TIJUANA Thousands turned out Friday for the first of two days of celebration of the best craft beer.
The seventh annual TJ Beer Fest continues Saturday, from noon to 2 a.m., between Sixth and Eight streets, on avenida Revolución, minutes from the San Ysidro port of entry. Last year, around 15,000 people attended from both sides of the border.
Baja California is a Mexican hub for breweries and microbreweries and many of those beers were available for sampling. For $9, participants receive a commemorative glass and can sample three of the 100 beers that are being featured. (Must be 18 and older for beer tastings.)
The recently published "Guide to Beer in Mexico," by Tijuana's Culinary Art School, rated the 152 brands sold in that country. The guide's top dozen artisan beers were featured at the festival.
Among them are Cucapá Barley Wine Ale and Cucapá Chupacabras, from Cervecería de Baja California, headquartered in Mexicali; Tijuana Bufadora and Tijuana Güera from Consorcio Cervecero de Baja California, in Tijuana;
Calavera Mexican Imperial Stout, from
Microcervecería Gourmet de Naucalpan, and Tempus Reserva Especial de Andreu Primus S.A., from Tlanepantla, both from the State of Mexico;
and Minerva Stout Imperial de Zapopan, from Jalisco.
This is not your parents' "cerveza." Some of Tijuana's leading chefs will be sharing their recipes that use beer as an ingredient as well as dishes especially prepared to be accompanied by beer.
The festival also features a sampling of fare from the city's restaurants as well as live entertainment, which is free with a paid admission to the event. Saturday's concert presents the unique norteña-electronic music of the Nortec Collective.
The festival is one of many cultural, business and government-sponsored events being held over a month as part of the city's 122nd anniversary.
[sidebar]A month of celebrations
The celebration of Tijuana's 122nd anniversary will continue for several weeks. Among the events:
Saturday, July 16, seventh annual Tijuana Beer Fest, featuring 100 brands of beer, variety of food and musical performances, between Sixth and Eight streets on avenida Revolución.
Saturday, July 16, free performance by Chamín Correa, considered the best traditional guitarist from Latin America, and Los Tres Caballeros, at courtyard of Lázaro Cárdenas High School, avenida Prolongación Paseo de los Héroes and bulevar Sánchez Taboada, starting at 9 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, July 16-17, Fish and Seafood Fair in Playas de Tijuana.
July 16 -17, 23-24, 30-31, "Revolucionarte Once" art and music festival on avenida Revolución.
July 20, Baja California International Aerospace Forum, at Hangar Matrix at Tijuana airport.
July 23, free performance by Margarita, known as the "goddess of the cumbia," in front of traffic circle next to Centro Cultural Tijuana, 7 p.m.
July 23, Wine and Beer Festival, on "La Recta," in colonia Chapultepec.
July 27, presentation of the book "Las memorias de un presidente," at Tijuana City Hall.
July 28-29, Fourth symposium on Tijuana's history.
Aug. 5, concert by tenor Fernando de la Mora on avenida Revolución.
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