In 2017, beer festivals have become a dime a dozen, but the ability to create a standout, memorable event, either through the curation of an impressive pour list, creating an immersive attendee experience, or bringing on vendors and acts that add some extra star-power, can take the mundane, run-of-the-mill festival to legendary status. Left Hand Brewing is no stranger to pulling out all of the stops when it comes to throwing a beer festival. Whether it involves constructing a three story snowboard ramp in the middle of Longmont, CO, signing national bands such as Reel Big Fish, and Jeff Austin band to perform live, throwing a massive 8-act tribute band showcase, or throwing one of the state’s largest craft beer Oktoberfest celebration, these festivals generally revolve around a uniquely curated beer lineup, big name artists, and creating an experience that attendees won’t soon forget.

This Saturday’s Left Hand Nitro Fest is the ultimate showcase of this type of fully immersive beer-event experience, featuring nearly 50 breweries, including four international breweries, over 70 nitro exclusive beers, circus acrobats, jugglers and performers, as well as nationally renowned band Lotus.

What: Left Hand Nitro Festival

When: Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 6 – 10 p.m.

Where: 700 Longs Peak Ave, Longmont, CO

So what exactly is a Nitro beer? The process of nitrogenating beer, involves the use of introducing nitrogen bubbles to beer instead of the traditional route of injecting CO2 to carbonate beers. This creates for a smoother velvety finish. “In nitrogenated beer, a healthy percentage of large bubbles from carbonation are replaced with small nitrogen bubbles that rush to flee out of the beer when released into the glass. This fleeing out of solution creates the waterfall or cascade effect we so commonly think of when we see a Guinness or as I prefer, Milk Stout Nitro. As the cascade finishes, you’ll observe a thick, creamy head on top. As the beer hits your pallet, the usual prickliness from carbonation is replaced with a velvety smooth experience on your tongue. Careful, you’ll likely have a beer foam moustache,” notes Left Hand’s Community and Events Manager, Josh Goldberg.

Now in its 4th year, Nitro fest has grown from 20 breweries gathered under a small tent in Left Hand’s parking lot to a massive production taking place in Longmont’s Roosevelt Park. While the Cirque de Soleil-style circus acts have always been a mainstay of Nitro Fest, this year’s event will include several participating breweries who have travelled from much farther reaches to showcase their beer including the likes of Metalman Brewing from Ireland, Mapgpie Brewing out of South Korea, Great Leap Brewing in China and DevilCraft Brewery from Japan.

 

Brewery	Location	Beer	ABV
300 Suns	Longmont, CO	Salted Imperial Brown Ale	??
4 Noses	Broomfield, CO	Laila Boss Russian Imperial Stout	9.4%
4 Noses	Broomfield, CO	Cinnamon Stout Crunch Stout	9.4%
Alpine Brewing	San Diego, CA	Windows Up IPA	7.0%
Big Thompson	Loveland, CO	The Light Side Mocha Cream Ale	5.4
Big Thompson	Loveland, CO	Bent Hook Best Bitter	4.5
Bonfire	Eagle, CO	High Desert Nitro Stout	6.1
Bonfire	Eagle, CO	Demshitz Nitro Brown Ale	5.8%
Boulder Beer	Boulder, CO	Slope Style Red IPA	6.4
Boulder Beer	Boulder, CO	Shake Chocolate Porter	5.9%
Bristol	Colorado Springs, CO	Laughing Lab Scottish Ale	5
Bristol	Colorado Springs, CO	Bee Hive Wheat Ale	4.0%
Broken Compass	Breckenridge, CO	Coffee Chili Pale Ale	?
Crazy Mountain	Denver, CO	Horseshoes & Hand Granades ESB	6%
Crazy Mountain	Denver, CO	Cara De Luna Black Ale	5.0%
Declaration	Denver, CO	Bus Stout	6.60%
Declaration	Denver, CO	Hardtack Copper Ale	5.2%
Declaration	Denver, CO	Mile Highlander Scottish Strong	8.0%
DESTIHL	Normal, IL	Moonjumper Milk Stout	6.10%
DevilCraft	Tokyo, Japan	Left-Handed Devil Mocha Java Milk Stout	5.80%
DevilCraft	Tokyo, Japan	Escape Pina Colada Pale	6.8%
Dogfish Head	Milton, DE	Oak Aged Vanilla Worldwide Stout	18.0%
Epic	Denver, CO	Brainless Raspberries	11.0%
Epic	Denver, CO	Hopulent IPA	9.0%
Firestone Walker	Paso Robles, CA	Nitro Merlin Milk Stout	5.5%
Fremont	Seattle, WA	Brew 2000 English Barleywine Aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels	12.80%
Fremont	Seattle, WA	Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Ale with Coffee and Cinnamon	14.0%
Gigantic	Portland, OR	Gigantic IPA	6.90%
Gigantic	Portland, OR	Most Premium Russian Imperial Stout	10.0%
Great Divide	Denver, CO	Velvet Yeti Stout	5.0%
Great Leap	Beijing, China	Liu the Brave Stout	6.50%
Great Leap	Beijing, China	Honey Ma Gold	6.3%
Gunbarrel Brewing	Gunbarrel, CO	Holee Cow Lactose IPA	7.5%
Horse & Dragon	Fort Collins, CO	Whistle Blast Honey Brown	6.3%
Horse & Dragon	Fort Collins, CO	H+D Snug Vanilla Caramel Double Cream Ale	8.5%
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Sawtooth Amber Ale	5.3
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Milk Stout	6.0%
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Wake Up Dead Russian Imperial Stout	10.2%
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Bittersweet Imperial Milk Stout	8.9%
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel	?
Left Hand Brewing	Longmont, CO	Cream Ale	4.7%
Liquid Mechanics	Lafayette, CO	Chocolate Coconut Porter	8.60%
Liquid Mechanics	Lafayette, CO	Peanut Butter Porter	8.6%
Little Machine	Denver, CO	Tractor Beam Oatmeal Stout	6.3%
Magpie	Seoul, South Korea	Winter Warmer Barleywine	9.20%
Magpie	Seoul, South Korea	First Train, Coffee Baltic Porter	8.0%
Melvin	Jackson, WY	Scenario Robust Porter	6.0%
Metalman	Waterford, Ireland	Ironmonger	6.5%
Mikkeller	San Diego, CA	Raspberry Blush Berliner Style Weiss	4%
Mikkeller	San Diego, CA	Windy Hill Hazy IPA	7.0%
Mountain Sun	Longmont, CO	Isadore Java Porter	5.80%
Mountain Sun	Longmont, CO	Chocolate Dip Stout	6.3%
Odell	Fort Collins, CO	Cutthroat Porter	5.1%
Oskar Blues Brewery	Longmont, CO
Platt Park Brewing	Denver, CO	Madagacar Dream, Vanilla Cream Ale
Platt Park Brewing	Denver, CO	The Moo Lab, Dark Chocolate Stout
Ratio Beerworks	Denver, CO	Darklands Dark Lager	6.30%
Shoes & Brews	Longmont, CO	Lumbersexual Winter Warmer	6.5%
SingleCut	Astoria, NY	Eric More Cowbell Chocolate Milk Stout
SingleCut	Astoria, NY	Dean Mahogony Pale Ale
SKA	Durango, CO	Nitro Euphoria Winter Pale Ale	6.10%
SKA	Durango, CO	Bump & Grind Imperial Coffee Cream Stout
St. Vrain Cidery	Longmont, CO	Chokeberry Dry Cider	6.9%
Stone	Escondido, CA	Xocoveza Nitro Stout	8.1%
Telluride	Telluride, CO	Face Down Brown Ale	5.7%
Two Roads	Stratford, CT	Irish Exit Dry Irish Stout	4.60%
Two Roads	Stratford, CT	Lil' Timmy English Pale Ale	4.5%
Upslope	Boulder, CO	English Pale Ale	5.90%
Upslope	Boulder, CO	Irish Stout	4.1%
Verboten	Loveland, CO	Coffee Milk Stout	6%
Verboten	Loveland, CO	Cherry Angry Banjo Kentucky Common	5.8%
Wibby	Longmont, CO	Double Dunkel Dark Lager	7.5%
Wiley Roots	Greeley, CO	Something Came in the Mail, Hazelnut & Almond Porter	7%

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