MIKE WILLIAMS
The humble ghosts and ghouls down here in the Masters of Brewtality crypt would like you, dear reader, to put down whatever you’re drinking, quiet whatever digital distractions may be buzzing in the background, and prepare yourselves for what follows….
Made In The Shade is back this month after a three year hiatus! three years!!! That’s right! One of Flagstaff’s finest beer festivals is returning to claim whatever decimated bits of liver we have left after surviving these dark post-2019 times. And they’re doing it huge, folks. This year, there’s a whopping 90 breweries participating, including local favorites like Wanderlust, Historic, and Grand Canyon as well as national heavy hitters like Lagunitas, Sam Adams, and New Belgium. Beer isn’t your jam? That’s okay, nobody’s perfect, and they’ve got you covered. Truly and Twisted Tea will be out, plus Shilling and Angry Orchard ciders, too!
The lunacy begins at noon on June 11 and runs a suds laden marathon until 5 pm at the Pepsi Amphitheater. A couple of pro tips…. Despite being called Made in the Shade, patrons should be prepared for a sunny Flagstaff afternoon. There’s nothing worse than waking up with a well-earned hangover and foolishly attained sunburn, so bring plenty of sunblock. We’re also huge proponents of intense hydration both before, during, and after these benders. Pedialyte finally bit the bullet and acknowledged that a huge chunk of their market is viciously hungover adults and it’s honestly a lifesaver.
People are also reading…
In addition to the booze, Made in the Shade will be featuring four separate DJ booths to keep your booties rocking wherever you might stumble and there’s a bevy of food trucks including BBQ and the always classic kettle corn. In the interest of safety, the festival will be providing a free shuttle service so you can cut loose as much as possible while still being technically responsible. We cannot emphasize this enough: the entire town’s police force knows what this is and exactly when it’s happening, so don’t even bother risking it by driving. So, Pepsi Amphitheater is a whopping three miles from downtown, cut your carbon emissions and decrease traffic by riding a bike maybe? We’ve done the research and there’s nothing better to compliment a warm sunny day’s bike ride like a mountain of good beer.
This year, the festival’s stated goal is that its a “tasting with a purpose.” Every bit of the proceeds will directly benefit Sun Sounds of Arizona, an organization that provides recorded audio literature to people across the state who are blind, physically unable to hold literature or otherwise unable to read for any reason. We’ve never really needed an excuse to drink down here in the crypt, but drinking to help people who can’t read on their own is probably one of the finest reasons we can think of. We’re really stoked that Sun Sounds exists. They have hundreds of volunteer staff members broadcasting over 200 different publications 24/7 and reach the entire state. These kinds of services are essential for so many people and it’s a privilege we get to be involved in helping just by the simple act of going out and having a blast. Also, if you’d like to donate additional funds or volunteer, check them out at sunsounds.org.
And, YES, tickets are still available. You can pick them through the Made in the Shade website at azbeer.com or just cruise right on down to one of our favorite watering holes/exotic purveyors of fine hooch, Majestic Marketplace. The event is, of course, 21 and older and they’re still honoring tickets from the canceled 2020 fest. Cheers, boils and ghouls, see you at Fort Tuthill!
Mike Williams (your titular Master of Brewtality) is a humble tattoo artist, egotistical writer, relentless beer drinker, unrepentant Hellraiser and connoisseur of all things Doom Metal. You can find him slinging ink at Flagstaff Tattoo Company or at some bar downtown.
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