On April 15-16, one of Mill Valley’s iconic events returns as a pair of one-hour virtual tastings – one for the latest craft beers, one for ultra-premium wines and with an array of gourmet food for both. As always, it’s sponsored by Mill Valley Market with proceeds supporting the Mill Valley Chamber and Kiddo!.
Each tasting is led by expert moderators and cutting-edge winemakers and brewers to make for an entertaining, educational and delicious event. Each ticket buyer will receive a reusable tote with 2 bottles of fine wine or 7 cans of artisan beer and an array of delicious food bites. Shareable-size totes full of goodies will be available for pickup on April 8-10 (1-4pm), April 13-14 (1-5pm) at the MV Chamber office, 85 Throckmorton Ave.
Local Mill Valley brewers Rob Lightner and Paul Liszewski of East Brother Beer Co. and Justin Catalana of Fort Point Beer Co. will talk about their popular brews and beer making. Moderator Jamison Kester of Almanac Beer Co. will lead the discussion.
Catalana is co-founder and CEO of Fort Point Beer Company—an independent San-Francisco brewery known for making unconventional, yet easy-to-enjoy beers. Prior to Fort Point, Catalana abandoned a career in bioengineering to found Mill Valley Beerworks, a restaurant and taproom in his hometown of Mill Valley. Raised by a general contractor and a nurse, Justin is motivated by a restless desire to take things apart and put them back together. He approaches beer and business with the eye of an engineer, thinking through each challenge from first-principles and making things from scratch wherever he sees room for improvement. After just 6 years in business, Fort Point is now sold in San Francisco’s most celebrated restaurants, as well as its most humble corner stores and Justin couldn’t be more proud. He continues to lead the company with ambitious plans for growth and a simple conviction—”good beer for everyone.”
East Brother Beer founders and Mill Valley neighbors Chris Coomber and Rob Lightner have a long tradition of drinking beer together, but it was in 2009 when the serious brewing began. Coomber has that effortless charm and charisma that makes you believe he could do most anything he sets his mind to, and he’s a man of many self-taught talents. Hang gliding (with trepidation), trumpet playing (with mixed reviews), horse-back riding, but the first batch of Cream Ale, crafted in his kitchen, received critical acclaim from Lightner and others. Soon a hobby became an obsession. Over the next seven years the two worked to perfect their palates and process, exploring classic styles and flavors and adhering to tradition. It’s in Coomber’s kitchen where the “aha” moment and consensus occurred; beer is their beacon.
Almanac Beer Co.’s Jamison Kester, who serves as our moderator, has been a beer, wine, and spirits professional since moving to the Bay Area 12 years ago from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With time spent both in national and regional alcohol sales markets, behind the bar making cocktails at several Oakland establishments, or touring the US playing heavy metal, Kester says he’s excited to host the brewery portion of the 39th Mill Valley Wine, Beer & Gourmet Beer Tasting.
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