On Friday, June 25 The Vail Craft Beer Classic will return for its fifth year, helping to kick off the 2021 food and beverage festival season. With heavy-hitters including the Denver Burger Battle, Top Taco and the Aspen Food and Wine Classic all set to return after a year of hiatus, Vail’s safe, limited-capacity event will surely contribute towards setting the tone for what is certain to be an invigorating summer.
READ: A Guide to Colorado Festivals To Check Out This Year
Spanned over four separate two-hour sessions, the occasion will feature over 300 different individual beer, wine and spirit samples from just over 40 of the state’s most heralded breweries and purveyors. Each session will be limited to 250 guests, allowing for a leisurely and comfortable experience amidst lifted restrictions. Masks will not be required, though the choice to restrict the number of tickets sold will still see the venue at less than half capacity. In addition to protecting visitors, this will also mean shorter lines for beer.
Participating breweries include 7 Hermits Brewing, Bonfire Brewing, Great Divide Brewing Company, Odell Brewing Company, The Bakers’ Brewery, Baja Brewing Company, Fraser River Beer Company, FlyteCo Brewing, Holidaily Brewing Company, Monumental Beer Works, Ramblebine Brewing Company, Something Brewery, Steep Brewing and Coffee Company, The Peak Brewing Company, Boulder Beer, WeldWerks Brewing Co. and Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co. For those hoping to knock back something other than beer, AllKind Hard Kombucha, Elevated Seltzer and Stem Ciders will also be onsite.
For anyone hoping to remain in Vail after consuming all that beer, several of the nearby accommodations will be hosting discounted lodging packages. Each day will include live music, with Friday’s session highlighting local acts Brother’s Keeper and Brendan McKinney and Saturday boasting Arkansas’ own Kory Montgomery Band. The event is 21+ and no children — including stroller or backpack-bound infants — will be allowed on site. The Vail Craft Beer Classic is sure to be a nice launchpad, as diners and drinkers begin to ease back into the routine of feasts and celebrations.
The Vail Craft Beer Classic will take place at Ford Park and Sculpture Garden at 522 South Frontage Road, East Vail. There will be two sessions each day on Friday, June 25 from 2 – 4 p.m. and 5 – 7 p.m., and Saturday, June 26 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Tickets are $64 per session. Both of Saturday’s sessions are currently sold out. Friday’s are still available.
All photography courtesy of Team Player Productions.