A plethora of craft-beer events awaits lovers of ales and lagers alike in April, and as has become custom, many days feature multiple beery affairs; enough that this sampler flight is packed solid. Check these out then peruse our full events calendar.
April 5 & 19 | Pint-Sized Lectures: The Vikings at Longship Brewery are dropping their weapons along with some serious knowledge care of half-hour info sessions about “hidden women” who helped shape the craft-beer industry (April 5) and the “third wave” of brewing innovators who made an impact between 1987 and 1997 (April 19). Did we mention there’ll be beer? | Longship Brewery, 10320 Camino Santa Fe, Suite C, Mira Mesa, 7 p.m.
April 7 | Hockey & Anniversaries: Employees from breweries across the county will lace up their skates and take to the ice at a San Diego Brewers Guild-sanctioned hockey match with a beer-fest component. Don’t give a puck? Attend a Brazilan-themed anniversary soiree at Novo Brazil Brewing or enjoy vintage beers and special creations at downtown’s Stone Brewing Tap Room. | 4th Anniversary: Stone Brewing Tap Room, 795 J Street, East Village, 11 a.m.; Pucks & Pints: Valley View Casino Center, 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Point Loma, 1 p.m.; 3rd Anniversary: Novo Brazil Brewing, 901 Lane Avenue, #100, Chula Vista, 1 p.m.
April 14 | 20th Anniversary Celebration: It was 1998 when Rock Bottom opened its La Jolla brewpub across from UCSD (some of us were there…yikes). That was 20 years ago and to mark this well-rounded milestone, they’ll tap a special Belgian-style golden strong ale, hold a raffle and offer live music. They may not be of drinking age…but you are, so hit rock bottom. | Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant, 8980 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 5:30 p.m.
April 21 | Half-Decade Anniversaries: Whether a manufacturer of iconic beer-inspired art or draft-happy server of craft enthusiast, it’s tough to make it five years doing what you love, but draft-system mecca Tap That and the artist operating under the handle Craft Beerd have done just that…and they’re celebrating. And you can, too. Click the links below for fun specifics. | Craft Beerd: Burgeon Beer Co., 6350 Yarrow Drive, Suite C, Carlsbad, 1 p.m.; Tap That: Tap That, 3207 Roymar Road, Suite E, Oceanside, 3 p.m.
April | Beer to the Rescue: The Lupus Foundation of Southern California’s year-long charity campaign will soldier on with a day-long fundraiser at Little Miss Brewing, an ale-soaked Monday night affair at New English Brewing and a specialty beer release event at Wavelength Brewing, making for three fun ways to help locals living with lupus. | April 15: Little Miss Brewing, 7949 Stromesa Court, Suite Y, Miramar, 12 p.m.; April 16: New English Brewing, 11545 Sorrento Valley Road, #305, Sorrento Valley, 5 p.m.; April 26: Wavelength Brewing, 236 Main Street, Vista, 6 p.m.