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UPDATED: What the firkin? New beer fest specializes in rare, infused, one-off brews

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the event's full beer list.

Add another beer festival to the ever-growing list of boozy North Texas events. The inaugural North Texas Firkin Fest is on tap Saturday, April 25 outside Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Some of you may be saying, OK hold the phone -- what the heck's a firkin?

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A firkin is a small cask or barrel-shaped container for holding, conditioning and serving beer. Beer from the firkin is unfiltered, unpasteurized and served without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure, so it is less carbonated and smoother than beer from the tap.

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Beer nerds love firkins because they mean special, rare or one-off brews. Fifteen Texas breweries will offer up to 30 different specialty recipes at North Texas Firkin Fest, according to Charles Vallhonrat, executive director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. (See the preliminary lineup below.)

This is the first North Texas event produced by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, though the trade association has similar events in Austin and Houston. The first-time fest will welcome 600 thirsty patrons to a picnic area on Stadium Drive south of the baseball stadium in Arlington, where food trucks and a stage for live music will be setup. Vallhonrot anticipates the event to return next year.

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"We plan to grow this fest and continue to partner with the baseball park to grow to the size of the one in Austin," which sees up to 5,000 people annually, Vallhonrot said.

North Texas Firkin Fest runs from 1-5 p.m. on April 25. Tickets are currently on sale in three tiers: general admission ($35), VIP ($70) and designated driver ($10). VIP includes early access to the festival, a T-shirt and commemorative growler. Tickets include a tasting cup as well as eight sample tickets (samples are three ounces), though more will be available for purchase.

The full beer lineup is expected to be announced by the end of the week, so stay tuned.

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North Texas Firkin Fest beer list:

  • Cedar Creek Brewery -- Danko Colada American India pale ale with grilled pineapple and toasted coconut; and Baha Patio Pounder pale lager with lime and coconut.
  • Chimera Brewing Co. -- Shields Up! pale ale dry-hopped with Citra hops; and Roman Empire English-style bitter with Myrtle leaves.
  • Collective Brewing Project -- Two sour beers from its experimental Funkytown Series, a golden sour and an American red sour.
  • Community Beer Co. -- Public Ale English-style bitter dry-hopped with East Kent Golding (EKG) hops; and Legion Russian imperial stout with blackberries.
  • Deep Ellum Brewing Co. -- Capt'n Fantastic dry-hopped oatmeal pale ale; and Boombox neo-American brown ale with coffee.
  • Four Corners Brewing Co. -- El Chingon IPA with guava and ancho chilies; and Local Buzz golden ale dry-hopped with Sorachi Ace hops.
  • Grapevine Craft Brewery -- Monarch American wheat with hibiscus, orange peel, sage and lavender tea; and Sir William's brown ale with sassafras, sarsaparilla and vanilla beans.
  • Independence Brewing -- Power & Light pale ale with raspberries; and Busted for Possession IPA and stout blend dry-hopped with Columbus hops.
  • Lakewood Brewing Co. -- Ancho Lager Vienna lager with ancho chilies; and Piña Colada Rock Ryder wheat ale with pineapple and coconut.
  • Martin House Brewing Co. -- Pretzel Stout with Butterfingers candy; and Cellarman's Reserve American IPA with honeydew melon.
  • Peticolas Brewing Co. -- Sledge Hammer triple imperial red ale; and Operation Collaboration India pale ale (brewed in conjunction with San Diego's Green Flash Brewing Co.).
  • Rabbit Hole Brewing -- Ethiopian Rapture brown ale conditioned with Ethiopian coffee; and Simcoe and Six English pale pale with added hops.
  • Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. -- Oak-Aged Regulator Doppelbock; and Iron Joe strong Scotch Ale infused with cold brew coffee.
  • Real Ale Brewing Co. -- 19th Anniversary Baltic Porter; and Full Moon Rye India pale ale dry-hopped with Citra hops.
  • Saint Arnold Brewing Co. -- Divine Reserve 15 Russian imperial stout; and Divine Reserve 14 Belgian strong golden ale.