Beer Festivals

Hoppy attended the BIG RED BUS BREW OCTOBER FEST in Myrtle Beach. Transportation was provided to four Myrtle Beach breweries via an English double-decker bus that had the top removed in order to create an open-aired upstairs. The event takes place every Friday in October.

The tour began at VOODOO BREWING. They opened their doors in May of this year, and they are a veteran owned franchise. Here Hoppy drank a Good Vibes West Coast IPA. It is described as being hopped five times in the kettle and double dry hopped to produce bodacious dank fruit notes using gnarly amounts of Galaxy, Amarillo, Mosaic and Apollo hops. 7.3% ABV, 85 IBU.

The next three breweries on the tour had been visited by Hoppy previously, and more information about them can be found on this website.

The second brewery on the tour was NEW SOUTH BREWING. Here Hoppy imbibed the following:

Dirty Myrtle Double IPA – Described as packed ridiculously full of Mosaic, Simcoe and Falconers Flight hops. 8.9% ABV.

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Big Wooly Mammoth Imperial Stout 2023 – Blantons – Aged in Blantons Bourbon barrels for one year. 10.5% ABV, 65 IBU.

The next visit was at TIDAL CREEK BREWHOUSE. Here, Hoppy drank a Coastlines West Coast IPA described as a modern take on a west coast style IPA, with a citrus forward hop aroma accented with notes of pineapple and evergreen, carried along by a light but sturdy malt backbone to deliver a clean, hoppy bitter finish. 6.5% ABV, 60 IBU.

There is a lack of photos from this location as this is where Hoppy ate his dinner.

The last visit on the fest was at GRAND STRAND BREWING. During this visit Hoppy quaffed a Sandy Cheeks West Coast IPA described as a classic West Coast style IPA with a bit of a modern twist using modern hops. Citrus aroma from the hops and a solid malt backbone help round out the IPA. 6.9% ABV.

Hoppy attended the 4th Annual Tipton On Tap Craft Beer, Wine & Spirits Fest last Saturday. While there, he enjoyed sampling the following ales:

Sinister Goat Brewing Reign In Blood New England Blood Orange IPA – 7.8% ABV.

Northbrook Brewing West Coast IPA – 7% ABV, 90 IBU.

Lost Hollow Beer Cheeky Scouser EPA – Described as having a caramel and malt sweetness with a hoppy aroma and finish. 5% ABV, 40 IBU.

Elm Street Brewing Citranot American IPA – Described as featuring loads of Citra, Citra Cryo and Ekuanot hops! Loads of oats round out the mouthfeel. 6.8% ABV, 52 IBU.

Triton Brewing Rail Splitter American IPA – Their flagship beer, and a true example of the style, it is a fresh golden brew with noticeable citrus and floral aromas balanced on a nice malty backbone with a dry finish. 7% ABV, 70 IBU.

Primeval Brewing French Kiss French Farmhouse Ale – Described as an amber colored ale with rich toasty, caramel malt flavors. The traditional French artisanal yeast strain produces a dry, spicy and floral finish. It was stored cold for three months to achieve the smooth character of this very unique beer! 7.7% ABV, 28 IBU.

Big Lug Brewing Topanga Pale Ale – Described as a citrus pale ale that’s crisp and refreshing with a nice hoppy finish. 6.2% ABV, 40 IBU.

Pax Verum Stray Thoughts New England IPA – A New England IPA series which revolves around elements of harmony within the disorder.

Photos from the event follow:

Hoppy attended the Rock the Junction Festival last Saturday at Grand Junction Brewing. While there he sampled a number of beers from various Indiana breweries. These included the following:

Grand Junction Brewing – One with Nature IPA – Described as a malt forward Midwest IPA with notes of grapefruit peel, tangerine, and hints of pine that greet your nose as you sip, giving way to an assertive yet balanced bitterness with a light caramel finish. It will leave you daydreaming about becoming one with nature. 6.3% ABV, 75 IBU.

Taxman Brewing – Exemption Belgian Tripel – Described as an abbey-style tripel. This crisp golden ale unites lemon peel, orange peel and coriander spices with flavorful Belgian esters. White wheat, flaked oat and artisan malts contribute a round, balanced body, complemented by golden candi sugar. 8.5% ABV, 30 IBU.

Crasian Brewing Rickshaw Rye’d Rye IPA – Described as a beautifully balanced Rye IPA hopped with Mosaic hops. 5.7% ABV, 64 IBU.

Terre Haute Brewing – Wango Tango IPA – They state, from John Mellencamp to Axl Rose, it’s pretty clear that Indiana rocks! Wango Tango is a luscious India Pale Ale brewed with Apollo and Citra hops. This beer brings a soft and smooth body, amplified notes of citrus, and a tangy tangerine finish that is out of this world. Rock on with a Wango! 7.5% ABV, 23 IBU.

Science Project Brewing – Hop Rocket IPA – Hop Rocket is inspired by the first ever logo idea of Science Project. It now has a mural on the front of their building, its own shirt, and its own glass. Brewed using Brewers 2 Row malt and Pilsen Malt with a splash of Carapils. Bravo hops are used for the initial bittering charge and Citra and Mosaic hops are used throughout including a large dry hop. 6.3% ABV, 63 IBU.

Metal Works Brewing – American IPA – Described as a crisp and dry hop forward American IPA with a balance of malt and bitterness. 6.4% ABV, 62 IBU.

Bad Dad Brewing – Kiss the Cook Double IPA – This light bodied beer boasts a tropical bouquet with mild bitterness. The flavor lingers slightly, but dissipates enough to warrant another sip. 8.8% ABV.

Field Brewing – Reunion Citrus IPA – A refreshing IPA brewed with real tangerine and grapefruit, while moderately dry hopped with Ahtanum and Cascade hops. 6.3% ABV, 64IBU.

Black Dog Brewing – Good Vibrations Witbier – Belgian style witbier brewed with sweet orange peel, coriander, and chamomile. Easy citrus and bright flavors accompanied by a medium body and spritzy carbonation. 5.3% ABV, 12 IBU.

Creatures of Habit Brewing – R2C2 American IPA – A malty IPA that brings balance to the hop force. 6.6% ABV, 58 IBU.

Teays River Brewing – Trauma Llama Ding Dong Hazy IPA – This features big pineapple and melon hop notes while delivering low bitterness and a fluffy mouthfeel. 6.3% ABV, 16 IBU.

Pax Verum Brewing – Lythronax Double Oatmeal Stout Tinker Coffee + Vanilla Variant – Hailing from the depths with an unapologetic spirit, this heavy textured oatmeal stout series is bathed in the absence of light and emboldened with ferocious flavors. BREWED WITH TINKER COFFEE COMPANY’S ARK BLEND AND TATITIAN VANILLA BEANS. 8% ABV, 56 IBU.

Fontana Farms Brewing – Propagation New England IPA -Full bodied Hazy IPA featuring Citra, El Dorado, and Amarillo hops. 6.4% ABV, 43 IBU.

Guggman Haus Brewing – Clouds of Citra DDH Double New England IPA – Brewed with heaps of Citra and Cryo-Citra hops to create a beautifully bold citrus profile, this double hazy IPA stands out for its extremely smooth and balanced mouthfeel along with bright, refreshing notes of citrus in every sip. 8.7% ABV.

Pictures from the festival follow:

FRIGID DIGITS WINTER BEER FEST – CENTERPOINT BREWING – INDIANAPOLIS

Hoppy attended the 7th annual Frigid Digits Winter Beer Fest yesterday at Centerpoint Brewing. It was his second time attending the event and his first within a few years. The event featured unlimited samples from thirty plus Indiana craft breweries and distilleries.

Pictures from the beer fest follow:

PROJEKT BAYERN OKTOBERFEST – WENATCHEE, WA

The day following his visit to the Leavenworth Oktoberfest, Hoppy attended the Projekt Bayern Oktoberfest in Wenatchee. Projekt Bayern founded the original Leavenworth Oktoberfest in 1998 and operated it until 2019, making it one of the best and most authentic Oktoberfest celebrations in the entire country. Projekt Bayern’s traditional Oktoberfest celebration is now located in the beautiful city of Wenatchee at the Town Toyota Center.

While at this Oktoberfest Hoppy enjoyed imbibing Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier. It is brewed by Staatliches Hofbrauhaus Munchen, in Munich, Bayern Germany. It is described as a rich, full-bodied beer which goes down ideally with traditional Bavarian cuisine. With its deliciously bitter taste and clean, crisp edge, it is a vital part of the Oktoberfest experience. It is 6.3% ABV, 23 IBU.

Pictures from the Oktoberfest follow:

LEAVENWORTH OKTOBERFEST – LEAVENWORTH, WA

The next stop was, of course, the Leavenworth Oktoberfest. It is held over the first three weekends in October and began in 1998.

Between raising his glass and yelling prost, Hoppy drank the following beers:

Weihenstephaner Dunkel – A dark wheat beer from Freising, Bavaria, Germany. It is described as effervescent and full-bodied with a pleasantly light caramel note in the flavor imparting a velvety mouthfeel. It is chestnut in color. 5.3% ABV, 14 IBU. (Weihenstephaner is the world’s oldest continuing operating brewery and has been located at a monastery site since at least 1040.)

Icicle Brewing Alpenhaze Hazy IPA – Described as a bright, tropical and juicy IPA with Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado and Simcoe hops, giving it notes of mango, pineapple, tangerine and apricot that excite the nose and palate. The malt profile provides a body that ends each sip with a light and pillowy mouthfeel.  6.3% ABV, 30IBU.

Photos from the Fest follow: