Do you know what next week is? It’s Huntsville Beer Week! Kicking off this year’s festivities is the Southern HOPSpitality Beer Festival on Friday, October 19th at Lowe Mill. And for all you beer lovers out there (I know there’s a couple), this week is all about you!
A Week of Beer
You heard me right. There is an official week celebrating all things beer, October 19-27. And its not any old beer. No, I’m talking your standard Budweiser. No Huntsville Beer Week is a celebration of the local breweries right here in our community.
Officially organized by the Alabama Brewers Guild, they collaborate with many groups to make this week happen, including:
- Individual craft beer enthusiasts
- Free the Hops
- The hosting venues
- The participating breweries
- Event Kings, LLC
These groups come are natural collaborators and share a common goal with Huntsville Beer Week: to allow folks to experience great craft beer.
The Breweries
Speaking of beer, there will certainly be plenty of it at the many Beer Week events. For 2012, we have partnered with even more breweries this year, including local favorites Straight to Ale, Yellowhammer, and Blue Pants Brewery. You can see a complete list of participating breweries here.
Beer Week Kick Off
Huntsville Beer Week starts off with a bang with the Southern HOPSpitality Beer Festival at a brand new location, Lowe Mill Arts and Entrainment, which offers tons of parking!
Tickets are $28 in advance and $35 the day of the event. Designated Driver tickets are $15 at the Gate only. For more information on Southern HOPSpitality tickets visit their website.
And what do you get for that money? Glad you asked. For the price of admission you get:
- 5 Beer samples
- A souvenir pint glass for sampling
- Additional samples are $1
- You can always get a “double sample” if you find a beer you really like
- Food will be available for purchase
- Free water available, courtesy of Liquor Express.
In addition to the beer, there will also be live music by The Kenneth Brian Band. Much like the southern craft beer movement, the debut album from The Kenneth Brian Band, Welcome to Alabama, is an introduction to the New South, featuring masterful song-crafting, blistering guitar work, spot-on harmonies, and a take-no-prisoners-rhythm section, all tied together by Brian’s honest and vocals and straight-forward point of view.
BONUS: we’ve got TWO PAIRS of tickets to give away! Enter to win at the end of the post!
Safety First
Southern HOPSpitality is committed to ensure that everyone has a wonderful time AND returns home safely. Plenty of security will be on hand including HPD uniformed officers. A list of preferred cab companies will be providing discount cab rides and designated driver tickets will be available at the gate as well.
Huntsville Beer Week Schedule
If you want to attend ALL the Beer Week events, you need to start planning NOW! You can find Huntsville Beer Week on Facebook or visit their website for more information about individual events.
Southern HOPSpitality: Some of the best breweries in the deep south and combining it with some great southern jams for a one-night event.
Date: Friday October 19
Time: 6-11pm
Location: Lowe Mill
Meet the Brewers: Many of your local brewers will be on hand at The Nook on Saturday, and some are planning on bringing a special treat for visitors.
Date: Saturday October 20
Time: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Location: The Nook
Yellowhammer Tap Takeover: Yellowhammer is taking over the taps at the Barrel House! You also get to keep the souvenir pint glass!
Date: Monday, October 22
Time: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Barrel House
Schwag Giveaway: Come by to meet the folks, enjoy one of the best beer selections around, and keep the souvenir Huntsville Beer Week glass.
Date: Monday, October 22
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Below the Radar Brewhouse
New Beer Tuesday
Date: Tuesday, October 23
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Below the Radar Brewhouse
Blue Pants Tap Takeover: Blue Pants Brewery is taking over the taps at Stem & Stein!
Date: Tuesday, October 23
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Stem & Stein [spacer size=”0″]
$1 Growler Special: A wide selection of the 66 taps at Liquor Express will be sold for $1 per quart!
Date: Wednesday, October 24
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm ONLY
Location: Liquor Express
Highland Tap Takeover
Date: Wednesday, October 24
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Stem & Stein
Avondale Tap Takeover: Avondale Brewing Company is taking over the taps at 1892 East!
Date: Wednesday, October 24
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: 1892 East
Cahaba Tap Takeover: The new Cahaba Brewing Company in Birmingham is making a rare appearance in north Alabama just for Beer Week.
Date: Thursday, October 25
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Jefferson Street Pub
Good People Tap Takeover
Date: Thursday, October 25
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Pie in the Sky Pizza
Straight to Ale Tap Takeover: Straight to Ale is taking over the taps at the Barrel House!
Date: Friday, October 26
Time: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Barrel House
Cigar and Beer Pairing: DB from Beer Engineers will be on-hand with samples of Velocity IPA and more, specially paired with a fine cigar.
Date: Friday, October 26
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Vintage Wine and Cigar at Bridge Street [spacer size=”0″]
A Firkin Ale Fest For Beer Week: The culminating event for Huntsville Beer Week
Date: Saturday, October 27
Time: 4:00pm
Location: Straight to Ale Brewery
Ticket Giveaway
Guest blogger for We Are Huntsville. Are you interested in writing a post for our site? Email katelyn@wearehuntsville.com.
Can’t wait for Beer Week and Southern HOPSpitality! It’s always such a great event! Thanks for all the info OVE!
Bring on Beer Week!! I’ve been waiting all year.