Last Saturday over 600 beer and music enthusiasts packed into the parking lot of Karl Strauss Brewing Company for Karlfest, the company’s version of Oktoberfest.
All proceeds from the event went to the Surfrider Foundation South Orange County Chapter, bringing this year’s donations to Surfrider to more than $15,000.
“The exposure that we get from Karlfest is especially important to Surfrider in raising awareness of our organization and the importance of young adults to become involved in the local environment through our Foundation,"
In addition to supporting Surfrider, the event highlighted Orange County’s burgeoning craft beer scene, featuring nine local breweries in addition to Karl Strauss. The day’s festivities kicked off with the ceremonial tapping of the first cask. “It was good to see all the great breweries from Orange County come out and poor their great beers. We are very happy that Karl Strauss is able to put on this event every year. With great music and great beer I can only see it growing in the future,” said Tommy Hadjis, Left Coast Brewing Company General Manager.
Festivalgoers could choose from over 35 different beers on tap, four specialty casks, and several rare bottle offerings. “The variety of beer was awesome,” said Alex Abrams, event attendee. “I had no idea Orange County had so many breweries. I’ll definitely be back to Karlfest next year and I’m looking forward to finding these local beers around town.”
In keeping true to the spirit of a traditional Oktoberfest, Karlfest showcased live music from three up and coming local bands: The Fling, The Colourists, and Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. “All of the bands were great, but the crowd really got into Dusty Rhodes and the River Band,” said KROQ 106.7 FM DJ, Beer Mug. “It was cool to see a local beer fest not only have great brews, but also a solid line-up of local talent.”
To see pictures from Karlfest, visit www.karlstrauss.com.
Guest Breweries:
Angel City Brewing Co.
Back Street Brewing Co.
Bayhawk Ales
Bootleggers Brewery
The Bruery
Left Coast Brewing Co.
Newport Beach Brewing Co.
Steelhead Brewing Co.
Tustin Brewing Co.
About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Two college grads, a 75-year-old master brewer, and a passion for beer… when Karl Strauss Brewing Company started brewing full-flavored, quality handcrafted beer in 1989, it was the first craft brewery to open in San Diego in more than 50 years. Today, you can enjoy our flagship beers, special releases, and seasonals at any of our six brewery restaurants or other fine drinking establishments throughout Southern California. For more information visit karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.
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The Surfrider Foundation
is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Now in its 25th year, the Surfrider Foundation has grown from a small group of dedicated surfers in Malibu, California to a global movement made up of over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. For more information visit us at www.surfrider.org.
