Q&A: What is your favorite beer event?

by Keith Adams | Posted on June 27, 2019June 27, 2019

B.Mont of @BlackBeerTravelers

When I first read this question, I mentally ran through all the different beer festivals and anniversaries I’ve attended but then I thought more about it all. My favorite craft beer event is actually the bottleshare.

Just picture your last share. Everyone comes together with particular beers that resonate to a story that they want to share. It’s the quintessential craft beer experience. You get the craft, the culture of the beer and the story of how someone came across the bottle. It’s so fulfilling and eye opening. Plus, people tend to bring the best of their best beers. The beers that never hit distribution because of things like low allotments, low yields, high costs and such. The event is also a cool way to diversify one’s palate and experience so much craft in a small amount of time.

My last bottleshare was in Maryland with attendees from all over the US. There had to be over 200 different beers in the room from the roughly 50 people in the room. So many cultures and stories came with a 2-3 Oz pour. It’s a must have experience in craft that is not often mentioned to those just starting out in craft beer culture.

Kyra from @craftbeer_barbie

craftbeer_barbie — I really loved Haze it Forward this year at Imprint Brewing. 25 Pennsylvania breweries got together to help benefit the ICU Division at Children’s Hospitals of Pennsylvania. So many great beers and such a worthy cause!

Jamel from @Colvinology

colvinology — Michigan Summer Beer Fest in Ypsilanti, hands down. You’ve got this massive celebration of Michigan beer that brings in breweries from all around the state with a ton of fan favorites, variants, and experimental beers in tow. It’s a beautiful sea of booths and tents splayed out under the warm summer sun of my old college town. I always run into old friends from undergrad or grad school that I haven’t seen in a while, and there’s a sense of community that I genuinely cherish. Plus, my favorite model shop is about a block away, so it’s basically heaven.

Paulina

holapaulina — Sierra Nevada Beer Camp. What was once an ordinary brewfest has now become an actual Beer Camp. There are so many activities, games, and of course BEER!

@hopperazi

hopperazi — “Weathered” in Vancouver BC, it’s a beerfest bottle share style featuring epic brews from across North America.

Monica Di Loxley – The Italian Craft Beer

EurHop! is the most attractive and selective Italian craft beer festival. It takes place in the Eternal City, in a marvellous location. Here you can drink once a year (2019: 4-6 October) the best craft beers from all over the world and from the best Italian microbreweries. If you visit Rome in October, you can’t miss this event for no reason at all. Created by the most famous and esteemed publican, beer writer and beergeek Manuele Colonna (Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà pub), EurHop! is my favorite Italian craft beer event!

Nikki from @nikkidrinkscraft

My favorite beer event has to be The Brewer’s Ball hosted by Best Florida Beer during Tampa Bay Beer Week! It’s a self pour event, so all of the brewers and a lot of the brewery staff actually get to hang out and drink instead of having to pour. You know you’re drinking the best of the best because all of the beers at the festival have medaled for an award!

About the author

Keith Adams is the founder of BeerSelfie.com and can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as @grubulub.