The journey into adulthood often involves tampering down on some guilty pleasures while cultivating a taste for others. As a kiddo, that pleasure was ice cream, usually from the neighborhood Braum’s restaurant. Now, I spend a fair amount of my free time at Martin House Brewing Company and HopFusion Ale Works. This Saturday’s Ice Cream Festival, at The Collective Brewing Project, offers the best of both worlds with frozen confections for the youngins and craft beers for the adults. All profits benefit Back to School Roundup, a charity that provides school supplies for underprivileged families.

The festival offers revelers two paths: the kid’s ticket ($10) and the adult’s ticket ($20). Seems simple enough. Kiddos and adults get tastings from six local businesses (Alchemy Pops, Alma’s Paleteria, Gypsy Scoops, Lake Highlands Creamery, Melt Ice Creams, and Pokey O’s).

Collective Brewing taproom manager Dave Riddile said the event is meant to feel like a ice cream social. (You remember those.) Along with a nostalgia for yesteryear came a desire to tie the event to a charity that supports young students.

“We wanted to tie the idea of ‘end of summer’ and ‘everyone going back to school,’ ” he said. Collective Brewing taproom manager “Carly Taylor and I appreciate the work the Back to School Roundup has done, getting school supplies to families and children who might not have been able afford it otherwise.”

The adult tickets come with ice cream samples and two beers of your choice. Beer doesn’t get fresher than from the source. Trust me.

Collective Brewing’s Ice Cream Festival

Saturday, August 26, 5 p.m. at The Collective Brewing Project, 112 St Louis Ave, 817-708-2914

Edward Brown writes about music, arts, and news for a variety of publications. He’s an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits. 

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First, consider buying something besides a bomber or sixer of suds. There’s a lot of fun beer merchandise on the market, including a special storage device called a growler. These large jugs (either glass or metal) keep draught beer fresh and are great to take to parties or a picnic. Growler fill stations (Chimera Brewing Company and Pouring Glory) are increasingly popular destinations to top off these sealed jugs.

Another fun gift is made by YETI. It’s basically a miniature cooler that fits over beer cans like a metal koozie.

Every local brewery has a line of tee-shirts, hats, and a variety of swag. While you’re there, you can inquire about special memberships or brewery tour tickets. The Collective Brewing Project has a growler club and Bottle Project that offers fun perks like access to rare brews and special events.

What’s more memorable than a fun event shared together? Besides big events like Untapped (every June) or the Fort Worth Weekly’s Homebrew Throwdown (November 20 at Pather Island Pavilion’s Shack), there’s always something beer-related going on in the 817. Beer pairings have become popular at restaurants like Bird Cafe and Fixture, and gastropubs like The Bearded Lady often host taproom takeover nights which feature a wide selection of suds from a particular brewery.

And finally, if you’re content to grab that special someone a beer, try sticking to the brewery that he or she usually enjoys. Another fun idea would be to ask someone working at a retail store (I recommend The Sleepy Panther Bottle Shop) which brews are similar to what your partner enjoys. A little effort can go a long way in making the gift something he or she won’t soon forget. Cheers!

Edward Brown writes about music, arts and news for a variety of publications. He’s an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and blogger for Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has published articles in Musical Opinion (U.K.), Canadian Music Educators Journal, and Clavier Companion,among others. When Brown isn’t writing about music, he’s actively involved in the local music scene as an educator, performer, lecturer, and judge for student music competitions. His professional affiliations include the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth, where he volunteers as education director, and the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, where he serves on the board and artistic committee. Brown was born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1982. He is a graduate of the University of North Texas and currently resides in Fort Worth. His favorite leisure time activities include local music concerts and perusing Fort Worth’s growing gastropub scene.

The post Beer 101: Gift for the Beer Connoisseur first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

“I’d like a Bud Light,” the customer said.

“Sorry, the only light beer we have is a Rahr Blonde,” the waiter replied.

What? Oh, how the times have changed. Restaurants and bars across the country wouldn’t be revamping their beer menus if customers weren’t demanding it. My last blog post deciphered the myriad styles of beers. For the craft beer unwashed, I have a few pointers that will hopefully demystify the ever growing beer menus at restaurants and pubs.

As always, the first step is to relax. It’s more about the journey than the destination. Most of Fort Worth’s craft breweries, with the exception of Rahr & Sons, are less than four or five years old. The same goes for most North Texas breweries. The point is, most people, even the brewers, are new at this. That’s part of the fun. The worst thing that can happen is that you order a beer that doesn’t thrill you. Personally, I can’t remember a time I tried a brew that was so bad I didn’t drink it. And I usually try something new every time.

Use your words. It’s a familiar slogan for moms wrestling to get their young children to articulate what they want, and it’s good advice here. Don’t try to be fancy. Here’s an example:

“Um, I’d like something light that isn’t too bitter. I definitely don’t want one of those sour beers. The last time I was here I had a Rahr Blonde. Do you have anything like that?”

Already, you’ve eliminated 90 percent of the beer styles that you don’t like. Mentioning something that you enjoyed got you even closer to meeting your “favorite new beer.”

Become a brewery groupie. Most breweries rely on one or a small group of people to develop recipe ideas. So it’s no surprise that each business develops a distinct flavor profile that permeates its entire lineup. Craft beer fanatics often refer to their favorite breweries that can “do no wrong,” in their opinion. Martin House Brewing Company tends to make bold, experimental beers that are higher in alcohol content. So if you order something from Martin House, most of the time it’s going to be an experience, to say the least. Wild Acre Brewing Company makes a lot of great session beers with less alcohol that are clean and easy to drink. The Collective Brewing Company likes to delve into sours and funkier brett-aged suds, in general. After you had a few beers from each local brewery, you’ll probably find yourself leaning toward one or the other. So the next time you go to The Bearded Lady you can ask, “So, what do you have from [insert favorite brewery]?”

Lastly, when in doubt, get some advice from your waiter/waitress. And don’t stop exploring.

Did this article whet your appetite for good beer? Well, let me plug a fun event Tanglewood Moms writer Sarah Angle and I are cooking up:

Beer, Beards, and Beethoven.

Fort Worth’s venerable Chamber Music Society is getting into the craft beer movement. Wild Acre Brewing Company is the venue of choice for a not-to-be-missed music experience. From the Chamber Music Society:

The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth believes classical music has a home wherever great music and appreciative audiences converge. For one night this fall, that home will be Wild Acre Brewing Company. The evening concert will be a fun, community-minded experience that will please lovers of great music and craft beer. The 30-minute program will feature popular classical music favorites as well as arrangements of popular songs. The event will be emceed by CMSFW artistic director Gary Levinson and conclude with a post concert “Schmooze and Brews” where you can mingle, meet the artists, and enjoy complimentary Wild Acre Brewing Company suds. A food truck (not complimentary) will be on site as well. Bring a date or grab your friends. This unique concert is one night only.

Tickets are $20 per individual or $30 for two and includes up to three pints of beer after the show. Guest artists will be announced soon. Reserve your spot on the event page.

Edward Brown writes about music, arts and news for a variety of publications. He’s an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and blogger for Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has published articles in Musical Opinion (U.K.), Canadian Music Educators Journal, and Clavier Companion,among others. When Brown isn’t writing about music, he’s actively involved in the local music scene as an educator, performer, lecturer, and judge for student music competitions. His professional affiliations include the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth, where he volunteers as education director, and the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, where he serves on the board and artistic committee. Brown was born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1982. He is a graduate of the University of North Texas and currently resides in Fort Worth. His favorite leisure time activities include local music concerts and perusing Fort Worth’s growing gastropub scene.

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