On March 25, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden held a delightful beer garden with 14 breweries pouring in spots spread throughout its idyllic 78-acre estate. The event raised funds for the garden’s core programs of conservation and research, education, and horticulture.
Cicerone (beer sommelier) Zachary Rosen designed the layout, selecting particular beers for each spot to maximize the tasting experience. According to Rosen, one’s perception of taste is influenced by the other senses so one’s surroundings affect the tasting experience. At a VIP/Sponsor Brew Brunch prior to the main event, Rosen encouraged guests “to engage with all their senses, to smell not just the beer but the air around them and feel the sunlight . . . and take in the lovely horticulture in the garden.” Rosen noted that the layout also makes guests walk a good distance between samples to lessen the risk of intoxication.
Each of the 200 guests were provided a detailed map with Rosen’s beer tasting notes. One excerpt read, “as you arrive at the top of the Meadow, gaze out upon the Pacific Ocean while tasting the microflora of our Mediterranean climate in this unique version of Figueroa Mountain’s Danish Red, fermented with yeast harvested from the Garden.”