Breweries tap into special sips for summer
Summer is prime beer weather. Nothing quite quenches your thirst like a cold beer on a hot day, after all, especially if it’s a lighter-bodied, crisp one, such as a hefeweizen, a Pilsner or Kölsch. Here are a few more things to fill up that cooler or fridge — plus the lowdown on some great brewery festivals and happenings around the Bay Area this month.
NEW SIPS >> Oakland’s Original Pattern Brewing Co., which opened in Jack London Square earlier this year, has just released its first packaged beers with three initial offerings. Available by the fourpack in 16-ounce cans, the beers include Oakland Gold, a golden Berliner Weisse brewed with apricots and peaches, and Meta Hype Hazy New England Style IPA, a hazy, hop-forward beer with tropical and citrus hop flavors. Their family-friendly tasting room is open Tuesday through Sunday. Check out details at www.originalpatternbeer.com.
SUMMER PACKS >> The freshly revitalized Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is launching a fun, new beer package for summer dubbed Suspects & Accomplices. The 12pack includes Big Daddy IPA, Prohibition Ale, Pop Gun Pilsner and the new Baby Daddy Session IPA in cans.
North Coast Brewing’s summer seasonal is a passion fruit peach Berliner Weisse, brewed with California peaches and Ecuadorian passion fruit. The fruit and light sourness give the refreshing beer a playful sweetsour back and forth. The limited release will be available throughout the summer in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles.
Sierra Nevada Brewing also has two new variety 12-packs for summer, including a single-hop pack and a Southern Hemisphere set of beers brewed with hops found only in Australia and New Zealand. Among them, an IPA brewed with Galaxy
and Motueka hops; a double IPA made with Pacific Jade, Rakau and Waimea; a session IPA brewed with Wakatu and Nelson Sauvin and a hoppy Pilsner made with Pacifica and Wai-iti hops.
BEERVENTURES >> The 19th annual Breastfest, Marin Brewing Co.’s fundraiser for breast cancer causes, heats up San Rafael’s Marin Center on July 14, starting at 1 p.m. on Fairground Island. More than 30 breweries will join Marin Brewing, pouring their beer under a ginormous tent. The event also features barbecue fare and live music. Tickets are $50-$65; thebreastfest.org.
The ninth annual Blues and Brews Festival lands at Pleasant Hill’s Pleasant Hill Park July 21, but this one-day event is actually two. There’s a pre-party from 6 to 9 the night before, with live music and food and beer available for purchase. The actual festival, which runs 3 to 9 p.m. July 21, includes live blues music, a craft beer tasting with 20-plus breweries, food and fun family activities. Tasting tickets are $40; food will be available for purchase; bluesandbrewsfestival.com.
On July 28, the Napa Craft Beer, Spirits & Oyster Festival will take over Napa’s Main Street, with more than 35 breweries and vendors pouring beer, cider and mead, craft spirits tastings and, of course, plenty of oysters. Find ticket information for the two sessions, 2-4:30 p.m. and 7-9:30 p.m., at napacraftbeerfestival.com.
And if you’re thinking of taking a road trip, head for Mammoth Lakes, where the annual Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza unfolds over four days, Aug. 2-5. Nestled in a grove of trees, this combination bluesand-beer festival is one of the best I’ve been to. There’s music every day of the fest, and beer tastings Aug. 4-5, with more than 50 breweries and cideries. Find ticket information ($15$285) at mammothbluesbrewsfest.com.