Lehigh Valley Beer Week is Under Way

Lehigh Valley Beer Week, an 8-day celebration of Craft Beer, began this past weekend. Events throughout the week feature local businesses, showcasing their beer selection and passion for craft beer. Beer establishments throughout Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton are hosting events such as beer dinners, pub takeovers, beer tastings, brewery tours, rare beer releases, and meet the brewers opportunities. Events run from February 16 – 23, 2014.

Jesse Albertson, a local beer enthusiast and the general manager of Fegley’s Brew Works, desired to bring a celebration of beer to Lehigh Valley similar to Philly Beer Week. Along with Fegley’s Brew Works, Jesse organized the inaugural Lehigh Valley Beer Week in 2013, which included over thirty breweries, pubs, and restaurants. For 2014, an 8th day was added to the celebration and over 150 events are planned.

A kickoff celebration took place on Sunday at Allentown Brew Works. The winning beer from Brew Works’ Be Our Brewer for a Day Festival, brewed by J.J. Boncik, was tapped at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Boncik’s winning brew is a wheat IPA named LVBW2. Boncik, a self-proclaimed “hop head,” has been homebrewing for about five years and is a Bethlehem Brew Works mug club member. He won Lehigh Valley Beer Week’s 2014 Be Our Brewer for a Day Festival and worked with Brew Works brewmaster Beau Baden to brew LVBW2 on a commercial scale.

The wheat IPA style was inspired by his love of IPAs and his wife’s love of wheat beers. LVBW2 is brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops and dry-hopped with Citra hops. The 6% ABV brew boasts a balance of hop flavor and aroma. Stop by Allentown Brew Works to try this delicious brew!

You can check out the list of about 150 events on the Lehigh Valley Beer Week’s events page. Here are just a few you may want to check out…

Tuesday, February 18

1:00 PM to 3:00 PM @ Tavern on Liberty
Lancaster Brewing Company Makes An Appearance

4:30 PM to 6:30 PM @ The Colony Meadery
Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM @ Fegley’s Bethlehem Brew Works
Special Brewery Tour and Tasting with Jeff Fegley

Wednesday, February 19

5:00 PM to 9:00 PM @ Pearly Baker’s Alehouse
Brooklyn Beer and Wing Pairing

7:00 PM to 10:00 PM @ Spinnerstown Hotel, Restaurant and Tap Room
Bell’s Meet the Brewery Dinner with Rob England

Thursday, February 20

4:00 PM to 7:30 PM @ Kutztown Tavern
Meet the Brewers of Golden Avalanche Brewing Company

7:00 PM to 11:00 PM @ The Trapp Door Gastropub
Goose Island 5 Course Beer Dinner

Friday, February 21

5:00 PM to 2:00 AM @ Strange Brew Tavern
HiJinx Cask Event

5:00 PM to 8:00 PM @ Keystone Homebrew Supply
Homebrew Social Free Event

8:00 PM to 11:00 PM @ Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn
Original Batch Dogfish Head Bitches Brew Tapping

Saturday, February 22