Beer Fest

Rapid City has one. 2023 was the sixth annual, even. It was great fun, even if I did only make it halfway through. Something to rectify next year.

How do you know you’re old? When you say, “I wish I had a notebook to write down the ones I like,” then realize that you have a phone to take notes on. Then see the person next to you take a picture.

Tip on taking pictures: Post-processing is much faster if you properly frame the photo. I am getting better with all the Learning to Bake pictures, but I still had to crop almost all of these before chopping them down to a reasonable size.

I liked two drastically different types of beer. There are the “sip on the deck in the summer sun” very quaffable beers. There are also the “this would pair brilliantly with…” beers that would be overpowering to “just drink” a six-pack of. These are the ones I liked, in alphabetical order because that’s easiest for adding the pictures.

There were a number of these bourbon aged beers that are very good. They’re also incredibly heavy so one or two would do. Also note the alcohol content. How does one get beer over 14%?!?! Yeast usually dies around 12.

All of these looked good. I don’t remember which one I sampled, but it was good enough that I wanted the brewery, not particular beer, picture.

I tried this one for the name. I don’t really like IPAs (brewers seem to be in a contest of who can add the most hops) and “hazy” usually means “too sweet”. I was surprised: I liked it.

The Imperial Butter Beer was fabulous. It would make a brilliant ice-cream float.

Another sweet one. It tastes like the best graham cracker pie crust you’ve ever had.

I tasted this one because of the endorsement: The official beer of Jack Rabbit Athletics. That reminded me of my (older brothers’) high school days when the team would go out for beers with the coach after practice. I didn’t like it much.

Another fun name. A very drinkable beer.

Another heavy one, but very tasty. The alcohol content is sane. Would pair nicely with a cigar on the deck, perhaps in the fall with the heater on.

The Buzz Lyte is exactly what it says it is: Yummy and drinkable.

Another bourbon-aged. Very good. Finding something to pair it with might be a challenge. On the one hand, a steak would be great, but the sides not so much (potato? no). On the other, a dessert of some sort, maybe cheesecake? But it would need a great crust to stand up to the intense flavor of the beer.

I tried this one because it’s a Wyoming Cowboy beer, which reminded me of one of my favorite things (my Julie Andrews [favorite things, get it?] Laramie Blood, Sweat, Cowboys t-shirt). It’s OK.

This one was different because it is a bourbon aged pilsner, not stout. It’s still heavy, but very tasty.

Challenge to myself: Try one of those “how many hops can we fit in an IPA?” beers. It is surprisingly balanced. Definitely hoppy, but not hoppy to the exclusion of all else. I was pleasantly surprised.

They’re local! I forget which one I tried, but it was good, so I took a picture of the flyer – with the address so I can stop in. I suppose I should look up “zymurcracy” to find out of it means “satan worshipping demon summoner”, but I don’t care enough to bother.

And that was just the ones of particular note in the half that I tasted one per booth. A very impressive showing. I will be going back next year.