S.A. Beer Week Details Emerge • It's coming soon, ladies and gentlemen. The magical, make-you-feel-all-warm-inside wonderful week known as San Antonio Beer Week. Founded in 2011, this semana cerveza is right around the corner, moving to early April (2-10) this year. The event was established as a way for local beer artisans to promote awareness of what was going on in the local craft beer scene. Fast forward to 2016 and the Alamo City has become a full-blown mecca for craft beer. The state of the suds union makes this year's Beer Week even more important than ever before.
Craft beer aficionados and fans — snobs and newbs alike — are invited to take part in this weeklong celebration of all things beer, which will feature signature kickoff and closing ceremonies, as well as the unveiling of a documentary on the craft beer scene in San Antonio (which will be discussed in far greater detail as the event gets closer) and the unveiling of this year's collaboration brew.
"This year's collaboration brew is an English pale mild with locally sourced pecans," said Les Locke, brewmaster at Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery (136 E. Grayson St., 210-455-5701). "Every year, someone is assigned to take the lead on this, and this year that was me. The brewers all got together over a few beers and hashed out what we wanted to make and this was it."
The collaborative English pale mild will be made available at all participating Beer Week participants. It promises to be an accessible beer that anyone can enjoy. However, it will be complex enough for those with discerning palates.
"Beer Week is an event for everybody and it is a celebration of all the local breweries," said Locke. "An event like this brings a lot more exposure to everybody out there who's working hard and creating something new and unique."
For more information on San Antonio Beer Week, visit
Big Hops Anniversary • On Saturday, March 12, Big Hops at the Bridge (306 Austin St., Suite 101, 210-320-1470) will celebrate its one-year anniversary the only way a self-proclaimed dive bar/beer garden can: with a party, of course.
Big Hops has made its name in San Anto with rotating batches of seasonal craft beers and for its signature growler service. It is their attention to detail and craftsmanship that has made all three of their locations local favorites.
Festivities are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and a full list of what's on tap is available on their website, bighops.com