I’m yet to try summer beer. From what I’m told, it’s an inebriating mix of cheap beer, (presumably) equally cheap vodka, and frozen lemon concentrate. Despite the dearth of quality ingredients, it sounds like the perfect accoutrement to a lazy day in the pool or at the beach. I’ve aged out of boozed-up beer concoctions, but I’ve found other ways to enjoy craft suds in the summer.
Index Fest, formerly Untapped Festival, is one of only a handful of beer festivals that graces the 817 each year. I’m a longtime fan of the fest, mostly on account of the short lines and long tapwalls. Dallas-based Big Texas Beer Fest, while bigger, can feel like a Black Friday rush at times. This year’s Index Fest boasts more than 80 breweries, 300 beers, and several live acts.
Locavores, listen up. The Collective Brewing Project will be pouring Wood Folk with Peaches, Pineapple Thai Basil Petite Golden Sour (new), and Cup O’Beer, a ramen-based gose. Revolver Brewing is slinging Sangre Y Miel (wine barrel-aged Blood and Honey), Bourbon Barrel Anodyne (13 percent ABV), and Full Tang. Rahr & Sons’ popular new American IPA, Dadgum IPA, will be up for grabs along with Bucking Bock. Wild Acre Brewing Company is offering Billy’s Birthday, a rich, malty doppelbock. HopFusion Ale Works is bringing popular brews like Steampipe (black IPA) and Zombie Crack. Arlington-based Legal Draft will be pouring a well rounded IPA, SMaSH and Grab, and Hung Jury (hefeweizen). Martin House Brewing Company’s superlative brews will also be on tap: Salty Lady (gose), Friday IPA, and True Love.
I’ll be rushing to Panther Island Brewing’s tent to hoist Belgian Warrior, a Belgian strong ale made with dark candy and weighing in at over 11 percent ABV. It’s part of a new series Panther Island Brewing’s brewmaster Ryan McWhorter has dubbed WRATH.
Rounding out my local recommendations are Rabbit Hole Brewing’s Rapture and Keller-based Shannon Brewing Company’s Grapefruit IPA. Index Fest promises to have more varieties of grub and art vendors than past events did. As long as the beer selections keep up, I’ll keep coming back.
Index Fest is this Saturday (4pm VIP, 5pm general admission) at Panther Island Pavilion. Tickets can be purchased here.
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On Tap this Week:
From World of Beer: WOB Can-O-Beer run starts at World of Beer Fort Worth 9am. We will host a pairing party that includes a brunch buffet, Bloody Mary Bar, t-shirt, scorecard, and assignments to a bus. All participants or teams of will be assigned to a bus. Busses will visit one of six breweries where each team will be challenged with an obstacle, trivia, and served a specialty beer from each of the six breweries (Collective, Division, Legal Draft, Martin House, Panther Island, Hop Fusion). Once all of the teams have completed the tasks they will then be rallied back to the busses and on to the next location to complete new obstacles, trivia, and beers. Somewhere in the transit to the six breweries two craft beer taverns that will be visited. World of Beer Arlington and Dr Jekyll’s will offer food and beer. Once all the locations have been visited, we will then report back to Fort Worth World of Beer where we will tally the scores and announce the winning team at 8:30pm! The winning team will receive a keg trophy to be displayed at WOB Ft Worth and $3,000 cash. June 24.
