8 of the Best: Beer Festivals in 2018

If you take your craft beer as seriously as us here at Coolector HQ, chances are you’ll be scouring the calendar already in search of the best beer festivals and events to head to in 2018 but we’ve decided to take some of the leg work out of this for you by compiling our list of 8 of the best beer festivals that you can head to next year.

Check out our picks of 8 of the Best Beer Festivals in 2018 below:

Craft Beer Rising, London, UK (February, 2018)

Having attended the last two Craft Beer Rising events personally here at Coolector HQ, we can certainly vouch for its excellence and it is great way to introduce yourself to a whole host of new craft beers from all over the world. Located in the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in the Shoreditch area of London, this is one of the UK’s leading craft beer events and anyone who is anyone in the UK brewing scene will surely be there to show off their delicious wares.

The Great American Beer Festival, Denver, USA (September, 2018)

America does most things bigger and better and, so far as craft beer is concerned, there are few better examples of this than the Great American Beer Festival which is scheduled for September next year. This first class event which craft beer lovers typically pilgrimage to takes place over three beer soaked days, has 800+ breweries and over 3,800 beers. It is the largest ticketed beer festival in the U.S. and according to the Guinness Book of World Records®, there is no other place on earth where a beer aficionado can find more beers on tap. So, make sure you sign up for their email alerts for early bird ticketing for next year’s event.

North Sea Beer Festival, Oostende, Belgium (August, 2018)

Belgium is entirely synonymous with beer and whilst the likes of Bruges, Brussels et al might be where you’d think to head when looking for a beer festival in the country, it’s the North Sea Beer Festival in the coastal town of Oostende that has caught our eye here at Coolector HQ. This relatively new event (they recently held their third festival) is held in the splendid Leopoldpark, not far from the famous Casino-Kursaal, right opposite the De Grote Post cultural centre and just a few hundred metres from the sea and the beach. You will find 30 Belgian breweries and beer firms and they will be showing off more than 150 – 200 Belgian specialty beers so if you’ve got a taste for Belgian style beers, this is the festival for you.

Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland (May, 2018)

This year’s Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival was held in May so we’re just taking a punt that it will be the same time next year and if you happen to find yourself in Edinburgh at that time and have a love of craft beer, you’re going to want to make sure you’ve got tickets for this event. It is no normal beer festival insomuch as your ticket gives you total freedom to enjoy all the best breweries and beers under one festival roof. No faffing about with tokens, no cash only bars, no hassle, no queuing, just great beers and great times exploring the hundreds of amazing craft beers at your disposal.

Irish Craft Beer Festival, Dublin, Ireland (September, 2018)

Billed as Ireland’s biggest craft beer festival, this is one not to be missed if you find yourself in the Emerald Isle in September next year (providing it’s being held in the same month again). This cracking beer lover’s event boasts over 40 brewers and over 200 different Irish beers to be enjoyed and is located just outside the city of Dublin but easily accessible by all sorts of public transport offerings. Just some of the excellent Irish brewers at this year’s event included Black Donkey Brewing, Irishtown Brewing Co, Kelly’s Mountain Brew and Two Sides Brewing Co.

Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany (September / October, 2018)

One that is well and truly on our bucket list here at Coolector HQ is a trip to Munich to experience the madness of Oktoberfest and we’re pretty sure that there will be plenty of beer lovers looking to head there again in 2018. This iconic festival of beer and food is pretty much a German wide (and celebrated in plenty of other countries too) but it’s Munich that is the epicentre of the event and where anyone looking to experience the authentic Oktoberfest experience should be heading. Grab your steins and polish of plenty of pretzels to soak up the booze – this is one of the Holy Grail beer events that any self-respecting beer aficionado needs to experience at least once in their life.

The Great Australian Beer Spectapular, Sydney, Australia (June, 2018)

Aussies love a beer and this is reflected in the grandiosity and awesomeness of their Great Australian Beers Spectapular (GABS) event which is held in cities across Australia in June next year. This first rate beer festival is the brainchild of Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone and is based on the premise of convincing Australia’s most exciting craft breweries to all brew and release a brand new beer on the same day at one event – it was an unprecedented idea and one that saw the popularity of GABS spread like wildfire and become one of the world’s best loved craft beer festivals that should definitely be on your list if you want to see some of best and brightest of Australian beers.

Vancouver Craft Beer Week, Vancouver, Canada (May / June, 2018)

If you’re looking for a craft beer festival in the heart of summer, the Vancouver Craft Beer Week might just be the one for you. It is Western Canada’s largest craft beer and cider festival and home to some amazing brewers that you’ll be treated to over a ten day period. With over 100 craft breweries and cideries pouring 300+ beer and ciders, you’ll never be short of a new brew to try and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week also boasts art installations, food trucks, market stalls, brewing demonstrations, and a games area with pinball and foosball so there will be plenty to see and do when you want to take a break from the beers.