Are you a fan of beer in Canada? Well, there are many festivals across Canada that might interest you. Here is a list of some of the upcoming and well-known celebrations all around Canada. Do not miss them out!
Toronto beer week
The event hosts a series of events dedicated to celebrating the advancement of beer crafting. The TBK showcases drinks that has been authentically brewed and flavored, the licenses that support brewers and the brewers that brew them. If you are looking for great cocktails and the best place to drink it then TBK is the place to be.
Whistler village festival
Imagine enjoying your drinks in the mountains. Join others during this year’s celebration that will be held in the mountains for five days starting September 14th to September 18th, 2016. You will enjoy drinks from more than 60 breweries, food pairing, great parties, unique cask nights, and interesting seminars. You will sample over 120 cocktails.
The famous Canadian run and festival
Do not miss this event that will take place on the 18th of September 2016. The Toronto’s 5k fun run will be going down in a few days. Walk or run along the lakeside Ontario Place course then cross into a celebration featuring live entertainment after crossing the finish line.
Sour days of summer
Grab your ticket today for the celebration of sour cocktails from the best favorite breweries. Celebrate the end of summer in style. It will be held on 22nd September 2016. Enjoy drinks from breweries like Philips, Fuggles, Parallel 49, warlock, and Driftwood.
Hopscotch Celebration
Tickets for the 23rd September celebration are now on sale. You will enjoy spirits and whiskey among other drinks from McClelland premium imports. The event is going down in Kelowna.
We are very happy to announce that Metro News Edmonton has done a very nice feature on our 10th anniversary celebration coming up this weekend. We are almost sold out of tickets so be sure to get yours before they are all gone!
Our good friend Ben from Steam Whistle sat down with some local radio personalities to taste a few different beers this morning. Check out the videos below and if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, be sure to get them today! Don’t leave it to the last minute!
Beer festivals are great after a few months of extreme cold, and not just because they give you an opportunity to drink inside. The Edmonton 10th Annual Beer Festival gives you access to rare, less-available beers, so you can taste a wide variety, hang out with your heroes and other beer lovers, and learn a thing or two. At BeerFest, you can literally drink as many different kinds of beer as you want, and there can’t possibly be a better way for beer lovers to spend a few evening hours.
In order to enjoy Beer Fest, it is important that you take the necessary preparations. The following tips will help you survive our massive beer event April 1 and 2 2016 and guarantee you a great time:
Eat Before You Come!
Give yourself time to get the flavor of the food out of your mouth or you will be tasting food-flavored beer, and continue to seek out food for the duration of the festival. Typical beer festival fare of turkey legs, pizza, nachos and different sandwiches will give your stomach a much needed buffer between beer and alcohol absorption. Take time to enjoy your food; this will also help to cleanse your palate between your beers.
Try to Drink Equal Parts Water and Beer
We know this one is hard… But if you have four servings of beer, try and drink that same amount of water before moving on. BeerFest has bottled water on sale specifically for this purpose. You might use the restrooms more frequently, but in the end this will keep you from becoming dehydrated and could help reduce the chance of suffering a hangover later on.
Try to Experience Everything
We provide a list of entertainers (check our Facebook Page) as well as run a Beer School during the show. Get hold of that list and start planning what you might want to see. We have an incredible line up of shows, exhibitors and talent at this year’s festival.
Get the Ultimate Beer Fest Experience with a Beer God Pass
Choosing which type of ticket to buy for a beer festival can be hard, but we’ve made it easy. The only pass for a true beer lover is the Beer God Pass. You get 1 hour early access and front of the line service, Free sampling mug and a Free tasting guide! Click here to buy your Beer God Pass!
Make Sure You Truly Taste the Beers!
Too often attendees look at this festival as a four hour kegger. To enjoy BeerFest 2016 and create a lasting impression in your mind, and to retain a happy memory of the beers you drank (that you should be able to find after the festival), take your time to actually taste the beer. Tasting hints to consider:
Aroma – Since half of taste is actually our olfactory perception, take time to smell the beer. Make a mental note of what you can smell.
Appearance – Although most festivals pour in two ounce portions, you should be able get a good idea of the look of the beer. The head retention, color, cloudiness, etc.
Taste – When tasting, it is recommended that you drink only half of the sample initially. Make a note of the different properties of the beer (bitter/sweet/tart, etc.).
Mouth feel – What did the beer feel like? Thick, chewy, silky, fizzy? The texture will have an effect upon your perception and enjoyment of the beer.
One last tip: dress appropriately for the weather and put on some comfortable shoes, as you will be spending a lot of time on your feet at the Edmonton Beer Festival.
This year at BeerFest we are updating our BeerGod passes to pay homage to the ancient gods of drinking and beer! These passes give you the ultimate access to the show, so you truly feel like a god among mortals!
Learn all about the ancient gods of beer and drinking featured on our passes:
Aegir
God of the sea in Norse mythology, Aegir had control of storms and ocean waves. He is also known as the God of brewing and beer! Aegir was responsible for brewing ale for the other gods after Thor brought him a giant kettle. Every winter, the gods would gather at Aegirs home and celebrate by drinking his delicious ale.
Aegir was always surrounded by mermaids and nixes while he was in his hall which was located under the sea. He lived there with his wife Rana and his nine daughters who were said to be the waves of the ocean.
Aegir was famed for his hospitality, the cups in his hall were always full refilling as soon as they emptied through his magic. He covered his floors with gold to create light instead of having a fire!
Dionysus
In ancient Greek mythology, Dionysus is the god of intoxicating drinks like beer and wine. He is also regarded as the Liberator because he frees oneself with the stimulating effect of alcoholic drinks.
Dionysus is the son of Zeus; raised in a cave on the mythical Mount Nysa by Seilonos and Nysiades and tutored by Silenus.
Dionysus is portrayed in one of two forms: a pretty, long-haired effeminate youth or an older bearded god. His attributes include a drinking cup, thethyrsos (pine-cone tipped staff), leopard and fruiting vine, and entourage comprising a troop of Mainades (nymphs or female devotees) and Satyrs.
Silenus
Silenus is famously known for being the Ancient Greek god of beer. He is also considered a drinking companion, and is often associated with his pal, Dionysus.
Silenus is portrayed as a bald, fat man with a beer belly, and is always drunk. In fact, the Greek mythology states that he had to be carried by donkeys or satyrs who were mythical wood-dwelling creatures with the head and body of a human being but ears, legs, and horns of a goat!
Silenus was also a god of drunkenness who preferred to remain seated on the back of a donkey while riding Dionysus’ train. He was portrayed as a hairy and balding, jovial old man with a snub nose and pot-belly, and the tail and ears of an ass. This satyr form was considered the foster-father of Dionysus, who was delivered under his care following his birth from the thigh of Zeus.
Ninkasi
Ninkasi is perhaps the earliest goddess to be associated with beer and brewing from the ancient Sumerian civilization. She is claimed to have provided the world with the secret for beer making.
Ninkasi is also famous for her power to satisfy human desire. She is daughter to the lord Nudimmud (Enki) and the queen of Abzu (Ninti), and one of the eight children created for the purpose of healing one the eight wounds suffered by Enki.
Additionally, she is the goddess of alcohol; borne of “sparkling fresh water” and made to “sate the heart” and “satisfy desire”. Ninkasi is the kind of beer goddess who prepares the drink every day.
Osiris
Symbolized by white and crowns, a mummified form, crook and flail, and bull, Osiris was the god of earth and vegetation, or simply the god of agriculture. He was symbolized in his death the annual drought and his miraculous reincarnation the periodic flooding of the Nile and growth of grain.
Osiris was considered the god-king who gave Egypt civilization. He is also popularly known as the God of beer. Julius Caesar also acknowledges that Osiris was the one who taught the people how to use barley to brew a drink that is not vastly inferior to wine in potency and odor.
These are just some of the Ancient Deities with connections to beer or alcohol to drink a toast to or celebrate with a glass of beer this BeerFest. Because their followers believed and worshipped them, you can still enjoy some tasty beer today! Try to collect ALL the Gods on this years BeerGod Passes for the ultimate thanks to them!
On April 1st and 2nd, 2016, thousands of beer lovers will be at the Shaw Conference Centre to live and experience yet another edition of Edmonton’s International BeerFest.
The festival is an experience that goes far beyond throwing back a few beers. It incorporates some good time with good company, music, fun learning, food and beer. Like always this year’s event guarantees fun. Lots and lots of fun.
The festival promises a high level of entertainment. It will feature numerous musicians and bands whose electrifying live music is reason enough to attend. In 2015, the musical lineup included Edmonton’s Lyra Brown, Cadence & Nathan, Rob Taylor, The Moanin’ After, Braden Gates, and Carrie Day.
Every year, there are also world-class guest speakers offering insight on matters of beer and food. In 2015, the event invited David Ort and Patrick McMurray to talk about food and beer pairing and oyster appreciation respectively.
And of course celebrating beer is the reason for the occasion. In attendance will be hundreds of local and international microbreweries, medium size breweries, and multinational breweries. Some have brewed for centuries, and others are startups yearning to stretch our taste buds. The only common denominator among the exhibiting brewers is a passion for brewing and the love and appreciation of a quality brew.
All those participating breweries will bring over 200 varieties of beer. Apart from familiar brands, you can expect to find samples of gluten-free beer, chocolate stouts and pale ales. If you have not discovered a beer that matches your personality and style, taste those varieties, and you will fall in love with one or more beers.
You can also look forward to some innovative products from brewers such as Big Rock Brewery. If you love lagers, make sure to check out Yellowhead Brewery’s delicious lagers. You can also sample Steam Whistle’s Premium Pilsner. If amazing ales are your kind of beer, make a date with among others, Big Surf Beer co., and Parallel 49 Brewing Company.
Good music, friendly company and lots of beer create the right atmosphere for a blast. It’s no wonder then that Edmonton’s BeerFest has sold out six years straight. Get your tickets early and wait to have the time of your life.
