The 32nd annual Great Tucson Beer Festival is tapping the kegs once again at the Kino Sports Complex North from 6 – 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 20.
It’s a chance to taste your favorite local beer, an out-of-town brew you’ve always wanted to try, or maybe even a beer you’ve always hated — but want to learn to love.
The event is also a major fundraiser for the Tucson Sun Sounds of Arizona, which is one of the main reasons free radio is still broadcasting over the airwaves.
Tickets are $40 for General Admission and $80 for VIP Admission if booked before the day of the event. Every guest will be given 24 tasting tickets that are good for three-ounce beer samples and a commemorative beer mug.
The VIP Admission perks include early entry at 4:30 p.m., a special souvenir mug, and exclusive beer and food tastings.
Take a look at the list of participating breweries, though, because it seems to go on forever this year — which isn’t a bad thing at all. If you run out of drink tickets — which is unlikely — there’s always an option to purchase additional beers before closing time.
Participating Breweries
- 10 Barrel Brewing Company
- 21st Amendment Brewery
- Alaskan Brewing Company
- Arizona Distilling Company
- Barrio Brewing Company
- BJ’s Brewhouse
- BlackRock Brewers
- Breckenridge Brewery
- Brooklyn Brewery
- Canyon Diablo Spirits
- Cigar City Brewing
- Colibre
- Corbett Brewing Company
- Coronado Brewing Company
- College Street Brewhouse
- Deschutes Brewery Company
- Elysian Brewing Company
- Estrella Jalisco
- Firestone Walker
- Founders Brewing Company
- Four Peaks Brewing Company
- Freak’ N Brewing Company
- Full Sail Brewing
- Golden Road Brewing
- Good Omen Bottling
- Goose Island
- Great Western Brewery
- Guinness
- Hangar 24 Craft Brewery
- Historic Brewing Company
- Hop Valley Brewing
- Huss Brewing Company
- KYLA Hard Kombucha
- La Cumbre Brewing Company
- Lagunitas Brewing Company
- Marble Brewery
- Maui Brewing Company
- Modern Times Beer
- Mother Road Brewing Company
- Ninkasi Brewing Company
- Northwest Brewing Company
- OHSO Brewery
- Oskar Blues
- Pizza Port Brewing Company
- Prescott Brewing Company
- Propaganda Brewing
- Rogue Ales & Spirits
- Santa Fe Brewing Company
- Scottsdale Brewing Company
- Sentinel Peak Brewery
- Sierra Nevada
- Shock Top Brewing Company
- Ska Brewing
- Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer
- Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
- Spiked Seltzer
- Stella Artois
- Stone Brewing Company
- Thunder Canyon Brewstillery
- Upslope Brewing Company
- Utah Brewers Cooperative
- White Claw Hard Seltzer
- Wild Tonic
Are you getting thirsty yet? Make sure to check out the dining options at the festival, too, because you’ve got to eat.
Participating Food Vendors
- BurgerRito
- Carbaholics Beer Bread
- Jozarelli’s LLC
- Kababeque Xpress
- Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue
- On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
- Pizza Hut
- Road Running Wood Fired Pizza
- Sunshine’s Hatch Chili Hot Dogs
- Trident Grill
Kino Sports Complex’s North Stadium is located at 2817 E. Ajo Way. For more information on festival, call (520) 296-2400 or visit azbeer.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
