Who needs the Cactus League to enjoy March in Mesa?
With Major League Baseball warming the bench right now, more folks around the Valley are starting to open their eyes to the wide variety of things to do here in the spring, especially the festivals.
Following in the footsteps of Dish Fest, Strong Beer Fest, M3F and Innings Festival just to name a few, Downtown Mesa is hosting a big event called Tap Into Mesa, this Saturday from 2 to 6:30 p.m.
Kaitlin Thresher from the Downtown Mesa Association says the goal is to highlight the fact that Mesa has the most walkable breweries of any downtown area in Maricopa County. Right now there are five: Oro Brewing, Desert Eagle, 12 West, Cider Corps and Chupacabra Taproom. Pedal Haus and The Beer Research Institute are set to open new locations in Downtown Mesa later this year, which will bring that walkable brewery number to seven.
“Most of our breweries are serving something Arizona based or special to them,” Thresher says. For example, Desert Eagle Brewing is sampling Main Street Blonde, its signature beer named after Main Street in Mesa. B.R.I. is bringing its hazy IPA brewed with locally sourced prickly pear fruit.
While not quite ready to open on Main Street just yet, The Beer Research Institute will join the other five on Saturday to pour beer samples along the tasting tour ($25 tickets online; $30 at the event) and will have full pours inside the main beer garden area near Main Street and Macdonald.
Tap Into Mesa will also feature several food trucks and have two blues bands playing. Admission is free for anyone who wants to come enjoy the music.
Visit downtownmesa.com for beer tasting tour tickets.
Must Try Beers: Oro Brewing’s saison and sour. Visit Oro after your sampling to try one of the other 12 beers on tap and pick up a four-pack of cans to take home. (Yes, they have a canning line now!)
Must Try Food: Beer cheese fondue with grilled crostini at Il Vinaio.
