Make sure to stop by one of SB's brewpubs this weekend to celebrate American Craft Beer Week (May 16 – 22). This weeklong affair brings a spectacle of beer-centric events around the nation to honor our country's burgeoning craft beer industry. Transformed from the American Beer Month in 2006, this year's ACBW is the largest ever, with over 800 events.
Here are some suggestions on how to celebrate America's favorite beverage.
Telegraph Brewing is a must, as they will be serving vintage bottles of their refined but robust, Rhinoceros Rye, in addition to free samples of their new Obscura Arborea, a flemish-style sour brown. Come take in the local ambiance during their tasting hours (Thurs 4-6PM, Fri 4-8PM, Sat 2-6PM).
The Brewhouse offers a long list of terrific beers from a wide variety of styles. If you order from their diverse menu then try a shot of their habanero pilsner; perfect for spicing up your meal. Or stop by one of the area's oldest brewpub, SB Brew Co.; with a large back area to play bar games while drinking some of their brews.
Union Ale has a sporty atmosphere, well done bar food, and over 20 taps. Most of which are crafted off-site by their own Dan Reyes, an upcoming professional and home brewer extraordinaire. One of their taps currently features SB county's newest brewery, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Whose Hoppy Poppy Ale has the traditional American floral grapefruit hop elements yet incorporates a gentle bitterness that is fit for those who are unwanting of IPA's harsher characteristics.
Hollister Brewing's food even includes beer as an ingredient. Explore the eatable elements of beer by trying the sweet & saltily-indulgent beer-battered fried pickles, a hearty beer chili, or even their ploughman's platter; furnished with Rogue Brewery's very own bleu cheese. If you stop by soon, you may even get a chance to try Sierra Nevada's Ovila, a Belgian-style dubbel brewed collaboratively with the monks of New Clairvaux, on draft.
Don't feel like going anywhere? How about dinner & a movie. Stop by Sean Paxton's website for recipes and ideas on how to cook with beer. And when you're out shopping for ingredients, Whole Foods, BevMo, and Albertsons will all be offering discounts on select craft brews this week. So pick up a six pack, kick back, and watch a movie. Hulu has several beer-themed flicks online for free; including the American-themed, Beer Wars (commercial-less on Netflix's instant play), Zane Lamprey's epic global drinking show, Three Sheets, or Mojo's new series, Beer Nutz.
Also, check out this year's ACBW video.
And while you're enjoying some well-crafted suds and toasting America's favorite beverage. Start planning for the next party, the SB Zoo Brew; held in Santa Barbara's charming zoo. Tickets are on sale now and the fest will be on June 11 2011.
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