Best Beer Festivals Around the World

For many years, beer festivals have been popular places for entertainment and beer drinking, and to give people the chance to taste and purchase a wide range of brews. In addition, Beer festivals also offer a variety of food stalls, live music events, and contests. The main attraction is to be able to sample the amazing range of beers, as people often travel a great distance to attend beer festivals.

If you are one of those explorers who love to learn new things, experience new adventures and experience different cultures. Then Beer festivals should be on your bucket list! There are numerous festivals being celebrated in different parts of the world throughout the year, but millions of beer lovers head to annual beer festivals around the world. Check out this selection of beer festivals around the world – both the most popular ones and the lesser-known ones.

For beer-lovers, we also have the Ultimate Guide on Nonalcoholic Beer Subscriptions and the Best Alcohol-free beers

The Munich Oktoberfest

This world-famous beer festival is the largest high-quality festival. It attracts about six million visitors who participate in parades, dancing, and a variety of fairground activities every year. They mostly go to Oktoberfest to drink (obviously). This festival is held annually over two weeks, starting in mid-September to the first weekend of October.

There is the main event held in a field just outside Munich, and there are also various outdoor festival tents located around major streets and plazas. And guess what? the Beer tents are free!! Proper planning is necessary when visiting Oktoberfest to secure accommodation and transport bookings. You can also enjoy numerous attractions such as amusement rides, games, food stalls, Oktober clothes and souvenirs.

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Denver’s Great American Beer Festival

There are other beer festivals in Colorado, but the Denver beer festival hosts American beers’ biggest collection under one roof. It is one of the biggest and best beer festivals in the nation.

This festival is held in downtown Denver annually after the summer ends, usually mid-September and early October. This premier festival is organized by the Brewers Association every year in the fall and features 800 different breweries and about 4000 beer types.

The breweries are there in person and offer demos on beer making and beer pairing sessions. This massive 3-day festival allows visitors the chance to engage with their favorite brewers.

There’s a large contest for the best beers that has over 90 contest categories and is judged by over 100 American and international judges.

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Amsterdam’s Carnivale Brettanomyces Festival

The most popular Dutch beer festival, Carnivale Brettanomyces, is a yearly beer festival that focuses on brewing experimentation with wild yeasts and bacteria. Brettanomyces yeasts give beer strong, earthy aromas and are typically drier compared with traditional Saccharomyces-based beers.

This festival, often called Brettfest, takes place across six locations around Amsterdam and is held annually, 4 mad days in June. Visitors enjoy eccentric beers and food, and there are a variety of interesting talks on topics like brewing techniques and food pairings. For those who prefer more traditional-tasting beers, you will still be able to find Berliner Weisse, Gose, and some ciders.

There is so much more happening than just sampling some beer the whole day. You’ll meet the brewers in the wild, diving deep into microbiology to produce a natural wine, exploring no-limit of boundaries of beer.

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Related Links: Ultimate Guide to Alcohol Free Beer

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The Belgian Beer Festival in Bruges

The Bruges Beer Festival, which happens towards the start of each year, allows beer connoisseurs the chance to taste some of the best beers in the country. This international beer festival brings together over 75 breweries. There are more than 400 Belgian-style beers to choose from, including sour ales from Flanders and beers from Kwak that are drunk in tiny glass tubes. The festival attracts over 15,000 visitors every year from across the country or beyond that will join you in sampling the epic range of beers in historic Bruges.

There is no entry fee to attend, which means many people participate – and because of its central location, you should be able to find your way home even after drinking a potent aged barleywine. The city of Bruges is known for its beautiful city center that looks like it belongs in a fairy tale – making this a great choice of a festival for anyone who likes drinking and cultural sightseeing. And if you’ll get hungry? No worries, some local restaurants also produce beer-inspired menus that could complete your day.

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London’s Great British Beer Festival

The largest beer festival in England is the Great British Beer Festival. Which is organized by the Campaign for Real Ale and which gives visitors the opportunity to sample hundreds of varieties of real ales, ciders, and beers from the United Kingdom and around the world. Held annually in August and also known as “the biggest pub in the world”, it is usually attended by around 1.5 million people. Live entertainment, popular pub games, and the chance to interact with over 100 different breweries are some of the main attractions – all these in the heart of London.

This is a 4-day festival every summer held at Olympia London. Be sure not to miss it because this is your chance to learn more about the brewing process. This beer festival truly is one of the best beer festivals around the world.

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The Cape Town Festival of Beer

A lesser-known beer festival but the largest in the Southern Hemisphere is held each year in Cape Town, South Africa. Celebrating local and international brewing heritage and craft beers. The festival is held over a weekend and includes live entertainment, food trucks, and even live rugby.

This festival is the largest annual gathering of beer enthusiasts, experts, specialists, and those who want to learn more about beer. Typically over 60 breweries- both local and international present their beers. They engage with the public at this festival.

There are opportunities to learn about artisanal beer making and how to best pair beers with delectable foods. It is held during Cape Town’s summer, festival-goers can enjoy great weather with beautiful outdoor views while drinking their favorite craft beers. This has become a highlight on Cape Town’s social calendar. Macro and microbrewers offer samples, and visitors can expect to taste Jack Black, Soweto Gold, and Darling Brew.

If you liked this article also read: Ultimate Guide to Alcohol Free Beers

Sources:

The Benefit Analysis of Beer Festival of Host City: Comparison between the Munich Oktoberfest and the Qingdao International Beer Festival.

Understanding beer tourist motivation