The 19th annual Holiday Ale Festival offers one of the United States’ finest gatherings of winter beers. This year’s event will take place Dec. 3 through Dec. 7, 2014 in the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon.
The popular event will feature at least four-dozen big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a long winter night. From Belgians, barleywines and CDAs to winter warmers, porters and stouts, these beers have either been crafted specifically for the event or are hard-to-fine vintages, underscoring the event’s reputation.
What makes this festival standout from other similar events is the beer selection: the festival works with every brewery involved to make sure they send a beer that has either been made or blended specifically for the event, or is a rare or vintage beer that isn’t commonly tapped in the state.
To enter and enjoy the beer, the purchase of an entry package is required. Packages cost $35 and include the 2014 tasting mug and 12 taster tickets.
Advance GA packages will be available for the same price, but will include expedited entry all five days. Advance VIP packages will be available for $80 and include the tasting mug, 30 taster tickets, bottled water, access to VIP lines (including special tappings), VIP only vintage bottles and/or draft and express entry all five days. Express re-entry requires a wristband and the 2014 mug, and is subject to the festival’s capacity. All advance packages will go on sale in October at www.holidayale.com.
Returning to the event is the 11th annual Sunday Beer Brunch, taking place Dec. 7 from 11am to 1pm on the upper level of Pioneer Courthouse Square. This auxiliary event features an assortment of exclusive vintage draft and bottled winter beers not available at the festival itself, plus several special large format bottles to be shared during the event. Tickets cost $80 and will be available in early October.
See you there!
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