Winter beer festivals chase away cold weather

Winter beer festivals can be just the change of pace you need to get your blood stirring and your spirits jumping.  Stop sitting around. It’s time to pull out the credit card and buy your winter beer festival tickets. (Link to Spring 2017 festival list)

This year, West Virginia is very fortunate to have two new festivals—and both are indoors out of the cold. Cabin Fever Craft Beer Festival in Morgantown and Rhythm & Brews Festival in South Charleston both look like fun to us.

No matter whether you live in northern WV or southern WV, there’s a winter beer festival for you.

Cabin Fever Craft Beer Festival

Craft beer fans will converge on Morgantown for the inaugural Cabin Fever Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, Feb. 11^th.  The festival is bringing together WV breweries, artists and food. The venue is the spacious Mylan Park Community Center. Organizers promise at least ten breweries will be in attendance from across WV.

The five of the newest breweries in the state are scheduled to pour beer. The festival provides a good opportunity to meet the folks behind Brew Keepers of Wheeling, Brewstel of Elkins, Parkersburg Brewing of Parkersburg, Pubstomper of Morgantown, and Sophisticated Hound of Princeton. Among the state’s more established breweries expect to see Greenbrier Valley, Morgantown, Chestnut Brew Works, and Big Timber. That’s a solid lineup.

A limited number of tickets are available for purchase at wvbeerfest.com. Cost is $30.  Ticketholders receive a commemorative tasting glass and 4-oz sample pours. Designated Driver tickets are $10 and are also available online. Cabin Fever is open to those 21 years of age and above. There will be food and other products available for cash purchase.

Rhythm & Brews Festival

Charleston’s Fund for the Arts is offering this brand new festival in South Charleston, and it’s just what the doctor ordered. Taking place on March 25, Rhythm & Brews will feature three hot bands and scores of cold beers.

Held at the South Charleston Community Center, organizers say to expect a wide variety of beers with the focus on WV and regional brews, local food vendors, and music. Musicians signed on include William Matheny, Porch 40, and John Inghram’s Slugfest.

General admission is $35 for advance purchase or $50 at the door. Tickets are available through the Fund for the Arts website.  A commemorative 14-oz beer stein, tickets for five 12-oz beers, and four hours of live music are included in the price.

Food will be available for cash purchase. All profits benefit Fund for the Arts, which is the premier arts funding organization in the Charleston area.