2024 Tasting Session Beer Styles
The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is excited to announce the styles of craft beer that will be poured at this year’s Tasting Sessions as part of the Brewer Showcase.
Light drinkable lagers will be on tap from breweries like Colorful Beverage and Montucky Cold Snacks, while Firestone Walker, Ex Novo and Lawson’s Finest Liquids showcase their hop-forward IPAs. Don’t miss some of Colorado’s most talked about and mainstay breweries, 4 Noses, Crooked Stave, Ska, Carver, Odell and Oskar Blues. Drink like a local with Telluride Brewing, Stronghouse and Smuggler Union or go deeper with Bruz, an artisanal brewery dedicated to brewing traditional Belgian-style beers and the non-alcoholic brewery that you have to try to believe, Athletic Brewing Company.
The Colorado Brews Guild will join us to showcase fresh hop beers with local hops from Billy Goat Hop Farm, Oktoberfest style beers and more during the Brewer Showcase Tasting Sessions. Stop by the their tent to try fresh hop beers from Glenwood Canyon Brewing and Base Camp Beer Works that use local hops.
The head blender from HIRSH Selected Whiskeys will be on-site talking to attendees and serving up samples of their award-winning craft whiskey during Friday Session 1 and both Saturday sessions.
A limited amount of Tasting Session tickets for both Friday Sessions, 1 - 3 pm and 4 - 6 pm and the Saturday 4 -6 pm (High ABV Session) are still available. Explore the list below and join us the 2024 Tasting Sessions.
Presenting Breweries
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Regular Tasting Sessions - Cool Little Thing Hazy IPA, Hazy Little Thing IPA, Juicy Little Thing IPA
High ABV Session - Torpedo Extra IPA
4 Noses Brewing Company
Regular Tasting Sessions - Pump-Action Pumpkin Ale, Michelada Pale Lager, IMPERIAL ‘BOUT DAMN TIME, Flatiron Fog Hazy IPA
High ABV Session - Wild Provisions Ranch Chores, EL Jefe Barrel Aged Stout
Telluride Brewing Company
Regular Tasting Sessions - Party Bus West Coast Pilsner, Suero Lime Pilsner, Russell Kelly IPA, Face Down Brown Ale
High ABV Session - St Barley Barleywine, AlpenGose Gose with Strwberry, Pear & Hibiscus
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Regular Tasting Sessions - Mind Haze IPA, Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Juicy IIPA, Mind Haze Brain Melter Hazy IPA
High ABV Session - Parabola Imperial Stout
Ska Brewing Company
Regular Tasting Sessions - Oktoberfest, Southwest Coast IPA and Durango Blues Train Lagger
High ABV Session - Double Modus IPA, Ska Face Barleywine
Crooked Stave
Regular Tasting Sessions - Sour Rose, Pun'kin Power Pale Ale, Juicy West IPA, Mexican Lager
High ABV Session - Blue Gesha Fruited Sour Ale with coffee and blueberries
exhibiting breweries
Athlectic Brewing Co
- Regular Tasting Sessions - (All Non-Alcoholic) Run Wild IPA, Upside Dawn Golden Ale, Hazy IPA, Light Lager, Cerveza Mexican Lager
Ex Novo
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Fresh Hop Mass Ascension IPA, Perle Haggard Pilsner, German Overalls Oktoberfes
- High ABV Session - Kill the Sun, Bourbon barrel aged imp stout, Unexpect the Expected, Spontaneous ferm ale conditioned with Raspberries
Odell
- Regular Tasting Sessions - IPA, Pils, Oktoberfest
- High ABV Session - Friek, Big Sippin Imperial Sour Ale
Voodoo
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Lacto Kooler Berliner Weisse, Good Vibes West Coast IPA, Voodoo Love Child Belgian Tripel
- High ABV Session - Barrel Aged Voodoo Love Child Belgian Tripel, Barrel Aged Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout
Big B's Hard Cider
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Lazy Daze Hard Lemonade, Harvest Apple Hard Cider, Cherry Daze Hard Cider
- High ABV Session - Bourbon Barrel Aged Pommeau
Fremont
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Fremont Lush IPA, Sky Kraken IPA, Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout
- High ABV Session - Barrel Aged Cambios Imperial Oatmeal Stout
Oskar Blues
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Dale’s Pale Ale, Dale’s Light Lager, Hazy Blues IPA, Old Chub Scotch Ale
- High ABV Session - Ten Fidy Imperial Stout
Boneyard Beer
- Regular Tasting Sessions - RPM IPA, Incredible Pulp Extra Pale Ale
- High ABV Session - Hop Venom Double IPA
Grand Canyon
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Prickly Pear Wheat, Overnight IPA, Hop Canyon IPA, Kolsch
- High ABV Session - Imperial Coffee Stout, Wine Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
Montucky Cold Snacks
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Montucky Cold Snacks Light Lager
Bruz Beers
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Dame Blanche Witbier, Bruz Dubbel, Bruz Tripel
- High ABV Session - Diablo Golden Strong, Bruz Quadrupel
High Trestle
- Regular Tasting Sessions -
- High ABV Session -
Palisade
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Nelson loves Pilsner New Zeland Pilsner, Off Belay IPA, MidDay Siesta Mexican Lager, Dirty Hippie Dark Wheat
- High ABV Session - WoodCutters Daughter Imperial stout, Troubled Mind Imperial Stout
Carver Brewing Co
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Lightener Creek Lager, Hazy IPA with Mango and Passion Fruit, Jack Rabbit Raspberry Wheat
- High ABV Session - Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Jagged Mountain
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Four Pass Pilsner, Fruited Sour, Texas Suitcase West Coast IPA
- High ABV Session - Barrel Aged Frequent Flyer Golden Ale, Whiskey Barrel Aged “Paper Plane” Cocktail inspired Golden Ale
Smuggler Union
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Smugglers Oktoberfest, Pumpkin Plunge Belgian Ale, Chilly Goat - Wet Hopped Cold IPA, Cumberland Blues Kettle Sour, Birra Italiano Italian Pilsner, Tip Sipper - Spruce Tip IPA
- High ABV Session - Farewell Spaceman, Fallen From Grace – Belgian Quad, Palmyra Pils
Colorful Beverage
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Colorful Lager, Light Lager
Lawson's
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Little Sip IPA, Hopcelot IPA
- High ABV Session - Sip of Sunshine IPA
Stronghouse
- Regular Tasting Sessions - Wet Hop Dream Fresh Hop, Leaf Peeper Oktoberfest, Uncommonly Citra
- High ABV Session - High Octane Old Timey Barleywine, Wildboy Summer DIPA
Brewers Showcase
The Brewers Showcase is a multi-faceted experience with events spanning the entire festival weekend.
The Showcase will host four intimate tasting sessions with 26 breweries pouring unlimited samples for attendees. The sessions will also feature a special tasting tent hosted by the Colorado Brewers Guild serving the best in Colorado craft beer from select breweries that can’t attend the event.
The House of Brews bar returns with rotating beer styles each day from attending breweries. To top it all off, the Showcase will kick off with a multi-course beer pairing dinner that will strategically pair modern mountain dishes with special craft beer.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company will return as the long-standing craft beer partner to the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Throughout the event, Sierra Nevada will pour many of their classic styles along with six rare, specialty beers and a unique "festival-only" flavor.
Tasting Sessions
Presented by the Telluride Blues Society
The Brewers Showcase will feature four tasting sessions in a dedicated Beer Garden on the north end of the festival grounds located in between the Main Stage and the Blues Stage. These sessions will host limited attendees providing the opportunity to interact with the brewers on an intimate level.
Two of the sessions will be held on Friday afternoon and two on Saturday afternoon. Three of the sessions will offer attendees a tasting experience with 28 breweries pouring over 70 styles of craft beer. Each session will run for two hours in length with tickets available for $30 per session.
The late Saturday session will feature 35 or more special, high ABV, barrel-aged, rare, wild and non-traditional craft beers. This session will also run for two hours in length with tickets available at $45 per person.
Friday September 13
Session One: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Session Two: 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday, September 14
Session One: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Session Two: 4:00 - 6:00 pm (special, high ABV, barrel-aged, rare, wild and non-traditional craft beers)
Tickets for each tasting session are on sale now along with all other Festival Passes. Tasting sessions participants must be 21+ in age and must have an accompanying primary entry festival pass (Single-Day Festival Pass or 3-Day Festival Pass). The complete list of beer styles will be released in the summer of 2024.
Best of Colorado
The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is excited to partner with the Colorado Brewers Guild for another year! The Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) is a nonprofit trade association with the mission to promote, protect, and propel independent craft breweries in the State of Craft Beer (Colorado) through advocacy, community, education, and public awareness. The majority of the state’s 400+ licensed breweries are members.
The Colorado Brews Guild will join 25 attending breweries to showcase fresh hop beers with local hops from Montrose based Billy Goat Hop Farm, Oktoberfest style beers and more during the Brewer Showcase Tasting Sessions. Stop by the Colorado Brewers Guild Tent to meet folks from the guild and to try some craft beers that represent some of the state’s best breweries not in attendance at the event.
Glenwood Canyon Brewing | Fresh Hop Vapor Cave a West Coast IPA - 350 pounds of Billy Goat Hop Farm’s award winning Cascade hops added. That's 35 pounds per barrel!
Glenwood Canyon Brewing | Fresh Hop Mind Fuzz | Hazy IPA - 50 pounds of Billy Goat Hop Farm’s Copper hops added. Let's have fun and celebrate the Harvest.
Base Camp Beer Works | Junc Fest - Classically lagered oktoberfest style festbier. Subtle malt sweetness complimented by notes of bread crust.
Base Camp Beer Works | Fresh Slope Hazy IPA - In partnership w/ Billy Goat Hop Farm, this beauty is crafted with 100 pounds of FRESH COPPER hops & a massive Copper hop dry hop. Juicy, tropical, w/ notes of fruit punch. awareness.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co
Official Craft Beer Partner
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company will return as the long-standing craft beer partner to the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Be sure to check out their classic styles including the iconic Pale Ale and the award-winning Hazy Little Thing IPA all weekend, along with six rare, specialty beers and a unique "festival-only" flavor in a special High Altitude Lounge bar in addition to exclusive styles at the Tasting Sessions, House of Brews and High Altitude Craft Beer Lounge!
Crafting Award-Winning Beers For Over 40 Years
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is a craft beer pioneer and a household name among beer enthusiasts worldwide. Established in 1980 in Chico, California, the brewery has been producing quality beers for over 40 years. The company prides itself on its commitment to sustainability, using solar panels to power its facilities and reusing packaging materials. Sierra Nevada is well known for its flagship beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which has become a classic American craft beer. The company also offers a wide range of beers, from IPAs to stouts to seasonal brews. With a focus on quality and sustainability, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company continues to be a leader in the craft beer industry.
High Altitude Craft Beer Lounge
Rare Beer Offerings
During the festival Sierra Nevada will unveil rare and sought after craft beers. Many of these beers are only available at the brewery, special events or have spent time aging deep in the brewery’s vaults. Rare beer is a luxury for serious beer enthusiasts who seek out unique, one-of-a-kind flavors. These beers are produced in limited quantities, making them highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs alike. Often brewed with unique ingredients or aged in special barrels, rare beers are designed to be savored and appreciated like fine wines. These beers are not only special because of their exclusivity, but also because of the intricate brewing techniques used to create them. For beer lovers, trying a rare beer can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that elevates their appreciation for the craft to a whole new level.
Listen up! This year’s selection of rare beers will be unveiled from the stage in between sets each day of the festival. Once each keg is tapped, the specialty beer will be available until it runs out so don’t miss out!
2024 Rare Beer List
Pecan Pie Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - This sweet finishing, Bourbon Barrel Aged stout has rich and striking flavor of pecan pie with the aroma of vanilla, nuts and wood. 12.5% ABV
Otra Vez Lime & Agave Gose - We combined the classic flavors of lime and blue agave nectar in a tart gose-style ale for the ultimate answer to the heavy heat of the day. The bright lime flavor helps wake up the palate while the mild sweetness of the agave rounds out the tangy zip of the citrus fruit. Light and refreshing, this all-new Otra Vez will have you calling for another round. 4.9%
Obscuraveza - This crisp drinking, roasty, dark Mexican-style lager is not just a rarity, it’s an “Obscure SierraVeza”. 5.4% ABV
West Ghost IPA -An old-school IPA back from the dead, lest we forget that today’s haze began bright. This West Coast ghost is uber crisp and proudly bitter, with notes of citrus and sweet fruit. 7.2% ABV
Boomerang IPA - Certain regions produce hops whose flavors are simply unlike any others. This is the case for many of the hops coming out of the Southern Hemisphere—specifically, those from Australia where the hops are famous for their floral character and enticing fruit-forward aromas. These one-of-a-kind hops were the inspiration for Boomerang, a “Yankee-Aussie” IPA featuring the light malt body of an American IPA blended with the robust flavors of Southern Hemisphere hops. 6.7% ABV
House Of Brews
Try One Or Try Them All
The House Of Brews Bar returns this year with local, regional and national breweries showcasing their best suds on a rotating list of styles throughout the festival, with at least ten styles each day. To ensure a diverse menu for all attendees, the House Of Brews will also have hard ciders, hard kombuchas and hard seltzers available for purchase.
The House of Brews Bar is located on the North side of the festival grounds, adjacent to the main entrance.
Beer Pairing Dinner
Presented by the Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection
The Brewers Showcase will kick off in style on Thursday, September 12 with an evening of brews, world class fare, and, live music from Nat Myers, featuring an exclusive multi-course dinner, presented by festival partner Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection. This culinary experience will pair curated, modern mountain cuisine by Executive Chef Zach Ladwig with unique craft beers and conversation with brewers.
Local Legends - Ah Haa School For the Arts Fundraiser
Join the Ah Haa School for the Arts for Local Legends, beer tasting and food pairing on the Sky Deck Thursday September 12 from 5 -7pm! Telluride's own local legends, Telluride Brewing Company will host Ska Brewing, Ex Novo Brewing and Strong House Brewpub for a special beer tasting paired with bites prepared by a guest chef from Ah Haa's culinary classroom. Sample each brewery's seasonal styles while hearing from the makers and learning about craft beer straight from the source! Kick off your weekend with fantastic craft beer and even better mountain views, while raising money for Ah Haa!