All About Beer Magazine - Volume 36, Issue 3
July 3, 2015 By Heather Vandenengel

because-beer

Events

July 10-11

Because Beer Craft Beer Festival

Hamilton, Ontario

More than 30 breweries from across Ontario will convene on a scenic bayfront location, because, well, beer. Also included: a homebrew competition, a specialty cask session, 14 specialty food vendors and guest speakers.

becausebeer.ca

@BecauseBeerCA

July 19

Vermont Cheesemakers Festival

Shelburne, Vermont

Didn’t nab tickets in time for the Vermont Brewers Festival on July 17 and 18? Console yourself with all the cheese and artisan delights, from jams to jerky, that you can stomach. Wine, beer and cider are also served on the beautiful grounds of Shelburne Farms at Lake Champlain.

vtcheesefest.com

@vtcheesefest

July 22-26

Oregon Brewers Festival

Portland, Oregon

The legendary Oregon Brewers Festival returns for its 28th year. There’s no price for admission here; just stroll the more than 90 breweries across the country and pay per pour. Located on the Willamette River and featuring live music and demonstrations, it’s one for the beer festival bucket list.

oregonbrewfest.com

@oregonbrewfest

July 24-Aug. 1

Silicon Valley Beer Week

Head south of San Francisco to discover Silicon Valley’s beer scene, with tap takeovers and (beer) ice cream socials, and cap it off at the final festival, the Summer KraftBrew Beer Fest on Aug. 1.

svbeerweek.com

@SVBeerWeek

Beer Releases

port-brewing-santas-little-helperPort Brewing

Santa’s Little Helper—Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

10.5%

Nothing says Christmas in July like a bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout. Santa’s Little Helper features “flavors of sweet bourbon and oak, continues with hints of nutty dark chocolate and malt, and finishes with a smoky coffee finish.”

Kona Brewing Co.

Kai Golden Ale

4.0%

The latest release in Kona’s limited-edition Makana Series is brewed with desalinated deep ocean mineral water, sourced below the Kona coast off the Big Island, and Millennium and Hallertauer hops. Available on draft only in Hawaii, which is a good an excuse as any to make the trip.

SMUTTLABS-SCHMUTZIGSmuttlabs

Schmutzig Bavarian IPA

6.8%

Why choose between an IPA and a hefeweizen this summer when you can find them both in this Bavarian-style IPA? Created by Smuttynose Brewing Co.’s experimental arm, Smuttlabs, it’s fermented with a hefeweizen yeast and hopped like an IPA.

Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

Neptune

It’s the last chance to get a taste of Bell’s solar system series, inspired by Gustav Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite, “The Planets,” with the mystical stout of Neptune.

Green Flash’s Hop Odyssey Continues

Citra Session, on shelves in July, is the second of Green Flash Brewing Co.’s 2015 national Hop Odyssey Series of hop-forward session IPAs. The three-beer series highlights individual hop varieties.