By the Thirst Team

One of our favorite events of the year was cancelled for the second year because of the never-ending pandemic.

The Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival, which we affectionately call “Big Beers,” typically warms up our January with a big party and bigger exclusive brews in Breckenridge. Not this year.

Our Big Beers tastings
We have been tasting some big beers recently to prepare for the festival. Here are some local highlights:
4 Noses El Jefe Con Leche
Left Hand Black Forest Nitro
Great Divide Barrel-Aged Yeti
Copper Kettle Snowed In
Launch Pad Cozy Christmas
River North Mr. Sandman
Holidaily Santa’s Nightcap
Burns Family Auld Lang Syne
Let us know if you have anything to add to the list. Better yet, send us a bottle or can to sample (wink wink).

But all is not lost. The Big Beers organizers are encouraging breweries, home brewers and craft enthusiasts to craft their own Big Beers fest this month. The festival would have been this weekend, and many brewers are hosting events, but other celebrations continue through the month.

Get started by downloading the CYO Big Beers app, crafted by DigitalPour. Select Big Beers from the location list to see all the participating breweries, and their featured beers.

“Since we can’t gather in person, we really wanted to provide the inspiration and motivation for Big Beers brewers and fans to celebrate wherever they are,” says Laura Lodge, Big Beers executive director. “It’s about keeping the energy and spirit alive, supporting each other, and continuing to spread the word about the unusual and amazing big (at least 7 percent ABV), Belgian (in style), and experimental beers these artisans continue to create.”

Reservations are available now for a five-course Colorado-Cuisine focused dinner, paired with Big Beers brews and some unique cellared beers, on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Burns Family Artisan Ales.

Also, tickets are available for the “World of Belgian Beers” guided tasting of more than a dozen Belgian beer styles on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Bruz Beers.

Other participating Colorado breweries include:

4 Noses Brewing Co.

Avery Brewing Co.

Baere Brewing

BJ’s BrewHouse

Blue Moon Brewing Co. RiNo

Bootstrap Brewing

Brix Brewery & Taphouse

Broken Compass Brewery

Bruz & Bruz Off Fax

Burns Family Artisan Ales

Casey Brewing and Blending

Cerebral Brewing

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Crystal Springs Brewing Co.

Dillon Dam Brewery

Dry Dock Brewing Co.

Eddyline Brewing Co.

El Rancho Brewing

Elevation Beer Company

Epic Brewing Co.

Fiction Beer Company

Gilded Goat Brewing Company

Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.

Gravity Brewing

Great Divide Brewing Co.

Grossen Bart Brewery

Guanella Pass Brewery

Gunbarrel Brewing Co.

Horse & Dragon Brewing

Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery

Joyride Brewing

Launch Pad Brewery

Left Hand Brewing Co.

Liquid Mechanics Brewing

Living The Dream Brewing

Locavore Beer Works

Lone Tree Brewing Co.

Loveland Aleworks

Mockery Brewing

New Belgium Brewing

Odell Brewing

Odyssey Beerwerks

Oskar Blues Brewery

Outer Range Brewing Co.

Pagosa Brewing Co.

Phantom Canyon Brewing Company

Pikes Peak Brewing

Platt Park Brewing Co

Primitive Beer

Pug Ryan's Brewery

Purpose Brewing

Ratio Beerworks

Resolute Brewing Co.

River North Brewery

Sanitas Brewing

SkaStreet Brewstillery

Spangalang Brewery

Spice Trade Brewing Co.

Strange Craft Beer Company

Telluride Brewing Co.

The Bakers' Brewery

The Colorado Farm Brewery

Upslope Brewing Company

Ursula Brewery

Vail Brewing Co.

Verboten Brewing

Westbound & Down Brewing Co.

Wibby Brewing

Wiley Roots Brewing

Wonderland Brewing Company

Woods Boss Brewing Company