The 2nd Annual Sacramento Beer Week goes from February 25th to March 6th, 2011. We were very much looking forward to it this year and even marked the events we planed on attending on the calendar. Started out the week on Friday with lunch at Pyramid on K street. The prior month we scored on an awesome Groupon and today was the perfect day to use it as it was also 1/2 price growler day at Pyramid and we also got to keep a glass for one of the specials.
Later that night we went to check out Alley Katz for Rouge night. It was our first time there and very impressed by the huge selection of beers and wine, and the giraffe height of the "table top tap", a large cylinder that holds 2 pitchers of beer and you can pour at your table. The plan was then to head over to Pangaea Two Brew Cafe for the release of Franklin, a Double IPA by local brewer Peter Hoey and only being served at this location. The tasting that night also included a Kölsch and Extra Pale Ale by Sutter Buttes. It started to fill up and get a bit busy so after leaving we made our way to The Shack for Sierra Nevada Torpedo night. They had also advertised it was a campout night with live music and s'mores. We ordered two of the Torpedo's and got to keep the glasses along with some food and found a seat outside, due to how packed it was inside. The live music was good and we stayed warm by the fire. It was a very fun night and we were exhausted when we got home and smelled like smoke from campfire night.
Sunday was our next day out when we started where we ended with brunch at The shack. I ordered the eggs Benedict and Noah had an omelet type meal that came with a "Red" beer. He expected a red ale, but it was really a beer boodly mary. The event that day at the Shack was a red, white and blue Chimay tasting and we got to keep the glass (again). Thanks to an almost empty keg we started the tasting with a free raspberry lambic and then followed with the 3 tastings of the Chimay followed by a surprise by the owner, Gary, who brought out an aged bottle of 2007 blue Chimay. WOW! Can we do this every Sunday? After leaving Brunch, there was a quick stop to check out a local brewing event at BFD to pick up a few supplies.
On Tuesday Noah got word from a friend and we made plans to meet up at The Shack for Lagunitas night. Being one of our favorite breweries to visit we had to go to this event. With the purchase of the IPA we of course got to keep the glass (for those keeping track we now have 7 glasses) It was by far the busiest we had seen it yet. We enjoyed the fire, food, beer and friends. We cut the night short because everyone had worked that day and the next.
That brings us to Thursday, nothing exciting. We planed on making it to a old town pub crawl but then forgot so we headed to Pangaea for Allegash night, but it was just too busy to stay. We headed to Hilltop tavern to catch the tail end of a New Belgium sours tasting. We ended the night at Rick's desert dinner. I know nothing to do with Beer Week, but too good not to mention.
The week is not over, there is still this weekend left. The big event is the Capital Beerfest, we decided to skip the $30 ticket and crowds of Cal Expo. It sounds like a cool event, they are expecting over 60 breweries. Over all I can say I have really enjoyed Beer week and it will be bitter sweet when it is over. Really do look forward to going to our normal hangout spots with out the crowds. Most of all I have been impressed by how many different events had been put together.
