What: 2012 Flour City Brewers Fest – Beer Festival & Tasting Event

When: September, 21, 2012 6-9pm (VIP ticket holders enjoy early admission at 5pm)

Where: Frontier Field, 1 Morrie Silver Way, Rochester, NY, 14608 (map)

Buy Tickets at: http://fcbrewfest.com/tickets.php

A long-standing part of the Rochester, NY beer community, Rohrbach Brewing Company has been hosting the annual Flour City Brewers Fest since 1995. I spoke with brewery owner, John Urlaub, about the growth of the festival and in the local craft beer community. With more than 20 years in business, Rohrbach Brewing is an O.G.^* in the Rochester beer scene. “The craft beer community has exploded in Rochester,” said Urlaub, “we’ve seen more growth in the past 2 years, than we did in the 18 years before that… The local community here really embraces and supports craft beer, and they love to talk about it!  It’s really cool.”

The first brewers fest was held at Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua, NY and hosted only a dozen or so breweries.  Since then, the festivities have been moved to Frontier Field in downtown Rochester, and the list of participating breweries has more than tripled in size. Urlaub adds, “Today, people are coming to the Brewers Fest hoping to find their new favorite… Back then, we were just trying to get people to try a flavorful beer!”

This years brewers fest will feature deeper tents than in past years to ensure everybody has a great time — rain or shine (Looking at the 10 day forecast, there’s a 30% chance you’ll appreciate that!), and the band will be moved down to the field to create a more intimate atmosphere. Participating breweries include:

Proceeds from the Brewers Fest will benefit Holiday Outreach, a local not-for-profit organization that works to assist less fortunate families during the holiday season and throughout the year.  Why Holiday Outreach?  John says he wanted to keep the focus on the local community.  Over the years, events like the Flour City Brewers Fest, along with other fund raising efforts, have helped raise nearly $150,000 for the small, grassroots organization run entirely by volunteers.  Such significant fund raising efforts have allowed Holiday Outreach to help many families in need from the city of Rochester, as well as other parts of Western New York.

So what’s next? When I asked John what we could expect from Rohrbach’s in the future, he told me that they’re working on new packaging to make their beer more available to consumers.  For years, the only way to enjoy Rohrbach’s tasty line-up of craft brews has been to find it on draft or grab a growler to-go… Soon, you’ll be able to find Rohrbach beer in 22oz. bottles and eventually in ultra-convenient 6-packs.  They’ll be a welcome sight at summer barbecues to come!

Getting In

Tickets to the 2012 Flour City Brewers Fest are $40 at the gate ($35 advance) or $10 for designated drivers and non-beer samplers. Parking will be available for $5 (cash only!) in the adjacent Kodak lot (map).  Street parking is FREE where available but be sure to check for NO PARKING/NO STANDING signs. (A note about drinking responsibly: Overnight parking is allowed in the Kodak lot as well as in the State Street Garage in High Falls. There will be taxi service available and the Rochester Plaza hotel will run a shuttle bus to and from the event. Contact the Rochester Plaza for details.)

A limited number of VIP tickets are also available for $75 (purchase online at: http://fcbrewfest.com/tickets.php).  VIP ticket holders can look forward to a number of benefits including:

• Early admission — Gain access to the field at 5pm (an hour before general admission)
• FREE parking in the Frontier Field and nearby Kodak Lots
• Access to the covered VIP area (opens at 6PM) where you can mix & mingle with friends
• Catered food from 6 – 8pm in the VIP Area
• Samples of exclusive beers not available to anyone else at Brew Fest!

What to Try

One of the best things about going to beer festivals is trying new beers.  Remember that booming Rochester craft beer scene?  Well you’ll get to experience it first hand at Flour City Brewers Fest.  Along with Rohrbach’s lineup of locally brewed beer, make sure you stop by and sample offerings from the other Rochester craft breweries in attendance. Custom Brewcrafters, ROC Brewing Co, Three Heads Brewing, Naked Dove, and Rogers Beer are all local favorites.  And don’t forget your Grandpa’s beer of choice: Genny Cream Ale! Genesee Brewery has been brewing beer in Rochester since 1878, and is one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in the United States. Today, they employ more than 500 employees here in Rochester. And here’s a fun fact… for those of you that remember Genny as the beer you had to drink warm behind the tool shed because you stole it from your dad’s stash in the garage, Genesee Cream Ale actually won the GOLD medal at the World Beer Cup in both 2002 and 2004 for best American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale. So if it’s been a while since you’ve had a taste of this American classic, take this opportunity to sample it side by side with some of your other craft favorites.  You might find that’s not quite the beer you remember it to be!

In between beer tastings, be sure to stop by the Rochester A-List and Rochester Young Professionals tent in the outfield to try a Rohrbachs Vanilla Porter Cupcake created by Dollop, Rochester’s premier gourmet cupcakery and winner of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.  While you’re there you can also register for your chance to win some great beer related prizes!

One that I’m looking forward to trying… Brooklyn Brewery will be there with their Brewmaster’s Reserve “Fiat Lux” (“Let There Be Light”), a Belgian witbier inspired ale with lime peel & coriander. Check out this video by Transient Pictures for a more detailed look at what goes into this seasonal release, draft only brew. Cheers!

The post 2012 Flour City Brewer’s Fest first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

As one of our favorite breweries, I was not surprised when JD made a beeline for Southern Tier Brewing Co. as soon as we entered the gates to snag a taste of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Back Burner Barley Wine. We’re both big fans of the standard Back Burner and the aged version did not disappoint.  Oak meets smooth caramel notes and at 14.1% abv, it packs a punch without being too boozy or overpowering in any way.  A very enjoyable brew and one that I was happy to start with.

Conveniently, our friends from Custom Brewcrafters were at the next booth over with a taste of their Krysztoff Baltic Porter, named 2011 Beer of the Year by The New York Cork Report.  Another delicious beer with some serious decision making power (10% abv) this bold brew had us doing the smile-and-nod. From there, slightly nervous that the day would head south quickly otherwise, we sought out some snacks in the main lodge.

Once you’re in the festival, all of the beer samples as well as the food is free and readily available everywhere you turn.  This years featured theme was Caribbean Food, although we got our hands on everything from hot dogs & hamburgers to pierogis with sour cream.  Of course there were plenty of treats that fit the theme a little better… we enjoyed Curry Chicken, Oven-baked Sweet Plantains, and burned our tongues on Conch Fritters.

Saturday was a blur of good food, great beer, and even better people. I cannot say enough about the craft beer community… We met so many great people at TAP New York, many of whom we hope to see again soon.  At 5pm, when the festival had closed for the night, we did some hanging with Rochester’s own Three Heads Brewing and the Dupa Dupa Dupa crew (you’ll find their picture right inside the TAP NY program).  From there we headed up to Tannersville for the official Sixpoint Craft Ales after party at The Spinning Room Bar, where we rubbed elbows with none other than Jan Matysiak, brewmaster and creator of Sixpoint Resin and the newly launched Apollo, a wheat beer brewed with a traditional Bavarian yeast.  We also ate SPAM fries and spent some time chatting with Adam Lang and his lovely girlfriend Aliza.  For those of you that know how much we love Sixpoint, you can imagine how much we enjoyed meeting those guys! (like I’m pretty sure JD has a man-crush on Jan…)

Right about now is when my memory starts to fade in and out… though I do remember that the cab driver from Smiley’s Taxi was totally cool and not at all creepy like the cab driver we had in Jamestown when we visited Southern Tier in February.  Stay tuned for a recap of Sunday, when I actually remembered to take some pictures!

The post TAP NY 2012 – Day One first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

We left from Rochester on Saturday morning, heading southwest toward Ellicottville, NY.  This little ski resort town in upstate NY is home to Ellicottville Brewing Company, Southern Tier’s “sister brewery”.  If you’ve never tried anything from EBC, I highly recommend it!  We stopped in for lunch around 12:15pm, and even though the busy ski season had the place buzzing with activity, we were seated right away.  I ordered the Chocolate Cherry Bomb (8.2 ABV | 32 IBU), an Imperial Stout, served on nitro, that was as drinkable as it was delicious.  I was hesitant to opt for what I assumed would be a heavy beer considering I was pairing it with lunch.  But we were only stopping for a quick bite and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to try such an intriguing brew.  The stout pours a thick sturdy head and the aroma prepares you for a rich creamy sip reminiscent of chocolate milk.  I was surprised though, by how quickly the rich aroma gives way to a sweet, smooth taste without the thick mouthfeel I was expecting.  It’s silky, as you’d expect a chocolate stout to be, but very drinkable.  I paired it with their BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, which proved to be a great choice!  The sandwich was amazing and the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce paired well with the robust Cherry Bomb.

From there we headed west, making our way closer and closer to Lakewood, and the home to our most beloved brews.  We checked into our motel rooms at the Fairmount Motel, just a mile and a half away from the brewery and called a cab to give us a lift.  We arrived at the brewery around 3:30pm and immediately registered for the 5 o’clock tour.  On Saturday’s tours run at 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm and will cost you $12 a head, including a souvenir glass to take home.  Brewery tours are limited to 20 people and often sell out, so if you plan on making the trip try to arrive early to reserve a space.  Once we had secured our spots on the tour, we each grabbed a beer (2X Stout for me) and settled in under the propane heaters on the patio.  The one thing that we didn’t do, and I wished we did, was bring something to snack on.  Due to the limited menu at  the Empty Pint, their on-site bar, they allow patrons to bring in outside food with them if they wish.  Even though we had a great time sitting and chatting on the patio, something tells me some cheese and crackers would have made the afternoon that much better.

It’s a great tour, covering the entire facility and offering the chance to taste a variety of beers that they have available that day.   We tried the Chautauqua Brew, Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale, 2X IPA, and 2x Stout… we got to try the 2X Stout straight from the bright tank at the end of the tour!   Before we left we made sure to stock up with a nice big box of bombers to remember the trip.  Some memorable additions include: Gemini, Choklat, and Back Burner.

Southern Tier Brewing Company is a fantastic brewery to visit and probably not as far away as you think if you live in Western NY, Northern PA, or Eastern Ohio!  If you’re going to plan a trip, remember my tips:

• Plan to stay overnight.  The Fairmount Motel is nearby, clean and super affordable.
• Arrive early to make sure you can get a spot on the brewery tour. ($12/person)
• Bring snacks.  I recommend cheese and crackers to complement the various beers (and maybe some chocolate for dessert?)

The post Visiting Southern Tier Brewing Company first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

A well-designed package can get me to buy almost anything, and this phenomenon definitely holds true when it comes to beer.  While it’s no secret that the beer industry and product marketing go hand in hand, the craft beer market is introducing a new aesthetic, playing to a… dare I say it?… more sophisticated beer drinker.  When I’m browsing the aisles of our local beer store, a fresh label design will grab my attention right away and, more often than not, inspire me to try something new.  Of course, that’s the whole idea, isn’t it?

So without further adieu, I thought I would run down a few of the craft brews that have caught my eye and found their way to my fridge through the use of nostalgic imagery and nice fonts.  I’ll leave out any personal preferences in regards to taste, some of these listed below have become dear favorites, making it into our regular rotation, while others, sadly, have never been consumed again.

Here are my picks for the top 5 beer label designs:

1. Roc Brewing Co. – Rochester, NY

Ok, so I talk about beer labels and then right off the bat I pick a brewery that isn’t bottling yet, but hear me out…  New to the scene here in Rochester, Roc Brewing is quickly making a name for themselves in the local beer community.  You can find partners Chris Spinelli and Jon Mervine behind the wood pouring their latest brews at their new tasting room located at 56. S. Union St.  These guys really know the meaning of aesthetic.  Everything about the place is a perfect blend of vintage and contemporary styles with just the right amount of whimsical humor.  Not to mention their tasting room doubles as an art gallery displaying the work of local artists. (LOVE THAT!) And I know I said I wasn’t going to talk taste, but we tried their new Belgian Blonde the other night and, you guys… it’s SO good!

2. Life & Limb – a Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head Collaboration

Life & Limb is the product of a collaborative effort between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  It’s a dark beer brewed with maple syrup and, at 10% abv, it packs a punch. The Dogfish Head website explains, “Life & Limb is dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community.”  Now that’s a sentiment I can get behind.

3. Great Divide Brewing – Denver, CO

The bold typography and simple color palettes are what first attracted me to Great Divides wide selection of craft beers. But it’s more than just the great labels drawing people in!  Great Divide has earned a whopping 17 Great American Beer Festival medals and 5 World Beer Cup awards.

4. Breckenridge Brewery – Denver, CO

When I spotted the screen-printed bottles of Breckenridge Brewery’s 471 IPA I had to have it.  The design on this small batch double IPA is simple, but effective.  Bold typography and clean lines provides that vintage contemporary vibe that I can’t get enough of.  And just a hint: it’s a killer IPA, definitely worth a try if you come across it in the beer aisle!

5. Southern Tier Brewing Co. – Lakewood, NY

So here we are at the end of the list with my old favorite, Southern Tier.  Look at this package design… they nailed it.  It’s simple but bold, clean but casual, all words that could be used when describing the brewery or even the beer itself!  And when you see these beers on the shelf, you know it’s Southern Tier.  Cheers!

The post The Craft Beer Aesthetic first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.