The West’s Best Brew Fests of Summer 2017

Celebrate Craft Culture This Summer at these Western US Brew Fests

The culture of craft beer pours over the West and is celebrated at hundreds of brew fests stretching from New Mexico to Alaska.  With so many to choose from, we decided to dive in and pick which ones best typified their regions and were not to be missed.  Whether you’re looking for something large scale, something more educational, or brew fest that’s more intimate – our collection below brings a cross section of your best options.

Arizona

What: AZ Brewcon Conference and Real, Wild and Woody Beer Festival makes up Arizona’s biggest annual craft beer fest.  This year, the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild will be celebrating 30 years of brewing in AZ.

When: July 28th and 29th

Where: The Phoenix Convention Center will once again host more than 50 of the Southwest’s best craft brewers.

Why: Unlike other craft brew fests, the Real, Wild and Woody Beer Fest focuses on beers that are wood barrel aged and are actually served from the same spot it ferments in.  “Real ale” is served right from the cask it’s created in because the process called secondary fermentation is essential to making real ale… Real. The aromas and tastes are some that processed beers cant replicate.  You’ll get a chance to check out the subtle differences in taste and aromas that come from barrels that once housed tequila or bourbon.

Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased at door or here:  http://realwildandwoody.com/tickets-2017/

California

What: The 2017 California Craft Beer Summit and Summit Beer Festival come together to form the largest beer festival on the West Coast, featuring more than 160 California craft breweries. The Beer Summit includes educational sessions on Thursday & Friday that are focused on the brewing business, selling, tasting and hospitality industries and include everything from technical skills to branding to how to explain beer styles to your guests.  The event ends on Saturday with the Summit Beer Festival, welcoming 4,000+ craft beer lovers to taste 450 beers from 160+ craft breweries.

When:  September 7-8 for the Craft Beer Summit and September 9th for the Beer Festival.

Where: Sacramento Convention Center and Capital Mall

Why: The California Craft Beer Summit and Beer Festival is the premier event for the beer community across the entire West Coast.  The three day event starts with hands-on education, interactive exhibits and networking opportunities and ends at the LARGEST California craft beer festival, hosted outdoors in front of the state Capitol and offering unlimited tastings from 160 breweries across California.

Ticket Information: Tickets are available for the full weekend or just the beer festival, view the ticket options HERE. Early bird ticket options END July 10.

Colorado Part 1.

What: The second annual Snowmass Rendezvous Craft Beer Festival summons more than 30 Colorado craft breweries to the Roaring Fork Valley for a day of beer tasting and live music. This year’s festival includes access to headliner Hot Buttered Rum’s slopeside evening concert. Hot Buttered Rum will take the stage on Fanny Hill at 5:00 p.m. with the Aspen Valley providing the scenic stage backdrop.

When: Saturday, June 10 from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Where: The Snowmass Mall and Top of Fanny Hill, Snowmass Village, CO 81654

Why: Snowmass is one of the great Colorado resort destinations that really comes alive every summer, and is the perfect setting for a world class craft beer festival. Snowmass Rendezvous brings two classic Colorado treats, good beer and good tunes into one perfect day in the high country.  Few other beer festivals pack all of Colorado’s mountain and beer culture into a space quite as scenic as this.  Bring your dog, bring your layers, and bring your sunnies!

Ticket Information: General admission tickets are $30 and include unlimited tastings from 30 Colorado craft breweries and commemorative glassware. To purchase tickets and for lodging information visit https://www.snowmassbeer.com. The Snowmass Rendezvous benefits the Colorado Brewers Guild.

Colorado Part 2.

What: Kyle’s Brew Fest Is what you get when you combine the passion of a homebrewer with mountain jam music.  Kyle Hollingsworth, known for playing in the acclaimed jam band, String Cheese Incident, is throwing a party that shouldn’t be missed. Hollingsworth is bringing together his favorite craft breweries and local musicians for a night of music, beer and good times, all in the name of a great cause. Being an avid homebrewer himself, Hollingsworth has prepared a collaboration or two with local breweries to bring some of his favorite beers to life.

When: Thursday July 20.

Where: Great Divide – RiNo Location, Denver, CO

Why: Going to Kyle’s Brew Fest means catching a live performance by Kyle Hollingsworth Band & friends, unlimited craft beer sampling from 30+ breweries, exclusive Kyle collaboration brews, food & beer pairings, a commemorative pint cup and more.  It also means contributing to a good cause, the Conscious Alliance, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization who supports communities in crisis through hunger relief and youth empowerment.

Ticket Information:  Admission ranges from $25.00 – $65.00 and can be purchased from https://www.consciousalliance.org/2017/05/kbf2017/.

 

Oregon

What:  The Bend Brewfest brings 170 craft beers, several cideries, and wineries together for 3 days of ‘craft beer bliss’ to the Deschutes river valley.

When:  August 10, 11, and 12, 2017.

Where:  Les Schwab Amphitheater, Bend Oregon.

Why:  The Bend Brewfest goes down year after year as one of Oregon’s best celebrations of craft beer in the Pacific Northwest.  People come from all over the US to sample the impeccably made brews.  You can expect lots of music, sun, dancing, and long hours to soak it all in.

Ticket Information:  A one-time purchase of a souvenir mug is required for tasting. Mugs are $20 and include 5 tasting tokens.

Washington

What:  The 15th annual Fresh Hop Beer Week and Festival.  Each night restaurants, breweries, & bars in Yakima WA. will host an event featuring fresh hop beers, activities, Fresh Hop Ale Festival prizes, tickets & swag giveaways.

When:  September 27th to October 2, 2017

Where:  Millennium Plaza in downtown Yakima WA

Why:  The Yakima Valley produces nearly 75% of America’s hop supply, and it only makes sense for them to celebrate their annual hop harvest.  The week long event includes a variety of events, take for example the Hopesteiner Ranch Tour ($65/person), where you get to hop on the party bus/limo for an entertaining ride to Hopsteiner’s newest ranch in Mabton, WA. You will get to walk the field and learn about hop breeding, growing and harvesting, followed by a guided tour of the picking machine and kilns. Hop loving craft beer geeks would be hard pressed to find a more olfactory pleasing experience.

Ticket Information: The Fresh Hop Beer Fest requires a general admission ticket – $35 gives you access to over 40 breweries, wineries, & cideries, a cigar tent, live music, a collectible pint glass, and more.

Alaska

What:  The 5th annual Beer and Bacon Festival.  For the fifth year in a row, The Lakefront Anchorage invites locals and visitors to join the celebration of craft beer, Alaska style. The 2017 Beer & Bacon Festival brings together a winning combination of local brews and gourmet bacon dishes on the banks of picturesque Lake Hood.

When:  Jul 29, 2017

Where: The Lakefront,  Anchorage

Why:  Alaska’s best brew fests come with the 49th state’s best beer and lots of bacon anointed dishes.  On top of it, the Beer and Bacon Fest is set against the live music from Hawaiian reggae band, H3.  Brewers compete over the hope of being named the festival’s finest brew while chef’s vie for most delectable bacon dish – all according to popular vote. The festival also features a bacon-eating contest for the title of Bacon King or Queen, lawn games and more.

Ticket Information:  $50 per person – https://5th-annual-beer–bacon-festival.ticketleap.com/5th-annual-beer–bacon-festival/dates/Jul-29-2017_at_0100PM