Get crafty!
Sample the finest brews at Electric City Craft Brew Fest
by tom graham
With their recent rise in popularity, you may have noticed craft beers popping up everywhere beer lovers look. Long gone are the days of limited choices and not being able to find that right beer to satisfy your finicky taste buds. Coolers that housed 10 different beers in the past are now expanding and exploding with a plethora of brew options hailing from the United States and beyond.
Get ready to sample some of the greats, and learn your way around the world of craft beers at the Electric City Craft Brew Fest on Sunday, April 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. at The Scranton Cultural Center. The event is presented by Times-Shamrock in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center.
If you don’t know what constitutes a “craft beer,” here’s the skinny: the American Brewers Association defines a craft brewery as “small, independent and traditional.” The facility’s annual production of beer must be less than six million barrels, and less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not a craft brewer. The traditional aspect is that the brewer aims to enhance, not lighten, the beer’s flavor. It’s within these guidelines that beer lovers rejoice and revel in the endless combinations of malts and hops available.
And while you may think you need to be a craft brew expert in order to enjoy the festivities, this event is perfect for those who are new to the world of craft brews because they can sample and experience a wide variety of flavors throughout the afternoon. “The Brew Fest isn’t simply geared toward the craft beer lovers of northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Tim Holmes, Times Shamrock regional director of marketing and events. “It’s really designed to educate folks who have never tried crafts. Even if you’re not an avid beer drinker, you may be surprised at how much you’ll enjoy the flavor of a great craft selection.”
Holmes was determined to bring Brew Fest to Scranton after witnessing the overwhelmingly positive reception of last 2011’s PA Oktoberfest. “We were never sure how an event like that would be received here in Scranton, but after the response we got from last year’s Oktoberfest celebration at Mohegan Sun (with more than 30,000 attendees), we discovered there was most certainly interest in this type of event,” Holmes said.
Attendees will arrive at the Scranton Cultural Center with proper ID (please note: you must be age 21 and over to enter) and handed their craft sampling glass. From there, they’ll make their way to the sampling stations where more than 50 craft beers will be readily available. Guests will find sample stations scattered throughout the Cultural Center as well as an 80’ cigar tent on the sidewalk in front of the building. There will also be more than 40 bartenders, brewers and brewery representatives on hand to ensure minimal lines. Music will be pumping throughout the venue courtesy of the DJ trio that organizers affectionately bill as “3Cdj’s,” Cadillac, Colarossi and Callen (John Culkin, Mark Colarossi and Jamie Callen).
Of course, no brew fest would be complete without food, so there will be plenty of food vendors on hand and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will provide free bottles of water. In addition, you can find a keepsake for the day when you stop by one of the retail vendors on site featuring brew-themed merchandise.
Holmes is also quick to remind attendees that the brew fest is “a marathon, not a sprint.”
“The high alcohol content in many of these brews will sneak up on you if you’re not careful.” Organizers of the Electric City Craft Brew Fest are advertising a “designated driver” pass and have also contacted McCarthy Flowered Cabs to be sure they will have extra drivers on hand. They strongly encourage guests to plan ahead for drop off and pick up at the event.
“We want our guests to simply enjoy the day at a nice steady pace,” Holmes said.
Brews
At the Electric City Craft Brew Fest, you’ll have a chance to sample the following:
Abita Brewing: Raspberry Wheat
Anchor Steam: Lager
Barley Creek: Black Lager, Brown Antler Ale and Triple IPA
Blue Moon: Spring Blonde Wheat
Boulder Brewing: Hazed & Infused and Mojo IPA
Breaker Brewing: I Love PA, Lunch Pale Ale and 5 Whistle Wheat
Dogfish Head Brewing: Raison D’Etre
Fegley’s Allentown Brewworks: Always Sunny Pale Ale and Hop’solutely
Flying Fish: Farmhouse and Hop Fish
Green Flash Brewing: West Coast IPA
Ithaca: Ground Break
Jack’s Cider: Original Cider
Kona: Longboard Lager
Leinenkugel: Summer Shanty
Lion Brewery: Honey Suckle and Pale Ale
Long Trail: Ale and IPA
Magic Hat: Demo IPA
Massachusetts Bay Brewing: Summer Beer and Harpoon IPA
Mendocino Brewing: Eye of the Hawk
Mercury Brewing: Ipswich Yacht Club Mix
Ommegang Brewing: Abbey Ale
Otter Creek Brewing: Copper Ale and Black IPA
Pittsburgh Brewing Co.: Iron City Amber, IC Light Mango
Redhook: Nut Brown Ale
Sam Adams: Cherry Wheat
Saranac: Chocolate Orange Porter and White IPA
ShawneeCraft: Apiarius, Belgian Dubbel, Bourbon Barrel Porter
Shock Top: Lemon Shandy Ale
Stevens Point: 3 Kings
Stone Brewing: Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stoudt’s Brewing: American Pale Ale
Straub: Special Dark
Three Guys & A Beard: Wheat the People – American Hefeweizen, Ladder Dive Rye IPA & Malarkey Irish Style Red
Troegs Brewing Company: Dreamweaver Wheat and Hopback Amber
Unibroue: La Fin du Monde
Victory: Headwater and Hop Devil
Weyerbacher: Merry Monk and Verboten
Widmer: Nelson Imperial I.P.A
Wolaver’s Brewing: Oatmeal Stout and Wolaver’s IPA
Woodchuck Cider: Belgian White Cider
Yards: Brawler and IPA
Yuengling: Porter and Lord Chesterfield
Brewers &
Representatives
will be on hand from:
Barley Creek
Boulder Brewing
Breaker Brewing
Fegley’s Allentown Brewworks
Flying Fish
Jacks
Lion
Longtrail
Massachusetts Bay Brewing
Otter Creek Brewing
ShawneeCraft
Stone Brewing
Three Guys & A Beard
Troegs Brewing Company
Victory
Weyerbacher
Wolaver’s Brewing
Yards
Craft Brew Info Sessions
In the 2nd Floor Library:
Are you a Malt Maniac or a Hop Head?
Comparing sweet, malty beers to bitter, hoppy beers
The Gateway to Craft Beers
Understanding craft beer styles
Beer: It’s What’s For Dinner
Pairing and cooking with beer with Lee Burke and Sean Wolfe of the Waldorf Beer Club
In the Basement’s Hood Room:
Intro to Homebrewing with Dan Schreffler of the Wyoming Valley Homebrewers
Fun Beer Facts & Beer Trivie with Lindsay Barrasse of Pub Culture
Cigar Tent (on the sidewalk in front of the building):
Understanding Bourbon Aged Beers
And Cigar Pairing with Michael Manzano
Food Vendors
The Alpine German hot dogs, bratwurst and krainerwurst, German potato salad and more
Stirna’s famous boneless hot wing bites, mini Philly cheese steaks and moreCoopers crab cake sandwiches, pulled pork, potato pancakes and more
People are talking …
We asked people in The 570 for their thoughts on craft brews. Here’s what people are talking about:
“Love the Green Flash. It’s one of the best IPAs on the market. The local brewers are doing a great job with their brews. People should make an effort to try them. PA Pride!”
— James Cook, Backyard Alehouse
“I think Victory Headwaters pale ale is the best new(er) beer from those guys, and it’s my flagship ‘go to’ beer when anyone asks for my opinion when ordering a draft. I’m also loving the local brewers like ShawneeCraft, Breaker Brewing and Three Guys & A Beer’d popping up and making killer beers. Support local!”
— Brian Craig, The Bog
“I’m looking forward to all 13 PA breweries. As NEPA residents, we are truly blessed with the ability to obtain beer knowledge, and enjoy ourselves while doing so. EC Beer Fest is just another feather in NEPA’s ever growing craft beer hat.”
— Joe Farro, The V-Spot
“ShawneeCraft. Love their philosphy of staying true to style. Love that they grow most of their ingredients and have an organic content percentage for their beers. This is exactly what I would do if I had my own brewery!”
— Ted Kerpovich, AuRants
“I’m really looking forward to trying the new local beers from ShawneeCraft and Three Guys & A Beer’d. I’ve had a few offerings from both breweries and am excited to see the craft market really expanding in our area. We need more NEPA brews!”
— Charlie Nape, Cooper’s Seafood House
“I am lucky to have tried most of the beers that will be present at the EC Brew Fest. Most are in house or have been at one point in time. With that said, I have heard great things about the local Brewery ShawneeCraft. The only thing I love more than great beer, is great beer that is brewed in NEPA. ShawneeCraft is tops on my list to taste. I am also excited that the guys from Three Guys & A Beer’d are going to be there. Over the last few years, I have been able to get to know the guys and am very excited for them as they keep taking steps to expand their brewery and provide us with great beer. Cheers!”
— Tony Potis, Backyard Alehouse
“I’m looking forward to trying stuff from Breaker Brewing and Three Guys & A Beer’d . It’s cool to see guys who started as home brewers be able to start a brewery and it’s great that NEPA has embraced these local brewers.”
— Dan Sweeney, Home Brewer
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