Ales for ALS

Second year in a row, second slam dunk for Faction Brewing and everyone involved.
Who’s who of CA craft beer was present once again with their special ALS brews, while also bringing some of their best stuff for patrons to taste.
As far as beer festivals go, this one is right there on top. I am not going to name every brewery involved this year, but if there was virtually no line for Stone, then you should get a good impression of what was available. As with every other beerfest, it’s hardly feasible that you will drink $ 40 worth of beer, but this one is really worth it because all the proceeds went to ALS research.
There was enough food options/​food trucks and Faction has plenty of space that was more than adequate for the number of thirsty beer drinkers. If there are two suggestions I can make it would only be more seating with tables outside and moving the band away from the tables as the music was so loud it was almost uncomfortable to sit in that area. This is probably nitpicking as overall Ales For ALS at Faction was as good as it gets.
Drinking great craft beer while helping a good cause? Count me in. Especially since there is no ice bucket challenge required. I already can’t wait for next year.

As anticipated, the Ales for ALS beer festival at Faction Brewing for 2015 was spectacular! It was a gorgeous, sunny, not-​too-​windy day out on the far West end of Alameda. The ticket line to get in went smoothly & quickly. There was plenty of free drinking water for hydration & a decent number of food truck/​pop-​up options to help with something solid for absorbing all that beer.
Of which there was an astonishing amount, in both quantity & quality. Just like last year, 2015’s Ales for ALS had 1 of the best brewery lineups of any brewfest I’ve been to. 1 curiosity was the short lines for San Diego breweries, such as: Stone, Societe, Pizza Port, & Coronado. Are Bay Area beer drinkers somehow not familiar with these breweries? Oh well, more for me.
Bay Area breweries were well represented. Faction, as the host, was pouring beer, naturally. Nearby, Drake’s, 21^st Amendment, Rare Barrel, Cellarmaker, Triple Rock, & Iron Springs were all in the house. From farther up North a couple craft beer icons were also present: Sierra Nevada & Russian River. Rare Barrel, Russian River, & Cellarmaker had the longest lines of the day.
An interesting & unique aspect of the Ales for ALS beer festival was that most breweries brought a beer brewed specifically for this brewfest using a special Ales for ALS hops blend. It was fun & insightful to taste the range of different beers each brewery made with the same exact hops blend. My favorite Ales for ALS beer of the day was «Keep It Dankster,» a Pizza Port/​Alpine collaboration.
You gotta know your SD breweries, they’re doing it right down there. Though, technically, Rare Barrel’s Ales For ALS is another favorite, but I’d already had that the day before at TRB & have a growler full of the stuff at home. These 2 fantastic beers were not, by any means whatsoever, the only exceptional beers at this seriously stacked brewfest.
For both the 1^st 2 years now, the Ales for ALS beer festival at Faction Brewing was 1 (or 2?) of the best brewfests I’ve been to. Great breweries, great beers, great cause, great location, & well-​run throughout. I’m totally looking forward to 2016’s Ales for ALS. & if you’re any fan of quality craft beer at all, you should be too.