Turning to F&D’s Department of Beer Festivals Past, Present and Future…
I. The Past: BBC turns 30.
While I concede that this event is not a “fest” as such, I attended a great many beer bashes with the pioneering BBC crew back in olden times.
Bluegrass Brewing Company (BBC) will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 21 (300 W. Main St. across from the Yum! Center).
Know that after all this time, I still awaken on certain Sunday mornings in eager expectation of heading over to St. Matthews at 1:00 p.m. for multiple wings and Wort Hog mugs at BBC’s late and lamented original location.
Then humdrum reality sets in and I sob unreservedly over my coffee. However, it remains that any indie business lasting three decades merits recognition and appreciation.
Long may they run, over yonder on 3rd.
By my reckoning, BBC places at least two ales on the metro Louisville Hall of Fame Craft Beer List: Bearded Pat’s Barley Wine and Dark Star Porter. Bearded Pat’s, named not for owner Hagan but then-bartender Allgeier (R.I.P.), won two Great American Beer Festival gold medals during the 1990s, while Dark Star Porter was Louisville’s go-to dark “microbrew” at a time when Porters and Stouts (other than Guinness) weren’t always very easy to find.
II. Present: Louisville Beer Week is now (Oct. 20 – 27, 2023)
(I’ve copied this verbatim from Louisville Ale Trail’s preview)
This year, to celebrate Louisville Beer Week, Louisville Beer is Going Global!
From October 20-27, participating Louisville breweries will partner with each other while celebrating the local beer community through a global lens – including international beer styles and food pairings.
Check out the full calendar of events happening.
Louisville Ale Trail is kicking things off once again with Louisville Beer Fest on Friday, October 20th, at German-American Club. In addition to multiple brewery events around town throughout the week, we’re excited to present two panels:
- From Stave To Glass Barrel Panel and Tasting. 10/23 @ 3rd Turn Brewing Barrel Room
- Louisville Beer For All DEI Panel (in partnership with KY Guild of Brewers). 10/25 @ Noble Funk Brewing.
- IYKYK. – 10/25, 11:59 PM – 10/6, 12:05 AM.
- My Morning Beer Fest (in partnership with Gallant Fox Brewing). 10/28 @ Gallant Fox Basecamp Warehouse – 131 N Spring Street
III. Future
On Monday at Facebook, Todd (Keg Liquors) Antz made a huge SoIN reveal.
As many of you know, after I sold my stores, I also sold the rights to the Fest of Ale and could not continue that event. After some time off, I’ve been brought out of Beer Fest retirement and am proud to announce that in partnership with the Pearl Street Taphouse, we’re launching the inaugural Rollin’ on the River Craft Beer Festival on June 8th, 2024.
Hosted on the majestic grounds of the Howard Steamboat Museum, we’ll be bringing back some of that Fest of Ale magic, with some new ideas as well. We’re in the early days of planning, but we’d appreciate it if you’d check out the Facebook page we’ve put together, that way you can keep up to date with information as we continue to build this new event.
If you’re also thinking “What about New Albany?” I’ve also got some plans for an event in the fall of 2024 that I hope to announce in the near future as well. Stay tuned!
Speaking as one who has been engaged in the pursuit of better beer for 41 years on MY side of the Ohio, this news is welcome indeed. Today’s report concludes with this view of revelers at the Fest of Ale, circa 2019, when the event was being held in New Albany. Frightening, eh?
Roger Baylor is an entrepreneur, educator, and innovator with 41 years of beer business experience in metropolitan Louisville as a bartender, package store clerk, brewery owner, restaurateur, writer, traveler, polemicist, homebrewing club founder, tour operator and all-purpose contrarian.
