Art Graffiti for Craft Beer + Bites Event

San Diego Beer Week Begins!

By | Breweries, San Diego Beer Week | No Comments

After checking into our Comfort Hotel (we’re on a budget) we headed out to San Diego Beer Week’s edition of Craft Beer + Bites. The event, celebrating San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies Business of Craft Brewing Program, was held at SILO in Makers Quarter and benefited the SD Brewer’s Guild.

What a phenomenal outdoor event space! Nestled in the heart of East Village, this multi-use venue hosts collaborative community events all year long. Infused with culture, art, fashion and fun, Craft Beer + Bites was just up our alley. In addition to sampling the innovations of 15 local breweries we played games such as Ping-Pong and bean-bag toss, danced to the custom tunes of ZB Savory and Andy Mauser, watched graffiti artists create exceptional murals on the surrounding walls, and ate delicious octopus and shrimp tacos from a food truck.

Craft Beer Cheers at SILO in San Diego

The team got the opportunity to meet some new breweries like Lightning Brewery and Thorn Street Brewery, chat with friends like Craft Beer’d Art and Apparel and even discover cool new vendors like Doggie Beer Bones that make all natural dog treats using repurposed spent brewing grain sourced from local San Diego craft breweries. All-in-all it was a great time.

Following the festival we walked on over to Monkey Paw Pub and Brewery for a quick flight. The extensive tap list at the jamming pub included some great West Coast Breweries. Even so, we restricted our samples to Monkey Paw brews (when in Rome, right?). Those tried included Monkey Paw Oatmeal, Monkey Paw Lab Monkey, Monkey Paw Bonobos IPA/SD Pale, Monkey Paw Muriqui.

Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery Tap List

Beer Flights and Flatbread at Crush & Brew in Temecula

Crush & Brew in Temecula!

By | Events, Places To Eat, San Diego Beer Week | No Comments

It was early Thursday morning when the Tap & Cheer team decided, on a whim, to hit the road and head South to celebrate San Diego’s Beer Week with friends. With 96 craft breweries (and growing) and over 191 restaurants and pubs that serve craft beer on tap, we thought, how could we go wrong? Little did we (or our livers) know just what we were getting ourselves into.

We opted not to take the conventional way down via I-5 and instead cruised the Northern route so we could hit Temecula. Only an hour outside San Diego, Temecula Valley is home to more than 30 wineries. What most people don’t know is that it is also a booming hot spot for new craft breweries.

We stopped for lunch at Crush & Brew, an artisan restaurant and vibrant tasting bar focused solely on featuring locally crafted beer and wine, nestled between historical buildings on Old Town’s charming Front Street. Crème faiche Caesar flat bread, a Crush Burger with red onion marmalade, and a corned beef Reuben with Arrogant Bastard ale mustard were devoured while sipping on wine and brews created only miles away.


Here is to all the hard-working winemakers around the world who have been known to say, “It takes a lot of beer to make great wine!” Next stop: San Diego!

BAM Fest Los Angeles

BAM Fest Los Angeles 2014

By | BAM Fest, Events | No Comments

Official Press Release for BAM Fest Los Angeles taking place at 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica on October 26, 2014.

October 10, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

18th Street Arts Center’s 5th Annual Beer Art & Music Festival
The trifecta of all things good!

Santa Monica, CA – On Sunday, October 26, 2014 from 1pm- 5pm, 18th Street Arts Center is bringing its renowned BAM Fest (Beer Art & Music Festival) to the Westside of LA. This year’s 5th annual celebration is part of 18th Street’s 25th Anniversary weekend that starts on October 25th with a chic benefit event from 6-10pm and continues on Sunday with BAM Fest. The weekend celebrates 18th Street Arts Center’s rich legacy over the past 25 years and will include everything from performance art and video art installations to gourmet food from local restaurants and food trucks, live music by 3 bands as well as artisanal wine, spirits, and specialty beers from over 40 craft breweries. The event is a steal, with tickets priced at just $45 before October 24th and $50 at the door (that is if tickets aren’t sold out by then!). BAM Fest attendees love spending a Sunday afternoon sipping in the sun, engaging with artists, and exploring significant artworks while listening to booty-shakin’ music. But what really makes this event special for its guests is that they know that all proceeds benefit 18th Street Arts Center, a 25-year-old, influential non-profit arts organization in Santa Monica. It is a culturally infused event that benefits a great cause.

I love that BAM Fest is more than just a beer festival! – Anders Nilbrink, Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s LA Events Coordinator. So do we, Anders!

Participating breweries have been carefully selected by the team and represent the best of the craft beer industry. The 40+ breweries range from big to small, including the popular and widely known New Belgium Brewing Company and Angel City Brewing Company to newly launched breweries including Three Weavers Brewing Company, whose main goal is to cultivate community through beer. Another new brewery on the scene is Santa Monica Brew Works which has given 18th Street additional support as a lead sponsor.

The diverse craft beer offerings at 18th Street’s Beer Art & Music Festival present a range of styles for tasting enjoyment. For the beer connoisseur, this year’s BAM Fest is showcasing limited release seasonal beers such as Hangar 24 Craft Brewery’s Seasonal Oktoberfest and dark strong ales like Brother Thelonious Belgium Style Abbey Ale from North Coast Brewing Company, which partners with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in support of Jazz education. Along with their Golden Road Hefeweizen, Golden Road Brewing will also be featuring their Might As Well IPL, a lager highlighting bold passion fruit and pear contributed by Galaxy and Calypso hops. A special bonus for BAM Fest attendees will be the opportunity to participate in 20-minute mini-educational sessions called ‘Crash Courses’ by craft beer, wine, and art experts. These fun and engaging classes cover a wide range of topics such as how to pick out food flavors from different beers or how art could be paired with some of the best wine and beer. And for those who prefer fermented grapes to hops there will also be an area to sample some of the nation’s finest wines hosted by Wine Enthusiast, Allie Merrick as well as non-alcoholic home-brewed sodas by the Maltose Falcons, America’s oldest Home-Brewing Club.

The tunes lined up for BAM Fest is just as diverse as the beer samples. From the Latin infused rhythmic sounds of KoTolàn whose songs, celebrating cultural diversity, are sung in Japanese, Spanish, and English to the dance-inducing soulful funk of Nick Shattuck; the featured music at 18th Street’s BAM Festival is sure to make you move. The young duo of the new hit band Trapdoor Social will take attendees on a musical tour with their passionate alt-pop music that is inspired by their desire to bring awareness to solar and other renewable energy sources.

BAM attendees will also be able to do more than just see or purchase art; they will actually be able to interact with and visit the studios of 18th Street Arts Center’s artists-in-residence and arts organizations like Otis College of Art and Design’s MFA in Public Practice program. As one of 18th Street Arts Center’s patrons remarked, ‘There is something to be learned, or something to stimulate the imagination at 18th Street all the time because it is a place where art is made…not just exhibited, but actually created.’ Through BAM and other events throughout the year, 18th Street Arts Center incites its public through challenging art that sparks dialogue.

Need a little something to soak up all the scrumptious brews? Naturally you can’t have a festival in Los Angeles without food trucks. A diverse selection of six food trucks such as will provide a bounty of signature dishes that should keep your grumbling stomach at bay. Food Trucks include DogTown Dogs, Baby’s Badass Burgers, Cousins Maine Lobster, India Jones Chow, Meat-the-Greek and the Border Grill Truck. With the marriage of beer, art, and music, BAM Fest has brewed a one-of-a-kind fundraising event. This is one craft beer festival not to be missed!

To support 18th Street consider purchasing tickets securely online at http://www.18thstreet.org/bam
BAM – Sunday
October 26, 1-5pm
pre-sale tickets: $45 before October 24; $50 at the door.

Event produced by artisanal drink, food and cultural event planner, Nicole Gordillo Schimpf, Tap & Cheer Events.

All proceeds benefit 18th Street Arts Center, a Santa Monica 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Participating Craft Breweries:

Anchor Brewing Co.
Angel City Brewing Co.
Angry Orchard Cider
Ballast Point Brewing
Beachwood BBQ & Brewing
Bootlegger’s Brewery
Boston Beer Co.
Brewery Ommegang
Coronado Brewing Co.
Deschutes Brewery
Dogfish Head Brewery
Drakes Brewing
Dudes’ Brewing
Eagle Rock Brewery
Einstøk Beer Co
El Segundo Brewing Co.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Golden Road Brewing
Hangar 24 Craft Brewery
Kinetic Brewing Co.
King Harbor Brewing
Ladyface Ale Companie
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
New Belgium Brewing Co.
North Coast Brewing Co.
Oskar Blues Brewery
Phantom Carriage
Port Town Brewing Co.
Santa Monica Brew Works
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Smog City Brewing Co.
Stone Brewing Co.
Strand Brewing Co.
Surf Brewery
Three Weavers Brewing Co.
Venice Duck Brewery
Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co.

Draft Beer

Is Draft Beer Better?

By | Beer Knowledge | No Comments

Is Draft Beer Really Better?

As Americans become more interested in good beer, more and more people are venturing out to bars to try different delicious brews. More breweries are popping up all over the country, LA being one of the budding cities.

So, you want to get into beer right? I’ll bet that if you go to a bar, you usually get
what’s on tap without thinking about it. It makes sense…so you think. Does it really though?

It’s a complicated topic. Sure, tap beer may seem fresher, tastier and just plain better. However, that’s not always the case. Ever had a flat, watery, or just plain nasty beer on tap? Yeah, many of us have been there. Although it’s a hard subject to master, here you’ll get the rundown on what beers you should order on draft vs. bottled.

Ask any beer connoisseur and she’ll tell you, there are so, so many variables to consider when deciding on the vessel. I won’t get too deep into the technical details or rare instances, but there are a few tricks you can easily remember.

One, oxygen is the enemy. When oxygen gets in contact with beer, a chemical reaction occurs called oxidation. This can happen in many instances when handling and bottling beer. Oxidation occurs faster due to high temperature, motion, and loose caps. To minimize oxidation, it’s best to keep beer refrigerated and stable.

Two, make sure you’re drinking at a good, well-maintained bar. Going out for a beer with friends is one of the best parts of drinking. Sadly, so many beer bars do not keep clean tap lines. This means that a dirty tap line will be susceptible to bacteria, yeast, mold, and all the bad stuff that make a beer’s quality go down. Another thing to look out for at bars is carbonation. Brewers recommend a certain level of carbonation for their beer, but again, many bars don’t follow this.

Three, light is bad. Keep your beer away from light, unless you want a skunky or spoiled beer. The hops present in beer are extremely sensitive to light. It doesn’t matter whether it’s sunlight or your fridge’s light, all light is bad. This is why clear bottles should never be used for bottling beers. Green bottles are okay, but brown bottles are best at keeping the pesky UV lights away.

IPA’s

One of the most noticeable beer styles coming out of the thriving craft beer scene, IPA’s are best on tap. IPA’s are some of the hoppiest beers out there, and their characteristic strong and bitter hop flavor diminishes the longer you let it sit in your fridge. Remember skunk? Yeah, the longer your IPA is exposed to light in your fridge, the faster it’ll start to go bad. Oxidation is also bad. The hops found in IPAs are extremely sensitive. The delicious, hoppy aroma and clean bitter taste are attributed to the freshest of IPAs.

Belgians

Belgians are celebrated as being some of the best beers produced in the world. The care and dedication that goes into brewing them is unique. Many of the best Belgians are brewed by monks. That tidbit alone should tell you that these beers were made by good, caring hands. With Belgians, bottled is the way to go. Most Belgians are bottle conditioned (meaning they’re meant to be aged), and it doesn’t make much sense to serve them on tap. Carbonation is the other reason why Belgians taste better bottled. They require a specific amount of carbonation, which is best controlled by the brewery during the bottling process and varies widely in bars.

Saisons

You may think that Saisons are very similar to Belgian ales, but they’re not. “Saison” translates to “in season.” So, it makes sense that you have to drink this type of beer right away, right? Well..this is a tricky one. Traditionally, Saisons were brewed for farm workers in Belgium as a refreshing beverage for the hot summer months. Later, when Americans started brewing Saisons, they changed the whole game. Bigger ABVs, funkier and stronger, instead of a mild summer brew. If you’re going the traditional route, go for the tap, preferably in the summer season. With a stronger, American Saison, you may want to opt for the bottle. Know your brewer!

Lagers

For better or worse, lagers are America’s favorite beers. They’re light, refreshing, smooth. This is an easy one. Lagers are better on draft. The delicate essence of lagers fully shine when freshest. Low carbonated levels at a bar? It doesn’t matter because lagers don’t need much of it anyway. Also, the great thing about lagers on tap is the thick head of foam. The texture and aromas added by the beer head are part of the reason why lager’s a big favorite (It also makes the beer look delicious, doesn’t it?).

Stouts

Stouts are best served on tap. Even better if they’re served on a nitro tap: meaning they contain more nitrogen than carbon dioxide. The nitrogen results in the creamy, velvety fullness you get when sipping on that Old Rasputin nitro beer, for example. Like lagers, Stouts are usually less carbonated and are also improved by the foam, courtesy of the tap. Some Stouts also have additions, like coffee, that fade with time. Not good for aging. Go for the tap when you’re craving a Stout.

Ciders

Ciders are becoming more popular than ever before. Once thought of as a “girly” drink, Ciders are finally being recognized for their great qualities. Want to know what else makes them great? They’re gluten-free. There you go, celiacs. Drink up!

Ciders are like apple wine, and you (almost) never drink fresh wine on tap. Crisp and tart, these qualities are kept better when bottled. As Ciders gain popularity in the craft beer world, we’ll see if draft can compete with the bottles.

Do you go for the bottle or draft? Let us know your picks.

LA Beer Week 2014

Kicking Off LA Beer Week

By | Events, LA Beer Week | No Comments

We’re excited to be working with the Los Angeles Brewers Guild to bring you the official Kick-Off Festival for LA Beer Week 2014 on September 20th!

Tickets are now on sale! So grab them HERE!

The LA Beer Week Kick-Off Festival features unlimited tastes from over 40 breweries, live entertainment, a wide-selection of food trucks and educational panel discussions at a new location in the old Chinatown Plaza.

So far we have confirmed the following breweries:
Absolution Brewing, Alosta Brewing, Alpine Beer Co., Angel City Brewing, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Bravery Brewing, Craftsman Brewing, The Dudes’ Brewing, Eagle Rock Brewery, El Segundo Brewing Co., Enegren Brewing, Firestone Walker, Golden Road Brewing, Highland Park Brewery, Kinetic Brewing, King Harbor Brewing, Ladyface Ale Companie, Monkish Brewing and many more coming your way!

LA Beer Week takes place from September 20th-28th all over Los Angeles County and Orange County is even getting in on the action! Follow the EVENTS page at the official website of LA BEER WEEK for the latest and greatest updates! Don’t forget to use #LABW6 and #tapandcheer on all your social media posts so we can follow your beer adventures!

Cheers! See you at LA Beer Week!

Tiato Kitchen Santa Monica Event

Interview with Catherine An, Tiato Kitchen Bar Garden + Venue

By | Santa Monica Restaurants, Women in Local Food Scene | No Comments

The Tap & Cheer team joined the Women in Local Food Scene for a lovely lunch event at Tiato Kitchen Bar Garden + Venue in Santa Monica. Catherine An, was our guest speaker for the event and we all enjoyed her words of wisdom about running a restaurant.

What was your experience as the youngest in the family?

I learned from an early age to find balance between work and having a life. My sisters and mom were my mentors and they showed me the importance of finding this balance.

Tell us more about your background?

I have a degree in psychology and a minor in the arts. I worked in Public Relations before returning back to the family restaurant business. I didn’t go to managerial school so I’m always conscientious of how the staff views me and whether or not I’m creating a good environment for them to work in.

If you were stranded on a desert island what one item of food would you want?

Avocado. Maybe Peanut Butter? KIND Bars.

What is your favorite cookbook?

I don’t really read cookbooks because I’m more operations and front of the house. I’m into management books. The two books I’m currently reading are The Seven Habits of Highly Effectively People and Who.

What’s your best food memory or defining food moment?

Awhile back we catered an all vegan event for the nonprofit group The Sea Shepherd. It was held at the Santa Monica airport hanger and when we arrived in the morning we found it completely flooded; A foot of water all the way around! We had to call in an emergency crew who worked right up until the beginning of the event. Despite the chaos, no one attending the event had a clue it ever happened. Our team pulled it together and the event was amazing! The best compliments I heard from that day were, “Wow! This is vegan? We didn’t even know….it’s that good.” I was so proud!

What advice do you have for running a successful restaurant?

We’re interested in growth and retention rather then the typical high turnover rate that occurs in restaurants. It’s important to have a “Happy Staff” and every day is a learning experience and a process. I also get many ideas from traveling. Then I come home and work with Mama to come up with a version for the menu.

Is there anything else about Tiato you would like us to know?

The Tiato logo is green and purple to mimic the colors of the Tiato Herb. In creating the garden I used a lot of green and purple plants. I’m still doing catering here at Tiato and I really enjoy that people can celebrate special occasions there. The first wedding that was held in the space made me cry because I was so happy that they were celebrating such a special event there.


Be sure to enjoy Tiato Kitchen and Garden and their secret Garlic Noodles on Friday!

The tale of the House of An encompasses two countries, five sisters, and one secret kitchen. You can learn more about Catherine An and her family at http://www.houseofan.com/ and learn more from this interview with Occidental Magazine.

If you would like to attend other events hosted by Women In the Local Food Scene, please signup at their website.

Tap Cheer & Give

Tap Cheer & Give = Success!

By | Tap Cheer & Give | No Comments

Our Tap Cheer & Give event was an enormous success with a tremendous turnout of socially conscious people partying with a purpose. Here’s a recap of the action for those of you who missed us.

An eclectic assortment of Angelinos from around the city made the trek to Cross Campus in Santa Monica, helping Tap Cheer & Give show what can happen when you bring people together for charity.

The best part of putting on our events at Tap & Cheer is the kind of people we attract to our events. When you have an opportunity to party with a purpose, the best is brought out in everyone.

Tap Cheer & Give

Photo by Inga Ornelas

Ten percent of our ticket sales went to supporting one of the socially aware organizations in attendance, which included Omniscience Apparel, SOLO Eyewear, This Bar Saves Lives, and Would-Works. The remainder of proceeds benefited the SurfRider Foundation.

We were blown away by the wonderful people who turned out for the event and helped us to spread the word about our wonderful partners’ charitable endeavors while having a great time. From start to finish, we had an amazing party thanks to our wonderful patrons.

Our event also brought out ten amazing breweries – Angel City Brewing Co., El Segundo Brewing Co., Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Golden Road Brewing Co., Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, LA Ale Works, Ladyface Ale Companie, Smog City Brewing Co., The Dude’s Brewing Co., and Venice Duck Brewery.

Each brewery brought their A game with an amazing variety of beer styles being represented by our beer partners. The beer booths were buzzing with Tap Cheer & Give goers enjoying everything they had to offer.

Overall, there were twenty-one different beers to sample as event goers enjoyed music, crash courses on beer, and fantastic food and beverages.

Tap Cheer & Give

Photo by Inga Ornelas

Baby’s Badass Burgers, Bird Pick Tea & Herb, LA Ale Works Sodas, Melody Bar & Grill, Pork Belly’s Sandwich Shop, and Wise Coffee kept the crowd fueled while Federico Alonso of B.A.2.L.A. blasted out the jams and kept the crowd grooving.

It was also impressive how many Tap Cheer & Give goers checked in on our crash courses with beer judge/writer Tomm Carroll and beer guru Carl Townsend of Pacific Gravity Home Brewers Club. While we kept the party going on the main stage, they were busy educating our event goers about in-depth subjects like the origins of beer.

Needless to say, Tap Cheer & Give raised the bar for us. With the success of our event, the next Tap & Cheer party only promises to be bigger and better.

Thank you to everyone that made this event a resounding success. We’re looking forward to the next one!

 

Tap Cheer & Give

Tap Cheer & Give is Coming!

By | Tap Cheer & Give | No Comments

Tap Cheer & Give is coming up, and we’ve added a bonus to make our socially responsible event your socially responsible event – Uber taxi rides.

Uber will give a $50 credit towards your first ride when you use the promo code TAPANDCHEER by clicking here. This makes it easier to come down and responsibly enjoy the fantastic local brewers who will be at our Tap Cheer & Give event on March 29th.

Our unique beer festival showcases socially responsible breweries and innovative cause-supporting brands that are making a positive impact on their community, environment, employees, or humanity as a whole.

Our stellar line-up of award winning breweries at Tap Cheer & Give includes:

Angel City Brewing Co.Tap Cheer & Give LA Aleworks

El Segundo Brewing Co.

Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

Golden Road Brewing Co.

Hangar 24 Craft Brewery

LA Ale Works

Ladyface Ale CompanieTap Cheer & Give Hangar 24

Phantom Carriage

Smog City Brewing Co.

The Dude’s Brewing Co.

Venice Duck Brewery

With your 5 oz. souvenir glass, you’ll be able to get unlimited samples of over 20 different beers for $35 dollars if you buy your ticket before March 15th (Beware the Ides of March and save!) or $40 after. But that’s only the beginning of what we have in store for you.

We’re also offering beer crash courses for our fellow beer lovers who want to know more about the art of beer. Beer judge and writer Tomm Carroll along with beer guru Carl Townsend of Pacific Gravity Home Brewers Club will cover all of the beer essentials with crash courses ranging from the origin of specific styles of beer to the appropriate way to taste and evaluate it.

While you’re enjoying your beer sampling, we’ll also have food trucks and beverage booths on standby to satisfy your appetite and thirst while Federico Alonso of B.A.2.L.A. blasts out the jams at our Earth shaking, Earth quaking celebration.

Some of the fine vendors representing at Tap Cheer & Give include: Baby’s Badass Burgers, Bird Pick Tea & Herb, LA Ale Works Sodas, Melody Bar & Grill, Pork Belly’s Sandwich Shop, and Wise Coffee.

We’ve got the tap and cheer part of our celebration down, but this is the part where we talk about how we give so you can feel good about cutting loose. Ten percent of your ticket price goes to support one of the fantastic and socially aware organizations in attendance: Omniscience Apparel, SOLO Eyewear, SurfRider Foundation, This Bar Saves Lives, and Would-Works.Tap Cheer & Give Uber

Each organization does wonderful things ranging from providing eye care for people in need to providing meals to hungry children in need. You can’t go wrong with having a great time while helping others.

Come on down to Cross Campus at 1558-A Tenth Street in Santa Monica from 2-6 p.m. to enjoy the best beer and food Los Angeles has to offer while supporting some worthy causes. Don’t forget to cash in on your Uber promo code TAPANDCHEER by clicking here for $50 off of your first ride so you travel to and from the event responsibly and hassle free. See you there!

 

 

Tap & Cheer Karma Kolsch

A Tale of Two Brews: LA Ale Works’ Karma Kolsch Meets Bird Pick Tea

By | Tap Cheer & Give | No Comments

Tap & Cheer met up with LA Ale Works‘ Kristofor “Kip” Barnes and OC Beer Blog’s Greg Nagel for a unique meeting – a tea tasting.

Barnes, lead brewer at LA Ale Works and founder of Bierkast.com, partnered with Lan Ong of Bird Pick Tea & Herb to sample various teas being considered for infusion in the Karma Kolsch for LA Ale Works.

This craft beer takes the German ale standard that follows the purity law, but adds a decidedly interesting twist. Traditionally considered the lightest ale brewed, Kolschs offer a complexity in taste that finishes mildly dry with a medium alcohol content.Tap & Cheer Karma Kolsch

Bird Pick, located in the Fox Hills Mall at their Westfield Culver City location, offered a traditional tea time of noon. Their front porch served as the perfect spot for the tasters to enjoy Bird Pick’s offerings.

The tasting afforded the group an opportunity to taste various teas ranging from fruity iced Thai teas to spicy Indian flavors like ginger and masala chai to mellow florals like chrysanthemum and jasmine.

Beer infusion can be an unpredictable gamble, especially when it comes to fruit infusion. However, the tasting yielded some interesting couplings after some relaxing tasting and spirited discussion over what would make up the next batch of Karma Kolsch.

Kip from LA Ale Works decided on the more subtle flavor of jasmine green tea, which adds a subtle element of possibility to the Kolsch while keeping things simple.Tap & Cheer Karma Kolsch

Greg Nagel, who was originally interested in something with a mimosa like taste, decided on a chrysanthemum flower infusion that mixed citrus and a note of masala chai tea, which hints at an interesting fusion with the Kolsch.

Last, but not least, I was originally interested in something tropical and reminiscent of my Cuban roots, but took another exotic route by choosing Indian Black Tea with ginger.

Having said that, who will get to taste the final product after these interesting and exotic flavors finish their journey from idea to brew? There will be a few opportunities to taste the fruits of Kip’s labors.

Greg will have his own personal Karma Kolsch, ready to be be tapped, at his upcoming Firkfest event on March 22 down in Anaheim, CA. This event will benefit the Anaheim Family YMCA and boasts 30 local breweries from Southern California representing.

Tap & Cheer will have my Indian Black Tea with ginger Karma Kolsch at our TAP, CHEER, & GIVE event in Santa Monica, CA on March 29th from 2-6 p.m.Tap & Cheer Karma Kolsch

Our all-access pass for this event includes unlimited sampling from the local breweries involved with LA Ale Works, Golden Road Brewing, Angel City Brewery, and Firestone Walker Brewery to name a few. There will also be educational courses, music, and opportunities to support some of the most innovative socially-responsible brands and the nonprofit causes they support.

Come on down and have a great time with us as we enjoy what promises to be some interesting beer.

Thank you to everyone that helped make BAM Fest 2013 a success!

By | BAM Fest, Uncategorized | No Comments

IMG_2736

Dear BAM Fest Breweries, Artists, Vendors, Crash Course Instructors, Volunteers, Musicians, Sponsors and Everyone that made this a successful event,

On behalf of  Tap and Cheer I want to express my grateful appreciation for your participation in BAM Fest, on Saturday October 5th benefiting 18th Street Arts Center and its important programs.  This event contributed to the success and growth of the 18th Street Arts Center as an important artist residency program.

Thank you to those presenting remarkable craft beers, delivering well-attended, educational crash courses, providing scintillating music, and assisting as incredible volunteers. Each of you coupled with a collaborative exhibition and open artist studios culminated in a one-of-a-kind fundraising event and marvelous afternoon for attendees!

Conversation during and after the event included accolades for your hard work. Comments have been extremely positive and your participation provided the foundation for the event’s success.

I highly value your support and look forward to future partnerships for worthwhile causes.

To view photos of BAM Fest by Bernie Wire  

Thank you again!

Nicole Gordillo Schimpf
Founder & Principal