Experience “Experience The Hops,” a weekend retreat for beer lovers

The creativity of brewers and the hunger of beer lovers is going much further these days than just the beer they make and the beer they drink.  My Facebook feed is filled with creative new events combining new beer releases with food pairings, yoga events, bike rides, crawfish boils and weekend beer retreats.

I learned of one such beer retreat a bit late, but wanted to share the information with you in the 314, just in case anyone would be interested in attending.

Experience The Hops is an annual event that is taking place this year on Feb 18-19 at the Allerton Park & Retreat Center in Allerton, Illinois, about 3 hours northeast of St. Louis.  The event is more than a beer festival, but rather a weekend filled with beer education, kinship and of course brew.

This year’s attendees will sample some big names including Against the Grain Brewery, Bell’s Brewery, Brickstone Brewery, Revolution Brewing, Sierra Nevada  and Alton’s own The Old Bakery Beer Company.

The education portion of the weekend features organized seminars put on by all the guest brewers.

Against the Grain Brewery: Building Beers for Barrels & Blending
Bell’s: Bottling vs. Canning
Brickstone Brewery: Owning/Operating Brewpubs & Production Facilities in Rural Areas
The Old Bakery Beer Company: Organic Brewing
Revolution Brewing: Hop Selection & Ingredient Sourcing
Sierra Nevada: Quality and Sustainability

Unlike a beer festival, Experience The Hops is a rare opportunity to learn from – and talk with – beer experts and enthusiasts from around the region.

Space is limited. Call 217-333-3287 to reserve your spot!