The High Country Beer Fest returns Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center in Boone, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Organizers expect 39 regional, national and international breweries to be represented at the festival, offering samples of their craft to patrons, along with a splash of know-how.
“The motto of the festival is ‘Education never tasted so good,’ and that’s what it’s all about – tasting the great beers in the region and learning about the different flavors and styles, and being able to interact with the brewers,” said Dr. Brett Taubman, festival co-founder and organizer.
There will be educational seminars concentrating on the brewing process and techniques, accompanied by a live brewing demonstration. Other seminars will focus on pairing beers with food – cheeses, entrees and desserts – hosted by the High Country Chefs and Cooks Association, with edibles courtesy of the Broyhill Inn. And with beer and brats an obvious match, patrons can enjoy just that, as well as barbecue or vegetarian fare should they so prefer.
Live music will come courtesy of Dave Haney & Lisa Baldwin, The Henhouse Thieves, Rivers Street, The Worthless Son-in-Laws and BPL, and the event will be held outdoors, weather permitting.
Participating Carolina breweries include Boone Brewing Company (Blowing Rock), Foothills Brewing (Winston-Salem), Asheville Brewing Company (Asheville), Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh), Carolina Beer Company (Statesville), Duck Rabbit Brewery (Farmville), French Broad Brewing Company (Asheville), Highland Brewing Company (Asheville), Kind Beers (Charlotte), Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery (High Point), Lonerider Brewing Company (Raleigh), Natty Greene’s Brewing Company (Greensboro), Olde Hickory Brewery (Hickory), RJ Rockers Brewing Company (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Thomas Creek Brewing (Greenville, S.C.).
Participating Southeastern breweries include Abita Brewing Company (Abita Springs, La.), Sweetwater Brewing (Atlanta, Ga.), Starr Hill Brewing Company (Charlottesville, Va.) and Terrapin Beer Company (Athens, Ga.).
Participating national breweries include (Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Mo.), Bell’s Brewery (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Breckenridge Brewery (Denver, Colo.), Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Del.), Gordon Biersch Brewery (Palo Alto, Calif.), Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, Calif.), Left Hand Brewery (Longmont, Colo.), Magic Hat Brewing Company (South Burlington, Vt.), Merchant du Vin (Lenox, Mass.), New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colo.), New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, Mich.), Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, N.Y.), Oskar Blues Brewing (Longmont, Colo.), Pyramid Brewing Company, (Seattle, Wash.), Red Hook Brewery, Portsmouth, N.H.), Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, Calif.) and Victory Brewing Company (Downington, Penn.)
