While the majority of the Mountain State’s nearly 20 craft beer festivals take place in summer and during the Oktoberfest season, a few hearty festivals are stoking the craft beer lovers’ collective fire here in these last couple months of winter.
Dead of Winter Beer Fest – In its first year, is Morgantown Brewing Company’s Dead of Winter WV Beer Fest from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. At the brewery, located at 1291 University Ave., Morgantown, enjoy an Indoor Beer Garden with more than a dozen unique WV brews sourced from some of their favorite breweries all over the state. There will also be about a dozen Mountain State beers you can’t get anywhere except their taproom. Admission is free but tickets will be $3 per pout. Beer starts to flow at 4 p.m. Live music starts at 6 p.m. There’s also a presale Drink Ticket Deal: Get 10 drink tickets + a commemorative glass for just $20 until the day of the festival. Get that deal here … https://checkout.square.site/buy/7UM6ZUABN4LWZFHWUEBOHGRL
Go online at https://morgantownbrewing.com/
The Wild and Wonderful IPA Fest – Huntington is home to the super-sized summer fest, Rails and Ales, which celebrates its eighth year in 2020. For the past three winters, The Better Beer Coalition, made up of such beer hounds as Jeff McKay, owner of Summit Beer Station, and Jay Fox, head brewer at The Peddler, have curated the Wild and Wonderful Winter Fest, a small speciality or themed brew fest.
The first year featured sours and wild ales, last year winter fest toasted the region’s burgeoning cider industry and this year they are celebrating the dank and bitter goodness of IPAs.
The Wild and Wonderful Winter IPA Fest is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 at Black Sheep Harley Davidson’s event space at 408 Fourth Ave., Huntington. Volunteers and beer reps will be pouring nearly 50 IPAs featuring a variety of hops and styles, like Hazy, Black, West Coast, Double, New England and Session IPAs. They’ll feature breweries ranging from hometown breweries, like Huntington’s The Peddler to some of WV’s favorites Weathered Ground and the new High Ground as well as regional favorites like central Kentucky’s Country Boy Brewing and national brans such as Dogfish Head and Cigar City and more. Southside Sliders and Scootin Noodles will be on hand to fill your bellies and Brand Yourself and Full Circle Gifts & Goods will also be vending with some cool brew-themed merch.
Advance tickets are $50 through Eventbrite.com and you can also follow the fest on Facebook and jump on the tickets link there as they are limited to 300. https://www.facebook.com/wildandwonderfulwinterbeerfest/
Winter Warmer Beer Fest – In Bluefield, The Bluefield Arts Center hosts a Winter Warmer Beer Fest from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Bluefield Arts Center, 500 Bland St, Bluefield. The Winter Warmer showcase the growing regional craft brewery scene in Southern West Virginia where such new breweries as Sophisticated Hound (Princeton), Banning (Summersville), and Free Folk (Fayetteville) have popped up joining larger established breweries such as Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company and Bridge Brew Works.
The Winter Warmer features craft beer, fine food, music from regional favorites. Profits go to the fest sponsor, the Bluefield Beautification Commission. Tickets are $30 in advance at Eventbrite at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-warmer-a-craft-beer-festival-tickets-88513421025
Go online at https://visitmercercounty.com/ for more info on this and other Bluefield area events.
Just around the bend in May, Weathered Ground Brewery, 2027 Flat Top Road, Cool Ridge, W.Va., (just a stone’s skip from Winterplace, has announced its packed lineup for its third annual WV PubFest that is set to run 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the brewery. They’ve donated $10,000 to WV Public Broadcasting, in addition to helping WV Collective further the performing arts Southern WV. Admission is $25 advance through the Weathered Ground website at http://weatheredgroundbrewery.com and go online at https://www.wvpubfest.com/
Brewgrass – Save the date of May 23 for the third annual Brewgrass 2020 craft beer, cider and music festival at Heritage Station, 210 11th Street. Hosted by Taps at Heritage Station, Brewgrass features a wide array of acoustic music and craft beers at the cozy and historic Heritage Station where Rails and Ales held its first couple of tests. Band and brewery announcements will be happening soon. Go online at https://www.facebook.com/BREWGRASSWV/
