2013 WASHINGTON CASK
BEER FESTIVAL
Saturday March 30, 2013
12-4pm & 6-10pm
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
(Seattle, WA)
February 19, 2013 - The Washington Brewers Guild will present its annual
Washington Cask Beer Festival on Saturday, March 30. After selling out for
several years in a row at the previous venue the event will move to the much
larger Seattle Center Exhibition Hall to accommodate more cask enthusiasts this
year.
The move to a larger venue is quite an accomplishment for an
event with a rather humble beginning. The Cask Festival was conceived by a
handful of Guild member breweries back when many beer drinkers were still
unfamiliar with cask-conditioned beer. The inaugural event was held at Hale’s
Ales Brewery in 2000 with less than 15 Washington breweries and was attended by
just a few hundred guests. Today cask beer is widely appreciated by many craft
beer enthusiasts and its growing popularity is evident in the number of
breweries and pubs that host cask nights on a regular basis.
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall can accommodate nearly 1,500
people per session, almost doubling the previous years’ attendance. But not
this year. The supply of cask-conditioned beer is still rather limited and
although more and more breweries make cask beer these days many do not have enough
cooperage to provide enough beer for a crowd of that size. For this year’s
event the attendance goal is set at 1,000 people per session, about 25%
increase over 2012, and the event hopes to grow gradually over the next few
years. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the event it is still expected to
sell out again, even at the larger venue. Early advance ticket purchase is
strongly recommended, especially for the first session.
The Cask Festival is presented by the Washington Brewers
Guild, a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a community of
Washington State brewers, advance their common interests through the
legislative process and promote the quality and value of their beers. Dozens of
Guild members recently gathered in Olympia for their annual “Hill Climb” to
visit the state legislators and ask for their support of the Washington brewing
industry. There are more than 190 breweries in Washington State and they employ
more than 3,500 individuals, generating a significant economic impact on the
state’s economy.
The Cask Festival will host two sessions; from noon to 4pm
and 6pm to 10pm on Saturday, March 30. Admission is $40 in advance or $45 at
the door, if tickets are still available. Separate tickets are required for
each session. Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass and up to 25
sample tastes. Tickets are available online at www.washingtonbrewersguild.org
and at select ticket outlets.
WASHINGTON CASK BEER
FESTIVAL
Saturday, March 30, 2013 Ÿ 12-4pm & 6-10pm Ÿ Seattle
Center Exhibition Hall
DATE
Saturday, March 30, 2013
HOURS
Session 1: 12-4 pm
Session 2: 6-10 pm
Doors open 15 minutes before each session begins. Taps close
30 minutes before closing.
Separate tickets required for each session
LOCATION
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
ADMISSION
$40 advance tickets or $45 at the door, if still available.
Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass and up to 25 sample tastes.
Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID to be
admitted.
Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door
only.
Tickets are on sale online at www.washingtonbrewersguild.org
and at select outlets; 99 Bottles (Federal Way), Bottleworks (Seattle), Full
Throttle Bottles (Seattle), and Malt & Vine (Redmond)
BEERS
Washington Cask Beer Festival is a major highlight of the
Pacific Northwest beer festival scene. The event features one-of-a-kind
handcrafted cask-conditioned beers from over 40 Washington breweries. To stay
true to the tradition of cask-conditioned beer the Festival requires brewers to
naturally condition the beer in a firkin or other vessels without artificially
introducing CO2. Poured by gravity the result is smooth ale with a thick creamy
head that brings out subtle, nuanced flavors.
HERBERT’S LEGENDARY
CASK FEST ALE
Also serving is Herbert’s Legendary Cask Festival Ale, a
special cask beer brewed collectively by the Washington brewers in memory of
Bert Grant, a legendary Washington beer icon. This year’s Herbert’s will be
brewed at Snipes Mountain Brewery in Sunnyside in collaboration with other
Central Washington area breweries. Herbert’s will be available at the Cask
Festival as well as select pubs prior to the event.
FOOD
There will be a few snack options available for purchase
that are perfect accompaniments to a wide array of cask-conditioned beers;
Dante’s Inferno Dogs (assortment of hot dogs), Brave Horse Tavern (house-made
pretzels and accompanying sauces), and Mt. Townsend Creamery (assortment of
artisan cheeses).
BENEFICIARY
Washington Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization whose
mission is to build a community of Washington State brewers, advance their
common interests through the legislative process and promote the quality and
value of their beers.
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