National Capital Craft Beer Festival 2012

Craft Beer lovers converge on Marion Dewar Plaza.

This past Saturday (and the days leading up) I was hard at work tweeting and Facebooking for the National Capital Craft Beer Week.  It meant being glued to my phone at events, drinking beer, taking photos and updating Facebook during my lunch break at work - things I do already but now with more of a purpose.

Cassel Brewery's White Fog; kegs stashed behind the Flying Monkey's stall; Muskoka Brewery's Summer Weiss; dried hops from Bristol Hops, Cask August Pale Ale being tapped by Clocktower Brewpub Brewer, Patrick Fiori; Seed to Sausage Jalapeno Cheese smokie (with crushed chips!); cans and cans of Waterloo beer; Uncle Mark from Kichesippi Beer Co., Door Hinge does not rhyme with Orange from Flying Monkey's.

The feature event of the week of activities was the Craft Beer Festival held on Friday and Saturday at Marion Dewar Plaza.  There, craft beer fans descended on 17 breweries loaded up with kegs and casks of craft beer - some special to the event.

Being a good social media volunteer I did my best to sample a beer (or two, or three) from each vendor and several food items (too many to list and not be embarrassed).  I tweeted photos through Instagram and highlighted quotes from the speaker series with the tag #NCCBW.  I had a blast and so did many of the festival goers from the looks of it!  I had several favourite moments - some beer, some food:

• Flying Monkey's series of fruit beers.  They were fizzy, light, sweet - perfect sunshine beer and I couldn't get enough.
• Seed to Sausage.  Not only did you spit roast a pig with Big Rig IPA but you added crushed chips to your condiment table.  How did you know?
• Kichesippi Beer Co.'s Uncle Mark.  One of the friendliest, funniest booths (who else would be willing to show you their belly?) and a great new seasonal to boot - Uncle Mark's Hopfen Weisse.
• Beau's All Natural Brewing Co.'s Pumpkin Weisse.  I know I complained about pumpkin beers arriving too early but after a 4 oz sample I've decided I'm okay with the early releases.
• West End Chiles smoked almond habanero brittle.  The perfect candy for someone who likes something smokey, sweet and spicy.  I should have bought more.
• Nickel Brook's Naughtiest XAPA.  There were a few casks tapped at the festival and this was one of my favourite - crazy hop intensity, grapefruit flavour with a little dryness.

I left shortly after the Brew Master's Forum and I missed several casks and kegs that were tapped later in the evening.  I also missed Founder/President JP Fournier proposing to his girlfriend, Trish Watson, on the stage.  She said yes (!) and sported a temporary engagement ring made out of a NCCBW wrist band.

 It's only going to get bigger and better next year, right?  Bring on National Craft Beer Week 2013!

Chef/owner Michael Mckenzie of Seed to Sausage.

Featured speaker and author, Stephen Beaumont.

The Brew Master's Forum with Shane Clark (Beyond the Pale Brewing Company), Patrick Fiori (Clocktower Brewpub), Jordan St. John (author, How to Make Your Own Brewskis), Joel Manning (Mill Street Brewery).