The first annual Wild Brew Fest kicked off this Sunday, March 6, at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club on something of a sour note. And for those who turned out to have their lips puckered and minds expanded, that was a good thing.
Branded as an education-forward alcohol event, this spin-off of the Santa Barbara Fermentation Festival featured a diverse sampling of local sour and wild ales. In addition to these wild-fermented wonders, the fest also boasted fermentation-focused cocktails, ciders, mead, sake, kombucha ale, passed appetizers and food stations, and informational talks and booths, including Pacific Pickle Works’ DIY pickle station.
From sours to ciders, there were plenty of interest-piquing and palate-pleasing libations to try at this first iteration of the Wild Brew Fest. Here are six, in no particular order, that I went wild for: