The 7th annual Fredericksburg Octoberfest at the Blue & Gray Brewing Company will take place September 25-27. This weekend-long event will take place at the brewery's new home, which happens to share a parking lot with their old location. This looks to be a fun-filled weekend. Blue & Gray events are family-friendly so bring the whole gang and enjoy the festivities.

Free Admission. ALL WEEKEND!

In traditional Bavarian fashion, Fredericksburg comes together under the big tent in September to celebrate the 7th Annual Oktoberfest!

Family fun, music, magic, song and dance. Newly released authentic Oktoberfest Beer and Hefeweizen from Blue & Gray Brewing.

Numerous vendors selling delicious German foods and pastries. Free fall crafts table for the kids. Free samples of Blue & Gray Oktoberfest beer while it lasts. Beer for sale in 12oz or 16oz mugs, or 33.8oz (maas) commemorative stein. (Sign up on brewery homepage for 1/2 off coupon)

Friday: 5-10pm keg-tapping ceremony and OOOmpah band

Saturday: 12:00 LOW'n'BROWS band OOOMPAH! Sing-along for prizes. 1:30 German Shepherd Exhibition Spotsylvania County K-9 Unit (Invited)

Sunday: 11am-4 Roving accordion, preztel making!

Come join us!

Date/Hours:
Friday, September 25, 2009 (5:00 PM-10:00 PM)
Saturday, September 26, 2009 (11:00 AM-7:00 PM)
Sunday, September 27, 2009 (11:00 AM-4:00 PM)

See the Blue & Gray website for updates.

Two upcoming local beer festivals are looking for volunteers. Here's a way to support the fests, meet lots of folks, and also earn free admission.

The 10th annual Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest will be held October 3 in Shirlington, VA. All volunteers will get a tasting glass, 10 beer sample tickets, and a t-shirt. Each volunteer will work a 3-1/2 hour shift pouring tasty malt beverages (Two shifts: 11:30am-3pm or 2:30-6pm). All positions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the Volunteer Information and Registration page for information.

The Northern Virginia BrewFest is a two day event, October 24-25, in Centreville, VA. Volunteers will be asked to perform many tasks during the event ranging from beer pouring, keg hauling, souvenir sales, and working at the gates. The volunteer times are broken down into two shifts per day (10:30am-2:30pm or 2:00pm-6:00pm). Each volunteer will receive entry into the event, a BrewFest T-shirt, a souvenir tasting glass, and 4 tickets for tasting during their non-working time at the event. Volunteer applications are available at the festival page.

That's the declaration from our friends at Nelson County Life magazine. And from all evidence I would have to agree. Despite having my ticket in-hand, (well, it was waiting at the will-call desk) conflicts on Saturday prevented me from actually getting there. I did follow the event via the photos and updates posted by Nelson County Life throughout the day on their Facebook page. The day started off with some rain but that soon cleared off. It was good to see the crowds growing as the day progressed. Jason Oliver of Devils Backbone Brewing, the host site for the event, told me "It was a great festival and it looks like it will be a yearly thing." That's great news and I look forward to attending in 2010.

See the Nelson County Life report here.

Devils Backbone Brewery in Nelson County will play host to the inaugural Brew Ridge Trail Music Festival on August 22. Not your typical beer fest, this live music festival will however feature great beers from "Brew Ridge Trail" members Starr Hill, Devils Backbone, Blue Mountain, South Street, and Albemarle Cider Works.

Discounted tickets are available online here. Buy your tickets in advance to get free music from the performers. Advance ticket purchasers are also eligible to win great prizes such asmerchandise from Starr Hill, Devils Backbone, South Street, and other local establishments, along with prizes from the performers.

The "Brew Ridge Trail" meanders through scenic Nelson and Albemarle Counties and into historic Charlottesville. Check out the trail map here. So spend a day in the Virginia countryside and enjoy some fine Virginia beer (and maybe escape the heat of the city.) I'm hoping to do just that.

Capital Ale House has published the menu for its upcoming Allagash Brewing Beer Dinner with brewer Rob Tod. The lineup of beers is quite intriguing. The event will be held at the downtown Richmond Capital Ale House on August 12.

Opening beer: Allagash White

1st Course: Allagash Victor
Country Pate with Pickled Hop Shoots

2nd Course: Allagash Confluence
Brie with summer fruit salad

3rd Course: Allagash Curieux
Butter Poached Maine Lobster Tail with foie gras butter

4th Course: Allagash Burnam Road Smoked
Smoked Duck Breast

5th Course: Allagash Interlude
Creme Brulee

Tickets can be purchased here. The $75 price includes includes the 6 beer courses and 5 food courses listed above, an Allagash glass, tax and gratuity. Doors open at 6:30PM.

This time, Brooklyn Brewery representative Jason Gavin will be presenting at the Kenmore Inn in Fredericksburg on July 29. This will be a four-course dinner featuring five Brooklyn beers.

Reception Beer: Brooklyn Lager

First Course: Grilled Watermelon Salad with chipotle maple vinaigrette paired with Brooklyner Weisse.

Second Course: Amaretto Shrimp Saute Shrimp lightly dredged in flour, sauteed and finished with amaretto cream and fresh mint paired with Brooklyn Local 1.

Third Course: Glazed Pork Tenderloin Pork tenderloin pan seared and finished with an apple pomegranate glaze, served over rice and a vegetable medley paired with Brooklyn Brown Ale.

Fourth Course: Vanilla Cake Topped with roasted peach and blueberry compote, whipped cream, and fresh mint paired with Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2008.

The cost of the dinner is $45.00 and the event begins at 6:30PM. For information and reservations call 540-371-7622 or email events@kenmoreinn.com

While we're quite fond of all of our local Virginia breweries and brewers, it's also a thrill to welcome brewers from distant states when they visit Virginia. Just a few weeks ago we got to meet Garrett Oliver at a Brooklyn Brewery beer dinner right here in Fredericksburg. And now, here are two more opportunities to meet brewers from distant states.

On Sunday, July 19, Patrick Rue from The Bruery in Orange County, CA will be visiting Mekong Restaurant in Richmond, VA. The Bruery's beers are new to Virginia and here's an opportunity to try out a few of them and meet Patrick as well. Restaurant owner An Meking says Patrick will be sharing his Orchard White, Black Orchard, Saison Rue and Trade Wind Triple beers. Contact the restaurant for more information.

On Wednesday, August 12, Allagash Brewing of Portland, ME will be featured at a beer dinner at the downtown Richmond Capital Ale House. Allagash head brewer and owner Rob Tod will be there to present an array of Allagash beers, expertly paired with delicious foods. Allagash specializes in bottle conditioned, Belgian-style beers. The $75 ticket price includes six beers (some of which have never been seen in Richmond), five courses, tax, gratuity, and souvenir glass. Online ticket information can be found here.

I'm checking my schedule now.

I received a call this afternoon from Daniel Bradford of All About Beer magazine letting me know that the Richmond World Beer Fest is unfortunately being postponed until the Spring. The organizers felt that the plans for the new venue were progressing too slowly to be completed in time. Daniel assured me they are still looking forward to putting on the Richmond festival.

All About Beer Magazine sent out this press release this afternoon.

World Beer Festival Richmond Moves to Spring, 2010

Durham, NC — All About Beer Magazine announced today that the World Beer Festival scheduled for August 29 in Richmond will be held instead in the spring of 2010.

The World Beer Festivals have been held annually in Durham, NC for 14 years; Raleigh, NC for five years; and Columbia, SC for one year. Richmond, with its thriving beer community, will be the fourth city to host the event, which brings together several thousand beer lovers for an opportunity to sample a wide range of beers in a safe and enjoyable setting.

“We are committed to putting on a world-class event,” said Daniel Bradford, producer of the festival and publisher of All About Beer Magazine. “Some of the preparations are taking longer than expected, and we need more time to ensure that the World Beer Festival Richmond meets its potential. The Richmond beer community is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the World Beer Festival has a unique role to play in enhancing that community.”

“The World Beer Festivals are complex events that reflect our mission of educating and entertaining beer drinkers about the beauty and diversity of beer,” said Bradford. “The unique quality of the festivals spring from a commitment to detail, so that everyone attending—the consumers, the brewers, and the volunteers—leaves the festival enriched.”

The date of the spring event will be announced as soon as possible. The World Beer Festival staff will work closely with partners in Richmond to transition to the new date and make certain all the parties have ample time to plan.

Disappointing news to be sure, but we'll look forward to the World Beer Fest coming to Richmond in the Spring of 2010. Meanwhile, I'm making plans to attend WBF Durham in October.

The Brickskeller in Washington, DC will host a program entitled "The Virginia Ale Trail: New Brews in the Old Dominion". This presentation is part of the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program and will be held on Saturday, July 25, 1:00 - 4:30PM.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom were home brewers, would be proud of the more than 30 microbreweries and brewpubs now scattered throughout their home state. Meet some of Virginia’s leading artisanal brewers and taste their flavorful brews, many of which are not readily available in the D.C. area, as they talk about the process of creating their beers. Participating brewers are award-winning beer-maker Bill Madden of Vintage 50 brewpub in Leesburg; Taylor Smack of Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton, who grows some of the hops he uses in his aromatic Full Nelson Pale Ale; Andy Rathmann of St. George Brewing Co. in Hampton, which is named after the patron saint of England but turns out both English and German styles; and John Wampler of Legend Brewing Co. in Richmond, a microbrewery and restaurant that makes traditional beers like pilsner and porter and nontraditional brews like Belgian-style quadruple and chocolate porter. Gregg Wiggins, columnist for Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, moderates the afternoon.

Coordinators are Jim Dorsch, editor and publisher, American Brewer magazine, and Greg Kitsock, editor, Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, and associate editor, American Brewer magazine.

Details and ticket information here.

The Blue & Gray Brewing Company celebrates their re-opening in the new location with a "Value and Values 4th of July Weekend Celebration". The festivities kicked off Friday afternoon and continue today.