Yesterday, June 7, the 17th annual Beerfest in Santa Rosa was held at the Luther Burbank Center (which has a new, corporate sponsor name, but I refuse to call it by that name). It’s one of the oldest of the small town fests that used to proliferate throughout the festival landscape. There aren’t nearly as many of this type of festival around anymore, which is a shame. But this is one of the best, and it’s no surprise it survived because since its inception they put an equal emphasis on food and beer, not to mention cider (a rarity in the U.S., especially when compared to British festivals). That set it apart from the average festival back in the day, but as food and beer is finally coming of age, it just seems obvious now. That’s also led to it being a much more crowded festival. C’est la vie.

The first “official meeting” of the Bay Area Beer Bloggers. From left: Merideth Nelson, from the Beer Geek, me, Chris Nelson, ditto, JJ, the Thirsty Hopster, and Gail Ann Williams and Steve Shapiro, both from beer by BART.

Brian Hunt, from Moonlight Brewing, explaining his latest beer, Out To Lunch.

For more photos from this year’s Santa Rosa Beerfest, visit the photo gallery.