Raising a Glass to Mohegan Sun's First Annual Sun BrewFest

By: Finance Foodie

For all those beer aficionados, or those who just love a good brew on the weekend, the Mohegan Sun’s first annual Sun BrewFest last weekend was the place to be. Attendees got to sample over 100 beers, including microbrews, imports, domestics, limited edition batches and malt liquors from across the country. Revelers also got a first hand opportunity to chat with brew masters to understand their brewing methods and techniques - not too shabby at all for a $20 per head admission price!

Since my beer knowledge is not quite up to par (truth: I actually was more excited about checking out the luxe hotel - aka the "Las Vegas of Connecticut"), I decided to bring a true beer aficionado along to guide me through my taste test. Here were some of my personal highlights, plus some words of wisdom learned along the way.

Although not really a true beer, the Crispin Hard Apple Cider was my favorite of the show. Some may call it a girly, but I call it refreshing. Plus I like the bottle design and the fact that you can get buzzed from something that tastes like a child's sparkling apple juice.

The most interesting beer I tasted was the Hooker Chocolate Truffle Stout. While it did have a hint of chocolate aroma, it was actually not very sweet and quite a bitter beer. A bit too heavy for me, but my drinking companion thought it was fantastic.

Stay thirsty my friends. So says the Most Interesting Man in the World.

My beer aficionado friend told me that I had to try the Ommegang beers, mostly because they aren't sold in single size servings. Out of all the beers they brought out (Farmhouse Ale, Three Philosophers, Belgian Pale Ale, etc), I thought the Rare VOS was the most palatable. It had a nice fruity and citrusy aroma, but most importantly, was easy to drink and was light and smooth.

Fun fact: Duvel beers and Ommegang are owned by the same company (Duvel Moortgat).

The Long Trail beers might not have been a standout in the crowd based on taste, but they do win the award for cutest labels.

Patrons taking a break from the heavy drinking to play some on-site Foosball. The BrewFest organizers thought of everything!

Overall, BrewFest was a really fun (and surprisingly educational) event. Craft beer tasting is definitely an acquired skill - but I think attending more events like this will get me right along the way!

Photos: Finance Foodie / Mohegan Sun