Double and Triple Imperial Stouts. 16%, 18%, and even 23% alcohol-by-volume. A brain-numbing substance from Samuel Adams called Utopias. These were some of the aspects of the 8th Annual Big Beers Festival in Vail this past weekend that truly designated the beers poured as gladiators of the worldwide beer community.
A host of excellent Barleywines, Saisons, Trippels, Strong Ales, Meads, Lambics, Stouts, and others provided a treat for those willing to explore the possibilities of slightly less conventional fare. Bristol Brewery poured their Triple Warlock, 23 Barleywine, and a very tasty Sour called Flanders Red. Avery brought nearly their entire assortment of specialty beers, including their Mephistopeles Imperial Stout and their Hog Heaven Barleywine. New Belgium served their Abbey, a Sour Brown called La Folie, a specialty ale called La Fleur Misseur, and a fascinating Tripple called Johnny's Yerba Mate Grand Cru. In all, nearly a quarter of the breweries in Colorado, 25, served beer at the festival. This occurred alongside over 51 other brewers from across the nation and around the world, including The Lost Abbey from San Marcos, California and Dogfish Head from Milton, Delaware, and others from as far off as Belgium, Italy, and Germany.
The tasting session on Saturday saw 650 excited beer connoisseur's sipping tasty, robust libations not often found at your local watering hole. The two dinners preceding the tasting session also proved to be decidedly popular. The Opening Dinner on Thursday night with Adam Avery of Avery Brewing and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewing sold out. The Brewmasters' Dinner on Friday with Tomme Arthur of The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing and Doug Odell of Odell Brewing amazingly had some empty seats, but according to Laura Lodge, the Big Beers Festival event coordinator, the dinner was, "very well received."
During the tasting session, awards were given out for the 2008 Big Beers Homebrew Competition, sponsored and sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association. This year, a record 204 entries were received. All of those who cooked up recipes so divine that they caught the palatable attention of the judges and garnered awards are listed below. Homebrewing is where it all begins, and these competitions give motivation and authenticity to those who may eventually bring another brewery to the strong and vibrant beer community in Colorado, or somewhere else anxious for another good selection of great microbrews. We offer a salute to those who entered, and congratulations to those who won!
The Big Beers Festival truly is a unique event, especially for those in Colorado. Laura, and her brother Bill, have done an outstanding job of bringing great brewers and great beers to a magnificent setting in the Colorado mountains. Both seasoned and amateur beer palettes alike were almost assuredly enticed, and will most certainly look forward to next year's re-emergence of the great big beers of Colorado, and the world.
2008 Homebrew Competition Winners List 
Best of Show
Rich Krahl, Thornton, Colorado
“Wedding IPA”
Mixed Strong Dark Ales
Strong Scotch Ale " BJCP Category #9E, Baltic Porter " BJCP Category #12C
Russian Imperial Stout " BJCP Category #13F
Gold
Landon Anderson, New Castle, CO “Maria Porter”
Silver
Tom Gardner, Denver, CO “Way Heavy”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Wilson’s Imperial Stout”
Belgian & French Ales
BJCP Category #16
Gold
John Landreman, Colorado Springs, CO “Saison”
Silver
Bob Kauffman, Lafayette, CO “Saison ‘06”
Bronze
Greg Geiger, Littleton, CO “Ghent Night Train”
Sour Ales
BJCP Category #17
Gold
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Fruit Lambic”
Silver
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Pseudo Lambic”
Bronze
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Sour Red Ale”
Belgian Strong Ales
BJCP Category #18
Gold
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Monkey Shines”
Silver
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Rochefort 8 Clone”
Bronze
Ted Manahan, Ft. Collins, CO “Belgian Blonde”
Strong Ales
BJCP Category #19
Gold
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Ragnarok”
Silver
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Old Grouch”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Gotterdammerung”
Mixed Strong Ales
Bock BJCP " Category #5
Imperial IPA - BJCP Category #14C
Weizenbock " BJCP Category #15C
Specialty Beer " BJCP Category #23
Braggot " BJCP Cateogry #26B
Gold
Rich Krahl, Thornton, CO “Wedding IPA”
Silver
Rick Bobbitt, Thornton, CO “Mountain Goat Eisbock”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Much Too Much”
Specialty Beer
Specialty " BJCP Category #23
Gold
John Allison, Boulder, CO “Russian Ryeperia Stout Porter”
Silver
Gordon Pencis, Aurora, CO “Bourbon Barrel Beetlejuice Stout”
Bronze
Brent Steinshouer, Aurora, CO “Fallen Angels”
A host of excellent Barleywines, Saisons, Trippels, Strong Ales, Meads, Lambics, Stouts, and others provided a treat for those willing to explore the possibilities of slightly less conventional fare. Bristol Brewery poured their Triple Warlock, 23 Barleywine, and a very tasty Sour called Flanders Red. Avery brought nearly their entire assortment of specialty beers, including their Mephistopeles Imperial Stout and their Hog Heaven Barleywine. New Belgium served their Abbey, a Sour Brown called La Folie, a specialty ale called La Fleur Misseur, and a fascinating Tripple called Johnny's Yerba Mate Grand Cru. In all, nearly a quarter of the breweries in Colorado, 25, served beer at the festival. This occurred alongside over 51 other brewers from across the nation and around the world, including The Lost Abbey from San Marcos, California and Dogfish Head from Milton, Delaware, and others from as far off as Belgium, Italy, and Germany.
Mike Laur - DG2C
During the tasting session, awards were given out for the 2008 Big Beers Homebrew Competition, sponsored and sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association. This year, a record 204 entries were received. All of those who cooked up recipes so divine that they caught the palatable attention of the judges and garnered awards are listed below. Homebrewing is where it all begins, and these competitions give motivation and authenticity to those who may eventually bring another brewery to the strong and vibrant beer community in Colorado, or somewhere else anxious for another good selection of great microbrews. We offer a salute to those who entered, and congratulations to those who won!
The Big Beers Festival truly is a unique event, especially for those in Colorado. Laura, and her brother Bill, have done an outstanding job of bringing great brewers and great beers to a magnificent setting in the Colorado mountains. Both seasoned and amateur beer palettes alike were almost assuredly enticed, and will most certainly look forward to next year's re-emergence of the great big beers of Colorado, and the world.
Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival
2008 Homebrew Competition Winners List
Mike Laur - DG2C
Best of Show
Rich Krahl, Thornton, Colorado
“Wedding IPA”
Mixed Strong Dark Ales
Strong Scotch Ale " BJCP Category #9E, Baltic Porter " BJCP Category #12C
Russian Imperial Stout " BJCP Category #13F
Gold
Landon Anderson, New Castle, CO “Maria Porter”
Silver
Tom Gardner, Denver, CO “Way Heavy”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Wilson’s Imperial Stout”
Belgian & French Ales
BJCP Category #16
Gold
John Landreman, Colorado Springs, CO “Saison”
Silver
Bob Kauffman, Lafayette, CO “Saison ‘06”
Bronze
Greg Geiger, Littleton, CO “Ghent Night Train”
Sour Ales
BJCP Category #17
Gold
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Fruit Lambic”
Silver
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Pseudo Lambic”
Bronze
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Sour Red Ale”
Belgian Strong Ales
BJCP Category #18
Gold
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Monkey Shines”
Silver
Jim Denier, Littleton, CO “Rochefort 8 Clone”
Bronze
Ted Manahan, Ft. Collins, CO “Belgian Blonde”
Strong Ales
BJCP Category #19
Gold
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Ragnarok”
Silver
John Applegarth, Grand Rapids, MI “Old Grouch”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Gotterdammerung”
Mixed Strong Ales
Bock BJCP " Category #5
Imperial IPA - BJCP Category #14C
Weizenbock " BJCP Category #15C
Specialty Beer " BJCP Category #23
Braggot " BJCP Cateogry #26B
Gold
Rich Krahl, Thornton, CO “Wedding IPA”
Silver
Rick Bobbitt, Thornton, CO “Mountain Goat Eisbock”
Bronze
Ryan Thomas, Westminster, CO “Much Too Much”
Specialty Beer
Specialty " BJCP Category #23
Gold
John Allison, Boulder, CO “Russian Ryeperia Stout Porter”
Silver
Gordon Pencis, Aurora, CO “Bourbon Barrel Beetlejuice Stout”
Bronze
Brent Steinshouer, Aurora, CO “Fallen Angels”
