Vail Big Beers Festival tickets are available soon!

Tickets for one of the best beer festivals you'll ever attend will go on sale on September 4th at 10am. If you've been a long time reader of this blog, the Vail Big Beers fest needs no introduction from us, we talk about it constantly. But, if you're new(ish) to the site, here the low down:

Photo Recap: Vail Big Beers Fest 2013

Yesterday we suggested that the commercial tasting a is just one of many 'main events' of the Vail Big Beers Festival. We presented some of the educational seminars, which for me, are some of my favorite moments of the fest because I like to geek out on all things beer, and it's especially exciting to have many experts in the field lead the workshops. I'm not downplaying the commercial tasting at all though, it is indeed the culmination of the best beer festival I've ever been to. The beers that are available are top notch, very impressive, and many of the actual brewers are there to pour the beers for you. Today we'd like to give you a photo recap of the tasting portion of the festival and a few other special moments we had at other moments with friends. I'll let the photos do most of the talking here.

Vail Big Beers and the Various "Main Events" of the Festival

The Vail Big Beers Festival is like an extension of the holiday season. The holidays are always a beautiful time of the year, I look forward to them, I love traveling to see my family, I love the food, the smell of the Christmas tree, I love partying with friends on New Year's Eve, and I love that in my life time seems to slow down a bit. Luckily, when it's all over you still have this festival to look forward to, as it usually takes place within two weeks of the new year. I've attended the festival for three years in a row now, I've proclaimed loudly that it is my favorite festival, and each year I look back and cherish the two-three days I spent in Vail.

Many people call the "Commercial Tasting" the main event of the festival. This is much like other festivals where breweries set up their booths and pour small samples of beer. At this festival all the beer is over 8% and a lot of it is really specialty and hard to get stuff. But for me, this commercial tasting is not the sole reason I attend, nor is it the main event in my mind. Instead there is a diffusion of main events, multiple educational seminars, outstanding beer dinners, a gigantic mountain for skiing, and a good chance to catch up with friends from other places. These are all the "main events" of Vail Big Beers.

Vail Big Beer Tickets go on sale this Saturday!

One of the best beer festivals anywhere-ever is just around the bend and tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am. If you don't want to take my word here's what Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, says: “The Big Beers Fest in Vail is always one of my favorite events of the year. It sells out quick and it rules.” I've talked to so many people about their favorite festivals and a lot of people agree that the Vail Big Beers Fest is top notch. Also, a lot of people have said that they haven't attended it yet but it's on their list. Well, now is your chance! Get your tickets starting this Saturday, the event is far enough advance notice that you can rearrange your work schedule. January 10-12, 2013. It's going to be awesome.

Check out our photo recaps: Sam Calagione pairs beer and music, the Big Beers tasting.

Here's Ticket Info

January 10-12, 2013. 
Vail Cascade Resort & Spa
The cheapest package is the $55 and includes entry to the commercial tasting (festival) as well as all the seminars that take place that day and the night before. There's are other events, such as the beer dinners, that can be bought individually or in packages.
Check out all the ticket packages and prices here.

Vail Big Beers 2012 Image Recap

I think I've talked enough about the Vail Big Beers Festival over the past month. I've been to quite a few beer festivals, I've written a few times about my opinions on good vs. bad beer festivals, and this one is hands-down my favorite. If you go next year, you should plan to go to the seminars earlier in the day, and if you can afford it, go to the ones the night before too. Because I've talked about the festival so much already I'm not going to say a whole lot in this post, I'm going to let the photos do most of the talking. Oh! And if you haven't seen it yet, here is our recap of the DJ Dogfish Head seminar, here's a recap from Denver Off The Wagon and another nice summary from the Beer Run Blog.

One reason to go to this festival: you can meet and talk to
all these pretty amazing brewers and brewery owners.

And if you needed another reason to attend the festival...

Yes, this happens there too... (from Crazy Mountain Brewing)

DJ Sam Calagione at Vail Big Beers 2012

Pearl Jam beer paired with Pearl Jam's music

You should listen to The Mekon's on grooveshark.com while you read this post...

I look forward to it now every year, and somehow the Vail Big Beers Festival has already come and gone and it continues to be my very favoritist beer festival. Perhaps one of the most seductive parts of the festival is the night we all get to spend with Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head. Each year he gives a presentation at the festival, last year he lead us on a visual journey of all the places he visited to create the brewery's set of historical ales, and this year we had more of a sensory experience as he led us through beer and music pairings. The event was relatively intimate, a large group sat in a small room complete with candles, bean bag chairs, and a large display of glassware and beer.