Monterey Beer Fest anchors it all

The nexus of beer week can be traced back 14 years to the first Monterey Bay Beer Fest, which was, for those who don’t dig sunburn, seagull feces and Portalet lines, a disaster.

But over a decade founder Jeff Moses built it into the biggest brew-vintage rock party for three counties, and one that poured out upwards of 57,600 ounces of 150 different creations from as many as 80 breweries. When he sold to the Fairgrounds, Sierra Nevada came on board in force, taking up VIP duties, and this spring Fairgrounds leadership collaborated with the Weekly and other local brew makers to create a week-long affair.

The lineup of brewers at this year’s festival has its share of heavy hitters – Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas and Ninkasi among them – but is also filled with a heady mix of smaller, more local operators. There’s Craft Artisan Ales from Pacific Grove, Mavericks Brewing out of Half Moon Bay and Aleworks from Santa Cruz.

English Ales, Firestone, Peter B’s and Alvarado Street will be on hand, as will beers that hail from the southern and northernmost reaches of the state.

The 2015 fest also features the second annual tournament of what some people call beer pong, others call “Beirut”; two-player teams can register for $20 at the website.

An eclectic set of musical acts help fuel this year’s festivities, and kicks off with 30-year-old Santa Cruz bluesman Jake Nielsen at 11:45am. In the afternoon, things get Steve Perry-saucy with cover act Journey Revisited, and the day finishes with Cover Me Badd, a costume – and choreography-driven group that bills itself “California’s premier party band.”

It’s going to be a big day, and has all the makings of the best Monterey Beer Festivals yet.

MONTEREY BEER FEST June 13, 12:30pm-5pm (11:30am VIP admission). $45/presale, $50/door; VIP $70/pre-sale, $80/door; $10/on-site parking. Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. www.montereybeerfestival.com