The Las Vegas 6: Six beer festivals you don’t want to miss

 

You simply haven’t experienced beer until you’ve been to at least one of these brew events.

I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer.

Brendan Behan

Let’s face it. Americans love beer.

Beer makes us happy in a weird, disjointed kind of way. It’s the All American drink of sports fanatics, bonfire camaraderie, and mountaineers.

For example. Take a typical scenario where you’d crave a cold one and insert say… a cold glass of Kool-Aid. Now how does that taste? Does it hit the spot? Of course not. Nothing else can replace a chilled brew on a steamy summer afternoon. You can’t swap the two and still look cool playing darts or sitting by the swimming pool.

Las Vegas tends to be the mecca for all things cool and festive. It’s where America travels to have a good time. So it’s no surprise that they also host some of the best beer festivals in the country. If you haven’t been to an epic beer festival, you haven’t experienced brew.

Here are just a few of our top picks for beer festivals you must attend, hosted by some of our favorite customers.

Take it from me, these are definitely worth clearing your calendar.

1.       Great Vegas Festival of Beer

The Great Vegas Festival of Beer hosted over 80 breweries this year that featured over 250 different types of craft beer. The festival is a mega gathering of all things brew with good entertainment thrown in for measure.

Here’s what Vegas 24Seven had to say about it:

With Vegas being home to some of the industry’s leading mixologists and cicerones, the BrewLogic series invites beer enthusiasts of all levels to sit in on casual talks and demonstrations as well as participate in guided tastings to enhance their craft beer knowledge. The festival’s new series creates the unique opportunity for guests to form a better understanding of craft beer and new appreciation for their favorite beverage.

Tickets start at $35. This year’s festival was hosted in April, so keep an eye on the Great Vegas Festival of Beer website for future dates.

2.       Las Vegas Beer Festival

Shine your mug and mark your calendar, the Las Vegas Beer Festival is coming to town! There will be merriment in the streets from May 8^th-10^th.

The line-up this year includes live music, comedy shows, contests, brewing demos and much more. Let’s just say that if you go, you won’t be sorry you went. Or bored.

Beer festival patrons basically describe it as the Beer Party of the Year. Picture it… you and several of your best friends can spend the day sampling award-winning brew. All day. In Las Vegas. You also learn something about home brewing, join in the sausage eating contest, and possibly make it into the Book of World Records for the “biggest cheer.” It’s practically where stories that never die are born.

Visit the Las Vegas Beer Festival website for more details.

3. Downtown Brew Festival

The 2014 Festival may have closed this chapter in their story, but don’t worry. They’ll be back in 2015 and you have time to get there.

The Downtown Brew Festival describes itself as the “most stupidly awesome craft beer list Vegas has ever seen.” Need I say more?

This event is huge. No—really, REALLY HUGE! Crowds flock to catch a taste, and a glimpse, of beer-making in motion.

Over 250 beers can be found all in one spot. Some are special releases not to touch the taste buds of your fellow Americans. Just you, the one who showed up to meet the maker of something special.

Details for the next event can be found HERE.

4. Rock Star Beer Festival

What happens when great beer and a music festival decide to get together? Fireworks!

The Rock Star Beer Festival, in other words, is a love affair between hand crafted microbrew and Rock music. The two go together beautifully. And this year, it was at none other than the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas.

The star-studded lineup is always impressive. This year, Jerrod Niemann and Leah Turner took the stage to fire up the scene.

Keep an eye on the Website for future dates.

5. Sin City Beer Festival

Drink for a great cause at the Sin City Beer Festival. This event raises funds for Three Square (as in providing three square meals a day for hungry children).

This festival is all part of Vegas Wine and Food, which promises to tingle your pallet and satisfy the largest appetite.

The day this year is May 17^th from 8-11pm.

Tickets are available ONLINE and can be purchased for all-you-can-drink or drink-up plus Barbecue.

6. Rock N’ Brew Festival

The Rock N’ Brew Festival pretty much lives up to its name. And then some.

The party is hosted at The Palms Resort and is a pool-side adventure of live music and local brews. Nobody walks around empty handed or without a smile on their face. Unless maybe they’re allergic to beer or deaf.

Party-goers come back year-after-year and make it a mandatory stop on the yearly event itinerary. That includes both locals and out-of-town travelers who come for a good time.