Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival Returns January 10-12, 2019 to Breckenridge, Colorado

| December 12, 2018 | Beer events, Beer to do list, Beer Travel | No Comments

Over the years we have read and heard first hand accounts about the beauty and the excitement of the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival. Held each year in the Rocky Mountains this highly coveted festival brings the best of the best in craft beer to the high elevation of Colorado.

Held at 9600 Feet, Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival returns January 10-12, 2019 to Breckenridge for a weekend filled with big, bold beers, seminars and food pairings. The 2019 edition of Big Beers will feature nearly 150 breweries from around the globe in a town filled with outdoor adventure. Participating Pacific Northwest breweries include Alesong Brewing & Blending, Ancestry Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, Ecliptic Brewing, Fremont Brewing, and The Ale Apothecary.

Views of the Colorado Rockies while at the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Views of the Colorado Rockies while at the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.

With low priced airfare into Denver and a beautiful drive to the mountains we had the opportunity to attend Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival for the very first time earlier this year in January. The festival is now held in the scenic Colorado ski town of Breckenridge. This marked the second consecutive year that the Big Beers Festival was held in Breckenridge as it transitioned from a 16-year run in nearby Vail.

“Beaver Run Resort and the Breckenridge Tourism Office played a key role in our relocation,” said Laura Lodge, event coordinator in a statement. “And the number of local business who are excited to support our event and participate throughout the weekend has been amazing.”

We arrived in Breckenridge on January 4th, the first day of 18th edition of this three-day Big Beers weekend. The three days are filled with educational seminars, food and beer pairings and it all culminates on the Saturday for the actual all-inclusive festival itself. Plus, many bars in the ski town of Breckenridge host after parties with many of the festival breweries.

The 2019 Big Beers Festival kicks off on January 10th with the festival’s annual Calibration Dinner. Enjoy a double beer pairing dinner with tasty beers from both Avery Brewing and Dogfish Head at each course. Adam Avery will once again be hosting the Calibration Dinner that takes place in the Imperial Ballroom at Beaver Run Resort. Visit the Calibration Dinner page for further information.

Then on Friday and Saturday the seminars take place. This strong focus on education is a highlight of Big Beers weekend and is what sets this weekend event apart from many other festivals. These seminars are designed for both the professional brewer and the imbiber in mind. Plus, a weekend of skiing and then imbibing is not a bad scenario.

The ski runs of Breckendridge Resort are the backdrop of the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The ski runs of Breckenridge Resort are the backdrop of the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
A carb refuling break with Odell Brewing Drumroll APA while hitting the slopes during the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
A carb refueling break with Odell Brewing Drumroll APA while hitting the slopes during the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.

On Friday this comes forth with Cicerone Workshops and Food and Beer Pairings in the daytime and later in the night one on Cigar Pairings. Then when Saturday rolls around the education focus is on Experimental Brewing session, Technical Track offerings, Featured Brewmasters seminars and a few others will bring knowledge to attendees prior to the Commercial Tasting that takes place from 2:30-6:00pm on two floors of the conference center. Find out full details on all seminars on the Big Beers website.

Once the seminars conclude the Commercial Tasting of the 2019 Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival takes place inside the Beaver Run Resort. This late afternoon tasting takes up two massive floors of the conference center with many brewers pouring at each brewery booth. For tickets to the Commercial Tasting click here.

Adam Avery, founder of Avery Brewing pouring at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Adam Avery, founder of Avery Brewing pouring at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.

Here’s a preview of the breweries that will pouring its beers.

2019 Participating Breweries:
21st Amendment Brewery
4 Hands Brewing Co.
4 Noses Brewing Co.
Alesong Brewing and Blending
Alpine Beer Co.
Alpine Dog Brewing Co.
Amalgam Brewing Co.
Ancestry Brewing
Angry James Brewing Co.
Artisanal Imports
Atom Brewing Co.
Avery Brewing Co.
Ayinger
Baere Brewing Co.
Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Barrel of Monks Brewing
Bell’s Brewery
Big Choice Brewing
BJ’s Brewhouse
Black Project
Blackberry Farm
Bonfire Brewing
Bootstrap Brewing
Boston Beer Co
Boulevard Brewing Co.
Breckenridge Brewery
Bristol Brewing Co.
Broken Compass Brewing
Brooklyn Brewery
Bruz Beers
Burns Family Artisan Ales
Call to Arms
Carton Brewing
Casey Brewing and Blending
Cellar West Artisan Ales
Cerebral Brewing
Chain Reaction Brewing
Cigar City Brewing
Comrade Brewing Co.
Copper Kettle Brewing Co
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Crow Hop Brewing Co., Ltd
Declaration Brewing
Deep Ellum Brewing Co.
Deschutes Brewery
DESTIHL Brewery
Dillon Dam Brewery
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Dry Dock Brewing
Duvel Moortgat
Ecliptic Brewing Co.
Eddyline Brewery
El Rancho Brewing Co.
Elevation Beer Co.
Epic Brewing Co.
FATE Brewing Co.
Fiction Beer Co.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Founders Brewing Co.
Fremont Brewing
Funkwerks
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co
Goose Island Beer Co.
Grand Teton Brewing
Gravity Brewing
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Green Flash Brewing Co.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Grossen Bart
High Alpine Brewing Co.
High Hops Brewery
Hogshead Brewery
Holidaily Brewing Co.
Horse & Dragon Brewing Co.
Jessup Farm Barrel HouseJoyride Brewing Co.
Kane Brewing Co.
La Cumbre Brewing Co.
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Liberati Osteria & Oenobeers
Lindemans
Liquid Mechanics Brewing
Locavore Beer Works
Lone Tree Brewing Co.
Loveland Aleworks
Mad Fritz Brewing Co.
Marble Brewery
Melvin Brewing
Merchant du Vin
Mikerphone Brewing
Mockery Brewing
New Belgium Brewing
New Holland Brewing Co.
New Image Brewing
Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri
Odd13 Brewing
Odell Brewing Co.
Odyssey Beerwerks
Brewery Ommegang
Oskar Blues Brewery
Our Mutual Friend Brewing
Outer Range Brewing Co.
Paradox Beer Company, Inc.
Payette Brewing Company
Pikes Peak Brewing
Poseidon Brewing Company
Pug Ryan’s Brewing Company
Ratio Beerworks
Resolute Brewing
Rhinegeist Brewery
River North Brewery
Roadhouse Brewing Co.
Rochefort
Samuel Smith
Sanitas Brewing Company
Shmaltz Brewing Company
Side Project Brewing
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Ska Brewing
Solemn Oath Brewery
Soulcraft Brewing Co.
Steamworks Brewing Company
Stone Brewing
Strange Craft Beer Company
Surly Brewing Co.
Telluride Brewing Company
Traquair
The Ale Apothecary
The Bakers’ Brewery
The Colorado Farm Brewery
Three Barrel Brewing Co.
Three Taverns Brewery
Trinity Brewing
Tröegs Independent Brewing
Two Roads Brewing Company
Upland Brewing
Upslope Brewing Company
Ursula Brewery
Vail Brewing Co.
Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project
WeldWerks Brewing
Westbound and Down Brewing Co.
Westmalle
Wiley Roots Brewing Company
Wit’s End Brewing Co.
Woods Boss Brewing Company
Zundert
Zwei Brewing Co.

Matt Van Wyk from Alesong Brewing & Blending pouring at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Van Wyk from Alesong Brewing & Blending pouring at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.

Also taking place in Breckenridge the same weekend as Big Beers is Ullr Fest, that celebrates the Norse mythic god Ullr. Taking place from January 9-12, 2019, Ullr Fest celebrates its 55th year in 2019 with some fun filled outdoor winter activities for the entire family and a few for just the adults.

Ullr Fest features an Ullr Parade, a Ullr Bonfire made up of retired Christmas trees, an Ullr Ice Plunge and an attempt to break the world’s longest shot ski record at Ullr Shot Ski that spans 1250 feet in length.

Big Beers takes place at Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center that’s located at the base of peak 9 at the Breckenridge Ski Resort. Beaver Run is a full service, year round resort featuring slope-side condominium style lodging, multiple on-site bars and restaurants as well the largest conference center in Breckenridge, Colorado.  Visit http://beaverrun.com/ for more information.

Here are additional photos from the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival weekend…

Preparing for the Coffee In Your Beer seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Preparing for the Coffee In Your Beer seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Tasting through the Coffee In Your Beer seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Tasting through the Coffee In Your Beer seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Adventures in Babysitting Barrels seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Adventures in Babysitting Barrels seminar during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
A couple offerings during the Coffee In Your Beer seminar at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
A couple offerings during the Coffee In Your Beer seminar at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Good Bugs Fermentation Series event at Apres in downtown Breckenridge that took place while the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival was in town.
Good Bugs Fermentation Series event at Apres in downtown Breckenridge that took place while the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival was in town.
Cam O'Connor from Crux Fermentation Project pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Cam O’Connor from Crux Fermentation Project pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Always great to have a pour of Sierra Nevada Brewing Narwhal while at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Always great to have a pour of Sierra Nevada Brewing Narwhal while at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Denver's Comrade Brewing pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Denver’s Comrade Brewing pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Goose Island Beer Co. pours a rare variant of Bourbon County Brand Stout at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Goose Island Beer Co. pours a rare variant of Bourbon County Brand Stout at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Portland based DigitalPour is one of the returning sponsors of the 2019 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Portland based DigitalPour is one of the returning sponsors of the 2019 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
La Cumbre from New Mexico served up a few of its offerings at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
La Cumbre from New Mexico served up a few of its offerings at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Brynildson pouring Krieky Bones at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Brynildson pouring Krieky Bones at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
John Mallett (right) from Bell's Brewery at the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
John Mallett (right) from Bell’s Brewery at the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The first floor of the two floor lever at Beaver Run Resort during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The first floor of the two floor lever at Beaver Run Resort during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The enjoyable crowd enjoying unlimted pours during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The enjoyable crowd enjoying unlimited pours during the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Tim Meyers from Strange Craft at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Tim Meyers from Strange Craft at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The Squarrel, a new way to barrel aged beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The Squarrel, a new way to barrel aged beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Van Wyk from Alesong Brewing & Blending tasting Julia Herz from the Brewers Association through his beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Van Wyk from Alesong Brewing & Blending tasting Julia Herz from the Brewers Association through his beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
John Barley from Solemn Oath Brewery pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
John Barley from Solemn Oath Brewery pouring at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Zach Nichols from Cellar West pouring his beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Zach Nichols from Cellar West pouring his beers at the 2018 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Van Wyk, D.J. Paul and Jeremy Tofte drinking margaritas late in the evening in Breckenridge during the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
Matt Van Wyk, D.J. Paul and Jeremy Tofte drinking margaritas late in the evening in Breckènridge during the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The scenic mountain town of Breckenridge is home to the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
The scenic mountain town of Breckenridge is home to the annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.
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About The Author

DJ

D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.