TASTE OF BREWS BRINGS 50 BREWERIES & 100 CRAFT BEERS TO LONG BEACH; ALL-INCLUSIVE ADMISSION FEATURES UNLIMITED BEER TASTES & FOOD SAMPLES

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Wednesday, August 03, 2011 – Taste of Brews, an entirely new and upscale tasting experience, is heading to Lighthouse Park in Long Beach on Saturday, August 20, 2011. An official event of the Long Beach Sea Fest™, Southern California’s premier beer-tasting festival features more than 100 beers from 50 local, regional and international breweries and brewpubs paired alongside cuisine from high-end gastropubs and fabulous eateries. The all-inclusive admission includes unlimited craft beer tastes and food samples, along with snacks, water and more. Key story angles include:

Long Beach Welcomes First Craft Beer Festival:

A refreshingly classy approach to beer tasting, Taste of Brews pays homage to the passion and excitement that today’s full-flavored craft beers are generating among consumers while providing an exciting platform to introduce new styles. Many of the most popular craft beers like Shock Top, New Belgium (Fat Tire), Firestone, Blue Moon and Pyramid are participating, while top Belgian’s Stella Artois, Leffe and Hoegaarden are featured in the VIP lounge. Harder to locate brands Cismontane, Green Flash, Shipyard, Sea Dog and Black Market infuse fresh energy.

High-End Gastropubs and Restaurants Embrace Craft Beer:

Led by Long Beach’s all-new Tavern on 2 and 33 degrees Gastropubs, which pair high-end food and beer, a number of area restaurants are joining Taste of Brews to sample their cuisine. Gastropubs, which originated in England in the late 20th century, are catching fire locally; fueled in large part by the popularity of craft beer. Also participating in the festival are Long Beach’s own Auld Dubliner, Bliss 525 and La Strada Italiano along with House of Big Fish from Laguna Beach.

Brewpubs and Microbrews Bring Domestic and International Flavor:

While Taste of Brews boasts strong ties to Long Beach with local brewpubs like Rock Bottom and Belmont Brewing Company, brewers from 12 states and eight countries – including France, England, Brazil and Tibet – are also participating. Neighboring communities are represented by the Inland Empire, El Segundo and San Pedro Brewing Companies. Sudwerk Brewing brings its Bay area flavor while the Alaskan Brewing company symbolizes the great outdoors. International craft beers include Peroni (Italy), Xingu (Brazil), St. Peter’s (UK) and Lhasa (Tibet).

Taste of Brews Highlights Dramatic Growth of Craft Beer:

According to the Brewers Association, while overall U.S. beer sales were down in 2010, the craft brewing industry grew 11% by volume and 12% by dollars. More 1,700 breweries operated for some or all of 2010, the highest total since the late-1800s. More than 90 percent of these fit the small and/or independent craft brewer definition. As of 2008, U.S. craft brewers represented a mere 6.3% of overall U.S. beer sales.

Taste of Brews kicks off the festivities at noon with live music and an entertaining MC. Ticket prices begin at $40 with proceeds benefiting the Long Beach Marine Institute. General admission attendees will sample among dozens of brands and savor local fare. Premium VIP packages take the tasting experience to a heightened level with early entry, brewmaster demonstrations and the Belgian lounge. Visit www.tasteofbrews.com or email brewmaster@tasteofbrews.com for tickets.

Press Contacts:
Mike Kingsbury
mike@teammkm.com or
Jennifer Hernandez,
Jennifer@teammkm.com
(714) 375-2188

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