by Melissa Robert
Saturday kicked off the third annual North Texas Beer Week with its commencement event, Brewvolution. Centennial Hall, the 95,000 square foot venue in Fair Park, was filled with beer-lovers young and old – all legal drinking age of course. Event-goers were greeted at the door with the 2013 Treasure Map which did indeed mark the spot where the favorite brews could be found. Those in the know arrived early, adorned with pretzel necklaces and silly hats only a beer-lovers mother could love. The organizers of Untapped Festival and Big Texas Beer Fest teamed up to ensure this ale extravaganza would go off without a hitch.
While the most popular taps ran dry as the hours passed, food trucks and vendors on site kept bellies full. Live music from local bands such as the Roomsounds and Hanna Barbarians provided another element of fun which guests could enjoy while letting their beer and brats settle. Sampling cup-holder necklaces from Oskar Blues were a hit. I’ll definitely come equipped with a cup holding necklace contraption next year since holding my sample cup, tasting card and nibbling on my pretzel necklace all at the same time proved entirely too difficult.
The usual suspects were strategically placed throughout the hall, since everyone wants to savor their Velvet Hammer before they move on to a Temptress. Four Corners brought the same energy and fun that can be found at the brewery any given Saturday afternoon – they even brought out the ice cream cart. Lakewood had a faux lawn and lawn chairs set up. And yes, I definitely overstayed my welcome in their cool makeshift retreat. Real Ale, Revolver and Community Beer saw steady traffic alongside industry heavy hitters Ballast Point and Sam Adams. If beer wasn’t your thing you could partake in cider from Leprechaun or a delicious fermented tea from Holy Kombucha.
Longest-line-of-the-day award goes to Adelbert’s. This Austin brewery is a must try. Their seemingly distinguished label will prepare you for a beer that will take you by surprise. Most-Googleworthy-Vendor award goes to Haus of Growlers. Their retail items will make great holiday gifts for people you like, especially yourself. And, just in case you didn’t feel good about indulging in an afternoon of beer beverages, a portion of the proceeds from Texas Brewvolution went to the North Texas Food Bank. If you missed Saturday’s event, there are still other events for North Texas Beer Week which runs through November 16th. Cruise over to the Beer Week website to find out how to support your favorite brews.
