Fests are best

We have finally clawed our way back from this winter’s pummelings from Mother Nature—and that means it will soon be time to get outside with fellow beer aficionados.

Beer festivals run the gamut from small casual affairs to huge, internationally known, multi-day gatherings that sell out at Taylor Swift speed. Indoors or out, envision rows of tables or tents, a small tasting glass issued to you upon entry, and a veritable smorgasbord of beers to sample. With more than 9,000 breweries now operating in the U.S., and dozens of different styles of beer made from infinite combinations of ingredients, the limits are endless.

Northern Nevada beer-lovers are looking forward to several fests that are coming soon to kick off the season.

The eighth annual Strange Brew Festival is being held from 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 20, as always in the parking lot behind The Brewer’s Cabinet, 475 S. Arlington Ave., in Reno. This is one of the most fun, unique and heavily local fests I’ve had the pleasure of attending. The twist is that all the attending breweries (and home brewers!) bring beers that are “strange” in some way. In the past, we’ve had the (arguable) pleasure of sampling salsa beer, beer made with kimchi, hot dog water beer, and more. Many are one-off brews made especially for this event, giving attendees exclusive tastes found nowhere else. Part of the proceeds benefit The Reno Rebuild Project, a local small-business loan fund. Tickets are $65; visit thebrewerscabinet.com.

If you want to just completely saturate that weekend in beer, the Nevada Young Alumni Chapter is holding the longest-running fest in town—the obviously-named Beer Fest—the next day, on Sunday, May 21. The new Glow Plaza downtown will host this event benefiting the YAC scholarship fund. The beers here will be obviously more tame than Strange Brew, but expect a varied selection, music and a party for a good cause. Watch facebook.com/NevadaYoungAlumni for updates and a ticket link.

Take a break for a couple weeks, because on Saturday, June 10, you won’t want to miss The Biggest Little Invitational. This fest brings in in some of the most sought-after breweries from throughout the West to serve a selection of coveted (and often otherwise unavailable)

| BY MARC TIAR

The Strange Brew Festival is being held on Saturday, May 20.

beers. This beer-geek paradise, held at Bartley Ranch Park (6000 Bartley Ranch Road, Reno) since 2018, is unique in that the organizers selectively pick the breweries they want represented and purchase the beer. (Most fests receive the beer as a promotional/ charitable donation.) Rare barrel-aged brews, high-alcohol pastry stouts, super-hazy IPAs from up-and-coming breweries and more make this fest a big draw for hardcore beer connoisseurs in the region. Fun lawn games and an assortment of delicious food trucks attract casual beer fans as well. Tickets start at $60 (or $20 for designated drivers); learn more at thebiggestlittleinvitational.com.

Continue filling your summer beer fest calendar with other events in the area. Consider the Capital City Brewfest (Saturday, June 24, in Carson City, benefiting the Rotary Club; capitalcitybrewfest.com), the 16th annual Truckee Optimist Club Brew Fest (Saturday, Aug. 5; www.truckeeoptimist.com/brewfest. html) and the Tahoe Brewfest (Saturday, Aug. 26, in South Lake Tahoe; tahoebrewfest.com).

Closing out the outdoor fest season is a relative newcomer, the annual Legends of Beer Festival, at the Legends mall in Sparks. Organized by local brewery IMBĪB Custom Brews (which has an adjacent taproom and opening-soon restaurant at the Legends), this fest features more than just the typical tents pouring a variety of quality craft beer. It also includes a fun “beer mile” relay race to kick off the event, where runners chug a beer before running their quarter-mile segment. The event is slated for Saturday, Sept. 23; watch imbibreno. com for specifics as they become available.

Finally, each January, the Nugget Casino Resort hosts arguably the most popular local fest, Brew HaHa, to benefit the Sierra Arts Foundation. It draws a huge crowd and offers a ridiculous volume of beer from many local, regional and national breweries, as well always a band to fill the dance floor with attendees having a great time. Watch sierraarts.org for details as the date draws nearer.

Some final thoughts before you begin your beer-fest quest: Most fests offer a generaladmission ticket and a higher-priced VIP ticket (which may include food, early entry or exclusive beers); some offer a designateddriver ticket at a reduced rate with access to nonalcoholic beverages. Make a budget beforehand, and arrange a safe way to get home. Pace yourself; it’s a lot of beer, and you can’t drink it all. Don’t try. Focus on quality over quantity, and seek out beers with a good reputation in styles you enjoy, rather than just quaffing with abandon.

Most of all, have fun!

Taste Of The Town Taste Of The Town

continued from Page 26 from Sue Coxton, Passive and Co, and Wheatstone Bridge, and food from the Holly Waffles food truck. Learn more at www.facebook.com/everywhen.

The Reno Onesie Crawl kicks off at Saturday, May 13, at 8 p.m. Participants can buy a $10 cup online or at select locations around town to get discounted drinks and club covers waived at 13 participating locations in downtown Reno. For more information, head to crawlreno.com/event/onesie.

Virginia City is celebrating 40 years of the Chili on the Comstock festival Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21. Top chili cooks from the area and beyond will compete for a spot in the International Chili Society World Finals; the event also includes a craft beer tour. A new addition to this year’s event is the Great Fire: Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest. More information and tickets, which start at $30, can be found at liquidblueevents. com/chili-on-the-comstock.

Openings + Shifts

Dim Sum Hut has opened at 115 E Moana Lane, in Reno. The menu features an array of dim sum classics like shrimp har gow, siu mai, buns and even chicken feet alongside a menu of boba drinks. Call 775-473-2649 with questions.

Piñon Bottle Co. has opened a south Reno location at 15415 Wedge Parkway. The new beer and bottle shop location will host food truck pop-ups on Fridays and Saturdays. Learn more at www. pinonbottlenv.com/south-reno.

Marcolino’s Italia food truck has opened a brick and mortar location downtown at 254 W. First St., in Reno. The restaurant overlooks the Truckee River, and the menu features Italian classics like shrimp scampi, chicken parmesan and tiramisu; marcolinositalia.com.

Daddy’s Tacos food truck (see tacos below) has also opened a brick and mortar location, at 4840 Mill St. The location is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily; while Daddy’s is obviously known for its tacos, the menu includes breakfast items. Find out more at daddystacosnv.com.

—Maude Ballinger