Check out pictures and a wrap-up of the 10th Annual Winterfest

More than 6,000 beer enthusiasts joined the Brewers of Indiana Guild to celebrate a decade of big, bold beers at our 2018 winter beer fest fundraiser, the 10th Annual Winterfest, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds West Pavilion on Saturday, February 3.

Check out the pics above and more info below.

Fundraising for Charitable Organizations

The Brewers of Indiana Guild is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association, and our annual seasonal festivals are the primary way we raise funds to support our mission to help Indiana breweries through legislative, promotional, and educational efforts.

Like our member breweries, we’re also invested in improving our community.

$3 from every Winterfest ticket sold benefited our charity partner, Joy’s House, whose mission is to serve adults living with life-altering diagnoses and their families by providing exceptional adult day and caregiver services.

Thanks to fest guests, Joy’s House will receive a donation of $17,598 from the Guild.

Joy’s House staff and volunteers also run the Winterfest coat check for guests, who donated an additional $4,300 for the service. This adds up to a total of $100,000+ that Joy’s House has received thanks to Winterfest guests since 2013!

Other organizations benefited from Winterfest, too.

Habitat for Humanity of Boone County raised more than $2,100 at their booth to support The House that Beer Built.

Raise the Bar Indiana ran carnival games at Broad Ripple Beer Fest and brought them back to Winterfest, raising nearly $1,000 in support of their bystander intervention training for alcohol-serving establishments.

Improvements for 2018

As the non-profit association that represents the interests of Indiana’s small breweries, we strive to make Brewers of Indiana Guild festivals the best around, and we’re honored that NUVO readers have chosen Winterfest and our summer fundraiser, Indiana Microbrewers Festival, as the best beer fests in Indy for the past three years.

In addition to evaluating our events while they’re happening, we listen to feedback from guests and breweries and review all aspects so we can improve future fests.

We rolled out a number of improvements to our seasonal festivals in 2017 and at Winterfest this year, including:

• Reducing the number of Winterfest tickets by nearly 25% to ensure a more enjoyable experience for all
• Offering one-of-a-kind beers at the Early Bird Exclusives and HopCat Specialties booths
• Adding portalets and more visible signage
• Improving the pre-banding process at HopCat and Tomlinson Tap Room, resulting in nearly ⅓ of festival guests having their IDs checked and getting their event wristbands beforehand, allowing them to get into the festival more quickly–and giving them a chance to win prizes
• Adding lanes for entry and a new Pre-Banded Only gate at Winterfest
• Increasing the amount of beer that breweries bring to the festivals
• A larger cask area at Winterfest to reduce crowding
• Giving breweries the opportunity to feature their beer in larger spaces where they can also have games, bars, tap trailers, and more to enhance the experience
• Focusing messaging more on how to have a fun and safe time at the event
• Printing fewer maps and encouraging digital downloads to reduce paper waste

Look for even more at our next beer fest, Indiana Microbrewers Festival, on Saturday, July 28 in Indianapolis.

Wondering about Bloomington Craft Beer Fest? It’s on hiatus for 2018 as the Woolery Mill is being developed and we check out possible locations and opportunities for the future.

Miss the merchandise or Stuck in the Middle Imperial Stout?

If you forgot to get your Drink Indiana Beer gear at Winterfest, head over to shop.drinkIN.beer now to grab it.

And if you didn’t get a chance to enjoy the s’mores-inspired Stuck in the Middle, our second annual IN Beer Brigade beer hosted by Sun King in collaboration with Central Indiana breweries, stop by any of the upcoming release parties for a taste and to become a member of our enthusiast program.

Subscribe to IN Brew News, follow @DrinkIndiana on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more updates, and check out #IndyWinterfest on Instagram and Twitter for more from Winterfest.

Cheers to our partners!

Did you miss the Joy’s House coat check? Text “GiveJoy” to 243-725 to donate to our Winterfest charity partner.

Download the Big Red App today to enter to win a Kegerator! Already have the app? Save any Winterfest beer to your Favorites and you’ll be entered as well.

Winterfest may be over at the fairgrounds, but some of its best beers are still available only on the Big Red Liquors App.

Find some favorite gems from Saturday’s craft beer Winterfest, plus a few extra goodies for good measure. Check out: Flat 12’s Downtown Tinker Brown, or Black Acre’s rare Chai Guy milk stout. Brewlink’s recently released Pretty Pretty Awkward Milkshake IPA is a stunner, plus we’ve got an amazing selection of Bare Hands at the best prices in Indiana. And if you are a Purdue fan, we’ve for People’s Brewing Boiler Gold! Plus we threw the last of our Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fiddy 19.2 oz singles on there at a hot price of $9.99 each.

Check out all the participating breweries on Yelp!

Mad Anthony Brewing Company
Upland Brewing Company

Cheers to our member breweries for participating!