Silicon Valley Beer Week—the annual celebration of all things barley, hops and malt—kicks off July 22 with a citywide party taking place at three of San Jose’s premier microbreweries.

Whether it’s your first time diving into the world of ABVs and IBUs or you’re already a seasoned microbrew pro, the kickoff party is a surefire way to get a sampling of the Valley’s newest and most innovative beers. Here’s a recap of what three local breweries are cooking up for beer lovers over the course of eight days.

Strike Brewing Co.

Follow the forklifts and wafting smell of yeast to Strike Brewing’s San Jose warehouse for an afternoon of good food, cold beers and live music from DBA, founder and brewmaster Drew Ehrlich’s classic rock tribute band. Strike’s Rick Esparza noted that the kickoff party is a time to connect with the community and remind people that Strike is open for after-work happy hours and casual weekend hangouts. “We’re all about brewing and building a sense of community in this area, and we just want to make sure that people know there’s a place for good-quality, craft beer coming out of San Jose,” Esparza said.

Enjoy happy hour pricing all night with $1 off pints, including two of Strike’s newest seasonals: Lucky Bullet Belgian Wheat, an unfiltered take on the classic with hints of chamomile and coriander; and the Santa Cruz Screaming Hand Imperial Amber, a smooth and balanced malt-based ale. The Game Day Truck will also be taking residence in the back lot, grilling up ballpark classics like sliders, hot wings and tacos with a modern, sophisticated twist.

Santa Clara Valley Brewing

Santa Clara Valley Brewing’s presence in this year’s Beer Week was a “no-brainer,” according to Peter Estanial. The brewery sales manager pointed out that celebrating local beers is just another way to commemorate all that San Jose has to offer in terms of small-batch, handcrafted brews. “For a city of one million,” Estanial said, “San Jose is underrepresented in terms of microbreweries, so Silicon Valley Beer Week should really just be a celebration about being here.”

Kick off Beer Week in their new taproom space—fully decked with a bar and plenty of tables and couches, perfect for playing board games—or relax in front of the massive flat screen TV. For just $7, partiers can enjoy four-beer flights of any of the brewery’s dozen beers on tap. Also look out for their seasonal summer specials, which will be released specially for the kickoff party. Beers include a German-style hefeweizen and the Blood Orange IPA, a variation on their classic Electric Tower IPA.

Hermitage Brewing Co.

Take a seat by the colorfully decorated murals adorning Hermitage’s taproom walls and the towering stack of wooden barrels, and enjoy a pint from one of their small-batch brews, which range from year-round varieties to summer seasonals.

Open from 4-9 p.m. for the kickoff, Hermitage will feature two summertime varieties: Sour Cherry Sour, a strikingly tart and refreshing American sour; and the Strawberry Rhubarb Sour, the closest thing to liquefied alcoholic pie. Food truck El Burrito Loco will serve up tacos, tortas, tostadas and other Mexican favorites under the shade of the beer silo. Here, guests can sip the aromatic and citrusy Pamplemousse Belgian Grapefruit Pale ($5.25) or opt for “hop insanity” with Hermitage’s No Spin Triple IPA ($8), a mighty but mellow ale with a kick at 9.5 percent alcohol by volume.

UPDATE: Gordon Biersch brewery in downtown San Jose had to pull out of Silicon Valley Beer Week’s kickoff event due to scheduling issues.

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