In case you hadn’t heard, Melvin Brewing, is coming to Bellingham. Yeah, it’s kinda a big deal. They’re opening a brewery in the Fountain District. We’ve been in touch with Melvin Brewing’s Jeremy Tofte over the past several months. The brewery is not even in town and they are already making an impact. Melvin is a sponsor of the Tap Trail’s 2016 Bellingham Beer Week. They also are helping organize an exclusive showcase of Bellingham breweries at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival. What better stage to introduce the nation to one of it’s most exciting beer towns?
More timely though, they are teaming up with Bellingham’s own Wander Brewing for a very special Bellingham Beer Week event: Bellingham’s first Popup Fest. What’s a “Popup Fest”?! Well, it’s basically what you call it when a bar counter filled with taps and hard to find craft beer “pops up” at a yet to be determined location in Bellingham. You’re not going to know that location until right before the event! The expectation is that ALL OF YOU will show up there with short notice, invite your friends, drink the beer, do a jig and help raise money for the non-profit Our Treehouse. But, as you’ll see in our interview with Tofte below, if you don’t show up, it’s still a win because there will be more beer left over for him.
Bellingham hasn’t done anything like this. But we’re putting on our big girl pants and we’re going to give this a shot. Tap Trail, represent at this exclusive Bellingham Beer Week event and be on the lookout for details from Tap Trail and Wander! We reached out to Wander’s Chad Kuehl and Melvin’s Jeremy Tofte to get some insight.
What’s on Tap?
Tentatively Planned
Food
Friday – Cosmos Bistro
Saturday – JT’s BBQ
Interview with Melvin’s Jeremy Tofte
Tap Trail: Why do a popup fest event?
Jeremy Tofte: Because there is no such thing as a popdown event
Tell us why you’re teaming up with Treehouse.
I believe that children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way.
Why and how did Wander and Melvin team up?
Because Allgash said no
Bellingham is notoriously slow to adapt. What are your expectations around the event?
The less people that show up, the more good beer we get for ourselves.
What beers will be on tap?
Beer from Breweries that have never been in Bellingham before! Really good beers from around the country.
What sort of future collaborations can we expect from you two?
Possibly a Hoppy Dubbel
When will Melvin open and can you build an exclusive Tap Trail stool?
We should be open sometime in 2017 and as long as the stool has no seat then yes
This is going to be one of MANY amazing events in what is shaping up to be the best Bellingham Beer Week yet. Checkout all of the events at www.bellinghambeerweek.com and grab one of our limited edition t’s (3 different styles to choose from!) so you’re sporting one when you show up to the Popup Fest!