>>PREVIEW
BEERFEST
May 12 and 13
The Hangar (SAIT Campus)
Have you ever noticed there are several events and tastings dedicated to that fermented grape juice, but hardly any that celebrate the greatest, most diverse and fun beverage of all – beer?
Fortunately, this weekend, beer lovers can rejoice, as the Calgary BeerFest returns for its second year. This Friday and Saturday at the Hangar pub (located at SAIT), you can sample many of the latest and greatest of the world’s number one social lubricant – beer.
This year’s festival is a good opportunity to sample some of the unique beers Alberta’s liquor agents have to offer, as well as some that are yet to appear in some of the better stocked liquor stores in town. A new addition to the event is an outdoor beer garden with live music.
You can sample a barrel aged beer at Innis & Gunn, and try the Temny Pivos (dark lagers) that are rarely seen outside the Czech Republic (the original source of the golden pilsner). When I made a trip to the Czech Republic myself, I wound up sidetracked by the dark lagers, and they were amazing. One of my all-time favourite styles of beer is the German wheat beer, or hefeweizen, and this year’s BeerFest is offering nine different classics from four different countries. Be sure to try the Ayinger Helles Brau-Weiss. Through my travels to Germany and the United States I can tell you that the hefeweizen is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular styles.
You’ll also have a chance to try some gimmicky beers without having to commit to buying a six-pack. One agent has some Swiss beers that are part of a week-long health package, and another beer, brewed with Aloe Vera, is meant to heal you from the inside – maybe that one is best for the day after the festival.
Besides being a great chance to experience beer’s diversity, the organizers had the forethought to make the event close to public transportation, to avoid drinking and driving. |
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