The holidays are over and as we approach the end of January 2012, many Texans are awaiting the time for warmer temperatures and getting back outdoors, while others are dusting off the winter cobwebs and planning this years round of beer festivals.
Last year saw several craft beer festivals and beer weeks in Texas, a state rapidly gaining exposure as a craft beer state and not just a state that consumes mass produced adjunct lagers. We saw the first ever San Antonio Beer Week, the re-birth of the Texas Craft Brewers Festival in Austin, the second annual Austin and Houston Beer weeks, and the Monsters of Beer festival in Houston. This year we will be seeing them again, plus a few new ones. In April, Dallas will host the Big Texas Beer Fest and Laredo will be home to the Border Beer Festival next month.
For a state that only four years ago was drowning in beer obscurity compared to the remainder of the United States, this is all great news. More and more breweries and brewpubs are opening up, showing that consumer demand is increasing for quality brewed beers, and attendance at these festivals supports that the interest is there. Many of the festivals, like Monsters of Beer and the Big Texas Beer Fest, use their proceeds to support charities. "We wanted to bring something on that level to North Texas, as we felt that nothing similar really exists today, says Chad Montgomery of Big Texas Beer Fest. "We wanted it to focus on craft beer, and to support small businesses, and charity. North Texas Food Bank was chosen as our charitable cause because $.94 out of every $1 they make goes towards their cause. We like their efficiency, and the fact that they're local."
So what possesses someone to organize these big events? "The idea of the beer fest was born out of mine and Nellie's love of the Great American Beer Festival. We wanted to bring something on that level to North Texas, as we felt that nothing similar really exists today", says Montgomery. "We liked what Dallas Beer Week started, and we have been planning this festival for over a year at this point. My background in project management and dispatch has helped me with organizing this event, but for the 2 of us who have full time days jobs (and college!) it's certainly a lot to undertake. That being said, I'm never one to do anything half way and decided to go ahead with a full sized event right from the get go. We hope to do this every year, and hope it continues to grow." The second in the crew Montgomery refers to, is partner Nellie Montgomery.
The great opportunity that exists for attendees of any beer festival, large or small, is getting to see the variety beers being brewed today and the number of breweries that many didn't know existed. Often the personalities of the brewers themselves are as varied as the beer they brew.
We now have more breweries in the United States than we did prior to Prohibition, proving that you can knock a good thing down, but you can't suppress it forever. With liquor laws in the country changing every year, the opportunity for people to try beers from outside of their home state, is increasing. If you haven't attended a festival before, this is a great time to do so and support Texas Breweries.
Upcoming events
Plans for San Antonio Beer Week are begining to unfold. Coming into its second year, the week long celebration of San Antonio area breweries and craft beer is tentatively slated for the week of May 14 - 20, running once again concurently with American Craft Beer Week.
Local San Antonio Homebrew club, the Bexar Brewers, are holding a lagering class at Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling this Sunday at 3pm. The class will feature guest lectures from Steve Stambaugh, Bexar Brewer and noted lager style Home Brewer; Mark Schoppe and Corey Martin, members of the Austin Zealots Home Brew Club and are ranked first and thirst in Texas respectively as the top homebrewers in the state. See their Facebook page for more info.
Jeremy can be reached at: ruinationpress@yahoo.com
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