Top 10 Beer Fests from Around the World

If you enjoy beer, there's only one place to be when the weather gets warm. A beer festival. Beer festivals can be large or small but they all have one thing in common - passionate beer drinkers. Some devotees arrive to try new brews, others come to sample old favorites. A few may even come dressed as their favorite beer bottle. Wherever you live, there are a number of beer festivals globally that one must attend in their lifetime. Come sample their wares.

Oktober Fest - Munich, Germany
http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
What more can be said? This is the world's largest beer festival. If you are a beer enthusiast, you know where you'll be from September 20th to October 5th. The beer starts to flow at 10 AM and ends at 11:30 PM unless you are in the "Käfer's Wiesnschänke" or the "Wine Tent". Then you get to drink till 1 AM. If you have trouble understanding the local beer lingo, consult the online dictionary at the official Oktoberfest website. You may find that you are a "Bierdimpfe". Make your contribution to the over 6 million liters of beer consumed at the festival.

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest - Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
http://www.oktoberfest.ca/index.php
This is one of the largest Oktoberfest's held outside of Germany. The twin cities of Kitchner-Waterloo started this festival in 1969 with $200 and a vote of confidence from the Chamber of Commerce. Today this nine-day celebration attracts over 700,000 beer enthusiasts. The festival is held in 15 different festival halls spread around the two cities. These Bavarian decorated Festhallen can hold between 250 to 3400 revelers. Pre-purchasing tickets is highly recommended. The festival uses a Guaranteed Arrival Time system. Don't be late for your ticket time or you will be waiting in line for admittance.

Oktoberfest de Blumenau - Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil
http://www.oktoberfestblumenau.com.br/oktober2009/
This beer festival is billed as the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany. German immigrants founded Blumenau in 1850 with the local architecture reflecting that heritage. When floods hit the city in 1983 and 1984, city residents raised rebuilding funds by organizing another German tradition - Oktoberfest. It was an immediate hit in an area settled by Germans and Italians. The festival now draws over a million visitors from around the world in a sixteen-day period. Beer aficionados consumed 373,984 liters of beer in 2008. It's the second largest party in Brazil after Carnival.

Great American Beer Festival (GABF) - Denver, CO
www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com
Without question this is the largest and most well-attended beer festival in the United States. What started as a small festival in Boulder, CO now inhabits the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO. Over a three-day period 450 breweries will serve over 2000 different beers, with over 46,000 people attending. It's amazing considering this festival is run entirely by volunteers. Try any beer from Boulder Beer, New Belgium Brewing, and Oskar Blues. The mead from Redstone Meadery is a must.

While attending GABF do not drop your cup or you'll suffer the wrath of the beer-swilling mob. You will be chided from one end of the festival hall to the other after the distinctive cup clank. The sampling cups used to be made of glass. When you dropped your cup on the floor - you were cut off. Festival organizers now issue plastic lexan cups.

Bring your pretzel necklaces and finest beer attire for this surreal beer nirvana. Buy tickets well in advance or you will be buying from scalpers out front. Check to make sure the tickets aren't forged. They will show special markings under black light.

Great Taste of the Midwest - Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.mhtg.org/
If you are lucky enough to win the lottery for a chance to buy a festival ticket there is just one word - go. This is a premiere league beer festival. Only 5,000 tickets are sold to this unlimited beer-sampling event. This limits waits in line and prevents beers from running out of stock. There are over 150 breweries sampling 500 plus beers. You can also talk to the actual brewers who are pouring their own suds. If you do not live in Wisconsin you must, must, must, try every beer available from New Glarus Brewing Company. They do not distribute their tasty beverages outside the state of Wisconsin. They always have the longest line at GABF and are the cause of many a Craigslist posting for a ride for cases of their beer.

Oregon Brewers Festival - Portland, Oregon
http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/
Oregon and beer go well together. Oregon is home to some of the finest craft beer in the US. This beer festival entices 80 craft brewers to bring their finest beers from around the country. Held the last full weekend in July, it brings over 70,000 beer lovers to this four-day event. Be sure to drop by the Full Sail booth for their GABF Gold medal award-winning Full Sail Pale Ale and Session Premium Lager. Other Gold, Silver, and Bronze GABF winners can be found at Deschutes Brewery, Widmer Brothers, Brewing Co., Rogue Ales, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Bend Brewing Co., Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Redhook Ales Brewery. The list is almost endless.

Great British Beer Festival - London, England
http://gbbf.camra.org.uk/home
From the great nation that thrives on stouts, comes a great beer fest. GBBF celebrates more than just stouts. One can sample a variety of ales, fruit beers, ciders, bitters, pear ciders, and a host of international beers. Volunteers will pour in excess of 500 varieties of fermented adult beverages. 64,000 attendees can't be wrong. Be sure to wear a creative hat on "Hat Day" and you could win some free beer vouchers.

Fresh Hop Ale Festival - Yakima, Washington
http://www.freshhopalefestival.com/
Where else would you hold a fresh hop beer festival? Over 77% of the annual hops harvest is produced in the Yakima Valley. As the name implies, this fest is all about the celebration of fresh-hopped beer. Fresh-hopped beer is made with hops picked within twenty-four hours preceding brewing. Only 16 microbreweries from the Pacific Northwest and Northern California are invited to attend. You would be wise to sample the wares of Issaquah Brewhouse and Deschutes Brewery.

Kerstbierfestival - Essen, Belgium
http://www.kerstbierfestival.be/ENG/index.htm
Many a beer festival is built around Belgian brews. Unless you live near a Cheeky Monk location, you may have trouble finding a good selection of Belgian Christmas beers. Why not go straight to the source and have a pre-Christmas European vacation at the same time. Over a two day period one can taste over a 100 Belgian Christmas beers and Winter beers. Brewers bring their finest and pour generous 12 to 16 oz. sampling sizes. You may want to book a room near the festival.

Pilsner Beer Festival - Pilsen, Czech Republic
http://www.czechtourism.com/eng/uk/docs/news/news-detail.html?item=650-pivo.html
Go to where it all began in 1295. Pilsen hosts the largest beer festival in the Czech Republic to celebrate the birthplace of lager beer. Now in its 167th year, let's just say they know how to drink beer. Better yet, the festival is held on the Pilsner Urquell Brewery grounds and spread around the city center. As Homer Simpson would say "Mmm...Beer".

http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com
http://www.mhtg.org/
http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/
http://gbbf.camra.org.uk/home
http://www.freshhopalefestival.com/
http://www.kerstbierfestival.be/ENG/index.htm
http://www.czechtourism.com/eng/uk/docs/news/news-detail.html?item=650-pivo.html
http://www.oktoberfestblumenau.com.br/oktober2009/
http://www.oktoberfest.ca/index.php