Join me in Jenkintown for a beer breakfast

The Jenkintown Jazz & Brewfest is another of the delightful gaggle of small beer festivals that have sprung up in the Philly 'burbs: others are in Kennett Square, Newtown, Yardley...it's happening. And thanks to self-aware brewers, most of these events are paying for beer, either through a fee or direct payments.

But Jenkintown's fest is different, for three reasons. First, it's smaller; the beer fest part is only a few hundred attendees (the jazz fest is free, and draws about 3,000). Second, there's jazz, with jazz vocalist Denise King and alto sax jazz icon Richie Cole and his Alto Madness Orchestra. Serious stuff. Finally, Jenkintown's got me for breakfast.

I'm presenting a beer breakfast at the West Avenue Grille in Jenkintown just before the 1:00 festival. It's not formal; we'll be having a vegetable omelette and french toast along with full glasses of beer (I'd tell you which beer, but to be honest, we haven't decided yet: breakfast beers take a little more thought!), and I'll be talking about why beer is a great brunch drink (and breakfast, too: God knows, I've been there), what beers make good choices for brunch and why, and how you can throw your own beer brunch with just a little thought. It's going to be a fun hour in an intimate setting, with plenty of individual tableside discussion, the kind of event I love to do. If you've got copies of my books, bring 'em along, I'll be happy to sign them for you.

Tickets are available here; the breakfast is a package with a brewfest ticket. There are two seatings, at 11 and noon; the fest begins at 1 PM. The $25 ticket for the breakfast may seem a bit steep, but when you put it together with a $25 ticket for the fest, it's a steal. Think about it: you'll get there an hour or two early, get good parking, and be nice and relaxed for the fest, with a little something in your stomach before the tasting starts. Hope to see you there!