If you consider yourself a beer aficionado or a cicerone-in-training, visiting Sin City in April for an epic beer festival in Las Vegas is a must. On April 5-6 2019, Motley Brews put on the 9th annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer, an experience filled with over 100 breweries and over 500 craft brews to sip on while indulging in beer-inspired cuisine. On top of that, the weather in April was perfect for enjoying a brew out in the open air at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center venue!
Read below to see how people enjoyed all that the Great Vegas Festival of Beer promised: great beers, great bites, great fun, and great music.
Obviously, this is a given! If you’re a fan of beer, there were no shortage of drinks to try. Over 500 beers were available from over 100 breweries at this giant beer tasting in Las Vegas. There were a number of local Las Vegas breweries, including Ellis Island, Hop Nuts, Big Dog’s, and Lovelady Brewing Company. There were also be a number of guest breweries attending, including Stone Brewing Co., Brooklyn Brewery, Mason Ale Works, and Lagunitas Brewing.
Think it just stops at beer? There were also ciders, meads, spiked seltzers, and more! The drinking gets even more exciting with the 2019 Mad Craft Experience. This event was a time for breweries and chefs to explore their adventurous side. Participants were encouraged to experiment with beer and compete for categories such as “Best Beer Cocktail: A cocktail that is 50% beer and non-beer ingredients are used” and “Best Beer Blend: A blend of 2+ beers.”
Behind every great beer is a great bite. A Las Vegas beer fest wouldn’t have been complete without some delicious food for pairing. In 2019, the Great Vegas Festival of Beer featured Chef Jose Navarro of Stache & Suit and Chef Geno Bernardo of The Summit Club as the VIP chefs for the event. In addition to these chefs, there were a wide range of foods to prevent you from drinking on an empty stomach.
Food was served from gastro pubs and food trucks such as Good Pie, Strip Chezze, Flat Top’s Burgers & Shakes, Monti’s Smokehouse BBQ, and more. For the Mad Craft Experience, try a bite from restaurants such as Esther’s Kitchen, Tacos & Beer, A Family Secret, HEXX Kitchen & Bar, and Tacotarian.
While a weekend of beer tasting in Las Vegas may seem awesome enough, this fest took it one more step beyond with the unique and fun experiences. The Motley Brews beer festival in Las Vegas aimed to create a fully immersive beer experience that takes you beyond the pint. 2019’s festival featured 6 unique experiences from festival participants and sponsors. These experiences included:
After drinks, food, and entertainment, there is only one missing piece to this epic Las Vegas beer fest – music! We don’t think there is much better than dancing to some live music in the Vegas April weather while sipping on a beer. At the 2019 Great Vegas Festival of Beer, visitors jamed at the main stage with Las Vegas-based Hip Hop Jazz band The Lique and Zack Gray who performs dynamic vocals alongside atmospheric R&B.
Feeling a little bolder after a few tasters of liquid courage? You could also get your musical fix with Front Yard Karaoke. Or, if you wanted a unique musical experience, you could get groovy and boogie down at the Brooklyn Bowl Silent Disco.
Enjoying a cold one shouldn’t be complicated, and luckily preparing for a beer festival in Las Vegas is no different. The most important thing to note is hydration. While not too hot yet, the temperatures in April tend to creep up to the 80s. Higher temperatures, drinking, and exposure to the sun can all lead to quick dehydration. Becoming dehydrated can lead to severe symptoms, which will definitely put a damper on a weekend of beer tasting in Las Vegas. Drink responsibly, and don’t forget sunscreen and water.
