Aug. 10, 2012
Summer may be dwindling, but there are still some fantastic
opportunities to drink a new-to-you brew while enjoying the unpredictability of
late-season Colorado weather — and maybe learning a little something or
supporting a worthwhile cause along the way. Here’s a rundown of a few
beer-centric events that are happening across the state:
August:
>> Winter Park Beer Festival 2012, Winter Park, Aug. 11
• Brewery to seek out: Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, Idaho.
More than 30 breweries will descend upon Hideaway Park in
downtown Winter Park for the third-annual Winter Park Beer Festival on
Saturday, Aug. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. Get a bottomless 5-ounce tasting cup for
$25 in advance or $30 at the door to sample beers from all over Colorado, plus
a handful of out-of-state visitors hailing from Idaho, California and even
Hawaii. The shindig commences at noon and features live music from the Martin
Harley Band, Good Old War and headliner Mike Doughty.
If you want to make a weekend of it, head up on Friday night
for the Breckenridge Distillery Kickoff Party at Deno’s and stay late Saturday
for the Beer Fest After Party at The Winter Park Pub. VIP packages also are
available and include a commemorative stein and private beer tasting. The
Winter Park Beer Festival is a fundraiser for The Grand Foundation, a
philanthropic agency that seeks to improve the quality of life in Grand County.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit http://winterparkbeerfestival.com.
>> The Wildlife Experience, Art & Ale Brew Festival, Parker, Aug. 17
• Brewery to seek out: Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City.
Cozy up to more than 30 breweries and cider slingers at The
Wildlife Experience educational museum in Parker from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday,
Aug. 17. The venue’s galleries display animal art and sculpture from around the
world, and festival attendees are invited to peruse the exhibits as they sample
beer and food from local vendors. The night wraps up with live music from
Denver cover band Flock of Beagles.
Tickets are $35 for members of The Wildlife Experience and
$40 for nonmembers. You must be 21 or older to attend. Learn more at
http://thewildlifeexperience.org/art-and-ale-brew-festival.
>> Ed Fest 2012, Edwards, Aug. 18
• Brewery to seek out: Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego.
For the second year in a row, Crazy Mountain Brewing Co.
will host Ed Fest at the Riverwalk of Edwards on Saturday, Aug 18, from 3 to 7
p.m. This community festival will feature beer from more than 20 breweries,
including Colorado stalwarts and a few surprises from around the country.
Though the beer is the drinkable darling of this festival,
Crazy Mountain has made the entertainment equally compelling this year by
signing on the Emmitt-Nershi Band. Drew Emmitt, of Leftover Salmon, and Bill
Nershi, from String Cheese Incident, will bring their progressive bluegrass to
pair with your fist full of craft beer. Local rock and funk band Frogs Gone
Fishin’ will open. Proceeds from Ed Fest will support the Eagle Valley Land
Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving open space in the Vail Valley.
Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door. You must be
21 or older to attend. For more information, call 970-926-3009 or visit www.edbeerfest.com.
September:
>> Boulder Brew Fest, Boulder, Sept. 1
• Brewery to seek out: Three Barrel Brewing Co., Del Norte.
The Boulder Theater will house more than 75 of the best
brews in the nation in two sessions on Sept. 1. Each session offers an
early-entry VIP option with a collectable tasting cup, and both VIP and
general-admission tickets include unlimited samplings.
Live music from Chain Station will fill the theater with
wall-to-wall sound for the first session; the second session entertainment has
not yet been announced. Both sessions will include guest speakers from the
brewing industry.
General-admission tickets for Boulder Brew Fest are $40 in
advance or $45 at the door. VIP tickets will be available through LivingSocial
Adventures starting Tuesday, Aug. 14. For more information, visit http://www.boulderbrewfest.com.
>> Brew at the Zoo, Denver, Sept. 7
• Brewery to seek out: Renegade Brewing Co., Denver.
If your social life has been lacking in fur and feathers,
check out Brew at the Zoo from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7, at the Denver
Zoo. This “suds safari” features unlimited samples from more than 40 Colorado
breweries, a souvenir tasting mug and appetizers from some of Denver’s favorite
haunts.
Tickets are $70, or spend $100 for a preview ticket that
gets you into the event an hour early. The money raised by Brew at the Zoo will
benefit the Denver Zoo’s Red Apple Fund for Lifelong Learning, which opens the
doors of animal education to those who otherwise may not be able to afford it.
For more information, visit http://www.denverzoo.org/brew.
>> Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, Telluride, Sept. 14-16
• Brewery to seek out: Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, Ariz.
Telluride festivals are typically all about the music, but
this one puts equal focus on what’s in your tasting glass. The event starts on
Sept. 14, but the beer-tasting portion takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday,
Sept. 15. Of the aforementioned festivals, this one has the biggest consortium
of breweries, featuring more than 50 houses and close to 150 brews. Entrance
into the Grand Tasting is included with all single-day Saturday passes (sold
out) and three-day festival passes ($170).
Jam to Gov’t Mule, Trombone Shorty and Robert Randolph and
the Family Band, among others, at this celebration of beer and blues. To learn
more, visit http://www.tellurideblues.com.
Krista Driscoll
Hophead
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