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The Eighth
Annual Big Beers,
Belgians & Barleywines Festival
was a GREAT success! Thank you to all who participated and attended!
Check out this year's winners
Join us next year for another fabulous event!
 Vail, Colorado •
January
9-10, 2009
2008 Host: Vail Marriott Mountain
Resort & Spa
Weekend Schedule
Imagine a World Class Winter Wonderland of fun activities in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado…and then top off your trip with a World Class International Beer Festival, complete with Brewmasters’ Dinners and Seminars by some of the world’s most innovative Brewers…
Too good to be true? Read on!
Join us for the Eighth Annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines
Festival Weekend! Come up to Vail to experience
the event that beer connoisseurs are raving about. Homebrewers,
Professional Brewers and Industry Gurus alike speak highly
with regard to the unique format, the unusual international
collection of beers, the organization and the overall quality
of the event. For those of you who are Big Beers Festival veterans, this Eighth Annual event promises to be exceptional, touting two new seminars and an additional beer dinner!
“It’s one of the best festivals in the
country. The sheer diversity and availability of such exotic
beer styles all in one location really gives the consumer
a great opportunity. Plus it’s got a nice educational
component that Bill Lodge has dreamed up, which encourages
people to try different styles and not just stick to one thing.”
- John Carlson, Colorado Brewers Guild Executive Director |
“This is an important event, because you can scout so many new beers, especially the Belgians and the barleywines, which can be hard to come by. I've never tried mead before, but it was so light and airy that I'm really loving it."
Chip Nelson, Director of Food & Beverage, Vail Marriot Mountain Resort & Spa, Vail, CO |
“Ocean liners and dust particles aside, the Big Beers Festival is big in the ways that matter –
the flavors of its brews, the dedication of its organizers,
and the passion of its fans.”
- Rick Matsumoto, Rocky Mountain Brewing News |
“I think this festival is a really important
festival for Colorado…There are very few festivals where
you can have the diversity of beers that Bill puts together.”
- Adam Avery, Avery Brewing Company |
Weekend Schedule
Lodging Rates and Information
 It’s the perfect combination for a Winter Wonderland getaway:
A world-class Beer Festival at a world-class Ski Resort! There
are discounted ski/snowboard rentals available, discounted
lodging, and other arrangements made for Big Beers Festival
attendees. All events will be held at the Vail Mountain Marriott host resort unless otherwise noted.
Thursday evening opens the Eighth Festival Weekend with a special treat! Our 2005 Featured Brewmasters return to Vail as Experimental Brewers (or “Brewers Gone Wild!”), and are rolling out the red carpet with a Beer Pairing dinner reminiscent of the first Brewmasters’ Dinner. Join Adam Avery, Brewmaster/Founder of Avery Brewing, and Sam Caligione, Founder/President of Dogfish Craft Brewing, as they start the weekend off right with some incredible beers. See the Brewmasters’ Dinner page for location and further information.
Friday afternoon (1:00 – 2:00 pm) a crazy brewing posse welcomes you to Vail with the Experimental Brewers’ Reception, and offers the opportunity to hobnob with some of the most innovative brewers in the world. Our 2008 “Brewers Gone Wild” are:
Will Meyers, Cambridge Brewing Co.
Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Brewery & Eats
Peter Bouckaert, New Belgium Brewing Co.
Adam Avery, Avery Brewing Co.
Guests attending multiple weekend events, Volunteers, Judges, Brewers and Brewery Representatives are welcome to drop in for some extreme beers and meet our Experimental Brewing panel.
Chef Mohr will be pairing appetizers and finger foods with each of the Brewers' beers.
Friday afternoon (2:30 pm) is the American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned Belgians, Barleywines and Strong Ales Homebrew Competition Judging. This event is a tasting by a select judging panel for entries registered in advance. For more information about the competition, see the Homebrew Competition page. Spectators and interested parties are welcome to attend, although participation is by prior arrangement only.
Friday evening is the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Brewmasters’ Dinner. Our 2008 event host is the Ocotillo Restaurant, conveniently located within the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort. Chef Mercer Mohr will be pairing his culinary creations with both the handcrafted brews of Doug Odell, Founder/Brewmaster of Odell Brewing in Ft. Collins, Colorado, and those of Tomme Arthur, Director
of Brewing Operations for The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing in San Diego, CA. Chef Mohr has invited Beer Chef Bruce Paton, Executive Chef of The Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco, CA to join him in pairing and designing the menu for the 2008 Brewmasters’ Dinner. This delightful dining experience will commence with Hors d’Oeuvres at 8:30 pm. As a friendly reminder, the Brewmasters’ Dinner has a tremendous following and is almost immediately sold out each year.
 Saturday morning is a new element to our Big Beers Festival Weekend. White Labs Yeast Company has graciously underwritten an Experimental Brewing Seminar, titled “Brewing Outside of the Box: Brewers Gone Wild!” This year’s “Brewers Gone Wild” are Adam Avery, Avery Brewing Co, Peter Bouckaert, New Belgium Brewing Co, Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Brewery & Eats, and Will Meyers, Cambridge Brewing Co. See the Seminars page for further information…it’s definitely worth getting out of bed!
Saturday afternoon, the Commercial Tasting portion of the Big Beers Festival begins at 1:00 pm. and continues through until 7:00 pm. This international tasting is open to the public and showcases over 150 different commercially produced specialty beers from around the world. Saturday’s event includes the 2008 Homebrew Competition Awards Presentation, showcases two educational seminars by our featured Brewmasters from Odell and The Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, and this year Julia Herz of the Brewers Association will be moderating a new seminar on Beer & Food. This Beer & Food Seminar will feature a panel of Importers and American Craft Brewers and their brews. See the Seminars page for further information.
Lodging Rates and Information
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 The Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival actively
supports the efforts of the Vail Valley Charitable
Fund, a local organization that helps individuals
who live and work in the Vail Valley that have critical financial
need due to medical catastrophes, accidents or long-term illnesses.
For more information about the VVCF, see our website at www.vvcf.net or contact Karen Simon, 970-845-6339.
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