Big Beers, Belgians, & Barleywines (redux) -- v. 2016

Shooting star effects courtesy of Ma Nature.

All 3 of y’all who read this blog (hi, Mom!) know that we attended last year’s Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines festival in Vail as consumers.  We had a blast (excellent time, file under“market research”) and were pretty psyched to come back this year and pour a few beers.  There’s a lot of the weekend I didn’t capture, some awesome seminars that our team attended, a cigar-and-beer-pairing that I missed (alas), and a ton of fun craft beer folk.  

I think this festival was started, back in the day, because some now-revered craft brewers wanted to get together in the CO mountains and hang out (and a wise choice that was, because HELLO, scenerygoodbeergoodpeople).  I’m pretty sure several of them weren’t in attendance this year, but for those who were – and for all the brewers who’ve come on the scene since then who were here, many thanks for the stellar idea and gathering!  ​

When this is what you see on the drive and out your porch door the first morning,
how can there be anything wrong with the weekend?

Plus, where else but on the way up that canyon are you going to find a school with a mascot like this?

Stocked the 'fridge and then headed out to the Thursday night Brewers' Reception. Slight consternation upon being greeted by this when arriving:

---

These are not the 'droids you're looking for.

We eventually found the right room, where some tasty beers were being poured by some fun peeps, e.g.:

Tim of Strange Craft and I think the BSG CraftBrewing guy, who sponsored this shindig for all of us, and whose name I've inexplicably forgotten (I am so very good at this networking thing!). 

Antics ensued.

Titus sat on the high side of the table at dinner.

Chadwick trying to persuade all to participate in a round of spin-the-shot-wheel.

Saw this sign in Vail Village.  All listed in the correct order.

Friday we did some teambuilding. 

@Bonfire Brewing.

Bonfire shared a new sour with us!

@ Crazy Mountain Brewery

That's what the kids are calling it these days.

Titus & Luke tried their best to teach some of us some dart technique.   Please weigh in on our teachability:

The remarkable thing about this photo at Vail Brewing Co. is that none of us are wearing the same H&D shirt.  Not as easy as it sounds, to wit...

...Luke & TimCo sporting the newest fashion in men's P.J.'s:  Sad Panda LS tee + plaid trou.

Friday night we had BEERTOSHARE, in which we so firmly believe that I think it's a program we need to get on.  Is there a better way to gather than over a large-format bottle of great craft beer?

We were ever so social until Chad learned that the pour list for the next day's commercial tasting had been released. Here he is 3 nanoseconds later:

I managed to miss the Saturday morning seminars (which I hear included some samples of 2006 Utopias, the last year they did an unblended version of this beer) and hearing from our friend Neil Fisher of Weldwerks empaneled alongside giants from Sam Adams & Lagunitas (woot woot!), and a by-all-accounts impressive presentation on human's beer-sensing anatomy in The Science Behind Flavor by Nicole Garneau.  I missed these because I was running back to FoCo for a meeting -- during which trip I had cause to be grateful I don't make the Saturday-morning drive west on I-70, ever.  (Saw some cool decorated-by-the-elements trees and a great sunrise, tho'.)

[Speaking of FoCo, huge gracias to these folks for holding down The Fort while so many of us were away!]

We've done this.  It isn't easy.  Thanks, Tucker!

​A couple of notes about the actual tasting event at Big Beers -- to be in the festival, a beer must either be over 7% ABV (big), a Belgian style (Belgian, natch), a barleywine (by definition big?), or an experimental beer.  It makes the commercial tasting quite an experience – a ton of beers I hadn’t tried before and the ability to talk with people integral to the companies that made each beer (often the brewers themselves) makes this festival a standout.  And then there are just the fun folks you bump into (almost all of whom know a ton about beer – it’s an education to wander around this place).  *If you're after extensive reviews & beer-tasting notes, stop reading here and go on over to one of the real beer reporters' blogs or articles. I got some good tasting advice from a few of them, including Jonathan Shikes of Westword, who's likely to have a column on it in a minute here.  Though I missed him I'd be shocked if Tristan Chan of porchdrinking.com was not there. Focus on the Beer also had a camera or two there.  *

Tom (Black Bottle brewer) & Diana & Matthew. And a dude from Barrelworks, if his hat is any indication.

We recognized this guy serving up samples behind Odell's jockey box.

Theodore, returning to his home turf.

Some attendees who knew Linsey in her college days (pre-brewing, during the Zoology era).

Such a high to be around folks who are brewing and showcasing great beers and who love what they do.
 
Now, back to the (great) grind.  But with happy memories of a weekend well spent!