Brooklyn Mash is a week-long traveling festival full of parties, art, comedy, screenings, panel discussions, pop-up supperclubs, all featuring everyone’s favorite brewery. We followed Brooklyn Brewery all around Chicago last week, including the State of Craft Beer event & Brooklyn Limited with Barley’s Angels Chicago, and ended the festive week at Thalia Hall for a free concert and party.
Brooklyn Brewery beers, like Summer Ale, ½ Ale and Blast!, flowed while guests enjoyed tunes from Chicago’s Storm Clouds and the night’s headliner, hailing from West Palm Beach, Surfer Blood, sponsored by Timberland. We sat down to have a chat with Brooklyn Brewery Marketing Director Ben Hudson on Mash Chicago, what exactly Mash Bash is and what we can look forward to from them.
Lakeshore Beverage: How has Mash been going this past week?
Ben Hudson: Since the very first event, it’s been phenomenal. We’ve had great attendance and really great interest from the attendees. The Mash is a pretty diverse slate of programming. We’re trying to bring things we love out of our neighborhood, the place where our company began and continues to grow, and bring that to our top cities around the world. Beer has always been an avenue for us to discover new things.
Chicago’s no different; it’s one of our favorite places to come visit. You’ve got amazing beer, food, design – not to mention the comedy and music is incredible. And that’s what Mash is all about. Now we’re here at the closing party, looks like we have a full house at Thalia Hall and we couldn’t be happier to be here!
Photo credit: Timberland
Lakeshore Beverage: Can you tell me a little more about what Mash Bash is and how you celebrate a successful week in Chicago?
Ben Hudson: The Mash Bash is fun because it’s after a week of events and all those events can wear you out. The last event is for you to kick back, have fun and listen to good music. Mash Bash gives us the ability to hang out in the city, get to know the creative people in the city, get to know the people who are excited about trying something new, then maintaining and growing those relationships. Whether it’s through the local staff at Lakeshore, our Brooklyn reps in town Jordan Huber or Ben Parker, or even our Brewmaster (Garrett Oliver). We love being have to dive deep during Mash and do some super interesting things, but we also have fun extending that feeling throughout the rest of the year.
Lakeshore: What beers from Brooklyn should Chicago be drinking right now? And what are you drinking right now?
Ben Hudson: Well we have Summer Ale, ½ Ale and Blast! all featured tonight at the event. All of the beers we have tonight are pretty refreshing on a hot Chicago summer night, so you’re good to go with any of those. I’m drinking a ½ Ale, which is a great session beer for the summer. The seasoned craft beer fan will like it, but it’s also good for the craft beer curious crowd. It’s low in alcohol, full in flavor, citrusy and hoppy and just what you want on a hot day.
Photo credit: Brooklyn Brewery
