California Craft Beer Summit an Overwhelming Success for the California Craft Brewers Association

Keynote by Greg Koch, co-founder of Stone Brewing Co.

The premier, statewide celebration of California’s craft beer draws thousands of craft beer drinkers and industry icons to Sacramento, September 11-12.

Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA), issued the following statement today hailing the success of the first California Craft Beer Summit and Brewers Showcase beer festival on September 11-12 in Sacramento, Calif.

“This first-year, first-of-its-kind event welcomed more than 500 brewers, and thousands of craft beer enthusiasts, retailers and wholesalers from across the state to the California Craft Beer Summit and Brewers Showcase beer festival. The two-day event celebrated the growing industry in California and the West Coast craft beers wildly in demand around the globe.

“Craft beer was born in California and has become an iconic industry for our state. Last year alone, the industry contributed $6.5 billion to the economy. The Summit was a crowning event celebrating a historic time for California craft beer, providing attendees with the unique opportunity to explore our state’s finest breweries and meet the brewers who have pushed this industry forward.

“The Craft Beer Summit offered something for everyone, including overflowing educational seminars on the craft brewing process and the history of the industry, a vibrant and energetic Expo Hall showcasing the key ingredients in beer, “Tap Talks” with leading brewers and taste tests from beer regions across the state.   

“The Brewers Showcase was the weekend’s culminating event, the first and largest California craft beer festival featuring craft breweries, both big and small, from all across the state. Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo from Russian River, David Walker from Firestone Walker and Adair Paterno from Sante Adarius Rustic Ales were some of the many brewers pouring their own beers for festival attendees, closing the gap between brewer and craft beer drinker.

“Overall, the Craft Beer Summit was a creative and successful event highlighting the state’s craft beer industry. It raised the bar for craft beer events across the nation. While the CCBA may take a moment to toast the success of this year’s Summit, we are already looking forward to planning for 2016.”

To view more photos of the 2015 CA Craft Beer Summit, please click here.