1st Annual Montrose Food & Brewfest

The 1st Annual Montrose Food & Brewfest is taking place Sunday, July 27, from noon to 4 p.m. in the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue – and we are so excited!     The Montrose Food and Brewfest is a micro and craft beer tasting event that offers ticket holders the chance to sample regional and local microbrews and craft beers paired with food from our local restaurants. The event will be offering unlimited sampling of micro brews and craft brews, as well as unlimited sampling of food from participating local restaurants (until supplies run out). In addition to beer and food tastings, the event will also feature live music, free water, coffee and tea and more than enough fun! Sounds fun to me!

Just outside our beer garden area is the historic town of Montrose. The Montrose Shopping Park is a beautiful tree-lined street on Honolulu Avenue that is a delight to stroll down. Here you will find three blocks of storefronts with a variety of shops to peruse, many fine dining establishments, the country’s oldest children’s bookstore and a bowling alley right out of the 1950s. It is a quaint town that takes you back to the time when life was simpler. We encourage you to shop and dine before, during and after the event.

So what exactly is a craft or microbrew? Simply put, a craft beer or microbrew is beer that is not brewed by one of the big “mega-brewery” corporations. It is truly hand crafted. The Brewers Association defines craft beer as beer made by a brewer that is small, independent and traditional (just like our shops in Montrose!). What is the difference between a microbrewery and a regular brewery? A microbrewery produces less than 15,000 barrels per year and usually concentrates on exotic or high quality beer. These breweries are much smaller than large-scale corporate breweries and are independently owned. Such breweries are generally characterized by their emphasis on the integrity and quality of ingredients, flavor and brewing technique. The brewers are usually more involved and incorporate local and in season ingredients to give each beer its own distinct flavor. Craft beers are meant to be enjoyed, savored and paired with foods. Sounds like a good idea to us!

Here is a list of some of the restaurants that will be offering samples with your tastings: 7 Stop Pizza, Gio’s Baguettes and More, Basin 141, Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria, Casa Cordoba Restaurante, Giuseppe’s Pizzeria, Montrose Bakery and Café, New Moon, Sake Sushi Bar and Lounge, Schreiner’s Fine Sausages, and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Here is a list of some of the breweries participating in our event so far: Wolf Creek Brewing Company, Stone Brewing Company, Angel City Brewery, Drake’s Brewing, Eagle Rock Brewery, The Original Fireman’s Brewery, Hanger 24 Craft Brewery and Noble Ale Works with more added daily! Check out the website for a full list of participants and for new additions. Remember this is a ticket-only event. Tickets are limited, so buy your tickets now at www.montrosebrewfest.com.

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Glendale Police Dept. Explorer Program, the Glendale Fire Fighters Club and the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Support Group. Come enjoy the live music, cold brews and local fare – all for a great cause!

Remember to join us for our July “anniversary” business mixer on Wednesday, July 2 hosted by the Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland in their famous Agave Bar and Grill. This mixer is a special one to us and you don’t want to miss it. Here we recognize businesses that are celebrating an anniversary with the chamber ranging from five years to 40 years! Come and see some old friends and meet some new ones.

Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce: Your source for all things local! Our mission is to actively support and enrich the community, vitality and pride of Montrose, to help preserve the historic district and small town atmosphere, to promote economic stability and positive, productive relationships within Montrose and the surrounding communities.

Calendar items
July business mixer on Wednesday, July 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Angeles National Golf Club, 9401 Foothill Blvd. Sunland.

Montrose Artwalk on Saturday, July 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the 2300 and 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue in Montrose.

Montrose Food and Brewfest on Sunday, July 27 from noon to 4 p.m. in the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue in Montrose.

August business mixer on Wednesday, Aug. 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at SIG Property Management, 2937 Honolulu Ave., La Crescenta-Montrose.

  Melind CLARKE