Despite the looming clouds and menacing humidity on Saturday, August 2nd, Philadelphians lined up several blocks down North Beach Street outside Penn Treaty Park as they anxiously awaited the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp festival to begin. If you’re unfamiliar, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has been making American craft beer for over thirty years. Their Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the United States. It makes sense, then, that Sierra Nevada spearheaded a major collaboration with the country’s best brewers to travel across the nation and share their passion for beer.
2014 marks the first ever beer tour, which began on July 19th in Chino, CA and was sold out before they even opened the gates. From there, the bus traveled to San Diego, Denver, Chicago and Portland, Maine before landing in the City of Brotherly Love. Our Mid-Atlantic edition featured beers from the surrounding area including PA, DE, VA, WV, MD, DC and NJ. More than 70 breweries poured 250 types of beers that afternoon. Of course local food trucks were present to help soak up some of the alcohol. There were festival-favorites such as The Cow and The Curd and Farm Truck, as well as newer faces at Bucks County-based Bonjour Creperie.
One of the coolest aspects of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America were the twelve collaboration beers, including a local favorite, Victory Beer. Victory produced an original altbier aptly named Alt Route for the festival. They joined other collaborations by Allagash Brewing Company, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Bell’s Brewery Inc., Cigar City Brewing LLC, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewing Company and the ever-popular Russian River Brewing Company. Also awesome was the fact that proceeds from the festival benefited the Brewers of Pennsylvania to keep craft brewing alive and well today and in the future. The association brings together leaders of Pennsylvania-based breweries in order to promote and protect the brewing industry throughout the state.
Fortunately, guests were able to enjoy the festival without getting rained out. As avid attendees of food and beer festivals, we were thoroughly impressed with the logistics of this one in particular. Most lines managed to stay short (excluding the Russian River line, though word is that it moved pretty quickly) and there were plenty of seating options. Water stations around the park kept everyone hydrated and allowed them to wash out their glasses between tastings. Bravo, Sierra Nevada! We hope to see the festival return next year as Philly’s beer scene continues to grow!
For information on Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America, visit their website. Follow the 2014 happenings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #beercamptour.
What’s your favorite craft beer?
