Head South for the Slater's 50/50 Backyard Brew Fest

Sick of drinking indoors? You're in luck; Saturday's Backyard Brew Fest at Slater's 50/50 in Lake Forest is an afternoon of outdoor drinking, with some of the best breweries in Southern California.

In case you haven't already heard, Slater's 50/50 is the heart-attack inducing SoCal burger joint that cuts their beef patties with a full 50% ground bacon. And to hell with all of those bacon late bloomers -- Slater's has been doing it this way for years. With several locations up and down southland, including a recently opened venture in Pasadena, the Slater's name is practically synonymous around these parts with tasty, indulgent burgers. But we'd be remiss to overlook their stellar tap lineups.

With such close proximity to the longstanding San Diego beer drinking tradition, it makes sense that Slater's would know how to put together a tap list. In fact, their website is routinely updated with the current pours at each outpost, and the alphabetized array (from Alesmith and Allagash to Rogue, Shipyard and Stone Brewing) is dizzyingly delightful for beer snobs. So with spring in full arrival, the Slater's Lake Forest crew decided to put all of those burgers and all those kegs to good use, with a party in their parking lot.

Dubbed the Backyard Brew Fest (which is a bit of a misnomer given their suburban parking lot surroundings), the afternoon event is going down this Saturday, April 6th, from 2pm to 6pm. So far, the list of breweries reads like a who's who of great local heavyweights, out-of-town highlights and talked-about newcomers. Orange county will be well represented thanks to Bootlegger's, Cismontane and TAPS, while L.A. gets the green light with El Segundo Brewing, Golden Road and the new full-production Ohana team. From across the country comes Deschutes (Oregon), Allagash (Maine), and the ever present Sam Adams from the Boston Beer company. With nearly two dozen breweries either on-hand themselves or sending full kegs in their absence, there's sure to be no shortage of suds to fill your commemorative glass with.

Hint hint: if you weren't able to score tickets to L.A. Beer Fest at the Paramount Studios lot, and maybe you couldn't get your hands on a pass to June's Firestone Walker Invitational, this one might be worth the drive. And don't forget, this is still a Slater's 50/50. That means there will be plenty of juicy, meaty bites on hand to soak up all that brew. With the relatively low entrance price, the decidedly more focused feel and the likely smaller crowds, Slater's Saturday Backyard Brew Fest might be just the sort of thing that true beer fans are looking for. That, and a little bacon on the side.

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