You Have to Attend These Three Big Beers Seminars

Beer Festival
Written By Focus on the Beer

Oh how we love heading up to Vail for their yearly beer festival. Add in a bunch of high ABV beer and all the best people from the industry, and you can quickly see how fun of a weekend it is. The best part is quite easily the seminars, where attendees can learn in depth from brewers and industry veterans. If you're heading up to the high country this weekend, make sure to hit up these seminars. American Style Sour Beer: Attendees learn about how Americans have created their own style of sours from Ben Knutson, AC Golden Brewing Co.

Experimental Brewing Seminar

Topic: KoelschipsSaturday 9:30–11:30 am  Rocky Mountain Ballroom

Panelists:Jason Perkins, Allagash Brewing Co.Jason Yester, Trinity Brewing Co.Chase Healey, Prairie Artisan AlesJeffrey Stuffings, Jester King Brewery

Moderator:David Edgar

What they say: Our earliest seminar on Saturday morning is the Experimental Brewing Seminar, running from 9:30am – 11:30am. The result of a brainstorming session geared toward including innovative brewers who are mapping out the future of craft brewing, but may not be geared toward packaging or nationwide marketing, the Big Beers Festival is pleased to once again host  “Brewing Outside the Box: Brewers Gone Wild!”  The following Brewmasters will be presenting on the 2016 topic: Koelschips.

Our take: The early-Saturday morning seminars are always the best. Save the partying for Saturday night and rest up Friday to be ready to go Saturday morning.

Beer & Food with the Beervangelist: Enjoying Michigan cheese and chocolate pairings with Fred Bueltmann from New Holland Brewing Co. Photo by David Foxhoven

Technical Seminar: "Check The Blend: Tasting a Blend of The Cut from Start to Finish"

Troy Casey, Founder/OwnerCasey Brewing & Blending, Glenwood Springs, COSaturday 12:00–12:50 pm  Creekside Meeting Room

What they say: Troy Casey of Casey Brewing and Blending will lead you on a journey through his blending process. Participants will taste the different base barrels that created the blend, the carbonated final blend and the resulting fruit beer that was made from it.

Our take: Troy Casey's "The Cut" has been blowing up the beer trading market lately, and tasting how the beer matures from start to finish will be intriguing to say the least.

Palate Trips and an Insider Tasting: Emily Hutto and fellow attendees taking notes and tasting with Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association, and Adam Dulye, Exec Chef at The Monk's Kettle and The Abbot's Cellar in San Francisco. Herz and Dulye introduced their new Craft Beer + Food Course to the group. Photo by David Foxhoven

Craftbeer.com Beer and Food Experience

Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program DirectorChef Adam Dulye, Executive Chef for the Brewers Association, Boulder, CO Friday 6:00–7:00 pm  Rocky Mountain Ballroom

What they say: Foodies and beer geeks unite while we help tune your inner pairing guide during this unique and cutting edge demonstration. Get ready to enjoy craft beers from small and independent U.S. brewers along with a strategic pairing plate of locally sourced ingredients representing the basic tastes of sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami while we take your palate and mind on a ride.

Our take: Can you argue with a seminar that gives you food and beer at the same time? Prepare for Friday night and Saturday's seminars by getting a good base in thanks to Julia and Chef Adam.

 Oh, and it's not a seminar, but the grand tasting is pretty awesome. Need to know why? Check out this list of breweries in attendance.*Note- List of attending breweries is subject to change up through the day of the Commercial Tasting*

7 Hermits Brewing Co.AC Golden Brewing Co.Alaskan Brewing & Bottling Co.Allagash Brewing Co.Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.Aspen Brewing Co.Atom Brewing Co.Atwater BreweryAvery Brewing Co.Baere Brewing Co.The Baker’s BreweryBallast Point Brewing Co.Barrel of MonksBarrels & Bottles BreweryBell’s BreweryBlack Bottle BreweryBlack Shirt Brewing Co.Bonfire Brewing Co.Boston Beer Co.Boulder Beer Co.Boulevard Brewing Co.Breckenridge BreweryThe BrueryCannonball Creek Brewing Co.Carver Brewing Co.Casey Brewing & BlendingCaution Brewing Co.Copper Kettle Brewing Co.Coronado Brewing Co.Crazy Mountain Brewing Co.Crooked Stave Artisan Beer ProjectDeep Ellum Brewing Co.Denver Beer CompanyDeschutes Brewing Co.Destihl Brewing Co.Dillon Dam BreweryDogfish Head Craft BreweryDry Dock Brewing Co.Eddyline Brewing Co.Elevation Beer Co.Elysian Brewing Co.Epic Brewing Co.Fate Brewing Co.Firestone Walker Brewing Co.Flying Dog BreweryFormer Future Brewing Co./ Black ProjectFull Sail Brewing Co.FunkwerksGlenwood Canyon Brewing Co.Goose Island Beer Co.Grand Teton Brewing Co.Gravity Brewing Co.Great Divide Brewing Co.Green Flash Brewing Co.Grimm Brothers Brewing Co.Hogshead BreweryHorse & Dragon Brewing Co.Jackie O’s BreweryJagged Mountain Brewing Co.Jester King Brewing Co.Joyride Brewing Co.Kannah Creek Brewing Co.Karbach Brewing Co.Lagunitas Brewing Co.Left Hand Brewing Co.Liquid MechanicsLone Tree Brewing Co.Lost Abbey Brewing Co.Lost Highway Brewing Co.Loveland AleworksMockery Brewing Co.Nebraska Brewing Co.New Belgium Brewing Co.New Holland Brewing Co.Ninkasi Brewing Co.Odd 13 Brewing Co.Odell Brewing Co.Odyssey BeerwerksOskar Blues BreweryPerennial Artisan AlesPrairie Artisan AlesRedstone MeaderyRenegade Brewing Co.River North Brewing Co.Shmaltz Brewing Co.Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.Ska Brewing Co.Squatters Brewing Co. (with Wasatch)Stone Brewing Co.Strange Craft Beer Co.Surly Brewing Co.Telluride Brewing Co.Three Barrel Brewing Co.Tivoli Brewing Co.Tommyknocker BreweryTrinity Brewing Co.Troegs Brewing Co.Upslope Brewing Co.Vail Brewing Co.Verboten Brewing Co.Very Nice Brewing Co.Victory Brewing Co.Wasatch Brewery (with Squatters)WeldWerksWicked Weed Brewing Co.Wild Woods BreweryWynkoop Brewing Co.

Artisanal ImportsBrasserie Omer VanderGhinsteBrouwerij BosteelsAdbij KoningshoevenBrasserie St. FeuillienBOM BreweryWals/BeloNOVO Brazil

Belukus MarketingTimmermans FramboiseTimmermans Oude GueuzeTimmermans KriekTimmermans Pumpkin

C2 ImportsBrunehaut Brewery – St, Martin TripleWhite Pony Brewery – 3 beers

Global Beer NetworkBrouwerij Van Steenberge – Gulden DraakBrouwerij Van Steenberge – PiraatBrouwerij Van Honsebrouk – Petrus Aged PaleBrouwerij Van Honsebrouk – Petrus Aged RedBrouwerij de Brabandere – Barista Chocolate Quad

Latis ImportsRodenbach Grand CruRodenbach SessionBoon KriekBoon FramboiseBoon Gueuze

Manneken Brussel ImportsChimayMerchant du VinOrvalRochefort 8 & 10Westmalle Dubbel & TripelLindemans Cuvee Renee & FramboiseDu Bocq 1858 & Blanch de NamurSam Smith Chocolate Stout & StingoAyinger Celebrator Dopplebock

Ommegang/DuvelOmmegang Three PhilosophersDuvel & Duvel Triple-HopLa Chouffe & Houblon ChouffeLiefmans Goudenband & Kriek-Brut

WettenDelirium TremensGouden Carolus Cuvee van de Keizer BlauwStraffe Hendrik TripelOud Beersel FramboiseDe Troch FraiseSamichlaus Classic

Focus on the Beer

This article was written by the entire Focus on the Beer staff.

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