Perfect Storm of Beer Events Align, Denver Livers Stand Zero Chance

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of a nearly 3 million livers unilaterally crying out in agony. They know they stand zero chance of survival. Yesterday, Shelton Brother, one of the country’s most prestigious importers of international beer, announced that “The Festival”, a nationally renowned beer event showcasing not only the Shelton Brothers catalog, but also some of the country’s best and brightest up-and-coming breweries, will take place in Denver, CO, this year on Oct 19 – Oct 20.

Shelton Brothers The Festival Denver — Courtesy of Shelton Brothers Facebook Page

This announcement aligns the perfect storm of national beer events, all taking place in or nearby the Mile High City within a 10-month time span. Last month, the Brewers Association announced that the 2019 Craft Brewers Conference would return to Denver, April 8-11, 2019, after just a 3-year absence. And while the conference itself is industry-facing, the external programming that surrounds CBC is tantamount to a second GABF week.

Check Out the Pour List for Last Year’s Shelton Brothers The Festival

When you combine that most recent CBC announcement along with yesterday’s The Festival announcement, last weekend’s Avery Invitational, next weekend’s WeldWerks Invitational, this September’s Zwanze Day which typically has a Denver location at Crooked Stave, and the Great American Beer Festival, taking place Sept 20-22, the external events surrounding GABF, such as Crooked Stave Artisan’s What the Funk!?, Pints for Prostate’s Rare Beer Tasting, 2019 Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines in January, and 2019 Collaboration Fest presumably in April, that lineup will leave diehard Denver beer fans and with an embarrassment of beer riches, and the most diehard beer geeks with little money, and livers that’ll look and feel like Keith Richards.

Check out the Initial Pour List for Next Week’s WeldWerks Invitational

Meanwhile, we’re only scratching the surface of Colorado beer events with more locally recognized staples like the Colorado Brewers Rendezvous, Great Divide’s Anniversary, Tour de Fat, SKA’s Anniversary Party, 50 Firkin Fiasco, Chef and Brew, Hops and Handrails, Left Hand Nitro Fest, Parade of Darks, Gratitude, and Festivus, and newcomers such as Rapids & Grass, and Station 26’s Black Friday Invitational, just to name a few.

So strap in tight, the next few months are going to require a steady diet of tums, Illegal Pete’s burritos #burritobeforeburritoafter, wet wipes, and yeast (if you’re Jim Koch), because in 2018-2019, there’s #NoSobrietyTillMay #YesIKnowHashTagsDontWorkOutsideOfSocialMedia.