FuzzyBrew

Memphis beer lovers, mark your calendars.

The 4th annual Cooper-Young Regional Beerfest has been set for Oct. 19, festival organizers announced today on Facebook and Twitter.

The Midtown beer festival features craft beers from breweries within a day’s drive of Memphis, as well as some of the best homebrew around.

Looking forward to what’s in store for 2013!

We know it’s waaay early, but we figured we’d let everyone know we’ve picked Oct. 19, 2013 as the date for our fourth beerfest.

— CY Beerfest (@CYBeerFest) February 13, 2013

Memphian Drew Barton and his wife Melodie moved to Asheville, N.C., in 2005 so he could pursue a career in craft brewing.

Barton got hired at French Broad Brewing Company and worked his way up to head brewer.

Barton moved back to Memphis in 2010 and has been working to establish a craft brewery in his hometown and his neighborhood, Cooper-Young.

Today he made it official, announcing plans to open the doors of Memphis Made Brewing Company by mid-2013, bringing more local craft beer to
the Bluff City.

“Our philosophy is simple: local is fresh, and fresh is better. Our mission is to expand the boundaries of beer for and from our community,” said Barton, Memphis Made president and head brewer.

Memphis Made will be leasing space at 768 S. Cooper, just south of Central, and will produce beer for sale at bars and restaurants throughout Shelby County.

Memphis Made will brew on a 10-barrel system and it will initially only be a production brewery. But Memphis Made has plans to ultimately open its doors for brewery tours and a small tasting room.

“We’re in the process of ordering equipment and working with contractors to get things moving along,” Barton said. “There’s a lot to be done, but we’re taking our time with it to make sure we get it right.”

Barton is one of the founders of the Cooper-Young Regional Beerfest and is a member of the Bluff City Brewers & Connoisseurs homebrew club.

Memphis Made will join a growing craft beer scene that includes Ghost River Brewing and Boscos and new addition High Cotton Brewing Co., which is under construction at 598 Monroe.

The guys who blog here at FuzzyBrew — me, Grant and Nate — recently sat down at Boscos Squared with Toby Sells from the Cooper-Young Regional Beer Festival.

We talked about homebrewing and the growing craft beer scene in Memphis. And if you’ve ever wondered where the name FuzzyBrew came from, be sure to watch the video! Hint: body hair.

Anyway, all three of us have poured our homebrew at the festival, and Nate will be serving again this year on Oct. 13 at the Bluff City Brewers & Connoisseurs booth. Be sure to stop by.

Tickets are $35 in advance and are available online.

Leading up to the Cooper-Young Regional Beerfest, Nashville’s Yazoo Brewing Company is going to be having some fun in the Cooper-Young neighborhood.

On Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Alchemy, there will be a vertical tasting of three different batches of Hop Project. Then on Thursday, the 11th, there will be a beer dinner at Sweetgrass. (Check out the menu below.) Finally, on Friday, the 12th, the Young Avenue Deli will host a cask ale and custom pint glass night.

Of course Yazoo will be at the Cooper-Young Regional Beerfest on Saturday, Oct. 13. Tickets are $35 in advance and are available online.

Here’s the menu for the Yazoo dinner at Sweetgrass. Tickets are $35 per person. For more information, call 901-278-0278.

1st Course
Pickled Shrimp BLT
Allen Benton’s Smoked Bacon, arugula, confit tomatoes, lemon aioli
Served with Gerst.

2nd Course
Roasted Quail
Stuffed with broccoli barley risotto, butternut squash puree, cranberry gastrique
Served with Pale Ale.

Entrée
Grilled Beef Heart
Smoked sage hominy, pumpkin seed mole, sweet onions
Served with Sue.

Dessert
Dark Chocolate Stout Cake
Salted caramel ice cream, chocolate covered bacon
Served with Stout.

For more information, call 901-278-0278.