Beerfest Season is Heating Up!
As the temps begin to cool, the fall beerfest season is heating up, with two outdoor events this month.
The 12th Annual Downtown Brew Festival, one of the larger fests in the state drawing thousands of craft beer fans, returns to the Clark County Amphitheater on Oct. 19 from 5-9 p.m. (4 p.m. for VIP and early entry). You can expect more than 200 beers from 60+ breweries, including most of our local brewing establishments. There will also be live music and several food options.
This year, the VIP lounge will feature the culinary artistry of Chef John Simmons (Tacos & Beer and Firefly), Susana Rodriguez (Tacotarian), Misael Ramirez (Eureka!), and Ryan Alday (595 Craft and Kitchen).
For more info click here to read my Vegas Prime beer column and for the list of beer being poured, food vendors, performing artists, ticket prices and to purchase tickets, visit DowntownBrewFestival.com.
Big Dog’s annual DOGtoberfest will take place on Oct. 26 at the Draft House outdoor area from 4-9 p.m. This fest combines the great traditions of Oktoberfest celebrations with the charm of an Old Wisconsin brat cookout and is free admission, pay as you go with more than 45 independent craft beers including 25 from Silver State breweries. There will also be a human and dog Halloween costume contest, live music, raffles and giveaways.
For more info and to purchase festival packages visit DOGtoberfest – Big Dog’s Brewing Company.
What's Pouring
Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits, one of our city’s finest bottle shops and taprooms, just celebrated its 20th anniversary. To commemorate the momentous milestone, Owner Issa Khoury collaborated with Able Baker Brewing to brew Khoury’s 20th Anniversary Barrel-Aged Cuvee, an 11% Imperial Stout that is a blend of Imperial Stouts aged in both Elijah Craig Barrels and Smoke Wagon Barrels. Head over to Khoury’s at Eastern and Ione to try some or one of the 20 beers on tap, oodles in bottles and cans and a dedicated cooler just for local breweries.
After a brief hiatus, our local roving brewer Juxta Nomad (AKA Kyle Weniger) is back with more of his unique beers pouring this month. He describes his “Shuck Buddies” as a weird one incoming! It’s a dry Irish oyster stout made with oyster shells, charred Vidalia onions and fresh thyme that is a collaboration with North 5th Brewing and Tinned Fish Club Las Vegas. This stout should be out in early to mid-October on draft at many of the usual suspects. He also has Ba-Hop Blast, a dry-hopped sour with lime and salt collaboration with HUDL Brewing.
Head Brewer Andy Kohon and Owner/Brewer John “Griff” Griffith at Mojave Brewing Co have Black Cat Walking, a 5.8% pumpkin stout with pumpkin and pumpkin spice added during the whirlpool cycle of the brewing. There’s also the return of Firewolves (pouring both on draft and on cask), a 10% Belgian Tripel made with Belgian candi sugar with the toastiness of roasted sugar named in honor of a Navy helicopter group that used to pick up Navy Seals. Mojave Brewing is the only cider producer in the Vegas Valley and its latest new creation is The Gatsby Mimosa, which is cider mixed with orange juice that tastes exactly like a mimosa (only better); and To Be Pear, a 6.6% perry (fermented pear juice).
This month Able Baker celebrates its five-year anniversary with an all-day party at the taproom on October 26. It will also be releasing several beers throughout this month to commemorate the occasion, including 8.25% Project A119 Imperial Dark Ale with grilled cocoa nibs, jalapeños, and few top secret ingredients (Oct. 7, draft only); 14.4% Double Barrel Impale’d Ale BBA Imperial Brown Ale (Oct. 16, draft only); 15% 5IVE-5th Anniversary Release BBA Imperial Stout (Oct. 25, draft and 22 oz bottles); 15% 5IVE-Brewers Reserve BBA Imperial Stout (Oct. 25, draft and 22 oz bottles); and 12.1% Coconut Kiloton BBA Imperial Dark Ale with toasted coconut and cocoa nibs (Oct. 25, draft and 16 oz single cans). There will also be a few more surprise draft only releases for the anniversary party.
- Hero image © Adobe Stock – licensed for editorial and edited by A.D. Cook.
- Mojave brewers pic by Steve Hodyno
- All other graphics and photos are copyrighted by their respective owners. Used by permission.
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Bob Barnes began his food and beverage writing career in 1998 as Regional Correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and wrote the Nevada Beer Nuggets column from 1998-2019. He was Editorial Director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional from 2012-2021 and has covered Las Vegas for Gayot since 2010. He continues to contribute to Gayot, writing the Gayot Las Vegas Restaurant News, features on new restaurants, and beer and spirit reviews. He also writes regularly for Off The Strip, The Vegas Voice, Neon Feast, and Las Vegas Magazine.
