Saturday is Zwanze Day: A Global Celebration of Beer At Its Most Precious
A couple of quick items before we get to the main event of this week’s newsletter:
Foxtale Fermentation Project Heads Back to Television
Our friends at Foxtale Fermentation Project are apparently becoming fixtures on culinary television. Following last week’s national appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Foxtale will be featured on this week’s episode of Check, Please! Bay Area, KQED’s stalwart diner-driven review of local independent restaurants.
The episode airs Thursday at 7:30 PM on KQED. Be sure to check it out!
Competition Season Is Here 🏅
This week — alongside GABF in early October — marks one of the biggest periods of the year for major beer competitions.
Right now, in Philadelphia, the annual Craft Brewers Conference is underway. Its marquee event is the 2026 World Beer Cup, often described as the Olympics of Beer, with breweries from across the globe competing in more than 100 distinct categories.
The World Beer Cup awards ceremony will take place tomorrow from 5:30–7:30 PM and will be livestreamed by The Brewing Network.
This week’s competition lineup also includes:
- Best of Craft Beer Awards — held last weekend in Portland
- California Brewers Cup — awards ceremony Friday evening in Sacramento (also livestreamed by The Brewing Network)
Livestream links:
World Beer Cup on Wednesday at 2:30 PM - https://www.youtube.com/live/NjpYytXMGV8
Brewers Cup of CA on Friday at 7:30 PM - https://www.youtube.com/live/pk0YGm-Dt3I?si=MfyVmzxJ_szR0DkJ
As always, we expect our members to bring home medals across these competitions. Be sure to check next week’s Brew Deck for our full recap.
Now, Let’s Talk Zwanze
As Beer People, we are used to events celebrating rare and limited releases. Several of our member breweries operate clubs designed entirely to provide collectors with exclusive access to their most precious beers.
Zwanze Day, which takes place this Saturday, April 25th, is the global epitome of that culture.
Created by the storied Belgian lambic producer Brasserie Cantillon, Zwanze Day is a biannual, globally coordinated celebration of beer as an idiosyncratic art form and a precious collectible.
In Flemish dialect, zwanzen means to joke or to kid. Cantillon’s Zwanze series began in 2008 with a special rhubarb lambic. Since then, brewer Jean Van Roy has used Zwanze to bring enthusiasts together by releasing ephemeral, small-batch, non-traditional beers tapped simultaneously across the globe.
An Extraordinary Honor for Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
One of our member breweries, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, has once again been selected as an official host for Zwanze Day 2026.
Being chosen to host Zwanze Day is a major distinction. Participating venues are carefully selected by Cantillon from among the world’s most respected beer destinations.
This year:
- Sante Adairius’s Oakland Arbor is one of just four locations in California
- One of 31 locations in the United States
- And among only 70 venues worldwide in 22 countries
2026 marks the fifth time Sante Adairius has been selected:
- Previous events at the Santa Cruz Portal
- 2026 marks the third Zwanze Day at the Oakland Arbor
That level of repeated recognition speaks volumes about Sante Adairius’s place in the world of extraordinary beer.
2026 Is Extra Special — Even for Zwanze Day
Each year, Cantillon creates a completely unique, one-off lambic known as Zwanze. These beers are never reproduced, making each year’s release a singular moment in beer history.
This year, for the first time ever, two different Zwanze beers will be released simultaneously worldwide:
Saturday, April 25th
9 PM Brussels time (Noon PST)
The beers:
- Artemis la Blanche — lambic blended with dry white vermouth
- Artemis la Rouge — Kriek (cherry lambic) blended with sweet red vermouth
About Lambic Beer
Authentic, spontaneously fermented lambic is one of the rarest beer styles in the world. Only about a dozen producers globally make traditional lambic.
These breweries:
- Produce small quantities
- Use centuries-old methods
- Embrace wild fermentation
- Age in oak barrels
- Allow time to shape the beer
Unlike most breweries that aim for sterile environments, lambic producers intentionally expose their beer to wild yeast and bacteria — creating complex, tart, deeply expressive beers. This makes Zwanze, one of, if not the, rarest and most ephemeral offerings in an already precious category.
How Do I Get Some?
Sante Adairius Rustic Ales is widely respected for its mixed-fermentation and rustic ales inspired by Belgian and French traditions, making them a natural fit to host this global celebration.
That’s the good news.
The bad news?
Only about 100 tickets were available for Zwanze Day at the Oakland Arbor — they sold out quickly.
But fret not, Bay Area Beer People.
We are fortunate to have three Zwanze locations within driving distance:
- SARA's Oakland Arbor (sold out, but the taproom will open at 5 PM following the ticketed session, and any remaining beer will be first-come, first-served)
- Lupulo — Santa Cruz (tickets for the ticketed session are sold out, but they will open to the public at 1 PM)
- Russian River Brewing Company — Santa Rosa (first-come, first-served until the beer is gone)
Wherever you find yourself at noon this Saturday, be sure to raise your glass to tradition, to subverting tradition, to extraordinary beer, and to world-class Beer People. 🍻
🍻 Upcoming Events Featuring Our Member Breweries
🎉 Public Events This Week!
TONIGHT! Tuesday, 4/21—Marvel Comics Trivia at Del Cielo
(Livermore & Martinez, CA| 6:30-8:30 PM)
“Avengers…assemble.” 🦸♂️ It’s Marvel Trivia Night at both Del Cielo locations tonight! Suit up, bring your crew, and prove you’re worthy.
More Info –> Marvel Trivia in Livermore & Martinez!
Wednesday, 4/22—Perfect Pairing at The Walt Disney Family Museum
(San Francisco, CA| 6:00-8:30 PM)
A screening of Disney's animated classic "Robin Hood" paired with beers and mocktails from Foxtale Fermentation Project!
Tickets and More Info –> Disney's Robin Hood in San Francisco!
Wednesday, 4/22—Watch Party! - World Beer Cup Awards Ceremony Livestream
(The Brewing Network| 2:30 PM)
Tune into the livestream! –> World Beer Cup Live
Thursday, 4/23—Watch Party! - Foxtale Fermentation Project on Check, Please! Bay Area
(KQED| 7:30 PM)
Tune into KQED!
More Info & Episode Links –> Check, Please! Bay Area
Friday, 4/24—Watch Party! - Brewer's Cup Of California Awards Ceremony Livestream
(The Brewing Network| 7:30 PM)
Tune into the livestream! –> CA Brewers Cup Live
📅 Save the Dates
Friday-Sunday, 5/1-5/3—Chismosa Weekend at Old Caz!
(Rohnert Park, CA)
A whole weekend of events celebrating Culture, Cars, and Community!
More Info –> Chismosa Weekend in Rohnert Park!
Saturday, 5/9—8 Years of Magic: Original Pattern Brewing's 8th Anniversary Celebration!
(Oakland, CA| Noon-8 PM)
OP's "8 Years Of Magic" Anniversary Party will be an unforgettable day of craft beer, live music, themed decor, and magic! Expect: 8 limited-edition collab beers with some of the best breweries around, live music from local artists, limited-edition keepsake glassware, delicious food, and... Some Magical Guests you don't want to miss! 🔮
More Info & Pre-Purchase Tickets –> Celebrate 8 Years Of Magic In Oakland!