Win a pair of tickets to Colorado Brewers’ Festival in Fort Collins, Colorado

Ryan at Colorado Brewers' Festival 2010
Colorado Brewers' Festival 2010 (Photo by H.M. Kerr-Schlaefer, all right reserved)

I’ve been writing and attending festivals in Colorado for long enough to inform you with authority that we Coloradoans celebrate beer very, very well. I don’t try to keep up with all of the beer festivals around the state – it would be nearly impossible. There are events that feature chili beers, microbrews, home brews, and there are small fests and large fests and then there’s the grand daddy of all beer festivals, the  Great American Beer Festival.

One of the things I most like giving away on HeidiTown are tickets to beer events. After all, free beer always proves to be very popular.

2010 BrewFest Crowd Shot
Colorado Brewers' Festival is fondly called BrewFest by locals. (Photo by H.M. Kerr-Schlaefer, all rights reserved)

This week I’m giving away two tickets to Colorado Brewers’ Festival.

After trying a new approach to the festival last year, the organizers have gone back to what has worked best in the past – although the event is still being held in location of  Civic Center Park in downtown at LaPorte and Howes Street.

The organizers have done away with the beer sessions that were instituted last year, and now festivalgoers can enjoy tasting beers and listening to bands on three stages all day long. Twenty bands will play over the two days with  12 Cents for Marvin and 3 Twins Broadband headlining the event.

This year’s festival is being held  June 25-26, 2011. Tickets purchased in advance are $10, and tickets at the gate are $15. Designated drivers get in for free. Once inside, patrons can purchase $1 tokens and exchange them for 4 oz. tasters on any of the over sixty Colorado beers that will be represented at the event.

~ CONTEST CLOSED ~

In order to be entered to win a pair of tickets to this year’s festival, please leave me a comment below telling me your favorite Colorado beer. My current pick is Little Red Cap by  Grimm Brothers Brewhouse located in Loveland. Be sure to stop by and visit them at the festival – tell them the Mayor of HeidiTown sent you.

A winner will be chosen at random on Friday at 3 p.m.

Find out more about the Colorado Brewers’ Festival at  www.downtownfortcollins.com.


76 Comments


  1. My favorite is a tie between New Belgium and Odell. From New Belgium I’m still loving the Dunkelweiss as well as the Super Cru and Abbey Grand Cru. St. Lupilin from Odell is a fantastic beer and also the Wooden Elephant (an oak aged version of their IPA).

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  2. Left Hand’s Imperial Stout. Straight up or mixed with the Widdershin Barleywine for an imperial black and man.

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  3. My absolute favorite Colorado beer, and favorite beer period, is Great Divide’s Espresso Oak-aged Yeti Stout. While Odell still reigns as my favorite brewery (90 Schilling, Cutthroat Porter, Avant Peche, Bourbon Barrel Stout), I still don’t believe they have produced a beer as amazing as the Espresso Oak-aged Yeti. How could any beer be bad that has suggested food pairings of “breakfast burritos, eggs Benedict, hash browns, cheesecake, creme brûlée” (quoted from bottle label)?

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  4. My favorite Colorado beer has always been Old Chub, from Oskar Blues–one thick, malty Scottish ale.

    Old No. 23 from Bristol Brewing, their Barleywine, is nearly neck and neck now.

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  5. If you’re gonna love a CO beer it’s gotta be CO Native. Made with 100% CO grown ingredients, only available in CO, and owned, operated, and hand packaged by CO natives. Not to mention it’s an awesome easy drinking lager with an nice hop start, and a smooth malt finish.

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  6. My favorite Colorado beer is Ska Brewing Modus Hoperandi! As a total hop head, this beer blows my taste buds every single time I drink it. It’s not for the faint of taste!

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  7. My all time favorite Colorado beer is New Belgium’s Sunshine. To me it’s just perfect!

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  8. My fav beer (though I have several and change often) right now is Stranger by Left Hand Brewery, Longmont! Thanks, Heidi!

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  9. Skinny Dip from new Belgium, summer seasonal but they didn’t do it this year 🙁 maybe next year

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  10. In those that I’ve tried recently, I would say my favorite was the milk stout at left hand brewing co. but my favorites change all the time!

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  11. My absolute favorite Colorado Beer is Mama’s Little Yella Pils by Oskar Blues from Longmont. A true Pilsner that not only refreshes but has an awesome flavor, not watertered down like big brewery American versions. Brewed in the old Czech traditon. One of the best beers I have ever tasted.

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  12. Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat by Fort Collins Brewery – yes please!! Loving this and am finding lots of new beers to try!

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  13. My absolute favorite Colorado Craft Beer (going on almost a year) is Fearless Youth by Grimm Brothers Brewhouse. A true Munich Dunkel; it is my anytime – all the time beer! For some, it may appear intimidating by its color, but is quite smooth and delicious.

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  14. My favorite Colorado beer is East Street Wheat! I love to have a big glass with a splash of orange juice, its just amazing and its the BEST cure for the summer heat with a bit of zesty~

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  15. How can I pick just one?! I love so many Colorado beers! Let’s see… Sweaty Betty from Boulder Brewing, Friek from Odell’s, La Folie by New Belgium, Good Juju from Left Hand Brewing Co…..

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  16. I’ve always liked Odell’s Levity. I find I can drink it at all seasons and with everything from brats to corn flakes!

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  17. Fort Collins Brewery Z Lager. The lip smackin’ smokiness is unique and is a delicious companion to food :9

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  18. New Belgium Abbey Grand Cru is fantastic.

    And Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout is divine.

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  19. Dry Dock’s Hefeweizen or Oskar Blue’s Ten Fidy

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  20. During summer I prefer Oskar Blue’s Mama’s Little Yella Pils, closest thing to a Czech Pilsner I’ve found in Colorado. Winter I like Cutthroat Porter Nitro when I can get it. My anytime Colorado Beer is 5 Barrel Pale Ale.

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  21. My favorite is the Reverend from Avery, but just like the previous commenter, I probably drink Odell’s 5 Barrel more than anything else.

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  22. Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout. You can get it on Nitro at the Beach House in Fort Collins. Yummy!

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  23. My favorite Colorado beer, both seasonal and relatively new to Fort Collins, is Equinox Brewing’s Vernal Hefeweizen. Not only does it taste great, but the staff at Equinox is so friendly and their outdoor patio area makes it taste even better when sitting outside and drinking one on a beautiful, sunny Colorado day!

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  24. My favorite Colorado beer is Odell’s 5 Barrel.

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  25. My favorite is New Belgium’s Sunshine Wheat with an orange…so good!

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  26. It’s vital that I win this so I can continue my burgeoning brew education. My current favorite is a darkish brown one at Left Hand that I can NEVER remember the name of, otherwise it’s Fat Tire. 🙂 See? I need to win this, Mayor.

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  27. 95. Odells 90 Schilling mixed with 5 Barrel Pal Ale…..After volunteering and pouring keg after keg at the Taste of Fort Collins I introduced a few “newcomers” to the 95. They have their new beer of choice.

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  28. My all time fave is New Belgium’s Mighty Arrow, followed by Mama’s little Yella Pilz…..yummy!

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  29. I have tried just about every beer listed in the comments above as my quest for new favorites continues.

    My most favorite is from craft brewery in Loveland…you just have to try Beaver Brewery’s pale ale. The absolute best beer I have ever had. Grab a growler and enjoy!

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  30. My favourite is Bristol Beehive Honey Wheat.. Doesn’t hurt that I can walk down the street and be at Bristol Brewery in minutes to get some. : )

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  31. My favorite is La Folie at New Belgium. I normally opt for Sunshine when I go out to dinner and what not, but La Folie is definitely a great treat. Mmm….guess its time to go hit up New Belgium today. 🙂

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  32. I like IPAs…and New Belgium Ranger is my new favorite.

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  33. So many great beers to choose from! My favorite Colorado beer is……..wait for it………. Coors Light!Just kidding! I really like Columbine Kolsch from Coopersmith’s

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  34. My current fav. Mercenary IPA by Odells (packs a punch). My fav. sitting on a patio listening to music standby: Green Chili Beer by Coopersmiths. My fav. beer for pure indulgence 10 FIDY Oskar Blues or Bourbon Barrel from Odells. On the keg at home: Fort Collins Brewery’s Maibock.

    Of course this changes daily. Always a mistake to ask me and the husband about beer!

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  35. I absolutely love New Belgium’s Sunshine Wheat. I have seen it a few times in the list, but it is the best! =)

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  36. My favorite (right now) is Freik by Odells. Had it at Ramskellar first and this sour ale is the best! I’m a bit of a wino, so that’s probably why it tastes so delicious! 🙂 LOVE Brewfest, and love that my boyfriend will be coming in from Texas for it!!

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  37. Odell’s India Barley Wine. Yum Yum Yum. Great picks above too, but can you really go wrong in this wonderful state?

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  38. My favorite Colorado beer is Great Divides Yeti stout and all the cool stuff they do with it like barrel aging, adding espresso, chocolate, etc. I sure would love to get a couple of those tickets.

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  39. New Belguim,,,, Fat Tire is still my all time fave!!!!! I do love 2 Below (also NB) in the winter!!!!

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  40. I am not the beer drinker, my boyfriend Jake is. it was recently his 21st birthday and we went to this little place downtown called FreshCraft. the bartender was wonderful and although i do not like beer, he poured me something from New Belguim and it was so so good! and i was so happy to hear it was a local beer to!

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  41. From one of the more under rated brewers in Fort Collins, The Fort Collins Brewery Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat Ale is the perfect combination of subtle sweetness and full embodiment.

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  42. My favorite is Easy Street, I’ve always liked wheat beers. I tried Stranger Pale Ale recently from Left Hand and liked that too.

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  43. Odells Easy Street Wheat – with an orange slice, of course 🙂

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  44. My step-dad got me hooked on IPA’s about three years ago. Since then we have sampled many IPA’s from across the United States and World. Still, our favorite comes from the Breckenridge Brewery. It is the Small Batch 471 IPA. However, it tastes so much better on tap that we go down to the restaurant near Coors Field every Thursday to enjoy one. They say it’s a small batch and it will be gone when it runs out but they have been saying that for over two years now…

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  45. Wow.. with so many fantastic Colorado breweries it is hard to pick just one… Crabtree in Greeley makes an amazing Black IPA…. and I would have to say it is tied as my favorite with Strange Brews Cherry Kriek!!

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  46. Avery’s Maharaja. Of the colorado brews, this one just barely edges out O’dell’s IPA for the best hoppy explosion on the first sip

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  47. Dale’s Pale Ale of oskar blues by far my favorite

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  48. Ten Fidy gets me where I’m going a whole lot quicker!

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  49. I’m currently in love with 2 beers….Odell myrcenary & Dry Dock Hefeweizen! Yaay beer!

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  50. Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

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  51. Lets hear it for Odell 90 Shilling!

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  52. I have to say Old Chub and Laughing Lab are my favorites!

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  53. Dale’s Pale Ale…I even took some to Africa with me….next week, Dale is going to Paris and England!!

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  54. Moving from Ohio last summer where craft beer isn’t, it has been refreshing to discover all that Colorado has to offer. My current favorite is Dale’s Pale Ale by Oskar Blues.

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  55. I love grabbin’ a Ten Fidy after a good long hike. My other Colorado favs are Gordon’s and Yeti Espresso Stout.

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  56. Old Chub at Oscar Blues. My daughter moved to Longmont to take job as a magazine editor. Everytime we visit we go to Lyons each night for some Old Chub and one big a**ed Burrito.

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  57. I love me some Odell’s IPA on a hot day! Hoppy = happy 🙂

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  58. GUBNA from Oskar Blues is one of my hands down favorites all time. There’s nothing like heading to the Weasel and grabbing a pint of that, some peanuts and hanging out.

    Harrumph!

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  59. Deviant Dale’s from Oskar Blues. Wish they had it on tap all the time!

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  60. I love G’Knight from Oskar Blues!

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  61. Odell’s Easy Street all the time

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  62. Maharaja by Avery. Best IPA in CO with Myrcenary a close second.

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  63. To narrow it down to just one is so very difficult right now. I will say if I was to get a free growler fill right now I would want… Farmers Daughter Oktoberfest from Grimm Bros. Oh how I miss it.

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  64. Mama’s Yella Pils from Oskar Blues!

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  65. Oskar Blues Old Chub for them colder months for sure!

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  66. Thanks to EVERYONE for entering and sharing all this great beer info! You people have GREAT taste in beer. There are several here I haven’t heard of before, so I am looking forward to some beer adventures this summer.
    The winner of the pair of tickets is GARRETT. He has been contacted via email. His beer of choice was Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat from FCB. I just had that beer last night while eating at FCB’s new restaurant, Gravity.
    Thanks again everyone and happy festival season!!! Next week there’s another beer-related giveaway, so stay tuned.

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  67. My fav > Old Chub…by Oscar Blues Brewing.

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