January 2010 Events
4-6: Derby CAMRA Winter Festival, Derby, England
The Derby Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Derby CAMRA Winter Festival, which will take place in the Darwin Suite of the Assembly Rooms on Derby Market Place. Last year's festival featured 90 Real Ales, including a special festival ale, along with ciders, perries, and foreign bottled beers (this year's beer list has not yet been announced). There will also be a varied lineup of entertainment.
7-9: Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival, Vail, CO
The tenth annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival will be held at Vail Cascade Resort & Spa in Vail. The festival kicks off on Thursday with a brewmaster's dinner hosted by Adam Avery and Sam Calagione. Friday events include an afternoon welcome reception, an AHA-sanctioned homebrew competition, and a brewmaster's dinner hosted by Peter Bouckaert and Lodewijk Swinkels. Saturday events include a tasting session with more than 150 beers from around the world, most of them 7% ABV or stronger; a beer and food pairing challenge; and educational seminars. The festival is a benefit for the Vail Valley Charitable Fund.
8-9: Exeter Festival of Winter Ales, Exeter, England
The Exeter & East Dover Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Exeter Festival of Winter Ales, which will take place at the St James Centre, Exeter City FC. Last year's festival featured more than 60 winter-only beers plus ciders and perries, along with food and live entertainment, a tombola, and a product stand. More details about the 2010 festival will be posted on the branch's website.
9: Ice Cold Beer Fest, Minocqua, WI
The Waters of Minocqua Hotel will host the annual Ice Cold Beer Fest. This is an afternoon event with craft- and microbrewed beer from around Wisconsin. There will also be live music, and food will be available. Proceeds will be donated to the Lakeland Food Pantry.
12: Twisted Pine Potluck, Boulder, CO
The Twisted Pine Brewery, located in Boulder, will host its inaugural Twisted Pine Potluck. The event will be a competition involving 20 dishes, each of them incorporating Twisted Pine beer, with three local chefs choosing the best entries. This event is a fund-raiser for a local food organization.
15-16: Beer Summit Winter Jubilee, Boston, MA
BeerSummit.com presents The Winter Jubilee, which will take place at the Park Plaza Castle in Boston. This three-session event will feature more than 200 beers from over 60 breweries, and the emphasis will be on big beers. There will also be live music.
15-16: Elysian Winter Beer Festival, Ely, England
The Ely & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Elysian Winter Beer Festival, which will take place at Maltings in Ely. More information about this festival will be posted on the branch's website.
15-16: Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival, Anchorage, AK
Aurora Productions, Inc., presents the Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival, which will take place at the Egan Convention Center in Anchorage. The festival consists of three tasting sessions, including a connoisseur session on Saturday afternoon; and each session will feature 200 barleywine-style ales, winter warmers, and other seasonal beers from over 50 breweries, most from Alaska and the West Coast. There will also be food and live music.
16-17: Fox Brew Ha Ha, Grand Rapids, MI
WBFX-FM, "The Fox," presents the Fox Brew Ha Ha, which will take place at the DeltaPlex Arena and Conference Center in Grand Rapids. This two-day event will feature beers from more than 30 breweries, including many from Michigan, along with performances by a lineup of stand-up comedians.
16: WinterHop Brewfest, Ellensburg, WA
The Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce presents the 2010 edition of the WinterHop Brewfest, which will take place at various downtown locations. This is an afternoon event, with beer from 20 Northwest-based breweries.
16: Winterfest, Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach Beer Festivals presents WinterFest, which will take place at Market Common in Myrtle Beach. It will feature the area's largest oyster roast, with WinterFest beers to accompany them. More details about this year's event will be posted on the festival website.
16: World Beer Festival, Columbia, SC
All About Beer magazine presents the World Beer Festival-Columbia, which will take place at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. There will be two sessions, each with 250 or more world-class beers; educational seminars led by beer experts; local cuisine; and music and entertainment. Part of the proceeds will go to local charities.
17-20: Porter's Ale House Beer Festival, Warrington, England
Porter's Ale House, a Real Ale pub located in Warrington, will host a beer festival featuring more than 30 beers from regional and national breweries, plus a selection of real ciders. Food and bar snacks will be available, and admission is free. For more information, contact Gerry by phone at 0789 4260611 or by email at gerryd472 (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk, or visit the pub's Facebook page.
20-23: National Winter Ales Festival, Manchester, England
The National Winter Ales Festival will be held at a new and larger venue, the Sheridan Suite on Oldham Road in Manchester. Recent festivals have featured more than 200 Real Ales, bottled beers, ciders, and perries (this year's beer list TBA on the festival website) as well as the "Champion Beer of Britain" competition, a CAMRA shop, a tombola, and merchandise for sale. Food will be available, and there will be live music as well as quiet areas.
21-23: Cambridge Winter Ale Festival, Cambridge, England
The Cambridge & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Cambridge Winter Ale Festival, which will take place at the University Social Club in Mill Lane. There will be more than 100 beers, with the emphasis on seasonal ales and winter warmers, along with plenty of session beers. The Club will provide hot & cold food.
21-23: Colchester Winter Ale Festival, Colchester, England
The Colchester Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Colchester Winter Ale Festival, which will take place at Colchester Arts Centre, a centuries-old deconsecrated church. Past festivals have featured more than 40 Real Ales from local breweries, plus ciders and perries; food, including a hog roast; and live music. More details about the 2010 festival will be posted on the branch's website.
22: HopCat Extreme Beer Fest, Grand Rapids, MI
HopCat, a beer bar and brewery located in downtown Grand Rapids, will again host an Extreme Beer Fest. This is an evening event featuring more than 20 high-gravity beers, most of them from Michigan, and brewed between 2006 and 2009.
22: Winter Ales Festival, Denver, CO
DenverBrewFest.com presents the Winter Ales Festival, which will take place at Mile High Station in Denver. More than 75 beers from over 20 breweries will be available. Jubal and the Rude Boys will perform, and there will live be food and other vendors. The festival is a benefit for the Swallow Hill Music Association.
23: Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival, Asheville, NC
Asheville Brews Cruise, along with ThreeSheets:Design, French Broad Brewing Company, and The Haywood Park Hotel, present the Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival, which will take place at Haywood Park’s Grand Ballroom. Organizers expect about 15 breweries, most of them from western North Carolina, to be represented. There will also be food and live music. The festival is a benefit for River Link, a local non-profit. Tickets go on sale November 1, and are expected to sell out.
23: Beer Dabbler Showcase at the Winter Carnival, St. Paul, MN
The Beer Dabbler Showcase will host a tasting event at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, which will take place at Mears Park. This is an early evening event, with beer from more than 40 breweries and outdoor pit fires to keep festival-goers warm.
23: Belgianfest, Seattle, WA
The Washington Beer Commission presents Belgianfest, which will take place at The Engine Room at Georgetown Studios in Seattle. There will be two tasting sessions, each with Belgian-style beers from more than 20 Washington State breweries.
23: Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout, Chicago, IL
The Chicago Beer Society presents the Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout, which will take place at the Irish American Heritage Center. This event pairs beers and a food item from competing Chicago-area breweries. Festival-goers will vote for their favorites, and the winners will be announced at the end of the event. This event is limited to Chicago Beer Society members; memberships are available through December 1.
23: Field of Beers Festival, Jupiter, FL
The Field of Beers Festival will be held at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. This is an evening event with 15 stations, each with craft-brewed beer and a member of Chef John Carlino's team of top Palm Beach-area chefs. Each station will offer food and beer that complement one another. Only 300 tickets will be sold, and organizers expect to them to sell out quickly.
23: Mid Michigan Beer Tasting Festival, Bay City, MI
Lumber Baron’s Charcoal Grill & Brew Pub, located in Bay City, will again host the Mid Michigan Beer Tasting Festival. More than 100 beers from beers from around the world will be available, and there will be food and live music. Call the brewpub at 989.891.0100 for more information about the festival.
23-24: Redditch Winter Ale Festival, Redditch, England
The Redditch & Bromsgrove Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Redditch Winter Ale Festival, which will take place at Bridley Moor & Batchley Social Club. Recent festivals have featured about 35 Real Ales, along with ciders and perries; a club bar with food and other drinks; and live music. More details about the 2010 festival will be posted on the branch's website.
28-30: Bent N Bongs Beer Festival, Atherton, England
The Atherton and Tyldesley Round Table presents the Bent N Bongs Beer Festival, which will take place at Formby Hall in Atherton. Last year's festival featured more than 80 Real Ales, including about 20 winter ales (this year's beer list TBA on the festival website). There will also be food, including sausages, black puddings, an homemade pie, as well as entertainment at all sessions.
29-30: Newark Beer Festival, Newark, England
The Newark Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the Newark Beer Festival, which will take place at the Newark Town Hall. Forty traditionally-crafted beers, including strong bitters, stouts, porters and winter warmers, will be available, along with a selection of Real Ciders and Real Perries. There will be two daily general knowledge quizzes for festival-goers.
29-31: St. Louis Centennial Beer Festival, St. Louis, MO
The St. Louis Centennial Beer Festival returns to Moulin, an events center in St. Louis. This year's festival is a weekend-long celebration which includes a Friday dinner hosted by fifth-generation brewmaster George Reisch; a Saturday evening beer tasting with more than 60 beers and live entertainment by Swing Cat Swing (VIP tickets are available to this event); a beer makers' discussion, also on Saturday night; and a "brunch and pub" bus trip with tour guide Donald Roussin, the co-author of St. Louis Brews.
29-30: Tarporley Beer Festival, Tarporley, England
The Tarporley Beer Festival at the Tarporley Community Centre. Organizers expect to have 25 beers available, some of them new beers. Hot food will be served, and there will be live music. Tickets are available from Rachel Sims at 01829 730921 or at the Rising Sun in Tarporley.
29-30: Winterfest XIII, Salisbury, England
The Salisbury & South Wiltshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents Winterfest XIII, which will take place at the Castle Street Social Club in Salisbury. Last year's festival featured about 20 "very different" and "seasonal" Real Ales, along with food and cold snacks. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.
30: Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting, Atlanta, GA
The Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting will be held at 5 Seasons Westside, a restaurant, pub, and brewery located in Atlanta. Fifteen cask-conditioned ales will be available for sampling, and there will be live Celtic music. Food items from 5 Seasons' chef Dave Larkworthy will be on sale during the tasting. Attendance at this event is limited to 275 people.
30: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival, Manhattan, NY
The 2010 Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival tour has added a stop in Manhattan. The festival will be held at la.venue at Terminal Stores, between 27th and 28th Streets. There will be an afternoon VIP Bacon session and an evening general session. Organizers expect to have at least 60 beers and 40 bourbons, along with plenty of barbecue.
30: Brewers of Indiana Guild Winterfest, Indianapolis, IN
The Brewers of Indiana Guild presents Winterfest, which last year took place at Champions Pavilion on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The 2009 inaugural festival featured more than 150 beers, including a selection of cask-conditioned ales and a "Replic-Ale," as well as food, music, and games. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the Guild's website.
30: Brewing Network Winter Brews Festival, Oakland, CA
The Brewing Network will host its inaugural Winter Brews Festival, which will take place at the newly-opened Linden Street Brewery in Oakland. Organizers expect more than 30 breweries, many from California, to take part, and to have a wide range of winter warmers and innovative beers to sample. Hot food will available, and there will be live music.
30: Cincy Winter Beerfest, Cincinnati, OH
Festivals Unlimited, LLC, presents the Cincy Winter Beerfest, which will take place at a new venue, the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati. The 2010 festival will feature more than 150 domestic and imported craft beers. Light snacks will be provided and The Modulators, an eight-piece party band, will perform. VIP tickets, with early admission and a special selection of beers, are available.
30: Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest, Madison, WI
Isthmus magazine presents the Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest, which will take place at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison. This is an afternoon event with beer and cheese sampling (participating breweries and cheesemakers TBA on the festival website), music by the Cork 'n Bottle String Band, and presentations on pairing beer with cheese and other foods.
30: Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival, Jupiter, FL
The fourth annual Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival will be held at a new location: Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Organizers expect to have an expanded selection of more than 100 beers from over 50 breweries based in south Florida and beyond. Food from local restaurants will be available, and local entertainers will perform.
30: Winterfest, Washington, NJ
Winterfest, "A Magical Celebration," returns to the Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington. This is an afternoon event with beer and wine tasting, a German buffet and hot wings, music by The Waffle Band, and guest emcee Norman Worth of WRNJ. The festival is a benefit for the Visiting Homemaker Service.