Strong Ale Fest: Now Bigger & Stronger!

This should be a busy weekend for Carlsbad taxis and hotel rooms.

Friday and Saturday will see the 16th annual Strong Ale Fest at Pizza Port Carlsbad. This year's event will be bigger and stronger -- that is, pack a greater punch -- than previous editions. The 80-plus beers will range widely in style and flavor, but all have alcohol contents of at least 8 percent. At least two, Dogfish Head's 120-Minute Imperial IPA and Avery's Rumpkin, weigh in at a staggering 18 percent.

If sheer booziness is your goal, stick to 100-proof spirits. But these big beers are known for their big flavors, ranging from the deep toffee and oak notes in Firestone Walker Double DBA (12 percent) to the silky chocolate and black cherry personality of Sierra Nevada's Dark Forces Baltic Porter (8.4 percent).

The festival's Friday hours are 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here. Admission includes a sample glass and eight four-ounce tastes; additional pours are available at $1 each.

Given the potent nature of these brews, festival-goers should consider public transportation -- the Coaster stops a short walk from Pizza Port -- line up a designated driver, flag down a cab or splurge on a hotel room. The fest's site is smack in the middle of quaint Carlsbad village, and within walking distance of the beach and numerous seaside motels. Beer and beach: Not a bad way to spend the weekend!

Pizza Port Carlsbad: 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad; (760) 720-7007; pizzaport.com

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