Big Beers

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Dammit. We're bailing out. Weather looks really bad tomorrow (great if you're skiing Monday though) so we're coming down today. So pissed, but it's probably the right decision.
 
This was probably the best beer festival I have ever been to (still a noob of course). Thought I would give a quick AAR for anyone interested. The drive up there on Friday was a bit snowy.

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:eek:

The guys I went up there with are all veterans in the beer collecting/trading/cellaring thing. They brought up a ton of beer. Everything from homebrew stuff to 2009 Angel Share. This is just a random snapshot of a few of the 60 BEERS we drank that first night (including 2010 Abyss, Foot Print, Dreadnaught, 2011 Barrel Aged Yeti, etc)!!!

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I woke up the next morning feeling pretty wrecked. After we got something to eat it was time to go set up the Grimm Brothers booth. After the set up, before they started letting everyone in I got to walk around and check out and taste what others were pouring. When I walked by the DFH booth the only person behind the table was Sam. I do not like all of their beers but I am a big fan of him and the personality he puts out there. I approached the table and the guys put his hand up for a high five before I could even say anything. Super cool to talk to. Gave everyone attention that approached him. I was pretty excited.

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I got to hang out behind the Grimm booth and pour beers as much or as little as I wanted to. It was really fun to talk to fellow beer geeks and every time I saw a Hills Farmstead sweatshirt or Surly ball cap, etc. I would comment and get to connect with someone. Here is a snapshot of the sign by the booth and a picture of my buddy Jason and I in the booth.

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I tasted some AMAZING beers there. Some of the highlights that I remember: Everything Firestone Walker - 16th Anniv., Parabola, Sucaba. So good. Cerise Cassee from Cambrdge Brewing was awesome!!! Sam Adams Utopias - was told it was '94. I really loved it. Amazing sherry finish. I took my time with it. Then I went back and got another. :oops: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2011 and 2013 back to back. Really good. Lost Abbey was pouring 2008 Angel's share which was cool because we had the 2009 the night before. And of course GI waited until the end but broke open Backyard and Proprietor’s. And I got both!!!:D

Some disappointments. Hopslam had some oxidation?!?! That was a disappointment for sure because I have liked a lot of Bells' stuff and was hoping to like it. Surly was not all that I hoped it would be. Furious was good but I had probably screwed up my palate by that time? Darkness was drank after some of the BA stouts so it was hard to like it as much as I wanted to. That being said, Mr. Ansari was doing the pouring and the guy was really cool, really approachable.;) I want to try all his beers again. :)

The drive back sucked

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Took 5 hours to get from Vail to Loveland (usually about 2.5 hours) and then I still had a 1.5 hour drive to Fort Morgan.

I picked up some cool stuff:

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The guys all left me with some beer (we didn't drink) for doing all of the driving:

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and my buddies gave me a tap handle for my kegerator:

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It was a great weekend but I need a detox like crazy. Looking forward to going back next year.



TL;DR: Big Beers is AWESOME!!!
 
Welp, it looks like I have a ticket to go but I just need a place to crash.... *sigh*
Wish I would have seen this. You could have been a hobo and stayed with 12 guys in our 2 bedroom condo....:confused:

I really hate trying to navigate this site (or any site for that matter) while "roaming"
 
Big Beers was AWESOME. I'm super glad I went, though it ended on a terrible note.

I ended up finding a place to stay after all :rolleyes:

But the drive home was absolutely terrible and terrifying. I drove by myself, almost got stuck one, and lost control of my car on ice but luckily I was okay and didn't hurt anyone.

Who wants to carpool next year?
 
Casey posted on Instagram/fb that he is diging through his 'cellar' for beers to bring. Looks like there will be a good representation of the Fruit Stand series
 
I have 4 tickets for sale bc my friends are some cozy ass homies. Cash preferred over beer since I'm flying. Can meet in Denver, Longmont, foco, Boulder today (Thursday), or tomorrow morning. Can meet at Breck Friday early afternoon, Vail Friday-Saturday.
 
I have 4 tickets for sale bc my friends are some cozy ass homies. Cash preferred over beer since I'm flying. Can meet in Denver, Longmont, foco, Boulder today (Thursday), or tomorrow morning. Can meet at Breck Friday early afternoon, Vail Friday-Saturday.

If you'll be in fort collins let's grab a beer.
Also, I may have a guy in fort collins looking for a ticket
 
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