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What you need to know about Best of Tahoe Craft Beer Contest

Autumn Whitney
awhitney@tahoedailytribune.com
The inaugural Best of Tahoe Craft Beer event will take place Saturday, May 12.
Best of Tahoe Craft Beer

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Click here to purchase tickets for the Best of Tahoe Craft Beer contest.

Beer lovers will find their haven on South Shore thanks to Lake Tahoe AleWorX and Tahoe Daily Tribune — the two businesses are partnering to host the first-ever Best of Tahoe Craft Beer Contest on Saturday, May 12.

Filled with unlimited beer tastings, live music and, of course, vendors, it’s a party that any fan of craft beer won’t want to miss. Throughout the afternoon attendees will be able to taste multiple beverages from seven breweries based around Lake Tahoe, and vote for their favorite concoction in a variety of categories. Intrigued?

Event Breakdown



Best of Tahoe Craft Beer Contest is held at AleWorX, located in The Crossing at Tahoe Valley. For those unfamiliar with the restaurant and taproom, AleWorX’s back wall is made up of 30 taps that allow customers to pour their own beverages. Each handle is accompanied by a screen that typically provides information on the brew of choice — but for the event, the drink details will be blacked out to give attendees a blind taste-testing experience.

Each of the seven breweries will enter three beers — a light, a dark and an IPA — into the competition, and three winners (one in each category) will be crowned by means of an online voting component available to those in attendance.



Guests will get to enjoy beers from FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Sidellis Lake Tahoe, Alibi Ale Works, Outpost Brewing Co., Cold Water Brewery & Grill, South Lake Brewing Company and Lake Tahoe Mountain Brews.

It’s not just beer

Apart from beer tasting, Best of Tahoe Craft Beer Contest also features local vendors and live music set up in the patio adjacent to AleWorX. Headlining entertainment is Reno- and Lake Tahoe-based funk ensemble Jelly Bread.

“Jelly Bread’s distinct style is identified by a blend of desert twang meeting the urban tones of funk and rock. Exceptional songwriting and storytelling interlaced with four-part harmonies, intricate ‘in-the-pocket’ drum and bass grooves, swampy lap steel guitar, dirt under the fingernails guitar licks, tasty talkbox, ‘take-‘em-to-church’ organ come together into a sound that is downright appetizing,” according to the band’s online biography.

The up-and-coming outfit began performing regionally, but has grown to rocking stages across the United States. Jelly Bread is sure to bring good vibes to the mid-May event.

Ticket Info

Best of Tahoe Craft Beer Contest general admission early bird tickets are available for $75 and grant patrons access to the event from 1-5 p.m.

A VIP early bird option, which costs $100, gets attendees into AleWorX at noon.

The exclusive event is only open to ticket-holders, so grab yours soon (tickets are available at bit.ly/TahoeCraftBeerTickets). More information is available on Facebook (@BestOfTahoeCraftBeer).

Lake Tahoe AleWorX is located at 2050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.


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