Beer festivals are a great way to get cities on the beer map, and that’s just what Anaheim did when they organized their first-ever OC Fest of Ales last year. I was unable to attend the beer festival last year, but from what I heard about it, I made sure to make an appearance this time around.

Held last Saturday in Downtown Anaheim, the OC Fest of Ales was hosted by the Downtown Anaheim Association and included live music, beer tasting, food trucks, and booths from the Orange County area. Proceeds from the event benefited the Anaheim Halloween Parade and other Downtown Anaheim Association community events.

The beer festival was held in tandem with a 5K Beer Run. Although no alcohol was allowed to be consumed during the race, runners got to tackle an Anaheim beer and wine-inspired course, complete with inflatable obstacles, a slip n’ slide, and a beer foam finish. The beer run definitely helped make the beer festival stand out among the rest, and it was fun to see so many runners dressed up in neon socks and donning their best leotards and homemade costumes.

Once the race was complete and the runners had their fill of beer batter pancakes, the transition from the main entrance into the event was seamless. Volunteers were at the front checking IDs, slapping on wristbands, and handing out souvenir taster glasses. Once inside the event barriers, festivalgoers could pick from more than 80 different beers. There was a solid mix of brewers, such as Bootlegger’s Brewery and Noble Ale Works from Orange County, Packinghouse Brewing Co. and Black Market Brewing from Inland Empire, and Coronado Brewing Co. and Mission Brewery from the San Diego area.

New Belgium, Tap It Brewing, Ace Cider, and Avery Brewing Company added to the variety of different breweries at the festival. Even a few wineries were added to the lineup this year. My favorite beer of the day was Old Dummy by Old Orange Brewing Company. The American Strong Ale packed a punch in both its sweet and malty flavor, as well as its ABV. But, my favorite booth had to be Ballast Point’s. The Ballast Point team was mixing up cocktails fit for a craft beer drinker. They combined their Mai Tai mix with their Sculpin IPA, and their Bloody Mary mix with their pale ale.

The VIP experience at the festival was top-notch. Besides getting into the festival an hour early and having unlimited beer tastings, at the back of the event space was a blocked off section reserved for VIP ticket holders. In there, attendees were able to sample 10 different food and beer pairings from local chefs and restaurants. Crow Bar, Roy’s of Anaheim, Side Door, Slater’s 50/50, and more all came out to play with pairing bite-sized morsels perfectly with local craft beer. My favorite pairing was Ballast Point’s Habanero Sculpin IPA with The Kroft’s Fried Chicken Slider with Jalapeno Slaw. The combination of the two was a perfect melding of spicy beer with savory comfort food.

Throughout the day, bands PopRoqs (80s), Mo50 (modern/classic rock) and Amber Foxx (Rockabilly) performed. Eventually, Mayor Tait got on stage and announced the winners of the Brew My Brew Challenge. There were more than 188 entries this year, which was a 33% increase from last year’s contest.

A strong Scotch Ale was the winner of Best of Show. And the prize? Noble Ale Works will team up with the winner to recreate the Best of Show brew. The winner will also be eligible for the American Homebrewers Association‘s Pro-Am competition, and the brew will be served at various events in Downtown Anaheim. Noble Ale Works also won the Mayor’s Trophy for best craft brewery.

The day couldn’t have been more perfect for a beer festival. The weather was in the mid-70s mostly all day, and the sky finally broke open a little after noon to reveal bright sunrays that made the beer glisten in different shades of amber, gold, orange, and tan. The OC Fest of Ales was a flawless showcase for local restaurants and breweries, and I was completely blown away by the event.