Great Vegas Festival of Beer
Announces Culinary and Brewery Lineup
Motley Brews has announced the culinary and beer lineup for its ninth annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer, the state’s largest craft beer festival, taking place at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6.
The festival will kick off with a Mad Craft Experience from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Touted as the ultimate experiential science fair, local brewers, mixologists, chefs, and restaurateurs will come together to compete in multiple beer and culinary competitions, which include “most spirited booth décor” as well as the following:
- Beer categories
- Best blend of two or more beers with no other ingredients.
- Best beer cocktail in which beer constitutes of at least 50 percent of the mixture and non-beer ingredients are used. Cocktails must be pre-batched and ingredients cannot contain liquor.
- Best specialty beer that is not distributed outside of the breweries’ taproom(s).
- Best beer experiment that lies outside of the previous categories but within the spirit of Mad Craft.
- Culinary categories
- Best craft IPA or pale ale-infused dish.
- Best stout or porter-infused dish.
- Best overall protein craft beer-infused dish.
- Best overall vegetable craft beer-infused dish.
Participating chefs include John Simmons, representing both Tacos & Beer and Tacotarian, Carlos Buscaglia with HEXX Kitchen + Bar, Joseph Thompson with Jake & Eli restaurant, James Trees with Esther’s Kitchen and Eric Hobbie from A Family Secret. Participating breweries will include Joseph James Brewing Co., Big Dog’s Brewing Company, Shades of Pale Brewing, Tonopah Brewing Company, Hop Valley Brewing Company, Saint Archer Brewing Co. and Garage Brewery. A panel of local experts from the culinary, craft beer and entertainment industries will judge the competition, awarding winners with bragging rights and a variety of prizes.
The Great Vegas Festival of Beer Grand Tasting will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, with early entry available at 2 p.m. The Grand Tasting will offer a selection of over 500 beers from popular breweries and culinary offerings from some of Las Vegas’ top chefs. Get Motley’s VIP culinary lineup will feature Chef Jose Navarro, Las Vegas native and co-owner of Stache & Suit Catering and Chef Geno Bernardo, executive chef of The Summit Club, the only fully-private residential golf and lifestyle club community in Las Vegas.
Grand Tasting attendees will also have access to unlimited beer samples from top breweries, including Joseph James Brewing Co., Bootlegger’s Brewery, Lovelady Brewing Company, Chicago Brewing Company, Shades of Pale Brewing, Triple 7 Restaurant and Microbrewery, Big Dog’s Brewing Company, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery, Tonopah Brewing Company, Virginia City Brewery and Taphouse, Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Hard Cider, Hard Seltzer Beverage Company, Twisted Tea Hard Ice Tea, Anchor Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas, 595 Craft and Kitchen, Aces and Ales, Stone Brewing Co., PT’s Brewing Company, Ellis Island Casino & Brewery, Hop Valley Brewing Co., Saint Archer Brewing Company, Garage Brewing Company and more.
Tickets for the all-inclusive brew and food Mad Craft Experience start at $55 plus fees. Tickets for the Grand Tasting start at $40 plus fees, with entry access at 3 p.m. along with a tasting glass for unlimited beer samples. Early admission tickets are also available, providing entry at 2 p.m., starting at $50 plus fees. Limited VIP tickets to the Grand Tasting are priced at $85 plus fees, complete with early entry at 2 p.m., access to the Get Motley VIP Lounge, which includes limited-release and unique brews, a decadent spread of beer-inspired cuisine prepared by top chefs from Las Vegas, upgraded seating and more. All tickets are available for purchase now at http://greatvegasbeer.com/.
A portion of the proceeds, which always benefit local non-profits, will be donated to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and the Nevada Craft Brewers Association. More information about Great Vegas Festival of Beer is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GreatVegasBeer, or on the website at http://greatvegasbeer.com/.
About Motley Brews:
Awarded “Best Food and Drink Festival” in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2018 Best of Las Vegas Awards, Motley Brews was created for locals, breweries and brew fans alike to share great libations in a true local setting. Motley Brews develops beer-centric festivals and events throughout the Southwest, including San Diego, Las Vegas and Pasadena, Calif. Motley Brews’ annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer, founded in 2011, is Nevada’s largest craft beer festival. More information about Motley Brews is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MotleyBrews, or on its website at http://motleybrews.com.