Everything from Belgium ale to apricot-pear & acai ciders this beer festival had it all.

 Once we surpassed the fair traffic, which was littering the freeway exits and parking lot entrances, we high-tailed it to Will Call to pick up our wristbands, generously given to us by the Del Mar Fairgrounds (Thanks Linda and Elaine!!). Well, when we opened that little envelope with our passes and took a teensy peek inside, we had found a golden ticket wristband!

This meant the following: entrance to the VIP Lounge, containing delicious grass-fed beef sliders & Korean barbequed short-rib stuffed ravioli, blue cheese stuffed medjool dates wrapped in bacon, beer (of course) and  enough tangled pretzel necklaces to feed all of beer fest (see picture below…)

Lauren, great job. Double-fisting both food and a brew. I applaud you.

 

 

See…I told you. Everyone was nibbling away at my pretzel necklace to tie them over until we hit the fried food stands. OOPS.

So many breweries, so little time.

 

 

This was such a fun event and we didn’t have to trek all the way to Germany to enjoy a festival of beer! Although, from experience, I can tell you that it just wasn’t the same without the surroundings of lederhosened men, like it is at Oktoberfest in Munich. Here is a picture from a few years ago, check out that garb on the people in the background.

It was pretty darn close though.

With over 150 breweries and 350 beers from around the world participating in this event, everyone is bound to find at least one beer, if not fifty, that suites their palate.

…was the size of the glass.

 

Besides drinking great craft brews, don’t’ forget that beer is great for cooking to add depth of flavor to your recipes! Here are a few ways to use beer…

• Beer breads
• Marinades
• Beer batter
• Soups
• …to drink, while you are cooking with beer

What are your favorite beers to drink or recipes containing beer that yield awesome flavor!? We’d love to know

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy