Once again, Davis bars and restaurants will spend seven days celebrating the area’s growing craft beer culture. The second annual Davis Beer Week begins Monday, Aug. 11, and more and more sudsy events are being added to the calendar daily.
The Davis Beer Shoppe, as expected, had a killer lineup of events last year. Definitely keep an eye on its Facebook page for updates, but for now, mark your calendar for Wednesday, Aug. 13. Davis’ own, recently revamped Sudwerk Brewery will unveil 10 casks of super rare beers. Each recipe is a one-time experiment by a different Sudwerk employee: helles with lemon verbena and Ivanhoe hops; Thai basil and chile pilsner; pineapple dry hopped weizen; and marzen with peaches among them. Tapping starts at 6 p.m. at 211 G Street.
Fine dining restaurant Monticello Seasonal Cuisine will offer a flight of four Bison Organic Beer pours for $4, plus cheese pairings for another $5. Ask for it all week starting at 5:30 p.m. at 630 G Street.
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, hang out with the Sudwerk crew for another craft beer crawl through downtown Davis. It’ll be a packed night, with craft beer specials at every bar and only 30 minutes allowed to drink each one. The group will begin at Cafe Bernardo (234 D Street) at 6 p.m. and end at Froggy’s (726 Second Street) at 9:30 p.m.
Watch hot spots like de Vere’s Irish Pub (217 E Street), City Hall Tavern (226 F Street), University of Beer (615 Third Street) and the Davis Graduate (805 Russell Boulevard) for more tap-takeovers, food and drink pairings, free swag and other themed events.
And finally, consider the big finale to Davis Beer Week: The Davis Bike and Brew Fest. It’s touted as a family-friendly party in Central Park (401 C Street) with craft beer from 60 breweries, live entertainment, food and even wine for those who get tired of beer.
Tickets cost $35 in advance, $45 at the door, $60 for VIP and $10 for designated drivers. Regular tickets get you unlimited tastings. VIP tickets get you free food, rare beers, private bathrooms and shaded seating. Confirmed breweries include local favorites like Berryessa Brewing, Device and Track 7; California staples like Sierra Nevada, Stone, Lost Coast and Drakes; as well as internationals like Affligem and Weihenstephaner. It takes place Saturday, Aug. 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. Get your tickets here.
