The event will be held on Monday, June 16, 2014, and will begin with the Womens Industry Beer Dinner at 6pm. The 4 course menu will feature the inspired cuisine Cure is known for, expertly paired with world-class craft beer from across the country. Women participating in all levels of the craft beer industry are encouraged to attend, including those working with breweries, distributors, bars & restaurants, and retail beer stores; as well as beer writers & bloggers. Tickets for the Industry Dinner are $65, and can be purchased online.

After dinner, 8pm – 10pm, Cure will open to the public for a free open house, featuring beer shots, floats and cocktails at the bar. So if you can’t make the dinner, here is your opportunity to come out to meet and mingle with leading female voices in the craft beer world. No tickets are required for the open house.

The goal of the night is to celebrate the increasing contributions women are making to support the craft beer industry, and to provide a space for thoughtful discussion, social connection, and networking. Although women are the focus, men are welcome to attend both the dinner and the open house. So please join me for this very special night, it’s sure to be a treat!

The post Rochester Real Beer Week: The Women & Beer Symposium first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

Every so often I hear someone rag on Rochester; usually they say there’s nothing to do here. It seems to come mostly from people that grew up here, living in the suburbs, outside the vibrant life of the city. If you’re one of those people, I invite you to read the following text and reconsider Rochester, NY. Come to our city, experience it, and come to understand what many of us already know—The “get together” spirit is strong here. It’s in our neighborhoods, like The South Wedge and the Neighborhood of the Arts. It’s at The Public Market on Saturday mornings. It’s in our bars and restaurants, seen in the thoughtfully prepared menu’s full of quality, local ingredients. And it’s in our beer scene, close knit and accepting…. full of variety and quality, creativity and collaboration.

I recently stumbled upon The Book of Industrial Rochester, published for the Allied Trade Commissions of Great Britain, France, Italy and Belgium, on the occasion of their visit to Rochester, NY in November, 1919, under the auspices of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. In reading the introductory statements, which I’ve copied below, I found myself filled with emotion—an overwhelming sense of pride for the city I’ve come to call my home. Feelings of social contentedness and a sense of community, strengthened by words written nearly 100 years ago.

The Spirit of Rochester

To obtain recognition in these strenuous times one must carry his pedestal with him.
The meek and lowly may inherit the earth—later.

So said a commercial cynic recently. Rochester doesn’t need a pedestal in order to obtain recognition. It is a city that in the eyes of the knowing part of the world is set on a hill. Neither does Rochester desire to inherit the earth. It wants the earth to inherit Rochester.

Rochester is a young city. It was only a hundred years ago that a handful of pioneers settled in this beautiful valley of the Genesee at the brink of a great waterfall, and set up the beginnings of what is now the City of Rochester, the twenty-fifth city of the United States in size. The story of Rochester’s growth is not unlike the story of the growth of many other American cities. It is a story of enterprise and thrift coupled with an intense desire for advancement in education and the things which make life more worth while.

But Rochester is a little more than a typical American city. It is a typical American city—plus. And it is this “plus” which makes Rochester interesting. We feel confident—dear reader and Distinguished Visitor—that you will find it interesting if you catch the spirit of Rochester. The spirit of Rochester is the spirit which brings you from Great Britain, France, Italy and Belgium to our shores—it is the spirit of service. This spirit shows itself—

In the co-operation of our Community Life in peace and war.
In the excellence of the products of our factories.
In the enlightened efforts of employers and public officials to promote the happiness and wellbeing of the people.

The “plus” in our Community Life is a larger degree of co-operation than is found in most communities. Almost anything that it is difficult to do can be done in Rochester. The “get together” spirit is strong. It shows itself in our public organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, whose work is more largely civic than commercial.

This is so because Rochester business men are wise enough to know that sound and wholesome civic conditions are the foundation upon which is built all permanent community progress. Rochester
is showing this spirit of service through co-operation in raising a fund once a year to pay for the operation of all its philanthropies and war relief agencies. While the amount so raised is large — that is not so remarkable as that in 1918-1919 more than one hundred thousand persons subscribed to the fund.

The entire Community is marked by its willingness to work together for a common cause and the practical efficiency with which it accomplishes its purposes.

A manufactured thing bears a stamp of character just as plainly as a man does. Indeed a man stamps his character as well as his name on everything he makes. The spirit of a city, the spirit of its people expresses itself in the products of its factories. Cheap workmen make cheap wares. High grade workmen make high grade wares. High grade workmen will live only in a high grade community. Quality of life writes itself in quality of product. It is all interwoven—life at home, in the school, in the workshop is one. “Keep the Quality Up”—”Rochester Made Means Quality”—”Here Quality Dominates” are only expressions of the community’s aspirations; its effort to express itself and to stamp itself as well as its name upon everything it makes and sends out in our own land or across the seas for the use and service of mankind.

This has not all just happened by chance in Rochester. There have been great leaders, men who were not so much concerned with how much they made as how well they made it. It mattered not if it was a camera or a mouse trap, they would make it so well that “the world would make a beaten pathway to their door.” With such leaders, with such a spirit Rochester grew into a great manufacturing city—not with any desire to inherit the earth, but to enjoy the fullness thereof—the fullness of satisfaction, the fullness of skill—the fullness of service.

The spirit of Rochester is the spirit of fair play. Industrial managers want their employees to be healthy and prosperous and happy. Beautiful factories, with every facility for promoting the health and happiness of the workers, abound in Rochester. They are more than factories—they have shrubs, vines and flowers to make working hours pleasant hours. High wages are paid and so high standards of living may be maintained by the employees. Bonuses, wage dividends and stock dividends have been given to employees to increase their prosperity and contentment. Homeowning has been given practical encouragement. Indeed, Rochester homes are largely owned by the people who live in them.

Employer and employee have kept pretty closely together in Rochester, and great things are being done to promote mutual confidence and to give all an increasing share in the fruits of their labor. Public officials, too, have been alert to promote the general health and happiness of the people. You need only to look at our parks, playgrounds and schools to know that Rochester is deeply concerned about other things than shops and factories. The health of young and old is guarded with every care.

Thus the spirit of Rochester abides in our work and play; in our schools and our homes. It is the spirit of service.

Americans love statistics. Facts and figures about Rochester are interesting to Rochesterians. We could easily burden you with the story of the numbers of pairs of shoes and suits of clothes and the miles of photographic film which we make, but we prefer to have you know something of the spirit of Rochester, to get a glimpse into her heart. It is a heart that beats in unison with yours, in unison with the great heart of the world that is being born again.

Gentlemen of Britain, and France, and Italy, and Belgium: Rochester salutes you and extends to you her most distinguished consideration. She welcomes you with

The Spirit of Rochester

The post The Spirit of Rochester, NY first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

Rohrbach Brewing Company, established in 1991, officially opened their doors in 1992 at the German House in Rochester’s South Wedge neighborhood. John laughs as he tells me that the toughest part of starting the brewery was getting his brewers license. But he didn’t have trouble getting approval… it was actually finding the application. “There were so few breweries in NY at that time, no one at the State Liquor Authority could find an application!”

The brewery expanded in 1995, when they opened their brewpub on Buffalo Road, serving great food alongside their award-winning line-up of craft beer. That location, still going strong, was joined by their new production brewery and tasting room in 2008. Located at 97 Railroad Street in Rochester’s historic public market district, the brewery is bustling every Saturday with market shoppers stopping in for tastings, tours, and growler fills. Being near the market is reminiscent of the European markets John remembers from his time in Germany. ”Over there, every town has it’s own brewery.” he explains, “The move to Railroad Street has been great. People come to the market to get fresh, local, quality produce… and now they can get fresh local beer too! The kids that come in enjoy our new root beer and orange cream sodas. The farmers take our spent grain back to feed their livestock. We love being a part of the community here.”

When asked about the evolution of craft beer in Rochester and across the country, Urlaub reflects, “It’s been an incredible revolution. In the beginning, we did all we could just to get people to try a flavorful beer!” Over the years, he’s seen a shift from “micro” to “craft” brewing. “It’s not just about being small, you have to make good beer. These days, it’s all about what’s in the bottle.” John says, “But we’ve always had a great crowd in Rochester. People here have always embraced good beer.”

So what’s next for Rohrbach Brewing Company? Newly planted hops at their Buffalo Road brewpub are part of a plan to start sourcing more locally grown ingredients. The 60 rhizomes, planted in early May, will be used in a wet hopped beer, where fresh hops are added during the brewing process. John says he’s also started looking into getting an on-premise license for the Railroad Street location and will be expanding to add a kitchen. But don’t expect the same fare you find at the brewpub! “We’re going to do it a little different over here.” he says, “I think people will be really surprised with what we come up with.”

The post John Urlaub, Rohrbach Brewing Company first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

The main event, The Rochester Real Beer Expo, is set to kick things off on Saturday, June 16th at 6pm.  Tickets will set you back $40 and includes unlimited tastings of over 80 craft beers.  VIP Tickets  are also available, granting early admission for an additional $20.  Last I heard, the following breweries have been confirmed:

Besides the Expo, there are a TON of happy hours, bar specials, and other fun stuff to do throughout the week.  If you live in the area and you’re looking to make it out for beer week, pick up a copy of CITY Newspaper and look for the insert all about Rochester Real Beer Week.  The event directory lists events and venues along with a little bit about Rochester’s craft beer history.  ROCbeer also offers a calender of beer events in the Rochester area and has listed a ton of stuff during Real Beer Week.  With so many events planned, it’ll be impossible to hit them all. (What’s a girl to do!?) Here’s a few highlights to guide you through the week…

Friday, June 15, 2012

If you’re looking for a party, make sure you hit up the Official RRBW Kickoff Party! Sticky Lips Juke Joint in Henrietta is hosting and it’s going to be a total tap takeover (55 lines!) of Rochester Only beers. The event starts at 5pm and is open to all. *Update: looks like there’ll be a $5 cover starting at 9.

For the craft beer lover looking for something unique… Check out Bombs Away at Donnelly’s Public House, featuring bomber specials all day long and a FREE tasting of rarely-seen-in-Rochester bombers from 5-7pm.  Check out this list of beers…

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Saturday’s big event is definitely the Beer Expo.  It’s a street party with over 80 of the most exciting craft beers from all over the world.  The expo will be held on Gregory Street in the South Wedge (outside Tap & Mallet, from Whalin to Bond Street).  Along with killer brews they’ll also be serving up wine, locally made cheese and baked goods, Cajun BBQ, fresh pizza, wraps and sandwiches, locally roasted coffee, hand rolled cigars, and more.  Oh, and they’ll be live music from local musicians.  Last year they sold out so don’t expect to get tickets at the door.  Ticket info is mentioned above or you can find more details at http://rochesterrealbeer.com/rochester-real-beer-expo/.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Show Dad how much you love him at the Fathers Day Beer Brunch at The Owl House!  Their special brunch menu with suggested beer pairings is way better than a new necktie.  Bacon and Eggs?  Try Smoked Pork Shoulder & Beans Over a Cornbread Waffle paired with a Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen… poppa like!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Like to plan ahead?  Stop by The Basin Pub in Pittsford and pick up a ticket to their Food & Beer Pairing EXTRAVAGANZA!  The last of a series of 4 beer pairing dinners, Chef Dave has matched his finest four course dishes with delicious craft beer from the folks at Brooklyn Brewery.  Tickets are available at the pub for $35 each.

Looking for something to do last minute?  If you didn’t buy tickets to one of the pairing dinners, stop over at Donnelly’s for Can You Dig?  They’ll have $2 canned craft beer all day and a Sixpoint Canned Craft Ale Party from 5-7pm. (Have you tried Apollo yet?  It’s SO. GOOD.)

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

My recommendation for Tuesday night is the Cans & Clams Clambake, 6-9pm at Tap & Mallet.  Welcome the summer season with a can of Brooklyn Lager, Summer Ale, or East India Pale Ale and a pile of potatoes, clams and corn on the cob on the deck.  Looks like the price is still TBD and quantities may be limited so be sure to show up on the early side to get the good stuff!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Head to Lovin’ Cup from 7-9pm for Meet the Brewer Night!  Luke Purcell, head brewmaster at Great Lakes, has crafted some great recipes and they’ll be offering some special beers just for the event.  This is a great opportunity to get up close and personal with the mastermind behind Great Lakes amazing portfolio of beers.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

I’m excited for this one… The Rochester Public Market is hosting a Food Truck Rodeo & Home Brew Competition!  Rochester’s finest mobile kitchens all in one place along with a Rohrbach Beer Tasting, Cash Bar, Upstate NY Homebrewers Association Summer Beers Competition, and live music by The Public Market Band featuring Dick Storms.  Proceeds benefit the Market District Business Association.

The Weekend

By now the week is coming to a close but you’ll need to save some energy for the Cask Ale Festival at The Old Toad.  They’ve put together more than 30 casks from all around to put on one hell of a cask party!  VIP tickets for Friday are available for $50 (only 50 available!) to people who want first crack at the rarest of the rare for this event.  Check out some the breweries that will be featured:

If you don’t get VIP tickets, don’t worry… the party continues through the weekend (or until the beer runs out!) so there’ll be plenty of time to get a taste of these rare ales.  You can purchase tickets for Saturday at the Pub for $40.  Admission is FREE on Sunday along with growler specials of what’s left.

*Update!

BEER WEEK EVENT HIGHLIGHT: Lovin’ Cup is the official venue for the finale of Beer Week. Things kick off bright and early at 9am on Saturday 23rd June with Rochester Real 5k, presented by Sam Adams and Saranac. This scenic park run departs from Lovin’ Cup and your $20 registration fee (24.00 day of race) includes participation in the race, a post-run pint at Lovin’ Cup, a Rochester Real 5k T-Shirt, the chance to win a variety of prizes and lots of live music! Following the race, both Lovin’cup and TC Rileys will be featuring alternating music, munchies and fun! We will hear music from The Reactions, Sisters of Murphy, Teagan and the Tweeds and much, much more! We will also be featuring some fun lawn games and such, so you can hang all day and drink some delicious and special treats! You can sign up for the Real 5K at www.active.com.

So there you have it!  Other venues featuring events and specials throughout the week include:

• Beers of the World
• Joe Bean Coffee Roasters
• Lento Restaurant
• Nathaniel Square Corner Store
• Next Door Bar & Grill
• Chocolate & Vines
• Lux Lounge
• Wegmans

Of course, this is only a small view of what’s going on that week, there’s just no way I can go through them all here. Your best bet is to grab the event directory insert in the CITY or take a look at the ROCbeer calendar and find out for yourself.  Seriously you guys, it’s events like this that make me proud to live in Rochester.  The beer community here is so vibrant and welcoming… if you’ve never been to Rochester, this would be a great time to visit!

If you’ve got any tips of your own, or there’s something that I left out that you think should be mentioned… feel free to leave a note in the comments section!

The post The Girls Guide to Rochester Real Beer Week 2012 first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.