Foraging, it’s true nature is an act of survival, but in recent years this archaic form of collecting goods for nourishment has reinvented and re-defined modern cooking. Just ask world renowned chef René Redzepi, chef and founder of Noma in Copenhagen, whose use of foraged goods has earned the restaurant the distinction of two Michelin stars.

Among the innumerable parallels drawn between the culinary and brewing worlds, the act of foraging has extended to a select few innovative brewers who seek to push the boundaries on taste and ingredients. Beers Made By Walking, which has established itself as one of the premiere extracurricular events surrounding the Great American Beer Festival showcases and promotes the act of foraging for ingredients to be used in beer.

From local raspberries harvested in an urban garden to sage brush collected while hiking in the high country, or event tree sap used in place of water, Beers Made By Walking highlights some of the most creative uses of all that’s found in nature and challenges rising breweries like Wicked Weed, Fonta Flora, and Scratch to push the limits on their brewing abilities but also change peoples perception of the limits on what constitutes beer.

This year’s event, now in its sixth year, moves to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, taking place Wednesday, October 4 from 5:30-8:30pm. Tickets are currently still available for $35 grab them while you can.

The Preliminary List of Participating Breweries and Breweries for the 2016 Beers Made By Walking:

Baere – This table sour brings herbal characteristics from juniper berries gathered from Meeker, CO to complement its tart base.

Black Project – TBA

Bonfire – Rose Hip Hoppy Wheat incorporates rose hips near the end of the boil. This beer takes inspiration from a walk with the Walking Mountains Science Museum in Avon, CO.

Cerebral – Oat Saison with Bee Pollen, Lemon Zest and Elderflower. Inspired by a walk around the Denver Zoo, near the brewery.

Crazy Mountain – Naughty Pine, a pale ale that includes a big addition of 25 pounds of pine needles in place of finishing hops and was aged in Breckenridge Bourbon barrels for 9 months. Inspired by a hike along West Lake Creek Road in Edwards, CO.

Crooked Stave – Wild Mint Imperial Coffee Stout Inspired by hiking and fishing in the Gunnison Canyon. This imperial stout incorporates fresh mint sprigs added during the conditioning process in addition to spending some time on coffee.

Dry Dock – Highline Plum Saison Brett inspired by plums that grow wild along Denver’s Highline Canal. This mixed culture saison boasts a tart and jammy native plum addition.

Elevation Beer Co – TBA

Fiction – Twilight Superstition inspired by spending some time walking through a pumpkin patch located on a farm in Byers, CO. This beer is a brown kettle sour base with over 100 pounds of pumpkin and spice added.

Fieldhouse – Tart Cherry Stout Stirred by cherry trees that grow just east of Colorado Springs, this stout incorporates a native Colorado fruit.

Goldspot + The Grateful Gnome – Honey Stout with Lavender is a “dry-lavendered” honey stout. This collaboration beer features an herb that grows throughout Colorado in addition to the short walk between the two breweries.

Great Divide – The Herbivorous One is inspired by a walk in Bluff Lake Nature Center Museum of Nature and Science as well as camping at Gross Reservoir. This unfiltered IPA includes some flaked quinoa in the mash as well as juniper berries in the whirlpool and dry-hop.

Happy Leaf Kombucha – Palisade Peach Sage Kombucha

Horse & Dragon – Perambulation Ale III – The continuation of a BMBW tradition!

Living the Dream – Black Currant Saison incorporates dark fruit flavors from plants growing wild in Colorado.

Mockery – TBA

Odd 13 + Our Mutual Friend – Dragon Chaser is a collaborative effort in nature. This blended sour was aged on 500 pounds of peaches, creating an intensely juicy and tart offering.

Paradox – Sahti. A Finnish specialty small batch beer incorporating a mix of unique grains as well juniper berries.

Ratio – Plum Saison inspired by a walk around owner Jason zumBrunnen’s neighborhood. This saison incorporates two varieties of plums: one native as well as a sour and salty variety called Umeboshi.

Spangalang – TBA

Strange Craft Beer – TBA

Trinity – Menacing Apple is crafted in the spirit of wild harvest. Featuring a feral brettanomyces strain and aged on Palisade apples.

TRVE – Foeder Fermented Saison with Herbs inspired by a walk with the Museum of Nature and Science in Bluff Lake Nature Center and the English beer style called Mumm. This saison fermented in foeders was dry-hopped with chamomile, elderflower, bergamot, dandelion and sage.

Upslope – Saison with Orange Blossom Honey and Douglas Fir Needles crafted after following a hike around the Third Flatiron in Boulder.

Wild Woods – Rose Family Blonde inspired by the the whole family of the roses that grow wild in Boulder. This one’s a blonde ale featuring rose hips, rose petals, hawthorne berries and raspberry leaves.

Indigenous Beer Category

Burial (NC) – Triumph of Death Saison featuring foraged sumac from the Appalachian hillsides with lemon peel, honey as well as a backbone of locally malted Pilsner and Rye from Riverbend Malting.

Fonta Flora (NC) – TBA

Hopworks (OR)- A golden beer featuring locally sourced malted barley with Scotch Broom and Dandelion invasives that were collected in the Mt. Hood Region.

Scratch (IL) – Barrel Aged Black Cherry is a black sour ale brewed with cherry bark and aged in a Norton wine barrel from a local winery.

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