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.

Only cheap beer comes in cans.

No longer a sign of “cheap beer”, craft breweries all over the country are embracing cans. In fact, from a list of the countries top 50 craft breweries*, nearly half are canning in some capacity. Even Jim Koch, founder of Samuel Adams, who had previously sworn never to put their beer in cans, has changed his mind. “The debate over bottles vs. cans has been a sticking point for brewers in the craft beer community for years,” Koch said in a recent interview with Forbes. “In the past, I had my doubts about putting Sam Adams in a can because I wasn’t convinced that Boston Lager would taste as good as it does from a bottle. But cans have changed. And I believe we’ve designed a can that provides a slight but noticeably better drinking experience than the standard beer can.”

Cans make beer taste bad./You can taste the metal.

No way! In fact, properly sealed cans may actually protect your beer better than glass. Two of beers biggest enemies are light and oxygen. Cans create a seal that keep out both, preventing off-flavors like wet cardboard and oxidation, or “skunky” beer. Modern beer cans are also lined with a high-tech polymer to prevent any flavor transfer from the aluminum. Think of it as a mini keg. Some manufacturers even use different liners for different beers based on their pH value.

In addition to being beer-friendly, many agree that cans are also more environmentally-friendly than glass. Recycling rates for aluminum are much higher than glass, with about 45% of cans being recycled, compared to just 25% of bottles. They also weigh less: Just under an ounce, while an empty bottle is close to 6 ounces, which reduces greenhouse-gas emissions, since heavier items require more fuel to transport. And they stack neatly, requiring less space during shipping and storage, and once they’ve been emptied, they can be crushed to reduce their size even more!

Now that you’ve got the inside scoop on craft cans, grab a cooler and stock up! Summer is a great time for enjoying canned beer. Glass, with it’s tendency to break, is prohibited in many public spaces for safety reasons. Cans, on the other hand, are often welcome at pools, parks, and golf courses. And their thin metal walls allow your beer to cool down quicker, which lets you enjoy a cold one that much sooner! So keep an eye out for special events featuring craft cans during Rochester Real Beer Week, including Brooklyn Cans & Clams, Tuesday, June 18th at Tap & Table; and “Can Jam” on Thursday, June 20th in Star Alley Park on South Ave., sponsored by Lux Lounge, John’s Tex-Mex, and Nathaniel Square Corner Store.

*top 50 US craft breweries based on 2012 sales volume.

The post Crushing the Myths: Craft Cans 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.