Great Vegas Festival of Beer Scheduled for April

Las Vegas— Motley Brews and Joseph James Brewing Company have partnered for the brewing of Sweet ’N Funky Desert Junkie, made exclusively for the 2014 Great Vegas Festival of Beer scheduled in Downtown’s Fremont East Entertainment District on Saturday, April 26 from 4 to 8 p.m.

The festival’s official beer will be a refreshing Honey Blonde Ale, brewed with local desert honey, two-row malt and Saaz hops for a subtle, earthy flavor, sweet punch, and a dry, crisp body at a refreshing 5 percent alcohol content.

“Craft beer is a sort of cross-cultural magnet, a kind of vein that runs through all of us in some way, shape or form,” said Motley Brews Founder Brian Chapin. “The term ‘beer-enthusiast’ doesn’t define a specific type of person, and I think the festival offers these brewers a unique opportunity to create a collaboration ale that not only demonstrates the diversity of Nevada’s craft culture but also exemplifies what this festival is all about.”

This year’s official festival beer will be tapped during a premiere tasting at Joseph James Brewing Co. on Tuesday, April 1 at 10 a.m. where Motley Brews will highlight some of the new experiences of this year’s festival, including the festival’s expanded beer-infused culinary menus. During the official tasting on April 1, Motley Brews and the Nevada Craft Brewers will also pay tribute to the tradition of the brewers’ collaboration and immediately begin work on brewing Double Pyrite Pale Ale, a rehash of the 2013 Great Vegas Festival of Beer’s official beer and Nevada Craft Brewers Association’s first collaboration ale. The first ingredients for the brewing process will be mixed during the official beer tasting and completed just in time for the 2014 festival.

In addition to debuting the 2014 Great Vegas Festival of Beer official brew on April 1, Chef Mike Minor’s Truck-U Barbecue will offer a taste of the 2014 festival’s newest addition, The Gastropub. During the exclusive tasting, Minor will showcase the ale’s unique flavors by creating beer inspired dishes that will provide a sneak preview to the festival’s Gastropub, which consists of a variety of local restaurants who have partnered with brewers to create beer infused menus.

Local beer fans can win a chance to attend the exclusive tasting and receive a pair of VIP tickets to the Great Vegas Festival of Beer by designing a logo for Sweet ‘N Funky Desert Junkie. Since beer is a drink of the people, Motley Brews left the naming rights in the hands of Nevada’s craft lovers and after selecting the final name from a pool of entries, will now do the same for the face of the beer. Those interested in participating may find the rules and entry requirements at www.greatvegasbeer.com/blog. Entries must be submitted by Sunday, March 30.

The collaboration ale will make its public premiere in the NCBA Pavilion at the Great Vegas Festival of Beer and will be showcased alongside several other specialty and one-off brews from local craft brewers. Tickets for the 2014 Great Vegas Festival of Beer start at $35 and are currently on sale at www.greatvegasbeer.com.

About the NCBA

The Nevada Craft Brewers Association is an extension of the Brewers Association, the official non-profit craft beer advocate in the United States. Motley Brews is excited to designate an area of the festival dedicated to local beer where members of the Nevada Craft Brewers Association will introduce some rare specialty brews made just for the Great Vegas Festival of Beer.

About Motley Brews

Founded in 2010, Motley Brews was created for locals and breweries and brew fans alike to share great libations in a true local setting. The organization hosts beer-centric festivals and events designed to bring a local flavor to thousands of Las Vegans who thirst for good times and great beer. Since its founding, Motley Brews has established two signature events each year with a focus on enhancing the local craft brewing industry. The annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer each spring is Nevada’s largest craft beer festival, attracting more than 5,000 attendees each year. The Downtown Brew Festival held each fall is a more intimate affair that showcases the best tastes of the season. Motley Brews believes in giving back to the local community; each festival always benefits a deserving local non-profit organization. To date, Motley Brews has raised more than $25,000 for Nevada charities.