and Saturday in Boston, Massachusetts.

The inaugural Electric City Craft BrewFest will be Sunday in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The sixth annual Erie Micro Brew Festival will be Saturday in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Friday the Firkinteenth will be Friday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Taming of the Brew will be Saturday in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

The 15^th annual Gitchee Gumee Brewfest will be Saturday in Superior, Wisconsin.

The inaugural Red Wing Wings & Brew Fest will be Saturday in Red Wing, Minnesota.

The second annual Blue Chip Brewfest will be Saturday in Michigan City, Indiana.

The Repeal of Prohibition Beer Festival will be Saturday in Maplewood, Missouri.

The Big Texas Beer Fest will be Saturday in Dallas, Texas.

The sixth annual Spring Breckenridge Beer Festival will be Saturday in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The sixth annual Montana Beer Fest will be Friday in Bozeman, Montana.

The 15^th annual Pizza Port Real Ale Festival will be Saturday in Carlsbad, California.

The 17^th annual Okanagan Fest-of-Ale will be Friday and Saturday in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada.

Story and photos by Leah Arluk, correspondent

Broward-Palm Beach New Times, an alternative newspaper in South Florida, puts on a beer festival every year.  Since this was the 15th year of the event, New Times decided to change up the Fort Lauderdale event a little bit. These changes were very welcome to those in the local craft beer community, such as me.

For many of the years that this event has gone on most of the beers were, for lack of a better term, crap. Most of us in the craft beer community look to local breweries for better quality products, unique flavor combinations and small-batch goodness .

This year’s New Times Beerfest really started to get it right by featuring some fantastic local breweries such as Cigar City, Holy Mackerel, and Misfits Home Brewers.  Some of the other notable craft breweries were Oskar Blues and Avery.

There was also a live broadcast of “By The Glass Show” from 7-9 where they interviewed one of the members of Misfits Home-Brewers about their unique array of beers. In my opinion, the Misfits had some of the most phenomenal beers of the whole event. My personal favorites were their Bust A Nut (peanut) Porter, Wheat-R-Melon (watermelon) Ale and Choco-Coco brown ale. Misfits also took top honors for their Buddha Sweat American Stout.

The beer fest’s other improvements – a new venue, entertainment, and such – seemed to work also. The parking for the new venue was much easier this year, and much cheaper. I heard fewer complaints from people this year.

The booths had much better line flow compared to other years too.  This year the beer was very plentiful as opposed to other years, when the beer ran out before the event was over.

This year the beer fest was held earlier in the year, so the weather was great but the entertainment factor was there too.  The Dirty Dozen Brass Band performed as the headliners,  and several big screens showing the Final Four games to appease the hoops fans in attendance.

Also present were the Miami Heat Dancers and Burnie the Heat Mascot.

All in all, this was by far the best incarnation of the New Times Beerfest that I’ve attended. Great value for the cost of the tickets, and I can only hope in the coming years they will feature some more local beers from Due South, Tequesta and Funky Buddha Brewery.

Good job, New Times, good job!

Leah blogs at http://beahbunnie.wordpress.com. You can follow her on Twitter,  too.

Asheville, North Carolina, with its gorgeous mountain backdrop, funky downtown and thriving craft beer scene officially scored a brewery coup – its second this year. During a ceremony presided over by North Carolina Gov. Bev Purdue, it was announced today that New Belgium Brewing Co. has chosen Asheville as the site where the Fort Collins, Colorado, brewery will build its second brewing facility.

According to a story written by Dale Neal and posted on the Asheville Citizen Times website:

New Belgium Brewing Co. picked Asheville over a list of competitors, including Philadelphia, to build its East Coast brewery, drawn as much by Asheville’s bike paths and greenways as the city’s growing craft beer scene.

The Fort Collins, Colo., company ranks as the nation’s third-largest craft brewer. It will invest $175 million over the next seven years, bringing 154 jobs to a brewery to be built on the site of the former WNC Livestock Market on Craven Street.

New Belgium Brewing Co. picked Asheville over a list of competitors, including Philadelphia, to build its East Coast brewery, drawn as much by Asheville’s bikepaths and greenways as the city’s growing craft beer scene.

The Fort Collins, Colo., company ranks as the nation’s third-largest craft brewer. It will invest $175 million over the next seven years, bringing 154 jobs to a brewery to be built on the site of the former WNC Livestock Market on Craven Street.

Another renowned West Coast craft brewery, Chico, California-based Sierra Nevada, announced in January that it will build its second brewery in Asheville, which has won the title of “BeerCity USA” as the result of an online poll for the past three years.

With those two major regional breweries joining at least 10 other smaller breweries in Asheville, the North Carolina town of about 85,000 residents becomes an even more premier destination to put on a Road Trips for Beer itinerary.

Here is the official press release from New Belgium:

(Fort Collins, CO) – New Belgium Brewing announced today that Asheville, NC has been selected as the new location for a second brewery. The 400,000-barrel brewery and packaging facility will provide New Belgium with additional capacity allowing the Colorado-based brewer to expand into new areas of distribution. Upon completion in 2015, the facility will initially create 50 new jobs in the Asheville area with more than 100 positions expected at full buildout.

“After several years of searching, we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville,” said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium. “From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we’ve been looking for in a location for our second brewery.”

The 17.5-acre site located in the heart of the River Arts District will accommodate the 150,000 sq. ft. facility. The brewery will feature a 200-barrel brewing system, a tasting facility, and a process wastewater treatment center on-site. Tours will be available to the public. Total cost projections are over $100 million.

“Today’s announcement by New Belgium will enhance the craft brewery cluster that is growing in North Carolina,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “The jobs and investment the company is committing will be a major boon for the region and for the state.”

Construction is expected to begin in early 2013 with beer rolling off the line in early 2015.

This a link to a fact sheet about New Belgium’s Asheville brewery plans.

Story and photos by Tonya Vots, correspondent

The 2012 edition of the Suwanee Beer Fest featured more than 200 brews, attracted 5,000 people and was a winner for a second year.  The first edition of this festival was held a mere eight months ago, on an unbelievably sweltering day. Post fest, patrons heaped compliments on the organizers but begged for either an earlier or later date so the day might be more enjoyable. The organizers listened and went above and beyond to enrich this beer fest experience.

On March 31, The Suwanee Beer Festival returned to uber-manicured Town Center Park in Suwanee, Georgia.  Surrounded by music from the amphitheater, a slight spring breeze under semi-overcast skies and temperatures in the mid-70s kicked off the fest around noon.

More breweries were added to the list and naturally, that meant more craft beer. All the local favorites were present:  Sweetwater, Terrapin, Jailhouse, Wild Heaven, and Red Brick. Local breweries new to the festival and well received were Monday Night Brewing, Red Hare Brewing and O’Dempsey’s.  A wide assortment of beer styles covered everything from lighter lagers to high-gravity stouts.  Breweries newly distributing in Georgia enjoyed serving their products to eager audiences. These included Crown Valley, Cricket Hill, Ass Kisser, Lazy Magnolia, and Penn Brewing.

The new and improved VIP area offered cask-conditioned beer, vintage and specialty brews, and sported a buffet catered by local restaurants. VIP ticket holders were granted early access for an hour of unhindered sampling.  When the gates opened for regular ticket holders, lines had formed. While lines were long to get in the park, this came in part because there were twice the number of attendees from last year.

This year’s fest organization and layout made better use of the park space available. Brewery tents were placed on the wide bricked sidewalk, creating a better beer-tasting and socializing experience by spreading out sampling stations and alleviating crowding in any given spot.  This helped avoid muddy spots underneath and around serving tables which plagued crowded serving tents last year.

Organizers were pleased with the turnout and fluid operation of the fest.

“We felt it went great and everyone had a good time,” said Randal Vuegeler, who with his wife, Angela, owns and runs Vuegeler Design Group, which sponsors the fest. “We had a huge selection of beer, great music, attracted people from all over the Southeast and were fortunate to have amazing weather. The Home Brew contest was a big hit as well.”

The homebrewing community had a definite presence.  Homebrew supply retailer The Brew Depot sponsored a homebrew contest that received dozens of entries and generated 64 winners.

Sponsored by Veugeler Design and The Beer Growler, the festival’s proceeds will benefit Kingdom Kids, an organization that helps local families and children dealing with illnesses and diseases.

Disclaimer: Admission tickets for the festival were provided to Road Trips for Beer, but did not affect the opinions of the writer.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

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The Jax Beer Week Grand Tasting will be Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

The third annual White County Cork & Keg Festival will be Saturday in Helen, Georgia.

The Star City Volunteer Fire Department Brewfest will be Friday and Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia.

The third annual Glens Fall Brewfest will be Saturday in Glens Fall, New York.

The inaugural Missouri Beer Festival will be Saturday in Columbia, Missouri.

The inaugural Spring Ale Fest will be Saturday in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The CityBeat Festival of Beers will be Saturday in San Diego, California.

The fourth annual LA Beer Festival will be Saturday in Los Angeles, California.

The 18^th annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Portland, Oregon.

In May 2011, a beer festival debuted that in a few years could become a Midwestern rival to the Great American Beer Festival.

It’s in Cleveland, and last year’s festival proved such a success that they’re doing it again.

The Cleveland International Beer Festival made a big splash during three sessions over two days at the Ohio city’s cavernous I-X Center, with more than 200 breweries from around the world pouring more than 800 beers.

Some of the notable breweries were 21^st Amendment, Bear Republic and Pizza Port out of California; Brewery Ommegang from New York; a slew of Belgian brewers including Brouwerij Liefmans, Brouwerij Van Eecke and Du Bocq Brewery; and local favorites Great Lakes Brewing Co., Fat Heads Brewery, Willoughby Brewing and Hoppin’ Frog Brewery.

The festival included a beer competition sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program, presentations by some of the most illustrious names in craft beer culture, live music and plenty of brews to sample. Here’s a list of the beer competition winners.

Some highlights from the 2011 Cleveland International Beer Festival.

• Presentations by Chris Staten, beer editor of DRAFT Magazine; John Palmer, author of “How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time”; Chris White of White Labs ; and others.
• Cooking demos by John Schlimm, author of “The Ultimate Beer Lovers Cookbook”; Lucy Saunders, author of “Cooking with Beer” and other beer-and-food related books; and chefs from local establishments such as The Greenhouse Tavern and Thirsty Dog Brewing Company.
• “Brew U,” with educational sessions on such subjects as “Intro to Homebrewing,”  “Living Beer: The Story Behind the Cask Conditioned Ale,” “Sustainable Brewing” and more.
• Special tasting pours in the VIP Lounge featuring such brewers as Chris Reilly from Weyerbacher, and Fred Karm from Hoppin’ Frog and representatives from breweries including Sierra Nevada and Ithaca Beer Co.
• Meet & Greet sessions in the festival store with authors.

Fred Karm of Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron, Ohio, infuses B.O.R.I.S the Crusher Imperial Stout through coffee beans.

An especially nice feature was the Real Ale Bar. The bar featured samples of cask ales, some one-offs and special blends, that were rotated throughout the weekend on the hand-pull beer engines.

Pouring from the casks at the Real Ale Bar.

Click here to see the complete list of brews poured at last year’s festival.

More than 8,500 beer fans attended the 2011 festival, but with the three sessions, large number of booths and plenty of room to move around, the venue never felt crowded and waits were never too long.

Festival organizers faced a bit of controversy shortly before the festival last year, when the state of Ohio  at nearly the last minute decreed that planned unlimited tastings could not happen, and attendees were instead given 30 tasting tickets (40 for those who purchased VIP entrance). Though there was grumbling on the fest’s Facebook page, organizers offered refunds to those not happy with the new limitations. There were some takers, but I don’t recall hearing any at the festival complaining that they did not get their money’s worth.

Most creative use of extra drink tickets.

There were a few other critiques after the festival, the main one being that many of the volunteer pourers at the tasting tables did not have much knowledge of the beers or breweries. The organizers listened to the critiques, and said they would try to improve the experience this year.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2012 International Beer Festival, which will be held May 11-12. Prices start at $45 for a one-session, general admission ticket, and $75 for a one-session, VIP ExBEERience ticket, which allows admission to the VIP Brewers Lounge, among other perks. Discounted admission for designated drivers is available. Click here for more information.

Hotel packages are also available with shuttle service to the I-X Center.

I stayed at the Cleveland Airport Marriott, a very nice hotel with the world-class AMP 150 restaurant and lounge that boasts an impressive list of bottled beers. The lounge area also offered a nice “after-party” experience where you can rub shoulders with brewers and brewery representatives.

Stayed tuned to the festival’s website and Facebook page for more details.

Here’s a link to more photos of the 2011 festival and below is a video the organizers produced, in which your humble road-tripping editor makes a cameo appearance.

Disclaimer: The Cleveland I-X Center provided us with a media pass for the 2011 Cleveland International Beer Festival, and the Positively Cleveland CVB provided air transportation and lodging. All opinions expressed in the post are genuine.

One of the cool things about this website is that we are contacted by folks all across the country who want us to know about their festivals, new beer releases and their breweries. We do what we can to pass on the information, either here or through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

But the neatest thing about it is learning about brewers doing amazing things out of the spotlight that shines on the big national craft brewers. Such is the case with Brian Lonberg, head brewer at Barley John’s Brew Pub in New Brighton, Minnesota, just a little north of Minneapolis-St. Paul. He contacted us a while back about being profiled in our occasional Featured Brewer series.

Though we haven’t tasted any of the brewery’s creations, the tap list speaks of creativity, and the reviewers at BeerAdvocate.com give Barley John’s an overall “excellent” rating of 91. And embracing renewable resources, the brewery currently is installing a solar panel array to power the production process.

Here’s the interview.

Name: Brian Lonberg.

Age: 30.

Where you live: St. Paul, Minnesota.

Family: My new wife, Rachel, and our two cats, Jaffe and Aesop.

Day job: Brewer.

Online (Twitter, blog, facebook, etc.): Our website is: www.barleyjohns.com – but I update our Facebook page more frequently: www.facebook.com/BarleyJohns – we also have a Twitter handle: @BarleyJohns.

Any other personal stuff you’d like to add?

Life is a crooked road. I got my BA from the U of Iowa. I didn’t know what I should do after I graduated so I studied abroad in Germany – before that I hated beer! After that I still didn’t know what I wanted to do when I grew up, so I enrolled in culinary school (I’ve had jobs in the food industry since I was in high school, and love to cook at home). I started homebrewing as an extension of my culinary creativity while I was at Le Cordon Bleu. After moving around and working in some pretty great kitchens, and after a stint at a gastropub in Seattle where the owner was good enough to let me be cellarman as well as sous, I ended up wanting to hone my brewing chops, and that leads me to where I am today.

How long have you been brewing?

Homebrewing seven years, professionally nine months

Did you start by homebrewing?

Absolutely. I was a cook before I was a chef. I think it is natural training wheels.

What is your “brewing philosophy”?

Beer is a science and an art.

The science is all about research, practice and patience. Everything you read gives you a little better understanding on how you can and do affect your beer – temperatures, sanitation, grain selection, boil length, yeast selection, etc. Practicing your steps to ensure you’re doing the same things at the same times and in the same ways so you can (hopefully) get the same results. And patience (one I really had to force myself to learn) to not rush those things that can’t/shouldn’t be rushed. You’ll regret it a lot longer than the time it saved you (or worse yet, you’ll regret it later, and you’ll spend three times longer doing it because you rushed it in the first minutes).

The art is something else. Reading is still key. Read a lot about what other people do, and what other people expect from you. You can’t do proper innovation and improvisation until you understand who you’re riffing off. But the fun research here is in the drinking! Try all the beers you can. After that, use your practiced skills and knowledge and throw in a little imagination and see what you get. The more you experiment the more you learn. Using ingredients is the only way you’re going to know how they work, taste, and react to you, your beer, and your system. You can’t get better if you don’t take a risk. Risks don’t always pay out, but when they do it can be something really special, and possibly unexpected. Trust yourself, but have good reason to do so.

What kind of brewing setup do you have/work with?

We have a 4 bbl system: mashtun/kettle combo, lauter tun, whirlpool, and a 1 bbl cereal cooker. We have a pair of 8 bbl primary fermenters and an 8 bbl milk tank we use as a fermenter, two similarly-sized bright tanks, and eight 200 gallon service vessels.

How much of your brews are “from scratch”? (Do you grow your own hops or grains, yeast cultures, etc.?)

We culture our own house yeast. When we get special yeasts in for seasonal,  I try my best to get at least two batches out of the strain. We also grow some hops along our patio fence. 2/3 are Cascade and 1/3 are East Kent Goldings stock. They yield enough to dry hop our Winter Ale. We also grow a lot of the vegetables/peppers/herbs we use in the restaurant during the warmer months.

What is your biggest brewing triumph?

I am still humbled by the trust the owner and former head brewer had in me, and all the freedom that I’m given in my work. I submitted an unsolicited resume after moving back to Minnesota from New York, and it just so happened Barley John’s was looking for an assistant brewer, but didn’t have the hours to support a full time employee. They also needed some kitchen help. I was talking to the right people at the right time. I worked in the kitchen a day or two a week, and was in the brew house the other three or four days. I asked a lot of questions, got my hands dirty, volunteered to do as much as I could, and worked my way up. Less than three months later the then head brewer, Colin, started phasing himself out as he worked more and more on opening his own brewery in Duluth. I was offered the job of head brewer, and was thrilled with my great fortune. John (Moore), the owner, gives me so much freedom to not only brew his classic recipes, but to create my own seasonals and create cask beer offerings. I can’t imagine a better place for me to be.

Your biggest brewing failure?

Knock wood, I haven’t had a huge failure at the brewery. I did, however, just look at a beer I have going at home – a rhubarb lambic that’s been sitting for almost 11 months now. It moved with me from NYC in the carboy – well apparently since I checked on it last the fermenter lock went dry, and there’s a carpet of powdery white stuff on top. I’m pretty broken up about it.

What are you drinking right now (or just drank or getting ready to drink)?

I’m drinking my Kaffir Pale Ale. It is the first seasonal I did top to bottom, including writing the recipe for the big system at work. It is an American Pale Ale I brewed with fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves – in the boil, whirlpool, and dry hopped in secondary. I’m really pleased with how it turned out.

Besides your own brews, what are your favorite beers?

People have asked me, if I had only one beer to drink for the rest of my life, what would it be. Unequivocally I would have to say Orval. I’m also a huge fan of Haandbryggeriet, Elysian, Cantillon, Gulden Draak, A’Chouffe, Russian River, Southern Tier, New Belgian, Odell, and my local favorite would probably be either Rush River or Town Hall.

What are your goals for your brewing?

Years from now I would love to open my own place where I can use my skills both as chef and as brewer. I really like Elysian’s model of having several pubs, each with their own feel, and distributing to a small geographical area.

What is the most important piece of advice you can offer someone who is thinking about becoming a brewer?

Don’t be afraid to work hard, work for free, ask a lot of questions, and keep on people to give you a chance to be in their world. Back when I was a sous chef in Seattle I contacted just about every brewery in town before Shawn at Lazy Boy Brewing Company in Everett allowed me to hang out and lend a hand. I got paid in pints of his absolutely amazing porter, and spent most of my time washing kegs, cleaning the floor or lugging grain. It wasn’t prestige work, but it was fun, and it got my foot in the door.

What has been the most useful resource for your brewing (book, website, store, mentor, etc.)?

Professionally, Colin, my predecessor. He guided me in my first steps from homebrewer to professional brewer. As far as books go, Homebrewer’s Companion is how I got my start. Other books I like: Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation, Brew Like a Monk, The Homebrewer’s Garden, and the Classic Beer Style Series. Websites I love include: hopville.com (they have a great calculator for writing your own homebrew recipes), bjcp.com, probrewer.com, and mncraftbrew.com.

If someone is planning a Road Trip for Beer to your area, what “don’t miss” spots would you recommend?

I am lucky enough to live in stumbling distance from the two best beer bars in the Twin Cities: The Muddy Pig and The Happy Gnome. Town Hall Brew Pub is great, as well. And of course I have to point you in the direction of Barley John’s. If you’re shopping I have a particular affinity for US Liquor and Wine in Hopkins (despite the name, they have possibly the largest selection of beer in the metro area) and the Ale Jail.

Anything else you want to add?

Beer is a serious thing that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Don’t be a snob just to be a snob, and don’t be rude to people who don’t have as “discerning” a palate as you think you do. Drink the good stuff, but more importantly, drink what you like. Do, however, keep a tasting journal. Mine has over 1,400 entries and growing.  You’ll never know what you like unless you keep your mind open and try everything you can. This philosophy doesn’t have to be limited to beer. Eat exotic food, experience foreign culture, experience the theater and live music, and get everything you can out of this short life you have to enjoy. Everything ties together.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly.

********************************************************

The 16^th annual Greater Gator Beer Festival will be Saturday in Gainesville, Florida.

The 15^th annual New Times Beerfest will be Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jax Beer Week will be Monday through April 7 at various locations throughout Jacksonville, Florida.

The second annual Suwannee American Craft Beer Fest will be Saturday in Suwannee, Georgia.

The fourth annual Myrtle Beach Beer Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Firkinstock Beer Festival will be Saturday in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The inaugural Nashville Beer Week continues through Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

The East Nashville Beer Festival will be Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

The third annual River City Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Celebration of the Suds: Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The second annual Beer for Beasts will be Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.

The inaugural Chicago Beer Festival will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The sixth annual Roar on the Shore Beer and Wine Festival will be Saturday in Kewaunee, Wisconsin.

The Austin Beer Fest will be Saturday in Austin, Texas.

The fifth annual Ballpark Beer Fest will be Saturday in Bryan, Texas.

Rock the Zoo will be Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona.

From the Barrel will be Friday in Santa Margarita, California.

Hop Scotch Spring Beer & Scotch Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

The Washington Cask Beer Festival will be Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

By Tonya Vots, correspondent

The inaugural Suwanee Beer Festival was one of the better events on the Metro Atlanta beer fest circuit last year. But in late July, the heat was almost unbearable and because of this, the learning curve steepened unexpectedly.  To preserve the future of the event, the organizers opened their ears, eyes, inboxes and Facebook to suggestions.

Returning this year with a new and improved festival, the Suwanee Beer Fest is slated for Saturday, March 31, 2012, at the Town Center Park in Suwanee, GA.  Gates open at 1 p.m. for all ticket holders.  Advance tickets are available online for $35, at the door the cost increases to $45 and designated drivers get in for $10.  This year’s festival is sponsored by Veugeler Design Group and The Beer Growler in addition to several other local contributors.

Moving the event to March allows the festival to offer spring seasonal brews and early bird summer seasonal releases. The spring date grants the fest an additional bonus of helping kick off the 2012 Atlanta beer fest season in style. Fest-goers will enjoy more seasonal temperatures, which will be conducive to sampling an assortment of the more than 250 different beers predicted to be served from 101 breweries. Live music will emanate from the park’s vast amphitheatre, and patrons will be able to select food and desserts from an assortment of food vendors or from the local culinary establishments that surround the park.

The website at www.suwaneebeerfest.com lists more than 75 breweries including locals Sweetwater Brewing, Red Brick Brewing, Red Hare Brewing, Terrapin Brewing, Jailhouse Brewing, Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Odempsey’s and Monday Night Brewing.  New to this year’s line-up will include Cigar City Brewing, Ass Kisser, Cricket Hill and Penn Brewery.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly.

**************************************************

Casks for a Cause will be Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

The East Orlando Beer Festival will be Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

The inaugural Pints N’ Paws Craft Brew Festival will be Saturday in Sanford, Florida.

New Orleans International Beer Festival will be Saturday in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Zapp’s International Beerfest will be Saturday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The third annual Charlotte Beer Week continues through Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Timonium, Maryland.

The fifth annual Yards Philadelphia Real Ale Invitational will be Sunday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Great American BBQ and Beer Festival will be Saturday in Chandler, Arizona.

The inaugural Palm Springs Craft Beer Conclave will be Saturday in Palm Springs, California.

The Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corp. Beer Fest will be Thursday and Friday in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

Ordinarily, I start this weekly feature with some boilerplate copy, but I noticed that the festival calendar for this weekend is a bit thin. I’m attributing this to St. Patrick’s Day falling on Saturday, meaning brewers and festival organizers are keeping it local.

So before we get to the forecast, here are links to some specific St. Paddy’s Day articles from around the web that might help you plan your weekend Road Trips for Beer.

• From TheFullPint.com, St. Patrick’s Day Craft Beer Roundup 2012.
• CraftBeer.com writes about Craft Beers to Enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day.
• In this story from wtop.com in Washington, D.C., Julia Herz of the Brewers Association offers suggestions on How to pair beer with food on St. Patrick’s Day.
• Brewtoonist Em Sauter re-posts her comic-strip-style review of Guinness with Gear up for St. Patty’s Day.
• Finally, a piece I wrote for the Yahoo Voices project. St. Patrick’s Day at Disney World: Best Places to Drink a Guinness.

If you know of any road trip-worthy St. Paddy’s Day events, feel free to add them in the comments.

Now, back to the boilerplate …

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

******************************

The Bold Beer Bash will be Thursday in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The third annual Charlotte Beer Week will be Thursday through March 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 17^th annual Fairfax Brewfest will be Saturday in Fairfax, California.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

***********************************************

Tampa Bay Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations in the Tampa Bay area, Florida.

Hunahpu’s Day will be Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

The inaugural Naples Craft Beer Fest will be Saturday in Naples, Florida.

Brew Your Cask Off will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The fourth annual Beertopia will be Saturday in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

The Heavy Seas Real Ale & BBQ Fest will be Saturday in Halethorpe, Maryland.

The sixth annual Spring Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Uniondale, New York.

The sixth annual Art of Beer will be Friday in Niagara Falls, New York.

Brewfest 2012 will be Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The third annual Brew-Ski Festival will be Saturday in Harbor Springs, Michigan.

The second annual Southern Michigan Beer Festival will be Saturday in Jackson, Michigan.

The 2012 FestivAle will be Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.

The SLO Extreme Beer Fest will be Saturday in San Luis Obispo, California.

The 17^th annual Kona Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

The Weekend Beer Forecast publishes each Wednesday to alert beer road trippers about beer festivals and other brew-related events during the upcoming weekend.

Click on the links to learn more.

If you would like your event to appear here, please e-mail the details to gerard@roadtripsforbeer.com.

As always, drink responsibly

*************************************************************

The Florida Brewers Guild Beerfest will be Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

Tampa Bay Beer Week will be Saturday through March 10 at various locations in the Tampa Bay area, Florida.

The City Link Boca BeerFest will be Friday in Boca Raton, Florida.

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The inaugural NYC American Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in New York City, New York.

The third annual Portsmouth Beer Week continues through Monday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The 2012 Kate the Great Release will be Monday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The sixth annual Philly Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The eighth annual Brewer’s Ball will be Saturday in Washington, D.C.

Bockfest 2012 will be Friday to Sunday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The sixth annual Glass City Beer Fest will be Friday in Toledo, Ohio.

The eighth annual Day of the Living Ales will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The fourth annual FestivAle will be Saturday in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Kansas Craft Brewers Exposition will be Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Mazer Cup International Mead Competition will be Friday and Saturday in Boulder, Colorado.

The 24^th annual Great Arizona Beer Festival will be Saturday in Tempe, Arizona.

The third annual Sacramento Beer Week continues through Saturday in Sacramento, California.

The Hard Liver Barleywine Fest will be Friday to Sunday in Seattle, Washington.

Walt Disney World touts itself as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” Millions of visitors each year to the sprawling theme park and resort property in Central Florida means that a lot of folks believe that.

But if you’re one of those millions and a reader of this site, there’s likely one question you’ll wonder about while you’re planning your trip: Where’s the beer?

If you have an iPhone, there’s now a simple way to answer that question. The Beers and Ears Walt Disney World Beer List offers a handy inventory of Disney World brews and where to find them.

You can read more about how it works here, but the developer of the app agreed to an interview with Road Trips for Beer to talk a bit about how the concept became reality.

Scott Oliver said the app developed from a group of Disney World fans who used Twitter to share pictures of the beer they were drinking while at the parks and resorts. They used the hashtag #beermouse. But between the 140-character Twitter limit and the growing list of Twitter handles , it became too unwieldy to maintain on that platform.

“This is when we decided to move it to a blog,” Oliver said, “I already had a server and plenty of space on it, so I put together a WordPress install for the group to use and Beers and Ears was born in December 2010.”

Originally, the site didn’t have a beer list, he said. It was just articles and pictures of beer at the theme parks.

“The first version of the beer list was all hand-written pages,” Oliver said. “It was a nightmare to manage.”

Having done some web development in college, the internet technology professional decided to make the list a bit more user-friendly.

“With the help of a WordPress plugin, we have been able to link up the beers and the locations and create a WDW Beer List that is fairly easy to maintain, and the list is over 160 beers long,” Oliver said. “We also have a beer list just for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival.”

The next step involved migrating the list to an iPhone app.

Because he lives in Houston with his wife and young children, and isn’t able to travel regularly to Disney World, Oliver enlisted the help of the others in the group to fine-tune the app.

“I made betas available to the rest of the Beers and Ears team, and a few even took the app to the parks on their trips to test out,” he said. “The app was written in my spare time, a couple hours at a time, so it took several months.”

The data is compiled through several sources such as online Disney World menus and reports from team members visiting the parks. The Beers and Ears team also encourages users of the app to report any changes or new finds via Twitter, emails or the “Contact Us!” button on the app, an important method for keeping it current.

“Most of us don’t live near enough to Walt Disney World to be there all the time, so we really appreciate the tips” Oliver said. “Also, whenever we make a change, it’s immediately updated on the site and the app; no need to download a new version of the app for updates to the actual beer list data.”

As far as the future, a 1.2 version of the app has been submitted to Apple for approval and should be available any day.

“We’re investigating the possibility of an Android app, but haven’t decided when that would happen,” Oliver said.

The free Beers and Ears Walt Disney World Beer List app can be previewed here and downloaded on your iPhone from the App Store.