It’s all in the name, really. There’s maple and bacon, coffee and porter. All the major food groups. But there are many reasons to attend the 10th annual Maple Bacon Coffee Porter Festival, a free gathering that rolls out at Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight. Here are a few:.
The beer
Maple Bacon Coffee Porter was an instant hit when it debuted in 2010, not just with locals but with beer cognoscenti all over. It was rated the No. 1 porter at RateBeer.com and scored 99 out of 100 at BeerAdvocate, the latter describing it as “luxuriously creamy, with layers of sweet malt, toffee and roast giving way to waves of smoke, coffee and salted chocolate.”
Mike Stocker / Sun Sentinel
Funky Buddha Brewery’s Maple Bacon Coffee Porter Festival celebrates the annual release of its revered beer. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The atmosphere
From the get-go, the festival celebrating the annual debut of MBCP became an important pilgrimage for local craft-beer believers, drawing thousands of enthusiasts who would form early-morning lines in anticipation of claiming a limited-edition bottle. But it is also a great time for the less-obsessed, with a variety of food and live music offered in a laid-back, inclusive environment.
Mike Stocker / Sun Sentinel
Manning the gates before a previous edition of the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter Festival at Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Live music
Two popular local bands will be found in the tap room beginning from 3 to 5 p.m. with Spider Cherry, led by London-born multi-instrumentalist Nathan Mercado, equally at home covering The Beatles, Otis Redding or Bruno Mars. Spider Cherry just put out a new single, “Little Bit Shy.” Performing from 5 to 7 p.m. is The Ricca Project, a funky outfit led by Jesse Ricca that includes Jim Wuest and Jamie Newitt of The Heavy Pets, and singer Soleil. Lots of fun.
MBCP in cans
Beginning at 11:30 a.m., Maple Bacon Coffee Porter will be available for the first time in six-pack cans. Other can releases on Saturday include Rise & Grind Caramel Brulée Latte Imperial Cream Ale, Strawberry Scream Strawberry Banana Smoothie IPA and Acai Time Acai Bowl Sour Ale.
Other beers
The festival also brings out limited releases of dozens of Funky Buddha’s other favorite beers for a cameo, including Last Snow Coconut Coffee Porter, Morning Wood, Fire in the Hole Red Ale, Pearl Diver Oyster Saison, More Moro Hazy IPA, Pomegranate El Camino Haze IPA and What Is That, Velvet? Red Ale.
Food pop-ups
Wilton Creamery will be at the festival with an ice cream inspired by Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. Other food pop-ups include Las Mexicanas, Backyard BBQ by Bradley and Max’d Out Donuts.
More other beers
There also will be representation from other local breweries on draft, including Invasive Species (Disco Fever Smoothie Sour Ale), Gulf Stream Brewing (Chocolate Cherry Sour), Orchestrated Minds Brewing (Change for a Dollar Triple Dry-Hopped New England IPA), Brewlihan (Tropical Punch Session Mead), Civil Society (Cashmere Bliss Hazy IPA), Barrel of Monks (Be Mine Cherry Chocolate Belgian Quadrupel), Angry Chair (Rocky Road Imperial Sweet Stout), MIA Brewing (Tremenda Triple IPA), The Tank (Into the Pit West Coast IPA), Tripping Animals (Never Dry Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout) and Cigar City Brewing (DEO Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout).
Dancing with yourself
The Barrel Room at the Funky Buddha offers ping-pong, cornhole and the steady crash of Jenga, but from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday there will be silent disco. Which is as much fun for onlookers as dancers.
The beer dinner on Friday
On Friday at 7 p.m., the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter beer-pairing dinner will see Funky Buddha executive chef Jeff Vincent offer a four-course meal with each dish inspired by the four elements in the beer. Tickets cost $80+ and include a welcome drink and amuse-bouche. Visit Shop.funkybuddha.com.
The beer brunch on Sunday
The Funky Buddha has a well-regarded brunch served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. This weekend’s edition will include Maple Bacon Coffee Porter among its bottomless-drink specials. Enjoy endless MBCP, Floridian and Vibin’ Lager, along with Bloody Mary’s, Floridian Mules, mimosas and beer-mosas for $20. You can mix and match for $25.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Maple Bacon Coffee Porter Festival
WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-midnight Saturday, March 2
WHERE: Funky Buddha Brewery, 1201 NE 38th St., Oakland Park
COST: Admission is free
INFORMATION: FunkyBuddha.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.