Cheers!

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 continues through Sunday across the United States.

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

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

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

The second annual Red, White and Craft Brews Fest will be Saturday in Largo, Florida.

The 10^th annual East Atlanta Beer Fest will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

Charleston Beer Garden will be Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina.

The sixth annual Racks by the Tracks will be Saturday in Kingsport, Tennessee.

The Highlands Spring Beer Festival will be Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 12^th annual Virginia Beer Festival will be Saturday and Sunday in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Jersey Shore Beer Fest will be Saturday in Neptune, New Jersey.

The third annual Long Island Craft Beer Week continues through Sunday in Long Island, New York.

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

The 19^th annual Connecticut Craft Brewers’ Fest will be Saturday in Naugatuck, Connecticut.

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

The sixth annual Yardley Beer Fest will be Saturday in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

The Yorktoberfest Beer Garden at Taste of Pennsylvania will be Saturday in York, Pennsylvania.

The fourth annual Crown Beer Fest will be Saturday in Crown Point, Indiana.

Chicago Craft Beer Week will be Thursday through May 26 in Chicago, Illinois.

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

The 22^nd annual Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest will be Sunday in Chilton, Wisconsin.

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

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

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

The inaugural Houston Press Brewfest will be Saturday in Houston, Texas.

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

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

The third annual Nevada Beer Weeks will be Monday through June 1 in various cities throughout Nevada.

The West Coast Brew Fest will be Saturday in Sacramento, California.

The seventh annual Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Newport, Oregon.

Central Oregon Beer Week will be Monday through May 27 in and around Bend, Oregon.

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

So prepare to pace yourselves, and enjoy a celebration of what makes this nation a great place for a beer geek to live.

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 will be Monday through May 19 across the United States.

Hogs and Hops will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The inaugural Roswell Beer Festival will be Saturday in Roswell, Georgia.

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

The third annual North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival will be Saturday in Huntersville, North Carolina.

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

The third annual Virginia Hops & Barley Festival will be Saturday in Midlothian, Virginia.

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

The third annual Long Island Craft Beer Week will be Friday through May 19 in Long Island, New York.

The second annual South Shore, Cape & Islands Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations in eastern Massachusetts.

The third annual Rising Pint Brewfest will be Saturday in East Hartford, Connecticut.

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

The Frederick Beer Week Beerfest will be Saturday in Mount Airy, Maryland.

Frederick Beer Week will be Saturday through May 18 in Frederick, Maryland.

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

Stoudt’s Microbew Festival will be Saturday in Adamstown, Pennsylvania.

The third annual Washington Crossing Brewfest will be Saturday in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

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

The inaugural American Beer Classic will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The fourth annual North Texas Beer and Wine Festival will be Saturday in Las Colinas, Texas.

San Antonio Beer Week will be Sunday to May 21 in San Antonio, Texas.

The 16^th annual Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa and Beer Tasting will be Saturday in Petaluma, California.

The Visalia Craft Beer Fest will be Saturday in Visalia, California.

The inaugural Suisun City Waterfront Beer Festival will be Saturday in Suisun City, California.

The second annual Buellton Brew Fest will be Saturday in Buellton, California.

The third annual Eugene Beer Week continues through Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.

The 17^th annual Untapped Blues & Brews Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Kennewick, Washington.

The Gig Harbor Beer Festival will be Saturday in Gig Harbor, Washington.

What’s that you say? You’re not particularly interested in any of those scenarios? Then get your butt off the couch and set a course for one of these beer festivals going on this weekend. You’ll be glad you did.

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

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

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

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

Beer, Bowling & Burger Festival will be Friday in New York, New York.

The fourth annual Glen Falls Brewfest will be Saturday in Glen Falls, New York.

The second annual South Shore, Cape & Islands Beer Week will be Saturday through May 11 at various locations in eastern Massachusetts.

PA Flavor will be Saturday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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

Craft Brews & Chicago Blues will be Monday in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The third annual Madison Beer Week will be Friday through May 12 at various locations in Madison, Wisconsin.

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

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

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

The second annual Katy Wild West Brew Fest will be Saturday in Katy, Texas.

The inaugural South Denver Beer Festival will be Saturday and Sunday in Littleton, Colorado.

Albuquerque Blues and Brews will be Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The third annual Albuquerque Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 17^th annual Boonville Beer Festival will be Saturday in Boonville, California.

The 11^th annual Sasquatch Brew Fest will be Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.

The third annual Eugene Beer Week will be Saturday through May 11 in Eugene, Oregon.

The eighth annual FredFest will be Sunday in Portland, Oregon.

The ninth annual Calgary International Beerfest will be Friday and Saturday in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Photo courtesy of Nina Greipel Photography

We spent a couple of nights in Derby City recently, and with the 139^th running of the Kentucky Derby this weekend at Churchill Downs, we thought we’d share some tips for anyone taking a Road Trip for Beer to the Run for the Roses – or really any time of the year.

Breweries

Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse. Housed in the southeast corner of Louisville Slugger Field – home of the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds – the brewery boasts that it brews six entirely new beers each month in six categories to put on tap. As if that isn’t difficult enough, each bears a deliciously punny name. We ordered a flight of the six up in April: Wang Dong, We Spelt It Wrong, Golden Sower, Neo Sporran, Mad Maxwell Beyond Valuedome, and Pepperation H. The category names are self-explanatory: Hop, Smoke, Dark, Malt, Session and Whim. Though we didn’t eat there, the food we saw on other folks’ plates looked tempting.  401 E. Main St., 502-515-0174.

The chalkboard at Against the Grain.

Bluegrass Brewing Co. BBC, as locals know it (slogan: Beer is Food) started in 1993 with one location and now has three brewpubs in Louisville, in addition to its main production brewery at 636 E. Main St. I enjoyed a flight of beers at the brewery’s tasting room, which serves as almost a museum of historical Louisville breweriana, including plenty old signs, bottles and cans from Falls City Brewing Co. Falls City operated in Louisville from 1905 to 1978, and was recently revived. Try their best-selling Bourbon Barrel Stout, if it’s on tap. Multiple locations.

The tasting room at the Bluegrass Brewing Co. production brewery.

Falls City Brewing Co.  As mentioned above, Falls City was Louisville’s biggest brewery for decades, until it shut down and the naming rights were sold to Heileman Brewing Co. and later to Pittsburgh Brewing, which eventually discontinued production. In 2009, Louisville entrepreneur David Easterling bought the name to return the historic brew to its original roots. It has been contract brewed out of state, but just in time for the 2013 Kentucky Derby, the Falls City Tasting Room has opened in Louisville, where small and experimental batches will be brewed for the residents of the city where it all started. The tasting room opened after we visited, but we had a few of the brewery’s tasty offerings on taps at other establishments. We were especially fond of the Black IPA. 545 E. Barret Ave., 502-410-3508

The New Albanian Brewing Co. Though technically not in Louisville, the brewery is headquartered in New Albany, Indiana, right across the Ohio River. If there wasn’t a sign though, you wouldn’t know that you had crossed into another city, much less another state, which is why some call the region “Kentuckiana.” New Albanian operates two locations. We visited the Bank Street Brewhouse, but weren’t able to spend much time there because we had to go to a concert. The other location, which we were advised is the favorite of beer geeks because of a wider selection of bottles and guest taps, is the Pizzeria & Public House. Being short of time, we only tasted the Hoptimus Imperial IPA and the Naughty Girl Belgian Blonde Ale. Both were delicious, and we’ll have to schedule more time on our next visit. Brewhouse, 415 Bank St. New Albany, Indiana, 812-725-9585; Pizzeria & Public House, 3312 Plaza Drive, New Albany, Indiana, 812-944-2577.

Inside the New Albanian Bank Street Brewhouse.

Cumberland Brewing. We did not get a chance to visit this Louisville brewpub this trip, but the locals spoke highly of it. Hopheads should really love it because we heard they are not stingy with that key ingredient in their beers. Its menu seems to be standard pub fare.  1576 Bardstown Road, 502-458-8727.

Apocalypse Brew Works. Another brewery that we’ll have to put on the itinerary for our next visit, Apocalypse is proud of its eco-efforts, including its solar-heated water, grain re-use, and use of found and recycled material in building the brewery. In homage to its names, the beers on tap in the Fallout Shelter tasting room sport such monikers as Cream-ation, Fallout Dust, Atomic Dust and Black Plague Stout. It’s been open since May 2012. 1612 Mellwood Ave., 502-495-4843.

Restaurants and Pubs

These are the places we had a chance to visit during our stay.

Holy Grale. It’s housed in a 1905 former Unitarian Church and specializes in Belgian beer and American craft. The spacious outdoor seating area with a German beer garden feel provides a great place to meet with a group of friends for some brews and dinner from the seasonally inspired and locally provided menu of the “Choir Loft” kitchen. Note: They warn that if you’re seeking bourbon or wine, you will find none there. 1034 Bardstown Road, info@holygralelouisville.com.

The Silver Dollar. Bourbons – lots and lots of bourbons -are the focus at this funky pub built in an old firehouse, but beer geeks should be happy with the tap and bottle list as well. Though it stocks some hipster favorites, such as Stroh’s, Schlitz and Old Milwaukee, there are also offerings from craft breweries like Sixpoint, Avery, North Coast, Jolly Pumpkin, Pretty Things and many more. The appetizers and steak I had were pretty damn good, too. 1761 Frankfort Ave., 502-259-9540.

Gasthaus. Founded and run by the Greipel family since 1993, this is the real-deal German restaurant. The baked goods are divine and the mouth-watering entrees are prepared by a team led by Executive Chef Jean-Phillip Schmitt (born in France, raised on German and French cuisine). But the beer – THE BEER . We ordered a Reissdorf Kolsch from Privat-Brauerei Heinrich Reisdorf brewery in Cologne. Served in an authentic Kolsch glass. Fans of German beer shouldn’t miss this. 4812 Brownsboro Center, 502-899-7177.

The Monkey Wrench. This is the kind of place that we never would have found if not guided by a local. Great tap and bottle list, rooftop bar and live bluegrass. Nuff said. 1025 Barret Ave. 502-582-2433.

Sergio’s World Beers. This might be how we would envision beer geek heaven. Start at the front and work your way back. Each room you enter has myriad beers from all over the world on shelves for purchase. The selection of nearly 1,500 beers – not bottles, but beers – might overwhelm even the most knowledgeable among us. The 43 taps are constantly rotated. Of course, you can purchase a Schlitz. It’s $38 a bottle.  Most are much less expensive. Really … words … do not come. Mecca? 1605 Story Ave., 502-618-2337.

Please do not wake me from this dream!

We were only in Louisville for a couple of days, so please let us know in the comments section about any craft beer spots we neglected to mention.

If you have questions about Louisville or the Derby, you’ll likely find them answered on the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau site.

Also, that striking image of the Kentucky Derby race at the top was shot by local photographer Nina Griepel. Please do not reuse it without permission, but if you need a talented photographer for an event, you can contact her here.

A California company, Breathometer Inc., has developed a Breathalyzer device that will plug into a smartphone to measure the user’s blood alcohol content.

Drunken driving is, of course, a huge problem across the country, and we at Road Trips for Beer stress the importance of responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages. Designated drivers, hotel shuttles, or public transportation are always the best alternatives when attending events that feature alcohol.

But what about when you meet some friends at the pub and you down a few pints with your meal over a couple of hours? You feel OK to drive, but are you sure?

All states have established a level of 0.08 percent BAC, a line at which a driver is considered too intoxicated to drive. (Note: Some people call this the “legal limit,” but that’s a misnomer. You can be charged with driving under the influence if your BAC is below that limit if you show other signs of intoxication, combined the drinking with medication, or other situations).

BAC depends on a lot of factors: your weight, your gender, how much food is in your stomach and your individual metabolism. And if you don’t feel like you can safely drive, listen to your instinct.

Though there are online calculators and other portable Breathalyzer-type devices available, they all come with disclaimers that they are not to be considered accurate enough to pass a test administered by law enforcement.

So it will be interesting to test the accuracy of the Breathometer, and we hope to do just that. The company has promised to send us one ahead of the general release, and we’ll try to do a comparison testing with a device used by a local law enforcement agency. Stay tuned.

The suggested retail price will be around $40, but it has not be finalized.

In the meantime, the company has launched an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign that will let contributors get their hands on one of the devices before the general public, depending on the donation level. It’s reached its initial target, but the developers said they are shooting higher with these new goals:

• $100,000 – to add one-click calling to friends and local taxi companies.
• $150,000 – to help select four more Breathometer device colors.
• $200,000 – to add functionality that will help stop drunk texting when over the legal limit.

Hmm, that last one sounds like it could be very useful.

Here’s the release:

Breathometer Inc. announced it has created the world’s first smartphone Breathalyzer, Breathometer. The size of a typical car key, it plugs into a smartphone headphone jack and, together with a mobile app. transforms it into a Breathalyzer measuring blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

Survey Results and Need for Breathometer

The need and opportunity for a smartphone Breathalyzer is clear. Breathometer and SodaHead.com, the web’s largest opinion-based community, conducted a survey to determine drinking and driving habits and experiences. According to the survey:

• 64 percent of respondents indicated that either they have driven while intoxicated or have been in a car with a driver under the influence. This extremely high number confirms the need for Breathometer as millions of Americans are at risk every day.
• 67 percent of respondents know someone that has been involved in an accident involving someone under the influence, verifying that drunken driving has hit home for the majority of Americans.
• 80 percent of respondents know someone that has received a DUI or DWI.

“Breathometer wasn’t created just to address the risks associated with drinking and driving,” said Charles Michael Yim, founder and CEO of Breathometer, “but to help people, their friends and family, all to make smart and safer choices when consuming alcohol. Real time BAC measurement is the first step.”

Breathometer is both a device and mobile app that will transform iPhone and Android smartphones into a Breathalyzer. Breathometer provides options beyond informing users of their impaired state and plans to connect to local transportation services to quickly connect with a cab or taxi. Upon launch, Breathometer will be available at Breathometer.com, the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Breathometer will be FDA approved and is patent pending. It is ideal for anyone who enjoys even a casual drink, as just one drink can affect judgment or the ability to drive safely. The company will make Breathometer available in summer 2013, anticipating that the affordable price combined with a quality equivalent to current consumer BAC-testing devices will encourage widespread use and help grow the market for such devices.

“Breathometer is as much for a parent as it is for someone who ‘parties.’ Both want an easier way to be smart and safe – for themselves, as well as the people they care about,” Yim said.

Indiegogo Campaign

The company also launched an Indiegogo campaign, through which it hopes to secure final funding for the product and to allow customers to pre-order Breathometer. The campaign will feature a variety of pledge levels from $20 (for a Breathometer device) up to $500 (for a lifetime upgrade of all Breathometer products). Details on the Indiegogo campaign can be found here.

For more information or to sign up to be informed about the latest news regarding Breathometer, please visit www.breathometer.com.

Tip of the week: Many beer festivals donate some portion of their proceeds to local or national charities. If those charities have a booth where you can donate, be a sport and throw a few bucks into the bucket to help make this a better world.

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

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

Brew at the Zoo will be Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Lake Lanier Islands Music, Beach and Brew Fest will be Saturday in Lake Lanier Islands, Georgia.

The third annual Heritage Sandy Springs BeerFest will be Saturday in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

Brewgaloo will be Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

The third annual HOPS of Spring Beer Festival will be Saturday in Topsail, North Carolina.

North Carolina Beer Month continues throughout April at various locations in North Carolina.

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

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

Annapolis Beer Week continues through Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Blue Monkey Spring Beer Festival will be Saturday in Merchantville, New Jersey.

The TAP New York Craft Beer & Fine Food Festival will be Saturday and Sunday in Hunter, New York.

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

The 12^th annual Brewski Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania.

The 15^th annual Manayunk Brew Festival will be Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The second annual Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week continues through Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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

The Grove City Lions Club Spring Craft Beer Fest will be Saturday in Grove City, Ohio.

Dark Lord Day will be Saturday in Munster, Indiana.

The Edwardsville Spring Beer Festival will be Saturday in Edwardsville, Illinois.

The Ferguson Brewing Company Third Anniversary Brew Fest will be Saturday in Ferguson, Missouri.

The 11^th annual Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival will be Saturday in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

The Hodag Hops and Vines Beer and Wine Tasting will be Saturday in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

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

The 10^th annual Parkville Microbrew Fest will be Saturday in Parkville, Missouri.

The third annual Downtown Do the Brew will be Saturday in Hastings, Nebraska.

The 16^th annual Food & Foam Fest will be Friday in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The third annual Albuquerque Beer Week will be Thursday through May 4 at various locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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

The 30^th annual San Francisco International Beer Festival will be Saturday in San Francisco.

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

The fourth annual Mount Rainier Spring Wine Tasting & Brew Festival will be Saturday in Ashford, Washington.

The Edmonton International Beerfest will be Friday and Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Weather across the country remains unpredictable. Rain, snow, heat and cold are all on the map, but fortunately ideal spring weather prevails for most of us. This, of course, means sunny days so remember to slather on the sunscreen. We saw the consequences of not doing so on the pink faces of lovers who attended the Thirsty Orange Brew Extravaganza this past weekend in Johnson City, Tennessee. By the way, it was an excellent fest that you should pencil into your calendars for next year.

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

The 11^th annual Hickory Hops will be Saturday in Hickory, North Carolina.

North Carolina Beer Month continues throughout April at various locations in North Carolina.

The Chattanooga Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The 21^st annual Peoria International Beer Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Peoria, Illinois.

The seventh annual Erie Microbrew Festival will be Saturday in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The Electric City Craft Brew Fest will be Sunday in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The second annual Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week will be Friday through April 27 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Annapolis Beer Week will be Saturday through April 27 in Annapolis, Maryland.

The fourth annual Big Tap-In Real Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Boardman, Ohio.

The inaugural Belleville Ale Fest will be Saturday in Belleville, Illinois.

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

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

Fort Worth Untapped will be Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

The inaugural Springfest will be Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.

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

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

The third annual San Clemente Micro-Brew Fest will be Saturday in San Clemente, California.

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

Of course, unexpected things are not necessarily bad. In fact, they can be quite good. I’m currently on a road trip through some Southeast U.S. states that started out as a spring break adventure with my third-grader daughter, who is now safely delivered to her mother in Illinois. It’s now morphed into a Road Trip for Beer for the return journey.

In looking at my itinerary, which is still pretty flexible at this point, I discovered that I would be passing near Johnson City, Tennessee, on the weekend of the second annual Thirsty Orange Brew Extravaganza, taking place Saturday, April 13, 2013.

Organizer Aaron Carson has invited me to attend previous festivals in the area, including the annual Kingsport Oktoberfest, but I could never make it happen until now. When I realized I could do it this year, I contacted him and he kindly arranged lodging and VIP admission so I could attend.

But why am I so excited about this particular festival? A few reasons. I’ve never visited that corner of Tennessee and am eager to explore the area. The weather is expected to be perfect (though we know how that can go). Most importantly, this seems like the type of festival I enjoy the most – relatively small. It’s being held in the parking lot of the local Mellow Mushroom, a restaurant chain well-regarded for its craft-beer list and support of local beer scenes.

The brewery list features only those from the Southeast states, if you count Colorado stalwarts Oskar Blues, now producing from its new Brevard, North Carolina, brewery; and New Belgium, which is building an East Coast brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.

Otherwise, all the brewers are based in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and of course Tennessee.

Many of these will be new to me, and I’m looking forward to trying them – especially since I was invited to be a “celebrity judge” to choose the best beer there. (Which sounds easy, but I know from experience, it will be a tough decision).

Photo by Wiselyn Photography.

Other things you can expect include:

Beer Booth (Photobooth) - Everyone who purchases a ticket for General Admission will receive entry to the Beer Booth.  Get a free Souvenir photostrip while you take a picture in the Beer Booth. You get your pictures immediately, so have some fun and get your picture made at the same time.

Iron Brewer Challenge -Brewers compete for the title of the Iron Brewer, where each brewer adds a secret ingredient to their beer. Everyone gets a chance to select your favorite in this competitive event where Brewers show their talent and skill for the IRON BREWER title.

The People’s Pint Glass Swap – A glass roots movement is a pint glass swap at the beginning of the Thirsty Orange Brew Extravaganza.  It is a chance to swap one or many of your beloved beverage holders (aka pint glasses) with fellow beer lovers. (Wish I had brought some of my duplicates).

Live Music – Performances by local groups Wise Old River, Demon Waffle and Last in Line.

VIP tickets are sold out, but general admission tickets are still available here. Proceeds will benefit Girls on the Run, a nonprofit program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running.

So what does this have to do with beer festivals? Well, I already have a cooler and two boxes filled with purchases of beer not distributed in my home state and the “For Beer” part of my Road Trip hasn’t started! But this is why I love beer festivals: It’s a great way to sample the craft beer offering from a local area, which will help guide you when it’s time to buy brew to take home.

So enjoy the trip each way!

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

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

Loughman Lake Beer and Food Fest will be Saturday in Mims, Florida.

The 16^th annual New Times “Original” Beerfest will be Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Brew on the Bay will be Thursday through Sunday in Key Largo, Florida.

Aprilfest will be Friday in Auburn, Alabama.

The Classic City Brew Fest will be Sunday in Athens, Georgia.

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

The inaugural Carolina Brew & Q will be Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina.

North Carolina Beer Month continues throughout April at various locations in North Carolina.

The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

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

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

Repeal of Prohibition Beer Festival will be Saturday in St. Louis, Missouri.

The 16^th annual Gitchee Gumee Brewfest will be Saturday in Superior, Wisconsin.

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

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

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

The Prohibition Party & Brew Fest will be Sunday in Denver, Colorado.

The fourth annual Rock & Brew will be Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

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

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

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

An impending announcement by a major pancake restaurant chain means Road Trips for Beer might not need go further than a mile or so from many interstate exits.

DineEquity Inc., owner of IHOP restaurants (once known as the International House of Pancakes) revealed Monday, April 1, that it will add a small brewing system to each of its properties, effective turning each into a breakfast brewpub.

“With the explosive growth in the craft beer industry, it just seems to make sense,” according to a spokesman, who did not reveal his name because the announcement is not official. “We already have half the ingredients – water and grain – being delivered to our restaurants.”

Plans call for installing a one-barrel system in each kitchen, which might be expanded depending on demand. The chain will rebrand as “IHOPS” to reflect the new direction.

“We’ll still have our traditional menu,” the spokesman said, “but on the brewery side, we plan to specialize in syrupy breakfast stouts, coffee porters and bacon IPAs.”

The spokesman would not confirm the rumor that DineEquity would rebrand its Applebee’s casual dining restaurants to “Applebeer’s.”

The calendar is  a bit light this weekend, likely because so many brewery folks are at the Craft Brewers Conference in Washington D.C., which wraps up on Friday. With real springtime weather on its way, expect the pace to quicken.

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 inaugural Spring Beer Jam will be Thursday to Sunday in Dunedin, Florida.

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

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

The Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America continues through Friday in Washington, D.C.

The NYC Craft Beer Festival will be March 30 in New York City.

Brew Woo will be Saturday in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The second annual Chicago Beer Festival will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The 19^th annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Portland, Oregon.

Tip of the week: Be sure to thank your pourers. Many of them are volunteers who work their butts off while wishing they were on your side of the table. But they do it because one of the great things about great beer is sharing it with those who might not be so knowledgeable about it and educating them.

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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The second annual Sanford Pints N’ Paws Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Sanford, Florida.

LivingSocial’s Buckhead Beer and Wine Festival will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

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

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

The inaugural  DC Beer Festival will be Saturday in Washington, D.C.

The sixth annual Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival – Timonium will be Friday and Saturday in Timonium, Maryland.

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

The third annual Art of Beer Festival will be Saturday in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Festivale will be Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.

The second annual Heidel House Brew Fest will be Saturday in Green Lake, Wisconsin.

The seventh annual Roar on the Shore will be Saturday in Luxemburg, Wisconsin.

The inaugural Hops & Handrails will be Saturday in Longmont, Colorado.

The fourth annual Great American BBQ & Beer Festival will be Saturday in Chandler, Arizona.

Rock the Zoo will be Friday in Phoenix, Arizona.

The 11^th annual Hard Liver Barleywine Fest will be Saturday and Sunday in Seattle, Washington.

YORK, PA- The Susquehanna Ale Trail, a collection of breweries in central Pennsylvania committed to creating good times and great beer will welcome seven new partners to the Trail for this year’s Second Annual Passport Event happening April 12-14 and 19-21.

For $15, beer enthusiasts can purchase a passport online or at one of the participating establishments, which grants them access to 13 breweries and one distillery for all event weekends. Not to mention, the purchase of a passport entitles participants to special brewery tours, three to five craft beer tastings, a 10% discount on merchandise and a souvenir Susquehanna Ale Trail mug! In addition to the standard passport, designated driver passports are also available for $5.

“The Susquehanna Ale Trail gives visitors a chance to go behind the scenes to meet brewmasters, ask questions, taste new craft beers and enjoy the experience with other enthusiasts,” said Anne Druck, President, York County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Susquehanna Ale Trail has doubled in size since the first Passport Event last spring and includes breweries, brew pubs and brewing outlets in York, Lancaster, Dauphin and Franklin counties.

• The latest brewery to hit the York craft beer scene is Liquid Hero Brewery, a small- scale microbrewery devoted to bringing the flavor back to beer. Friends Matt, Christian and Josh started producing beer out of a garage in York in 2008 and have been mastering the art of brewing ever since. Pull up a stool in the brewery’s cozy tasting room and sample a pint of American Hero – an amber-colored American ale and the frontrunner of all four flagship beers.
• Housed in a 100-year-old renovated factory building in downtown Hanover, Warehouse Craft Brewing Company, is the brainchild of local businessman Keith Stambaugh.  After spending years perfecting small batches of home brews for friends and family, Stambaugh opened the microbrewery in November 2012. Stop in to taste a variety of ales and pilsners with creative names such as Warehouse Passive/Aggressive Pale Ale or Leggy Blonde Imperial Blonde Ale.
• Starting on a small 3 bbl system in 2000, brewer Scott Bowser had no idea that Swashbuckler Brewing Company, on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, would take off with such smashing success. After just one season, the small brewery could not keep up with Faire patrons’ requests for hand-crafted ales and lagers, and expanded to a much larger system offering everything from a light German style-Kolsch ale to a Belgium-style dubbel ale.
• Taste everything from a citrusy IPA to a robust Stout at Central Pennsylvania’s first nano-brewery, Rumspringa Brewing Company, located in the Lancaster Beer & Wine Gallery. Relax in the Barn Café and sample one of Rumspringa’s four signature beers, or choose from two rotating seasonal brews.
• Named for the patron saint of brewers, Saint Boniface Craft Brewing Company in Ephrata offers more than six varieties of beers. Friends Mike and Jon combined their brewing expertise to create rich, tasty brews.
• In Chambersburg, raise a glass at “America’s Freshest Brewery,” Roy-Pitz Brewing Company. Passionate brewmasters Jesse and Ryan refer to their beer as “liquid art” and strive to create a product that reflects both imagination and skill. Learn about the brewery’s 16 beers on the facility tour, and afterwards sample the likes of Chicken Leg Stout, Old Jail Ale or Lone Soldier Sour Ale.
• Nestled in the picturesque town of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, Old Republic Distillery specializes in hand-crafted, small-batch spirits made with only local produce. This limited distillery is the first of its kind in York County and produces top-of-the line fruit liquor with tempting flavors like apple and blueberry pie.

In addition to the seven new partners, the Susquehanna Ale Trail also includes Bube’s Brewery, Holy Hound Taproom, Lancaster Brewing Company, Mr. Steve’s Homebrew Supply, Mudhook Brewing Company, Stoudt’s Brewing Company and Tröegs Brewing Company.

Susquehanna Ale Trail Passport Event hours are as follows: Fridays 4-8 p.m., Saturdays 12-5 p.m. and Sundays 12-4 p.m

The year-round Susquehanna Ale Trail features 14 members organized by the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visitors will encounter breweries, brewpubs, craft brewing outlets and one distillery all committed to the art of making great local beverages. As the official tourism promotion agency for York County, the York County CVB exists to positively impact economic development through all forms of visitation with visitors spending more than $850 million annually. For information on planning your Susquehanna Ale Trail getaway, visit www.susquehannaaletrail.com or call 1-888-858-YORK.

According to numbers for 2012 released today by the Brewers Association, the trade group that represents small and independent American brewers, you would need to put aside 6.4 years for that road trip, and that’s not counting the 56 large breweries that the group does not consider “craft.”

But wait. According to the numbers, 409 breweries opened last year and only 43 closed. So that adds another year or so to your trip, and if that pace were to continue, you would have to add at least six more years for the breweries that opened during your initial voyage, then the ones that opened during that time and then … . I think you see where this is going.

Your brewery trip would be a never-ending voyage. Not that there would be anything wrong with that.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the resources, financial and otherwise, to take such a potentially lifelong journey. But the good news is that with such growth in the industry, we’ll have more and more destinations for our personal road trips for beer.

And that’s worth lifting a pint for a toast.

You can read the BA release after the graphic. Click on it for a larger view.

Boulder, CO March 18, 2013— The Brewers Association (BA), the trade association representing small and independent American brewers, today released 2012 data on U.S. craft brewing¹ growth. In a year when the total U.S. beer market grew by one percent, craft brewers saw a 15 percent rise in volume² and a 17 percent increase in dollar growth, representing a total barrel increase of almost 1.8 million.

With production at 13,235,917 barrels in 2012, craft brewers reached 6.5 percent volume of the total U.S. beer market, up from 5.7 percent the previous year. Additionally, craft dollar share of the total U.S. beer market reached 10.2 percent in 2012, as retail dollar value from craft brewers was estimated at $10.2 billion, up from $8.7 billion in 2011.

“Beer is a $99 billion industry to which craft brewers are making a significant contribution, with retail sales share hitting double digits for the first time in 2012,” said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. “Small and independent brewers are consistently innovating and producing high quality, flavor-forward craft brewed beer. Americans are not only responding to greater access to these products, but also to the stories and people behind them.”

In 2012, there was an 18 percent increase in the number of U.S. operating breweries, with the total count reaching 2,403. This count includes 409 new brewery openings and only 43 closings. Small breweries created an estimated 4,857 more jobs during the year, employing 108,440 workers, compared to 103,583 the year prior.

“On average, we are seeing slightly more than one craft brewery per day opening somewhere in the U.S. and we anticipate even more in the coming year. There is clearly a thirst in the marketplace for craft brewed beer, as indicated by the continued growth year after year,” added Gatza. “These small breweries are doing great things for their local communities, the greater community of craft brewers, our food arts culture and the overall economy.”

Note: Numbers are preliminary. A more extensive analysis will be released during the Craft Brewers Conference in Washington, D.C. from March 26-29. The full 2012 industry analysis will be published in the May/June 2013 issue of The New Brewer, highlighting regional trends and sales by individual breweries.

¹The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50 percent of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

² Volume by craft brewers represent total taxable production.

Tip of the week: Wear sensible shoes. You’ll be on your feet a lot.

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 third annual Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest will be Saturday in Suwanee, Georgia.

The fourth annual Charlotte Craft Beer Week will be Friday to March 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nashville Craft Beer Week will be Monday to March 24 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Extreme Beerfest will be Friday and Saturday in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Great Allentown Brew Works Cask Beer Festival will be Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The Bock Beer Fest will be Saturday in Hamilton, Ohio.

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

The inaugural Epic Beer Festival – San Diego will be Friday and Saturday in San Diego, California.

The 18^th annual Fairfax Brewfest will be Saturday in Fairfax, California.

Pouring at the Coast will be Friday and Saturday will be Friday and Saturday in Seaside, Oregon.

The Penumbra Beer Bash will be Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

Springtime weather should dominate many of the festivals this weekend, so that brings us to this week’s tip: Always prepare for the weather. Check the forecast – and look out the window – to see what to expect. Layer if it will be cold, wear rain gear or carry an umbrella if necessary, and slather on the sunscreen if it will be a sunny day.

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

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

97X Beer in the Park will be Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

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

The second annual Tampa Bay Beer Week continues through Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

The inaugural Sprung! Spring Beer Festival will be Saturday in Miami, Florida.

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

The Secret Stash Bash will be Saturday in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

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

The Spring Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Long Island, New York.

Boston Beer Week 2013 will be Friday though March 17 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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

Brewfest will be Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The inaugural Ultimate Craft Beer Extravaganza will be Friday and Saturday in Dayton, Ohio.

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

The Charity Wine & Beer Tasting will be Friday in Plymouth, Michigan.

The third annual Michigan Winter Beer Festival will be Saturday in Jackson, Michigan.

Hops & Props will be Saturday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The War Horse Brew Fest will be Saturday in Geneva, New York.

Brew’s Best Beer Festival will be Saturday in Henderson, Nevada.

The third annual Gate City Brewfest will be Saturday in Pocatello, Idaho.

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

The 18^th annual Kona Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

The Fredericton Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Fredericton, New Brunswick, 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

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

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

The Best Florida Beer Championships Brewers Ball will be Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

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

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

The Tupelo Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Tupelo, Mississippi.

The third annual Cape Fear Beer Festival will be Saturday in Wilmington, North Carolina.

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

The inaugural Urban Brew Fest will be Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.

Split Thy Brooklyn Skull XIV will be Saturday and Sunday in Brooklyn, New York.

The fifth annual New York City Beer Week continues through Sunday in New York, New York.

The 18^th annual Magic Hat Mardi Gras will be Friday to Sunday in Burlington, Vermont.

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

The 21^st annual Bockfest will be Friday to Sunday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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

The fifth annual AleFeast Dayton will be Saturday in Dayton, Ohio.

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

The Windy City Brewhaha will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The seventh annual Suds & Snow will be Saturday in Traverse City, Michigan.

The second annual Pint with the Past beer tasting will be Saturday in Hickory Corners, Kansas.

The second annual Kansas Brewers Exposition will be Saturday in Lawrenceville, Kansas.

The 11^th annual Boulder Strong Ale Fest will be Friday in Boulder, Colorado.

The 25^th annual Great Arizona Beer Festival will be Saturday in Tempe, Arizona.

The third annual Capital Beerfest will be Saturday in Sacramento, California.

The fourth annual Sacramento Beer Week continues through Sunday in Sacramento, California.

This week’s tip is directed at beer festival organizers. Beer tourism continues to gain in popularity along with the number of craft breweries in the country. So be sure to put the city and state where your festival is being held prominently on the home page of its website. When we’re on a Road Trip for Beer, we like to have an address to plug into the GPS.

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

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

Stogies & Stout will be Saturday in Dunedin, Florida.

The third annual Space Coast Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Palm Bay, Florida.

The Florida Craft Brew & Wingfest will be Saturday in Vero Beach, Florida.

Brewvival 2013 will be Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina.

The fifth annual New York City Beer Week will be Friday through March 3 in New York, New York.

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

The second annual German Society Bierfest will be Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Friend Fest will be Saturday in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

The inaugural Kennett Winterfest will be Saturday in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

The Stoudts Winter Brew Fest will be Saturday in Adamstown, Pennsylvania.

The D’Vine Winter Wine & Beer Festival will be Saturday in Columbus, Indiana.

The seventh annual Winter Warmer Fest will be Saturday in Cleveland, Ohio.

The sixth annual Winter Beer Festival will be Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The sixth annual Chamber Beer Tasting will be Saturday in New London, Wisconsin.

The Great Twin Ports Taste Together Brewfest & Wine Tasting will be Saturday in Carlton, Minnesota.

The seventh annual Extreme Beerfest will be Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

The second annual Omaha Beer Week continues through Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska.

The inaugural Austin Specialty Beer Festival will be Saturday in Austin, Texas.

The eighth annual Peterson AFB Homebrew Competition and Festival will be Friday in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Arizona Beer Week continues through Saturday at various locations in Arizona.

The fourth annual Sacramento Beer Week will be Friday through March 3 in Sacramento, California.

The IEBC Fourth Anniversary Beer and Food Fest will be Saturday in Riverside, California.

The Black Out Beer Fest will be Friday in Portland, Oregon.

The 20^th annual Hillsdale Brewfest will be Saturday in Portland, Oregon.

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

The 11^th annual Hops & Props will be Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

Winter Warmer Montreal will be Thursday to Saturday in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Festival organizers BeerAdvocate.com just announced the rescheduled dates for the Extreme Beer Fest – March 15-16. Also, because some folks who planned to attend had to get refunds because they couldn’t make it back to the rescheduled event, a limited number of tickets have been released for sale.

The festival boast more than “125 beers that push the boundaries of brewing and the minds and palates of attendees through creativity and innovation.”

The tickets are available for Friday’s Night of the Barrels, featuring an array of brews that have been aged in wooden barrels, and the Extreme Beer Fest sessions on Saturday.

Tickets will go fast and are available by clicking here.

Full disclosure: Road Trips for Beer editor Gerard Walen is a contributing writer to Beer Advocate magazine, but he has nothing to do with the festival organization. He considers this a bummer.

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 Brewz Crewz Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Lakeland, Florida.

The Big Brew Beer Festival will be Saturday in Morristown, New Jersey.

The third annual Roc City Brewfest will be Saturday in Rochester, New York.

Max’s Belgian Beer Fest will be Friday to Monday in Baltimore, Maryland.

The second annual Cincinnati Beer Week continues through Thursday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The fifth annual Cincy Winter Beerfest will be Friday and Saturday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The 15^th annual Food & Froth Fest will be Saturday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The second annual Omaha Beer Week will be Friday to February 24 in Omaha, Nebraska.

The 13^th annual Arizona Strong Beer Festival will be Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona.

Arizona Beer Week will be Saturday through February 23 at various locations in Arizona.

The fourth annual Chocolate and Beer Festival will be Saturday in Richmond, California.

San Francisco Beer Week continues through Sunday in the San Francisco Bay area, California.

The Celebrator 25^th Anniversary Bash will be Sunday in Oakland, California.

The 20^th annual Toronado Barleywine Festival will be Saturday in San Francisco, California.

The fifth annual Zwickelmania will be Saturday at various locations in Oregon.

The Festival of Dark Arts will be Saturday in Astoria, Oregon.

The Confluence Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival will be Saturday and Sunday in Reedsport, Oregon.

The Tacoma Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in Tacoma, Washington.

The inaugural Winter Brewed Festival will be Saturday and Sunday in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Now would be a great time

Tip of the week: Many festivals offer affordable lodging specials that include transportation to and from the event. Not only does this allow to you leave your car behind, but also a close place to nap and “recharge” after tasting all that great beer. Take advantage of these specials if you can.

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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The DeLand Craft Beer Festival will be Saturday in DeLand, Florida.

The fourth annual Winter Beer Carnival will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

Beer Extravanganza will be Friday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Extreme Beer Fest will be Friday and Saturday in Boston, Massachusetts.

The second annual Cincinnati Beer Week will be Saturday through Feb. 14 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The second annual Chicago Winterbrew will be Saturday in Chicago, Illinois.

The 12^th annual Traverse City Winter Microbrew & Music Festival will be Saturday in Traverse City, Michigan.

Wines and Beers of the World will be Thursday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2^nd Shift Brewing’s 2013 Winter Cask Fest will be Saturday in New Haven, Missouri.

Pizza Port’s Brewbies Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Carlsbad, California.

San Francisco Beer Week will be Friday though February 17 in the San Francisco Bay area, California.

The 12^th annual KLCC Microbrew Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 30, 2013)—Over 23,000 visitors set their sights on Oregon breweries during Zwickelmania in 2012 and that figure is projected to grow on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at the fifth annual Zwickelmania.

Free Zwickelmania shuttle tours are located in Portland, Bend, Salem, Corvallis and Eugene and entry is free at all participating breweries. A full list of shuttle schedules will be added soon to the Oregon Brewers Guild website at http://oregonbeer.org/zwickelmania.

“Each year, Oregon breweries are seeing a rising interest from people who are excited to experience the inner workings of a brewery,” says Brian Butenschoen , Oregon Brewers Guild executive director. “This is that rare time of the year where people get exclusive access to the breweries and brewers.”

This is the fifth anniversary—or the wood anniversary. Attendees should be on the lookout for barrel-aged beers, such as ones from Full Sail Brewing, Breakside Brewery and the unveiling of Oakshire Brewing’s “Hellshire III.”

Visitors are encouraged to take pictures of the breweries while they’re touring and to use the hashtag #Zwickel13 when posting to Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, anyone who posts a photo from the event to the Zwickelmania Facebook page will be entered for a chance to win a prize package containing two glasses and 10 tickets each to the upcoming event “Cheers to Belgian Beers” on Saturday, April 20 at Metalcraft Fabrication in Portland.

Editor’s note: This post was updated with information from a later, corrected press release.

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 sixth annual Bradenton Beer Festival will be Saturday in Bradenton, Florida.

The second annual Queen City Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The third annual International Great Beer Festival: Meadowlands will be Saturday in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The Buffalo Winter Brew Fest will be Saturday in Buffalo, New York.

ZooBRRRew will be Friday in Rochester, New York.

The inaugural Rhode Island Brew Fest will be Saturday in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The fourth annual Fond du Lac BrewFest will be Saturday in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Winterfest will be Friday in St. Paul Minnesota.

The second annual Barley Bros. Winter Ale Festival will be Friday and Saturday in McCall, Idaho.

The third annual Black Star Beer Barter will be Saturday in Whitefish, Montana.

The inaugural Platypus Pub/Columbia Distributing Brewfest will be Thursday in Bend, Oregon.

The fourth annual Belgianfest will be Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

Festive-Ale, A Brewer’s Expo will be Friday and Sunday in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Those words in a lot of this weekend’s beer festival names might give you a hint as to the sort of weather much of the country is experiencing this week. But as long as you can get safely to and from a festival, we encourage you to attend! There’s no better place to taste the warming beers of the season. Unless you  happen to be enjoying the events of South Florida Beer Week, which culminates in the well-reviewed Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival on Saturday.

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 fifth annual Field of Beers will be Friday in Jupiter, Florida.

The seventh annual Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival will be Saturday in Jupiter, Florida.

South Florida Beer Week continues through Saturday at various South Florida locations.

The ninth annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting will be Saturday in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

The Atlanta Winter Beer Fest will be Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.

The third annual Jolly Skull Beer Fest will be Saturday in Greenville, North Carolina.

The sixth annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival will be Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina.

The second annual Asbury Park Beer Festival will be Saturday in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival will be Saturday in Manhattan, New York.

The second annual Niagara Wine & Beer Fest will be Saturday in Lockport, New York.

The third annual Brews for a Chili Night will be Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Brewers of Indiana Guild Winterfest will be Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Brrr Fest will be Saturday in Coralville, Iowa.

The fourth annual Beer Dabbler Winter Carnival will be Saturday in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Winter Brew Fest will be Friday in Denver, Colorado.

First Taste Oregon (formerly Oregon Wine, Food & Brew Fest) will be Friday and Saturday in Salem, Oregon.

The ninth annual Strange Brewfest will be Friday to Sunday in Port Townsend, Washington.

In keeping with the calendar, many of this weekend’s beer festivals focus on winter seasonals. Though the weather might not be quite cold enough in South Florida, these high-gravity barley wines, winter warmers and other thick beers are tasty enough to enjoy year round. You can always just turn up the air-conditioning wherever your Road Trips for Beer take you.

Click on the links to learn more about this weekend’s festivals.

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 inaugural Miami Beer Festival will be Saturday in Miami, Florida.

JA World Uncorked will be Saturday in Coconut Creek, Florida.

The fifth annual St. Lucie County Winter Beer Festival will be Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

South Florida Beer Week will be Saturday through January 26 at various South Florida locations.

Top of the Hops Beer Fest – Biloxi will be Saturday in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The fifth annual World Beer Festival – Columbia will be Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina.

The 12^th annual Winter Jubilee will be Friday and Saturday in Boston, Massachusetts.

The fifth annual Fox Brew Ha Ha will be Friday and Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The fourth annual Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest will be Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.

The inaugural Mankato Craft Beer Expo will be Saturday in Mankato, Minnesota.

Yaga’s Chili Quest and Beer Fest will be Saturday in Galveston, Texas.

Brew HaHa: A Winter Beer Tasting Event will be Saturday in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The third annual Aces & Ales Winter Beer Festival will be Friday to Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Winterhop BrewFest will be Saturday in Ellensburg, Washington.

The Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival will be Friday and Saturday in Anchorage, Alaska.