Bier Fest makes early return to Busch Gardens for fourth year
(Courtesy: Busch Gardens)
TAMPA, Fla. - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's annual Bier Fest is returning for its fourth year, and the event will start earlier than in years past.
The theme park announced that its fourth annual festival, which features plenty of beers and bites for guests to enjoy, will return August 13. That's about a month earlier than last year's Bier Fest.
More than 50 varieties of IPAs, wheat ales, stouts and other craft brews will be featured, with a spotlight on Florida breweries.
The brew-inspired dishes available for purchase at more than a dozen culinary locations in the park will also incorporate local, regional and national beers in their recipes.
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For example, a Drunken Shrimp Papaya Salad will feature beer-battered and golden fried shrimp topped with Tajin and Thai chili Buddha dressing, featuring beer from Florida-based Funky Buddha Brewery.
In addition to featuring beer, the festival will also offer frozen cocktails, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages as well.
Bier Fest will include Tampa Bay area breweries such as:
- Tampa Bay Brewing Company
- 7Venth Sun Brewery
- Florida Avenue Brewing/Brew Bus
- Cigar City Brewing
- Big Storm Brewing
- Motorworks Brewing
- Coppertail Brewing
- 3 Daughters Brewing
- Escape Brewing
Other breweries featured during the event include:
- Funky Buddha Brewery
- Alcatraz Brewing
- Yeungling Brewing Co.
- New Holland Brewing Co.
- Sam Adams/Boston Beer Co.
- Anheuser-Busch
- Grupo Modelo Brewing
- Goose Island Brewing
- Bells Brewery
- Vermont Cider Co.
- Elysian Brewing
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Guests can purchase beverage and menu samples a la carte, or they can purchase one of three sampler lanyards: an 8-item sampler punch card for $49.99, a 12-item sampler card for $64.99, and a passholder-exclusive 15-item sampler card for the same price as the 12-item card.
Bier Fest opens Friday, Aug. 13 and will run each Friday through Sunday through Oct. 31.
LINK: To check out the full menu for Bier Fest or to read more details on this year's event, click here to visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's website.