If there is still plenty of blank space in your 2019 calendar, you might consider filling some of those dates with a beer festival or two. True, it seems that there are multiples fests happening each weekend in almost every state (and abroad as well), but there are some that rise to the top of a foamy glass and are worthy of your attention, time, and ticket dollars.
Big Beers, Belgians, and Barleywines Festival
Breckenridge, Colorado, January 11–12, 2019
It’s not too late to make your way to the mountains in Colorado for a weekend of high ABV beers at a high altitude. Now in its twentieth year, the Big Beers, Belgians, and Barleywines Festival brings brewers from across the country to Breckenridge for skiing, educational seminars, and special beer-pairing dinners. The highlight is the commercial beer tasting where almost 100 breweries gather and pour from across their offerings, so long as it fits into the above categories. What you get is a (mostly) IPA-free fest and a chance to explore boozy depth from strong ales, winter warmers, Belgian-style quads, and all manner of barrel-aged goodness. There are dozens of affiliate events, tap takeovers, and even a pop-in bar at the host hotel run by Falling Rock, the venerable Denver beer bar. There’s a reason that this festival is routinely ranked as one of the best in the country. If you can’t make it this weekend, get it on your calendar for 2020. BigBeersFestival.com