Inside Scoop: Come celebrate Nov. 4-5 — FoBAB is turning 20 this year as North America’s largest barrel-aged festival
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
- Strong Porter & Stout
- Specialty Strong Porter & Stout
- Barleywine/Wheatwine
- Other Pale Beer
- Lagers
- Other Dark Beer
- Fruit Beer
- Specialty & Experimental Beer
- Wild Beer-Brett
- 10. Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic
- Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic with Fruit
- 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
