The Best Beer Weekend I have Ever Had

Two weekends ago I got the amazing opportunity to volunteer at the Craft Lager Fest in Manitou Springs.  As a volunteer I was rewarded with a free ticket to use either of the days I chose to go.  Through this volunteering I had one of the best beer experiences since I got into craft beer.  Rebecca and I chose to volunteer on Sunday and attend as a drinker on Saturday. 
DAY ONE
We met our friends the Cornells about eleven in the morning to find that their daughter Amy and her Husband had driven up from Vegas the night before to join us at the Lager Fest.  We entered the fest at noon and had the place all to ourselves and the other VIPs for about an hour.  I t really pays to go to these early so that you can enjoy the beer before it really gets busy.  We got to hit every tent before the big rush came in.  By about 2:00 there were about 200 people, by 400 there were about 700.  Get there early.
Even though it was a "lager" fest the beer selection was pretty damn good.  They had a good representation form around Colorado.  During my first round, when I was keeping track, I tasted:

Sam Adams-East West Kolsch, Carvers-Raspberry Wheat and X-Rock Bock and La Platte Pilsner, Bierworks-Munich Dunkel and Helles, Colorado Mountain-Unibrau Hefeweisen, Odell-Kolsch and St Lupelin, Rock Bottom-Warning Sign Eisbock and Goat Toppler, Schmaltz-Blockhead and Albino Python and Lager, Annheiser Bush-Wild Blue and Alexander Keith's, Firestone-Double Barrel IPA and Summer Solace, Lost Rhino-Chaser Pilsner, Pikes Peak-Mild Porter, New Belgium-1554 and Lips of Faith, Trinity-Kinky Reggae and Sunna Wit, Dillon Dam-Montezuma Marzen, Pug Ryans-Morningwood Wheat and Pali Pilsner, New Planet-Pale Ale, Full Sail-Session Ales Black Lager, Avery-Joe Pilsner, Rocky Mountain-Pilsner, Durango-Dark Lager and Blackberry Wheat....

The best beers of the day came from of course Odell, which has always been a favorite but I am now getting a new found thrill from their beer, Firestone Double Barrel was phenomenal, maybe the best beer of the day, and Blockhead form Schmaltz.  I only had one or tow beers that I would never try again but for the most part it was a top notch selection.We spent the rest of the day eating and drinking and have a great time together.  Good Friends, Good Food, and Great beer makes a great day.

DAY TWO:

The Nest morning we were volunteers.  We volunteered for the Brew Crew.  This entailed helping the brewers setup, pouring and manning tents, and helping out in any way we could.  The morning was neat cause we just walked around and talked to the brewers with not a lot to do.  Then Rebecca and I were stationed at the Avery tent for the day.  It was a freaking blast.  I thought that it was even better than Saturday.  I was able to talk to all the patrons and talk about beer all day.  I was able to taste beers all day.  It was just all around cool.  Some highlights of the day included pouring for Schmalts brewery for a while and trying their new release Oak Aged Blockhead.  They did not have it the day before and it was un-real.  It was so good.  Dillon Dam also brought in a specialty DoppelBock that they hid behind the tent and Chris and I only got to taste because we had helped them move their stuff in that morning. I had about three glasses and it was AWESOME!.  It is all about who you know.  Just those two beers made the day worth it.  At the end of the day we got our real treat.  We poured and drank beer all day and just had a fantastic time.  Then came the pivotal moment of our beer journey.  As Chris and I were helping shut down the brewers we started to get offered  their left over beers.  And got offered more beers.  And got offered more beers.  We left with nearly two hundred beers.  Yes two hundred beers.  It was a great end to one of the greatest beer days EVER.  I will now volunteer at every beer festival I can.  Huzzah!!