Brewers Showcase
The Expanded Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Craft Beer Experience
Remaining true to the festival’s roots, the brewers showcase beer experience replaces the Grand Tasting and provides attendees with expanded opportunities to interact directly with breweries and to sample rare, new and classic beer offerings while supporting local, regional and national craftsmanship in the craft beer industry.
The new Brewers Showcase is a multi-faceted experience with events spanning the entire festival weekend. The Showcase will host four intimate tasting sessions with 23 breweries pouring unlimited samples for attendees. The Showcase also feature an activation by the Colorado Brewers Guild. To top it all off, the Showcase will kick off with a multi-course beer pairing dinner that will strategically pair modern mountain dishes with special craft beer.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company will return as the long-standing craft beer partner to the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Throughout the event, Sierra Nevada will pour many of their classic styles along with six rare, specialty beers and a unique "festival-only" flavor.
How To Get Involved
Please read this entire page for requirements and selection criteria.
This year, there are two levels to be involved: Presenting Brewery Partner ($1,800) and Exhibiting Brewery Partner ($600).
Presenting Brewery Partner (Fee: $1,800) will have three styles of beer sold at the House of Brews. One style per day of the festival (three styles total). The Telluride Blues Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, will purchase at least 55 cases from the brewery's distributor. Cans only. Limited to 5 spots!
Exhibiting Brewery Partner (Fee: $600) will have one style of beer sold at the House of Brews for one day of the festival. The Telluride Blues Society will purchase 10 cases from the brewery's distributor. Cans only. Limited to 18 spots!
Each participating brewery will get to showcase their beer to over 1,800 attendees during four two hour tasting sessions spread out over two days.
Each participating brewery has the opportunity to be involved in other activations and a multi-course beer pairing dinner at the Madeline Hotel & Residences. These activation spots are limited and participation is not guaranteed.
Each participating brewery will receive marketing and hospitality benefits detailed below.
Benefits
Pre-Festival
Inclusion in brewery lineup announcement Spring 2024
Posted on Telluride Blues & Brews Festival website
Distributed on social media channels, email newsletter list and to the festival’s beer and Colorado media list.
Listing on Telluride Blues & Brews Festival website BREWS page with logo
Unique brewery profile page with hyperlinks to brewery website (316K website visitors in 2023, 183K unique visitors).
Inclusion in beer styles announcement in Summer 2024
Posted on Telluride Blues & Brews Festival website
Distributed on social media channels, email newsletter list and to the festival’s beer and Colorado media list.
During Festival
Brewery reps pour beer samples to over 1,800 festival attendees during four tasting Sessions.
Two tasting sessions will take place on Friday
Two tasting sessions will take place on Saturday
The late Saturday session has a special, high ABV, barrel-aged, rare, wild and non-traditional theme.
Beer for the specialty, barrel aged, high ABV session will be purchased by the Telluride Blues Society through the brewery's distributor.
We will purchase four cases (of 24 cans) or keg equivalent.
Two or more styles requested
10 Cases for Exhibiting Brewery Partners or 60 cases for Presenting Brewery Partners will be purchased by Telluride Blues Society through the brewery’s distributor to be sold in the House of Brews for one day of the festival (cans only).
Note: if your brewery wants to participate here and can’t do cans, please email patrick@sbgproductions.com and we can discuss alterative options.
Please send an email to patrick@sbgproductions.com with options to look at.
Historical data shows lighter beer sells better at the festival (lager, pilsner, kolsch, etc).
Inclusion in House of Brews beer menus and online menu page
Inclusion in stage announcements made from Main Stage
Keg/Can and equipment cold storage
Ice for each tasting session
Post Festival
Inclusion in festival recap photo galleries
Inclusion in blog, social media campaign thanking festival partners.
Opportunity to download photos from the sessions
Hospitality Benefits
Exhibiting Breweries receive three 3-Day Festival Passes with brewer credentials or single day equivalent.
Presenting Breweries receive four 3-Day Festival Passes with brewer credentials or single day equivalent.
Brewer’s choice of lodging for three nights for three people OR 5-Day Camping Passes for the Telluride Town Park Campground.
Lodging will be provided Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the festival.
The Campground Opens Wednesday at 11 am and closes Monday at 11 am. You do not need to be present the entire time to camp.
Requirements
Staff: One or two brewery representatives to pour beer and interact with Tasting Session attendees for four two hour tasting Sessions in the Festival Beer Garden between the Main Stage and Blues Stage. Each tasting session will host at least 450 attendees.
Two tasting sessions will take place on Friday, September 13
Two tasting sessions will take place on Saturday, September 14
The late Saturday session has a special, high ABV, barrel-aged, rare, wild and non-traditional theme.
Load-in time: Mandatory equipment and tent load-in window on the afternoon of Thursday, September 12.
Equipment can remain in place the entire festival.
Beer Donation: Each brewery is required to donate approximately 6 ⅙ barrel kegs or 12 cases of cans to the Telluride Blues Society 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
At least three styles or more.
Approximately 253 12oz beers.
This product is donated for four 2-hour tasting sessions alongside 22 other breweries. Attendance is 450 people per session.
The Telluride Blues Society will purchase beer for the high ABV, barrel-aged, rare, wild and non-traditional session. More details below.
Breweries are welcome to bring more, however, all donated beer cannot be returned after the festival.
Please include a zero-Cost Invoice billed to Telluride Blues Society listing each product
Beer Delivery Time: Mandatory delivery by your distributor on Thursday, September 12
Equipment:
10 x 10 brewery tent (larger or smaller is fine, please email patrick@sbgproductios.com about any non standard size)
Tapping equipment and Co2 tanks if bringing kegs
Serving pitchers
A dolly or manpower to transport your kegs or cans to the Beer Garden area (50 ft)
The festival will provide tables.
Current liquor license valid through September 16, 2024
A logo, bio and picture of your brewery.
Meet all announcement information deadlines.
Final pour lists are due summer 2024.
Selection Criteria
The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival strives to make the Brewers Showcase the best it can be for all breweries, staff and most importantly festival attendees! Just as a brewery puts in great effort to attend the festival, we put in a year-round effort to create a top-notch festival experience. The Brewers Showcase will be smoother for all when brewery partners fully participate and cooperate with our program. Our selection criteria will help ensure the best experience for all!
Due to high demand and limited capacity we cannot accept all breweries that apply to participate in the Brewers Showcase. Here are a few ways to stand out! Please include answers to the following in the “notes” section of the application.
Uniqueness - What makes your brewery unique? What do you specialize in?
Promotion - Do you have an outstanding regional following? Do you have any press or review to prove it?
Eagerness to Participate - As mentioned above, the Brewers Showcase will be smoother for all when brewery partners fully participate and cooperate with our program. Let us know that you’re organized, can meet deadlines and help us promote the festival!
Craft - For 29 years, we have been an independently owned festival. We prioritize participation with breweries that are independent and craft.
Past Performance - Breweries who are friendly, communicative, meet deadlines, are organized and help us promote the festival will be given priority to return.
Proceeds
All proceeds benefit the Telluride Blues Society, a 501(c)3 or organization. Check out some of the organizations we have donated to in the past: https://www.tellurideblues.com/philanthropy
Questions
If you have further questions, please give us a call at 970-728-8037 (ext 103) or email patrick@sbgproductions.com. Cheers!
Apply