Cheers, big ears, to the beers

Belgians & Barleywines Festival overflows in Vail

It doesn't matter whether you see the glass as half full or half empty; the glass didn't stay full for long at the ninth annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival this past weekend in Vail.  With nearly 200 different brews to try, beer connoisseurs sampled an impressive list of beers, many of which were composed of over 7% alcohol by volume.  Nearly 800 beer enthusiasts happily sipped out of their snifters, tasting some of the finest and most creative concoctions stirred by the 84 breweries represented.  The weekend event also included brewmasters' dinners, educational seminars, and a homebrew competition. And, to top it all off, 100% of net proceeds was donated to the Vail Valley Charitable Fund.