In July, You Can't Swing a Dead Cat Without Hitting a Beer Fest
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I have no idea if Lagerfest will join the pantheon of beloved classics, but it's relevant in 2014 not only because it's something new, but because lagers are making a big return to the west coast. Why I find most fascinating is that these aren't lagers in ale drag, all bejeweled with subtle esters and way too many hops. They cleave to more ancient traditions and are sessionable in both strength and hop intensity; there are German pilnsers and helleses gallore, along with an occasional Vienna lager, schwarzbier, and maibock. Unusually, the fest has different taplists both days, and of the two, you'll find more hard-to-get lagers on Sunday, including more from beyond Beervana. But both days have great line-ups, and for the lagerheads and lager-curious, it looks like a really nice time.