SAVOR NYC 2013: A Preview

While most beer festivals like to boast massive lists of breweries, SAVOR likes to invite a select handful of the finest craft breweries. That includes names like Ninkasi, Firestone Walker, Kane, Three Floyds, Cigar City and much more. Not to mention visits from some of the finest beer community luminarees, like Jim Koch of Sam Adams, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, and Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery.

On top of the prestigious list of brewers and breweries in attendance, each beer will be matched with complementing food dishes headed by Adam Duyle, chef and owner of San Francisco’s the Monk’s Kettle and The Abbot’s Cellar. Care to hear about a couple pairings? How about Ommegang’s Three Philosophers matched with pilled lamb cassoulet. Or, New Belgium’s Paardebloem paired roasted peach on brioche with fried pancette and dandelion greens.

There are plenty more pairings where that came from, as more than 70 breweries bring along their finest beers, which will all be met with a delectable food counterpart. And the fun doesn’t stop there, as each patron can go beyond the general admission experience and fork up a few extra bucks for a Salon experience.

Here is where things get really interesting. With the SAVOR Salons, patrons can experience beer like never before. Each intimate, educational Salon will feature notable lecturers like Dogfish’s Sam Calagione for the “Dogfish Head’s Off-Centered Beer and Food Journey”, or Sam Adams’ Jim Koch for “Single Hop Brews: IPA Deconstructed”.

As one will certainly notice, SAVOR is not your every day beer festival. While this is probably one of the more upper-tier events on the East Coast, it is open to anyone who wants to learn more about beer and get a taste for some of the most innovative suds around. It is undoubtedly a beer nerd’s dream come true, but the event is open to even the most novice of beer drinkers looking to simply get their foot in the door.

General admission and Salon tickets are on sale now. Some Salons are already sold out, so be sure to act fast! PopMatters coverage of SAVOR NYC will continue once the event takes place. You can look forward to a review of the Three Floyds Salon and much more.