Strong Beer: When it rains, it (still) pours

If you ever need evidence of the hardiness of Valley beer lovers, look no further than Saturday’s Strong Beer Festival. Despite 50-degree temperatures, gusty winds and a steady rain, more than a thousand people flocked to Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.

The event, organized by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild and now in its 11th year, isn’t the state’s biggest beer festival, but it’s become the premier get-together for many beer aficionados. And, despite the weather, this year’s fest didn’t disappoint.

Many of Arizona’s breweries decided to make Imperial Red Ales, also called Double Reds, for the state’s first-ever Arizona Beer Week (for which the fest was the official kickoff) and previewed them Saturday. They’ll be available at those breweries starting Monday.

The festival also marked the debut of Voltron, billed as the state’s first collaboratively blended craft beer. It’s a blend of the Imperial Reds from SanTan in Chandler, SunUp in Phoenix, Papago and Sonoran in Scottsdale and Thunder Canyon in Tucson.

Tempe’s Four Peaks drew some of the biggest crowds Saturday with a festival-high 12 offerings, including its Sirius Black, an aged Russian Imperial Stout; 2007 and 2008 vintages of its Hopsquatch Barley Wine; and its superb barrel-aged Belgian Black Ale.

Scottsdale’s Sonoran prompted a near flash mob with a special 2:30 p.m. limited pouring of its oak-aged, agave-sweetened Sonoran 200, which, at nearly 20 percent alcohol, likely was the strongest beer of the Strong Beer Fest.

Colorado-based Odell delivered some local flavor with its new 1st Crack Espresso Porter, a collaboration with the Valley’s Cave Creek Coffee Company. It also brought its new Double IPA, dubbed Myrcenary, but disappointingly not its new Black IPA.

Some of the most colorful pours of the day came courtesy of California’s Pizza Port, whose Hakunama Ta Tas is a pink IPA, and Colorado’s Redstone Meadery, whose black raspberry nectar is bright red.

In all, the festival featured nearly 200 beers from more than 50 breweries.