When you live in a state that produces more beer by volume than any other state in the nation there are bound to be a lot of local beer festivals hosted in any given year.  Northern Colorado certainly has its share of award winning breweries and beers.  And when there are dozens of breweries all gathered up in one small area there are bound to be a lot of great beer festivals.

 

Today, the Northern Colorado Beer Examiner proudly reveals some of the Best Beer Festivals in Northern Colorado.   There are dozens of beer festivals held annually in this part of the state Some are centered on beer alone, some are mixed with live music, some with food pairings and others with heritage in mind.   But which beer festivals are considered the best, the must see, the crème de la crème?

 

Here are some of the criteria that were used to determine which Northern Colorado beer festivals were among the very best.

-  The number of festival attendees.  The more people who attend, the more popular the event tends to be.

-  The number of breweries attending the festival.  The more brewers, the more variety available which adds to the uniqueness and attraction.

-  The number of different beers and styles available.  Variety is the spice of life and if you give festival goers a lot of beer choices they’ll more likely find one or two they really love and come back for them again.

-  Location.  Let’s face it, with a backdrop of the Colorado Rockies, what better location for a beer festival can you have?  The more picturesque the scenery, the better.  If the location has a lot of other attractions nearby it draws even more people.

-  Reputation.  Having put on successful beer fests in the past will help draw attendees back next year.  Some of the best have been around for decades.

Given the context above, let’s take a look at the best beer festivals in Northern Colorado.  The beer festivals that appear here are not in any particular order but are considered among the best around.

 

1. Summer Brew Fest (Denver).  This festival was put on sponsored by local radio stations and was located right outside of Coors Field in downtown Denver in the Main Parking Lot A.  Over 21 breweries and 60 different beers were available to capacity crowds.  This festival was last held near the end of July.

 

2. Big Beers Belgians & Barleywines Festival (Vail).  This just happens to be one of the first beer festivals of the year held in early January and gaining quickly in popularity.  Both professional brewers and amateur homebrewers bring their best strong beers to this 3-day event up at the Vail ski resort.  Now in it’s 9^th year, this festival sells out quickly.  Great beers, excellent speakers and lots of great fine food are served here.

 

3. Colorado Brewers’ Festival (Fort Collins).   Last June this event celebrated the 19^th anniversary of this popular beer festival in Old Town Fort Collins. Over 400 kegs from dozens of local breweries are served up over this 2-day festival.  Thousands gather for great beer, food and music.  This fest helped put Fort Collins on the map in the big craft beer world.

 

4. Microbreweries for the Environment Benefit (Boulder).  This beer festival is actually a large fundraiser to raise awareness of how important our environment is.   Beer is the attraction and draws a large crowd each year.  20 different breweries were in attendance pouring dozens of different brews.  Fest goers get to enjoy great beer and music at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, CO.  This event is held near the end of April.

 

5. Boulder Strong Ale Festival (Boulder).  Another very popular beer fest put on by sponsor Avery Brewing.  This festival features 70 of the biggest and baddest beers around from over 30 breweries – all 8% alcohol or higher.   Last year’s fest drew a sold out capacity crowd at Harpo’s Sports Grill in Boulder.  This is one fest where getting a nearby hotel room is highly recommended.  This 2-day fest is held in mid-April each year.

 

6. Small Batch Beer Festival (Fort Collins).  This festival is only a couple of years old now, but judging by the numbers of people who attend it’s only going to get bigger.  Odell Brewery sponsors this event at their brewing facility in Fort Collins. They showcase over 20 of their best beers for over 3000 attendees.  This event attracts over 1000 bicycles as the locals tend leave their cars at home.  If this event gets any bigger they’re going to have to get a bigger facility and with Odell’s upcoming expansion, they’re planning for just that.  This event is held during the last weekend of May or early June.

 

7. Breckenridge Beer Festival (Breckenridge).  This busy mountain ski town hosts several beer festivals during the year but the mid-summer festival is one of it’s most popular beer fests.  Held in July, Breckenridge draws over 17 microbreweries from around Colorado and nearby states and takes over the small downtown business district.

 

8. Keystone Beer and Bluegrass Festival (Keystone). This music and brew fest draws thousands to SummitCounty in early August.  Over 25 Colorado breweries attend this 2-day fest.  Lots of great beer, food and bluegrass music are the main attraction here in this small ski village.   Taste beers in either small beer gardens or at the brewers tents.

 

9. Brew at the Zoo (Denver).   In a most unusual setting, the Denver Zoo, over 50 Colorado breweries and restaurants bring their best beers for this one night event.  Party with the animals.  Go dancing, eat some great food and sample some of the best beers in the region.  Judging by the attendance this year in early September, this is going to be a huge annual event.

 

10. Steamboat Brewers’ Festival (Steamboat Springs).  This festival started up in 2007 and invites over 20 brewers from 3 different states, Colorado, Wyoming and Oregon, to pour beers for this bustling ski resort town.  This festival takes place during the peak of the fall color season in late September up in the beautiful north central Colorado mountains.

 

11. Oktoberfest on

Larimer Square

(Denver).  This is an annual event so big that is takes two back to back weekends to contain it all.  Denver just celebrated the 39^th annual Oktoberfest during the latter weekends of September and draws thousands to downtown Denver each year.  Great German food, music and festivities for not only the adults but kids as well.   This fest is bound to be a fixture in Denver for some time to come.

 

12. Great American Beer Festival (Denver).  Now in its 27^th year, the GABF is one of the biggest beer festivals in the world and is held each fall in downtown Denver.   Over 470 breweries with over 2400 different beers come together with tens of thousands of beer fans in the ColoradoConvention Center to celebrate all that is and will be – BEER.  This festival spans 3-days and 4 separate sessions to accommodate all of the thirsty fans. This festival typically sells out every year and is considered to be one of the 1000 events to visit before you die.  This year’s fest runs from October 9-11, but the event is already SOLD OUT.

 

There you have it.  Twelve of the best beer festivals in Northern Colorado.  There are many more and I wish I could list them all here.  Even Southern Colorado hosts some really good beer festivals, but I'll save those for Eli the Southern Colorado Beer Examiner to share for another time.