Festival Time

Did you miss Brewgrass this year? Or if you went, did you leave thinking to yourself that you need to get to another festival? Well don't worry, there are several festivals happening in the region over the next month to whet your beer appetite. Personally, I love beer festivals. They are a great chance to try a number of beers without having to buy a six pack or a pint, and often times there are special releases or out of state beers that you can't get here in Asheville.

This Saturday is the World Beer Festival in Durham. Unfortunately tickets are already sold out for this event, but you could get lucky if you try craigslist. This is the 13th annual WBF, and it is the largest and longest running beer festival in North Carolina. The festival is held at the historic Durham Bulls baseball field (except for this year where it is being held at the new Durham Bulls Field) and obviously emphasizes both local and international beer. We will be in attendance for the second year in a row.

A week after that on October 11th is the Knoxville Brewers' Jam in Knoxville, Tennessee. Just a short two hour drive away, the festival will feature many of the same brewers that were at Brewgrass, along with a few foreign beers as well. In addition to the beer, a variety of different bands will be playing throughout the day. Tickets are available.

If you don't mind driving a little bit further, the next week features the Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival in Decatur, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. Again, music and beer are part of the fun, and you get a chance to see the burgeoning beer culture of Atlanta. The festival is sponsored by the Brick Store Pub, one of my favorite bars, and it is located adjacent to the festival grounds. The date is October 18th and tickets are on sale.

Just as the last leaves are falling to the ground, a trip to the High Country would be quite nice, especially if there is a beer festival involved. The first annual High Country Beer Fest is on November 1st, and is being held at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in Boone, North Carolina. In lieu of music, the festival will be having educational seminars on a variety of beer topics. Another interesting aspect to this festival is being able to sample some homebrewed beers in addition to beers from commercial brewers. There is also a beer dinner in Blowing Rock that evening. Again, tickets are on currently on sale.

Be safe in your beer travels, and let me know if you attended any of these events. I would love to hear what they are like (I can't go to every festival).