More than 50 different flavors of beer from many craft brewers will be available for tasting at the second annual Arkansas Valley Brew Fest set for June 8 at Santa Fe Plaza on Highway 50 in La Junta according to Nancy Aschermann, president of Southeast Colorado Creative Partnership (SECCP), sponsor of the fundraising event.

Discount tickets are available in advance for $20, and can be purchased at Big D’s Liquor Mart, Curve Liquors, Dean Brewery and LJ Chamber of Commerce. Admission at the gate is $25. Attendees must be 21 or older. IDs will be checked.

Two local brewers, who were brew fest favorites last year, are returning. Dean Brewery will have some of their seasonal brew flavors and are also giving VIP brewery tours for $40. Tour tickets are available only at Big D’s and Dean Brewery.  There are a limited number of tickets, with two tours held at 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to get inside that ‘mysterious’ building and find out how beer is made. Tickets include brew fest attendance.

Brewer Shawn Mobley has a full menu of new beer flavors, as well as favorites from last year. Each of his new flavors has an intriguing name that pays tribute to law enforcement and first responders—Graveyard Shift Black IPA, and Thin Blue Line Imperial Stout.  Last year’s favorites which will make an appearance this year include Blood Orange IPA and White House Honey Ale - with a couple of tweaks to the recipes, Mobley says. He plans to also bring Sheriff’s Amber Ale, and the firefighter tribute Emergency Ale.

Proceeds from the festival will be used in the renovation of the Plaza Block Building, the last pre-1900 business building in downtown La Junta.