Alton Craft Beer Week comes to town

Sample beer and foot at Amphitheater kickoff event

ALTON - Grab your friends and head out to Alton, Grafton and Bethalto for an epic craft beer experience during the Second Annual Alton Craft Beer Week April 22 through 29.

Kick off Craft Beer Week on Saturday, April 22 by attending the inaugural Riverside Brews & Bites at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater. Sample locally brewed craft beers and indulge in beer infused food along the banks of the Mississippi River. In case of inclement weather, Riverside Brews & Bites will be held at Old Bakery Beer Co., 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton.

Eleven local craft beer breweries and nine restaurants will offer beer and food samples from Noon to 4 p.m. Sample beer from Great River Brewery, Bent River Brewing, Augusta Brewing Co., Earthbound Beer, Peel Brewing Co., Recess Brewing Co., Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., Grafton Brewhaus and 4204 Main Street Brewing Co. among others. Beer infused food will also be available. There will be live music by Royal Vessels, The Langaleers, Hope and Therapy and Polyshades.

Tickets are $25 per person in advance and $30 at the gate. Tickets can be purchased at: http://riversidebrewsandbites.brownpapertickets.com/.

Spend the rest of Craft Beer Week visiting the 14 area restaurants and taverns which are celebrating all things craft beer related. There will be daily craft beer activities and “Keep the Glass Specials”. Participating restaurant and bars include 4204 Main St. Brewing, Bluff City Grill, Chez Marilyn, Elijah P’s Burgers & Brews, Grafton Oyster Bar, Grafton Winery & Brewhaus, Great Rivers Tap & Grill, High Flyers Grille, Hops House at Argosy Casino Alton, Morrison’s Irish Pub, Old Bakery Beer Co., The Loading Dock and Tony’s Restaurant & Third Street Café.

A limited number of “Keep the Glass Specials” will be available at the participating restaurants and bars. The glasses feature the Alton Craft Beer logo on one side and the participating restaurant’s logo on the other. Each restaurant has a unique glass so be sure to collect them all.

New this year, the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau has developed a year -long Craft Beer Passport as a way to celebrate interest in Illinois and Missouri craft beer. Those 21 and over are eligible to receive a Craft Beer Passport which they can take to participating restaurants and taverns for a passport stamp. Purchase is required for a stamp. Once six stamps are collected, passports can be redeemed at the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St., Alton, for a Craft Beer Connoisseur bottle opener. Passports will be distributed at Riverside Brews & Bites and also be available at participating businesses.

The first-ever Alton Craft Beer Week was held in November 2016. Its success prompted organizers to develop a spring craft beer week to celebrate Illinois and Missouri craft brews.

“Craft Beer Week was created to celebrate the craft beer scene at the local level,” said Lauren Pattan,co-owner of Old Bakery Beer and  the original organizer. “We create nice craft beers here at Old Bakery but we also want people to check out the other great places to drink craft beer throughout the region.”

For more information on Alton Craft Beer Week, please go to www.altoncraftbeerweek.com or Facebook.com/AltonCraftBeerWeek.

More like this: