The brewer, the shaper and the cannabis maker? Surf ‘n’ Suds is proposing an update to the old rhyme with the first ever Surf ‘n’ Suds (+Buds). The popular Central Coast beer fest has folded virtual cannabis farm tours and product information into its celebration of craft beers and surf culture.
“When we launched in 2014, we merged the obvious. Carpinteria has a craft-brew scene that swings high above its weight class on the Central Coast. We have Rincon Point and the surf culture that defines our area. Now we have a third leg to the stool, cannabis farming, which everyone is really curious to learn more about. It was an obvious next step with our audience,” said Andres Nuño, co-founder of En Fuego Events, the parent company of Surf ‘n’ Suds.
Surf ‘n’ Suds (+Buds) will feature six craft breweries, including three Carpinteria craft breweries – Rincon Brewery, Island Brewing Company and brewLAB – and three local cannabis brands – Autumn Brands, Pacific Stone Brand and Glass House Farms. Each cannabis farm will lead festival attendees on virtual farm tours and discuss the inner workings of responsibly grown cannabis in Carpinteria. The local cannabis farmers group CARP Growers is sponsoring the event.
“Cannabis farmers have a great story to share, and we’ve missed inviting the public onto farms for tours over the past year, when gatherings have been off the table,” said Tristan Strauss, CARP Growers president. “It’s an honor and testament to the hard work of local cannabis farmers that we’re being woven into an event that celebrates the best of Carpinteria Valley.”
Ticketholders to Surf ‘n’ Suds (+Buds) get a beer flight of six beers, a souvenir glass and cannabis brand swag mailed to their homes. They’ll also get a promo code for dispensaries in the tri-counties to apply a 30% discount toward the purchase of select products from the featured cannabis brands. Ticket buyers can use the promotional code at these participating dispensaries: The Farmacy of Santa Barbara, Megan’s Organic Market (San Luis Obispo) and SafePort Cannabis (Port Hueneme).
In addition to featuring local brews and buds, the virtual festival will explore other Carpinteria-made products like surfboards, candy and coffee. “We saw this opportunity to not only get an inside look at cannabis farming, but really to showcase the incredible people and products that come from Carpinteria,” Nuño said.
True to its well-established theme, Surf ‘n’ Suds (+Buds) will feature limited-release beers from other leaders in the industry. Attendees get a surprise sample from Lagunitas Brewing Company and Hop Valley Brewing as part of their at-home beer flight.
Carpinteria’s breweries also have unique brews up their sleeves for the event. While there aren’t any hop farms in Carpinteria, the cannabis plant and hop plant are closely related.
“We look forward to elevating the Carpinteria vibe throughout the Central Coast,” Nuño said. “Anyone who has tried cannabis can tell right away when drinking a stronger IPA that there are similar smells and flavors. The profile is close to hops.”
