Gem City Sours & Ciders Festival Comes to DT Mesa

Find out what sour beers and craft ciders have in common at a new festival in Downtown Mesa. On Saturday, March 21, 2020 from 2 until 8 pm, the inaugural Gem City Sours & Ciders Festival will include samples from more than two dozen Arizona breweries and regional cideries along with food trucks, music and other activities to showcase these two different and unique drinks. The event is hosted by Cider Corps and will be held outside the Mesa cidery and taproom at 31 S. Robson St.

Jason Duren, co-owner and cider maker at Cider Corps says the festival was inspired by the camaraderie between Arizona’s craft cider and craft beer communities, explaining that some sour beer brewing and craft cider making have similarities in their fermentation techniques.

“We love how collaborative our craft beverage community is. We talk with other breweries about the science behind lactic acid producing bacteria and how they impact the final taste of the beverage,” Duren explained. “The festival is a chance for people to discover what these styles are all about and sample what our region is creating.”

The festival’s name is a nod to the city of Mesa, once called the Gem City by city leaders for its shaded streets, modern buildings and bountiful crops. The festival hopes to reveal Mesa’s new hidden gems of boundary-pushing beverages, modern workforce and growing downtown nightlife.

In addition to the sampling, the festival will also have live music on two stages including a soon-to-be-announced headliner act, food trucks, pub games and other activities.

VIP tickets are $50 and include early enter from 2 until 4pm, a festival T-shirt, commemorative glass and 20 drink samples. General Admission tickets are $35 and include a commemorative glass and 15 drink samples. Tickets are available at soursandciders.eventbrite.com.