CRAFT COUNTIES: Roll out any map that contains a large swath of Southern California counties, both of the inland and coastal varieties, and you'll find places where really well-made, seasonal, quirky, and soon-to-be-classic craft beers are made. There are strong showings on the suds-perfecting scene not just in the cities, and not just the college towns, but throughout the land, from Riverside to San Diego and up into Los Angeles County. So where does a person fell-swoop 'em, or at least several of them, in a place they could bed down for the night? Beer festivals are plentiful, yes, but they don't always include such a sizable stretch of breweries, nor do they take place in a hotel-based situation. But the 9th Annual Microbrew Festival & Chili Cook-Off rocks both of those important points. It will feature a bevy of brews from a quintet of California counties, including the three named above as well as Orange and San Bernardino. And it all takes place at...
PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO, in Temecula, on a Saturday, so booking a room for the night, in addition to your ticket, is a snap. As for what Saturday? It's on the near horizon, June 10, so don't dally if this intrigues. As for the beneficiary? It's Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Safety Orange and the Black Crystal Wolf Kids are providing the tunes for the afternoon-long festival, and eight chefs'll be part of the fiery, bean-beautiful, pepper-tastic chili showdown. A general admission is fifty bucks, and all the info you need for the flavorful fundraiser is over at Pechanga's online HQ. Will you be a regional brew expert after calling upon the savory give-back gathering? Line up your ride home, or book your bed for the night, then dig into a bevy of chilis and area foams.
