Summer is here, so here are a couple of random beer items and a conversation starters.

It’s nearly time for the Wylde Center’s annual Beer Garden event.  Got your tickets yet?

In other interesting beer news, Decatur’s Blue Tarp is going to start canning three of its offerings – Funk Weisse, Bantam Weight Session Ale and Cascade Killa IPA in July, according to Southern Brew News.  Cool!  I wasn’t able to get my hands on their Hopster the Grouch bottle offering a few weeks back.

Anywho, what are your favorite summer beer offerings these days?  Wheats, sessions, sours?  Whatcha got?

Photo courtesy of Wild Heaven

This from Scoutmob…

Saturday, August 24, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Blue Tarp Brewing’s Inaugural Tour
BlueTarp Brewing Co., 731 E. College Ave. (Decatur)

We’ve been waiting for this moment: the day when Decatur’s craft brew scene gets even better with not one, but two new breweries. Now, BlueTarp is ready to open the floodgates and invite local hop-heads into their brewery with their first-ever tasting and tour. Plunk down a mere $10, see the shiny new facility for yourself, try five 6-ounce tastes of the goods and raise your glass to the craft beer paradise that charming lil’ Decatur has become.

Deal nearby: Skip’s Hot Dogs

Blue Tarp’s Facebook page says…

OUR 1ST TOUR/TASTING – AUG. 24 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm. $10 for glassware and 5 six oz. tastings.

Tasting room nearing completion as well as our 2250 sq ft. outdoor Beer Garden (Hops are too short for any help with the sun this year – shades recommended!).

We are located at 731 E College Ave. in the same building as the Sweat Box and across from Rabern-Nash Carpet in the far Eastern end of East Decatur Station.

The Thursday release party for Blue Tarp Brewing at the Brick Store Pub got my digging for a bit more info on Decatur’s two up and coming craft breweries, the aforementioned Blue Tarp, and Three Taverns Brewery.  Well it just so happens that Atlanta Cuisine posted a Q&A with founders of both breweries earlier this month, in an article titled “Georgia’s New Beer Mecca”.

Lots of good info in there for those watching and waiting for Decatur’s local brew scene to get up and running.  Among the highlights, Three Taverns plans to distribute in both kegs and bottles and plans to begin brewing by the end of March 2013 with a to-market date of May.  Blue Tarp is already brewing – obviously based on the BSP release party – and initially will distribute in kegs with plans to add a canning line.  Blue Tarp first options will be “a more sessionable lower hop lower alcohol red ale called BantamWeight and a hoppy double IPA called Mother Hoppin’.”

Lee points (via Twitter) to this event on the Brick Store events webpage…

BLUE TARP BREWERY RELEASE PARTY

Thursday, December 27th 2012

Please Welcome Blue Tarp Brewing Company to Decatur on December 27th at 5pm. We will be tapping a dry hopped firkin of Their first beer, Bantam Weight Red Ale. Come on down to the pub and grab a pint with the Brewer and other local Celebrity types.

The East Decatur Station area, which carries the only C3 Heavy Commercial zoning inside the city limits, seems poised to become Decatur’s brewing hub overnight.

In addition to the already discussed Three Taverns Brewing, Blue Tarp Brewing is also looking to open in the C3 Heavy Commercial space, based on comments from Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne at tonight’s Decatur City Commission meeting.

Not much info online about Blue Tarp as of yet, just a webpage that promises “Coming Soon!”.  Also, there was an online design contest for their “flagship beer” called “Georgia Uncommon”.