Around these parts, we take our beer seriously. Cleveland Beer Week might just be the best week of the year, but to hold us over until the next Beer Week, we have a giant winter suds party known as Cleveland Beerfest.
Cleveland Beerfest is a two-day event, held Feb. 10 - 11 at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, where breweries from all around the country will sling samples of 150+ beers for enthusiasts to try. Don't bother driving from beverage store to beverage store — Cleveland is the place to be to find your new favorite beer.
You can try loads of styles and variations from well-known breweries while discovering up and coming brewers hoping to make their mark. Cleveland Beerfest is the perfect time to discover beers without going to deep into your wallet. Never heard of a sour or always shied away from Scotch Ales? This is the perfect time to see what they're all about.
You also get the rare opportunity to speak with the brewers themselves. Ask what flavors they intended for you to taste, or chat about your favorite beers and let them give you expert ideas on what to try next. People who don’t know a hop from a hole in the wall might expect a bunch of beer snobs judging you for not knowing what you're doing. The exact opposite is true. The brewers are excited for you to try their beers and couldn’t be happier to talk with you about the brewing process, where their ideas come from and (especially) where you can find the beers you love in local stores.
Tickets to the event include 25 sample tickets, a souvenir mug and access to the show floor. The Beerfest website even offers discounted tickets for designated drivers, the unsung heroes of any beer bash, so there’s no excuse to not have driving arrangements secured ahead of time. Cleveland offers affordable Uber and Lyft options, and no matter how far the trip, it's certainly safer (and cheaper) than drinking and driving. Have a great time and do it responsibly.
Oh, and don't worry about the likely hangover you'll have in the morning. That's a badge of honor. Wear it with pride. You earned it. (Besides, Cleveland is known for great hangover-curing brunches, so you’re covered.)