I’m not going to lie, most beer festivals today often leave me a bit uninspired. Unless you’re pulling a big time lineup of breweries and beers, have tied in a significant giving component, or have found a way to create a truly special festival-going experience, then its most likely just another cookie cutter beer fest that can be replicated anywhere across the country.

This Saturday, Wibby Brewing’s Hooplagers: Lager-exculsive Beer Fest will once again set the bar for what all beer fests can strive to achieve. Despite being located in a land-locked state, Hooplagers gives attendees the opportunity to be served beer while floating in a pool with massive inflatable flamingos, or sample from some of the best Pilsners, Helles’ and Kellerbiers in the country on an artificial beach in the middle of Colorado.

Originally named Lagers for Lumbers, a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity’s Hops for Homes campaign, Hooplagers, (named for it being a Lager Hoopla) has since evolved from just a handful of local breweries in 2015, to a full blown spectacle featuring some of the country’s best Lager producers.

Throughout his brewing career, Wibby co-founder, Ryan Wibby, has gained notoriety for his focus on Lager beers with experience at Ithaca Beer, Deschutes, Flying Fish, Iron Hill where he won multiple GABF medals, and VLB in Berlin. Wibby noted, “This was an idea I have had for a long time from when I would attend beer fests as a young, green craft brewer.”  “In those days, disappointingly most breweries would only be pouring 1 Lager if any at all during those festivals. It became a dream of mine to throw a beer festival where you could only drink great Lager bier.”

With a little help from wife Robin Wibby, who spent time previously working as a trail guide for a company who stressed the importance of detail and service, Hooplagers has continued to add small touches each year to become one of the country’s best festival-going experiences.

(VIP & GA Tickets Are Still Available for 2019 Hooplagers Lager Exclusive Beer Fest)

Getting to the festival is easy with trolley rides from BrewHop Trolley from multiple points throughout Denver and Wheat Ridge. Upon arrival, attendees will have immediate access to beers in their queue line while waiting to enter the festival, additionally VIP ticket holder will have shaded seating, specialty pours, and commemorative mugs. Beach and poolside amenities also include towels handed out on-site, hammocks, lawn chairs, bean bags, flabongos, a steel drum band, all to transport festival goers to the ultimate relaxation zone. The event will also feature bobbing for hot dogs, inflatable pool races and more. And if the heat ends up becoming too blistery, Wibby also has an air conditioned taproom awaiting featuring a silent disco, arcade and bubbles.

Proceeds from the 2019 Hooplagers will benefit a number of non-profit partners, and it will also serve as a food drive so attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate.

But at its core Hooplagers is still squarely focused on high quality beer. This year’s event taking place from 12-5pm at Wibby Brewing, 209 Emery Street, Longmont, CO, will feature big name Lager titans like August Schell, who will be bringing a two and a half year aged Berliner Weisse brewed with Lager yeast, as well as the renowned Bierstadt Lagerhaus who put Denver on the Lager map with their iconic Slow Pour Pils, Chuckanut Brewery who’s owners Mari and Will Kemper first met in Boulder will also be on hand pouring their award-winning Pilsner and Vienna Lager. Additionally host brewery, Wibby, will be serving up 18 of their own Lagers to add to the mix.

Check out the Pour List for the 2019 Hooplagers Beer Fest

Brewery	Beer Name	Style
4 Noses Brewing Company	Perfect Drift	German Pilsner
August Shell Brewing Company	Grainbelt Premium	American Lager
August Shell Brewing Company	Keller Pils	Kellerbier
August Shell Brewing Company	Fort Road Helles	Helles
August Shell Brewing Company	Sangria Lager	American Amber Lager
August Shell Brewing Company	Noble Star Collection: Apparent Horizon	Berliner Weisse Lager
Avery Brewing	The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest	Märzen
Baere Brewing	Hop About Lager	American Lager
Bierstadt Lagerhaus	Slow Pour Pils	German Pilsner
Bierstadt Lagerhaus	Dunkel	Munich Dunkel
Blue Tile Brewing	Big Boys Light	American Lager
Blue Tile Brewing	Punk is Dead	India Pale Lager
Bootstrap Brewing	Czech Mate	Czech Pilsner
Boulevard Brewing	Ginger Lemon Radler	Radler
Boulder Beer	Gender Fluid Lager	German Pilsner
Brix Brewhouse	Greeley Beer	Pilsner
Burns Family Artisan Ales	Thomasina's Testament	Pilsner
Cannonball Creek Brewing Company	Let's Talk About Mex	Mexican Lager
Cellar West Artisan Ales	Kneebone Pils	German Pilsner
Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen	Pilsner	Pilsner
Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen	Vienna Lager	Vienna Lager
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project	Von Pilsner	Kellerbier
Crux Fermentation Project	Crux Pils	German Pilsner
Deschutes Brewery	Da Shootz!	Pilsner
Front Range Brewing	Piney Ridge Dunkel	Munich Dunkel
Front Range Brewing	St. Nigel's Doppelbock	Doppelbock
Green Mountain Beer Company	Kellerman Pilsner	Czech Pilsner
Green Mountain Beer Company	Dunklen Helm	Schwarzbier
Green Mountain Beer Company	Shiprock Red	Red Lager
Green Mountain Beer Company	Marzen Amber Lager	Märzen
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse	Mountain Lager	Pale Lager
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse	3 Golden Hairs	Pilsner
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse	Maiden's Kiss	Radler
Großen Bart Brewery	Dirty Sanchez	Mexican Lager
Großen Bart Brewery	Grandma's Whiskers	Schwarzbier
Großen Bart Brewery	Craft Malt Liquor	Malt Liquor
High Hops Brewery	The Cold One	American Lager
High Hops Brewery	The Destro	Märzen
High Hops Brewery	High Hops Maibock	Maibock
Holidaily Brewing Company	TBA
Hops & Grain Brewing	River Beer	American Light Lager
Hops & Grain Brewing	The One They Call Zoe	Pale Lager
Jagged Mountain Brewery	Four Pass Pilsner	German Pilsner
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company	Shifty Pils	German Pilsner
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company	Dark Foreboding	Dark Lager
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company	Marzen	Märzen
Lone Tree Brewing	Mexican Lager	Mexican Lager
Lone Tree Brewing	Dry-Hopped Malt Liquor	Malt Liquor
Melvin Brewing	Pils-gnar	Pilsner
Melvin Brewing	Heyzeus	Mexican Lager
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery	Hilltop Vienna Lager	Vienna Lager
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery	Tracer Juicy	Pale Lager
New Image Brewing	Sushi Date	American Lager
New Image Brewing	Olde Town Regular	Helles Lager
Paradox Beer Company	Procession	Baltic Porter
pFriem Family Brewers	Pilsner	Pilsner
Platt Park Brewing Company	Grump's Lager	Vienna Lager
Prost Brewing	Pils	German Pilsner
Prost Brewing	Vienna Lager	Vienna Lager
Pug Ryan’s Brewery	Peacemaker Pilsner	Pilsner
Pug Ryan’s Brewery	Deadeye Dunkel	Munich Dunkel
Ratio Beerworks	No Shade	Pilsner
Ratio Beerworks	Rooftops	Mexican Lager
Rhinegeist Brewery	Puma	Pilsner
Rhinegeist Brewery	Cheetah	Pale Lager
Sanitas Brewing Company	Everyday Mountain Lager	American Light Lager
Ska Brewing	Rue B. Soho Grapefruit Lager	Helles Lager
Strange Craft Beer Company	Ironic	Pilsner
Strange Craft Beer Company	Nachtmusik	Dark Lager
Station 26 Brewing Company	303 Lager	American Light Lager
Timnath Beerwerks	Coffee Schwarzbier	Schwarzbier
Timnath Beerwerks	Timnath IPL	India Pale Lager
Timnath Beerwerks	Cantaloupe Gose	Fruited Gose
Timnath Beerwerks	Catharina Sour with Orange Roussane Wine Grape Must	Fruited Sour
Tin Man Brewing	Schwarzbier	Schwarzbier
TRVE Brewing Company	Cold	Czech Pilsner
TRVE Brewing Company	Devouring Mortality	Dortmunder
Upslope Brewing Company	Upslope German Pilsner	Pilsner
WeldWerks Brewing	Lager	Kellerbier
Wibby Brewing	Lightshine Helles	Helles Lager
Wibby Brewing	Lightshine Radler	Radler
Wibby Brewing	Wibby IPL	India Pale Lager
Wibby Brewing	Moondoor Dunkel	Munich Dunkel
Wibby Brewing	Double Dunkel	Dark Lager
Wibby Brewing	Equal Hops APL	American Pale Lager
Wibby Brewing	Volksbier Vienna	Vienna Lager
Wibby Brewing	Coffee Double Dunkel	Dark Lager
Wibby Brewing	Home Team Pilsner	German Pilsner
Wibby Brewing	Throwing Stones	Steinbier
Wibby Brewing	RIPL Series: Sir Citra-ness	India Pale Lager
Wibby Brewing	RIPL Series: Best Friends	India Pale Lager
Wibby Brewing	RIPL Series: Das Dankness	India Pale Lager
Wibby Brewing	Strawberry Radler	Radler
Wibby Brewing	Pineapple Radler	Radler
Wibby Brewing	Dusk to Dawn	Cascadian Dark
Wibby Brewing	Sunset Grove Irish Red Lager	Red Lager
Wibby Brewing	Copacabana Bock	Single Bock
Wibby Brewing	Schwibby Schwarzbier	Schwarzbier
Wit's End Brewing	We Don't Need No Water	Smoked Beer
Woods Boss Brewing Company	Start'n Early	American Light Lager
Woods Boss Brewing Company	Double Bit Dunkel	Munich Dunkel
Woods Boss Brewing Company	Sauerkraut in My Lederhose	Vienna Lager
Woods Boss Brewing Company	Baggage Car Buddies	Baltic Porter
Woods Boss Brewing Company	The Phantom Grumper	California Common
Woods Boss Brewing Company	Startin' Early with Chilis	American Lager
Zwei Brewing	Helles	Helles
Zwei Brewing	Bamberger Rauch	Rauchbier

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