Headquarters Beercade 3rd annual Firkin Fest

It’s that firkin time of the year again: Headquarters Beercade has announced the return of an event of epic ale proportions. For the third year in a row, Headquarters Beercade will host Firkin Fest, a tasting event that celebrates the craft beer community. Past year’s sell-out event was attended by over 500 brew buffs and this year’s battle will be even bigger than before. Featuring exclusive blends from thirty-nine elite local and regional breweries, Firkin Fest returns to Headquarter Beercade’s River North location (213 W. Institute) on Sunday, April 3, 2016.

At Firkin Fest, craft beer enthusiasts will have the chance to taste 40 unique brews through an unadulterated process of consumption. Breweries will battle in a fight for the finest firkin with ales that have never been sipped before – and may not be savored ever again!

So, what in the firk is a firkin? A firkin is a unit of measure and also the size of a particular kind of keg used for cask conditioning; one quarter of a barrel, 72 pints, 9 imperial gallons. Firkins can be wooden or metal. It’s considered “real ale,” one that is cask conditioned but has not been cold-filtered, pasteurized, or carbonated by outside equipment. The cask barrels preserve the taste in its most wholesome state, while the interior beer harbors active yeast, which means the flavor profile will evolve over time.

Sip on offerings crafted by a variety of vendors, including Illinois favorites: 3SHEEP, 4 Hands, Abita, Alarmist, Alpine, Ballast Point, Batemans, BEGYLE, Brewery Vivant, Dogfish Head, Empirical, Goose ISLAND, Great Lakes, Green Flash, Greenbush, Half Acre, LAGUNITAS, Lakefront, Left Hand, Metropolitan, Miskatonic, ONE TRICK PONY, Oskar Blues, Penrose, POLLYANNA, Revolution, Saugetuck, Solemn Oath, Stone, Surly, Tallgrass, Temperance, Two Brothers, Tyranena, Unita, Upland, Urban Chestnut, Vander Mill and Victory.

Guests can select between two ticket packages. First package price of $44 includes ticket, custom tasting glass and access to 40 unique firkins. The second package price of $55 includes ticket, customs tasting glass, access to 40 unique firkins and offers guest a chance to chow down on some fan favorites such as beer boiled brats, chicken sausages, classic Chicago dogs, soft pretzels, funnel cakes and a chili bar with three different types of chili.

Tickets are available for purchase online here: http://hqbeercade.com/rivernorth/firkin-fest/