A Promising New Festival Will Celebrate Booze Made in Arizona

This is a milestone for the local craft scene.

August 22, 2018

A one-of-a-kind booze fest is around the corner. Salt River Fields

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We have scattered countless pixels covering the rapid happenings of the local craft drinking scene. Beer. Spirits. Wine. Cider. Sake. For those of you who want a crash course in Arizona libations – or simply want an afternoon of good drinking – consider the new AZ Barrels, Bottles & Brews festival.

The event will spotlight booze made in Arizona. Only products made in Arizona will be poured.

AZ Barrels, Bottles & Brews will be held on Saturday, November 3, from 2 to 5 p.m. Drinks will flow on the concourse at Salt River Fields.

The event claims that "all participants will produce exclusive beers, wines, and spirits just for the events that use Arizona grown hops, yeast, grapes, plus Arizona water." This noble, ambitious goal is what puts this event in its own category relative to others. If participants can deliver, not only are we going to see some fascinating drinks, the event would mark a milestone in the growth of our craft drinking scene.

Familiar names headline the lineup of participating breweries, names like Huss, McFate, and Helton. There will be first-rate breweries that fly more under the radar, like 8-Bit Aleworks (Avondale), as well as breweries from other parts of Arizona, like Dragoon (Tucson).

As of now, a handful of distilleries have been announced. There are also a few vineyards. Cider Corps will be pouring cider. The lineup of participants should only grow from here.

Tickets cost $50 and get you 12 samples. You'll hear more from us about this one.

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Chris Malloy, former food editor and food critic at Phoenix New Times, has written for various local and national outlets. He has scrubbed pots in a restaurant kitchen, earned graduate credit for a class about cheese, harvested garlic in Le Marche, and rolled pastas like cappellacci stuffed with chicken liver. He writes stories on the food world's margins.

Contact: Chris Malloy

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