Chili was established as a method for die-hard beer drinkers to acquire some much-needed nutrition as they concentrated their attention on tipping their glasses and tapping new kegs; it occurs here at beerfestlist.com.
However, something unusual occurred along the way: the chili became exceptionally tasty. Chili now comes in as wide different varieties and styles as craft beers. As a result, beer and chili festivals are springing up all across the country. That makes us happy because few things in life are as satisfying as a bowl of chili washed down with a masterfully produced craft beer. That’s why we’re so pleased to share the top 7 beer and chili events from around the country. So please make a note of it on your calendars and prepare to eat a lot. You’ll be served in a moment.
1. Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chili and Beer Festival – Crested Butte, Colorado
Autumn in Colorado means crisp air, abundant harvests, and inhabitants mentally preparing for the impending winter. The annual Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chili & Beer Festival adds to the excitement by bringing a little warmth to the land. In these places, the celebration has a long and venerable history. At the same time, I was taking in the sights and sampling beers from unusual categories like Fruit/Vegetable/Spice Beer.
2. Exeter, New Hampshire’s Powderkeg Beer, and Chili Festival
The Granite State’s panoramic leaf-popping views have defined the essence and color of “autumn,” attracting visitors worldwide each fall. The Annual Powderkeg Beer and Chili Festival, hosted in the charming community of Exeter, has given you yet another reason to visit New Hampshire. Local breweries such as Samuel Adams, Smuttynose, Allagash, and others participate in the yearly celebration, including chili competitions. Beer brewing is said to have been a specialty of the Colonials, and look at how that culture is alive and well in New Hampshire today.
3. Seymour, Connecticut – Smoke in the Valley
Smoke in the Valley, a craft beer event in Seymour, isn’t like any other. It’s also Connecticut’s largest craft beer festival, with over 100 breweries and two stages of live music. The Food Truck Challenge is a one-of-a-kind fall event in Connecticut. That’s right, America adores its food trucks, and now you can watch them compete while sipping local craft beer and listening to some incredible music (including Max Creek, John Brown’s Body, Badfish, and others).
4. Bethel Woods Craft Beer Festival & Chili Cook-Off in Bethel, New York
“Woodstock Revisited,” perhaps? Craft beers are served alongside live music at the annual Bethel Woods Craft Beer Festival and Chili Cook-Off near the 1969 Woodstock festival site. Is there any way to beat that? Not at all, I believe. If the music and beer at “Woodstock” weren’t enough, you could now sample and vote on chili. You may not leave the event buried in dirt and without clothes, but you will have a story to tell for years.
5. Anaheim, California’s FirkFest Cask Beer Festival & Chili Cookoff
Are you looking for a little more coziness while attending a beer festival? What about a trip to Anaheim, California, for the annual Firkfest Cask Beer Festival & Chili Cookoff, which is nearly always sold out? The fact that Firkfest is an actual cask ale festival makes it unique. Brewers can then add fresh hops, coffees, teas, and other things to their cask of beer to produce a one-of-a-kind brew. When you combine that with West Coast chili, you have a party on your hands.
6. Sacramento Beer & Chili Festival (Sacramento, California)
Sacramento’s annual Sacramento Beer & Chili Festival, not to be surpassed by its Californian cousin, honors the best chili and craft beer. The chili cook-off usually has three categories: individual, industry, and vegetarian, with local and regional beers such as ales, lagers, IPAs, and ciders. The festival’s proceeds support various art programs at nearby schools.
7. Beer Tasting & Chili Cook-Off: Knock Your Boots Off – Golden, CO
Golden, Colorado is a mecca, as anyone who knows beer can attest. But don’t imagine for a second that a festival organized here is solely focused on Coors. The annual Chili Cook-Off & Beer Tasting, held each fall, is the ideal occasion for individuals from all over the country to explore what Golden has to offer beyond what you see in stores across the country.