Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines

(Press Release)

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.– The Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival is pleased to announce that Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster for Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York, and Florian Kuplent, Co-Owner/Brewmaster for Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. in St. Louis, Missouri, will be the 2017 Featured Brewmasters. Leinhart and Kuplent will co-host the Traditional Brewmasters’ Dinner on Friday, January 6, showcasing five beers each throughout the five course, double-pairing dinner. Tickets for this dinner, and those for the full weekend schedule of events primarily held at Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center, will go on sale next Wednesday, September 7, at 10am MST/Noon EST via the Big Beers website at www.bigbeersfestival.com.  2017 marks the first year that the Big Beers Festival will be held in Breckenridge, Colorado.

As Featured Brewmasters, Leinhart and Kuplent are also on the hook to present an educational seminar apiece. When discussing potential topics, they decided to present both seminars together. The first is scheduled for noon on Saturday, January 7, titled “Brewing Strong Beers of Belgian & German Origin” and is a precursor to the second at 1:15pm showcasing “Ommegang and Urban Chestnut Collaborations”. True of all Big Beers educational seminars, tasting is part of the experience and attendees can expect to sample beers supporting presentation topics throughout.

The Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival includes thirteen educational seminars throughout the three day weekend, three of which are free and open to the public: The Cicerone Workshop, Cigar Pairing Experience, and The Yoga of Brewing.  The balance are included with the Commercial Tasting ticket as general admission on a first come basis, and reserved seat tickets  to individual seminars can be purchased for $15 each.

The culinary components to the Big Beers Festival are many and highly regarded. The Calibration Dinner hosted by Adam Avery of Avery Brewing Co. and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery will be held in the Imperial Ballroom at Beaver Run Resort on Thursday evening. The aforementioned Traditional Brewmasters’ Dinner and the Small Plates & Craft Beer Pairing event hosted by Chris Trogner of Tröegs Independent Brewing and Fred Bueltmann of New Holland Brewing Co. will be held at locations within the Town of Breckenridge to be determined. The Welcome Reception on Friday at noon and the CraftBeer.com seminar offered Friday evening also feature food pairings annually.

In addition to its new location in Breckenridge, the Big Beers Festival has recently introduced its new website with a photographic experiential focus and an online retail offering, as well as a new newsletter replacing previous email communication. For further information about the festival, schedule, ticketing, volunteering, or participating as a brewery, check out www.bigbeersfestival.com or contact Event Coordinator Laura Lodge at laura@bigbeersfestival.com.

###

The Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival is the perfect combination for a Winter Wonderland getaway: A world-class beer festival in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Meet renowned brewmasters and brewery owners, taste hundreds of big, Belgian style, and experimental beers, explore beer & food pairings, and learn from an impressive array of brewmasters and industry experts over an action-packed three day weekend. As a novice, an aficionado, or an advanced homebrewer, you can enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to discuss beer with the amazing people who make it happen. Visit www.bigbeersfestival.com to learn more about this little festival in the mountains that the beer industry holds in such high esteem.

###

Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center is located at the base of peak 9 at the Breckenridge Ski Resort. Beaver Run is a full service, year round resort featuring slope-side condominium style lodging, multiple on-site bars and restaurants as well the largest conference center in Breckenridge, Colorado.  Visit http://www.beaverrun.com/ for more information.

###

The Breckenridge Tourism Office is the destination marketing organization for the Town of Breckenridge. VisitGoBreck.com for activity and event information or connect @GoBreck on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest photos and updates.