Peel the Label – Festival Selections

Festival season is upon us. Here in Los Angeles, it stretches from April through October.

Which means that there are one or more craft beer festivals per weekend. And quite frankly, most are very cookie-cutter. Very few are outright bad. But some just sit there wearing a “m’eh” t-shirt. And it is because the choice of breweries and beers is mediocre either because it isn’t the focus or because of limited supply.  But both problems can be surmounted.

It is not easy to put on a festival.  Sourcing the beer almost becomes part of a list of to-do’s.  Another item to check off the list.  When it should be the main driver behind why a festival is being done in the first place.  Not because you need to drum up business for your beer emporium or draw attention to your town as a tourist destination for beer geeks.  Those benefits arrive stronger and in a more lasting way when people are excited about what beer they will be able to drink or breweries that they will see.

Setting aside those marketing driven events, as craft beer festivals proliferate, the great beer and great ideas get spread thin. The same breweries and same beer are on tap on the Eastside and the West. Like a mirror reflection. Or you run across beer choices more in line with inventory reduction.  I have seen a brewery rep pouring bottles of last years fall and winter ale seasonals. In April. Even though said brewery has multiple fresher beers.  And no, it was not an aged beer festival.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. A festival may be new, middle aged or classic and also be exciting. What it requires is that the limitations on beer be creatively surmounted.

That starts with the beer selections. A new festival may have less access to “wow” beers but can be a “wow festival”.  For those new to the scene or with limited options I can, right off the top of my head, see where a festival salutes the best selling / flagship beers of their local breweries. 24th Street from Strand Brewing next to Solidarity from a Eagle Rock Brewery. And have information explaining the back story of those beers. Or you could add a slide show of the brewery.

You could go style specific and feature Belgian and Belgian style beers, or lagers and pilsners. Take the list of possible beers and find a theme.  Portland has a Fruit Beer Festival that takes advantage of their access to fruit in the region.  The same could be done here.  Or do a single hop festival.  Sierra Nevada has added something similar to great success.  And it ties back into their hop growing program.  True synergy not the made up kind.

If you have been around the beer scene in your community and made some friends, then you can and should kick it up a notch. What style of beer is under represented? Maybe do a blind tasting or a competition type of event. L.A. IPA’s versus their San Diego counterparts. Then crown a people’s champion and a brewery rep champion.  I could literally spout off ten or more ideas as a jumping off point for people.

And the creativity doesn’t need to stop at the craft beer border. Instead of loud DJ music, how about local unsigned bands? Books and beer? Ice cream and beer or grilled cheese and beer? The options are endless. Make a selection. Don’t just paint by the numbers.

But I will probably read about festivals with the usual suspects. And no water stations.  And, I say read, because you will probably not find me at as many this year.

Peel the label is an occasional post behind the beer scenes with no links or photos. Just opinion.