Vegas on Two Wheels: Motley Brew’s Great Vegas Beer Fest
Another weekend in the books here in mostly sunny Las Vegas hahaha. I say that because this past weekend we finally saw some major rain! But that doesn’t stop the fun here in town that’s for sure! I love how the party never stops; there is always an event to go to and this Saturday was no different! It’s a bikers dream! I kicked up the dust and burned rubber to Downtown Las Vegas for Motley Brew’s annual GREAT VEGAS FESTIVAL OF BEER! — THIS, is Vegas on Two Wheels!
The Great Vegas Festival of Beer, I must say, is one of my favorite events that happen here in Vegas! The annual Motley Brew Fest is in its 6th year and has gotten bigger and bigger each year! With 100+ breweries and 400+ different craft beers to try along with wines and ciders up for grabs, it’s an event that I look forward to each year as if it were Christmas!
Bikers, this event is a must to attend. Tickets were a bit pricey; coming in around $50 a head, but when you take into consideration that you are drinking beer for free from 3 PM to 7 PM it’s pretty easy to reach for that Jackson!
Now, I did mention how this weekend we had major rain move through the valley, including the Downtown area. Light to moderate showers hovered over my head all day long with lightning flashing on the mountains in the distance.
The air was chilled but crisp, nothing that my jeans and leather jacket couldn’t fix to keep me warm and dry. As I checked in, I was given a glass; this was my tasting challis! Do not lose this precious cup because this is your ticket to tasting the 400+ beers that had taken over the streets of Old Las Vegas. Thousands of people flocked to this beer Mecca though the funny thing is, lines for each brewery we not that long or they went super fast! I sampled and sampled and sampled to my heart’s content. Stout after lager after hefeweizen after cider, each was mastering their styles strengths!
The funny thing is it seemed that the smell of damp dirt and asphalt complimented the beers to a whole new level! The beers themselves were incredible but two in particular stood out to me. One was a cider from a small brewery from southern California. It was a pineapple cider and I can assure you if they sold it here in Vegas, I would buy a whole fridge and dedicate it to the stuff; smooth and sweet and a light tartness to it. Through the twang of this beverage, hints of pineapple arose. Not too strong/ overpowering, but just enough to let you know what you are tasting. Two thumbs way up in my book!
The other that stood out to me was from a company called Boulder Beer.
It was a campfire smores beer! Now usually these kinds of beers, whether they are supposed to have a smokiness to them, or perhaps a chocolate background tend to have an overpowering bitterness to them. This was not the case at all. It was a thick dark beer but as soon as it splashed onto my taste-buds, vanilla with a hint of almond came into light. The effect was to represent the marshmallow as a soft sweetness to gently bring you into the rest of the beer’s complexities. Then with a smooth transition, a slow roll of cocoa began to take over. Coupled with the thickness of the beer, it was truly a s’more in liquid form. To me, it was remarkable and you can bet that I will have a least a six pack of this stuff in my fridge at all times.
Overall, the entire beer-fest was a complete success! Food vendors were there to help soak up some of the alcohol in the most delicious way possible. Everything from Asian-fusion BBQ sandwiches to German brats grilling over an open flame. The smells, the tastes, the people; this was an experience that I will never forget!
This time of the year is ideal for riding into Vegas! Not only are you coming during the natural bloom of the desert but Vegas itself is hopping with local festivals and events. For my biker buddies, this is an event you have to plan on coming to when you visit!
[Images: Greg Bennett]
Greg Bennett is the morning meteorologist on KTNV’s Good Morning Las Vegas newscast. He is an avid Harley rider but also is a huge classic car fan and loves to work on both. In his free time, you can catch Greg riding his bike around town, working out at the gym, hanging out with his Pit Bull (DewPoint), or getting his hands dirty by volunteering across the city of Las Vegas.
