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Home›Inside Scoop›Inside Scoop: Come celebrate Nov. 4-5 — FoBAB is turning 20 this year as North America’s largest barrel-aged festival

Inside Scoop: Come celebrate Nov. 4-5 — FoBAB is turning 20 this year as North America’s largest barrel-aged festival

By Trent Modglin
October 18, 2022
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Festival of Barrel-Aged Beer — Nov. 4-5
Credit Union 1 Arena
525 S. Racine Ave.
Chicago, IL 60607
FoBAB.com

FoBAB’s 20th anniversary will honor the history and legacy of the North America’s largest and most prestigious barrel-aged festival, celebrating the innovation and craftsmanship that defines barrel-aged brewing and the pioneers and industry leaders who have guided the craft-beer industry through two decades of growth and expansion.

FoBAB 20 will consist of two in-person tasting sessions — Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago.

Festival attendees will have the opportunity to sample hundreds of barrel-aged beers, ciders, meads and perries across 12 style categories, each hand-crafted and aged in contact with wood or wood barrels in breweries from coast to coast.  

Festival attendees will have the opportunity to sample hundreds of barrel-aged beers, ciders, meads and perries across 12 style categories

An “Oasis lounge” will provide a reprieve from the traditionally higher ABV samples available throughout the festival. Once again, brewers will be pouring throughout the main floor, around the concourse and outdoors, and food will be available for purchase throughout the arena.

IMBIBE members with the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild will be allowed to enter one hour earlier than the general admission audience. 

As part of the competition, hundreds of craft breweries from across the country will submit their most exciting wood and barrel-aged beer, cider, mead and perry for judging. A panel of expert judges and stewards will evaluate FoBAB entries, awarding gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as “Best in Show” honors across 12 different style categories.

The award ceremony will take place during session #2, with results published on FoBAB.com

Competition Categories

  1. Strong Porter & Stout
  2. Specialty Strong Porter & Stout
  3. Barleywine/Wheatwine
  4. Other Pale Beer
  5. Lagers
  6. Other Dark Beer
  7. Fruit Beer
  8. Specialty & Experimental Beer
  9. Wild Beer-Brett
  10. 10. Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic
  11. Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic with Fruit
  12. Cider/Perry Mead

Session 1 
Friday, Nov. 4
6-10 p.m. (IMBIBE members can enter at 5 p.m.)

Session 2 
Saturday, Nov. 5
1-5 p.m. (IMBIBE members can enter at 12 p.m.)

For more information as we get closer to FoBAB, keep an eye on these social media accounts, as well as @IllinoisBrewing

Facebook — Festival of Wood & Barrel Aged Beers
Twitter — FoBABOfficial
Instagram — @fobab
Hashtag — #FoBAB20

Tagsbarrel aged beerFestival of Barrel Aged BeersFOBABIllinois BrewingIllinois Craft Brewers GuildIMBIBE
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About us

Sponsored by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, Illinois Brewing is printed and distributed quarterly (early January, April, July and October) to more than 250 breweries across the state as well as more than 100 craft beer-focused bars, restaurants and stores. Each member of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild’s IMBIBE club also receives the magazine in the mail. 

Publisher/owner: Trent Modglin
[email protected]

Art director: Brian Hertel
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Illinois Brewing's magazine, website and email newsletter are property of Venture Forth Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023.

illinoisbrewing

Stylish magazine, website and e-mail newsletter focused on the vibrant craft beer scene in Illinois. Sponsored by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild

It’s official… Imagine us having to keep this It’s official…
Imagine us having to keep this little secret for most of the last year, especially when the second location will be walking distance from our house. Congrats Mike and the talented crew at @mikerphonebrewing … we can’t wait to be your first customer. Look for a Q&A about this fun expansion in the fall issue of Illinois Brewing
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