Two more beer festivals this week: Ein Shemer (June 27-28) and Tekoa (June 28)

Here's the old blogger trying to keep up with summer beer festivals in the State of Israel so that you, dear reader, can go out and have a good time.  When you have your first beer, raise the glass for Israel Brews and Views, be proud and shout it loud.  Also, tell your friends where you read it.

 Israel Beer Festival at 

Kibbutz Ein Shemer

June 27-28

The second "Israel Beer Festival" at the Alon Ein Shemer Fashion Mall at the Karkom Intersection is taking place this week on Wednesday, June 27 and Thursday, June 28, from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m.  Admission is free.  There will be stands for Israeli craft beers and imported beers, food and live music.  A lane of stores will be offering jewelry and crafts, while street performances go on.  The Harley-Davidson Club in Israel will be riding in on their "hogs" to add to the festive atmosphere.  

If you can believe the list of participating brewers, it is huge.  If last year there were eight, this year there will be over double that number, including some brewers which are new to me.  

   

Tekoa Beer Festival 

June 28

The fourth annual Tekoa Beer Festival is taking place this Thursday, June 28, at Beit Ba'ad in Tekoa (Gush Etzion).  Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

There will be food, of course, and music by Jerry's Kids and Lazer Lloyd.  There is an entrance fee of 60 shekels at the door, or 50 shekels if you pre-order the ticket (which you can do here).  The first beer is free.      

This is a special kind of festival because all of the 16 people selling their beers are home-brewers from Tekoa.  This little town with a population of around 4,000 is getting quite a reputation as a home-brewing hot-spot.  

            

I've been wanting to go to this festival since its inception to find out why home-brewing is so popular in Tekoa.  Unfortunately it's never worked out for me.  This year, too, I can't be there because my son's graduation ceremony at the Technion in Haifa is taking place the same evening.  I told the school officials of how important it was for me to be at the Tekoa Festival, but they absolutely refused to change the date of the graduation.  Some people have no respect for beer!