This fall, NH.com is throwing the first ever Wicked Wine and Brew Fest at Mel’s Funway Park in Litchfield. It’s being held Saturday, Sept. 12, from 2-7 p.m. and will feature wineries and breweries from New Hampshire and around New England. There will also be food, music and cool vendors to check out, and a portion of the proceeds will go to Meals on Wheels.

I’m particularly excited about this festival for two reasons: I don’t have to trek down to Boston, where most beer and wine festivals seem to be held, and it’s the start of fall, which means that hopefully there’ll be some fresh autumn-inspired brews and vintages to sample. I know it’s a bit early for pumpkin-flavored ales, but a girl can dream, right?

Other brewers that will be at Mel’s on Sept. 12 are Shipyard Brewing Co., Smuttynose Brewery and Woodstock Inn Brewery (plus more to be announced). And don’t forget about wineries: attending will be Candia Vineyards, Farnum Hill Ciders, Piscassic Pond Winery and Zorvino Vineyards.

As part of The Telegraph’s Marketing and Events Committee, I’m helping to plan, promote and put on this event. I think this is the event I’m most excited to be involved with, especially since I’m a homebrewer and regularly attend New England beer festivals. My favorite so far? Beer Summit’s Winter Jubilee in Boston. Definitely keep your eye out for when tickets go on sale in late fall.

Tickets for Wicked Wine and Brew Fest for adults 21 and older who will be sampling alcohol can be purchased in advance online or at The Telegraph’s office at 17 Executive Drive in Hudson for $20. For a limited time, when you buy tickets online, enter WWB09 at checkout and get $5 off each sampling ticket. The ticket price includes admission and unlimited sampling of beer and wine. And, the best part, the first 1,000 sampling tickets will receive a super-awesome sampling glass with our Wicked Wine and Brew Fest logo on it. Sweet!

The day of the event you can also purchase tickets for $20. We’ll also be selling tickets for designated drivers and ages 20 and younger for $5. Children 5 and younger are admitted for free.

Though a wine and brew festival isn’t exactly the event most people would bring their children to, this one is being held at Mel’s Funway Park, which has mini golf, battling cages and an arcade, so there’s plenty to do besides imbibe.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.wickedwineandbrewfest.com. Cheers!

Every years hordes of homebrewers take a long shot to become a sure shot by entering Samuel Adams home brew contest.

Long shot story made short: the competition starts out regionally and escalates through several rounds of tasting where winners are finally picked. The winners then go on to compete against top brews made by Samuel Adams employees. The top three winners are picked and are eventually mass produced for a six pack that hits store shelves in the spring.

I was fortunate enough to get my first taste of one of this year’s winners, the Traditional Bock, through a sample more than a month ago, but even though it was made available in April, I was unable to find the six pack in stores in this area until last week.

This years winners are the before mentioned Traditional Bock made by Alex Drobshoff of California. He is joined by a Double IPA made by another Californian Mike McDole and a Cranberry Wit made by Samuel Adams Employee Carissa Sweigart.

I didn’t get the chance to try the IPA before one of my friends swilled it down, but the other two are definitely beers worth buying.

The bock is dark, sweet and the perfect pairing for deserts or a more hearty meal. The second time I tried it, I decided to eat desert first and I wasn’t disappointed.

From the bottle: “Alex’s brew is a bright copper German inspired bock with a complex, full bodied mouthfeel. Hints of rich plum and cherry aroma paired with its toasty malt flavor make this the perfect beer to linger over on a cool evening.”

I agree.

Most of the time, when fruit meets dark beer, I feel disappointed. But this beer, while fruity, still kept a dark richness.

The Cranberry Wit also held true to form. I’m partial to wit beers, especially in the summer. While the cranberry was more of an afterthought than a stronger taste, this beer is still a great match for hot summer days.

So hit the stores and grab a six pack before they disappear. They are only available for a limited time.

Samuel Adams Imperial White should come with a warning.

Not because it’s bad but because it packs a punch.

The fruity and refreshing taste would never lead you to believe that the beer comes in at a whopping 10.3 percent alcohol.

I think Sam Adams puts it best saying, “This is not just a more intense version of our spring seasonal Samuel Adams White Ale.  Imperial White is a new recipe that stands on it own merits.  In fact, it is more of a wine substitute than just another refreshing witbier.  This is a beer that should be sipped and savored and you’ll be amazed at the flavors you’ll discover as the beer warms and opens up.”

As I said, it’s fruity but it doesn’t taste like your typical white beer. Yes, it’s fruity but it’s much more bitter and full bodied than most other white beers.

The spicy notes mean the beer could easily stand in for your favorite glass of wine when eating a hearty steak or a spicy meal. Yet the fruity finish also means it is an excellent pairing for desserts and cheeses or you can just drink it on it’s own for refreshment during the hot summer months.

Other beers in the Imperial series are the Double Bock and Imperial Stout. 

The Imperial series can be found at Jasper’s at 4 Temple St. in Nashua.