2020 Big Beers Belgians & Barleywines Pour List & Can’t Miss Beers

Throughout my years of visiting breweries, attending beer festivals and covering the industry, one thing has become abundantly clear, Coloradoans are spoiled when it comes to beer. This assertion is none more evident than the collection of talent that’s assembled each year at Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines and this year’s 20th anniversary pour list is no different.

Over the past 20 years, Big Beers has grown to become one of the country’s premier holistic beer festivals. Stemming from organizers Laura and Bill Lodge’s passionate approach toward curating the best talent, while also going above and beyond in ensuring the best attendee experience, Big Beers has come to capture the essence of what it takes to throw the ultimate beer lover’s weekend, ranging from a star-studded cast of brewers to an elite level lineup of beers, intimate brewers dinners, premier educational seminars, other extracurriculars like beer & this year’s 20-year Reunion event, all to the backdrop of some of the most stunning mountain vistas and world-class skiing resort.

Before we dive into this year’s list, it’s important to note that this is just a preliminary look at what’s most likely to be poured at the festival and that all beers and breweries are subject to change. With that in mind, let’s touch on what we’re most excited about.

Tickets are Still Available for the 2020 Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Festival

Big Beers, as the name would indicate, continues the trend of barrel-aged Stout-heavy fests. However, what is most exciting about several of this year’s entries, is the emphasis on blending different types of barrels to yield a more complex resulting beer. Such is the case with WeldWerks Medianoche Premier Vol. 1, which includes aging the beer in a variety of bourbon, apple brandy, brandy, rye, and Jamaican rum barrels, and Burns Family Artisan Ale LawHammer Solar Eclipse which begins in Laws Whiskey Barrels and is then finished in Deerhammer Single Malt Whiskey barrels, or Boulevard’s Brandy Land, which sees time in both apple brandy casks and bourbon barrels.

Other intriguing Stouts involve familiar collaborations, such as Cellarmaker Brewing Ocean of Storms, which is a collaboration with the prolific Horus Aged Ales, Work From Work, Outer Range’s collab with Cerebral, and Thrillerzzz from Mikerphone Brewing, which was made in collaboration with Forager Brewery.

More within the Stout category that we’re excited to try include, Alvarado Street’s Dark Libations #2 Rum Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with vanilla, coconut, and macadamia nuts, Amalgam’s Festival Suit, a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with coconut, chocolate, pecan, and vanilla, Du Hast Cake from Wiley Roots, and pretty much everything from Transient Artisan Ales, who will be making their Big Beers debut with three variants of their F— Barrel-Aged Imperial Cream Stout, along with a pair of Wild Ales and a Barrel-Aged Barleywine. Kane Brewing which has been a long-time leader in barrel-aged Stouts is bringing Anniversary Ale 2922, a Blend of Barrel Aged Stouts and Porters with bourbon vanilla beans and cinnamon, Highland Park Brewery is bringing 504, a Barrel-Aged Neapolitan Imperial Stout with a touch of cinnamon, heaps of cacao nibs, strawberries, and vanilla. And after all the success Knotted Root has had in hazy IPA’s we’re curious to try their first Stout release in Precious Birthday Fudge.

However our all-time can’t miss within this category remains Side Project’s Beer : Barrel : Time.

Moving on to the Strong Ale / Barleywine category, Sam Adams has become a perennial must-visit as the fest for Triple Bock and Utopias. This year’s Utopias is even more intriguing as it was aged in Aquavit, Carcavelos, and Ruby Port barrels and finished in Cognac and Madeira. While we typically rave about Rowley Farmhouse Ales for their wild/sour program, we’ve been dying to try Body Isn’t Life, their Barleywine collab with Pipeworks since we got a sneak preview in the tank while visiting them over the summer. Another Barleywine collab we’re excited to try is Cerebral’s collab with Fort George, Cosmic Vertigo. 

External Events Round-Up for 2020 Big Beers Weekend

Liquid Mechanics, who have been quietly slaying the clean barrel-aged game for some time is bringing Pocket Full of Shells, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine with Toasted Coconut and Vanilla. And two breweries who’ve really been picking it up as of late in the specialty beer game who we’re excited for are, Ska Brewing and their Old Fashioned, a cocktail-inspired barrel-aged Strong Ale, and New Image for, Wood, their Barleywine aged in Spanish Cedar.

On the wild and sour end of the spectrum, I’ve learned to trust in the more reliable producers. As such the immediate standouts include, Jester King Brewing, who will showcase Spon Syrah & Sangiovese, Casey Brewing & Blending who will have 10 entries including Vanilla Jammy, Leaner, and Funky Blender Preserves – Raspberry & Cherry & Vanilla. Culture Beverage will make their Big Beers debut as a distributor to bring a pair of gems from 3 Fonteinen. We’re also excited to dive further into Fremont’s Black Heron Project series with their Virtue foeder-aged Golden Sour.

I’ve also learned never to sleep on Atom Brewing, who will be bringing their 3 Year Anniversary Blend. This year, Black Project is bringing Skyhawk, a rum and gin barrel-aged blended Wild Ale with raspberries. We’re also intrigued by newcomers The Referend Brewery and their Mont Sainte-Victoire, their Spontaneous Saison aged in Rosé and Pinot Noir barrels before refermentation on fresh white peaches for an additional six weeks. We’re always excited for Wiley Roots‘ Funk Yo Couch series and this year’s Double Citra Double Galaxy Funk Yo Couch is no different. And you cannot miss Westbound & Down’s Metaberry + Cognac and Vanilla, which we named one of the best beers of 2019.

A few rising breweries who can’t be missed in the category include Primitive Beer, continue to wow each with each and every release, they’ll be bringing Shibbleshabble and Harbored in the Fuzz, which are both can’t miss spontaneous beers. Peter Bouckaert’s Purpose Brewing will make their Big Beers debut with Smoeltrekker #061, a Dark Barrel-Aged Saison with Cinnamon, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, and plum flavors. The aforementioned Rowley Farmhouse Ale will have Cote d’Or – Pinot Noir, a Pinot Noir Barrel-Aged Wild Ale conditioned on honey, and virtually everything from Speciation Artisan Ales will impress but we’re most excited about Allopatric, a Sour Ale Aged in Wine & Mezcal Barrels with Frontenac Grapes, and Mutation Meltdown, a Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Dark Sour w/ coffee, vanilla, cocoa nibs & orange zest.

Tickets are Still Available for the 2020 Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Festival

And finally, in the catch-all category of hoppy beers & Lagers, Cellarmaker has an intriguing entry in Ancient Idols, a Helles lager co-fermented with whole cluster Vermentino grapes, as does Three Barrel Brewing, who is bringing Savvy, a Rum Barrel-Aged Coconut Lager. On the topic of unique barrel-aging, Bootstrap Brewing is already underrated when it comes to their Wreak Havoc Imperial Red Ale, but they’re bringing a version that’s been aged in a PX Sherry/Bourbon Barrels.

We’re excited to try Fiction Beer Company’s Fan Fiction, collab with CO:NE IPA & Hazy Haze, a local Facebook group dedicated to Colorado hazy IPAs. And don’t sleep on Mash Labs, who we named as one of the best rising breweries in Colorado, will have both their Imperial Crispi Boi Pilsner and Double New England IPA.

External Events Round-Up for 2020 Big Beers Weekend

And now your full 2020 Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Pour List

(Special thanks to Sami Hartman for her work in creating this pour list)

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