Festival Preview: WA: 2/1 Belgianfest presented by the Washington Beer Commission is almost here.
Saturday, February 1st, the Washington Beer Commission is happy to remind you about Belgian Fest. Much like Oregon's "Cheers to Belgian Beers", Belgianfest is a celebration of local breweries brewing Belgian-style beers.
Beer in Belgium dates back to the age of the first crusades, long before Belgium became an independent country. Under Catholic church permission, local French and Flemish abbeys brewed and distributed beer as a fund raising method. The relatively low-alcohol beer of that time was preferred as a sanitary option to available drinking water. What are now traditional, artisanal brewing methods evolved, under abbey supervision, during the next seven centuries. The Trappist monasteries that now brew beer in Belgium were occupied in the late 18th century primarily by monks fleeing the French Revolution. However, the first Trappist brewery in Belgium (Westmalle) did not start operation until 10 December 1836, almost 50 years after the Revolution. That beer was exclusively for the monks and is described as "dark and sweet." The first recorded sale of beer (a brown beer) was on 1 June 1861.[4] -source, Wikipedia
Spread out over two sessions, Belgianfest 2014 promises to remind or introduce you to styles like Dubbel, Tripel, Strong Dark, or Saison. With a draft list finalized, a serious reconsideration is in order, if you’ve been putting off purchasing tickets. The larger question is which session with session A running 12pm thru 4pm and session B running 5:30pm thru 9:30pm.
Admission is $35 for advance ticket purchase and $40 at the door. Include in the purchase (besides admission) is a souvenir 4oz tasting glass and 10 4oz tasting tokens. Much like the past couple of years, this year's Belgianfest is being held at Bell Harbor International Conference Center (2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66). Despite what you might think, it's idiotic to consume 40oz of beers and then drive home. Which is why we are encouraging you to nominate a designated driver or use an alternate form of transportation.
For a breakdown of breweries and beers served at the event, visit the Belgianfest website. http://www.washingtonbeer.com/belgianfest/
Cheers
About the photo’s author
+Russ is a photo blogger and an avid beer drinker"