New pub brews up festival

Bubba Brew's Brewing Co. will host a festival Saturday at Garvan Woodland Gardens as the company continues to expand its offerings in Hot Springs and Garland County.

Brewmaster Jonathan Martin said the company wanted to join the festival season with an event of its own. Bubba Brew's collaborated with Signature events and Garvan Gardens to plan a traditional Oktoberfest celebration.

"Pinning down a date was the first big challenge, just to nestle it in with other notable events around the state," Martin said. "You just had the Hot Springs Oktoberfest. There are beer festivals around the state just about weekly this time of the year, because it is the Oktoberfest season. We are at the end of the harvesting season."

Tickets are $55 each for "Hoptoberfest." No guests younger than 21 will be allowed. The cost of each ticket includes authentic Bavarian food, two pints of Bubba Brew's beer, a glass mug and live entertainment provided by local musicians.

"We really do pride ourselves on keeping everything local, if at all possible," said Randi Slick, of Signature events. "We are excited. This is certainly different, even though it is a traditional Oktoberfest."

Only 200 seats are available. Guests are asked to order tickets in advance as food quantities will be based on ticket sales. Call 501-701-7271 to reserve seats.

"We want it to be enough to feel like a fun event, but not so many that there is not enough food or not enough beer or be too crowded," Martin said.

The event will showcase at least four of Bubba Brew's European and German-style beers. Chef Nate Packlain will prepare the traditional Bavarian spread

"Of course, hops being one of the four main ingredients in beer, we settled on the name Hoptoberfest, because the beer is the focus," Martin said.

Bubba Brew's and Signature coordinated with Garvan Gardens to hold the festival at the main Garvan Pavilion, the centerpiece of the 210-acre botanical garden. The pavilion is located separate from the Pratt Welcome Center.

Multiple weather services say precipitation is possible on Saturday night with a low temperature of about 60 degrees. Organizers said the event would be moved and not canceled if weather prohibited it from being held at the pavilion. Ticket sales have accelerated as the event date nears.

"I think some people were waiting to see what the weather would be before they committed to buying tickets," Martin said.

Bubba Brew's previously offered a cooking class and dinner at Garvan. Signature Events regularly holds events at the site.

"This is definitely a different event than is usually at the gardens, because it is a 21 and over event," Slick said. "Most things out there are family friendly, which is a great thing, but this is certainly more of a festive adult atmosphere."

Martin also serves as the company's general counsel and is now the manager and proprietor of the new Spa City Taproom tavern in downtown Hot Springs. He said the company searched for more than a year for its latest location.

Bubba Brew's Sports Pub & Grill opened in 2014 at 8091 Airport Road in Bonnerdale. The company began its brewing operation under a federal permit in early 2015 at the same location.

"A lot of people do not even realize it is out there," Martin said.

Years of planning and building culminated Friday with the opening of Bubba Brew's On Lake Hamilton, located at 1252 Airport Road on the east end of the Lake Hamilton bridge. Both sites offer a sports bar aesthetic with a number of television sets to view live events.

Renovations began on a portion of the former Bank of America Building at 528 Central Ave. in January. Martin said the tavern was designed in the style of English pubs and taverns he personally visited a decade ago.

"The only thing that is going to be the same is the beer," Martin said of the new location. "We will have 16 taps here and we are going to showcase our beer almost exclusively. We will have guest beers occasionally from other local breweries, but the food menu is different, the décor is different and the feel is different."

"I want it to feel like you are kind of in someone's living room," he added. "You want it to be comfortable where they can hang out."

Martin said the company began to move furniture and equipment into the new location about six weeks ago with plans to open in the coming weeks. Packlain joined Bubba Brew's as chef of the taproom to prepare fresh food, which will be a feature of Hoptoberfest on Saturday.

"We are going to have great food, we have a great menu and, certainly, the beer tasting will be all German and European beer," Slick said. "And we have good music. It will be a good time."

Local on 10/19/2017

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