Canned beer event hits Reno

Monday, October 19, 2009 - 7:28 PM

Canfest
- When: Friday
- Where: Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort Casino
- Cost: $35
- What: Buckbean Brewing Company will host a beer tasting event featuring brews from around the world. There will also be cheese, chocolate and ice cream pairings.

Thirty-five dollars for unlimited beer, chocolate, cheese and ice cream: the things college students’ prayers are made of. Luckily for us, Buckbean Brewing Company is playing the role of God, planning to grant our wishes with Canfest.

The Buckbean Brewing Company will host Canfest, the first international beer judging and tasting for canned beers, on Oct. 23 in the Grand Theatre of the Grand Sierra Resort Casino. More than 25 different breweries, both local and international, will be represented at the event, featuring about 50 different beers. Attending brewers include Guinness (Ireland), Sapporo (Japan), 21st Amendment (California), Maui Brewing (Hawaii) and many others.

Brewers will be judged privately that morning before the event is opened to the public at 6:30 p.m. For a $35 flat rate, patrons 21 and older can taste unlimited beers, participate in open forums and hear from beer experts. Pairings with cheese, ice cream (from Tahoe Creamery) and chocolate (from local Dorado Chocolates) will also be available.

Director of the Brewers Association Paul Gatza will speak about the history of American beer, craft beer and trends in canned beer. Founder of Womenenjoyingbeer.com, Ginger Johnson will also give a presentation about the relationship between beer, women and the arts. Brewers will also participate in an open forum where patrons can ask questions.

“Buckbean wanted to do a local beer festival, something unique,” Doug Booth, president of Buckbean Brewing Company, said. “We invited only breweries who can their beer. We want to let people know that great beer also comes in a can.”

Booth, who ran beer events in Las Vegas at Montelago Village, said his past beer events have attracted about 1,500 guests, a number he hopes to see at Canfest.

“Some are people who just turned 21 and some are retired and just love to investigate the different styles of beers,” Booth said. “This attracts quality beer fans of all ages. It’s a wide range of people.”

“I would attend this event,” Mercedes Olivares, a 20-year-old neuroscience major, said. “Thirty-five dollars is a lot (of money) to any college student, but if the event is long, tasting different beers, of course I would attend.”

Among Buckbean Brewing Company’s many missions, promoting canned beer is high on the list. Their advertisements and Web site proudly boast that canned beer is best because it keeps the beer from light and oxygen (two things that ruin the alcohol), cans cool faster than bottles, cans are allowed places glass containers are not and cans are environmentally friendly.

Booth, a former U.S. Forest Service biologist, said proceeds from the event will be donated to the Great Basic Bird Observatory and The Nature Conservancy.

“We want to raise money for something important,” Booth said. “Plus the can is such an environmentally friendly package. There is no fear of breakage, no paper used and it’s mostly a recycled product.”

Josh Hope, a 19-year-old undecided major, said he would go to the event if he were old enough.

“I’d go because to develop your taste for beer you need to have tasted a variety of different brews,” he said.

Tara Verderosa can be reached at tverderosa@nevadasagebrush.com.