Beer Festival Season Kicks Off
Three Brew Bashes Start the Month of May
April showers bring May flowers — hops flowers, that is. Flavors of Humulus lupulus will bloom in beer bottles across the county this weekend along with all kinds of other tastes, with three different beer events showcasing some of the best brews in the Santa Barbara and Buellton areas.
Buellton Brew Fest
Beer festival season kicks off in a big way with this sixth annual event at River View Park, where 50 craft breweries, cider makers, wineries, and spirit companies will offer a taste of their libations. Buellton’s native Figueroa Mountain will join Captain Fatty’s, Island Brewing Company, M.Special, Pure Order Brewing Co., Rincon Brewery, Santa Maria Brewing Company, Solvang Brewing Company, Telegraph Brewing Company, Third Window, and Valley Brewers, among many others. With food trucks; music by The Caverns, Out of the Blue, and DJ Hecktik; and a mega-sized beer pong and corn hole, fun is pretty much guaranteed. River View Park, 151 Sycamore Dr., Buellton; Sat., May 6, 11:30am-4:30pm.
Draughtsmen First Anniversary
Say “Happy Anniversary!” to Draughtsmen Aleworks, which celebrates at its Santa Felicia Drive outpost May 6-7, where one year ago the now much-loved brewery first began pouring its popular offerings. To mark the merry occasion, the brewers at Draughtsmen Aleworks have crafted the 2017 Anniversary American Wheat Ale, described as crisp and refreshing with moderate hopping. Sample it along with live music and food trucks from Shrimp vs. Chef, The Chef’s Touch BBQ Rig, John’s Hotdog Express, and Sugar Cat Studio, who have cooked up special anniversary dishes. Draughtsmen Aleworks, 53 Santa Felicia Dr., Goleta; May 6-7, 11:30am-9pm.
Telegraph Brewing Company’s Día de las Obscuras
The most inventive brewery in town will celebrate all things sour/wild/barrel-aged, with 12 different pours representing Telegraph’s penchant for the obscure and artisanal. Wild yeasts and sour mash make for off-beat, exhilarating flavors geared for the curious, the epicurean, and the adventurous. Add in wood-fired pizza, and you’ve got an unusually good time. Telegraph Brewing Co., 418 N. Salsipuedes St.; Sat., May 6, 11:30am-2:30pm, 3-6pm, or 6:30-9:30pm.
